CHAPTER 25

Summary

Edna's calmness soon gives way to uneasiness and she starts to feel less optimistic about her future. Sometimes she broods and stays indoors.

One day when she was feeling more sociable she met with the Highcamps who suggest that she accompanies them to the Races. Also there, is Alc'e Arobin. Edna seems to be quite adept at picking winners and Arobin is impressed with her knowledge. After the Races, they have dinner at the Highcamps and then Arobin escorts Edna home.

Arobin asks Edna to attend the Races with him. Her acceptance sends a wrong message to Arobin and he assumes that she is attracted to him. When he tries to make a pass at her, she rebuffs him and feels that she was being unfaithful to Robert. Her husband does not even enter her mind.

Interpretation

It is important to understand how Edna deals with her growing sexual desires. Although she wishes to satisfy these feelings, she needs to keep control. She is able to do this by thinking of Robert while she is with Arobin. Arobin may assume that Edna is playing hard to get and that eventually he will seduce her, just as he has done with so many women before, but he will find out that Edna is a different prospect altogether.