Summary

Chapter 23 begins with a knock at the door of Rodney’s apartment. Ralph Denham enters and immediately notices that Rodney and Katherine have just been discussing something serious. The three discuss Denham’s anticipated move to the country before Katherine tells them that she should be going. Denham leaves with her and asks if they can continue walking together because there is something he wants to say to her. Denham tells Katherine that he thinks she is the “most beautiful, the truest thing in the world” (251) and that she is the woman against whom he measures everyone else. Katherine is quiet, and Denham tells her that the reason he is moving to a cottage is so he will not be such a bother to her anymore. Denham asks for Katherine’s “decision” without having asked her directly if she wants to marry him...