The Nightingale

By October 1942, the Nazis are cracking down on Paris: “Since the Allied successes in North Africa had begun, the Germans stopped people constantly, demanding papers. In the streets, the shops, the train stations, the churches. There was no safety anywhere” (353). Anouk instructs Isabelle to attend a meeting in Carriveau, telling her Gaëtan will be there as well. When Isabelle arrives at Henri’s hotel (which serves as a safe house on the Nightingale escape route), she provides Henri with money from the British government. Isabelle brushes his concerns about possible infiltration aside and asks about her sister; Henri awkwardly admits that there’s “gossip […] [a]bout her and the Nazi” (358).

Vianne has kept Ari at home all summer. Meanwhile, she and Beck try to maintain their distance from one another:

He spoke openly of his wife and children, and she talked about Antoine. All their words were designed to reinforce a wall that had already been breached. He repeatedly offered—most kindly—to mail Vianne’s care packages to Antoine (359).

One evening, he brings her a set of false papers claiming that Ari is an orphaned relative of Antoine’s. Later that night, Vianne tells Ari that his mother is gone forever and drills him on his new name, hoping he “was young enough to forget he was ever Ari” (362).