Montag, disbelieving, gazes at Clarisse’s abandoned house as his neighbors come forth from their homes, eager “to watch the carnival set up” (70). Beatty realizes that Clarisse must’ve influenced Montag and scolds him for it. Mildred dashes from their apartment with a suitcase. She clambers into a taxi, which tears off down the street. It dawns on Montag that Mildred must’ve been the one to sound the alarm. Montag hears Faber’s voice through the earpiece, urging Montag to update him on what’s happening, as Beatty orders Montag to burn down his own home with the flamethrower. He warns him not to try and escape because “the Hound’s somewhere about the neighborhood” (71). Montag has no choice but to burn down his entire home, forced to work alone under the watchful supervision of Beatty and his fellow firefighters, Stoneman, and Black.

Beatty places Montag under arrest after the house is turned to rubble. The crowd disperses, and Beatty confirms Montag’s suspicion that it was Mildred who turned him in. Montag listens to Faber as the professor pleads with him to try and escape. Beatty strikes Montag, and the earpiece falls out of his ear. Beatty suspects that Montag was listening to something and retrieves the device from the lawn.