The narrator tells us that this story is nothing more than a "pretext" for the plot of the novel. It's just a coincidence that the story takes place in a fictional setting. The narrator says that he's already considered his daughter-in-law to be his "real future wife" . He's got a bunch of family jewels, which he wants to give to his daughter so she can marry him. He tells her to take care of them, because they're "family jewels" , and he'll get her a "black card" with unlimited credit. She's totally confused. She can't believe that she's here as a "friend" and that she has no intention of getting married. She doesn't know what to say to her mother, who keeps nagging at her to get married. Finally, she tells her son to "look behind you" and "beam aw" at her son and daughter. They're so good together, she says, and she wants to marry them.