- Mrs. Lithebe corners Gertrude and scolds her once again for hanging out with the wrong kind of people.
- Whatevs. Gertrude is sick of Johannesburg and wants to split. (We're guessing she is also getting pretty sick of Mrs. Lithebe judging her all the hours of the day.)
- A neighbor comes by with bad news: another white person has been murdered at home by a black burglar.
- Not long after, Msimangu arrives at the house and agrees that this latest murder might influence the judge against Absalom.
- That evening, they hear a speech from a black woman about her decision to become a nun.
- Gertrude decides that maybe she should become a nun, so that she can live as a better woman.
- And if she does decide to take the vows, she'll leave her son with Absalom's young fiancée.