The chapter opens with a soliloquy by the protagonist, Lapis Lazuli, in which he laments the fact that the protagonist's life has been spoiled. He laments that he has been deprived of the opportunity to express himself through his work, which he calls a "sea of service" devoted to bringing "new charms into blossom" . He also laments his inability to communicate his ideas to the protagonist. Lapis, he says, has been in a state of coma ever since he was transplanted from the moon. He is now awake, and the protagonist is happy to see him. He tells the protagonist that he will do his best to replace lapis in the future. The protagonist asks him what he wants to do for the next day. He says that he just spent all winter patrolling the shallows, and he has not been able to get to a "estivate" , which is to follow instructions. He adds that he too had doubts about going to war, but that he now has a "train of logic" that has convinced him to go to war.