Should a Woman Divorce?
Summary
A sun-bleached Iowa barn becomes the first amphitheater for Grace Roberts’s awakening: the chiaroscuro of lantern light carves her silhouette against heirloom quilts while two suitors—one myopic physician clutching a stethoscope like a rosary, the other a Chicago cattle king trailing the odor of coin and blood—circle her like rival planets. Matrimony propels her into a gilded Windy-City cage where chandeliers drip icicles of silence; her husband’s wandering gaze reduces her to porcelain ornament until a night of jazz-soaked betrayal ignites a suicidal sprint toward black water. A discarded coat on the riverbank becomes her shroud, a fisherman its unwitting choragus, and the newspapers trumpet a death that never was. Six years later, Dr. Scott—her reborn lover—commands a white-enameled operating theater in Manhattan; fate rolls the dice again when the patient gasping beneath his scalpel is the daughter she left behind, now a tremulous bridge between two fractured families. A child’s whispered plea for parental harmony detonates a chain of blindness, heartbreak, and final expiration, leaving Grace to retreat into prairie dust, matrimony unanswered, love unexchanged, motherhood her only surviving scripture.
Synopsis
While attending a girls' college, Grace Roberts, the only daughter of an Iowa farmer, meets and falls in love with Dr. Franklin. He loves her too, but fears to propose because of his affected eyes. Edward Smith, a wealthy Chicago cattle dealer, comes to the farm to purchase cattle. He is invited to attend the surprise party given to Grace in honor of her graduation. He meets Grace. They become infatuated, and later are engaged. Dr. Franklin writes to Grace asking her to become his wife. Grace replies that his proposal comes too late, that she is already engaged. He comes to the farm and endeavors to induce Grace to break off with Smith. Grace refuses and Dr. Franklin leaves. Grace and Smith marry. Two years elapse. Grace and Smith and their little girl Vivian live in their palatial residence in Chicago, but Smith utterly neglects his wife, making her miserable. One evening, Grace encounters Dr. Frankling and tells him her marital troubles. Dr. Franklin again speaks of his great love for her and suggests an elopement. Indignantly she leaves him. On her way home she meets her husband in the company of two women. She follows them to a cabaret. Infuriated with jealousy she enters, and denounces them. In this state of mind she rushes from the scene, resolving to end her life. She approaches the river's edge, removes her coat, and prepares to jump. She wavers and decides that he is not worth the sacrifice. She determines to go to the man who loves her, and the next morning Dr. Franklin and Grace leave for New York under the name "Scott." Smith comes home, discovers Grace's absence, and becomes greatly alarmed. He telegraphs her parents inquiring about her, then gives a general alarm to the police. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts are greatly agitated over their daughter's disappearance and come to Chicago to aid in the search. In the meantime a fisherman finds Grace's coat on the riverbank and turns it over to the police, who in turn notify Smith of its discovery. He and Grace's parents go to the police station to identify it. On seeing the coat, they are convinced that Grace is dead. The mother blames Smith, becomes hysterical, and dies. Six years later, Dr. Scott and Grace are living happily in New York with their little boy Walter. Dr. Scott is renowned as a stomach specialist. In Chicago, Grace's daughter Vivian is very ill. A consultation of eminent physicians discloses the fact that she has an ulcer on her stomach and needs an operation immediately. Dr. Scott of New York is suggested as being best qualified to perform the operation and Smith takes Vivian to Scott who, after examining the child, decides to operate immediately. While arranging for the operation, Grace and little Walter enter the room. Smith and Grace recognize each other. Smith threatens to turn Grace over to the police, but is stayed by little Vivian's pathetic appeal that no harm befall her mother. Learning the situation, Dr. Scott refuses to perform the operation, but Grace pleads with him and he finally consents. The operation proves successful and the child is convalescing. Dr. Scott sits her up for the first time, and Grace kneels beside her. Smith enters and at the child's request comes to her side. Vivian grasps the hands of Smith and Grace, and childlike, pleads that they kiss and be friends. Grace cannot endure the child's earnest pleading. To Dr. Scott the touching appeal of the child is unbearable, and he cries out to stop. The strain is too great; he is stricken blind. Grace's father, who had been informed of the fact that his daughter is still alive, arrives and pleads with Scott to allow Grace to go back to Smith. Grace overhears him and begs Smith to grant her a divorce so that she may stay with Scott who now needs her more than ever. Scott, hearing their subdued voices, imagines that Grace is tired of him on account of his helplessness. He is mad with fear and jealousy and the same night in a dream sees a vision of Grace in Smith's arms. He wakes from his sleep, helplessly attempts to go to her, and wildly calls to her. Hearing his cry, Grace approaches him, but the last few days' agony and suffering had been beyond human endurance and Scott, as he is about to embrace her, passes away. Left alone, Smith and her family plead with Grace that she return to her husband, but she refuses. She goes back to the old farm with her father to spend the remainder of her days loving and caring for her two children.
