As the day of the literary festival approaches, Governor von Lembke consolidates his hold on regional power through “two or three very risky, almost illegal measures” (363), orchestrated by his wife. Yulia is convinced that a “conspiracy” (365) of radical young political activists exists in the region. Peter encourages this belief; she hopes that she can save the other young revolutionaries, as she believes that she has saved Peter.

Amid a recent incident of factory workers organizing together to protest their working conditions, Von Lembke finally loses his patience with Peter. The situation is defused when Peter returns the manuscript for Von Lembke’s novel, which he praises as a captivating work even though the politics of the book were not “to [his] liking” (369). In Von Lembke’s office, Peter spots a political pamphlet that he knows “by heart” (371). In a passionate outburst, Peter reveals that the composer of the satirical poem in the pamphlet is actually Shatov. He asks Von Lembke to save Shatov from the cell of local revolutionaries in exchange for his loyalty. Von Lembke suspects that Peter’s outward appearance of radicalism is an elaborate act. Peter asks Von Lembke to wait six days before taking any action.