Lolita Book 1, Chapter 4 Summary

  • Humbert muses whether Annabel caused the dark desires of his adult life or presented just the first example of it. He believes, as he explains it, that Lolita began with Annabel.
  • Annabel's death made the failure to consummate even worse. Their love went both ways; Lolita never loved him as Annabel did.
  • Humbert returns to the subject of his "first tryst" (1.4.3) with Annabel. Looks like they went to second base (or something like that).
  • He recalls her lovely scent and many of the other visual and tactile pleasures of the encounter. Her spell was broken 24 years later when he met Lolita.