Short Fiction · Chapter
VI: Voices explained
Una grows pale, loses her spirit, and becomes secretive and cold toward her sister Alice.
What happens
Una grows pale, loses her spirit, and becomes secretive and cold toward her sister Alice. She insists on sleeping in a separate room, claiming she will die otherwise. Alice hears strange voices at night—Una's contralto answering a deep male voice from the glen. She sees a shadow of a man in Spanish dress on the wall. Their father Ultor De Lacy returns, listens to Alice's account with unease, and plans to hasten their departure to Paris.
Themes in this chapter
Supernatural and the Uncanny
Una's inexplicable change, the mysterious male voice, and the shadow of a figure in Spanish dress create an uncanny atmosphere of unseen forces.
Love and Sacrifice
Alice's loving concern for Una and her willingness to accept separation reflect themes of familial love and sacrifice.
Memory and Nostalgia
Alice recalls Una's former merriment and songs, contrasting the past happiness with the present estrangement.
Characters to notice
- Una
Grows pale, loses spirit, becomes secretive and insists on sleeping apart from Alice; sings at night to a mysterious male voice.
- Ally Moran
Alice is distressed by Una's change, pleads with her, hears the nighttime voices, and sees the shadow of a man in Spanish dress.
- Ultor de Lacy
Returns and listens to Alice's narrative with marked uneasiness; plans to hasten the family's departure to Paris.
Key passages
“Una, nobody knew why, began to lose spirit, and to grow pale. Her fun and frolic were quite gone! Even her songs ceased.”
Una inexplicably became listless and pale, losing all her former cheerfulness and stopping her singing.
Describes Una's sudden change in demeanor at the start of the chapter.
“I do not know whether I dream or wake when I hear and see these sights; but I will ask my father to sit up with me, and we two surely cannot be mistaken.”
Alice is uncertain if she is dreaming or awake when she hears and sees these things, and decides to ask her father to stay awake with her to confirm what is real.
Alice's terror and confusion after witnessing the shadow and hearing the voices.