The two ladies, who had been intimate since childhood, reflected how little they knew each other (256). This is how, author, Edith Wharton shows the relationship of two characters, Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade, in the short story Roman Fever. These two women who are supposed to be friends, led envious lives of each other, and because of the way they lived they were very contrasting and conflicting characters. In the end, I believe Mrs. Slade was guiltier for her actions and in fact the whole incident would have never happened if it werent for her. Before there widowhood these two ladies led very envious and superficial lives. In describing her friend Mrs. Slade says, Mrs. Horace Ansley, twenty-five years ago, had been exquisitely lovelythough, of course, still charming, distinguishedfar more beautiful than her daughter. Horace Ansley was just the duplicate of his wife. Museum specimens of old New York. Good-looking, irreproachable, exemplary (256). In return, when Mrs. Ansley was asked about or spoke about Mrs. Slade she would reply, Alida Slades awfully brilliant; but not as brilliant as she thinks. Mrs. Slade had been an extremely dashing girl; much more so than her daughter who was pretty, of course, and clever in a way, but had none of her motherswell vividness (258). These two ladies had a friendship based upon nothing but there own jealous and arrogant behavior; as if the only reason they spoke was in spite of one another. As Wharton describes them, these two ladies visualized each other, each through the wrong end of her little telescope (258). Wharton realized that these fragments composed the only true communication about their friendship and therefore told the real story of Mrs. Slade and Mrs.Ansley. They were arrogant and self-centered women and the only thing their friendship was based on was that of out-doing one another.Nothing seems to be going on in this opening of the story, yet nothing could be farther from...
