A feeling of exultation overtook her, as if some power of significant

import had been given her to control the working of her body and her

soul. She grew daring and reckless, overestimating her strength. She

wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before.

Her unlooked-for achievement was the subject of wonder, applause, and

admiration. Each one congratulated himself that his special teachings

had accomplished this desired end.

"How easy it is!" she thought. "It is nothing," she said aloud; "why did

I not discover before that it was nothing. Think of the time I have lost

splashing about like a baby!" She would not join the groups in their

sports and bouts, but intoxicated with her newly conquered power, she

swam out alone.

She turned her face seaward to gather in an impression of space and

solitude, which the vast expanse of water, meeting and melting with the

moonlit sky, conveyed to her excited fancy. As she swam she seemed to be

reaching out for the unlimited in which to lose herself.

Once she turned and looked toward the shore, toward the people she had

left there. She had not gone any great distance--that is, what would

have been a great distance for an experienced swimmer. But to her

unaccustomed vision the stretch of water behind her assumed the aspect

of a barrier which her unaided strength would never be able to overcome.

A quick vision of death smote her soul, and for a second of time

appalled and enfeebled her senses. But by an effort she rallied her

staggering faculties and managed to regain the land.

She made no mention of her encounter with death and her flash of terror,

except to say to her husband, "I thought I should have perished out

there alone."

"You were not so very far, my dear; I was watching you," he told her.

Edna went at once to the bath-house, and she had put on her dry clothes

and was ready to return home before the others had left the water. She

started to walk away alone. They all called to her and shouted to her.

She waved a dissenting hand, and went on, paying no further heed to

their renewed cries which sought to detain her.

"Sometimes I am tempted to think that Mrs. Pontellier is capricious,"

said Madame Lebrun, who was amusing herself immensely and feared that

Edna's abrupt departure might put an end to the pleasure.

"I know she is," assented Mr. Pontellier; "sometimes, not often."

Edna had not traversed a quarter of the distance on her way home before

she was overtaken by Robert.




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