The Bostonians

After several months, Basil goes to Mrs. Luna’s house. He is impressed by the feminine loveliness of her home. At one point, sitting across from her as she crochets, he imagines himself sitting in that chair every night. He starts believing that it is “one’s duty to put one’s self in the best conditions” (154) and that “moral law commanded him to marry Mrs. Luna” (154). However, Mrs. Luna’s joke implying they are like a married couple is “enough to break the spell” (154).

Basil asks if Mrs. Luna has heard from Olive. Olive and Verena have been back from Europe for six weeks—she would have told him sooner had he been by to visit. When Mrs. Luna jokes that Basil wants to marry Verena, Basil responds that he is “not in a position to marry” (156). Mrs. Luna asks if it is because he is poor, and Basil insists he is “very rich” (156). Mrs. Luna regrets her question: Basil, according to “the Southern way” (157), is too proud to admit he is poor.

On hearing she is back in America, Basil is again interested in Verena. Mrs. Luna tells him that Verena caused a “sensation” (158) at the Female Convention. She believes Olive took Verena to Europe to prevent Verena from becoming involved with a man. Verena might be using her visits to Cambridge as a pretext for visiting men.

Mrs. Luna teases Basil about being in love with Verena, but Basil denies it. She jokes that she should invite Verena to stay with her because then Basil would visit. He is about to agree before checking himself: He has never insulted a woman.

As he walks home, he feels that he has escaped and feels renewed confidence and hope.

Basil goes to Boston three weeks later to do some work for a client. He does not intend to visit Olive, but in trying to find the Tarrants’ house, he happens to pass hers. When Miss Birdseye emerges, Basil offers to escort her home. Miss Birdseye recalls that Olive warned her that he is a Southerner who doesn’t agree with their cause. Basil counters jovially that he is helping “one of the principal agitators“ (167). He likes Miss Birdseye for “always carry[ing] goodness” (168). When he tells her he also once fought for “a good cause” (169)—the Confederacy—Miss Birdseye is “speechless” (169).

The conversation turns to Verena, whom Basil found “very charming” (169). When Miss Birdseye asks if he found her “reasonable,” he upsets her by responding that “women have no business to be reasonable” (169).

Miss Birdseye mentions that Verena is in Cambridge visiting her parents, so Basil convinces her to tell him where they live. He also asks her not to tell Olive she has seen him. Miss Birdseye at first is appalled at the deception but ultimately promises to keep his visit a secret because she believes Verena can convert him.

Basil is admitted to the Tarrant house. As he waits for Verena, he notices the house’s shabbiness. When Verena finally enters the room, her beauty and “lustre” (174) mesmerize him.

Basil asks her if she is still speaking publicly, and she tells him that speaking is her life. Olive is just as responsible for her speeches as Verena: Olive “tells [her] what to say” (175). Olive has told her Basil is “a great enemy of our movement” (176). Basil wants to know how Olive could discuss him when she barely even knows him. Verena speaks with excitement about all the people she met in Europe.

Verena thanks Basil for traveling so far to see him, but Basil says there is no “journey too great, too wearisome, when it’s a question of so great a pleasure” (178). Verena finds his having searched for her “very agreeable” (179). She senses she should not tell Olive about this visit, but she has never concealed anything from Olive before. Somehow, this visit with Basil is different than her visits with other men.

Basil is delighted when Verena asks to show him around Cambridge. Verena feels “strangely reckless” (182), like “a girl feels when she commits her first conscious indiscretion” (182). This is another secret from Olive. She makes clear to Basil that she offered only “because it seems me I ought to do something for you” (182). Basil is charmed by her “modesty,” which suggests a desire “for rightness” (183).

As they walk through Cambridge, Basil asks Verena about the Women’s Convention. Verena wants to know why he is interested, seeing as he disagrees with the movement. Basil responds that he doesn’t “like it” but “greatly fear[s] it” (184). Verena has been told her purpose is to “wake up the attention” (184) of “outsiders” (184). She has woken up Basil, making him “wish tremendously to contradict” her (184).

Verena describes the inspiring Convention, and Basil feels “angry” thinking of her participating in “unsightly trainings and clippings and shoutings” (185). She is glad to be of use, but he responds that “[t]he use of a truly amiable woman is to make some honest man happy” (186).

They walk the Harvard grounds, and Basil says he wishes he had studied there. Verena, noting Harvard admits only men, believes he would feel “drawn to any place where ancient prejudices are garnered up” (187).

Basil is moved by Memorial Hall, which is dedicated to Harvard men who died for the Union in the Civil War. As he looks at the names of the dead, he forgets “the whole question of sides and parties” (189). Verena finds it “a sin to put up such a building, just to glorify a lot of bloodshed” (189). Basil finds this “delightful feminine logic” (189).

Verena says she must return home, and the two discuss whether Verena will tell Olive that she saw Basil. The knowledge that this would be her first secret from Olive makes Verena and Basil feel “more intimate” with each other (190).