Alias Grace

This chapter consists of a letter to Simon from his mother, written in August, 1959. In it she bemoans her failing health, and she asks for Simon to write to her and relieve her anxiety about him. 

Simon dreams of being in the attic again, outside the maids’ rooms. He is looking for a woman. Then, he sees a woman under a sheet, and he must dissect her. He approaches the table and lifts off the sheet, but there is no woman, only more sheets. At the bottom of the pile of sheets, there is still no woman. He is failing his examination, but he’s also relieved. He will be all right.

He dreams that Grace Marks is standing over his bed. He pulls her into his bed and has sex with her. He realizes that he isn’t dreaming, and it is Mrs. Humphrey in his bed. He has just had sex with Mrs. Humphrey.

Grace announces that Simon has gone away to Toronto, and she imagines what she can say to him about her arrest and trial.

Grace and McDermott are arrested and taken back to Toronto. They are jailed and questioned. Grace tells them what she can remember.