The Painted Veil · Chapter
XXXVII explained
Kitty and Waddington develop a close friendship in Mei-tan-fu, and Waddington offers her a unique perspective on life in China.
What happens
Kitty and Waddington develop a close friendship in Mei-tan-fu, and Waddington offers her a unique perspective on life in China. He hints at the darkness in Walter and the absurdity of their situation. The chapter culminates in a tense dinner where Kitty and Walter both defiantly eat a fresh salad, courting cholera as a form of mutual punishment and bravado.
Themes in this chapter
Self-Deception and Truth
Waddington's comment about Walter walking 'in darkness' hints at hidden truths, while Kitty's bravado masks her terror.
Suffering and Growth
Kitty's reckless act of eating salad is a form of self-punishment that may lead to a deeper understanding of her situation.
East vs. West
Waddington's adoption of Chinese perspectives and his critique of European life introduce Kitty to a different worldview.
Characters to notice
- Kitty Fane
Finds companionship in Waddington and engages in a reckless act of defiance by eating salad, risking cholera.
- Waddington
Visits Kitty daily, shares his cynical and humorous worldview, and warns against eating fresh salad due to cholera risk.
- Walter Fane
Returns early to dinner, grimly participates in eating the salad, and remains taciturn after Waddington's warning.
Key passages
“You see, you and I are the only people here who walk quite quietly and peaceably on solid ground. The nuns walk in heaven and your husband—in darkness.”
Waddington tells Kitty that only the two of them are grounded in reality, while the nuns are in a spiritual realm and Walter is lost in some inner darkness.
This reveals Waddington's perception of Walter's troubled state and his own bond with Kitty.
“Good God, you're not going to eat that... Thank you very much, but I'm not thinking of committing suicide just yet.”
Waddington is shocked that Kitty and Walter eat fresh salad during a cholera epidemic, and he refuses to partake, calling it suicidal.
Highlights the deadly risk they are taking and the tension between the characters.
“I thought that was the idea.”
Kitty implies that eating the salad is a form of suicide, suggesting she believes Walter brought her to Mei-tan-fu to die.
Shows Kitty's bitterness and her perception of Walter's motives.