Chapter 12 - Wet and Windy Night

 Part 1 - Dimble, Denniston, and Jane search the campsite but come up empty.

Part 2 - The narrator describes Deputy Director Wither's bizarre mode of consciousness, which can scarcely be compared to the normal human mode of being. Wither gets a report from the field that Merlin's chamber has been found empty and search parties have been dispatched for the wizard.

Part 3 - Dimble, Denniston, and Jane (which is starting to sound like a law firm) get lost returning to the car and see a strange man pass by on horseback. They call to him, but he seems to ignore them.

Part 4 - In Mark's cell, Frost explains that N.I.C.E. is working with beings he calls macrobes, and that their real goal involves a drastic reduction of the human population. He also attempts to convey to Mark the objective mindset necessary to be a part of this endeavor. This objective mindset appears to be a complete detachment from normal human emotion or moral standards.

Mark resolves not to trust the men of the N.I.C.E. again, but once again feels the temptation of "the inner circle."

Part 5 - There is a conversation in the kitchen at St. Anne's. Someone arrives at the back door on horseback.

Part 6 - Frost and Wither attempt to communicate with the man whom their agents brought back from near the exit of Merlin's resting place. He happily eats the food offered, but appears to ignore them.

Part 7 - In his cell, Mark ponders his situation alone. He begins to imagine himself heroic for rejecting the temptation. Mark is immediately almost entirely pulled back into the whole mess of ambition and desire in his own mind. He recognizes that some kind of outside force seemed to have been assailing him, and that he had been unable to offer any real resistance. He realizes how little he has backing him up and resents that.

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I found my paper copy of That Hideous Strength, somewhat ironically on the same day I lost track of another book I'm reading. Thanks to Civil Truth for pointing out an electronic copy for me.

Midweek, I'll put up a post talking about our next book. I have a somewhat unusual suggestion, but maybe you guys will go for it. In any case, I have a few other options as well.