Sitting at
the window, Eveline
recalls her childhood, realizing that so much has changed.
Her mother is dead,
so is Tizzie Dunn and Waters has returned to England. Now,
she is going to leave her home too. She looks around the room, reviewing all
familiar objects, which she will probably never see again. She wonders, whether
going away is a good decision. On one hand she is surrounded by familiar people
and things, but on the other, abroad, she will be treated with more respect and
she will be safe from her violent father. However, she begins to think, that
although life is hard, it’s not so bad after all. She is going to explore
another life with Frank, a sailor, whom she is going to marry. They plan to go
to Buenos Aires.
She remembers how they come to know each other. He rented a room in one house,
which she passed by frequently.
Little by little they became acquainted and
began to go steady. However, when her father found out about their relationship
and forbade her to see him, so they met secretly. Now she glances on the two
letters – one for her brother and one for the father. She thinks that he was
not always so bad and will probably miss her. She recalls also promising her
dying
mother to keep the home together as long as she could. Then she thinks of
her mother’s life: controlled by her husband and daily routine, leading to the
craziness. She is terrified by the perspective of such a life and decides that
she must escape. She goes to the port. As she waits with Frank for the ship,
she begins to doubt in her decision. Paralyzed by the fear of so dramatic
change, she grippes at the railing. Although Frank begs her to follow him, she
stays still, not giving him even any sign of love or farewell.