- About a month after his arrival, Carl rides with Emil to the French country for a Catholic fair. Carl spends much of the time in the basement of the church, the narrator tellsus, and talks with Marie Shabata.
- Emil is walking with his friend Amédée back to the church, after a practice baseball game. Amédée is described as a small, plucky young man, who has recently married Angélique.
- The two of them are discussing the game. Emil tells Amédée that he's pitching better than ever, and Amédée chocks it up to being recently married. He tells Emil that he'd better get married, too.
- Emil laughs, and says he's not sure how he's supposed to get married when he doesn't have anyone to marry.
- Amédée tells him he should marry one of the French girls, and starts to name a few. Amédée laughs and asks whether Emil wants to be a priest, or something. He's 22 years old and still hasn't had a girlfriend.
- Amédée asks whether Emil has a fancy lady friend in the city, and even when Emil pretends it's possible, his friend can tell he's lying. Amédée jokes that he better tell the French girls to stay away from him, because he doesn't seem to have a heart.
- When they reach the church, they decide to pole vault against each other, even though Emil is taller and better at the sport. Not surprisingly, Emil does much better, but stops after a short while, saying he doesn't want to spoil his appetite.
- Angélique returns, proclaiming that, even if Emil can jump higher, it's only because he's taller, and she thinks Amédée is much more graceful.
- Emil kisses her on the mouth, as she laughs and calls out for help. He laughs that Amédée is too small to rescue her from him. He doesn't let her go until he catches a furious glare from Marie.
- All the same, Emil is delighted by his friend's happiness. As the narrator tells us, he and Amédée had been friends since they were 12 years old. Now, Emil thinks it's strange how his friend has had such good fortune, when he's so unhappy.
- It's like two rows of corn, Emil thinks. Sometimes one thrives, while the other dies, and nobody can tell why.