Part 2, Chapter 6 Summary

Despite his complicity before the fact, Lin finds himself very worried about the actual meeting between Manna and Lin, thinking of all the horrible stories he has heard about high-ranking officials and the women they victimize. Lin finds out Commissar Wei was pleased with Manna and wants to meet her again. The Commissar, it turns out, divorced his wife not because they were unhappy but because she had written a pamphlet criticizing a member of the Political Bureau and was deported to a remote area where she is "being reformed."

Lin is relieved to hear about the commissar's excellent manners from Manna. She tells him about the book she must read and Lin tells her to take reporting on it very seriously. Manna does not understand the poetry and asks Lin for help. Lin enjoys Whitman's work although he too is...