Harry’s wound had festered to an extent that it had graduated to gangrene. As usual, for a man who had gone through immense physical and emotional suffering, Harry had lost his ability to think. As a result, Harry had resigned to the fact that he would die in a remote jungle far away from home. Helen urges him not to give up as help could be on the way but he is too tired to care what will happen to him.
His mental and physical condition is affecting her negatively, especially after he declares that he has never loved her. Harry actually blames Helen for his predicament claiming that it is her money that brought all his current suffering upon him. This hurts Helen so much that she cries bitterly. In a monologue Harry wonders a lot about his present predicament. He blames Helen for destroying his writing career, since it is her money that brought him closer to her, the same money that was now threatening to take him far away from his writing. But he still thinks that he is still too strong a man to be destroyed by women and concludes that he brought all his present tribulations upon himself by the choices he made.
Upon his return from the hunting trip Helen notices that Harry’s condition had improved, much to her relief. She even promises him a delicious supper from the Tommy she had shot. Helen further begs Harry not to hurt her again since she had previously been destroyed by men in her life. He promises to stop the habit and make amends with her in bed, much to her appreciation. In her mood of appreciation, Helen promises Harry that the help they need would arrive the following day in the form of an Aeroplane. But Harry has suffered too much to care for help. They opt to while-away the evening drinking whiskey, which they order from one of the boys.
After a while, it occurred to him that death was imminent. His wound now smelled too much, a smell that was symbolic of death. After taking a bath, she wants to serve him supper which he refuses, claiming that there was no need to eat since he would die that night. Out of her abundant care for him, she urges him to take a little food to give him strength to write. After all the emotional suffering he had taken her through, Harry is touched by the fact that she manages to remain loving and friendly.
He acknowledges this and assures her that she is a fine woman. He refuses to eat more and slowly falls into a deep slumber that he would never wake from. After he is fallen asleep she asks the boys to take him into the tent. The next morning the plane arrives but it is already too late. Harry is already dead. Helen takes awhile to notice and after she does she is too shaken.
In this narrative, Hemingway presents himself as both melodramatic and emotional, while still remaining uncaring to Helen’s plight. His adventurous spirit brings him to Africa, along with Helen, a woman he loves but does not wish to admit this fact. He fails to acknowledge that Helen had abandoned her life to be with him. He goes on to hurt her emotions and blame her for his present condition. Suffice to say that in his own words, Harry agrees that his drinking and love for women were the reasons for his death; he had brought it all this upon himself.