After walking for two days, Marie-Laure and her father reach the museum director’s friend’s home in Evereux, only to find it burning and being looted. The town is in a state of chaos. The owner of the home has fled to London, leaving her father responsible for the diamond. They sleep in a nearby barn. Now they must go to Saint-Malo.

Werner travels to Essen to take the entrance exam for the National Political Institutes of Education. Most of the boys in his age group are bigger than he is. Most of the boys are blond and all have blue eyes. Even so, Werner stands out with his shock of white-blond hair. The boys are tested physically and academically, over eight days. Werner is certain that he will not be chosen because he is not physically strong. All the boys desperately want to be chosen.

One test terrifies most of the boys. They must climb a ladder 25 feet in the air and jump off, landing in a flag held by the rest of the boys. The first boy is dropped, landing on his arms, both of which are broken. Others are injured or refuse to jump. Werner steels himself. When it is his turn, he climbs and jumps without hesitation.