Pauline suffers greatly from her burned arms and hands. She also endures many visits from either Jesus or Lucifer: she cannot determine which one. Confused and half-insane with pain from her injuries, she decides that Jesus has turned away from her.

Pauline tries to die by holding her breath. She travels to Matchimanito lake, where the lake monster—which she sees as a Satanic serpent—rises from the water before her. She takes a breath and finds herself still in her convent bed being fed fish broth.

In her mania, she determines to visit Matchimanito Lake one more time to confront Nanapush, Fleur, and the lake monster, and to attempt to save their souls and vanquish the monster before taking her vows and renouncing her self-proclaimed responsibility for them forever. She takes Nanapush’s boat out on the lake and rows to within sight of the family on the shore. She cannot row to the shore, and in her madness, she does not care. She shouts for Nanapush and Fleur.

Bernadette and Pauline’s child, Marie, and the rest of her extended family, the other Morrisseys, including Sophie and her children, gather to try to save Pauline. The waves drive Father Damien back.