Wife Number Two
Summary
In a poignant tableau of rural ennui and societal constraint, Emma Rolfe, a spirit chafing against the mundane strictures of her country existence and the uncomprehending gaze of her progenitors, seeks a desperate solace in matrimony. Her union with Dr. Charles Bovar, a man of venerable years whose devotion to his medical calling eclipses all domestic sentiment, swiftly devolves into a desolate landscape of wifely neglect. This emotional void becomes fertile ground for a nascent discontent, compelling Emma to seek fleeting companionship among the village's youthful coterie, an innocent diversion that inexorably blossoms into a clandestine liaison with Rudolph Bulwer. Despite his fervent declarations of affection, Rudolph's true character is laid bare on the eve of their planned elopement, as he cruelly abandons Emma to her profound despair. Overwhelmed by this ultimate betrayal, she pilfers a potent acid from her husband's dispensary, journeying to the river's edge with the grim resolve of self-annihilation. Yet, poised on the precipice of oblivion, a flicker of resolve ignites within her; she reconsiders, choosing instead a path of confession and supplication for Charles's clemency. In a cruel twist of fate, as she turns from the water, the treacherous riverbank yields beneath her feet, consigning her to a swift, watery demise. Posthumously, Charles uncovers the incriminating epistles from Rudolph, but in a profound act of grace and enduring affection, he staunchly defends her tarnished honor before the censorious townspeople, extending a silent, heartfelt absolution.
Synopsis
Bored by her country life and misunderstood by her parents, Emma Rolfe marries Dr. Charles Bovar, an older man whose dedication to his medical practice results in wifely neglect. To alleviate her growing loneliness, Emma enjoys the company of many of the young men from the village and eventually begins an affair with Rudolph Bulwer. Despite his proclaimed love for her, Rudolph deserts Emma on the night of their arranged elopement, and in her despair she steals some acid from her husband's medicine cabinet and goes to the river to commit suicide. While standing by the water, Emma changes her mind and resolves to confess to Charles and beg his forgiveness, but the river bank gives way under her feet and she drowns in the swift current. Although he has discovered Emma's love letters from Rudolph, Charles stoutly defends her honor in front of the townspeople and forgives her in his heart.
