# II: St. Louis Leads Me to Orfila explained — The Inferno > Chapter companion for The Inferno by August Strindberg. ## What happens The narrator continues chemical experiments through winter, isolates himself, and reluctantly socializes with a bohemian artist circle. He becomes convinced of an invisible guiding hand, comparing it to Socrates' demon. A spring morning walk leads to a series of signs: a dyer's shield with his initials and a rainbow, then a book by Orfila confirming his hypothesis about sulphur's composition. He gains access to the Sorbonne laboratory, discovers sulphur is a compound of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, and later finds monuments to Orfila, whom he regards as a protector. ## Themes in this chapter ### Science vs. Spirituality The narrator's chemical experiments are intertwined with religious ecstasy and signs, blending empirical discovery with spiritual interpretation. ### The Invisible and the Occult The narrator treats the Unknown as a personal acquaintance, experiences premonitions in dreams, and sees omens like the rainbow and initials. ### Isolation and Paranoia The narrator isolates himself from society, feels persecuted by youthful scorn, and views his life as a new purgatory. ## Character check-ins ### The Unknown The narrator experiences a spiritual awakening, converses with the Unknown as a personal acquaintance, and interprets signs as divine guidance. ### August Strindberg The narrator's initials A.S. appear on a dyer's shield, interpreted as an omen; he is the central figure conducting chemical experiments. ### Providence The narrator reflects on the ways of Providence, feeling punished despite his desire for purification, and later sees the rainbow as a sign of covenant. ### David The statue of David rises like a boundary mark in the Luxembourg Gardens, part of the narrator's morning walk. ### St. Vincent de Paul St. Louis is mentioned as the friend of the poor and plague-stricken, possibly the narrator's patron and guardian angel. ## Key lines > The Unknown has become for me a personal acquaintance with whom I speak, whom I thank, whom I consult. The narrator now treats the invisible force as a close confidant, conversing with it regularly. _Highlights the narrator's shift from atheism to a personal relationship with the divine._ > Omen accipio! and am reminded of the passage in Genesis, 'I have set my bow in the clouds to be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.' The narrator accepts the rainbow and initials as a divine sign, recalling the biblical covenant. _Shows the narrator's superstitious interpretation of everyday events as spiritual messages._ > One may imagine my almost religious ecstasy at this well-nigh miraculous discovery. The narrator experiences a near-religious fervor upon finding Orfila's book confirming his hypothesis. _Blends scientific discovery with spiritual ecstasy, central to the chapter's theme._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_inferno_se/chapters/ii-st-louis-leads-me-to-orfila - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_inferno_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_inferno_se/chapters