- Charlie wakes up feeling happy. He starts making plans for he and his daughter's future.
- He calls Lincoln at the bank to ask when he can take Honoria home. Lincoln says he sees no reason for delay, but Charlie should know that Marion wants to retain legal guardianship for a year or so, just to be safe. Charlie is OK with this.
- Charlie meets Lincoln for lunch. Lincoln tells him that Marion resented watching her sister and Charlie romp around Europe spending money during the stock boom, since she and her husband didn't get in on the rich-quick action.
- They agree that Charlie will come by at 6 pm that night to settle the details with Marion.
- Back at his hotel, Charlie finds a letter that has been forwarded to him from the Ritz bar, where, you recall, he had left his address "for the purpose of finding a certain man" (4.10). (Pay attention to this part!)
- The letter is from Lorraine.
- She wants to know why Charlie was acting so strangely the other day. She reminds him of the fun times they used to have, like when he stole a tricycle and pedaled her all around Paris in the wee hours of the morning. She wants to meet him later at the Ritz bar.
- Charlie is horrified to remember that he did indeed, as a full-grow adult, steal a tricycle and pedal Lorraine Quarrles all over Paris. He wonders how much dissipation occurred to get him to that level of irresponsibility.
- At 5 pm he buys presents for all of the Peters and gets into a taxi to go over to their apartment.
- Honoria is excited that she gets to leave but concealing it tactfully. Marion has accepted the fact and is resigned to it. She tells Charlie that she has to get Honoria's things together and that he can't take her away until Saturday. Charlie agrees.
- Lincoln offers Charlie a cocktail, and he accepts, as it is his one drink of the day. He starts to feel bad for the Peters, who have never had much money. He wishes he could do something to help Lincoln out at work.
- Then there is a ring at the doorbell. Charlie is horrified to see that it is Duncan and Lorraine, obviously drunk, loud, and obnoxious.
- Charlie has no idea how they found where he was.
- Duncan announces that they've come to take Charlie out to dinner with them. Charlie says that he can't, but he'll call them later. Duncan and Lorraine are angry at being rejected again, and Lorraine reminds Charlie of the night years ago when he went wandering about drunk and ended up banging on her door at 4am.
- The two of them leave.
- Charlie expresses to the Peters his outrage that his friends so rudely barged in. He hasn't seen them for two years, he clearly underscores. He doesn't want Marion to think he's up his old tricks again.
- But Marion is inconsolable. She retreats in near hysteria to the bedroom. Lincoln goes to take care of her, and when he comes back he tells Charlie that he'd better leave.
- Charlie realizes that he can do nothing more tonight. He says good night to his daughter and leaves.