The Golden Bowl

For several days, Maggie is affected by a “new uneasiness.” She remembers returning home after a meal with Lady Castledean, at which point her fears became even clearer. The two couples—Adam and Charlotte and Maggie and Amerigo—have lost their balance. Fanny has helped Maggie to understand her husband’s wandering affections. Now, Maggie better understands Amerigo’s veiled comment about Charlotte providing balance and harmony in their family. Charlotte has been the constant for Amerigo. Adam frequently backs out of social situations, so people have seen Charlotte with Amerigo far more than they have seen her with Adam.

Maggie asks her father to take an evening walk in Regent’s Park. They stroll through the park, which contains a zoo where Amerigo and Charlotte once took Principino on a trip. They return home to find that Amerigo and Charlotte have returned. Adam and Maggie talk about the planned vacation for the two men. Adam has also agreed to the trip, but only if Amerigo suggests it. Maggie and her father talk about whether the four of them can get along. Adam asks Maggie whether she will come to the family’s country house with him. Maggie is now more open to the idea. She dismisses her father’s idea of inviting Lady Castledean, as Maggie does not like her. She does, however, like “to see” Lady Castledean when she is playing the role of social hostess, so the invitation could be extended to her. Maggie would also like to invite Fanny and Bob. Adam notes that the Assinghams’ social opportunities must be limited, so they would accept such an invitation. He is determined to overcome any sense of being selfish or exclusionary. A large social event at Fawns would be the perfect remedy to this, he believes.

Maggie seeks assistance from Fanny, though she is beginning to sense that Fanny fears her. As Amerigo has not asked Adam to vacation with him in Spain, Maggie plans the trip to Fawns instead. Fanny visits Maggie, who then collapses into an emotional state and pleads with Fanny to know the truth about Amerigo and Charlotte. Fanny turns white. She claims that she has no idea of any possible affair. She asks whether Maggie is jealous of her stepmother, and Maggie says she is not jealous of Charlotte because of her father but may be jealous of Charlotte and Amerigo. She is certain that Charlotte and Amerigo must have realized that Maggie notices how much time they spend together. Maggie is willing to endure anything for love. Fanny reassures Maggie that she has never suspected any disloyalty from Amerigo or Charlotte. Maggie is relieved.

Fanny and Bob accept the invitation to Fawns. Fanny tells her husband that they must “lie” to Maggie; they must maintain the pretense that there are no suspicions of an affair between Amerigo and Charlotte. The lie is the best way to maintain harmony, she says, for the sake of everyone involved. Bob is surprised that Fanny would be so willing to lie to Maggie, particularly in the name of loyalty. Fanny insists that the lie is necessary so that Maggie can help her father. By sticking close to Maggie, Fanny hopes, Maggie will stay close to her. She does not believe that Maggie would ever share any suspicions of infidelity with her father. Fanny sought a wife for Adam for Maggie’s benefit so that Charlotte could be moved out of the way and Maggie could enjoy her relationship with Amerigo. Fanny never expected Maggie to spend time with her father over her husband. Fanny can tolerate the affair between Amerigo and Charlotte; she is sure that neither Adam nor Maggie will hold her “responsible.” Bob is more surprised that his wife is so sure that Maggie will not resent being lied to, but Fanny points out that Maggie is also lying by accepting Fanny’s story as true. Fanny assures her husband that Maggie is the only person who can do anything.

Maggie and Amerigo spend an extra week in London. They plan to go to Fawns a week after the other guests have arrived. Maggie struggles. She does not want to make Amerigo feel guilty. Since there are so many people at Fawns, Amerigo and Charlotte will have little opportunity to spend time together without causing a scandal. This is a “gleam of a comfort” for Maggie (405). Fanny and Bob enjoy Fawns, but there is a palpable tension in the air. Fanny is particularly attuned to the tension, and she is increasingly unsure whether she can maintain her delicate social situation by hiding the truth. To Fanny, everyone seems to know something about the affair between Amerigo and Charlotte.

Maggie is determined to confront Fanny about her husband and Charlotte. Maggie visited the shop where Amerigo and Charlotte first saw the golden bowl. While buying the bowl, the shopkeeper told her about a couple who entered the shop a few days before her wedding and were interested in the golden bowl. Now, Maggie places the golden bowl proudly in “a central position above the fireplace” (416). She waits for Amerigo to see it.

Maggie shows the bowl to Fanny, explaining its significance. For Maggie, the bowl —and the secret visit to the shop—is “proof” that Charlotte and Amerigo have a prior relationship that continued after her marriage. Fanny finally admits that she knew about Amerigo’s past with Charlotte. However, she insists that she had no idea that the relationship may have continued. Maggie deplores Amerigo’s lack of loyalty. Fanny criticizes herself, but Maggie absolves her guilt, insisting that Amerigo is the villain. Maggie points to the flaw in the golden bowl as a symbol of her marriage, as well as her now-fractured friendship with Charlotte. Now, Maggie is only worried about her father. Fanny suggests that Maggie leave Amerigo and Charlotte to themselves. Amerigo, she suggests, is more interested in Maggie than he has ever been. Fanny takes the golden bowl and smashes it on the floor. At that moment, Amerigo enters. He heard the tail end of the conversation. Fanny departs, leaving Maggie alone with Amerigo beside “the golden bowl split into three pieces on the ground” (431).

Maggie explains to Amerigo that Fanny believed that, since the bowl was flawed, it must be smashed to pieces. Maggie tells Amerigo that the shopkeeper came to her house because he felt guilty for overcharging her for a flaw that she had not noticed. When he saw the pictures of Amerigo and Charlotte in the house, he recognized them as the people who were first interested in the bowl. He told Maggie what he remembered. Amerigo concedes that he and Charlotte visited the store, but insists that the innocent venture was solely focused on buying “some small wedding-present” (441). Maggie presses Amerigo, who admits that he cannot remember whether they actually bought anything at all. Amerigo wants to know what his wife plans to do. Maggie says that he will find out for himself, then leaves.