Chapter 23

Chapter 23- Newland goes to Boston to see Ellen, she is not at the house but he finds her sitting under a tree on a bench. He tells her that he was in Boston on business and she said that she was too. Newland said that he wasn't used to her voice, and that he had forgotten what it had sounded like. Ellen says that she is in Boston because her husband offered her a large sum of money to come back to him. The Count didn't actually come to Boston himself and he doesn't like writing letters so he sent a messenger. He then suggest that they spend the day together on a boat. Then Ellen asks him why he didn't talk to her that day at the beach, he blushed and told her the truth. Newland seems convinced that it was fate that he had a envelope with him so she could leave a note at the hotel and didn't have to go get one, and that there was a cab waiting for them (cabs weren't as popular back then). Then something really weird happened, Newland saw a face that he described as unlike any face before, which confused me, I mean who is this guy? But Newland didn't go into anymore detail, about the man. However Ellen came out of the hotel and they went on a boat together, at first they didn't really talk and Newland was mesmerized by how calm Ellen looked. Then when they reached the dining-room of an inn, there were many loud people around, so Newland asked for a private room. He said he wanted to talk as old friends would.

Chapter 22

Chapter 22- The Blenkers were having a party, and although the Blenkers were odd since they were important members in New York society, people went to these annual events. The Wellands discussed this and asked Newland if he and May would go but Newland seemed bored by it all. Mrs. Welland complained to May that he never planned ahead, instead he would spend his time reading a book. Only when Newland speaks of getting a horse for May does Mrs. Welland see him planning ahead. So Newland takes off for a few hours, he decides that he doesn't necessarily want to talk to Ellen but to see where she has been living and how she is. He went by the house where she was staying hoping that he would see her, but no. He passed by a garden and saw a pink parasol and was certain that it was hers, then one of the Blenker girls appeared and said it was her parasol and that Ellen had been called away to Boston for two days. He tells the girl that he will be in Boston tomorrow and perhaps he could call on Ellen and the girl tells him exactly where she was staying.

Chapter 21

Chapter 21- Newland and May return from their vacation to attend the Beaufort's archery match, which May wins. As they settle into married life, Newland begins to wonder if he would even like it. He says that he married because it was expected of him, and because he met a "perfectly charming girl." He feels lie he didn't make a mistake because she did everything he expected her to, she was sweet, good-tempered, attractive, reasonable, and popular. His thoughts of once marrying Countess Olenska were distant memories like ghosts. He sees Medora at the archery match and she talks about Ellen but he feels very little emotional connections to her. Medora says how she is lonely and her life is "morbid, and unnatural." After May wins she asks to go see Mrs. Mingott, they visit her, and Mrs. Mingott comments on the diamond arrow brooch May won fromthe match saying that she should leave it to her oldest daughter, which makes May blush. Mrs. Mingott asks Newland to go fetch Ellen he he finds her facing the sea with her back to him. He is instantly reminded of the play with the girl and the ribbon, he decides if she does not turn arounf by the time a certain ship passes by he would leave, and she doesn't so he goes back to the house. He claims that he cannot find Ellen, and Mrs. Mingoot says that it is alright because she has changed anyway, now she isolates herself away from her friends, coming up with excuses why.

Chapter 19-20

Chapter 19- Some of this i had to read over because it was somewhat dull, and I was afraid I had missed something important. Chapter 19 begins the second book within the novel. It opens at the wedding so one month has passed. Newland describes the wedding, and the guests but goes into little detail during the wedding tiself, he even finds his mind once again wandering. Once May and Newland reach their place in the country they find it is unavailable due to something in the plumbing. However the van der Luydens have offered that same little place for them to stay where Newland and Ellen went to talk about why she ran away when they were interrupted by Beaufort. May has never seen the place, yet there is irony that where they begin their new realtionship is also where part of his past lies.

Chapter 20- After spending some time at the van der Luydens, May and Newland travel to Europe. They visit around but not Italy because Newland says that he couldn't picture May there. May is also scared because Newland has foreign friends and she does not know the customs and traditions, such as what to wear for when they go out. He gave up trying to educate May about her freedom becase he felt that it was unless trying to free someone who didn't know they weren't already free. Newland, although he has travelled, before realizes that he dislikes European culture because it is so different from his at home in New York. The Archers eventually go to a dinner party where Newland meets Monsieur Riviere, who has very different views that those of Newland. After dinner Newland mentions the man to May, who laughs and says that she finds him too common, Newland realizes that laughing is May's way of resolving a difference in opinion.

