The Wives of the Dead

The house where Margaret, Mary, and their two husbands live is modest, if two-storied, its contents plain but orderly. It keeps with the youthfully modest fortunes of the two men and the careful housekeeping of the wives. Upstairs is a parlor with chairs, a table, a fireplace, and a lantern. A hinged window opens out onto the front of the house and looks down at the front entrance. Through this window, both Margaret and Mary separately listen to reports that their husbands are still alive.

On each side of the parlor is a bedroom, one used by Margaret and her husband, the other by Mary and her mate. The doors to each room remain open during the night of the story, so that the women can look in on each other from their own beds to make sure that their housemate is safe on this evening after a great tragedy. The house represents the women’s togetherness during their grief, and, unbeknownst to either of them, they are also together in celebration. Mary traverses the parlor to sit with Margaret after learning her husband is alive, not knowing that Margaret is celebrating similar news in her sleep.