- Mr. Gitney calls Octavian into his room one night.
- On the table is a pistol; Mr. Gitney looks really depressed.
- He asks Octavian if he's heard of anything, or read some kind of secret communication, but Octavian has no idea what Mr. Gitney is talking about.
- Mr. Gitney keeps asking him if he's sure he knows nothing—and Octavian assures him that this is so; he's completely in the dark.
- Then Mr. Gitney asks him if he knows how much Mr. Gitney likes him and how much freedom Octavian has had in the house.
- Octavian assures him again and starts talking about the dance he'll be playing at that evening.
- Then he leaves.
- Only, Octavian the narrator tells us that his young self just lied to Mr. Gitney.