Post Reading
P. 25
3) Suggest a different ending to the story. # My additions in bold. #
"That's a pretty chain of Mrs. Ramsay's, isn't it?" said Mr. Ramsay.
"I noticed it at once," answered Mr. Kelada. "Gee, I said to myself, those are pearls all right."
"I didn't buy it myself, of course. I'd be interested to know how much you think it cost."
"Oh, in the trade somewhere round fifteen thousand dollars. But if it was bought on Fifth Avenue I shouldn't be surprised to hear that anything up to thirty thounsand was paid for it."
Ramsay smiled grimly.
"You'll be surprised to hear that Mrs. Ramsay bought that string at a department store the day we left New York, for eighteen dollars."
Mr. Kelada flushed.
"Rot. It's only real, but it's as fine a string fot its size as I've ever seen."
"Will you bet on it? I'll bet you a hundred dollars it's imitation."|
"Done."
"Oh, Elmer, you can't bet on a certainty," said Mrs. Ramsay. She had a little smile on her lips and her tone was gently deprecating.
"Can't I? If I get a chane of easy money like that I should be all sorts of fool not to take it."
"But how can it be proved?" she continued. "It's only my word against Mr. Kelada's."
"Let me look at the chain, and if it's imitation I'll tell you quickly enough. I can afford to lose a hundred dollars," said Mr. Kelada.
"Take it off, dear. Let the gentleman look at it as much as he wants."
Mrs. Ramsay hesitated a moment. She put her hands to the clasp. "I can't undo it," she said. "Mr. Kelada will just have to take my word for it."
I had a sudden suspicion that something unfortunate was about to occur, but I could think of nothing to say.
Ramsay jumped up.
"I'll undo it."
He handed the chain to Mr. Kelada. The Levantine took a magnifying glass from his pocket and closely examined it. A smile of triumph spread over his smooth and swarthy face. He handed back the chain. He was about to speak. Suddenly he caught sight of Mrs. Ramsay's face. It was so white that she looked as though she were about to faint. She was staring at him with wide and terrified eyes. They held a desperate appeal ` it was so clear that I wondered why her husband did not see it.
Mr. Kelada stopped with his mouth open. He flushed deeply. You could almost see the effort he was making over himself.
"I was mistaken," He said. He was about to continue when Mrs. Ramsay suddenly interuppted. "No, you weren't mistaken, Mr. Kelada. You were right. My chain is real." . All of a sudden, a silence fell on our table, spreading towards all the tables in the dining room.
"What do you mean? it's impossible!," said Mr. Ramsay with horror in his voice. "We couldn't afford such a thing!" .
All the attention in the room was to our table now. People started calculating how such a thing might happen, considering the Ramsays' financial state. Mr. Kelada and I were the only ones who guessed the right answer. We looked at each other, unwilling to believe what just happend. When I looked at Mr. Kelada, I realized what he was about to do. He knew Mrs. Ramsay's secret just as much as I did, and was in a position that his word might reveal her secret to all the people in the room, including her husband. But he chose to take responsbility and risk being the ship's joke for the rest of the journey. I guess he is more of an Englishman than I gave him credit for...
When the realization has finally stricked the room, Mrs. Ramsay began speaking. "I'm so sorry, Elmer. You were gone for so long... and it just happened. I have no excuses and I am willing to pay for what I did. Please forgive me." Her eyes were so genuine you knew she was telling the truth. All eyes were now on Mr. Ramsay, searching for his reaction. His face was pink. Something between pale white to furious red. It wasn't hard to guess that the whole scenario was compeletly emmbaressing to him, considering that you don't find out that your lovely wife was cheating on you on a daily basis. Especially not in presence of a crouded dining room full of people whom you supposed to face in each day on this ship. Mr. Ramsay's only words were: "I want us to divorce.". Then, he got up and left the room, his face now red than ever, leaving a wrecking wife behind.
Mr. Kelada and I echanged looks again. Both of us were uncapeable of saying anything, espeacilly not to Mrs. Ramsay. After evreyone else on the dininig room left, the three of us were the only ones there. Niether of us had something to say, so we just sat there, waiting for the workers to shoo us out when dinner is over. When they did, Mr. Kelada and I began slowly getting up, unwilling to leave broken Mrs. Ramsay all by her self but having no choice. When we tended to go, Mrs. Ramsay stopped Mr. Kelada. "Thank you." she said only with her lips.
"I'm sorry it turned out that way, really", said Mr. Kelada. I could hear the regret in his voice though I didn't understand it.
"Me too," I added. "I wish you and your husband all the best."
She nodded sadly towards us as we made our way out of the empty dining room.
"Turns out you were right." I said to Mr. Kelada with a sad smile on my lips. I can see he is surprised because this is the first time I actually spoken to him voluntarily since we've met on board. But he only nods and says quietly: "Yes, but I rather be wrong on that one".
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