The Lady's Maid's Bell

The Lady's Maid's Bell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax5ZiyMoJgA

1902

Scribner's Magazine 32

Ghost Stories

Brympton Place

Alice Hartley, Mrs. Brympton, Mr. Brympton, Mr. Ranford, Mrs. Railton, Emma Saxon, Agnes, Mrs. Blinder, Mr. Wace, Mrs. and Mr. Brympton's children, The Kitchenmaid, Dr. Walton, Mrs. Ansey, Mr. Limmel, The Footman, The Groom

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Header: "Winter Landscapes" Andrei Nikolaevich Schilder by (1896)

http://19thcenturyrusspaint.blogspot.com/2012/11/andrei-nikolaevich-schilder-ctd.html

Brympton, West Indies

typhoid fever, Virginia ham, (Brympton) port and madeira, baize door, elm tree

Parallels between “The Lady's Maid's Bell” and Edith Wharton's life

Alice Hartley just got discharged from the hospital after suffering from typhoid fever and is now looking for a new job as a lady's maid. She meets an old acquaintance, Mrs. Railton, who offers her a job at her niece's place at Brympton Place. Her niece, Mrs. Brympton, is described as an angel and a kind mistress who lives in the country on the Hudson since she is not able to live in town due to her fragile body. Hartley accepts the offer and takes the train to Brympton Place soon after.

Upon her arrival, her first impression of the house is of a gloomy one, but she is immediately relieved to see that things in the house are done well and properly, and the servants are kind to her. However, Hartley is soon confronted with mysterious and queer situations that make her feel confused and uncertain. She wonders why her mistress would not ring the bell for her as it was the usual procedure, but make the housemaid go fetch her instead. Another strange encounter occurs when she meets Emma Saxon, Mrs. Brympton's former maid, in ghost form. Trying to find answers, she asks the other servants in hopes they can help, but she has to realize rather quickly that no one is going to tell her anything. Now being unable to talk to anyone and alone with her questions, she continues to carry out her duties as a lady's maid for her mistress and gets along well with the others.

The peaceful atmosphere in the house, however, changes as soon as Mrs. Brympton's husband, Mr. Brympton arrives home. Hartley notices the change in the other servants' behavior; it is obvious that no one likes their master and Hartley soon realizes what the reason might be: It could be his bad personality and the way he acts towards his wife and the servants what makes him so dislikable. In contrast to him, Mr. Ranford, a neighbor and friend of the Brympton's, seems to be well liked by the servants. As Mr. Ranford usually spends his winter in the country, he would come over to the Brympton house and pay a visit. Mr. Ranford spends more time with Mrs. Brympton, though, since Mr. Brympton is generally away. He usually only stays for a few days before he leaves the Brympton Place again.

The story reaches its peak when Mr. Brympton suddenly returns home in the middle of the night unannounced. Upon hearing the news from Hartley, Mrs. Brympton faints in front of her. Instead of paying attention to his dying wife, Mr. Brympton rushes to the dressing room because he suspects her of cheating on him with Mr. Ranford. As he furiously opens the door, Emma Saxon appears before them. Shocked at this, Mr. Brymptom tries to cover his face as if to protect himself, although nothing is happening, and Emma disappears again. Meanwhile, Mrs. Brympton has regained consciousness, but she falls back as soon as she sees her husband in front of her and dies in Hartley's arms.

Mr. Brympton shows no sign of sadness at his wife's funeral and instead, has his eyes on Mr. Ranford all the time, who has appeared at the funeral as well with a walking cane in his hand. Mr. Brympton leaves the place as soon as the burial is over, leaving back all the servants alone in the Brympton house.