DONNA TARTT
"The Goldfinch"
Part 1, Chapter 1
Part 1, Chapter 1 of the novel begins with the protagonist,
Theodore Decker, hiding in an Amsterdam hotel room at the age of
27. He is going through a period of restlessness and confinement
following an undisclosed predicament. In a dream, he sees his
deceased mother, Audrey, which triggers a flashback to the time of
her death when Theodore was 13 years old.
At that time, Theodore and his mother lived on the East Side of
Manhattan. His father, Larry, had recently abandoned the family. On
this particular day, Theodore and Audrey are on their way to have
breakfast and attend a meeting at school. The meeting is a
consequence of Theodore's misbehavior, specifically smoking in the
schoolyard with a boy named Tom Cable, which resulted in his
suspension. Initially, they plan to take a cab, but Audrey becomes
nauseous, so they decide to walk instead. Unfortunately, it starts
raining, forcing them to seek shelter in the Metropolitan Museum of
Art.
Inside the museum, they explore the Dutch Masters' exhibit,
focusing on Portraiture and Nature Morte. As they delve deeper into
the exhibition, Theodore finds the paintings becoming increasingly
strange and beautiful. Two specific artworks catch his attention:
"The Anatomy Lesson" and "The Goldfinch." Additionally, he becomes
fixated on a young red-haired girl, later revealed as Pippa, who is
accompanied by an older man named Welty Blackwell.
Audrey decides to revisit "The Anatomy Lesson," while Theodore
claims he will visit the shop. However, his true intention is to
engage Pippa in conversation within the gallery. Suddenly, an
explosion rocks the museum, causing chaos and destruction. Theodore
loses consciousness momentarily and awakens feeling disoriented. He
discovers numerous bodies scattered around him, including Welty,
who is alive but severely confused. Theodore finds a water bottle,
takes a sip, and offers the remainder to Welty. They engage in a
conversation, during which Welty mistakes Theodore for someone
else. Before passing away, Welty instructs Theodore to retrieve
"The Goldfinch" and remove it from the museum, handing him a gold
ring and saying, "'Hobart and Blackwell [...] Ring the green
bell.'"
Struggling through the wreckage, Theodore manages to escape the
gallery and frantically searches for his mother, but she is nowhere
to be found. Outside, he encounters a swarm of police and medical
personnel who have dismantled a second bomb and are evacuating
people from the area. Believing that Audrey must have escaped and
returned home, Theodoreleaves the scene, hopeful that she is waiting for him in their
apartment.
Part 1, Chapter 2
Part 1, Chapter 2 of the novel, titled "The Anatomy Lesson," begins
with Theodore reflecting on his strained relationship with his
father, Larry. They had always had a difficult dynamic, exacerbated
by Larry's frequent drinking. Theodore admits that he didn't spend
much time with his father, and there were instances where Larry
would disappear for a night, but this time he was gone for a whole
week. Both Theodore and Audrey, his mother, were worried until they
received a letter from Larry stating his intention to "start a new
life." This situation puts a financial strain on Theodore and
Audrey.
Returning to the present, Theodore walks back to the apartment
after leaving the museum and realizes that Audrey has not yet
returned. Feeling exhausted, he takes a nap on the couch and wakes
up around six-thirty in the evening. He turns on the news and
learns that the attack at the museum was perpetrated by "homegrown
terrorists," resulting in numerous casualties and injuries. The
news provides a hotline number for reporting missing or injured
individuals, and Theodore repeatedly calls the service in hopes of
obtaining information about his mother. However, he receives no
updates until around two-forty-five in the morning when a social
worker contacts him. Frustratingly, the social worker refuses to
share any details with Theodore and insists on speaking with an
adult.
Shortly after the phone call, the doorbell rings, and Theodore
greets two social workers who have arrived. Upon seeing them, he
realizes that his life, as he knew it, is about to undergo a
significant and irreversible change.
Part 1, Chapter 3
Part 1, Chapter 3, titled "Park Avenue," begins with Theo
accompanying the social workers to a diner, where they question him
about his father's whereabouts. Theo doesn't have much information
to provide but mentions his grandparents, with whom he doesn't have
a close relationship. Due to his status as a minor, Theo is placed
under "emergency custody." Given the choice, he decides to stay
with the Barbour family on Park Avenue. Although he and Andy
Barbour were close in middle school, their friendship has faded
somewhat, but Andy's name is the first that comes to Theo's
mind.
