The Fall of Edward Barnard

The Fall of Edward Barnard Summary | Detailed Summary

Bateman Hunter is a young man returning to Chicago after a trip to Tahiti. The trip is long: two weeks by ship and another three by train, with Bateman nervously anticipating having to share some unfortunate news with his friend Isabel Longstaffe all the while. Additionally, his conscience is beginning to bother him, and he wonders if he is indeed doing the right thing. He knows that if Isabel suspects that his motives are in any way insincere, there will be no way to change her mind. Despite this, Bateman acknowledges that he loves everything about her.

When the train finally reaches Chicago, Bateman is overcome with a sense of relief at having finally arrived home. To him, Chicago is the most important city in the world, eclipsing even New York and San Francisco in terms of value to America's future. As he steps off the train, he finds his father waiting for him. The two men exchange greetings and then head to the car for the trip home. They talk briefly about Bateman's trip before his father asks if Edward Barnard has returned with him. Bateman replies that he has not, and that he would prefer not to talk about him. Shortly after arriving home, he telephones Isabel and makes plans to have dinner with her that evening. While Isabel asks if Bateman has news to share with her, she does not specifically ask what the news is. Bateman is impressed by her show of restraint.

That evening, Bateman dines with Isabel and her parents at the Longstaffe home. The dinner conversation is primarily guided by Isabel, who makes sure that the topics don't stray too far from meaningless small talk. As Isabel describes her afternoon, which was spent at a musical performance, Bateman realizes just how happy he is to be back in the civilized world that is Chicago.

When dinner is finally over, Isabel tells her mother that she and Bateman have something they would like to discuss privately and that they will be going to her den to do so. After spending a moment talking about the care that Isabel has taken to decorate the room with furnishings from a specific period, she sits down and directly asks Bateman if Edward is coming back. Bateman replies that he is not, and then the two fall silent for several moments. Eventually, Bateman begins to speak, and he tells her the entire story.

We learn that Bateman and Edward have known Isabel since they were in college. Although they had known her when they were children, she had gone away to Europe to finish her education before returning to Chicago. When they meet again, both young men quickly fall in love with her, but Bateman, recognizing that she is far more interested in Edward than in he, decides to let his friend have the honor of being with her. Although Bateman often feels conflicted about this, he values his own friendship with Edward too much to disclose his true feelings for Isabel. Eventually, Edward and Isabel are engaged, but they agree not to marry until Edward finishes college.

Shortly before the wedding is to take place, Edward's father loses his entire fortune in a bank failure. Distraught at the idea of being penniless, Mr. Barnard takes his own life. A week later, Edward comes to Isabel to suggest that they break their engagement, as he is sure she will not want to be with him now that he has no money. Isabel refuses his offer, saying she does not care about his lack of wealth.

Pleased that she still wants to be with him, Edward tells Isabel that he has made arrangements to work at the business of an old family friend. However, this will require Edward to be away for one, possibly two years, since the position he is to take is in Tahiti. Upon his return, he will be given a position in Chicago, and then he and Isabel will be able to marry. Isabel assures Edward that she will wait for him.

On Edward's last night in Chicago, he has dinner with Isabel and her parents in their home. Afterward, Mr. Longstaffe tells Edward that he would like to speak with him privately. Because Mr. Longstaffe had already enthusiastically endorsed Edward's plan, Edward is uncertain as to what he might want to discuss. Alone in Mr. Longstaffe's smoking room, the two men make small talk until Longstaffe finally asks Edward if he has heard of Arnold Jackson. Arnold Jackson is Mrs. Longstaffe's brother, who at one time was a wealthy banker, philanthropist and respected member of his community. Several years before, however, he had been found to have committed a major act of fraud and was sent to jail for seven years. When he was finally released, he had left the country and settled in Tahiti. Meanwhile, his wife and children had been sent to live in Europe where they were supported by family members.

Although Edward would rather deny that he knows the man, he knows that doing so would be dishonest, and so he says that he does. Mr. Longstaffe tells Edward that Arnold is now living in Tahiti and suggests that he do his best to stay away from him. If, however, Edward should encounter Arnold during his stay there, Longstaffe says he and his wife would be glad to know of any news he could bring.

