Chapter 14 opens with Campbell reflecting on an unsettling chain of events that follows the arrival of disturbing letters, drawing unwanted attention to his past. It’s a week after he first received the correspondence, and Campbell, uneasy and agitated, attempts to visit Jones, the publisher of a controversial newspaper, in hopes of persuading him to retract a story about him that had been causing significant distress. However, upon arriving at Jones’ location, Campbell finds that Jones is not present, leaving him uncertain of his next move and increasingly anxious about the growing public scrutiny of his life and past actions.

When Campbell returns home, he is confronted with an overwhelming number of letters crammed into his mailbox, all stemming from the controversial article in the newspaper. Some of the letters praise him, calling him a hero, while others suggest he should flee New York and find sanctuary in a remote area, referred to by the writers as “God’s country.” Unknown to Campbell, Kraft, a mutual acquaintance, had tipped off Jones about Campbell’s survival, divulging details about his whereabouts and history that led Jones to pursue him. The revelation adds another layer of discomfort for Campbell, as he begins to realize the level of invasive interest in his life and how his past is being manipulated for the benefit of others.

The narrative takes a strange turn when Campbell, engaged in a portrait session with Kraft, hears an odd chant echoing up the stairwell—a count of twenty, punctuated by strained breaths. This chant comes from Jones and his entourage, a bizarre spectacle led by Jones’s bodyguard, August Krapptauer, a former Vice-Bundesfuehrer of the German-American Bund, and Patrick Keeley, an unfrocked Paulist Father who carries a disturbing history marked by anti-Semitic sentiments. The sound of the chant, coming from men in such visibly poor health, especially Krapptauer, whose labored breathing is evident, only heightens the unease in the room. Their physical decline is apparent, and it adds to the foreboding atmosphere surrounding them, suggesting that their personal and political ideologies are on the verge of collapse, mirroring their deteriorating health.

When Jones, adorned with lavish jewelry, finally ascends the stairs to meet Campbell, the situation takes an unexpected turn. Jones presents Campbell with a revelation that he was not prepared for, a surprising twist in the ongoing tension. As Krapptauer and Keeley arrive at the scene, Jones unveils the true surprise: the arrival of Helga, Campbell’s estranged wife. Helga, having asked Jones not to inform Campbell of her arrival, asserts that she wanted to quietly observe whether there was still a place for her in his life. If not, she intends to leave once again, without disrupting his current life, forcing Campbell to face the possibility of a life without her. This moment is fraught with emotional tension, as it forces Campbell to confront the painful reality of the fractured relationship and unresolved feelings between him and Helga.

This chapter delves into the complex interplay of identity, memory, and the struggle to reconcile one’s past with the present. The tension between Campbell’s public persona and his private life becomes even more pronounced, especially with the sudden reappearance of Helga, who presents him with an emotional dilemma he is unprepared for. Helga’s return to his life symbolizes a confrontation with the past—a past that Campbell has been attempting to escape but is now forced to face head-on. It is a reminder of how the past, no matter how deeply buried, continues to influence the present in ways that cannot be ignored. The chapter further explores themes of loyalty, regret, and the ever-present specter of history, showing how Campbell’s inner turmoil is magnified by the external forces of the media and his personal relationships. This moment sets the stage for deeper emotional exploration and lays the groundwork for Campbell to question the person he has become and whether he can ever truly escape the shadow of his past.