Our story today is called "Athenaise." It was written by Kate Chopin. Here is Barbara Klein with the story.
STORYTELLER:
Athenaise
went away one morning to visit her parents, ten miles back on the Bon
Dieu River in Louisiana. She did not return in the evening, and Cazeau,
her husband, was worried.
Cazeau expressed his worries to his servant, Felicite, who served him dinner.
He ate alone by the light of a coal-oil lamp. Felicite stood nearby like a restless shadow.
"Only married two months and she has her head turned already to leave! It is not right!" she said.
Cazeau
shrugged his shoulders. Felicites opinion of his wifes behavior after
two months of marriage did not matter to him. He was used to being alone
and did not mind a night or two of it. Cazeau stood up and walked
outside.
The night was beginning to deepen and gather black around
the groups of trees in the yard. Far away, he could hear the sound of
someone playing an accordion. Nearby, a baby was crying.
Cazeaus
horse was waiting, saddled. He still had much farm work to do before bed
time. He did not have time to think about Athenaise. But he felt her
absence like a deep pain.
Before he slept that night Cazeau was
visited by an image of Athenaises pale, young face with its soft lips
and sensual eyes. The marriage had been a mistake. He had only to look
into her eyes to feel that, to sense her growing dislike of him. But,
the marriage could not be undone. And he was ready to make the best of
it and expected the same effort from her.
These sad thoughts kept
Cazeau awake far into the night. The moon was shining and its pale light
reached into the room. It was still outside, with no sound except the
distant notes of the accordion.
Athenaise did not return the next
day, although her husband sent a message to do so through her brother,
Monteclin. On the third day, Cazeau prepared his horse and went himself
in search of her.
Athenaises parents, the Miches, lived in a large
home owned by a trader who lived in town. The house was far too big for
their use. Upstairs, the rooms were so large and empty that they were
used for parties. A dance at the Miche home and a plate of Madame Miches
gumbo were pleasures not to be missed.
Madame Miche was sitting
on the porch outside the house. She stood up to greet Cazeau. She was
short and fat with a cheery face. But she was clearly tense as Cazeau
arrived.
Monteclin was there too. But he was not uneasy. He made no effort to hide his dislike of Cazeau.
"Dirty
pig!" He said under his breath as Cazeau climbed the stairs to the
porch. Monteclin disliked Cazeau for refusing to lend him money long
ago. Now that this man was his sisters husband, he disliked him even
more.
Miche and his oldest son were away. They both respected Cazeau and talked highly of him.
Cazeau shook hands with Madame Miche who offered him a chair. Athenaise had shut herself in her room.
"You
know, nothing would do last night," Madame Miche said. "Athenaise just
had to stay for a little dance. The boys would not let their sister
leave!"
Cazeau shrugged his shoulders to show he knew nothing about last night.
"Didnt Monteclin tell you we were going to keep Athenaise?" she asked. But Monteclin had told him nothing.
"And how about the night before?" asked Cazeau. "And last night? Do you have dances every night?"
Madame Miche laughed and told her son to go tell Athenaise her husband had arrived. Monteclin did not move.
"You
know as well as I do that it is no use to tell Athenaise anything,"
said Monteclin. "You and pa have been talking to her since Monday. When
Athenaise said she was not returning to Cazeau she meant it."
Two fiery red spots rose to Cazeaus cheeks. What Monteclin said was true.
Upon
arriving home, Athenaise had announced she was there to stay. It was
difficult for her to understand why she had married. Girls were just
expected to get married. And she did like Cazeau.
Monteclin had asked Athenaise to explain herself. He had asked her if Cazeau abused her, or if he drank too much.
"No!"
Athenaise had said. "It is just being married that I hate. I do not
like being Missus Cazeau. I want to be Athenaise Miche again. I do not
like living with a man, all his clothing everywhere and his ugly bare
feet."
At the time, Monteclin had been sorry his sister had no serious evidence to use against Cazeau.
And now, there was Cazeau himself looking like he wanted to hit Monteclin.
Cazeau stood up and went inside the house to his wifes room.
"Athenaise, get ready," he said quietly. "It is late and we do not have time to lose."
Athenaise
was not prepared for his calm request. She felt a sense of hopelessness
about continuing to rebel against the idea of marriage. She gathered
her hat and gloves. Then, she walked downstairs past her brother and
mother, got on her horse and rode away. Cazeau followed behind her.
It was late when they reached home. Cazeau once more ate dinner alone. Athenaise sat in her room crying.
Athenaises
parents had hoped that marriage would bring a sense of responsibility
so deeply lacking in her character. No one could understand why she so
hated her role as wife. Cazeau had never spoken angrily to her or called
her names or failed to give her everything she wanted. His main offense
seemed to be that he loved her.
And Athenaise was not a woman to be loved against her will.
At breakfast, Athenaise complained to her husband.
"Why
did you have to marry me when there were so many other girls to choose
from?" she asked. "And, it is strange that if you hate my brother so
much, why would you marry his sister!"
"I do not know what any of
them have to do with it," Cazeau said. "I married you because I loved
you. I guess I was a fool to think I could make you happy. I do not know
what else to do but make the best of a bad deal and shake hands over
it."
It now seemed to Athenaise that her brother was the only
friend left to her in the world. Her parents had turned from her and her
friends laughed at her. But Monteclin had an idea for securing his
sisters freedom. After some thought, Athenaise agreed to his plan.
The next morning, Cazeau woke up to find his wife was gone. She had packed her belongings and left in the night.
Cazeau felt a terrible sense of loss. It was not new; he had felt it for weeks.
He
realized he had missed his chance for happiness. He could not think of
loving any other woman, and could not imagine Athenaise ever caring for
him. He wrote her a letter stating that he did not want her back unless
she returned of her own free will.
Athenaise had escaped to the
big city of New Orleans. She was staying at a private hotel that
Monteclin had chosen and paid to rent for a month. A woman named Sylvie
owned the hotel and took good care of Athenaise.
Athenaise soon
became friends with Mr. Gouvernail who was also staying at the hotel.
This friendship helped her feel less lonely about missing her family.
But Mr. Gouvernail soon started to fall in love with Athenaise. He knew
she was uninformed, unsatisfied and strong-willed. But he also suspected
that she loved her husband, although she did not know it. Bitter as
this belief was, he accepted it.
Athenaises last week in the city
was coming to an end. She had not found a job and was too homesick to
stay any longer. Also, she had not been feeling well. She complained in
detail about her sickness to Sylvie. Sylvie was very wise, and Athenaise
was very stupid. Sylvie very calmly explained to Athenaise that she was
feeling sick because she was pregnant.
Athenaise sat very still
for a long time thinking about this new information. Her whole being was
overcome with a wave of happiness. Then, she stood up, ready to take
action.
She had to tell her mother! And Cazeau! As she thought of
him, a whole new sense of life swept over her. She could not wait to
return to him.
The next day Athenaise spent travelling home. When
she arrived at Cazeaus, he lifted her out of the horse carriage and they
held each other tight. The country night was warm and still except for a
baby crying in the distance.
"Listen, Cazeau!" said Athenaise. "How Juliettes baby is crying! Poor darling, I wonder what is the matter with it?"
You
have heard the story "Athenaise" by Kate Chopin. Your storyteller was
Barbara Klein. This story was adapted and produced by Dana Demange.
Listen again next week for another American Story in VOA Special
English.

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