Short Fiction · Chapter
III explained
Placide Santien reflects on his lifelong love for Euphrasie, from their childhood meeting to their engagement.
What happens
Placide Santien reflects on his lifelong love for Euphrasie, from their childhood meeting to their engagement. Euphrasie, raised by Mme. Duplan after her mother's death and educated at a convent, returns to live with her father. The chapter details Placide's versatile talents as a carpenter, painter, and blacksmith, and his modest home in Orville that he prepares for their marriage. When they return from a trip to Les Chêniers, they find a stranger on the gallery with Pierre, whom Euphrasie suspects is from Harding & Offdean, causing Placide a foreboding of ill.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Marriage
Placide's lifelong love for Euphrasie and their engagement is central, with his devotion and her acceptance of his proposal.
Social Class and Identity
The chapter contrasts the Santien family's high social standing with Euphrasie's 'problematic mother a good deal less than nobody,' and Placide's perceived low choice in marrying her.
Freedom and Confinement
Placide's carefree, talented nature is confined by societal expectations, while Euphrasie's convent education and return to her father's home represent a constrained life.
Characters to notice
- Euphrasie
Euphrasie is the gentle, happy, and brave young woman whom Placide has loved since childhood. She was raised by Mme. Duplan after her mother's death and educated at a convent. She returns to live with her father and is engaged to Placide.
- Placide Santien
Placide is a versatile and talented Santien, skilled in carpentry, painting, and blacksmithing. He has loved Euphrasie since he was six and is preparing his small home in Orville for their spring wedding. He feels a foreboding when they find a stranger at the plantation.
- Wallace Offdean
Offdean is the young man from the city (Harding & Offdean) who arrives at the plantation, causing Euphrasie excitement and Placide a chilly depression.
- Hector Santien
Hector is one of the Santien boys, mentioned as part of the trio that caused trouble at school and college.
Key passages
“When she was ten, and her mother was dead, Mme. Duplan, the Lady Bountiful of the parish, had driven across from her plantation, Les Chêniers, to old Pierre’s very door, and there had gathered up this precious little maid, and carried her away, to do with as she would.”
After Euphrasie's mother died when she was ten, Mme. Duplan, a wealthy and generous woman from the parish, came to Pierre's home and took Euphrasie to raise her.
This explains Euphrasie's upbringing and her close bond with Mme. Duplan.
“Placide might have done much single-handed to keep the old place in better trim, if he had wished. For there was no one more clever than he to do a hand’s turn at any and every thing.”
Placide was so skilled in various trades that he could have easily maintained the plantation, but he chose not to.
This highlights Placide's talents and his indifference to conventional responsibilities.
“He could not recall the time when he had not loved her. Somehow he felt that it began the day when he was six years old, and Pierre, his father’s overseer, had called him from play to come and make her acquaintance.”
Placide believed his love for Euphrasie started when he was six years old and first met her as a baby.
This emphasizes the depth and longevity of Placide's love for Euphrasie.