AustLit

Fagen was born in the same hour as the protagonist in a factory town; Fagen is humpbacked, wall-eyed, and intellectually disabled. His parents never recover from the shock of his birth, and die one after the other.

As time passes, the town deteriorates: the swamps flood, the factories grow, grain becomes scarce, and the townspeople's health suffers from the emissions. Fagen lives in a plot of land, uncared for; the protagonist's father tries to bring him food. A strange plant grows near Fagen.

The bailiff breaks Fagen's legs, then as the plant continues to grow, tries cutting the plant and throwing poison on them both. It is futile; the plant grows a rancid-smelling fruit. Fagen dies and the fruit's smell spreads throughout the town till it rots.