Episode 40: The Lady's Maid's Bell by Edith Wharton

Dive into the mysterious and haunting world of Edith Wharton's gothic tale, "The Lady’s Maid’s Bell," in the latest episode of A Tisket-Tasket podcast, hosted by Gina. Explore the eerie secrets of a gloomy country house, where the ringing of a servant's bell holds a supernatural mystery. Uncover the enigmatic relationships between the characters, and ponder the unanswered questions that shroud this captivating story. Join Gina as she delves into this classic literary work, leaving you with spine-tingling questions that will keep you pondering long after the episode ends. #GothicTales #EdithWharton #LiteraryPodcast #MysteryStories #TheLadysMaidsBell #PodcastRecommendation

Transcript

Gina: 0:47

Hello, and welcome to another Erie episode a Tisket-Tasket at podcast. I'm your host, Gina. And today we are going to talk about Edith Wharton's Gothic tale. The ladies maids bell. As a reminder, I'm leaving for Portland, Oregon on Halloween to present at the American folklore conference. I am very excited to talk about my passion regarding the history of nursery rhymes. If you'd like to help me out. Or contribute to the podcast, please visit my website, link in the description below to see how you can help. So today we're talking about Edith Wharton's the ladies maids bell. This Gothic short story was published in November, 1902 in Scribner's magazine. It later appeared in the collection, the descent of man and other stories published in 1904. First let's talk about the wonders. Edith Wharton. The new Yorker published a wonderful biography of her life published in 1929, just four years before her death in 1933. it is difficult to sum up her life in just 20 minutes, honestly. And she was quite the amazing woman. She was bored. Edith Newbold Jones on January 24th, 1862 in New York city. Her family was in a credibly well-to-do and rich. It is said that the phrase keeping up with the Joneses is a reference to her family. I'm going to skip her family and early life, except to mention that she survived typhoid fever. When she was a little girl. And the illness appears throughout her writing, including the lady maids bell. She traveled extensively as a child and as an adult, Helping her become fluent in German, French, and Italian. Before she even reached adulthood. Her early writings were criticized heavily by her mother and she wasn't even allowed to read novels before she got married. Her mother said that young society, ladies shouldn't solely themselves in novel writing. But that didn't stop her. And she continued to invent stories. She was first published when she was 15, which was a translation of a German poem. She also secretly wrote in publisher novella during the same year. It was called fast and loose and her father arranged it and a collection for poetry to be secretly published. By 1880. She had five poems published anonymously in Atlantic magazine, but didn't really fully get into writing until after she was married.

Microphone (Realtek(R) Audio)-4: 3:11

When she was 23, she married Edward Robin's Wharton and traveled extensively with him. But due to a number of reasons, including his health and her cheating on him, she divorced him in 1913. During their marriage for three interests really became apparent. And that was American house was an architecture writing in Italy. She wrote and published extensively on these topics. And she was also a really big philanthropist when world war one broke out, she was living in Paris at the time. And rather than flee, she worked tirelessly to help the war effort, including traveling to the front line and reporting about the soldiers lives of their. Sh definitely check that out. If that's something that interests you, her description to the frontline. Was very unique. At the time you read a lot of male perspectives, but her unique female perspective and that of American. Living in Paris, it was, it was fairly neat. Because of her work during world war one. Including setting up a number of relief funds. She was awarded the Legion of honor Francis highest award for her duties. She continued her relief work in France, including opening tuberculosis, hospitals after the war. But circling back to her writing, she published more than 85 short stories. In addition to her novels and books on garden designs and interior design.

