Chapter 6

Summary

• The narrator had a nightmare about Mr. Black, who appeared as the living dead in her apartment and left a pervasive grime.
• After waking up from the nightmare, the narrator makes tea and crumpets, emphasizing her solitude and her meticulous habits, including arranging a quilt pointing north.
• In the hallway, Mr. Rosso confronts her about overdue rent, which she promises to settle soon, remembering her grandmother’s admonition to not judge others too harshly.
• On her way to work at the bustling hotel, the narrator arrives early and crosses paths with Mr. Preston, who expresses concern over the recent events involving Mr. Black’s death.
• Mr. Preston offers help, but the narrator prefers not to impose and instead focuses on her cleaning duties.
• The narrator meets Mr. Snow in the lobby, who shows her a newspaper article about Mr. Black’s death and addresses the negative attention the hotel is receiving as a result.
• Mr. Snow questions the narrator about any suspicious activities, and she denies noticing anything unusual.
• Mr. Snow reveals that Giselle Black, Mr. Black’s widow, is staying on the second floor and instructs the narrator not to tell anyone.
• The narrator encounters her uniform and maid's trolley, symbolizing a return to her routine despite the turmoil.
• Juan Manuel, in the kitchen, expresses his concern and curiosity about the future of the hotel with Mr. Black’s death, leading to a cryptic conversation about the hotel's management.
• The narrator instructs Juan Manuel to stay on the second floor to avoid the police on the fourth floor and mentions that Giselle Black is also on the second floor, warning him to keep a low profile.
• Encountering Rodney at the bar, they share a moment of concern, and the narrator notices his bruised eye, which he attributes to an accident.
• Rodney suggests meeting after the narrator's shift to talk about the incident with Mr. Black in more detail, implying an intimate conversation.
• The chapter concludes with the narrator, acknowledging a budding fascination with Rodney, confirming their meeting time and picking up newspapers for her trolley.