Edward subsequently leaves for Tahiti, and two years pass with Isabel and Edward faithfully writing to each other each month. At first, Edward's letters suggest that he is quite homesick and that he is contemplating leaving Tahiti before the agreed upon period of time passes. Isabel encourages him to remain, and eventually it seems as though he has become quite content in his new surroundings. At the end of the first year, Isabel is sure that Edward will again suggest that he come home, but he does not mention any plans to do so. Isabel takes this as a sign that Edward is doing everything he can to ensure that their future together is as prosperous as possible.

When the second year passes and Edward still does not mention coming home, Isabel begins to become concerned. Re-reading his letters, she begins to detect a sense of comfort and complacency that she had not seen before. One afternoon, she asks Bateman if Edward had mentioned plans for returning to him, but Bateman replies that he had not, and that he had assumed Edward had shared his plans with her. Isabel suggests to Bateman that he ask the next time he writes to Edward, a request Bateman agrees to carry out.

When Bateman and Isabel are together a few days later, Isabel can detect that there is something troubling her friend. She asks him to explain, and Bateman finally admits to having heard that Edward had left his original employer nearly a year before. Upon confirming this with the company's owner, Bateman had learned that Edward was fired for laziness and incompetence. This news greatly upsets Isabel, and she begins to cry. Bateman consoles her, and eventually she asks if he had noticed anything strange about Edward's recent letters. Bateman replies that he has; it seems to him that Edward's sense of priorities has changed.

A few days later, a letter from Edward arrives. Even though Isabel and Bateman are certain he must have received Bateman's letter, with the question regarding his return home by then, Edward mentions no plans to return to Chicago. Isabel is distraught and begins to wonder if perhaps he isn't coming home at all. In an attempt to console her, Bateman says that he has decided to go to Tahiti to find out for himself what is going on.

Bateman departs, and after conducting some business for his father's company in nearby countries, he finally arrives in Tahiti. All the while, however, he is thinking of his two friends, and he vows to do whatever it takes to make them happy, including offering Edward a position in his father's company. On his way to the hotel, he asks the driver if he knows Edward. The driver replies that he does and that Edward is Mr. Jackson's nephew. This momentarily startles Bateman, but he decides that the driver must be referring to a different Mr. Jackson. After arriving at the hotel, Bateman makes his way to the offices of the company where Edward had worked and inquires about his whereabouts. He is told that Edward is working nearby, at a place called Cameron's.

Bateman makes his way to Cameron's which, to his surprise, turns out to be a trader's store. Inside, he finds Edward measuring a length of cotton for a customer. He quickly catches sight of Edward and, apparently not the least bit embarrassed at having been found working in such an establishment, offers him a hearty handshake. He offers Bateman a seat, but Bateman suggests they go to his hotel where they can talk privately.

As they walk, Bateman expresses his surprise at having found his friend at such a job. When Edward replies that the job provides an income adequate to sustain him, Bateman counters that he is sure his friend wouldn't have been satisfied with that two years ago. Edward answers that people seem to grow wiser as they grow older, and Bateman is struck by how nonchalant and relaxed his friend seems. They reach the hotel and have cocktails on the terrace. Edward asks Bateman about all the latest news from Chicago, and even inquires about Isabel, although in Bateman's opinion he could just as well have been inquiring about any old friend. The conversation drifts on to other subjects, with Bateman unsuccessfully trying to bring it back to the subject of Isabel. As they talk, they are approached by a middle-aged man whom Edward seems to recognize. He invites the man to sit and introduces Bateman to him. The man shakes Bateman's hand before telling him his name: Arnold Jackson.

Bateman's surprise is obvious, and Jackson suggests that perhaps he has heard his name before. Bateman isn't sure how to respond, and while he thinks of a suitable answer, Jackson tells him that he has heard from Edward that he is friendly with the Longstaffes. Then, telling Edward that he must go, he invites the two men for dinner at his home that evening and tells Bateman that his wife is a wonderful cook. Bateman tries to decline the invitation, but Jackson will not permit him. As Jackson walks away, Bateman tells Edward that he thought Jackson's wife was in Europe. Edward responds by saying that he assumes Jackson is referring to a different wife.

