# XLII explained — The Painted Veil

> Chapter companion for The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham.

## What happens

Kitty visits the convent with the Mother Superior and Sister St. Joseph, witnessing the chaos and suffering caused by the cholera epidemic. She sees the orphanage, the sewing rooms, and the infirmary, and is struck by the Mother Superior's compassion and the harsh realities of the disease.

## Themes in this chapter

### Suffering and Growth

Kitty is confronted with the raw suffering of the cholera victims and the orphans, challenging her previous sheltered perspective.

### Sacrifice and Service

The Mother Superior and the nuns dedicate themselves to caring for the sick and orphans despite the danger and limited resources.

## Character check-ins

### Kitty Fane

Visits the convent and observes the conditions during the cholera epidemic.

### Mother Superior

Guides Kitty through the convent, showing her the work being done and the suffering caused by cholera.

### Sister St. Joseph

Accompanies the Mother Superior and Kitty, providing commentary and assistance.

### Waddington

Present during the convent visit, making a roguish comment about the cakes.

## Key lines

> Monsieur ne mange rien, said Sister St. Joseph. Monsieur's palate is ruined by Manchu cooking, replied the Mother Superior.

Sister St. Joseph comments that Waddington isn't eating, and the Mother Superior jokes that his taste has been spoiled by Manchu cuisine.

_A light exchange between the nuns and Waddington during the visit._

> We go on with it notwithstanding the epidemic because it takes their minds off the danger.

The Mother Superior explains that the girls continue their embroidery work during the epidemic to keep their thoughts away from the peril.

_The Mother Superior's pragmatic approach to managing fear among the orphans._

> Now, with the cholera, they are more than ever anxious not to be burdened with useless girls.

The Mother Superior notes that the cholera outbreak has made families even more eager to abandon their daughters.

_Reveals the societal devaluation of girls, exacerbated by the epidemic._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_painted_veil_se/chapters/xlii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_painted_veil_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_painted_veil_se/chapters