Theo moves into the Barbour family's luxurious Park Avenue
apartment. Platt, the older Barbour son, is away at school, while
the younger siblings, Kitsey and Toddy, are present in the house.
In thedays following Audrey's death, Theo and Andy stay home,
receiving visits from people who knew his mother.
After about a week, Theo returns to school, where he has to deal
with everyone expressing their sympathy and attending sessions with
the school psychiatrist. However, his friend Tom Cable avoids him.
Theo realizes that he and Audrey were supposed to attend a school
meeting because he and Tom had been caught smoking cigarettes in
the courtyard.
Theo's grandparents get in touch but inform him that they cannot
take him in due to his grandmother's health issues. They offer to
pay for him to stay in a Holiday Inn near their residence, an
option that Theo is willing to consider, but no one else agrees.
The Barbours graciously allow Theo to stay with them for the time
being. One day, Mrs. Barbour notices the gold ring Theo has been
wearing, which he received from Welty at the Met. She points out
the engraving of "Blackwell" on it.
Investigators come to the apartment and later interview Theo at
school. They inquire about his whereabouts on the day of the
accident and ask about his recollections. Theo becomes
apprehensive, fearing they might ask about the painting, which is
still at his previous apartment. However, the investigators do not
broach the topic.
Soon after, Theo recalls the phrase "Hobart and Blackwell" and
decides to look them up in the white pages. He finds a contact
number and address and shares his discovery with Andy, who
encourages him to visit the shop in Greenwich Village.
After an extensive search, Theo eventually finds the shop and
notices a side door with a green electrical tape flag positioned
below a button on the wall. He rings the bell, and an elderly man
named Hobie answers. Theo presents the gold ring to Hobie,
explaining that it was given to him. Hobie invites him inside the
shop.
Part 1, Chapter 4
Part 1, Chapter 4, titled "Morphine Lollipop," begins with Theo
being ushered by Hobie into the sitting room. Theo attempts to
describe his last moments with Welty to Hobie and inquires about
Pippa, Welty's younger half-sister. Hobie reveals that Pippa
survived the bomb but suffered skull trauma and a broken leg. Her
condition is still uncertain, and she is "not out of the woods
yet." Hobie then takes Theo to the kitchen where he prepares tea
and toast. They engage in a pleasant conversation about school, and
Theo finds itto be the most enjoyable conversation he's had in a while.
Theo briefly visits Pippa in her room, and they discuss his
favorite music. Although she is confused, Pippa remembers Theo, and
he holds her hand. Before leaving, Hobie assures Theo that he is
welcome to come back anytime.
Since his mother's death, Theo has been seeing a psychiatrist twice
a week, describing it as an ordeal comparable to dental surgery.
However, after Theo's visit with Pippa, the psychiatrist notices a
positive change in Theo's mood and mentions a noticeable
upswing.
Theo returns to visit Pippa once again and encounters her aunt
Margaret, who has come from Texas. As the closest relative,
Margaret will be taking Pippa to live with her. During Theo's
visit, he and Pippa express their desire for her to stay in New
York. Before leaving, Pippa kisses Theo.
In the following week, Theo continues to visit Hobie and spends
time in his furniture restoration workshop. Hobie begins teaching
Theo the craft, and they spend significant time together.
Eventually, Theo discloses to Mrs. Barbour that he has been working
with Hobie.
Theo's father, Larry, and his girlfriend, Xandra, arrive from Las
Vegas with the intention of taking Theo back with them to live
there. Before leaving, they all go to Theo's apartment, and he
packs The Goldfinch, the painting given to him by Welty, into a
suitcase. He leaves the suitcase with the doormen in the package
room, as the newspaper has announced that The Goldfinch is assumed
to be destroyed in the bombing.
Theo bids farewell to Hobie over dinner and prepares himself to
depart for Las Vegas.
Part 2, Chapter 5
Part 2, Chapter 5, titled "Badr Al-Dine," begins with Theo's
arrival in Las Vegas alongside his father Larry and his girlfriend
Xandra. He moves into their house located in a ranch community, and
Theo is struck by the emptiness of the place. He slowly adjusts to
his new environment and spends most of his time at home with
Xandra. He learns that Larry had been traveling to Las Vegas even
before leaving the family and had already begun a relationship with
Xandra. Larry, though not consuming hard alcohol, drinks beer and
takes Vicodin. His primary source of income comes from
gambling.
