Vidal Gore — Eighteen Seventy [3197]

“Yes. It is too soon after.” I was sharp. On the one hand (why deny it?), I am delighted that Emma has not only saved herself but released me from a burden that has been threatening to crush me entirely; yet, on the other hand, I cannot stop thinking of Denise, only three months dead. “Why couldn’t you have waited a few more months?” — Vidal Gore, Eighteen Seventy, 3197

Note

The internal conflict expressed through the character’s sharp response and the simultaneous relief about Emma’s decision conveys complexity in emotions. The juxtaposition of delight for her new marriage against the grief for Denise enriches the narrative’s emotional depth.