The line,"A triumphant indifference," is used in the story to describe the emotion of Delia's reaction to Sykes kicking her rudely, stealing the covers, and threatening to "mash [her] in [her] mouf fuh drawing that skillet on [him]." Delia taking up the skillet, earlier in the story, in defense was something new and caused him not to, "strike her as he usually did." This exchange is where her triumph comes from, because it was the second time since the skillet that Sykes had delivered an empty threat. As far as the indifference Delia after so many years finally didn't care. She was still set on being a good woman, as we see throughout the story, but she was done trying to mend her marriage. She was triumphant over caring and triumphant over Sykes physically pushing her around.
This line can also be used to describe Delia's decision in the end. Pulling the skillet out on Sykes wasn't wrong, nor was doing her laundry inside. Sykes had cowed her with hollow threats concerning the skillet and again with the laundry by leaving the snake in her basket. She was triumphant in more ways than one. She now had her house, she could do her work in her house, and she never had to be mistreated by Sykes again. Not only did she know this, but Sykes knew it too. We can assume this because the narrator explains that Sykes one open eye, "could not fail to see the tubs." She was indifferent because she wasn't joyful about Sykes pain, but she wasn't sad either, she simply knew there was nothing she could do. Just as she finally discovered earlier there was nothing she could do about their marriage.
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