Going After Cacciato

It’s now five in the morning. Paul has recalled all of the deaths he has witnesses over the last six months. He reflects that all he remembers are “war stories” (286), rather than the real day-to-day events. He hopes the next day will be “nothing but heat and flies and boredom” (287). And he rushes to finish the story of Cacciato. 

On April 1st, they take a four-hour train ride from Luxembourg to Paris. Paul cleans his window to see better; the countryside is poor, but this doesn’t diminish his excitement. He opens the window and sticks his head out in the rain, and he sees a gargoyle fly off the roof of Notre Dame. As they disembark, the lieutenant urges them to collect themselves and finish the journey correctly, “to look like soldiers” (292). They march into Paris single file.

They continue to look for Cacciato. Paul is more interested in seeing Paris, but Oscar tells him they have to find Cacciato so they have proof of the authenticity of their mission. But Paul spends more time observing the sights and people of the city and walking around slowly with Sarkin. He tells Sarkin that he loves her, and she responds that he’s lucky to be in love in Paris.