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1. Her Table Spread.
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Mr Alban is supposed to be the protagonist in the short story. He has been invited to the castle to some party because there is some tension between him and Miss Cuffe. That's what the author lets the reader believe. In reality there is no tension and if there has been, it has been experienced by Miss Cuffe alone. This is clearly proved by the aggressive and hostile thoughts of Mr Alban right in the beginning of the story "Coming early for dinner, red satin dress cut low, she attacked the silence with loud laughter before he had spoken" (p. 73). Especially the last sentence and the word "attacked" reflects Mr Alban's hostile attitude to Miss Cuffe. The situation itself is quite harmless but Mr Alban has a great dislike for Valeria coming into the room and he feels that Valeria is aggressive. Also in some other way Mr Alban seems to have some hatred or bitterness towards the situation and women. His words "her ox-eyes." (p. 73) express deep contempt for Valeria. With these few word it's quite obvious that valeria is a pretty woman but Mr Alban only wants to see something negative in her. The women's uninterested, not so negative, attitude comes clearly up many times. The ladies are talking with each other when Mrs Treye all of a sudden asks Mr Alban "Have you been to Malta, Mr Alban" (p. 75)? With this loose sentence it's clearly shown that Mr Alban is nothing compared to the officers in the destroyer. The same is repeated in a sentence ". Mr Alban, a Viennese waltz" (p. 77). Only in one short passage one can sense tension connected to love and romance. At the same time there seems to be some erotic tension as well. Valeria has gone out to wait Mr Garrett to arrive. By mistake she talks to Mr Alban as if she were talking to Mr Garrett. Despite Mr Alban's explanation Valeria won't believe that it is a question of a wrong person. .
'Hi!' she croaked. Then: 'You are there! I hear you!'.