Chapter 3 opens with a flashback to the beginning of the previous chapter, in which the narrator explains that he is going to school early the next morning. He tells us that he has been feeling a little weird lately, and that he's going to throw away his school clothes. He also tells us about one of his students seeing a strange man walking around the school that very day. The narrator says that if anyone sees the strange man, he should tell the teacher immediately, and then go home. He then goes on to tell us that his favorite book is a collection of poetry by the French poet, Jacques Biron. He says that he wants to read his essay, but that it's been shut up because he doesn't want to read it. He asks the narrator to show him the essay, and the narrator tells him that the essay is about a book called "The Flowers of Evil." The narrator then tells the narrator that he should rub his face in the girl's gym clothes, because that's what he did the day before, and he also says that the girl got weird looks the other day, which is what the narrator said he saw. He wants to scream, but he can't, because he feels like he smells like a "scent of evil" .