Gina: 4:29

She was the first woman ever to win a Pulitzer prize for fiction. Would she one for the age of innocence in 1920. She was also nominated for the Nobel prize in literature in 19 27, 19 28 in 1930. Sadly Wharton died of a stroke in 1937 and is buried with military honors in Versailles, France, you can still visit her grave. It's pretty neat. And if you're interested in her architecture, you can also visit. If you just put in Edith, Wharton and Google. You can actually take a tour of the house she designed in, I believe it's in France and you can take a virtual walking tour. It's really neat. So if you're interested more about her life than what I have to say about her story, definitely Google her because she was a really super fascinating lady and did all sorts of amazing things. But let's circle back to the lady mates, bell, which Wharton published first in 1902. This short story has all of the themes of a great Gothic novel. So to talk about a Gothic novel Gothic horror novels really became popular right before Victorian literature. And continued up until I would say the 1940s. After 1940s, we see more of cosmic horror and psychological thrillers, but got the core, usually follow the same tropes. And the first thing we see is a haunted house or castle, and usually there's like the cryptid parts on the ground, or it's described as dark dreary, and it really kind of sets the stage for a dark. Gothic night, like. If you think about, you know, it was a dark and stormy night, that is that's really peak Gothic, horror trip. Other parts of a Gothic court includes a damsel in distress or a damsel as the main character following her plight and following her anxiety. There's definitely an atmosphere of mystery in suspense. Trying to kind of trick the reader if it's supernatural or not. There's usually a ghost sighting, whether or not as a quote unquote true ghost or later to be determined to be a fraud. There are also additional elements, including there's always has to be bad weather, some sort of storm. There has to be a dream or a nightmare. There has to be a secret passage or, or hidden love and rec loses. And paranormal figures and powers. So when you were reading a good Gothic, hor you know, it really fits the tropes. If it includes one or more of all of these things and Liddy meets bell includes all of them. I'd also look to include on this list that I read about Gothic horror. That there usually is an item that is important to the supernatural. And some pieces of literature, it's a weapon like a knife. I'm trying to think of there's an example, like really famous example of like a knife. In like an Archway that's hanging down and it scares the crap out of the main character. But I honestly can't remember what it's referring to. But in lady maid's bell, Wharton symbolizes the supernatural moments with the ringing of a servants bell. So here's the plot of the story. Having just recovered from typhoid fever. Alice Hartley is having difficulty obtaining a new position as the lady's maid. She's becoming desperate when she runs into Mrs. Railton a friend of her former employee. Mrs. Railton recommends Hartley to her niece, Mrs. Brinton, who lives in the country due to her poor health. Mrs. Rales who believes Hartley will make a perfect new companion to her niece. Who's devoted made of 20 years has died. Mrs. Railton tells Hartley that her niece is an angel in that Mr. Brampton. Is mostly away. Hartley arrives at the gloomy looking country house late in an afternoon. Once inside she finds the house and the surface quite was it. Housemate chose her upstairs to the servant's quarters. Partly looks down the dark passions towards your room at the end. And notice as a pale woman in a dark alley. The woman disappears into a doorway. The housemate does not notice the woman, but she's alarm to find that the door opposite of Hartley's room open. She tells Hartley that the room is empty and Mrs. Brampton wishes it to be kept locked. Hartley settles into her room and joins the service for Tia. the pale woman is not there. So hardly suspects that she might be a trained nurse for Mrs. Brigden. After T the housemate Agnes takes Hartley to Mrs. Brampton's bedroom. Mrs. Brampton is very pleasant and consider it. In Hartley takes to her immediately. The mistress, however, will not ring the bell to call Hartley. Instead, she rings for Agnes. So Agnes could fetch Hartley. Harley finds it very strange since there is a bell from the mistress's room directly to hers. Hartley also discovers that there is no nurse for Mrs. Brenton. Agnes deny seeing this pale woman. So Harley concludes she must've been a friend of a servant who was staying overnight to secretly. It day or two later, Hartley learns from Mrs. Blinder, the friendly cook. That her room had previously been the sewing room for the ladies made. Hartley tells Mrs. Blender. She intends to ask Mrs. Brinton, if she can use the empty room as her sewing room. But Mrs. Blinder turns white and tells Hartley not to do so because the room had belonged to the last ladies made Emma Saxon, who Mr. S loved like a sister. Nearly a week passes before Mr. Brampton. Arrives the whole household turns tents and Hartley knows right away that the servants do not love their master. Harley meets him for the first time when she enters mrs. Brenda's room before dinner. Mr. Brinton looks over Hartley quickly with this ill tempered blue eyes in clearly the size that the Sigley looking made is of no interest to him. After he leaves Hartley notices that Mrs. Brampton's is white in cold to the touch. Mr. Brinton leaves the following morning and everyone relaxes. This is Brenton goes out for a walk and returned with a neighbor. Mr. Ranford. It being wintertime and the country bank deserted. Mr. Ranford is about the only companion for Mrs. Brinton. Mr. is described as friendly and well-liked about the servants. And he also appears to be on good terms with Mr. Renton whenever he's around. Mr. Brumpton only stays for a day or two to time. And he is