- Dick and Nicole have been at the clinic for about a year and a half now. Nicole is active and productive, but is too dependant on Dick. She is somewhat vacant and alone as a result, even with her kids.
- Lanier and Dick have nice times together – the boy fully admires his father.
- Dick is 38 now. He looks more like a doctor than he did on the Riviera.
- He and Nicole have made the clinic a success, due in part to their tending to the beauty of the grounds.
- Many of the patients prefer Dick to Franz, but some think he doesn’t give them proper attention.
- Dick visits his favorite patient – a female American painter who had a breakdown in Paris and was brought to the clinic by her cousin. Now she is wasting away physically, with awful skin disorders, though at times her mind is very keen.
- Apparently her artistic exploration led to something that drove her mad, something Dick tells is "a greater sickness."
- He thinks she’s too delicate for artistic exploration. He wants to love her and comfort her though. When he leaves her he visits his other patients, fires a lazy attendant, and then it’s time for lunch.