During the winter, Baby Warren, who has never approved of the DiversÂ’ marriage, meets Nicole and Dick at a Swiss ski resort. She brings two young Englishmen along with her; they are very attentive to the women, especially Nicole. Dick seems to be interested in all the women except Nicole. One night she tells him to go ahead and dance with the "little girls" she knows he has been eyeing the whole time. He then forces himself not to look at the beautiful young women, and calls them "infants." It is obvious that things are not going well with the couple.

Franz comes to see Dick to tell him that there is a psychiatric clinic available in Zurich. He is still interested in opening it with Dick, believing they can be very successful. The two of them, however, do not have enough money to purchase the clinic. Ironically, Baby and Nicole have just come into a large sum of additional money that they need to invest. Dick and Franz talk to Baby about backing them. When she answers, "we'll see," Dick believes that Baby is actually saying, "We own you, Dr. Diver, so you might as well admit it." Baby does like the idea of Nicole being near a clinic and having round-the-clock care when needed. As a result, plans for the clinic proceed with Warren money supporting it.

After the clinic has been opened for awhile, Dick wakes up one night, feeling uneasy. He acknowledges the fact that the clinic is not good for him. He feels owned by his wife, whose money backs it, and she feels deprived and lonesome with her husband working so much. Still he goes through his morning routine. He shaves, while his son watches. He then goes to the clinic, making his rounds. Each building houses certain types of patients, grouped by the severity of their illness. Some of the patients amuse Dick, and others trouble him. There is one young woman, an American painter who has been working in Paris, that he finds particularly interesting; in fact, he finds himself responding to her almost sexually. Because she is questioning and often angry, he is not totally honest with her about her illness; he feels that she is unable to handle life's truths.

Dick feels he needs a month off by himself. He goes to Munich to attend a long conference, but he never goes to a single session. He longs to be idle and filled with dreams and fantasies, like in his boyhood. He is glad to encounter Tommy Barban and some of Tommy's friends, including a Russian prince. Tommy and the prince claim that they have just escaped from a Russian prison, killing several Red Guards in the process; they are now out celebrating. Although Dick finds the party somewhat entertaining, he is offended by a man who knows Baby Warren. She has obviously told him about Dick, and the man tries to make a fool out of him. The evening is further disrupted for Dick when Tommy tells him that Abe North has been beaten to death in a speakeasy in New York. Although the others criticize Abe, saying he was overrated as both a composer and a musician, Dick is saddened by the loss. It reminds him of his own lost youth.

Table of Contents | Printable Version