Chapter XXXVII

by Kate Chopin

　　Edna looked in at the drug store. Monsieur Ratignolle wasputting up a mixture himself, very carefully, dropping a red liquidinto a tiny glass. He was grateful to Edna for having come; herpresence would be a comfort to his wife. Madame Ratignolle'ssister, who had always been with her at such trying times, had notbeen able to come up from the plantation, and Adele had beeninconsolable until Mrs. Pontellier so kindly promised to come toher. The nurse had been with them at night for the past week, asshe lived a great distance away. And Dr. Mandelet had been comingand going all the afternoon. They were then looking for him anymoment.Edna hastened upstairs by a private stairway that led from therear of the store to the apartments above. The children were allsleeping in a back room. Madame Ratignolle was in the salon,whither she had strayed in her suffering impatience. She sat onthe sofa, clad in an ample white peignoir, holding ahandkerchief tight in her hand with a nervous clutch. Her face wasdrawn and pinched, her sweet blue eyes haggard and unnatural. Allher beautiful hair had been drawn back and plaited. It lay in along braid on the sofa pillow, coiled like a golden serpent. Thenurse, a comfortable looking Griffe woman in white apron andcap, was urging her to return to her bedroom."There is no use, there is no use," she said at once to Edna."We must get rid of Mandelet; he is getting too old and careless.He said he would be here at half-past seven; now it must be eight.See what time it is, Josephine."The woman was possessed of a cheerful nature, and refusedto take any situation too seriously, especially a situationwithwhich she was so familiar. She urged Madame to havecourage and patience. But Madame only set her teeth hardinto her under lip, and Edna saw the sweat gather in beadson her white forehead. After a moment or two she uttereda profound sigh and wiped her face with the handkerchiefrolled in a ball. She appeared exhausted. The nurse gave hera fresh handkerchief, sprinkled with cologne water."This is too much!" she cried. "Mandelet ought to be killed!Where is Alphonse? Is it possible I am to be abandoned likethis-neglected by every one?""Neglected, indeed!" exclaimed the nurse. Wasn't she there?And here was Mrs. Pontellier leaving, no doubt, a pleasant eveningat home to devote to her? And wasn't Monsieur Ratignolle comingthat very instant through the hall? And Josephine was quite sureshe had heard Doctor Mandelet's coupe. Yes, there it was,down at the door.Adele consented to go back to her room. She sat on the edgeof a little low couch next to her bed.Doctor Mandelet paid no attention to Madame Ratignolle'supbraidings. He was accustomed to them at such times, and was toowell convinced of her loyalty to doubt it.He was glad to see Edna, and wanted her to go with him intothe salon and entertain him. But Madame Ratignolle would notconsent that Edna should leave her for an instant. Betweenagonizing moments, she chatted a little, and said it took her mindoff her sufferings.Edna began to feel uneasy. She was seized with a vague dread.Her own like experiences seemed far away, unreal, and only halfremembered. She recalled faintly an ecstasy of pain, the heavyodor of chloroform, a stupor which had deadened sensation, and anawakening to find a little new life to which she had given being,added to the great unnumbered multitude of souls that come and go.She began to wish she had not come; her presence was notnecessary. She might have invented a pretext for staying away; shemight even invent a pretext now for going. But Edna did not go.With an inward agony, with a flaming, outspoken revolt againstthe ways of Nature, she witnessed the scene of torture.She was still stunned and speechless with emotion when latershe leaned over her friend to kiss her and softly say good-by.Adele, pressing her cheek, whispered in an exhausted voice:"Think of the children, Edna. Oh think of the children! Remember them!"