Miss Lulu Bett - Chapter 4

Miss Lulu Bett (1920) by Zona Gale is a quietly powerful portrait of a woman discovering her own worth.

For years, Lulu has lived in her sister’s bustling Midwestern household...the dependable extra pair of hands, the unmarried aunt, the woman who smooths every inconvenience and asks for nothing in return. Taken for granted and nearly invisible, she has settled into a life defined by usefulness rather than desire.

When an unexpected proposal offers her a brief escape, Lulu glimpses the possibility of a different future. What follows is not a dramatic rebellion, but something more subtle and enduring: a gradual awakening to dignity, independence, and self-respect.

Tender, observant, and gently ironic, Miss Lulu Bett is a story of quiet courage...and the small, steady steps by which an ordinary woman claims an extraordinary thing: possession of her own life...!

Transcript

Hello there. Thank you so much for joining me for this continued reading of Miss Lulubet. We are now halfway through this story. I hope that you've been enjoying it. It was published in 1920 by American author Zona Gale, Who also subsequently turned it into a play. One listener actually showed me an old review of this story, Which I believe claimed it to be without flaw, Which I think is high praise indeed. I hope you're enjoying it. If you haven't yet heard the preceding parts of this story and you'd like to, You can certainly look for the playlist for Miss Lulubet and you'll find all of the different parts there in order. It makes it a lot easier to keep everything moving from one part to the next. But for now, Let's just take a moment here to have a nice, Deep exhale. Letting go of the day. Letting go of whichever baggage you might be bringing along with us into this moment. For right now, There's nowhere else we have to go. Nothing else we have to be doing. So we can just relax, Get ourselves comfortable, And enjoy the ongoing sweet old story of Miss Lulubet. Chapter Four. July. When, On a warm evening a fortnight later, Lulu descended the stairs, Dressed for her incredible trip to the city, She wore the white waist, Which she had often thought they would use for her if she died. And really, The waist looked as if it had been planned for the purpose, And its wide, Upstanding, Plaited lace at throat and wrist made her neck look thinner, Her forearm sharp and veined. Her hair, She had crimped and parted in the middle, Puffed high. It was so that hair had been worn in Lulu's girlhood. "'Well, ' said Ina when she saw this coffer, And frankly examined it, Head well back, Tongue meditatively teasing at her lower lip. For travel, Lulu was again wearing Ina's linen duster, The old one. Ninian appeared in a sack coat and his diamond. His distinctly convex face, Its thick, Rosy flesh, Thick mouth and cleft chin, Gave Lulu once more that bold sense of looking not at him, For then she was shy and averted her eyes, But at his photograph, At which she could gaze as much as she would. She looked up at him openly, Fell in step beside him. Was he not taking her to the city? ' Ina and Dwight themselves were going, Because she, Lulu, Had brought about this party. "'Act as good as you look, Luli, ' Mrs Bette called after them. She gave no instructions to Ina, Who was married and able to shine in her conduct, It seemed. Dwight was cross. "'On the way to the station, He might have been heard to take it up again, Whatever it was, And his Ina unmistakably said, "'Well, Now, Don't keep it going all the way there, ' and turned back to the others with some elaborate comment about the dust, Thus cutting off her so-called lord from his legitimate retort. A mean advantage. The city was two hours distant, And they were to spend the night. "'On the train, In the double seat, Ninian beside her, Among the bags, Lulu sat in the simple consciousness that the people all knew that she too had been chosen. A man and a woman were opposite, With their little boy between them. Lulu felt this woman's superiority of experience over her own, And smiled at her from a world of fellowship, But the woman lifted her eyebrows and stared, And turned away with slow and insolent winking. Ninian had a boyish pride in his knowledge of places to eat in many cities, As if he were leading certain of the tribe to