The departmental meeting. A setting of legendary divisiveness for the fruition of Howard's master plan. But with Professor Marvin a reluctant combatant and Howard's varied extra-mural activities under novel surveillance, the inevitability of the plot is no longer totally in the author's hands.

Howard seems to be about to pay his dues, but in the fight for his academic life, the University is the battlefield. As in any war the choice of survivors - and casualties - is very arbitrary and contingent.