Mersault drives along the coast in the early morning. He announced his departure from the house above the world a month ago but returned a short time later feeling “a dim exhaustion” (50). Having invested his money in German pharmaceuticals, he now plans to retire to a small home in the Chenoua. He married Lucienne Raynal and recommended that she keep her apartment in Algiers; he will occasionally send for her to join him. He remembers telling Catherine about his plans to leave; he explained that he feared “the risk of being loved” (51), which will not allow him to be happy.

Mersault moves to the Chenoua and begins to “set up his house, organize his life” (52). He quickly becomes tired and forgets why he moved to the small town. He lives “sociably enough” but becomes bored and reflective, so writes to Lucienne to tell her to join him. Her presence helps him escape his dread, but he soon becomes bored with her. As soon as he realizes this, she asks to move to the house. Mersault refuses, telling her that the only function of love is that “it gives you an alibi for the vague despairs we all suffer from” (54).