Unable to conceal his disgust any longer, Bateman tells Edward that Jackson is a despicable man. Edward agrees, and suggests that since he spends quite a bit of time in Jackson's company, then perhaps he is as well; he then adds that Jackson has adopted him as his nephew. When Bateman reminds Edward of the crimes Jackson committed, Edward says that he is well aware of his past, but that even so, he can't think of a more agreeable companion. He has learned plenty from the man, he says, and the two of them get along quite well.

Bateman is surprised to hear this and asks Edward what he has learned from Jackson. Edward replies that he has learned how to live. Bateman asks if those lessons included throwing away his future so that he can work in a trader's store. Rather than answer, Edwards says that Jackson has a wonderful personality, which Bateman will be able to appreciate at dinner that evening. When Bateman replies that he has no intention of coming to dinner, Edward asks him to come for the sake of their friendship. Bateman agrees.

Edward tells Bateman that he must go back to work but that he will return at five o'clock so that the two of them can drive to Jackson's home. As they walk out of the garden, Bateman says that he had assumed that, since the hotel they are at is the only decent one in town, Edward would be staying there as well. Edward responds that he cannot afford to stay there and that he rents a room outside of town; he describes the room as being cheap and clean. Bateman points out to Edward that when he was still living in Chicago, cheap and clean were not the most important characteristics of a home. He then asks Edward when he thinks he might return to Chicago. Edward responds that he often wonders.

Edward returns later as promised, and the two men set out for Jackson's home. When they arrive, they are greeted by a native woman, whom Edward introduces as Jackson's wife. The woman, whose name is Lavina, tells them that Jackson hasn't returned home yet, and so Edward tells her that they will go for a swim while they wait. They go down to the water and swim, and then relax on the beach with a few cigarettes. Bateman realizes that he has never seen his friend this relaxed. Before long, Jackson arrives to let them know that dinner is nearly ready. As they prepare to go back to the house, Bateman decides that he would rather not don the pareo - a type of loincloth - offered to him. The other two men are wearing pareos, and Bateman finds himself slightly uncomfortable at the sight of the two men dressed in such a way.

When they reach the house, Jackson ushers them into the dining room and then leads Bateman to a long window. Looking out at the marvelous scenery that lay below, Bateman finds himself in awe of what he sees. Noticing the extent to which Bateman is captivated, Jackson suggests that he take as much time as he needs to look, for it is unlikely that he will ever see anything that equals it. Bateman spends the next few minutes looking out the window but soon becomes aware that another person has entered the room. He turns around to find a lovely young woman. Jackson introduces her as his daughter Eva.

As the men sit down to enjoy a cocktail, the conversation turns to Jackson's days in the penitentiary. As Jackson speaks, Bateman finds that he is surprised and even somewhat angry at Jackson's casual treatment of such a scandalous series of events. The dinner proceeds, and after they are all quite satisfied, Bateman calls attention to the wreath of flowers at his place. Jackson explains that Eva made the wreath for him and that he should put it on his head. Bateman is reluctant to do this and so Jackson and Edward don similar wreaths that have been left at their places. Eva rises and comes over to Bateman's place to correctly place the wreath on his head, an act which both embarrasses and angers Bateman.

Eventually, the three men make their way to the veranda to talk more. At first, Bateman finds himself to be quite impatient and resentful of having to be in their company. However, after listening to several of Jackson's tales, he becomes enthralled. Soon enough, however, Jackson rises and tells Bateman and Edward that he will leave them alone so that they can talk privately before retiring. When Bateman says he had no intentions of spending the night, Jackson assures him that he will be more comfortable in his home than in the hotel and that he will see to it that he is awakened in time to begin his journey home.

Finally alone, Bateman wonders how he should approach the subject of his friend's return to Chicago. Finally, he bluntly asks. Edward's reply is simple: he is very happy where he is, and he isn't sure that he will ever return. Bateman is aghast; he can't imagine anyone wanting to spend the rest of their life on that island. He tries to convince Edward to come home, saying that once he returns to Chicago, he will see that it is where he is meant to be. Edward is not convinced, however, and he tells Bateman that he has changed during his two years in Tahiti; his priorities and sense of what is important are now different.