Once school begins, Theo quickly befriends Boris, a 16-year-old
Ukrainian with an Australian accent who has lived in various parts
of the world. On Theo's first visit to Boris's house, they get
caught up inconversation and never end up watching a movie they intended to
see. They spend most of their free time together, forming a close
bond.
Both Theo and Boris start drinking frequently, often getting drunk
together. Boris's father is also a heavy drinker and physically
abuses Boris. One night, Boris's father beats him with a cane,
prompting Boris to escape and find solace with Theo. Boris
essentially moves into Theo's house, spending increasing amounts of
time there.
During Christmas, the boys decide to cook a family meal and
purchase ingredients. However, at the last minute, Larry decides to
take everyone out to a nice Italian restaurant on the Las Vegas
Strip. Larry has recently won a significant amount of money and
generously gives Theo and Boris $500 each.
Throughout this period, Theo maintains regular correspondence with
Hobie through letters.
Part 2, Chapter 6
Part 2, Chapter 6, titled "Wind, Sand And Stars," covers a year of
Theo's life as he tries to block out his old life in New York. He
spends most of his time with Boris, but their relationship changes
when Boris starts dating an 18-year-old girl named Kotku. Boris
becomes consumed with spending time with Kotku, and Theo confesses
to missing Boris. He reveals instances of physical intimacy between
them, including nights when they had physical contact in bed.
However, they never discuss these moments, and Theo contemplates
drawing a line between them.
Initially, Theo's relationship with Larry improves as Larry is in a
good mood from winning money through football betting. However,
Larry's luck turns, and he accumulates gambling debts. A man named
Mr. Silver visits their house and reveals Larry's debts in his
absence. During this time, Larry asks Theo for his Social Security
number, claiming he wants to open a savings account in his
name.
Theo becomes increasingly nervous about the whereabouts of The
Goldfinch painting and researches it on the Missing Art Database.
He takes it to school for safekeeping but eventually brings it back
home after a couple of weeks.
Boris becomes agitated and suspects Kotku of cheating on him, even
expressing the desire to strangle her. At school, Theo notices
Kotku with a fat lip, and Boris admits to hitting her.
Larry asks Theo to call his mother's lawyer and request $65,000 for
a new business venture. When Theo hesitates, Larry physically
assaults him until he complies. Theo contacts Mr. Bracegirdle, the
lawyer, but is informed that such a sum cannot be provided. Mr.Bracegirdle also reveals that someone has attempted to
fraudulently withdraw money from Theo's account using his Social
Security number. Larry's reaction to this news is violent and
disturbing.
Mr. Silver pays another visit, threatening Larry if he fails to pay
$50,000. Xandra returns home and reveals that Larry has died in a
car accident while under the influence of alcohol.
In the aftermath of Larry's death, Xandra takes drugs to pass out,
and Theo and Boris search her purse. They find $1,320, which they
split between them, and also discover Audrey's missing emerald
earrings.
Fearing involvement with child services, Theo decides to leave as
quickly as possible and urges Boris to come with him. Boris
hesitates, attempting to convince Theo to stay. They consume some
of Xandra's cocaine, and Theo calls a cab, taking Xandra's dog,
Popper, with him. Before leaving, Boris kisses him on the lips and
gives him his phone. Theo takes a bus back to New York and arrives
at Port Authority.
Initially planning to return to the Barbours' house, Theo
encounters Mr. Barbour in the park, who does not recognize him due
to being off his medication. Instead, Theo decides to go to Hobie's
shop. He rings the doorbell, and Pippa answers. Hobie warmly
welcomes him inside and provides him with food.
Part 3, Chapter 7
Part 3, Chapter 7, titled "The Shop-Behind-The-Shop," begins with
Theo waking up at Hobie's house feeling disoriented and unwell. He
has breakfast with Hobie and Pippa and informs them that his
grandparents are not capable of taking him in. Hobie kindly offers
Theo a place to stay, and Theo accepts. Over the next few days, he
spends most of his time in bed, trying to recover.
During his stay, Theo has some interactions with Pippa, but the
atmosphere feels more awkward than before. Pippa eventually leaves
to return to her boarding school in Switzerland, which specializes
in students with head injuries like hers.
Theo has a phone conversation with Mr. Bracegirdle, who informs him
that he could have withdrawn money from the trust fund. However,
Mr. Bracegirdle had suspicions about Theo's father's involvement in
the request. Hobie accompanies Theo to Mr. Bracegirdle's office,
and they agree that Hobie will serve as Theo's temporary guardian.
