Dr. Grene writes about the recent accusation of sexual assault against John Kane. His accuser, a woman in her early 50s from Leitrim, arrived recently after suffering “a psychotic episode” in which she believed herself to be the new Messiah. Having failed to save the world, she became convinced that she had to “scourge herself” and used a piece of barbed wire to accomplish the task (163). Her sister walked into her room the other morning, found her with a bit of blood on her legs, and suspected the worst. There was a staff meeting during which Kane was discussed because he had been suspected of such a thing before “and let off” (163). Dr. Grene wonders if he would even still be capable to perform such an act, given that he’s so old.

This news came in the same week that John was told that his throat cancer had returned. They keep him on at the hospital because no one has thought to suggest retirement. Furthermore, the job is too menial to fill and John “shows no desire to lay down his brush of his own free will” (164). There’s also the matter of the hospital’s closing, though Dr.