The Lieutenant: Part 2, Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

When Rooke is halfway up the hillside, he stops to look down. He hears the bell chime from Sirius that it's half past three, which means it's half past five in Greenwich. Rooke thinks that the clock at his parents' house shows the same time, and thinks of Anne asleep. He realizes how far away from home he is. When Rooke finally reaches the top of the hill and walks out to the point, he sees that there's a clear spot that will be a perfect location for his observatory. The point is about a mile away from the settlement, and Rooke thinks that, from here, he can be part of the settlement but not inhabit it. He can be himself here.

As Rooke turns to head back, he notices two native men. They're not looking at him. Rooke calls to them, but they continue to ignore him and walk down to some pools of water below the point. Rooke rehearses what he'll say to them, but he finds himself unable to get their attention. He watches them spear fish in the pool and thinks that Silk or Gardiner wouldn't allow the native men to ignore them. Rooke continues to rehearse what he'll say when they pass back by him, but the men move away in a different direction.

When Rooke brings up his plans for building his observatory on the point with Governor Gilbert, Gilbert forbids him from doing so. Rooke is taken aback and argues, saying that the comet Dr. Vickery predicted is extremely important. Gilbert insists that Rooke can build his observatory closer to the settlement, but Rooke insists that the observatory must be in perfect darkness and that his "limited" abilities mean that he needs to work in complete silence. Both statements are lies, but Rooke watches Gilbert thinking it over. Finally, Gilbert agrees, but instructs Rooke to keep his musket loaded at all times. Rooke turns away and realizes that he must keep in mind how precarious his position is. He thinks he must keep his true desires secret from the governor, or the governor will surely make Rooke aware of his lowly status.

Rooke's plan for the observatory looks strange on paper. After some grumbling, Major Wyatt allows Rooke to take some men to erect a tent and build the observatory. The carpenter is wary and confused when Rooke explains the plan, and Rooke can tell he is offended by the structure's strangeness when the observatory is finally completed. It takes months to complete, even with Rooke working beside the prisoners, but Rooke is finally able to move onto the point. Alone there for the first time, Rooke feels as though the place is truly his own. Here, he can think out loud without being judged, and feels as though he can finally become himself.

It's still early in 1788 when Rooke finishes the observatory, but the comet isn't predicted to appear until the end of the year. Rooke realizes it's important to act the part of a dedicated scientist in the meantime, so he digs out the meteorological instruments Dr. Vickery provided and sets them up. Rooke sets up his ledgers to record his readings at six points throughout the day, and takes his first readings.

Rooke spends his nights peering through his telescope at the southern constellations, which he now knows as well as the stars he saw in Portsmouth. He looks at the moon and thinks of Anne looking at it too. At night, he knows that it's lunchtime at home, and thinks of his parents and sisters preparing for their meal. Rooke listens to the ocean and thinks that a drop of water could make the same journey that he did, from one side of the world to the other.