Synthesized answer
The opening scene establishes a sense of normalcy for Gregg Mowbry, who arrives home with "nothing unusual on his mind" [1]. However, the introduction of the maid, Dora, immediately hints at incoming information that disrupts this normalcy. Dora informs Gregg that he has received mail and telephone calls from specific individuals: Mr. Hartford, Miss Hale from Evanston, and another young lady, likely Miss Hale again, who called more recently and left a "particular message" [1]. This implies that Gregg is involved in social circles where important messages are being exchanged, and that these communications might be significant enough to warrant a "breath of scandal."
The subsequent interactions further build this subtle tension. Gregg's receipt of a letter from Marjorie Hale reveals her invitation to a dinner party, indicating a personal connection and a request for his presence [3]. This personal connection is juxtaposed with Gregg's business dealings, as he also received a call from Mr. Hartford and has a "new one" car that is "not fully paid for" [2]. The fact that Gregg's friend, Billy, knows about Gregg's offer from Hartford and that Marjorie Hale has been asking about Gregg's…
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From the book
← Front matter The Breath of Scandal by Edwin Balmer Chapter 1 Chapter 2 → 3659909 The Breath of Scandal — Chapter 1 Edwin Balmer THE BREATH OF SCANDAL CHAPTER I G REGG MOWBRY, who had come home with nothing unusual on his mind, flung his new brown overcoat on a hook in the hall closet, tossed his hat after it, and was cheerfully whistling on his way to his room when the maid appeared from the rear hall and spoke to him shyly. "Why, good evening," he replied in his pleasant way, halting. "Mr. Whittaker home yet?" "No, sir; but he should be soon. He wanted early dinner to-night." "Mail or…
← Chapter 1 The Breath of Scandal by Edwin Balmer Chapter 2 Chapter 3 → 3660035 The Breath of Scandal — Chapter 2 Edwin Balmer CHAPTER II T HEY went out together in Gregg's car, which was a new one, not fully paid for, but a good deal better than Billy's. It was a roadster with space for three on the wide seat, and consequently Gregg, while he drove, had plenty of room to sprawl comfortably, especially as Billy, who never let himself be lazy, sat erect on the right. They did not talk much about anything and not at all of Marjorie Hale or of Gregg's offer from Hartford. The March night was…
all right at home; then he ripped the envelope addressed in the impulsive, interesting-looking writing of Marjorie Hale. His hand suddenly clamped upon the note and he looked down, breathing a little quicker while he listened to a strong, steady step which told him that Whittaker had come home. Billy went on to his own room, so Gregg read: Dear Mr. Mowbry: You knew me better than I; for I didn't like "Aphrodite" a bit; but still I'm glad I saw it. And that's not inconsistent. But the purpose of this epistle is this: mother's having a few people in for dinner before we go over to the Lovells'…
← Chapter 14 The Breath of Scandal by Edwin Balmer Chapter 15 Chapter 16 → 3660683 The Breath of Scandal — Chapter 15 Edwin Balmer CHAPTER XV M ARJORIE!" Gregg called carefully and he stepped from the shadow. She started back and, in the dim light, he saw that she was quivering,—she who had never known what it was to possess an unsteady nerve. She did not recognize him at once; she seemed slow even to put her mind to the process of recognition, so intent was she in her errand from the house. Then she said, with an audible expiration, "Oh, you're Gregg!" This was something of relief; but he…
any casual passerby a secure home, when in reality it was rent from top to bottom; and not even the mistress of it knew. Gregg stopped beside one of the big trees in the parkway between the walk and the avenue and was standing in the shadow from the nearest street lamp when a car approached and slowed and finally halted almost opposite the tree. It was a new, shining roadster with only the driver on the seat, and he turned to the Hales' and leaned forward to have a better look at the lighted windows. He had not noticed Gregg, who at first failed to make out the man's features; Gregg caught…
More questions about this book
- Based on his initial actions and the maid's description, how would you characterize Gregg Mowbry? How might his established "pleasant way" and the "inconspicuous attentions which everywhere made life smooth" for him predispose him to, or complicate his response to, a scandalous situation?
- Analyze the maid Dora's report of Miss Hale's phone calls, especially the "particular message" to call back. Why is this information presented so early and with such emphasis? Explain how these seemingly minor details could act as the immediate spark for the "breath of scandal" alluded to in the title.
- The text provides external information about a "lost" silent film adaptation and the novel's public domain status. How might a reader's awareness of these historical and legal contexts influence their initial interpretation or expectations of the *text* itself, particularly regarding themes of scandal and perception?
- Considering the novel's title and the brief excerpt, why might the inclusion of a frontispiece by Ralph P. Coleman, explicitly referring to "page 71", be a deliberate authorial or publishing choice? What narrative purpose could such a visual 'hint' serve in anticipating or foreshadowing the 'breath of scandal'?