Adele Ratignolle Timeline and Summary

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• Adele does not appear in the novel until Chapter Four. She and Edna hang out at Edna’s cottage while Adele works on sewing a pair of winter night drawers for one of her children.
• Adele chooses a bonbon as she banters with Robert.
• Another day, Adele and Edna go to the beach together.
• Adele is wearing a pure white ruffly dress that flutters in the wind, as well as a gauze veil wrapped around head to keep the sun off.
• Adele and Edna sit on the beach together and look around at everything.
• Adele listens to Edna talk about girlhood and marriage. She is sympathetic and strokes Edna’s hand.
• After Robert shows up at the beach, Adele asks him to walk her back.
• Adele tells Robert to leave Edna alone.
• Robert asks if she jealous. Adele denies this.
• Adele points out that Edna is not Creole and will probably take Robert’s attentions seriously.
• Adele explains that if anyone thought Robert’s flirtations were serious, he wouldn’t be allowed to spend time with married women.
• The subject is dropped and Robert leaves Adele at her cottage. She accepts a cup of bouillon from him before he goes.
• A few weeks later, Adele attends the dinner party at Madame Lebrun’s big house.
• Adele can’t dance because she is pregnant, so she plays the piano to entertain the others.
• She joins the others when they go to the beach after the party.
• Some time later, Adele watches over Edna’s children while Edna goes to Cheniere with Robert.
• When Edna returns, Adele tells Edna that her son, Etienne, had been naughty and unwilling to go to bed.
• After Robert’s announcement that he is leaving for Mexico, Adele goes to Edna’s room and suggests that she come back to the dinner party, so as not to appear unfriendly.
• Adele goes back to the party by herself.
• Edna tells Adele that she would never give up her sense of self, but Adele doesn’t quite understand.
• When Edna brings her sketches to Adele’s house, Adele tells her that her work is wonderful.
• Adele invites Edna to eat dinner with her and her husband.
• Later, Adele visits Edna. Adele is very pregnant by this time, near her due date.
• Adele talks with Edna about Edna’s dinner, asks about Edna’s new little house, and extracts a promise from Edna to be by her side when she delivers.
• Adele warns Edna that people are talking about Arobin’s constant presence at Edna’s house. She comments on Arobin’s awful reputation and his ability to ruin a woman’s reputation as well.
• Shortly after, Adele leaves.
• When her contractions start, Adele sends for Edna.
• When Edna gets to Adele’s house, Adele is in labor and suffering greatly.
• Doctor Mandelet arrives and he and Edna attend to Adele.
• Edna stays with Adele, and when it’s over, says good-by and kisses Adele on the forehead.
• As Edna leaves, Adele tells her to think of the children.