Friend of Margaret Ransom (The Pretext)

Though only mentioned once, the unknown friend of Mrs. Margaret Ransom plays an important key role in the short story. The friend is on a holiday in England by the time the short story plays, where she or he has tea at a friend’s place, the Bunces, who she or he parenthetically praises for their “uplifting atmosphere” (Lewis, 1968, p. 647), with them and Miss Bruce-Pringle. The friend then hears about the dissolved engagement of Guy Dawnish and Gwendolen Matcher from Miss Bruce-Pringle. She or he then writes a letter to Mrs. Margaret Ransom about the news which gives this short story a twist in the plot (Lewis, 1968, p. 647).

Source:

Lewis, R. W. B. (1968). The Collected Short Stories of Edith Wharton. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.