The Turn of the Screw

The members of the Bly household are walking to church on a crisp Sunday morning. Mrs. Grose holds Flora’s hand, and, some distance behind them, the governess walks with Miles. Without warning, Miles says to her, “Look here my dear, […] when in the world, please, am I going back to school?” (64). The governess has long dreaded this question, and it brings her to a halt. Before the governess can reply, Miles observes that a fellow like himself, who is “getting on” (65), needs the company of his own sex. He then challenges her to say he hasn’t been good, which she does, reminding him of the night on the lawn. Shrugging off that indiscretion, Miles says it was only to show he could be bad, but, he assures her, he is capable of much worse. With that threat hanging between them, Miles asks again when he will return to school. The governess flounders, offering evasive replies until Miles wonders if his uncle knows he is not at school. When she mutters that his uncle doesn’t really care, Miles says he will petition his guardian himself and walks into church.