Bateman asks Edward if this change of heart has anything to do with Jackson. Rather than answer, Edward tells Bateman that he didn't like Jackson when he first met him either, but that as he got to know him, he found him to be generous and kind. When Edward asks Bateman if he is wrong to judge a man based on his current behavior rather than on things he has done in the past, Bateman replies that in doing so, he seems to have lost his sense of what is right and what is wrong. Edward argues that the confusion does not lie in discerning between right and wrong, but rather in the basic differences between a good man and a bad one.

Edward goes on to tell Bateman that when he first arrived in Tahiti, he was full of energy and ambition. He had plans to industrialize the coconut oil business and in so doing, turn the sleepy town of Papeete into an American-style city. When Bateman asks his friend why he didn't move forward with his plans, Edward replies simply that he does not want to. Bateman is again confused by his friend's sudden lack of ambition and laments that he no longer understands him.

Edward explains that in the months after his arrival in Papeete, he found that he liked the ease and good-natured demeanor of the residents. He realized that he never had time to simply relax and enjoy life, and soon, he began reading for pleasure. He also discovered the pleasure he derived from having amicable conversations with people. When he started to think of the life he would return to in Chicago, with the constant rushing and long work days, he began to wonder if that was really how he wanted to spend the rest of his life. He finally decided that the only things important to him were beauty, truth and goodness and that he would not be able to find these things in Chicago.

When it becomes clear to Bateman that Edward has no intention of returning to Chicago, he asks what his friend intends to do about Isabel. Edward says that he knows he is unworthy of her and would like Bateman to tell her so. When Bateman protests, Edward reminds him that it is impossible to keep anything from her and that he should tell Isabel that Edward is poor, but happy. He is sure that this will make Isabel change her mind about marrying him, but if she still insists, he says he will come back to Chicago and try to be the best husband that he can. When Bateman says he will have great difficulty conveying that message, Edward suggests that perhaps he could marry Isabel instead. Bateman protests, but Edward persists, and assures Bateman that he would make her happy.

Bateman asks his friend is he is doing this out of respect for their friendship, but Edward assures him he is doing this to make everyone involved happy. Bateman questions Edward further, asking if he really thinks he could be content working in the trader's store for the rest of his life. Edward replies that Jackson has offered to give him a small island he owns one thousand miles away, where he has had coconut planted; assuming Isabel agrees to end their engagement, Edward says, he intends to marry Jackson's daughter Eva.

Bateman asks Edward if he loves Eva, to which Edward replies that he is not sure but that he knows he feels differently about her than he does about Isabel. He feels like he needs to protect Eva, whereas Isabel always had a sense of confidence. He says that he knows that whatever he does, Eva will not be disappointed, and that she loves him for who he is and not who he might be.

The two men decide to retire to bed. Before parting for the night, Bateman tells Edward that he is disappointed to think that his friend will be wasting his energy and talents in this way. Edward assures him that he has not failed; rather he has succeeded and is looking forward to the rest of his life. He says he will always have enough to keep him busy and that he hopes he and Eva will have children. His wish is that when he grows old, he will look back on his life and view it as happy, simple and peaceful. With nothing left to say, the two men fall asleep.

Bateman finally finishes telling this tale to Isabel, omitting few details other than those concerning him being forced to don the wreath of flowers and Edward's intentions of marrying Eva. Even so, Isabel seems to sense that Edward has found someone, and so she asks Bateman to tell her more about Eva. Bateman says that because he has only had eyes for her his entire life, it's hard for him to remember much about the other woman. Isabel seems satisfied with this answer, and so Bateman asks her what she plans to do. Isabel replies that she initially wouldn't allow Edward to break their engagement because she thought remaining engaged would provide an incentive for him to work hard and do the right thing. Realizing that this is no longer the case, she tells Bateman that she wishes Edward a good life; she then takes off her engagement ring.

Looking at Bateman, she wonders aloud how she will be able to thank him for all he has done. Bateman's reply is that he has always loved her and that he would be perfectly happy if she should allow him to love and serve her as her husband. Isabel accepts his proposal, and as the story ends, Bateman thinks of the wonderful life they will share together.