Part II The Baths — Chapter One

Senlin climbs with throngs toward the Baths, aching from his time in the Parlor’s cage and stewing over abandoning Edith. In a crowded customs hall bristling with armed agents, he watches a woman refuse inspection of her birdcage; agents reveal it is stuffed with banknotes and arrest her, a grim reminder of swift punishments.

At the booth, Senlin dutifully declares his meager funds, pays the five percent tax, and passes inspection. Emerging into the Baths’ cavern of refracted sunlight, pastel facades, and an immense blue reservoir crowned by a steaming fountain-tower, he is awed. Amid opulent tourists and driven hods, his longing for Marya sharpens.

By the water, Senlin meets the affable, flamboyant John Tarrou, a prosperous mine owner who commiserates about the Parlor and invites him to dine at Cafe Rossi. Buoyed, Senlin devises a discreet hotel-checking ruse to search for Marya without broadcasting his loss, systematically canvassing numerous hotels with no success.

At dusk, he joins Tarrou for wine and a rich meal overlooking the reservoir. Their talk ranges from Tower rumors to airship-borne delicacies and the folly of certainty. Tarrou plans to leave the next day and reveals a long marriage, which prompts Senlin to reflect on his own separation and failures, especially his cowardice with Edith.

Night settling over the Baths, Senlin feels both comforted by newfound camaraderie and stung by conscience. The evening’s conversation and his methodical search renew his determination: he will continue combing the Baths and watching the Customs Gate until he finds Marya.