"Alcee Arobin wrote Edna an elaborate note of apology, palpitant with sincerity. It embarrassed her; for in a cooler, quieter moment it appeared to her, absurd that she should have taken his action so seriously, so dramatically. She felt sure that the significance of the whole occurrence had lain in her own self-consciousness. If she ignored his note it would give undue importance to a trivial affair. If she replied to it in a serious spirit it would still leave in his mind the impression that she had in a susceptible moment yielded to his influence. After all, it was no great matter to have one's hand kissed. She was provoked at his having written the apology. She answered in as light and bantering a spirit as she fancied it deserved, and said she would be glad to have him look in upon her at work whenever he felt the inclination and his business gave him the opportunity.
He responded at once by presenting himself at her home with all his disarming naivete. And then there was scarcely a day which followed that she did not see him or was not reminded of him. He was prolific in pretexts. His attitude became one of good-humored subservience and tacit adoration. He was ready at all times to submit to her moods, which were as often kind as they were cold. She grew accustomed to him. They became intimate and friendly by imperceptible degrees, and then by leaps. He sometimes talked in a way that astonished her at first and brought the crimson into her face; in a way that pleased her at last, appealing to the animalism that stirred impatiently within her.
There was nothing which so quieted the turmoil of Edna's senses as a visit to Mademoiselle Reisz. It was then, in the presence of that personality which was offensive to her, that the woman, by her divine art, seemed to reach Edna's spirit and set it free"
In this passage it becomes aware to us just how serious this friendship between Arobin and Edna is becoming. Arobin, as a character possess many traits that makes him the perfect medium between Leonce and Robert. He has the heart of Robert, we can see that by the sincere apology he writes to Edna. He pays attention to Edna, which is what every woman wants, Arobin is around Edna more than Leonce is and you can tell that just because of the chemistry that is growing between them. Arobin is more willing to "make things happen", Robert never was. Robert knows the traditional Creole values and despite feeling a certain way towards Edna, he knew that he could never cross that line. Arobin, however, wants to cross that line. In the passage it says "He was ready at all times to submit to her moods..." and "He sometimes talked in a way that pleased her at last, appealing to the animalism that stirred impatiently within her." Arobin never wants to love Edna, he is just there to ignite her sexual desires.
I never think of Arobin as someone who really interests her as a person. I think he ignites physical passion without intellectual interest. Does that make sense?
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