Short Fiction · Chapter
II explained
Rutherford Maxwell, an English bank clerk in New York, is visited by Peggy Norton, a chorus girl from 'The Island of Girls.' They engage in a playful conversation where Peggy criticizes his excessive politeness and encourages him to pursue
What happens
Rutherford Maxwell, an English bank clerk in New York, is visited by Peggy Norton, a chorus girl from 'The Island of Girls.' They engage in a playful conversation where Peggy criticizes his excessive politeness and encourages him to pursue writing instead of banking. Rutherford reveals his love for a girl in a photograph, and Peggy leaves, only to return later to continue their banter.
Themes in this chapter
Identity and Self-Improvement
Rutherford is torn between his secure but unfulfilling bank job and his desire to become a writer, reflecting a struggle for personal and professional identity.
Loneliness and Connection
Rutherford's solitary writing life is interrupted by Peggy's visits, highlighting his need for human connection and the fleeting intimacy of their conversations.
Characters to notice
- Rutherford Maxwell
An English bank clerk and aspiring writer, living in New York. He is polite and reserved, but shows affection for a girl in a photograph.
- Peggy Norton
A lively chorus girl from 'The Island of Girls' who visits Rutherford's room. She is direct and playful, teasing him about his manners and encouraging him to leave the bank.
Key passages
“Then why don’t you make your fortune by hiring yourself out to a museum as the biggest human clam in captivity? That’s what you are. You sit there just saying ‘Thanks,’ and ‘Bai Jawve, thanks awf’lly,’ while a girl’s telling you nice things about your eyes and hair, and you don’t do a thing!”
Peggy teases Rutherford for his passive and overly polite response to her compliments, suggesting he could make money as a silent exhibit in a museum.
This highlights the cultural clash between American directness and English reserve, a key theme in the chapter.
“She would say: ‘I know you love me, and I know I can trust you, and I haven’t the slightest objection to your telling Miss Norton the truth about her eyes. Miss Norton is a dear, good little sort, one of the best, in fact, and I hope you’ll be great pals!’”
Rutherford imagines the girl in the photograph giving him permission to compliment Peggy, showing his loyalty and the idealized nature of his distant love.
This reveals Rutherford's emotional attachment to an absent woman and his attempt to maintain boundaries with Peggy.