Cat's Cradle Chapter 74 Summary

Cat's Cradle

• John heads to Frank's house in San Lorenzo's one taxi.
• Frank isn't there, but he's expected any moment. We'll just let you know now to get comfortable. Frank's arrival is going to take a while.
• Stanley, Frank's manservant, gives John the customary tour and informs John that Newt is home but Angela has gone sightseeing.
• John finds Newt asleep on the terrace. Next to him is a painting that "consist[s] of scratches made in a black, gummy, impasto" (74.13).
• Oh, sounds avant-garde.
• The five o'clock cannon goes off. It wakes up Newt, who is half asleep and accidently rubs paint all over his face.
• John tells Newt he likes his painting, and Newt tells him it's a cat's cradle. It's like one of those 3-D pictures; you've got to stare at it before you see it.
• Newt mentions how its no wonder kids grow up crazy being told a bunch of lines and Xs are a cat in a cradle.