a deer run in a strange wood. Ninian took his party to a downtown cafe, Then popular among business and newspaper men. The place was below the sidewalk, Was reached by a dozen marble steps, And the odour of its griddle cakes took the air of the street. Ninian made a great show of selecting a table, Changed once, Called the waiter my man, And rubbed soft hands on, What do you say, Shall it be lobster? He ordered the dinner, Instructing the waiter with painstaking gruffness. "'Not that they can touch your cooking here, Miss Lulu, ' he said, Settling himself to wait, And crumbling a crust. Dwight, Expanding a bit in the aura of the food, Observed that Lulu was a regular chef, That was what Lulu was. He still would not look at his wife, Who now remarked, Chef, Dwighty, Not chef. This was a mean advantage, Which he pretended not to hear. "'Another mean advantage. Ina, ' said Lulu, Your hat's just a little might, No, Over the other way, Was there anything to prevent your speaking of that before? ' Ina inquired acidly. "'I started to, And then somebody always said something, ' said Lulu, Humbly. "'Nothing could so much as cloud Lulu's hour. She was proof against any shadow. ' "'Say, But you look tremendous tonight, ' Dwight observed to her, Understanding perfectly that this was said to tease his wife. Lulu yet flushed with pleasure. She saw two women watching, And she thought, They're feeling sorry for Ina, Nobody talking to her. She laughed at everything that the men said. She passionately wanted to talk herself. "'How many folks keep going past? ' she said, Many times. At length, Having noted the details of all the clothes in range, Ina's isolation pulled upon her, And she set herself to take Ninian's attention. She therefore talked with him about himself. "'Curious you've never married, Nin, ' she said. "'Don't say it like that, ' he begged. "'I might yet. ' Ina laughed enjoyably. "'Yes, You might, ' she met this. "'She wants everybody to get married, But she wishes I hadn't, ' Dwight threw in, With exceeding rancour. They developed this theme exhaustively. Dwight usually speaking in the third person, And always with his shoulder turned a bit from his wife. It was inconceivable the gusto with which they proceeded. Ina had assumed for the purpose an air distract, Casual, Attentive to the scene about them, But gradually her cheeks began to burn. She'll cry, ' Lulu thought, In alarm, And said at random, "'Ina, That hat is so pretty. Ever so much prettier than the old one. ' But Ina said frostily that she never saw anything the matter with the old one. "'Let us talk, ' said Ninian, Low to Lulu. Then they'll simmer down. ' "'Ina, ' he went on, In an undertone, About nothing in particular. Lulu hardly heard what he said. It was so pleasant to have him talking to her in this confidential fashion, And she was pleasantly aware that his manner was open to misinterpretation. In the nick of time, The lobster was served. Dinner, And the play, The show, As Ninian called it, This show was Peter Pan, Chosen by Ninian because the seats cost the most of those at any theatre. It was almost indecent to see how Dwight Herbert, The immortal soul, Had warmed and melted at these contacts. By the time that all was over, And they were at the hotel for supper, Such was his pleasurable excitation that he was once more playful, Teasing, Once more the irrepressible. But now his Ina was to be won back, Made it evident that she was not one likely to overlook, And a fine firmness sat upon the little doubling chin. "'They discussed the play. Not one of them had understood the story. The dog-kennel part, Wasn't that the queerest thing? Nothing to do with the rest of the play. I was for the pirates. "'The one with the hook? He was my style, ' said Dwight. "'Well, There it is again, ' Ina cried. "'They didn't belong to the real play, Either. ' "'Oh, Well, ' Ninian said. "'They have to put in parts, I suppose, To catch everybody. Instead of a song and dance, They do that. ' "'And I didn't understand, ' said Ina, "'why they all clapped when the principal character ran down front and said something to the audience that time. But they all did. ' "'Ninian thought this might have been out of compliment. Ina wished that Minona might have seen. Confessed that the last part was so pretty that she herself