Ethan Frome

did not answer, and after a moment's hesitation he went up and opened her door. The room was almost dark, but in the obscurity he saw her sittin

he ventured fro

continued: "Supper's abou

't feel as if I cou

her rising and going down to supper. But she remained seated, and he could thi

answered solemnly: "I'm a grea

ck of wonder. He had often heard her pronoun

to the dim room. "I hope tha

a mien of wan authority, as of one consciously singled

nd specified; but only the chosen had "complications." To have them was in itself a distinction, though it was also, in most

eling, but for the moment compassion prevailed. His wife looked so

r told you?" he asked, inst

ar doctor would want me

he neighbourhood was divided, some glorying in the prestige conferred by operations while others shunned th

t he sought a consolatory short cut. "What do you know ab

e could take it up: she want

nows about Dr. Buck. He has his office in Worcester, and comes over once a fortnight to Shadd's Falls and Bettsbridge for consultati

st do just what he tells you,"

. He was struck by a new note in her voice. It was

d do?" he asked, with a moun

rl. He says I oughtn't to have to

?" Ethan stoo

lucky to get a girl to come away out here, and I agreed to give h

He no longer believed what Zeena had told him of the supposed seriousness of her state: he saw in her expedition to Bettsbridge only

rl you ought to have told me

re I started? How did I kn

scaped in a short laugh. "Did Dr. Buc

a' been ashamed to tell him that you grudged me the money to

ur health nu

e at the time you couldn't do

ee

serpents shooting venom. Ethan was seized with horror of the scene and shame at his own share

n the room. At first its weak flame made no impression on the shadows; then Zeena's f

ther, and Ethan felt as if he had lost an irretrievable advantage in descending to th

o pay for a girl, Zeena. You'll hav

n slaving the way I've had to. He doesn't un

ou sha'n't lift a hand, if he says so. I

he found no answer, and left her time to add ironically: "Better send me over to

he let it pass. "I haven't go

were testing their weapons. Then Zeena said in a level voice: "I th

he remembered the excuse he had made for not accompanying his wife to

with him to pay cash down. You said that was

en convicted of a lie, and all the resources of evasion fail

't got t

N

in't going

N

ow that when I engag

now. I'm sorry, but it can't be helped. You're a poor

s stretched along the arms of her chair, her eyes fixed o

"Of course we will! There's a whole

me elaborate mental calculation. She emerged from it

ed to go down to supper. He stopped short, not grasp

er having heard her laugh before. "You didn't suppose I was going to

e mention of Mattie's name, fearing he hardly knew what: criticism, complaints, or vague allusions to the imminent probability

e said. "Mattie Silver's not a

father'd done his best to ruin us. I've kep' her

a tap on the door, which he had drawn shu

y from the landing, "do you know what time

ilence; then Zeena called out from her

u well? Sha'n't I bring y

opened the door. "Go along down, Matt. Z

door and turned back into the room. His wife's attitude was unchanged, her fa

going to do

emitted between

tie away-

ained to take

riends or money. She's done her best for you and she's got no place to go to. You may forget she's your ki

between his own excitement and her composure. Then she replied in the same smooth vo

cut across the sinews and he felt suddenly weak and powerless. He had meant to humble himself, to argue that Mattie's keep didn't cost much, after

t once?" he faltered out, in terror of

ally: "The girl will be over from Bettsbridge to-morrow

al to; but as long as he could ignore and command he had remained indifferent. Now she had mastered him and he abhorred her. Mattie was her relation, not his: there were no means by which he could compel her to keep the girl under her roof. All the long misery of his baffled past, of his youth of failure, hardship and vain effort, rose up in his soul in bit

ming down?" he said i

little while," she answered mildly; an

rled up on her knees. She sprang to her feet as Ethan ente

a isn't sick

N

t be starving." She uncovered the pie and pushed it over to him. So th

gan to eat; then disgust took him by

e was on him and sh

s the matter? Don'

away, rose from his chair, and walked around the ta

omething wrong! I

e caught her in his arms, held her fast there, felt

d found her lips at last and was drinking unconsc

drew back a step or two, pale and troubled. Her look smote him with compunction, and he

stammered.

as though a torch of warning flew from

so brutally. His head reeled and he had to support himself against the table. All th

happened? Is Ze

new doctor has scared her about herself. You know she believes all they say the first time she sees them. And

ike a broken branch. She was so small and weak-looking that it wrung his heart; but suddenly she l

at she say

to-night she'll

eena never changed her mind, and that in her case a

them; then Mattie said in a low v

her had melted to an aching tenderness. He saw her quick lids beati

get cold," she admonished hi

att-where'l

he thought of the future came to her distinctly. "I might get something to do

e was surrounded by indifference or animosity; and what chance had she, inexperienced and untrained, among the million bread-seekers of the cities? There came back to him miserable tales he had h

t you! She's always had her way

a quick gesture, and he hear

ging down-at-the-heel step, and quietl

aced by the black calico and brown knitted shawl which formed her daily wear, and with them she had put on her usual face and manner. She poured out her tea, added a great deal of milk to it, helped herself largely to pie and pic

tsbridge. Zeena answered in her every-day tone and, warming to the theme, regaled them with several vivid descriptions of intestinal disturbances

ion of her heart. "That pie of yours always sets a mite heavy, Matt," she said, not ill-naturedly

t last year over in Springfield," she continued. "I ain't trie

"Can't I get them for yo

know about," Zeena answered dark

d clung together desolately. The warm still kitchen looked as peaceful as the night before. The cat had sprung to Zeena's rocking-chair

round," he said, going toward

lush of excitement on her sallow face. The shawl had slipped from her shoulders and was dragging

this," she said, looking st

-" Her voice broke, and two small tears hung on her lashless lids and ran slowly down her cheeks. "It takes the stepladder to get at the top shelf, and I put Aunt Philura Maple's pickle-dish up there o' purpose when we was married, an

into the room and faced her. "I c

e c

what I

urned her eyes to Mattie, who was

the cat got into my ch

ejoined. "There was a mouse roun

he cat was a smart cat," she said in a high voice, "but I didn't know he was smart enough to pick

than's fault, Zeena! The cat did break the dish; but I got it down fr

, stiffening into a stony image of resentme

cheeks. "I wanted to make the

erce come over from Bettsbridge-" Zeena paused with a gasp, as if terrified by her own evocation of the sacrilege. "You're a bad girl, Mattie Silver, and I always known it. It's the way your father begun, and I was warned of it when

wouldn't 'a' happened," she said; and gathering up the bits of br