Foucault's Pendulum, pages 159 - 334

synopsis: Causabon falls in love with Ampara and so moves to Brazil to be with her. He engages in socio-political discussion with the Brazilians. Then he receives a letter from Belbo: "...an evocation of the spirit of Cagliostro was to be held in a few days. I went. ... And now came the disturbing part, because the pathetic girl seemed to be in real pain: she trembled, sweated, bellowed, and began to speak in broken phrases of a temple and a door that must be opened. She said a vortex of power was being created, and we had to ascend to the Great Pyramid. ..."

Causabon and Amparo travel to Bahia. They meet with Agliè, a painter, for a world history lesson. Then on to meet with the abbess of the terreiro for a lesson in the supernatural and occult, with Agliè advising.

Flash forward to hiding in the museum and immediately back to playing Rosicrucian history detectives with Amparo and Belbo.

reaction: Long-winded. A lot of pontificating, traveling, zeitgeisting, and speculation about supposedly hidden history and mysterious messages from such. A lot of five-dollar words. Thick on literary strutting and preening, and thin on necessity. Did I mention the speeches go on and on? When do we cut to the chase? Not for a while, I suspect...