Chapter 17-18

Chapter 17- Upon his return, Newland learns that while he was away Ellen called on his mother. Nothing important happened however. Newland goes to visit Mrs. Mingott,and they discuss how May wants a long engagement. Mrs. Mingott then laughingly asks him why he didn't just marry Ellen, who wouldn't mind a short engagement. He responds that she wasn't around to be married. Then Ellen appears and they all talk for a short while, before Newland leaves however he asks if he can call on her tomorrow night, and she says yes. The next evening he arrives at Ellen's to find he is not alone. Ned Winsett, Medora Manson, and Medora's friend Dr. Carver are there too. Then Ned and the doctor leave and Newland talks with Medora while Ellen gets ready to go to another party at Mrs. Struthers's. Newland also learns that Ellen will be moving, but doesn't state where. Then Medora and Newland get a chance to talk and Medora first thanks Newland for convincing Ellen not to get a divorce, but says that she received a letter from Ellen's husband, Count Olenski, in which he stated that he wished she would come back to him. Newland is shocked and horrified and says that he would rather see her dead than go back to him. Medora only points to a bouquet of flowers (from a suitor, possibly Beaufort) asking if he would rather her be situations like that (implying adultery).

Chapter 18- Ellen enters the room and demands to know who sent the flowers and that they be sent away. She decides to send them to the Winsett's because Mrs. Winsett is ill, but she asks that it be anonymous. Then Medora's carriage arrives and she leaves. Newland tells Ellen of the letter from her husband which she doesn't seem to care about. They then discuss Archer's engagement and how May thinks there is another woman, yet she thinks it has to do with his secret affair from the past, but really it is about her cousin, Ellen. Archer says that if he could he would marry Ellen instead. She replies that he is the one who has made it impossible for that to happen by advising her against a divorce and by marrying her cousin. Newland is shocked once again, he says that he could still break his engagement and that she could still get a divorce, yet she won't allow this to happen. Then a telegram arrives from May telling Ellen that she was moving her wedding up sooner. Also once Newland returns home he gets a similar telegram that states he will be married the first week in April, which he realizes is in one month!!!!

Chapter 15-16

Chapter 15- Newland spends some time at the Chiverses, then goes out to find Ellen. He asks her why she left New York and she seems scared to answer and tries to avoid the question. They enter an old house so they can have some privacy to talk about what he asked her. While he waited for her answer, he imagined her running toward him and throwing her arms around his neck. Yet, before she can answer, Beaufort shows up and Newland is forced to wait for another time. He goes home and a few days later gets a note from Ellen asking to see him, yet he doesn't respond and instead packs his bags for St. Augustine to visit May.

Chapter 16- Newland is excited to see May, yet when she is talking he finds his mind wondering. While eating breakfast with the rest of the Welland family, they discuss Ellen . May's mother blames Ellen's behavior to her European upbringing. Newland is thanked by the Welland's for convincing Ellen not to sue for divorce, but he is secretly annoyed. He imagines what would happen if he told Mrs. Welland that by not allowing Ellen to get a divorce she was really becoming Beaufort's mistress, instead of a good wife. He imagines her face breaking its normal facade, and wonders if May will look like that when she is older. Newland once again talks to May hoping to convince her to move the wedding closer. She takes it the wrong way and thinks that he wants to marry her before he changes his mind. She also thinks that he still loves his mistress from the past, because since the announced engagement he has acted differently toward her. Newland is shocked, yet reassures her that that is not true and she acts normal again. However he wonders how she could possibly act like nothing had happened.

Chapter 11- 14

Chapter 11- Mr. Letterblair, one of Newland's bosses at the attorney office offers Newland a chance at helping Ellen. He is unsure at first thinking that he won't get involved in a case that is also personal and then finds out that, he was requested by her family, and by New York standards can't refuse. He decides that he will pay Ellen a visit to understand what she is thinking, after he reads a letter that gives evidence of Ellen being unfaithful to her husband and having an affair. Mr. Letterblair says that all of Ellen's family is against the divorce and that she's not doing it for the money either. Then Mr. Letterblair asks Newland if he would talk to her about not suing for divorce, Newland only says that he will wait to get her opinion first.

Chapter 12- When Newland arrives at Ellen's, Beaufort is there, and they are talking of art. Ellen dismisses him in a nice way, so that she and Newland can discuss the divorce. Ellen says that she only wants to be free of her husband, and to wipe out her past. Ellen seems unable to understand that New York high society doesn't forget anything. She thinks that she can charm people into liking her, which she is very good at, but doesn't realize that her past will not be forgotten. Newland tells her how divorce is looked upon poorly by New York's social standards even if it is allowed she would be practically shunned. Ellen asks if her freedom means nothing but sadly in New York, that is true. She says that whatever Newland feels is best is what she will do.

Chapter 13- Not too much happens in this chapter. Newland goes to the theatre and sees a play which reminds him of himself leaving Ellen's home, even though in the play a man is leaving his lover. He tells himself that it is because she life is like a tragedy, like the actresses. He also begins thinking that Ellen's husband's accusations about the affair could be true. Also, May is away for part of the winter, where she spends the time with her family in St. Augustine. However he receives a letter from May asking him to be kind to Ellen, because she is still lonely.

Chapter 14- Leaving the theatre Newland runs into his friend Ned Winsett. Ned is not the richest man in New York, but Newland feels like he is one of the few he can have a "clever" conversation with. Ned asks of Ellen because she has somehow befriended Ned's son, and they are neighbors. Newland writes a letter to Ellen asking if he could visit her, three days later he gets a note that she has "run away" to Skuytercliff. He accepts an invitation to a home nearby (the Chiverses), where he would surely run into her.