After finishing The Knight Has Died (1963), he had worked as a journalist, written poetry, and traveled around the world, "looking for something to write about".

Inni's existential crisis deepens as he reflects on the emptiness of his existence and the repetitive, ritualistic nature of daily life.

He encounters a wealthy, eccentric businessman named Arnold Taads, who lives a highly structured and ritualized life.

Inni is both fascinated and repelled by Taads's worldview, and their interactions force him to confront his own lack of purpose.

Inni's life is still marked by a sense of disconnection, but he begins to find a kind of peace in accepting the rituals and routines that structure human existence.

The novel ends on a contemplative note, with Inni acknowledging the cyclical nature of life and the role that rituals play in providing a sense of continuity and meaning.