Mamah wakes up with Frank aboard a ship to Europe, thinking about how they never truly slept together (despite them sleeping together in Chapter 4). He laughs in his sleep. By now, they have been together for six days. Mamah feels guilty for leaving her children, and Frank comforts her. Then, he encourages her to focus on being with him, and she slowly begins to enjoy her freedom.

Mamah and Frank arrive in Berlin and stay at a new hotel. Frank adjusts some of the lavish decor, and they sit in front of a window to look at the city. They explore Berlin on the first day, and on the second, Frank goes to a meeting. In the dining room, Mamah sees Kaiser Wilhelm. She thinks both Mattie and Lizzie would laugh at the absurdity of her situation and hopes they will forgive her.

The chapter opens with a letter describing how Frank is stressed about work, which now includes a monograph of drawings and a photo book of his finished projects. Every day, Mamah explores Berlin, amazed by the languages she hears around her. In a bookstore, she finds a copy of Goethe’s Hymn to