"You remember the four people I told you about when I was there... They are all very busy people. In fact they are so busy that it will be hard for you to picture them. I do not mean that they work at their jobs all day and night but that they have much business in their minds always that does not let them rest...the New York Café owner is different. He watches. The others all have something they hate. And they all have something they love more than eating or sleeping or wine or friendly company. That is why they are always so busy."

This quotation is taken from Part Two, Chapter 7, from the letter John Singer writes to Spiros Antonapoulos. This excerpt demonstrates the simple manner in which Singer would likely speak if he were able. Using simple words and phrases, he tells his friend about all of his visitors. This introductory paragraph is especially insightful. It is notable that Singer does not say that he feels any particular connection to any of the four; in fact, he says later in the letter that he does not even understand all of what Jake Blount and Dr. Copeland say to him, and that their anger frightens him. Singer says that it is nice to see the others, however, because they distract him from thinking about Antonapoulos's absence. It is clear that all of Singer's devotion is aimed solely at his absent friend, and that he does not—contrary to the beliefs of his four visitors—have any special empathy or understanding of any of their passions.