Indian Summer · Chapter
XXIII explained
Colville, after a failed attempt to see Mrs.
What happens
Colville, after a failed attempt to see Mrs. Bowen earlier, dresses in new summer clothes and visits her in the evening. They share a tense but affectionate conversation over ice and coffee, with Effie present. Colville then proposes to Mrs. Bowen, confessing his love. She admits she loves him but refuses to marry him, citing the humiliation she suffered due to his earlier involvement with Imogene Graham. She reveals that Imogene refused Mr. Morton's proposal, dashing Colville's hopes. The chapter ends with Colville leaving, heartbroken.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Marriage
Colville proposes to Mrs. Bowen, but she refuses despite mutual love, highlighting the complications of marriage and romantic commitment.
Disillusionment and Regret
Mrs. Bowen's refusal stems from her humiliation and regret over Colville's past actions with Imogene, reflecting deep disillusionment.
Self-Deception and Illusion
Colville's hope that Imogene's engagement to Mr. Morton would free him is shattered when he learns she refused him, revealing his self-deception.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Colville
Dresses in new summer clothes, visits Mrs. Bowen, proposes to her, and is rejected.
- Mrs. Bowen
Receives Colville, shares coffee and ice, admits her love but refuses to marry him due to past humiliation.
- Effie Bowen
Greets Colville, leads him to the dining room, and is disappointed when he cannot take her to Giacosa's.
- Imogene Graham
Mentioned as having refused Mr. Morton's proposal; Colville fears her appearance but she does not come.
- Rev. Mr. Waters
Mentioned as having misled Colville about Mr. Morton's proposal to Imogene.
- Mr. Morton
Mentioned as having proposed to Imogene and been refused.
Key passages
“I love you—I blush and burn for shame to think that I love you. But I will never marry you; I can at least help doing that, and I can still keep some little trace of self-respect.”
Mrs. Bowen confesses her love for Colville but declares she will never marry him, as doing so would destroy her self-respect.
This captures the central conflict of the chapter: mutual love thwarted by pride and past grievances.
“You are too much of a mixture, Theodore Colville—too much for her, too much for Imogene, too much for me; too much for any woman except some wretched creature who enjoys being trampled on and dragged through the dust, as you have dragged me.”
Mrs. Bowen accuses Colville of being a complex and overwhelming man who has caused suffering to every woman he has loved.
This highlights the theme of disillusionment and the emotional toll of Colville's character.