would not look. And into Ina's eyes came their loveliest light. "'Mumu sat there, Hearing the talk about the play. "'Why couldn't I have said that? ' she thought as the others spoke. All that they said seemed to her apropos. But she could think of nothing to add. The evening had been to her a light from heaven. "'How could she find anything to say? She sat in a daze of happiness, Her mind hardly operative, Her look moving from one to another. "'At last, Ninian looked at her. "'Sure you liked it, Miss Lula? ' "'Oh, Yes. I think they all took their parts real well. ' It was not enough. "'She looked at them appealingly, Knowing that she had not said enough. "'You could hear everything they said, ' she added. It was—' "'She dwindled to silence. "'Dwight Herbert savoured his rare bit with a great show of long, Wrinkled dimples. "'Excellent sources they make here. "'Excellent, ' he said, With the frown of an epicure. "'A tiny wee bit more Athabasca, ' he added, And they all laughed and told him that Athabasca was a lake, Of course. "'Of course he meant Tabasco, ' Ena said. Their entertainment and their talk was of this sort for an hour. "'Well now, ' said Dwight Herbert when it was finished, "'somebody dance on the table. "'Dwighty! Got to amuse ourselves somehow. "'Come, Liven up. They'll begin to read the funeral service over us. ' "'Why not say the wedding service? ' asked Ninian. "'In the mention of wedlock, There was always something stimulating to Dwight. Something of overwhelming humour. "'He shouted a derisive endorsement of this proposal. "'I shouldn't object, ' said Ninian. "'Should you, Miss Lulu? ' Lulu now burned the slow red of her torture. They were all looking at her. "'She made an anguished effort to defend herself. "'I don't know it, ' she said. "'So I can't say it. ' Ninian leaned toward her. "'I, Ninian, Take thee, Lulu, To be my wedded wife, ' he pronounced. "'That's the way it goes. ' "'Lulu, Daren't say it! ' cried Dwight. He laughed so loudly that those at the near tables turned, And from the farceness of her wifehood and motherhood, Ena laughed. Really, It was ridiculous to think of Lulu that way. Ninian laughed too. "'Course she don't dare say it, ' he challenged. From within Lulu, That strange Lulu, That other Lulu who sometimes fought her battles, Suddenly spoke out. "'I, Lulu, Take thee, Ninian, To be my wedded husband. ' "'You will? ' Ninian cried. "'I will, ' she said, Laughing tremulously, To prove that she, Too, Could join in, Could be as merry as the rest. "'And I will. ' "'There, By Jove, Now have we entertained you, Or haven't we? ' Ninian laughed and pounded his soft fist on the table. "'Oh, Say, Honestly! ' Ena was shocked. "'I don't think you ought to—' "'Holy things! What's the matter, Dwighty? ' Dwight Herbert Deacon's eyes were staring, And his face was scarlet. "'Say, By George, ' he said, "'a civil wedding is binding in this state. '" "'A civil wedding? ' "'Oh well, ' Ninian dismissed it. "'But I, ' said Dwight, "'happen to be a magistrate? ' "'They looked at one another foolishly. Dwight sprang up with the indeterminate idea of inquiring something of someone, Circled about, And returned. Ena had taken his chair and sat clasping Lulu's hand. Ninian continued to laugh. "'I never saw one done so offhand, ' said Dwight. "'But what you've said is all you have to say according to law, And there don't have to be witnesses. "'Say, ' he said, And sat down again. Above that shroud-like plaited lace, The veins of Lulu's throat showed dark as she swallowed, Cleared her throat, Swallowed again. "'Don't you let Dwight scare you? ' she besought Ninian. "'Scare me? ' cried Ninian. "'Why, I think it's a good job done if you ask me. '" Lulu's eyes flew to his face. As he laughed, He was looking at her, And now he nodded and shut and opened his eyes several times very fast. Their points of light flickered with a pang of wonder which pierced her and left her shaken. Lulu looked. His eyes continued to meet her own. It was exactly like looking at his photograph. Dwight had recovered his authentic air. "'Oh, Well, ' he said, "'we can inquire at our leisure. If it is necessary, I should say we can have it set aside quietly up here in the city. No one will be the wiser. '" "'Set aside? Nothing, ' said Ninian. "'I'd like to see it stand. Are you