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APS TOGETHER

Day 5

Chapter 2, pp. 83-102 (from “When Mrs. Copperfield arrived in Mrs. Quill’s room" through “Mrs. Quill was dignified and remote and did not give her the lavish thanks which she had been expecting.”)

December 7, 2020 by Claire Messud

“The Lord has spared me more than he has Pacifica,” says Mrs. Quill. “She hasn’t been spared a single thing. Still, she’s not as nervous as I am.” Like Mrs. C, Mrs. Quill admires Pacifica’s toughness. In Bowles’ world, women’s happiness requires money, or men, or steely fortitude.



“Such an awful, dreadful mean thing to be alone in the world even for a minute.” Toby and Mrs. Quill dance around each other in the Hotel Washington bar, pretending to have resources. He wants money; she wants romantic attention. Both are disappointed, but Mrs. Quill is undone.



Luckily, Mrs. C is wealthy, & comes to pay Mrs. Quill’s bar bill. There, irritated, she explains to the assistant manager that the rich “want to be liked for their money too and not only for themselves.” An observation I have found true all my life.

Daily Reading

Day 1

Chapter 1, p. 1-18 (through “She was not sure that she did not find him a bit too familiar.”)

Day 2

Finish Chapter 1

Day 3

Chapter 2, p. 37-62 (through “The other two women looked across the street and they all watched him disappear.”)

Day 4

Chapter 2, pp. 63-83 (through “Oh, I’d love to Pacifica,” said Mrs. Copperfield, running out of the room.”)

Day 5

Chapter 2, pp. 83-102 (from “When Mrs. Copperfield arrived in Mrs. Quill’s room" through “Mrs. Quill was dignified and remote and did not give her the lavish thanks which she had been expecting.”)

Day 6

Finish Chapter 2, pp. 102-121 (from “Early the next morning Mrs. Copperfield and Pacifica were together in Pacifica’s bedroom" through “Listen, your pal’s been out of the room two whole minutes already. She’s gone to look for Pacifica.")

Day 7

Chapter 3, pp. 123-142 (through “She held her hand over her heart and smiled to herself.”)

Day 8

Chapter 3, pp 142-158 (from “When she arrived at the tip of the island" through “something would happen to interfere with her departure.”)

Day 9

Chapter 3, pp. 159-176 (from “She noticed with a faint hear” through “shortly she fell into a deep sleep.”)

Day 10

Chapter 3, pp. 176-196 (from “At about five thirty on the following afternoon" through “Then all three of them politely bade good-by to Andy’s back and left the room.”)

Day 11

Chapter 3, pp. 196-210 (from “Arnold’s father had been sitting in the ice-cream parlor" through “He’s never going to listen to me,” Miss Goering said to herself.")

Day 12

Finish Chapter 3, pp. 211-End


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