loud in course, drinks too much. It is clearly not a good match for Mrs. Brinton who is quiet and retiring. Several weeks go by and Hartley continues to serve her kind. Mistress, happily. Yes. She feels somehow uneasy. Her spirit rises when she is out on an errand walking to and from the village. In the household or she's affected by a school. When rain keeps your indoors for most of January, Arlie becomes nervous and begins to imagine she hears noises in the locked room. She's overjoyed when Mrs. Brampton sends her to town for some shopping one day. In the village, Hartley runs into a made with whom she served a some years ago. The woman tells Hartley that Mrs. Brampton has had four maids in the last six months. And no one can stay in the house. Hartley becomes even more convinced that there's something wrong about the house. Upon returning, partly learns that Mr. Brumpton is back in something disturbing has happened. Soon Edna's comes to fetch Hartley. Hearing Mr. Brumpton and Mrs. Brinton through Hartley enters the adjoining dressing room totally out the dinner down first, she hears Mr. Brinton talking angrily to Mrs. Brompton about her visitor. Partly rattles the toiletries to warn her mistress, Mrs. Brampton hears the noise and calls her in. After supper, Hartley puts Mrs. Brinton to bed. She then goes to bed herself, feeling nervous. In the middle of the night, she wakes to the noise of her bell ringing. Shaking with terror. She likes the candle. It puts on her clothes. She hears the door of the locker room open. And close follow up by footsteps hurrying down the passageway. Partly freezes in terror for a minute before recovering your senses in rushing down to knock on our mistress's door. This is Brampton opens the door, his face, red and Savage. Seeing currently he says, how many of you are there in God's name? Hardly asked if she may go in. Mr. Brinton replies. You may all go in for what I care and then walks away to his own bedroom. Mrs. Brampton is lying on her bed looking weak, but she smiles and asks for her medicine. After taking the medicine she lives with her eyes closed. She then reaches calling out Emma. When Hartley speaks, this is Brenton opens her eyes clearly startled, and she tells Hartley that she was dreaming and thanks to her and assured her that everything is all right. Partly lies awake for the rest of the night. And then in the early morning, she is called by Agnes to Mrs. Brendan's bedroom. Mrs. Brampton asked Hartley to go to the village for her prescription and be back before. Mr. Brampton is up. She then adds that Hartley can also drop off a note from Mr. Ranford. Well, the medicine is being prepared. At first Hartley's alarmed that Mrs. Brinton may be filling prescription secretly with the intention of overdosing yourself. Then she realizes it is the second aired. Her mistress is trying to keep her husband from finding out. She hurries back to the house and slip some through the side door an hour later, she stopped by Mr. Brinton in the hallway. He asks what she was doing out so early and she denies having ever been out. Mr. Brinton then asked if she thinks he was drunk last night. Hartley honestly tells him that she does not think so. Harley, you still shaken by the events of the previous night, but she's not ready to quit. Because she does not wish to abandon her kind mistress. She works on her sewing until the sewing machine breaks down. As she looks to see what is wrong, a photograph falls out of a drawer. Harley shocked to see it is a portrait of a pale woman. She saw on her first day. She rushes to Mrs. Blinder. Remember the cook and shows her the photograph. Mrs. Blinder identifies the woman as Emma Saxon. Partly tells her that she has seen AMA. And Mrs. Blender chooses to ignore the comment telling Hartley to run along so she can start cooking. In the novel it's like Mrs. Hartley is obviously shaken. So I wonder if Mrs. Blinder also saw the ghost of Emma. But for the next week or two, Mr. Brampton stays on and Mr. Ranford stays away. Then one day, Mr. Ranford calls after making Mary over teams. Mr. Brendan sees him off personally. And soon after Mr. Brinton departs and Mr. Ranford begins to call again regularly. Oh, not as frequently as before. A month later, Mr. Brinton is still away in a set to be cruising with a friend of the west Indies servants, including Hartley are in better spirits. With their master being far away. Mrs. Brinton also appears to be feeling better. And Hartley is finally able to walk past the locker room with Al shiver. She looks out the window of her room and see snow beginning to fall. Hearing footstep. She looks up to expecting to see Agnes, but she freezes when she sees instead, Emma Saxon standing in the doorway. Although she cannot move Hartley as not friend. She can feel Emma silently asking her for help. Then suddenly Emma turns and walks out. Hartley follows. And Emma goes down the backstairs and crosses the empty passageway to the back door. She looks back at Hartley and then opens the door and goes outside. Partly falls Emma, across the courtyard to the path, through the woods. And what keeps walking towards the village, leaving no footprints in the snow. Partly his courage fails her and she tries to go back, but she finds herself unable to do so. As if she's being pulled along by Emma. I'm a finally stopped in front of Mr. Ranford house. Harley knows Emma wants her to do something, but she can't figure out what it is. Before she can ask Emma, however, the door opens and Mr. Ranford comes out. Hartley looks back and sees the Emma has disappeared. Partly faints when she comes to, she finds herself inside being tended by Mr. Ranford. She tells him that she was out for a walk when she felt faint at his gate. After being driven back, she sent a bed early by Mrs. Brampton. Partly it's awakened in the night by the furious ringing of her bell. She dresses quickly knowing that whatever it is it's going to happen now. She hurries down the passageway and opens the doors to the main hall. She