The City & the City: Chapter 19 Summary & Analysis

Having noticed Borlú’s presence, Aikam tries to attack him. Borlú restrains him, telling him to calm down and promising he will not harm Yolanda. He promises that he is not with the militsya and that he wants to help them. In the living room, Yolanda sits on a piece of broken furniture, stands, then sits again. Borlú asks if Yolanda ever leaves this apartment. Yolanda says that she is hiding, waiting to get out. She can’t tell anyone where she is because she knows “they” will find her and kill her like they did Mahalia. When Borlú asks who, she says “The third place. Between the city and the city. Orciny.”

While Borlú and Yolanda speak, he doesn’t interrupt and tell her that her ideas are foolish conspiracy theories, and she takes this as confirmation that her paranoia is right. Borlú learns that Aikam found the apartment for her and set her up there. She insists that now Mahalia and Bowden have been targeted, she will certainly be next. Yolanda explains that Mahalia’s PhD work was just a cover for her real investigation into Orciny; she would only ever do just enough to make sure Professor Nancy was satisfied. Yolanda says, “Do you realise they [Orciny] contacted her,” adding, “They’re everywhere.”

Yolanda explains that after the controversy she caused at the conference, Mahalia received a letter written in the ancient script that preceded the founding of Besźel and Ul Qoma. The message said something along the lines of, “We are watching you. You understand. Would you like to know more?” Orciny started making Mahalia complete tasks for them; in return, they would provide pieces of information about the city, its people, and its history. Yolanda emphasizes that the people of Orciny have special powers, and that the artefacts in the Bol Ye’an dig belong to them. Indeed, the artefacts were never lost, but are rather being deliberately stored at the site by Orciny.

Shortly before her death, Mahalia appeared increasingly distressed. She told Yolanda that they “could be thieves without even knowing.” Yolanda believes she must have somehow angered Orciny, and that Bowden has angered them too. When Borlú mentions that Bowden rejects Orciny now, Yolanda replies that this is just because he needs work, but really he knows Orciny exists.

Borlú begins to say something, but then realizes he has no idea what he thinks the truth is. However, he then points out that Yolanda has an option she hasn’t yet tried. If she purposefully breached, then at least she would be safe from the powers of Orciny, as Breach would deport her. Yolanda says Mahalia used to say that Orciny and Breach were enemies at war, but she’s not so sure herself. She thinks they might work together, or even be the same thing.