▁the ▁other ▁in ▁trag ic ▁circumstances : ▁Fred dy ▁g ass ing ▁himself ▁with ▁exhaust ▁f umes ▁in ▁his ▁pick - up ; ▁Carl ▁dying ▁in ▁a ▁crash ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁pick - up . ▁ ▁On ▁his ▁brief ▁return ▁( pres umably ▁for ▁Carl ' s ▁fun eral ) ▁the ▁authorities ▁think ▁he ▁is ▁there ▁to ▁adopt ▁Carl ' s ▁young ▁daughter ▁Nad ia , ▁but ▁he ▁ab and ons ▁her ▁simply ▁saying ▁" single ▁parent ▁families ▁are ▁not ▁allowed ▁on ▁campus ". ▁All ▁he ▁is ▁there ▁to ▁do ▁is ▁to ▁resolve ▁the ▁family ▁land - hold ings . ▁ ▁Inv ited ▁many ▁dec ades ▁later ▁to ▁receive ▁an ▁honor ary ▁degree ▁by ▁a ▁Canadian ▁university , ▁the ▁retired ▁Em ile ▁dec ides ▁to ▁take ▁an ▁extended ▁visit ▁to ▁Victoria , ▁British ▁Columbia ▁to ▁try ▁to ▁get ▁to ▁know ▁Carl ' s ▁now ▁adult ▁daughter ▁Nad ia ▁( Deb or ah ▁K ara ▁Un ger , ▁who ▁also ▁briefly ▁port ray s ▁Carl ' s ▁wife ) ▁who ▁has ▁recently ▁separated ▁from ▁her ▁husband , ▁and ▁her ▁ten - year - old ▁daughter ▁Maria ▁( The o ▁C rane , ▁who ▁also ▁port ray s ▁the ▁ten - year - old ▁Nad ia ) ▁before ▁it ▁is ▁too ▁late . ▁The ▁discovery ▁of ▁his ▁ancient ▁type writer ▁amongst ▁Nad ia ' s ▁belong ings ▁triggers ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁rever ies , ▁half ▁memory , ▁half ▁fant asy , ▁in ▁which ▁Em ile ' s ▁un resol ved ▁feelings ▁about ▁the ▁past ▁come