Study Guide

Cutting for Stone Chapter 26: The Face of Suffering

By Abraham Verghese

Chapter 26: The Face of Suffering

The boys find out that Ghosh is gone when they get home from school and find Hema sick. It turns out that the water poisoning was just a rumor, and quick as a whistle, Hema is "cured."
Everyone gets in the car to go to the prison to try to get information about Ghosh.
A prison guard passes a secret message to Matron saying that Ghosh is alive and that they can bring him a blanket, money, and a dish of food for him the next morning. They do so, but they leave the boys at home with Rosina and Genet.
A man comes to the house asking for Zemui's motorcycle. He beats Rosina and Genet, but then has a hard time starting the bike.
Shiva and Marion trick him, telling him to ride it as fast as possible down the hill. Dude crashes over a wall, and when Marion goes to check on him, he accidentally shoots him while trying to pull his gun out of his belly, where it was lodged.
Dude is totally dead.
Rosina tells the children to carry the dead man up to an area of the yard that is full of quicksand, and, well, the body disappears.
Rosina tells the children they can't tell anyone what just happened.