The Drowned World: Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

Six weeks later, Kerans is abruptly awoken by loud sounds outside his window at the Ritz. He steps onto the balcony to see a white hydroplane speeding around the lagoon, disturbing the water and the spiders. It's piloted by a man dressed all in white who seems to be having a grand time. Kerans hears signal gunshots, and the man steers the plane into the next lagoon. Kerans is disconcerted by the appearance of the visitor in the lagoon, as he's spent the last six weeks mostly alone in the hotel. Temperatures at noon are now 130 degrees and don't subside until Kerans is ready to return to bed in the late afternoon.

Outside, the plant life is taking over the buildings now that Riggs and his crew aren't around to cut it back. Silt accumulates in the small waterways surrounding the lagoon, and Kerans spends his days following his dreams, all of which center around a lagoon. He wants to reach the end of his descent through time, but he knows that when he reaches the end, the real world will be unbearable. Bodkin and Beatrice seem similarly wrapped up in their own private dream worlds. Bodkin is entirely lost in his mind and spends his days paddling around looking for places he remembers from his childhood. Beatrice and Kerans, however, seem to "understand their symbolic roles" and aren't as estranged from each other.

Kerans sees more signal shells over the far lagoon where Beatrice's apartment is, and then more from further off. Kerans understands that the hydroplane is a scout vehicle, and there are likely more groups of invaders. He dresses, goes downstairs, and steers his catamaran into the water. When he reaches Beatrice's lagoon, the hydroplane is circling by an inlet. Kerans berths the catamaran and climbs onto a department store to watch. Kerans begins to notice a sound like low animal roar drawing nearer, as well as the sounds of engines. Suddenly, boats like the one that Riggs drove burst through a dam and into the lagoon. They're all manned entirely by black men.

Kerans notices that hundreds of massive alligators accompany the boats. They arrange themselves around the hydroplane, where the pilot gazes at the alligators. The pilot motions to his crew to anchor in the lagoon as the alligators swim in a clockwise spiral around the hydroplane. There are at least 2,000 alligators. Suddenly, the pilot shouts and starts the hydroplane, which moves off across the writhing alligator bodies to a creek that leads to the next lagoon. The alligators follow, though Kerans can see that some were killed by the hydroplane's quick departure.

Kerans rushes down the building's fire escape to the catamaran, but finds that the churning water has unmoored it. He watches as the alligators notice it and destroy it. A caiman notices Kerans in the water and heads towards him. Kerans runs back to the fire escape and narrowly escapes the caiman. He throws a brick at it and it returns to the group. Kerans spends the next half hour fighting iguanas as he crosses the 200 yards to Beatrice's apartment.

When Kerans finally steps out of the elevator, Beatrice embraces him and asks if he's seen the alligators. He tells her that one nearly ate him and goes to stand at the window. The hydroplane is circling in the central lagoon, and Kerans comments that the alligators must be their guards. Beatrice comes and stands nervously by Kerans. She has continued to tend to her appearance for the last six weeks, but this new development appears to shake her composure. Kerans comforts Beatrice, telling her that they have nothing to give these looters.

A big paddleboat enters the lagoon, loaded with gear and cargo. Kerans thinks that this is the group's “depot ship.” He figures that this crew is likely pillaging the drowned cities for heavy machinery. Such looting is technically illegal, but the authorities are usually happy to pay for the things looters pillage. Beatrice points to Dr. Bodkin down below on the testing station, who is hailing one of the crewmen. Kerans suggests that if they show themselves, the invaders will leave soon. He sees the hydroplane returning to Beatrice's lagoon and suggests that the pilot might give them a lift.