Mr. Bracegirdle strongly encourages Theo to attend boarding school
in the upcoming semester, but Theo expresses his desire to stay
with Hobie. Instead, he decides to focus on intense studying for a
pre-college program to remain inthe city.
As time passes, Theo becomes increasingly obsessed with The
Goldfinch painting and grows anxious about what he should do with
it. He contemplates telling Hobie but hesitates due to uncertainty
about the outcome. He spends more and more time in his room, which
was formerly Welty's, keeping a watchful eye on the painting.
One day, after taking the necessary tests for the early college
program, Theo notices a newspaper headline on his way home. The
headline reads: "Museum Masterworks Recovered in Bronx Millions in
Stolen Art." The article reports that the police have retrieved
three stolen paintings from the home of a paramedic who took them
from the Metropolitan Museum of Art after the bombing. The police
suspect that there may be more stolen paintings, potentially hidden
in the city. The news spreads across various newspapers, including
international publications.
Part 3, Chapter 8
Part 3, Chapter 8, titled "The Shop-Behind-The-Shop, Continued,"
begins with Theo being accepted into the pre-college program for
the spring semester. He starts attending the program, which he
describes as a "geeky academic paradise" without tests or grades,
allowing students to pursue their interests freely. However, Theo
struggles to engage fully and only does the bare minimum to get by.
His lack of effort is noticed by his teachers, and one of them
writes a remark stating that Theodore does not seem motivated to
put in greater efforts in any aspect(academic or otherwise).
As time goes by, Theo keeps himself updated on the progress of the
stolen paintings recovered in the Bronx. The thieves involved in
the heist are sentenced to prison terms and fines. The constant
worry about The Goldfinch weighs heavily on Theo, as he fears being
caught and facing a similar fate.
One day, Theo finds a solution to his anxiety about the painting
through his interactions with the moving-and-storage workers
employed by Hobie. He develops a friendship with them, and at one
point, a mover named Grisha asks Theo to join them on a trip to
Brooklyn, where Hobie has a storage space for fine arts. Inspired
by this, Theo decides to rent a similar storage space in the Upper
Sixties of Manhattan to hide The Goldfinch, hoping it will remain
well concealed.
Using cash, Theo easily purchases the storage space and places the
painting inside. On his way out, he takes a detour to walk past his
old building, only to discover it boarded up. A construction worker
informs himthat the building has been sold, indicating a significant change
in its ownership and status.
Part 4, Chapter 9
Part 4, Chapter 9, titled "Everything Of Possibility," takes place
eight years later when Theo is 26 years old. He has become a
partner at Hobart and Blackwell, responsible for managing the shop
and overseeing sales. During Theo's late teenage years, the shop
faced significant debt. To turn the tide, Theo spends time in the
shop strategically raising prices on certain items, and the shop
starts making a profit. He goes further by selling heavily altered
or reconstructed pieces as original artworks. Theo manages to get
away with this by offering to repurchase a piece at a higher price
if a client desires, and this scheme largely goes unnoticed.
Through these actions, Theo helps Hobie get out of debt. However,
he faces a problem when Lucius Reeve, a buyer, discovers the fakes
and becomes determined to investigate the matter.
One day, Theo encounters Platt Barbour, the older brother of Andy
Barbour. They go to a bar together, and Platt informs Theo that
Andy and Mr. Barbour, who was suffering from untreated bipolar
disorder, drowned in a boating accident in Maine. Theo and Platt
briefly visit Mrs. Barbour, and they engage in conversation. Theo
promises to return for dinner. Platt also reveals that he has been
in contact with Tom Cable, an individual with whom Theo used to
engage in house robberies. Tom is back to his old criminal
activities. Later, Theo attends dinner at the Barbour household,
joined by Mrs. Barbour, Todd, Kitsey, and Platt. The gathering
creates a surreal blend of past and present experiences for
Theo.
Over the years, Theo has developed a drug addiction, initially
starting with the painkillers he stole from Xandra. At this point,
he is a high-functioning addict, spending thousands of dollars
every few weeks on Oxycontin. However, after the dinner with the
Barbours, Theo decides to get clean and end his drug habit. He goes
through an excruciating eight-day withdrawal process. He leaves the
remaining drugs in the storage facility where The Goldfinch
painting is kept.
