The Age of Innocence: Chapters 25-28

"It's far from being as simple as that."

Welcome back to our very slow read-a-long of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence. (Is this drawn out pace excruciating? Perhaps now you know how Newland feels!!)

In this week’s chapters, Newland springs to Ellen’s defense a few too many times — making himself conspicuous as he weaves false stories and grows more desperate for her time and attention. He’s in the throes of excruciating desire and ceaseless adoration for the woman he did not marry and, well, he’s not handling it super great.

So let’s talk about it.

A brief summary

Here’s a breakdown of what happens in these chapters, with any new characters we meet in bold.

Chapter 25

• After his romantic, secret day with Ellen, Newland feels he is in “a state of abstraction” back in New York.

• Newland runs into M. Rivière again.

• Rivière tells Newland he’s been sent to Boston to bring the Countess back to her…