Georgina's Reasons

Henry James wrote the short story ''Georgina's Reason''. It describes a pair that doesn't seem to have gotten along very well. Against the objections of her wealthy parents, the stunning, cold, and ostensibly conservative Georgina Gressie weds the poor navy lieutenant Raymond Benyon (Joachim Bissmeier) in secret in New York, making him pledge never to mention their union to anyone unless she gives him permission to. This pledge, first made without thought or suspicion, has important and far-reaching ramifications: Georgina gradually distances herself from her puzzled husband, leaves her child in the care of an Italian woman while on a vacation to Europe, and does everything she can to disregard her marriage. Raymond finds out by chance that "his" wife Georgina has subsequently remarried a number of years later. He had met Kate in Italy and has a close relationship with her; her new spouse is a relative. The only thing that would make sense to him right now and be easier is to demand of Georgina that she renounce his pledge to keep quiet and grant a divorce. She declines. And Benyon is unable to force himself to marry his new love in bigamy.