sees M and Saxon at the head of the stairs as the doors shut. Emma disappears in Hartley. Here's the key turning steadily in the house door. Hartley runs to Mrs. Brampton's room and knocks. She knocks her a second time before the doors open by Mrs. Brampton. Mrs. Brinton still dressed despite the hour and appears price to see Hartley at her door. She turns pale when Hartley tells her that the bell rang. She tells Hartley in an uncharacteristically harsh manner that she is mistaken. They then begins to close the door. Just then Hartley hears a man's footstep in the hall downstairs. Finally understanding the truth. Hardly tells her mistress that Mr. Brinton is back in the house. Mrs. Brinton fates at her feet. Hartley tries to lift her. Mr. Brumpton comes up the stairs and pushes past them towards the dressing room. Rightly grabs him by the sleeves and begged them to look at his wife. He shakes her out furiously. He's about to open the door when they hear a split noise inside. Mr. Brinton tears up the door and sees Emma Saxon standing on the threshold. He staggers back, covering his face. Emma disappears is Mr. Brinton Stancil afterwards, Mrs. Brampton raises herself. She stares at her husband for a moment that falls back down. Three days later in a snow storm. Mrs. Brampton is buried. During the service. Hartley sees Mr. Ranford leaning slightly on a stick. And Mr. Brenton staring at him across the church yard. After the service, Mr. Ranford disappears. Mr. Brumpton drives off to the train station. As soon as the body is buried without a word to anyone. I love what is not stated in this story. And the synopsis really does not do this story justice. There's a lot of undertones in a side. From Alice Hartley's rendition of what she's saying. What I love about Wharton's work is that she really depicts. A servant's perspective. And when Alice talks about the encounter with Mr. Brinton the first time she's clearly implying that she's glad that she's been so sick for so long. She knows that Mr. Brampton won't sexually assault her. And she can clearly tell that that's something that he does, in the servants, don't like him because he is rude, he's drunk. And obviously he re he harasses the ladies. And there's a lot of things that aren't explicitly mentioned in the story that we, as the readers are trying to piece together and tell whether it's true or not. And it's clearly implied that Mr. Ranford and Mrs. Brinton are having an affair, but it's not discussed explicitly. So there are so many more questions that I have after I finished the story. What ever happened to Emma? Why was Mr. Sanford leaning on a cane at the funeral. There's a lot that isn't said that I don't really want to know. It's pretty clear What Alice Hartley's talking about when she talks about how Mr. Brampton. Eyes are up. So. Where does this really neat thing where she says a lot of things, but she doesn't say even more. And I'm left wondering what in more, and I'm also left. I don't want to know more about Mr. Brampton and his. Salacious ways. In any case, It is also clear about Mr. Brenton's character, given how the other servants describe him and act around him. Yet, I think what makes the story so spooky is what isn't said. Did Mrs. Brampton kill Emma because she was afraid. Emma was going to talk about her affair with Mr. Ranford. Did Mr. Branford kill them? It never explicitly states that Emma was murdered, but it doesn't talk of where she was buried or how she died. Why was the bell no longer used. And why did it rank only when Emma want to show Alice something? It's stated explicitly in the book that the bells are throughout the serpent's halls, but they're never used. And instead. Mrs. Brenton calls. Agnes to go fetch Alice. Was Emma trying to help Mrs. Brampton or was she trying to help Alice at the end? There are so many questions that I can't can't answer, but I'm curious to know what you think. This book is in the public domain. And if you'd prefer to listen to it there are recordings of it on YouTube. With these types of Gothic horrors. I really love listening to audio recordings because they're short, but the reader always adds like a spooky element to it that you may not necessarily get through reading. And if they're a good audio recorder, they add that suspense through pauses. And so, hi, I really loved the short story because. There are a lot of questions. I want answered. And in some of the Gothic, short stories. So when we think back to Washington, Irving's. The legend of sleepy hollow or even the ghost summons. There's an element of In or questioning whether or not there were ghosts, right. The author is leave it up to the readers to decide where they pranks. Or was the wife. Scaring the husband and the ghost summons, or was the lover rival. Make up the idea of the headless horseman to scare off a kebab. But in this case, it's pretty clear. Cut that. Alice Hartley is pretty sure. She sees a ghost and I think by the other servants reactions throughout the book that they see the ghost as well. And so I just thought it was the perfect, spooky, eerie, short story. To share during October. And it is another American short story written in the early 20th century that I think is a great example of national spooky stories. So I loved it. I hope you love it too. In any case, we have one more addition to add for spooky story month. Before we talk about nursery arrives. I'm unsure what I'm going to be doing for the month of November. I will likely take the first week off since I will be traveling, but stay tuned to hear what I'll be doing. But in any case, stay tuned to hear more about the weirdness of nursery rhymes.

23:07

Thank you for listening to a Tisket Tasket podcast. We hope you learned something valuable today. Be sure to subscribe wherever you heard this podcast so you never miss a future episode. If you found value in today's content, please share with others and consider leaving a review. Also, follow Gina on all social media platforms, and we'll see you next time.