Piranesi

On the 22nd, the narrator eats breakfast and thinks Matthew Rose Sorensen cries out from within him. He tries to calm Matthew inside him, and realizes it was Ketterley, not 16, who was trying to drive him insane. Now believing that Raphael is trying to save him, the narrator wants to see her and walks back to where they exchanged messages. However, his warning about the flood and her pebble message are gone; the narrator correctly surmises this is the work of Ketterley and rewrites his warning.

On day 26, the narrator’s preparations include the satisfying physical work of carrying the bones of the dead to a safe, high location and storing his journals and index with the bones. He skips his regularly scheduled meeting with Ketterley, instead spending his time collecting the remaining water-catching bowls. While carrying out his practical tasks, he finds Ketterley’s gun and inflatable boat, which he replaces carefully so they look undisturbed.

On the 27th, the day of the flood, the narrator walks around the labyrinth looking for Raphael. He decides that if he can find Ketterley, he can probably find Raphael. As the water rises, he finds Ketterley, who says his enemy is coming. Piranesi starts reciting his journal entry about his abduction to Ketterley, revealing that he has recovered his lost memories. Ketterley laughs and dives for his gun, but Piranesi kicks it away. Raphael’s shouts for Matthew can be heard. Ketterley grapples with Piranesi, but Piranesi gets away, runs to Raphael, and leads her to higher ground. They climb statues while Ketterley fires the gun at them, but he misses as they continue to climb. The water has risen rapidly and by the time Ketterley tries to get in his boat, waves crash over him and toss him into statues, killing him. His boat floats away.

In the second entry for the 27th, the narrator describes the tides crashing over them, and then the waters receding. When the sea is quiet enough that they can talk, Raphael introduces herself, confirms Piranesi’s identity as Matthew Rose Sorensen, confirms she is a police officer, and examines his minor injury. Eventually, the waters lower enough that he can check on his belongings, get food, and use a fishing net to help her climb down. At the Great Staircase, birds appear, and Raphael offers to take the narrator home. He replies, “I am home” (211), refusing to fully accept the identity of Matthew Rose Sorensen, and prioritizing caring for the labyrinth’s dead—which now includes Ketterley—over reuniting with his old friends and family. Raphael says she will come back the next day.

On the 28th, Piranesi finds Ketterley’s body and speaks to it, explaining his plans to give the flesh to birds and fish to eat, and how afterwards he will care for the bones. He finds the boat and wishes it had saved Ketterley. Considering Matthew Rose Sorensen’s family doesn’t convince him to leave the labyrinth yet.

In the second entry for the 28th, the narrator sits on the staircase with Raphael and suggests writing a letter to Matthew’s family instead of returning to London. She doesn’t like this idea. Instead, she offers the story of how she tracked him down: a woman he had contacted about the Arne-Sayles book named Angharad Scott raised suspicions about his disappearance. Through her, Raphael contacted Arne-Sayles’s circle. She plays her interview with Arne-Sayles for the narrator on her digital recording device, and she explains how she learned to travel to the labyrinth from London. The narrator is still hesitant to return, and Raphael agrees to visit him until he decides what to do and asserts that his journey back to London must be his own decision.

On the 29th, the narrator’s dreams of showing off the House to a visitor come true; he guides Raphael around the halls. She admits to not exploring very much on her own for fear of getting lost, and he remembers once getting lost. Her request to take photos pleases Piranesi and he agrees. When he shows her the dead, she says Arne-Sayles probably murdered them and apologizes to Piranesi because she can’t prosecute Arne-Sayles. They go to the beautiful Coral Halls, and she says she actually enjoys the lack of people.

On the 30th, the narrator worries about leaving his House empty, but fears being alone now that he knows no one else—not even Ketterley—lives in the labyrinth as he does. He finally understands the “Other World” of London exists, and decides to return. Before leaving, Piranesi bids farewell to his “Beloved Statues” (229).

On the 1st day of the 10th month, Piranesi puts ornaments back in his hair, which astonishes Raphael. After the narrator gathers up his messenger bag with his journals, index, and pens, they leave through the minotaur corridor.