# Chapter 55 Summary: Adieu, Adieu, Adieu

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

You can return to the chapter hub or the previous chapter at any time.

For the full reading order, see the book hub.

This page is a study companion, not a substitute for the text itself.

All analysis is original and based on the chapter's events as they appear in the book.

If you're looking for a quick recap, the summary below covers everything you need to know.

If you're ready to dive deeper, the sections that follow explore character, theme, and significance.

Let's begin.

(If you're reading this on a mobile device, you may want to rotate to landscape for the tables.)

(This notice is repeated at the end of the page for convenience.)

Summary

The chapter opens with Gwendolen and Frobisher driving back from the countryside in near-total darkness.

They've just fixed the car's headlights, and the journey is quiet until the headlights reveal a road full of rabbits.

Frobisher brakes hard, but the rabbits don't move.

Gwendolen gets out to shoo them, and when that proves ineffective, she walks ahead of the car, guiding it through the warren.

She recalls a fairy tale about herding hares as an impossible task, and she laughs at the absurdity of the situation.

Back in the car, she feels a sudden fondness for Frobisher and considers letting him kiss her when they return to London.

He jokes about getting her home by midnight, and she plays along with the Cinderella allusion.

Then she asks where he lives.

He says Ealing, in a house.

When she asks if he shares it, he reveals he has a wife.

Gwendolen is stunned and hurt.

She feels she has been misled, though she acknowledges he never explicitly courted her.

She tells him not to speak to her for the rest of the drive.

Frobisher apologizes, calling it a “sin of omission,” but she dismisses it as sophistry.

He tries to explain, but she cuts him off, saying she has no desire to hear about his marital arrangements.

She also corrects his assumption that she is a librarian, revealing she inherited money and is no longer one.

The rest of the drive is silent.

Frobisher drops her off two streets from the Crystal Cup to avoid being seen together.

She walks back, greeting the doormen as if nothing is wrong.

In her flat, she flings off her hat and shoes, feeling dirty from the road and the humiliation.

She pours a brandy, thinking about the impossibility of divorce and the inevitability of adultery in loveless marriages.

She briefly considers the fate of Rochester's wife in Jane Eyre, but rejects romantic novels as poor guides.

A knock at the door interrupts her.

She assumes it's Frobisher, come to explain, and yanks the door open ready for a fight.

Instead, she finds Niven, who is surprised by her fierce expression.

She invites him in, offers him whisky, and tells him she is not a virgin and not a librarian.

He laughs, and the chapter ends with this unexpected encounter.

Key Events

Gwendolen and Frobisher drive back in darkness after fixing the car's headlights.
They encounter a road full of rabbits; Gwendolen gets out to shoo them and walks ahead of the car.
During the drive, Gwendolen asks where Frobisher lives; he says Ealing, in a house.
She asks if he shares it, and he reveals he has a wife.
Gwendolen feels misled and tells him not to speak to her for the rest of the journey.
Frobisher drops her off two streets from the Crystal Cup to avoid being seen.
Back in her flat, Gwendolen pours a brandy and reflects on marriage and adultery.
A knock at the door turns out to be Niven, not Frobisher.
Gwendolen invites Niven in, offers him whisky, and tells him she is not a virgin and not a librarian.

Character Development

Gwendolen

This chapter reveals Gwendolen's pride and her vulnerability.

She is furious at herself for misreading Frobisher's intentions, and she takes out that anger on him.

Her insistence that he not speak to her for the rest of the drive shows her need for control.

She also demonstrates a pragmatic view of marriage and adultery, acknowledging that divorce is nearly impossible and that affairs sometimes happen—but she insists on honesty.

Her decision to tell Niven she is not a virgin and not a librarian is a deliberate act of self-revelation, perhaps a way to reclaim agency after feeling deceived.

She is also shown to be adaptable, as she has grown used to the pink flat she initially disliked.

Frobisher

Frobisher's secrecy is a key trait.

He is reluctant to share personal information, and his revelation about his wife comes only after direct questioning.

He apologizes, but his explanation is halting and incomplete.

He seems genuinely sorry, but Gwendolen's rejection leaves him with little to say.

His decision to drop her off two streets away shows he is mindful of appearances, but also that he respects her wish for secrecy.

Niven

Niven appears unexpectedly, and his reaction to Gwendolen's fierce expression is amusement rather than alarm.

He is quick to accept her invitation and her unconventional statements.

His comment about his mother's description of the pink flat shows he has some familiarity with her living situation.

He seems intrigued by Gwendolen's surprises, and his presence offers a potential new direction for her romantic life.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Miscommunication in courtship: Gwendolen and Frobisher both misinterpret each other's signals.

She thought she was being courted; he thought she was merely police business.

The chapter highlights how easily intentions can be misread.

Marriage as constraint: Frobisher's marriage is presented as a barrier, and Gwendolen's reflections on divorce and adultery show how marriage can trap people.
Secrecy and concealment: Frobisher hides his wife; Gwendolen hides her feelings; both are concerned about being seen together.
Fairy tale allusions: The Cinderella reference (midnight, pumpkin) and the fairy tale about herding hares both underscore the theme of impossible tasks and enchantment.
Modernity vs. nature: The rabbits are a symbol of the natural world confronting the modern automobile.

Gwendolen's role as a guide walking ahead of the car echoes an older mode of transport.

Concealed identity: Gwendolen reveals she is not a librarian, and Niven is surprised by her declarations.
Wounded pride: Gwendolen's anger stems from her own embarrassment at misreading the situation.
Adultery and mistresses: Gwendolen's internal monologue about being willing to be a mistress but not a wife shows her complex views on relationships.
Inheritance and class: Gwendolen's inherited money changes her social position and allows her to leave her job.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in Gwendolen's personal life.

It definitively ends any romantic possibility with Frobisher, at least for now, and it opens the door for Niven.

The revelation of Frobisher's wife also adds a layer of moral complexity to his character, making him less of a straightforward hero.

Gwendolen's decision to be open with Niven about her past and her current status signals a shift toward honesty and self-acceptance.

The chapter also deepens the novel's exploration of the constraints of marriage and the difficulty of finding genuine connection in a world where secrets are the norm.

Study Questions and Answers

What does the rabbit incident symbolize in this chapter?

The rabbits represent the natural world's resistance to modernity.

They are unconcerned by the car, and Gwendolen must act as a guide, walking ahead to clear the way.

This echoes the fairy tale motif of an impossible task, and it also foreshadows Gwendolen's role as someone who must navigate obstacles in her own life.

The incident also creates a moment of shared laughter and fondness, which makes the later revelation of Frobisher's wife more painful.

How does Gwendolen's reaction to Frobisher's wife reveal her values?

Gwendolen is less upset by the existence of the wife than by the fact that Frobisher concealed her.

She believes in honesty and openness, even in unconventional arrangements.

Her internal reflection on being willing to be a mistress but not a wife shows she is not morally rigid, but she insists on transparency.

Her anger is also directed at herself for misreading the situation, revealing her pride and her fear of being seen as foolish.

What is the significance of Niven's arrival at the end of the chapter?

Niven's arrival provides a contrast to Frobisher.

He is open, amused, and receptive to Gwendolen's unconventional statements.

His presence suggests a new possibility for connection, one that might be more honest and less constrained by secrecy.

Gwendolen's decision to tell him she is not a virgin and not a librarian is a deliberate act of self-disclosure, perhaps a way to avoid the kind of misunderstanding that occurred with Frobisher.

Navigation

*This study companion was written with a people-first approach, focusing on the human experiences and themes in the chapter.

All analysis is original and based on the text as provided.*