serious, Nin? ' "'Sure I'm serious. '" Ina jerked gently at her sister's arm. "'Lulu, You hear him? What are you going to say to that? ' Lulu shook her head. "'He isn't in earnest, ' she said. "'I am in earnest. Hope to die, ' Ninian declared. He was on two legs of his chair and was slightly tilting so that the effect of his earnestness was impaired, But he was obviously in earnest. They were looking at Lulu again. And now she looked at Ninian and there was something terrible in that look which tried to ask him alone about this thing. Dwight exploded. "'There was a fellow I know there in the theatre, ' he said. "'He could tell me if there's any way, ' and was off. Ina inexplicably began touching away tears. "'Oh, ' she said. "'What will Mama say? ' Lulu hardly heard her. "'Mrs. Bette was incalculably distant. ' "'You—' "'Sure, ' Lulu said, Low to Ninian. For the first time, Something in her exceeding isolation really touched him. "'Say, ' he said, ''you come on with me. We'll have it done over again somewhere, If you say so. ' "'Oh, ' said Lulu, ''if I thought—' He leaned and patted her hand. "'Good girl, ' he said. They sat silent, Ninian padding on the cloth with the flat of his plump hands. Dwight returned. "'It's a go, All right, ' he said. He sat down, Laughed weakly, Rubbed at his face. "'You two are tied as tight as the church could tie you. ' "'Good enough, ' said Ninian. "'Eh, Lulu? ' "'It's—it's all right, I guess, ' Lulu said. "'Well, I'll be dished, ' said Dwight. "'Sister, ' said Ena. Ninian meditated. His lips set tight and high. It is impossible to trace the processes of this man. Perhaps they were all compact of the devil-may-care attitude engendered in any persistent traveller. Perhaps the incomparable cookery of Lulu played its part. "'I was going to make a trip south this month, ' he said, ''on my way home from here. "'Suppose we get married again by somebody or other and start right off. You'd like that, Wouldn't you, Going south? ' "'Yes, ' said Lulu only. "'It's July, ' said Ena, With her sense of fitness that no one heard. "'It was arranged that their trunks should follow them, ' Ena would see to that, Though she was scandalised that they were not first to return to Warbleton for the blessing of Mrs Baird. "'Mama won't mind, ' said Lulu. "'Mama can't stand a fuss any more. ' They left the table. The men and women still sitting at the other tables saw nothing unusual about these four. Indifferently dressed, Indifferently conditioned, The hotel orchestra, Playing ragtime in deafening concord, Made Lulu's wedding march. It was still early next day, A hot Sunday, When Ena and Dwight reached home. Mrs Baird was standing on the porch. "'Where's Lulu? ' asked Mrs Baird. They told. Mrs Baird took it in, A bit at a time. Her pale eyes searched their faces. She shook her head, Heard it again, Grasped it. Her first question was, "'Who's gonna do your work? ' Ena had thought of that, And this was manifest. "'Oh, ' she said. "'You and I'll have to manage. ' Mrs Baird meditated, Frowning. "'I left the bacon for her to cook for your breakfasts, ' she said. "'I can't cook bacon for it to eat. Neither can you. ' "'We've had our breakfasts, ' Ena escaped from this dilemma. "'Had it up in the city? On expense? ' "'Well, We didn't have much. ' In Mrs Baird's eyes, Tears gathered. But they were not for Lulu. "'I should think, ' she said. "'I should think Lulu might have had a little more gratitude to her than this. ' On their way to church, Ena and Dwight encountered Di, Who had left the house some time earlier, Stepping sedately to church in company with Bobby Larkin. Di was in white, And her face was the face of an angel, So young, So questioning, So utterly devoid of her sophistication. "'That child, ' said Ena, "'must not see so much of that Larkin boy. She's just a little, Little girl. ' "'Of course she mustn't, ' said Dwight sharply. "'And if I was her mother—' "'Oh, Stop that, ' said Ena, Sotto voce at the church steps. "'To everyone with whom they spoke in the aisle after church, Ena announced their news. "'Had they heard? Lulu married Dwight's brother Ninian in the city yesterday. Oh, Sudden, Yes! "'And romantic! ' spoken with that upward inflection to which Ena was a prey.

Reviews

Wow 😮. Never saw that coming!! This is indeed quite a turn💕💕!!