Alex spies a cottage where he may get help. The sign on the gate reads HOME, though Alex initially does not remember the place. When the resident welcomes Alex inside, however, Alex remembers that this is the place where he and his droogs committed a home invasion, destroyed the man’s manuscript, and brutally raped his wife. While he is nervous about this connection, he remembers that he and his gang were all wearing masks at the time of the crime, so he assumes the man cannot possibly recognize him from that incident. The man does, however, recognize Alex from the newspapers, and he expresses sympathy over what happened to Alex, describing it as “torture” (178). Alex responds by downplaying his role in the old woman’s death and emphasizing his victimhood.

The man makes Alex dinner and talks about how Alex has been wronged: “You’ve sinned, I suppose, but your punishment has been out of all proportion” (180). He continues by suggesting that Alex can help the political cause of ejecting the current government from leadership. The man mentions his wife, and Alex is curious to know what happened to the woman. The man informs Alex that she died from the shock of the rape and beating.