Platt contacts Theo and asks him to sell some of the family's
furniture without Mrs. Barbour's knowledge. In return, Theo
requests Platt to provide a fake bill of sale, stating that Mrs.
Barbour owned the piece that he had sold to Lucius Reeve.
Theo meets with Lucius, who hints that he knows Theo stole The
Goldfinch paintingand gave it to Hobie in exchange for becoming his guardian.
Lucius accuses Theo of "farming it out" over the years, using the
painting to raise money for the business. He presents an article
about an innocent woman who was mistakenly killed during a police
raid
that recovered The Goldfinch, which had been involved in art
trafficking. Lucius offers Theo half a million dollars for the
painting, but Theo denies any knowledge of its whereabouts. He
assumes that the painting in the article must be a fake.
Back at home, Theo confesses his illegal activities in the shop to
Hobie but downplays the extent of the deception. Hobie is upset but
acknowledges his own responsibility, recognizing that "it was all
too good to be true." He urges Theo to contact all the buyers and
offer to buy back the pieces from them.
Part 4, Chapter 10
Part 4, Chapter 10, titled "The Idiot," takes place eight months
later. Theo is now clean from drugs and engaged to Kitsey Barbour.
After their dinner with her family, Theo begins spending a
significant amount of time with Kitsey, and their relationship
progresses quickly, leading to their engagement.
Although Theo hasn't had to repurchase any furniture from clients,
he has been receiving letters from Lucius Reeve, urging him to sell
The Goldfinch painting. Theo manipulates the situation by making it
seem like Lucius wants to be involved in selling fake artworks.
Grisha informs Theo that there have been men loitering outside the
shop, and one of them asked for Theo by name. It turns out that the
man is Boris, Theo's old friend.
While shopping for wedding supplies with Kitsey, Theo leaves her
and decides to start using drugs again to cope with social
situations. Unable to reach his dealer, he ends up in St. Mark's
Place and receives a card for a tattoo shop. Out of curiosity, Theo
visits the address and encounters Boris there.
Theo waits for Boris in a bar, and they reconnect. Boris reveals
that after Theo left Las Vegas, he stayed with Xandra for several
months as he had nowhere else to go. Boris also became involved in
drug dealing and earned a substantial amount of money.
Theo takes Boris to Hobart and Blackwell, where he introduces him
to Hobie and reunites him with Popper. They later drive to a club
in Queens, where they drink and do cocaine. During their
conversation, Boris confesses that he stole The Goldfinch fromTheo's locker back in high school, although Theo has no memory
of revealing the painting to Boris. Boris explains that the
painting has served as collateral, allowing him to amass his
fortune, but he doesn't currently have possession of it. He
expresses his desire to use the painting to help Theo and repay him
for the positive impact it has had on his life.
Upset by the revelation, Theo goes to the storage facility to
retrieve the package. However, when he unwraps it in his room, he
finds a textbook instead of the painting. Boris returns with Popper
and reveals that the painting is currently in Europe.
Boris takes Theo to meet his associate, Horst, who deals in illegal
art and was involved in the deal with The Goldfinch. Horst believes
the painting is in Ireland, but Boris suspects that their associate
Sacha has it and betrayed them.
While on the street, Theo sees Kitsey arm-in-arm with Tom Cable,
and he confronts her later about it. Kitsey admits to having an
affair but insists that their marriage is the right thing for both
of them. Theo agrees, and they go to bed together.
Upon returning home, Theo encounters Pippa. They attend a film
together and have a conversation at a wine bar, where they discuss
the bombing and Pippa opens up about her lingering trauma.
Theo attends his extravagant engagement party at an exclusive club,
under the influence of drugs. He meets Havistock Irving, also known
as Sloane Griscam, who reveals that he knows about The Goldfinch
through Lucius Reeve. However, Theo denies any knowledge of the
painting. Hobie discloses that Irving and Reeve are con artists,
and he had past dealings with them that led to Reeve's
imprisonment.
Boris shows up at the party and insists that Theo go home to
retrieve cash and a passport because they need to leave for three
days.
Part 5, Chapter 11
Part 5, Chapter 11, titled "The Gentleman's Canal," begins with
Boris giving Theo a ticket to Amsterdam and instructing him to
gather as much cash as possible. The plan is to retrieve the stolen
painting by offering a partial sum and providing a bank draft for
the rest. Theo manages to acquire $16,000 in cash and leaves a
necklace, book, and a note for Pippa expressing his love. He heads
to the airport and meets up with Boris in Amsterdam, where they are
greeted by Guyuri, Boris's driver.
