Alida and Grace had been friends for decades since childhood. Alida was arrogant, determined and extroverted comparing to her friend Grace, who seemed humble, careful and introverted.  Each of them had a daughter and led a well-off life. A few years later, and not many months apart, both ladies lost their husbands. They run across each other while traveling in Rome. Similar life change and experience drew them closer and renewed their intimate relationship. The last day in Rome with their daughters echoed their previous tour in Rome when they were young. Reflection of the past evoked Alida to unfold a secret she had kept for two decades.

When they were traveling in Rome last time, Grace fell in love with Alida’s fiancée Delphin. Tortured by extreme envy, Alida, pretending to be Delphin, wrote a letter to Grace and asked her out at night. At that time, Roman fever was pandemic. As a matter of fact, Alida assumed Grace would wait for Delphin and therefore got sick, better died, so that she would marry Delphin with no further worry. While Alida intoxicated her success of setting the trap and keeping this secret for such a long time, unexpectedly, Grace told her that Delphin showed up that night and they had a good time together. Alida was shocked because she never thought Grace replied the letter to Delphin. In order to beat Grace, Alida told Grace that she had lived with this man for more than 20 years, while Grace could only treasure the mere memory of being with him for one night even though she might have loved him in her whole life. Unfortunately, Grace told Alida that she had Barbara, her daughter, of whom Alida was fond more than her own daughter.  In another word, Barbara was the child of Grace and Delphin. Superficially, Grace was very sick after that night and married soon before Alida. In fact, she did have an affair with Alida’s fiancée and was carrying his baby. So she had to marry her future husband as soon as possible. Alida thought Grace’s illness was a result of Roman fever, which proved her plot was very successful.

The two ladies pretended to cherish their intimate friendship on surface. In their hearts, they felt pity and showed sympathy toward each other.  Alida even hated Grace. Naturally, their superficial friendship would terminate completely after they uncovered their individual secret in Rome. Alida thought she won the competition of possessing a man, whereas Grace thought the winner was her. Who really won in this invisible fight?

This story was written by Edith Wharton.

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