It was then past midnight. The cottages were all dark. A single faint light gleamed out from the hallway of the house. There was no sound abroad except the hooting of an old owl in the top of a

water$-$oak, and the everlasting voice of the sea, that was not uplifted at that soft hour. It broke like a mournful lullaby upon the night.

Mr$.$ Pontellier's behavior when he returns home reveals that his character is

$($A$)$ easygoing, because he immediately enters into the family's routine

softhearted, because he is overwhelmed by concern for the children

self$-$centered, because he disrupts the sleep of his wife and children

disorganized, because he has accidentally broken an important promise

$($E$)$ insecure, because he wants his wife to be impressed by his social life