- Augie sits with an Armenian named Mintouchian in a Turkish bath.
- He's a friend of a friend of Stella named Agnes Kutner. Agnes is out with Stella shopping for the wedding.
- Mintouchian talks about strokes, malice, and love.
- He makes a crack about Stella's commitment to Augie, wounding him.
- He apologizes, but warns Augie about secret thoughts and conniving that goes on.
- He tells Augie stories about the burden of secrecy and how pitiable someone hiding a secret from a lover can be.
- Augie refuses to believe that love has to be adultery.
- They talk of being who one is rather than some ideal that can't be reached.
- Mintouchian tells Augie that Agnes faked being mugged to collect insurance money, despite the fact the he gives her money.
- Augie goes to Mintouchian's house for dinner and meets his wife.
- When she's alone with him for a minute, she tells Augie that he doesn't have to tell her anything about her husband. She knows his secrets.