Summary

The narration begins with a warning about the season of spring, particularly the month of May. The narration states that May is often a time of trouble, chaos, and irrationality, as the weather causes people to fall in love easily. The narration states that this kind of irrationality is a reminder that humans are not very different from animals.

Moreover, the narration states that these waves of irrational love and attachment can cause people to fall in love with that they might not ordinarily notice or respect, such as people from other socioeconomic classes. The narration personifies the month of May as a type of trickster in these ways.

The narration then shifts focus to the protagonist, Mr. Coulson, a wealthy, elderly widower. He is suffering from a disease called gout. Due to the illness, he has difficulty walking, and so members of...