The Other Two

The Other Two is a short story written by Edith Wharton, first published in 1904. The story revolves around a man named Waythorn, who has been married twice before and is now married to his third wife, Alice. Waythorn is a successful businessman who is determined to make his marriage to Alice work, despite feeling insecure about her past relationships. The story follows Waythorn's attempts to come to terms with the fact that Alice's ex-husbands, Haskett and Varick, are still a part of her life. He is uncomfortable with their presence, but Alice seems to be completely oblivious to his discomfort. Waythorn's attempts to assert his dominance and establish himself as the head of the household are constantly undermined by Alice's interactions with her ex-husbands. As the story progresses, Waythorn begins to realize that Alice's past relationships are not as innocent as he initially believed. He discovers that Alice had an affair with Varick while she was still married to Haskett, and that Haskett is still in love with her. Waythorn's jealousy and insecurity reach a boiling point, and he confronts Alice about her past. The Other Two is a poignant exploration of jealousy, insecurity, and the complexities of human relationships. Wharton's masterful storytelling and vivid characterizations make this short story a timeless classic that continues to resonate with readers today.The scene left Waythorn deeply shaken. Shamefacedly, in indirect ways, he had been finding out about Haskett; and all that he had learned was favorable. The little man, in order to be near his daughter, had sold out his share in a profitable business in Utica, and accepted a modest clerkship in a New York manufacturing house. He boarded in a shabby street and had few acquaintances. His passion for Lily filled his life. Waythorn felt that this exploration of Haskett was like groping about with a dark-lantern in his wife's past.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.