The Heart of the Matter

Wilson prepares for his meeting with Tallit, a Syrian merchant and rival to Yusef, a local black marketeer. Harris comes in and hears Wilson wonder aloud about how he is perplexed by Scobie and Louise’s relationship. Harris is taken aback that Wilson thinks Louise is too good for Scobie, rather than the inverse. They go out into the passage where Wilson is confronted by an Indian fortuneteller. Wilson reluctantly agrees to have his fortune read. The Indian tells Wilson he is ambitious, a dreamer, and a poetry lover to which Wilson vociferously objects, especially the part about poetry. The Indian proceeds to tell Wilson he is secretive and has only told one person about his love for poetry. Later, at Tallit’s house, Wilson and Harris are joined by a Catholic priest named Father Rank. After discussing Yusef’s counterfeit diamond scheme, Wilson wonders whether Father Rank’s boisterousness has ever comforted anyone. Tallit confirms a rumor about Scobie and Yusef having clandestine meetings.

Later that night, Harris and Wilson are together in the hotel. They play a game Harris has invented involving killing cockroaches. The intensity of the competition leads to Wilson storming out angry.