The chapter opens with a description of the scene that takes place at a midnight salon. It is the scene of a sexual encounter between a woman and her husband. The scene is set in the salon and begins with the woman's description of her encounter with her husband, who is present. She tells her husband that she has come to the salon to have sex with him. The man, whom she does not name, tells her that he has come because he is afraid of what his wife will think of him if he is found to be unfaithful. The woman tells him that she is not afraid of him, but she is afraid that he will be unfaithful to her. She asks him to kiss her, but he refuses, saying that he does not want to hurt her. He tells her to kiss him, and she agrees to do so. He kisses her, and then he kisses her again, and finally she kisses him again, but this time, she is frightened of what will happen if she is found unfaithful.