- It's now August of 1910, and Vladimir and his brother are in Germany with his parents and Lenski.
- To kill time between terrible dentist appointments, Vladimir and Sergey go to wax museums, play tennis, and roller skate.
- Vladimir, despite being without muscular athletic skill, is a natural skater, and they skate often.
- At the rink, there are several regulars, including a group of American lady tourists.
- They're all beautiful, but one day he overhears one American lady compliment him, and he is smitten.
- Not knowing her name, he calls her Louise.
- The brothers takes advantage of Lenski's social ignorance and con him into going to a theatrical review.
- At the review, Vladimir notices that one of the dancing girls on stage is his Louise. The shock, together with her boastful energy performing, ended his crush, though he did not exactly stop thinking of her for a long time.
- When seeing his parents again, Vladimir asks them why he feels so uncomfortable with the female form around.
- His father avoids answering precisely, saying: "That, my boy, is just another of nature's absurd combinations, like shame and blushes, or grief and red eyes." (10.3.4)
- His embarrassed mother says maybe it's time to go home.