The Awakening Kate Chopin - Penn State University

The Awakening
Mr. Pontellier turned before leaving to say:
“I am going to New York on business very soon. I have a big scheme on
hand, and want to be on the field proper to pull the ropes and handle the
ribbons. We’ll let you in on the inside if you say so, Doctor,” he laughed.
“No, I thank you, my dear sir,” returned the Doctor. “I leave such ventures
to you younger men with the fever of life still in your blood.”
“What I wanted to say,” continued Mr. Pontellier, with his hand on the
knob; “I may have to be absent a good while. Would you advise me to
take Edna along?”
“By all means, if she wishes to go. If not, leave her here. Don’t contradict
her. The mood will pass, I assure you. It may take a month, two, three
months—possibly longer, but it will pass; have patience.”
“Well, good-by, a jeudi, “ said Mr. Pontellier, as he let himself out.
The Doctor would have liked during the course of conversation to ask,
“Is there any man in the case?” but he knew his Creole too well to make
such a blunder as that.
He did not resume his book immediately, but sat for a while meditatively
looking out into the garden.
72
XXIII
EDNA’S FATHER WAS in the city, and had been with them several days. She
was not very warmly or deeply attached to him, but they had certain tastes
in common, and when together they were companionable. His coming
was in the nature of a welcome disturbance; it seemed to furnish a new
direction for her emotions.
He had come to purchase a wedding gift for his daughter, Janet, and an
outfit for himself in which he might make a creditable appearance at her
marriage. Mr. Pontellier had selected the bridal gift, as every one immediately
connected with him always deferred to his taste in such matters. And
his suggestions on the question of dress—which too often assumes the
nature of a problemwere of inestimable value to his father-in-law. But for
the past few days the old gentleman had been upon Edna’s hands, and in
his society she was becoming acquainted with a new set of sensations. He
had been a colonel in the Confederate army, and still maintained, with
the title, the military bearing which had always accompanied it. His hair
and mustache were white and silky, emphasizing the rugged bronze of his