Knowing that Mrs. Mallard suffered from a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death.
Knowing
that
Mrs.
Mallard
suffered
from
a
heart
trouble
,
great
care
was
taken
to
break
to
her
as
gently
as
possible
the
news
of
her
husband
's
death
.
It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences.
It
was
her
sister
Josephine
who
told
her
,
in
broken
sentences
.
Her husband's friend Richards was there, too.
Her
husband
's
friend
Richards
was
there
,
too
.
It was he who had been in the newspaper office when news of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of "killed."
It
was
he
who
had
been
in
the
newspaper
office
when
news
of
the
railroad
disaster
was
received
,
with
Brently
Mallard
's
name
leading
the
list
of
``
killed
.
''
He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and hurried to send the sad message.
He
had
only
taken
the
time
to
assure
himself
of
its
truth
by
a
second
telegram
,
and
hurried
to
send
the
sad
message
.
She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same.
She
did
not
hear
the
story
as
many
women
have
heard
the
same
.
She wept at once, with wild abandonment, in her sister's arms.
She
wept
at
once
,
with
wild
abandonment
,
in
her
sister
's
arms
.
When the storm of sadness had spent itself she went away to her room alone.
When
the
storm
of
sadness
had
spent
itself
she
went
away
to
her
room
alone
.
There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable armchair.
There
stood
,
facing
the
open
window
,
a
comfortable
armchair
.
Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that held her body and seemed to reach into her soul.
Into
this
she
sank
,
pressed
down
by
a
physical
exhaustion
that
held
her
body
and
seemed
to
reach
into
her
soul
.
She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life.
She
could
see
in
the
open
square
before
her
house
the
tops
of
trees
that
were
all
aquiver
with
the
new
spring
life
.
The delicious breath of rain was in the air.
The
delicious
breath
of
rain
was
in
the
air
.
The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.
The
notes
of
a
distant
song
which
someone
was
singing
reached
her
,
and
countless
sparrows
were
twittering
in
the
eaves
.
There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully.
There
was
something
coming
to
her
and
she
was
waiting
for
it
,
fearfully
.
What was it?
What
was
it
?
It was too hard to name.
It
was
too
hard
to
name
.
But she felt it, coming out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the smells, the color that filled the air.
But
she
felt
it
,
coming
out
of
the
sky
,
reaching
toward
her
through
the
sounds
,
the
smells
,
the
color
that
filled
the
air
.
Now her chest rose and fell violently.
Now
her
chest
rose
and
fell
violently
.
She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and was trying very hard to beat it back with her will.
She
was
beginning
to
recognize
this
thing
that
was
approaching
to
possess
her
,
and
was
trying
very
hard
to
beat
it
back
with
her
will
.
When she gave up trying a little whispered word escaped her lips.
When
she
gave
up
trying
a
little
whispered
word
escaped
her
lips
.
She said it over and over under the breath: "free, free, free!"
She
said
it
over
and
over
under
the
breath
:
``
free
,
free
,
free
!
''
She did not stop to ask if it was extreme joy that held her.
She
did
not
stop
to
ask
if
it
was
extreme
joy
that
held
her
.
She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, gentle hands folded in death; the face that had never looked at her except with love, fixed and gray and dead.
She
knew
that
she
would
weep
again
when
she
saw
the
kind
,
gentle
hands
folded
in
death
;
the
face
that
had
never
looked
at
her
except
with
love
,
fixed
and
gray
and
dead
.
But she saw beyond that bitter moment many years to come that would belong to her absolutely.
But
she
saw
beyond
that
bitter
moment
many
years
to
come
that
would
belong
to
her
absolutely
.
And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.
And
she
opened
and
spread
her
arms
out
to
them
in
welcome
.
There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself.
There
would
be
no
one
to
live
for
during
those
coming
years
;
she
would
live
for
herself
.
There would be no powerful will bending hers.
There
would
be
no
powerful
will
bending
hers
.
And yet she had loved him--sometimes.
And
yet
she
had
loved
him
--
sometimes
.
What did it matter!
What
did
it
matter
!
What could love count for in the face of her realization.
What
could
love
count
for
in
the
face
of
her
realization
.
"Free!
``
Free
!
Body and soul free!"
Body
and
soul
free
!
''
she kept whispering.
she
kept
whispering
.
Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhole.
Josephine
was
kneeling
before
the
closed
door
with
her
lips
to
the
keyhole
.
"Louise, open the door!
``
Louise
,
open
the
door
!
I beg; open the door--you will make yourself ill."
I
beg
;
open
the
door
--
you
will
make
yourself
ill
.
''
"Go away.
``
Go
away
.
I am not making myself ill."
I
am
not
making
myself
ill
.
''
Her fancy was running wild along those days ahead of her, all sorts of days that would be her own.
Her
fancy
was
running
wild
along
those
days
ahead
of
her
,
all
sorts
of
days
that
would
be
her
own
.
She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long.
She
breathed
a
quick
prayer
that
life
might
be
long
.
It was only yesterday she had thought with a shake that life might be long.
It
was
only
yesterday
she
had
thought
with
a
shake
that
life
might
be
long
.
She arose after a long time and opened the door to her sister's begging.
She
arose
after
a
long
time
and
opened
the
door
to
her
sister
's
begging
.
She carried herself unknowingly like a goddess of Victory.
She
carried
herself
unknowingly
like
a
goddess
of
Victory
.
She held her sister's waist, and together they walked down the stairs.
She
held
her
sister
's
waist
,
and
together
they
walked
down
the
stairs
.
Someone was opening the front door with a key.
Someone
was
opening
the
front
door
with
a
key
.
It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, calmly carrying his suitcase and umbrella.
It
was
Brently
Mallard
who
entered
,
a
little
travel-stained
,
calmly
carrying
his
suitcase
and
umbrella
.
He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one.
He
had
been
far
from
the
scene
of
the
accident
,
and
did
not
even
know
there
had
been
one
.
He stood amazed at Josephine's sharp cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife.
He
stood
amazed
at
Josephine
's
sharp
cry
;
at
Richards
'
quick
motion
to
screen
him
from
the
view
of
his
wife
.
When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills.
When
the
doctors
came
they
said
she
had
died
of
heart
disease
--
of
the
joy
that
kills
.
Knowing that Mrs. Mallard suffered from a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death.  It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences. Her husband's friend Richards was there, too. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when news of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of "killed." He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and hurried to send the sad message.  She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same. She wept at once, with wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of sadness had spent itself she went away to her room alone.  There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that held her body and seemed to reach into her soul.  She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. The notes of a distant song which someone was singing reached her, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.  There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? It was too hard to name. But she felt it, coming out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the smells, the color that filled the air.  Now her chest rose and fell violently. She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and was trying very hard to beat it back with her will. When she gave up trying a little whispered word escaped her lips. She said it over and over under the breath: "free, free, free!"  She did not stop to ask if it was extreme joy that held her. She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, gentle hands folded in death; the face that had never looked at her except with love, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter moment many years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.  There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers.  And yet she had loved him--sometimes. What did it matter! What could love count for in the face of her realization.  "Free! Body and soul free!" she kept whispering.  Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhole. "Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door--you will make yourself ill."  "Go away. I am not making myself ill."  Her fancy was running wild along those days ahead of her, all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shake that life might be long.  She arose after a long time and opened the door to her sister's begging. She carried herself unknowingly like a goddess of Victory. She held her sister's waist, and together they walked down the stairs.  Someone was opening the front door with a key. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, calmly carrying his suitcase and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine's sharp cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife.  When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills.