The City & the City: Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis

Borlú is driven into Copula Hall. Because he is traveling to Ul Qoma on state business, he is subject to extra scrutiny. Speaking to the border control officer, he explains that his Besź driver will remain in Copula Hall, and he points out the Ul Qoman police who will be meeting him on the other side. An Ul Qoman police car pulls up and an officer gets out, greeting Borlú in Illitan. He introduces himself as Senior Detective Qussim Dhatt, and welcomes Borlú to Ul Qoma.

Copula Hall is an old and ornate building. It is crosshatched, with some rooms in Besźel and some in Ul Qoma (while some are in both, neither, or “Copula Hall only”). On the ground level, there is a small market and street vendors, and a “no-man’s-land” where travelers pass through to get between Besźel and Ul Qoma. Close to the Ul Qoma exit lies the Temple of Inevitable Light, which Borlú has seen in pictures and, until now, unseen whenever he has passed it in real life.

The last time Borlú went to Ul Qoma was years ago. In preparation, he had participated in an “accelerated” two-day orientation, which involved lessons in Illitan and Ul Qoman history and law. The teacher he had for this trip, meanwhile, told him that “Acclimatisation pedagogy’s come a long way with computers.” Yet Borlú found the computer-based tests he was forced to take “insulting” in their easiness. Now, driving through Ul Qoma, he realizes that he had forgotten what it looked like. The landscape is noticeably wealthier and sleeker than Besźel. Dhatt asks if Borlú would like to settle in at his hotel before getting something to eat. Borlú responds by asking immediately about the case.

Dhatt clarifies that while Borlú is there, he will be treated as a “consultant” and a “guest”; the Ul Qoman militsya will be leading the investigation. Borlú asks if he can travel, and Dhatt replies that he can, but may only participate in tourist activities, and it would probably be better if he didn’t travel all. Borlú asks about Bol Ye’an and Mahalia’s fellow students, and Dhatt explains that no one from the dig or university has much information. They didn’t see Mahalia for a couple of days and didn’t think much of it.

The militsya recently got a call regarding Mahalia’s best friend, another PhD student called Yolanda Rodriguez. Yolanda seemed distraught, although her boyfriend, an Ul Qoman man, was taking care of her. However, she now hasn’t been seen for a couple of days, and nobody can contact her. When Borlú asks if she’s “disappeared” Dhatt accuses him of being “melodramatic,” but Borlú says that this is simply the accurate definition of the word.