Plunged into a nightmare (pg. 129)

Pg. 129 (End of Chapter 32)

"This was a lone child, an absolute waif, with whom a heavy-limbed, foul-smelling adult had had strenuous intercourse three times that very morning. Whether or not the realization of a lifelong dream had surpassed all expectation, it had, in a sense, overshot its mark -- and plunged into a nightmare."

At this point in the novel, Humbert Humbert has successfully accomplished his mission of having sexual intercourse with Lolita. However, he begins to feel uneasy and realizes that perhaps the aftermath wasn't exactly what he expected. Lo acts distant and even more harsh than her usual self while in the car the next morning. Humbert even states that he feels "as if I were sitting with the small ghost of somebody I had just killed." Humbert clearly feels uncomfortable with the situation at hand. This is also evident in the way he describes himself in the section I chose. Usually very cocky and arrogant about his looks and self, he is now insulting and belittling himself. Lo is in some sort of pain and seems to be very upset with Humbert, to the point where she calls him rude names, accuse him of physical damage to her body, and then goes as far as to say she should call the cops on him and tell them that he raped her. All of this said, of course, in her "dynamic" way, in which Humbert can't tell if she is joking or if she's actually posing some sort of threat to him. This adds greatly to his alrady miserable and paranoid state.

How has this sudden turn of events effected Humbert Humbert? Did he really expect things to resume normally after having intercourse with his precious and delicate Lolita? How do you think the relationship between them has changed? Does Lo's threat of turning in H.H. completely obliterate any hopes he had of continuing this secret, sexual/romantic relationship with her?