A Dilemma
- After waiting in tortured suspense, Adam "perceived a gleam of consciousness in Arthur's face" (28.1). Arthur's not in the best of shape. Adam checks to see how he is, offers him water, then checks again to see how he is. He'd better. As Arthur tells him, "that blow of yours must have come against me like a battering-ram" (28.16).
- Soon Arthur has recovered enough to start moving. He and Adam relocate to Arthur's hideaway cottage, called the Hermitage. Adam rushes about, getting Arthur brandy and other supplies and generally "relieved to have an active task" (28.24).
- The two men aren't friendly just yet, but their worst feelings are subsiding. Adam feels that he was "unjust in his own words" (28.32). All that stuff about how Arthur's a scoundrel. Arthur, for his part, wants to head home before it all gets worse—before his worse instincts tempt him "to deceive Adam to the utmost" (28.38).
- But Arthur tries to force a reconciliation. Adam will have none of this. He decides that Arthur hasn't had enough straight talk for one day, and tells him how wounded he is. He loves Hetty, dang it! And here's Arthur with his "trifling and flirting," messing everything up (28.44).
- Adam tells Arthur to write Hetty a letter and break the whole thing off.
- The two men leave the Hermitage, not on the best of terms, but no longer in the mood for last chapter's Rocky and Apollo Creed act. With Adam's help, Arthur walks shakily home.