018 - Chapter 18

Twenty years ago, John Balthazar, a brilliant mathematician from Cambridge, abruptly left England, driven by an overwhelming love for a woman who was not his wife. Presumed dead, he retreats to China, immersing himself in its rich culture. Two decades later, he returns incognito with his Chinese pupil, Quong Ho, to a remote farmhouse, blissfully unaware of the turmoil of the First World War. When a German zeppelin crashes nearby, shattering his peaceful existence, Balthazar is thrust back into reality. He discovers his wife has passed away, leaving behind a son—a soldier he never knew existed—who has serendipitously crossed paths with his long-lost love in a nursing home. The story evolves dramatically from this point onward. (Summary by Simon Evers)