Their plan involves setting upa meeting with Sascha's men, who currently possess the painting.
Theo assumes the identity of an art dealer named Farruco Frantisek.
Together with Boris and Guyuri, they drive to meet Victor Cherry,
an associate of Boris who has arranged the meeting. They are joined
by another associate of Cherry's, a man known as Shirley Temple.
The group proceeds to a caf? called the Purple Cow.
Inside the caf?, they encounter an older man and an Indonesian man.
However, there is a disturbance due to the absence of a third
individual. Just as Theo hands over the bank draft, Cherry strikes
the older man with his pistol. Boris points his gun at the younger
Indonesian man, who recognizes him as "Borya-from-Antwerp." During
the chaos, Theo notices a young Asian boy in the kitchen.
Cherry emerges from the kitchen with the painting packaged up. The
men swiftly escape and return to the garage. Boris insists that
Cherry and Shirley Temple take the money from the briefcase as
compensation for their involvement. Cherry, Shirley Temple, and
Guyuri drive away, leaving Boris and Theo in the garage. They lock
their passports in the glove compartment.
Shortly after, two older men named Martin and Frits approach them
with the Asian boy from the caf?. Boris realizes that they work for
Horst and speculates that Sascha must have informed Horst after the
painting was taken. At first, Boris considers surrendering the
painting but then throws a cigarette at Martin. A gunfight erupts,
with Boris shooting Martin and Frits and sustaining an injury to
his arm. Theo takes up the gun and kills Martin.
After the confrontation, Theo and Boris flee in the car and head
back to Theo's hotel. They encounter traffic, and Boris insists
that Theo get out and walk back in the cold. Theo wanders for hours
until he finally finds his hotel. He spends time trying to remove
the bloodstains from his clothes and takes drugs provided by Boris,
which cause him to enter a state of semi-consciousness, drifting
between waking and dreaming.
Part 5, Chapter 12
Part 5, Chapter 12, titled "The Rendezvous Point," finds Theo
hiding in his hotel room as Christmas approaches. He has lost track
of time and feels unwell after his ordeal of searching for his
hotel following the shooting. Theo takes drugs given to him by
Boris, which, combined with his illness, result in hallucinations
of Larry and Andy. He reads about the murder in thelocal Dutch newspapers but refrains from contacting Boris. When
he finally texts Boris, his phone dies, and he realizes he doesn't
have Boris's number.
Realizing he left his passport in Guyuri's car, Theo decides to
travel to Paris to obtain a new one. On Christmas Eve, he goes to
the train station to purchase a ticket but is informed by the agent
that he cannot buy one without a passport. He reaches out to the
American consulate and discovers that it will take at least ten
days to receive a new passport.
Returning to his hotel, Theo contemplates suicide, feeling there is
no better option. He discloses that he had previously overdosed in
New York. He starts writing a letter to Kitsey and attempts to
write one to Hobie but stops, feeling unable to express himself
adequately. Feeling ill, he vomits and goes to bed without carrying
out his plan.
During the night, Theo dreams of his mother, perceiving her
presence with depth and information. However, before she can speak,
he wakes up on Christmas Day. Rejecting his suicide plan, he
resolves to face the consequences and decides to go to the police.
Before doing so, he orders an extravagant breakfast, and just as it
arrives, Boris bursts into his room.
Boris returns Theo's passport and hands him a bag of money. Over
the past week, Boris had called the art police and disclosed the
location of the stolen painting. He has received a substantial
reward, a portion of which he gives to Theo. When the police raid
Sascha's apartment, they discover numerous other paintings, leading
to one of the most significant art recoveries in history.
Theo accompanies Boris to his house in Antwerp and then returns to
New York. He encounters Hobie, who has recently spoken to Lucius
Reeve and learned about the extent of Theo's involvement. Theo
confesses the entire story to Hobie, who shows him a picture of a
young Welty with a reproduction of The Goldfinch - a crucial art
object in Welty's life.
A year later, Theo reports that he has been traveling and
personally repurchasing all the fraudulent artworks. He is no
longer bound by his engagement to Kitsey but continues to spend
time with the Barbours. Pippa has written him a letter expressing
her love but stating that they are too similar and would not be
good for each other.