Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

With the village Headman absent for a party conference, Luo and the Narrator are free to spend the following month reading. The Narrator is particularly affected by Jean-Christophe by Romain Rolland, which introduces him to the concept of independence and individual action. Luo visits the Little Seamstress every day to read to her, even after a landslide destroys the path between their villages, forcing him to crawl across a narrow ridge bracketed by perilous drops to reach her despite his fear of heights.

The Narrator tries to accompany him one day but is unable to get more than halfway across the ridge before turning back out of terror and self-preservation. Luo goes on alone, watched by a red-beaked raven, and the Narrator feels a sudden dread about Luo’s quest to familiarize the Little Seamstress with Balzac. That night, the Narrator has a nightmare that the Little Seamstress is killed by falling over the side of the ridge and asks Luo to warn her to be careful.

The Headman returns to the village with his face swollen by a terrible toothache. He asks Luo to treat him, but Luo is unable to without a drill.