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Why does Milla 'adopt' Agaat? Two versions of Agaat's 'adoption'--Milla's (545), Agaat's (569-575). Milla's bucking conventional advice to 'adopt' Agaat. "It's life that passes in the blinking of an eye. While dying itself can last for an eternity"--M's 4-year illness flickers out on 561. The shrine of M's bedroom. Jakkie's Epilogue tells A's version of her 'adoption', of her place after Jakkie's birth.

mid-1950s, Milla brings the deformed child Agaat to Gdrift "to make a human being of her, to give her something to live for, a house, opportunities, love"; versus 1990s, Milla's terminal, bedridden illness of four years--reciprocal caring for each other. Jakkie's birthday feast, its preparations, performance, and post-day orchestrated by Agaat. The color Red. Whetting song//Wedding song. Embroidered linen shroud.

The novel turns back to the 1950s when Milla rescues an abused child.

Questions arise about fires natural or set. Milla finalized her last will and testament. The blue-purple hydrangeas and other garden flowers will be part of the funeral. Agaat and Milla communicate with grammatical alphabet board and stick duster and with eye signals. Milla wonders, "I'm lying here brooding over all my life..." Does the broken neck of a lamb and the cut throat foreshadow the ending?

Agaat realizes that Milla is wanting the maps of the Overberg. The places on it are spelled out, bringing back memories to both women and driving Agaat to get tipsy. In a flashback to the 1970s, the 3 adults want claim to the son Jakkie's attention. The father Jak wants him to experience rugged sport like mountain climbing & to study math & science--activities Jak sees as useful to the man Jakkie will become.

The author keeps adding perspective on the novel's relationships. So, the reader can never assume that s/he has definitely defined the relationship between for example Milla and Jak. This part in the 1970s creates a disruption in the family when fifteen-year-old Jakkie on a home visit from a German boarding school brings back notions of social equality for Agaat. And, Milla has given Agaat ownership of a large herd.

Jakkie and Agaat; Jakkie and Jak. Agaat's myths, songs, games. Jak's breakdown. Milla's pages of thoughts.

Agaat piles stuff from the farm and house in front of Milla but doesn't yet bring the maps. Question: how South Africa and Germany were related. Jak feels that Milla is playacting toward him in their marriage and is disrespectful of his abilities and accomplishments. His complaints about their marriage and her self-love gushes forth in a bitter tirade before he leaves the house.

"Heimwee" (Nostalgia/Homesickness): Afrikaans poem by J.R.L. van Bruggen set to music by Stephanus le Roux Marais and sung by Mimi Coertse, Stephen Harry Eyssen, and others. Pages around 277 bring forth artifacts (diaries, albums, deeds and certificates, silver and porcelain, etc) reminiscent of the life Milla lived (and of South Africa?) and suggest a scenario of Agaat and Jakkie after she dies in mid-1990s.

Originally translated "The Way of the Women"--Milla and Agaat--competent, creative, caring, commanding. Agaat--the Dutch word for agate (variegated quartz). The reader knows Agaat through Milla's descriptions from Agaat's coming to the South African farm as a young girl to thirty plus years later when Milla is in the process of dying.