The chapter opens with a baby’s sneeze as the train stops at a small station and a young mother boards. Louisa warmly engages the mother and coos at the baby, while Ted, skeptical about babies, gives curt replies. Ted recalls that the late artist loved children and once argued that babies make people accept mortality because they signify life continuing.

The conductor arrives to check tickets and joins the conversation just as the mother assumes Ted and Louisa are father and daughter. Louisa bursts into loud laughter and clarifies they are just friends, then jokingly implies Ted likes conductors and has not kidnapped her, which embarrasses Ted. To diffuse the moment, the conductor offers a joke about lazy people that amuses everyone except Ted, who insists he understands it.

Pressed by Louisa to tell a joke, Ted reluctantly delivers a long penguin joke. Louisa and the mother remain unimpressed, but the conductor laughs so hard he drops his ticket machine, and Ted himself giggles. Louisa teases that Ted and the conductor would make a good match, causing awkward blushes before the conductor moves on.

The mother then shyly asks Louisa to hold the baby while she uses the bathroom. Louisa is stunned and honored, accepting the child gently, overwhelmed by the trust. Ted admits the baby is cute “for a baby,” and Louisa, beaming, asks Ted to continue the story about the janitor.

Louisa urges Ted to hurry with the tale, explaining that sad endings are more bearable when holding a baby. The chapter closes with the emotional image of Louisa cradling the child and seeking to resume Ted’s ongoing account of the young janitor Christian and the artist.