"Astronomer's Wife" begins with Mrs. Katherine Ames waking up in the villa in which she lives. She calls for the "girl," her maidservant, to bring her some coffee, and she begins to think about her husband, the astronomer. In her mind, he is distant and interested in abstract things. The maidservant interrupts her thinking by telling her that the plumber has arrived. Before readers learn why the plumber has been called, Mrs. Ames repeats her name to herself: "I am Mrs. Ames . . . I am Mrs. Ames." She shows the plumber to a room that has flooded, at the same time revealing to him and to readers that she and her husband are recent arrivals to the villa. The plumber examines the flooded room and remarks that he is sure the "soil line" is responsible for the plugged drain.

As he leaves to go outside and look...