Voice and Conversation

Abstract

As noted in the previous chapter, Newland and Ellen’s second meeting is brief, coincidental, and seemingly inconsequential. Attention to their words reveals a depth of impact. The chance encounter comes after the prestigious Beaufort Ball (an event marked, for Newland, by Ellen’s absence). Taking place on the threshold of the Mingott vestibule, this moment of shared time is seized amidst the chattering comings-and-goings of the characters. While the setting of the opera box held the characters still, caught in a suspended moment, the second meeting shows the couple caught up in a flurry of activity. Ellen and Newland must steal their time together, to create a moment of intimacy within the flow of a social visit. However, within these distinctions, the two separate meetings adhere. The characters find ways to create a sense of continuity through their spells of shared time. They attempt to build up a cohesive relationship through the fragments of their meetings. Such a connection occurs in the form of their conversations.