# XXIV explained — Indian Summer

> Chapter companion for Indian Summer by William Dean Howells.

## What happens

Colville and Mrs. Bowen marry in Florence, first in a civil ceremony before the syndic and then in the English chapel. The Rev. Mr. Waters gives away the bride, and Effie Bowen helps order ices for the wedding feast. The couple spends the summer in Palazzo Pinti before moving to Rome, where they settle without scrutiny. The shadow of Colville's past with Imogene lingers, but a letter from Mrs. Graham hints that Mr. Morton may marry Imogene, offering consolation.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Marriage

The chapter culminates in Colville and Mrs. Bowen's marriage, blending civil and religious rites, and reflects on the complexities of their union.

### Disillusionment and Regret

The affair with Imogene remains a lingering shadow, described as 'the grain of sand' that both wish had not happened.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Colville

Marries Mrs. Bowen, accuses her of never intending to drive him away; spends summer in Palazzo Pinti, then moves to Rome; expresses hope that Imogene will marry Mr. Morton.

### Mrs. Bowen

Now Mrs. Colville; marries Colville in civil and religious ceremonies; receives a letter from Mrs. Graham about Mr. Morton's possible marriage to Imogene.

### Effie Bowen

Goes with Colville to Giacosa's to order ices for the wedding feast; never regrets her choice of stepfather, though she has occasional jealousies.

### Rev. Mr. Waters

Gives away the bride at the wedding and is the single honored guest at the wedding feast.

### Imogene Graham

The affair with her is a grain of sand to the Colvilles; Mrs. Graham's letter suggests Mr. Morton may marry her.

## Key lines

> In the levities which the most undeserving husbands permit themselves with the severest of wives, there were times after their marriage when Colville accused Lina of never really intending to drive him away, but of meaning, after a disciplinary ordeal, to marry him in reward of his tested self-sacrifice and obedience.

After marrying, Colville sometimes joked that Lina had always planned to marry him as a reward for his obedience, rather than truly wanting to send him away.

_Colville's playful accusation reflects his view of their courtship as a test he passed._

> He said that if the appearance of Effie was not a coup de théâtre contrived beforehand, it was an accident of no consequence whatever; that if she had not come in at that moment, her mother would have found some other pretext for detaining him.

Colville claimed that Effie's timely entrance was either a staged trick or an irrelevant accident, and that Lina would have found another excuse to keep him there.

_Colville's suspicion that Effie's appearance was orchestrated shows his lingering doubt about Mrs. Bowen's intentions._

> It is best to be honest, and own that the affair with Imogene has been the grain of sand to them. No one was to blame, or very much to blame; even Mrs. Colville says that. It was a thing that happened, but one would rather it had not happened.

Honestly, the Imogene incident has been a minor but persistent irritation for them; no one is really at fault, but they wish it had never occurred.

_The affair with Imogene remains a small but lasting source of discomfort in their marriage._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_summer_se/chapters/xxiv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_summer_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_summer_se/chapters