a stormy March day, reflecting on her tumultuous emotional state paralleled with the turbulent weather. As she gazes out the window, she reminisces about a recent successful performance of Robert's opera, "La Danaïde," and the emotional turmoil tied to her life as his wife. Despite the triumph of the evening's performance and the public accolades for her husband's work, Viva grapples with feelings of estrangement from him, intertwining her personal suffering with the beauty of his music. This blend of introspection and rich imagery sets a poignant tone for the narrative, hinting at the conflicts between passion, art, and the depths of personal longing that will unfold throughout the novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)