When Montag arrives at Faber's, the nervous old man is at first hesitant, but allows Montag in after ascertaining that he is alone. He becomes increasingly frustrated as his attempts at concentration are foiled by the toothpaste jingle that is incessantly playing over the subway speakers. He resolves to read and memorize the Bible he carries with him before he must return it to Beatty, but finds himself unable to retain any of what he reads, just as a sieve is unable to retain sand. He recalls the frustration he felt as a child when he attempted the impossible task of filling a sieve with sand. On the way, he realizes how numb to the world he has become and wonders if he'll ever regain his sense of purpose. Montag gets on the subway, heading for Faber's apartment. She is befuddled by his questions, while he is saddened that she is so out of touch with reality. Later, as he leaves to see Faber about getting a copy of the Bible made before he turns the original over to Beatty, he questions Millie about her beloved television characters, asking her if they love her, which they obviously cannot. Millie entreats him to get rid of all the books. As Montag deliberates on which of his books to hand over to Beatty, he wonders if Beatty might know of a specific title he possesses. When Millie and Montag finish their respective phone conversations, Millie has forgotten about the books in anticipation of her friends visiting to watch some television, while Montag's anxiety about the books has grown. Faber tells him there are no other copies of the book and nervously hangs up on him. Montag questions Faber about how many copies of the book he stole from the old woman are left in the country.
He uses another phone to call Faber, who is shocked to hear from him. I sit here and know I'm alive." Montag remembers he took down Faber's contact information, and retrieves it from his files. Faber's words echoed in his head, "I don't talk of things, sir, I talk of the meaning of things. It was obvious to Montag that the old man had a book tucked in his coat, but the fireman did nothing about it. The man was a former English Professor (all the liberal arts colleges had been closed some 40 years) named Faber. He recalls an encounter with an elderly man in a park a year earlier. Millie answers it and is immediately enraptured in a conversation about a mindless television program.Īs Millie chats, Montag wonders what his next step will be. Montag is interrupted by the ringing phone.
He talks of the ongoing wars and how people all over the world are toiling and starving while they live well and devote themselves to leisure. Montag responds with a passionate rant, asserting that they really have no concept of what is going on in the world and that those who seek to learn are quickly quieted, just like Clarisse and the old woman. Millie whines that there is no reason to read books and that that their house will be burned down if anyone finds out. Luckily, the Hound leaves without causing a disturbance. Millie dismisses it as "just a dog", but Montag knows it is the Mechanical Hound. Meanwhile, the already edgy couple is alarmed by a scratching at the door. As he reads, Montag is often reminded of Clarisse. Montag spends the rest of the rainy afternoon uneasily reading through books while Millie sits idly.