I loved this story! The best possible ending! I was swept along with the dilemma of the situation, feeling much like the art expert with his conflicting emotions.
I was surprised to see Edith Wharton as a story-of-the-week author, and equally delighted. Thank you for honoring our ancestress of letters. Her description of Mr Rose had me laughing out loud.
Constance Walsh replied on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 08:49pm
How wonderful. I am teaching "The House of Mirth" this month. Yesterday Harper's arrived–with the article about Wharton–and now this story, which I shall share with my students.
I'm as much an admirer of Wharton as anyone, but I think this story is not one of her best. It reads as a first draft (go ahead and count the semicolons, if you can!); as though she had the nugget of a plot–and a good one at that–but couldn't be bothered to tease out the ligatures to make it something comforting to read.
This story made me cry. SO lovely, so unexpected. Truly a jewel.
I loved this story! The best possible ending! I was swept along with the dilemma of the situation, feeling much like the art expert with his conflicting emotions.
What a treat to read Edith Wharton again.
What a gloriously hilarious ending! O. Henry would be proud. I've been chuckling for longer than it took me to read the piece. Thank you, Edith!
I was surprised to see Edith Wharton as a story-of-the-week author, and equally delighted. Thank you for honoring our ancestress of letters. Her description of Mr Rose had me laughing out loud.
How wonderful. I am teaching "The House of Mirth" this month. Yesterday Harper's arrived–with the article about Wharton–and now this story, which I shall share with my students.
I'm as much an admirer of Wharton as anyone, but I think this story is not one of her best. It reads as a first draft (go ahead and count the semicolons, if you can!); as though she had the nugget of a plot–and a good one at that–but couldn't be bothered to tease out the ligatures to make it something comforting to read.