Friday, April 15, 2005
Kate Chopin's Short Story -- The Storm
The Storm
A Sequel to "The 'Cadian Ball"
by Kate Chopin
Chap. I
-------
The leaves were so still that even Bibi thought it was going to rain.
Bobinot, who was accustomed to converse on terms of perfect equality
with his little son, called the child's attention to certain sombre clouds
that were rolling with sinister intention from the west, accompanied by
a sullen, threatening roar. They were at Friedheimer's store and decided
to remain there till the storm had passed. They sat within the door on
two empty kegs. Bibi was four years old and looked very wise.
"Mama'll be 'fraid, yes," he suggested with blinking eyes.
"She'll shut the house. Maybe she got Sylvie helpin' her this evenin', "
Bobinot responded reassuringly.
"No, she ent got Sylvie. Sylvie was helpin her yistiday," piped Bibi.
Bobinot arose and going across to the counter purchased a can of
shrimps, of which Calixta was very fond. Then he returned to his
perch on the keg and sat stolidly holding the can of shrimps while
the storm burst. It shook the wooden store and seemed to be ripping
great furrows in the distant field. Bibi laid his little hand on his
father's knee and was not afraid.
Chap. II
--------
Calixta, at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety. She sat at a side
window sewing furiously on a sewing machine. She was greatly
occupied and did not notice the approaching storm. But she felt very
warm and often stopped to mop her face on which the perspiration
gathered in beads. She unfastened her white sacque at the throat.
It began to grow dark, and suddenly realizing the situation she got up
hurridly and went about closing windows and doors.
Out on the small front gallery she had hung Bobinot's Sunday clothes to
air and she hastened out to gather them before the rain fell. As she
stepped outside, Alcee Laballiere rode in at the gate. She had not seen
him very often since her marriage, and never alone. She stood there
with Bobinot's coat in her hands, and the big rain drops began to fall.
Alcee rode his horse under the shelter of a side projection where
the chickens had huddled and there were plows and a harrow piled up
in the corner.
"May I come and wait on your gallery till the sotrm is over, Calixta?"
he asked.
"Come 'long in, M'sieur Alcee."
His voice and her own startled her as if from a trance, and she
seized Bobinot's vest. Alcee, mounting to the porch, grabbed
the trousers and snatched Bibi's braided jacket that was about to be
carried away by a sudden gust of wind. He expressed an intention
to remain outside, but it was soon apparent that he might as well
have been out in the open: the water beat in upon the boards in
driving sheets, and he went inside, closing the door after him. It
was even necessary to put something beneath the door to keep
the water out.
"My! what a raint! It's good two years sence it rain' like that,"
exclaimed Calixta as she rolled up a piece of bagging and Alicee
helped her to thrust it beneath the crack.
She was a little fuller of figure than five years before when she
married; but she had lost nothing of her vivacity. Her blue eyes
still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair, dishevelled
by the wind and rain, kinked more stubbornly than ever about her
ears and temples.
The rain beat upon the low, shingled roof with a force and clatter
that threatened to break an entrance and deluge them there.
They were in the dining room--the sitting room--the general utility
room. Adjoining was her bed room, with Bibi's couch along side her
own. The door stood open, and the room with its white,
monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious.
Alcee flung himself into a rocker and Calixta nervously began
to gather up from the floor the lengths of a cotton sheet which
she had been sewing.
"If this keeps up, Dieu sait if the levees goin' to stan' it!" she
exclaimed.
"What have you got to do with the levees?"
"I got enough to do! An' there's Bobinot with Bibi out in that
storm--if he only didn' left Friedheimer's!"
"Let us hope, Calixta, that Bobinot's got sense enough to come
in out of a cyclone."
A Sequel to "The 'Cadian Ball"
by Kate Chopin
Chap. I
-------
The leaves were so still that even Bibi thought it was going to rain.
Bobinot, who was accustomed to converse on terms of perfect equality
with his little son, called the child's attention to certain sombre clouds
that were rolling with sinister intention from the west, accompanied by
a sullen, threatening roar. They were at Friedheimer's store and decided
to remain there till the storm had passed. They sat within the door on
two empty kegs. Bibi was four years old and looked very wise.
"Mama'll be 'fraid, yes," he suggested with blinking eyes.
"She'll shut the house. Maybe she got Sylvie helpin' her this evenin', "
Bobinot responded reassuringly.
"No, she ent got Sylvie. Sylvie was helpin her yistiday," piped Bibi.
Bobinot arose and going across to the counter purchased a can of
shrimps, of which Calixta was very fond. Then he returned to his
perch on the keg and sat stolidly holding the can of shrimps while
the storm burst. It shook the wooden store and seemed to be ripping
great furrows in the distant field. Bibi laid his little hand on his
father's knee and was not afraid.
Chap. II
--------
Calixta, at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety. She sat at a side
window sewing furiously on a sewing machine. She was greatly
occupied and did not notice the approaching storm. But she felt very
warm and often stopped to mop her face on which the perspiration
gathered in beads. She unfastened her white sacque at the throat.
It began to grow dark, and suddenly realizing the situation she got up
hurridly and went about closing windows and doors.
Out on the small front gallery she had hung Bobinot's Sunday clothes to
air and she hastened out to gather them before the rain fell. As she
stepped outside, Alcee Laballiere rode in at the gate. She had not seen
him very often since her marriage, and never alone. She stood there
with Bobinot's coat in her hands, and the big rain drops began to fall.
Alcee rode his horse under the shelter of a side projection where
the chickens had huddled and there were plows and a harrow piled up
in the corner.
"May I come and wait on your gallery till the sotrm is over, Calixta?"
he asked.
"Come 'long in, M'sieur Alcee."
His voice and her own startled her as if from a trance, and she
seized Bobinot's vest. Alcee, mounting to the porch, grabbed
the trousers and snatched Bibi's braided jacket that was about to be
carried away by a sudden gust of wind. He expressed an intention
to remain outside, but it was soon apparent that he might as well
have been out in the open: the water beat in upon the boards in
driving sheets, and he went inside, closing the door after him. It
was even necessary to put something beneath the door to keep
the water out.
"My! what a raint! It's good two years sence it rain' like that,"
exclaimed Calixta as she rolled up a piece of bagging and Alicee
helped her to thrust it beneath the crack.
She was a little fuller of figure than five years before when she
married; but she had lost nothing of her vivacity. Her blue eyes
still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair, dishevelled
by the wind and rain, kinked more stubbornly than ever about her
ears and temples.
The rain beat upon the low, shingled roof with a force and clatter
that threatened to break an entrance and deluge them there.
They were in the dining room--the sitting room--the general utility
room. Adjoining was her bed room, with Bibi's couch along side her
own. The door stood open, and the room with its white,
monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious.
Alcee flung himself into a rocker and Calixta nervously began
to gather up from the floor the lengths of a cotton sheet which
she had been sewing.
"If this keeps up, Dieu sait if the levees goin' to stan' it!" she
exclaimed.
"What have you got to do with the levees?"
"I got enough to do! An' there's Bobinot with Bibi out in that
storm--if he only didn' left Friedheimer's!"
"Let us hope, Calixta, that Bobinot's got sense enough to come
in out of a cyclone."
# posted by speattle @ 9:12 AM 
