Disillusionment and Regret

Where it surfaces

• I

  Colville's return to Florence is marked by a sense of loss and disappointment; the familiar sights no longer evoke the same wonder, and he regrets selling his newspaper and leaving his former life.

• III

  Colville indulges in vain regrets about his past rejection and wonders if Mrs. Bowen still sees him as a pathetic figure.

• V

  Colville's past heartbreak with Jenny Milbury is discussed as a life-altering event; Imogene questions whether people ever get over such things, and Mrs. Bowen suggests men do, but the tone carries a sense of lingering regret.

• VI

  Colville's bitter reflections at the end of the chapter reveal his disillusionment with his return to Florence and regret over past romantic failures.

• VII

  Colville's nostalgia for his own lost youth and his sense of being out of place in the Old World reflect a deeper disillusionment with his current life.

• Chapter XI

  Colville feels flat and mean after his victory over Mrs. Bowen, and regrets his behavior.

• Chapter XII

  Colville's aimless existence and regret over his actions with Mrs. Bowen dominate his thoughts.

• Chapter XIII

  Colville and Waters discuss failure, the 'blossom of decay,' and the sense of missed direction in life. Imogene is consumed by regret over her treatment of Colville.

• Chapter XV

  Colville's bitterness and Imogene's unhappiness suggest underlying disillusionment with the engagement and their circumstances.

• Chapter XVII

  Colville and Imogene both feel trapped and disillusioned by their engagement, with Colville grieving over the 'irrevocable loss' and the impossibility of a solution.

• XIX

  Colville's discomfort and Mrs. Bowen's bitterness reflect the disillusionment and regret that permeate the strained relationships in the chapter.

• Chapter XX

  Colville feels burdened by his situation and the silence of the ladies, reflecting his disillusionment with the affair and his own role.

• XXI

  Colville and Imogene both confront the painful truth of their mismatched feelings, leading to regret and a sense of relief at the broken engagement.

• Chapter XXII

  Colville's deep regret over his broken engagement and his self-criticism for his past weakness and cowardice.

• XXIII

  Mrs. Bowen's refusal stems from her humiliation and regret over Colville's past actions with Imogene, reflecting deep disillusionment.

• XXIV

  The affair with Imogene remains a lingering shadow, described as 'the grain of sand' that both wish had not happened.