The Meursault Investigation

In fact, Meriem is writing her thesis on Meursault’s book, just like the interlocutor. She waits until Mama has left to show Harun the book, which is small and well-designed. Harun is struck by the murderer’s name written on the front, but he’s also distracted by the closeness of a strange woman. Later, Meriem tells Harun that she is from Constantine; she asserts her independence fiercely, and he can tell she has developed this persona in defiance of a conservative family.

Meriem leaves Harun with the book. Mama is astonished to know that the details of Musa’s murder have been written down all this time. However, Harun thinks her awe is unmerited—the book is just the product of another man, not “some god.” He thinks that they should feel stupid and ashamed that everyone knew the murderer’s story except the two “pitiful natives” closest to it.

The next day, Mama has developed hostile feelings towards Meriem and warns Harun not to let her in if she returns. However, he just leaves the house without coffee and waits for Meriem at the Hadjout train station. He says that he wants to know more about the book, and they embark on a long walk. This becomes their regular happiness for the next few months, which feel like “centuries” to Harun.

Finally, Harun is experiencing all the wonder and astonishment of love that “Mama’s vigilance had always managed to neutralize.” He can’t even describe the process of love now. Meursault’s book, and later many other books, form the pretext of their affair as Meriem patiently teaches Harun about literature. When he tries to hold her hands, she laughs but doesn’t pull away.

When Harun reads Meursault’s book for the first time, he’s enthralled; he feels both “insulted and revealed to myself.” He can’t come to grips with how beautiful the writing is, but he also can’t believe that Musa’s name is absent from the entire work. Contrary to his hopes, he can’t learn anything about his brother from the book, although he can “see into the murderer’s soul.”

Harun feels that the whole book is “a perfect joke.” Instead of teaching him about Musa, it shows him “his own reflection”; he realizes that he and Meursault are incredibly similar, down their mutual wish to be tried and sentenced for their crimes.

Knowing that she will become obsessed with it, Harun doesn’t show Mama the book. He also hides his meetings with Meriem. They always spend the day walking around the town or lying under a tree. He tells Meriem everything about his childhood and Musa’s death; the only thing he hides is the murder he’s committed. In turn, she brings him other books to read so he can understand Meursault’s writing and worldview. He doesn’t understand everything, but he grows more and more in love with Meriem.

Harun always knows their affair will end, but he wants to keep it going as long as possible. He believes that Meriem was amused by him until she realized how truly despairing and depressed he was. Or perhaps he just eventually stopped being entertaining to her. Just as Harun was feeling more confident in his affections, she stopped coming to Hadjout forever. Ever since then, Harun has found himself betraying every woman he’s been involved with.

One day while Harun is lying under a tree with Meriem, he leans over and kisses her. When he sits up, he feels that the sky is especially brilliant. Meriem lies with her head on his thighs until it grows too hot, and then they walk away wrapped in each other’s arms. When they get to the train station, Harun asks Meriem if she’ll marry him; he’s hurt by her look of surprise. She asks if he loves her, and he answers that he doesn’t know how to say it in words, “but when I was silent, it became obvious in my head.”

Harun remarks that the interlocutor is smiling, and admits that actually he made this anecdote up. He could never have said such a thing because Meriem’s confidence and sophistication intimidated him. Self-assured and independent women have mostly disappeared from Algeria today, he says.

After Harun realizes that Meriem has gone for good, he smashes all the dishes in the house while Mama watches calmly. When Meriem writes Harun letters, he answers angrily; eventually their correspondence drifts off. He still sometimes waits for her at the train station.

Harun tells the interlocutor that this may be their last meeting and tells him to summon the “bottle ghost” again. When the ghost comes over, it becomes apparent that he is deaf and mute, but can read lips. He says that the ghost should read Meursault’s book, which will be more interesting than his newspapers.