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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Week 16
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There is a lot of buildup in this section to what I assume will be the final clashes between the two magicians! It seems that Flora still takes a fancy for Mr. strange even though she denies it now that Arabella may be back on the scene. Surely he will not agree to Flora's request to stop practicing magic however! I'm still trying to understand what role the dark pillar plays in the conflict.
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Hugh wrote: "Even at this stage a lot of options are being held open. I look forward to your thoughts on the rest of the book!"That's very true ! It's interesting to see the reappearance of characters that have been missing for awhile.
This section covers chapters 58 to 60, in which news of Strange comes back to England, Drawlight comes to Venice and further strange events accompany Strange in Venice and Verona.
Chapter summaries (spoilers aplenty):
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58. Henry Woodhope pays a visit
Henry brings Strange’s letters to Norrell. Norrell says he is the only man in England who can understand them. Lascelles is also there. Norrell assures Henry that Strange’s tale is imagination and is untrue. Lascelles says his correspondents in Italy have reported the darkness. Norrell wonders how they can bring Strange back to England, and asks Henry to go to Venice to persuade him. Henry says that Strange had been depressed but his mood had changed in Genoa, and his letters were full of praise for a young lady. Norrell asks about a letter that mentions Strange doing something Henry refused to. Henry says that they dug up Arabella’s grave and the servants reported seeing a log where the coffin should have been. All Henry can recall about Strange’s companions is a surname beginning with Grey. Norrell asks to borrow the letters. Lascelles tells Norrell they should send somebody to Venice. Norrell says he cannot spare Lascelles, which Lascelles says is just as well because he suspects Childermass of sympathising with Strange. Lascelles pays various London low-life characters money which he says is charity. Wellington returns from Paris to discuss the future of the occupation, and Liverpool tells him Strange has gone mad. Wellington does not believe him, saying that magicians often seem mad. Wellington believes Strange has his reasons. They tell Wellington about the shroud of darkness. Wellington suggests writing to the Austrians. A bookseller publishes a book called “The Black letters”, and it is rumoured that Norrell has paid for this. Henry denies any involvement, and claims the letters have been edited, removing all references to Lady Pole and with other additions. A friend of Byron’s threatens to sue Norrell, but nobody believes his oath, as they do not believe he owns a Bible.
59. Leucrocuta, the Wolf of the Evening
Dr Greysteel steps out and sees a small man sheltering from the wind. He looks like a down-at-heel fop. He leaves the doorway and asks if Greysteel is Mr Greyfield, the friend of the magician. Greysteel says yes and corrects his name. The man says he has come from London. Greysteel offers to take the man to a coffee house. He sees a wave forming in the canal, that develops watery fingers that try to drag the man in. In the coffee house the man tells Greysteel some of the stories circulating about Strange. He asks about Greysteel’s daughter. He says that Strange has killed his wife and Norrell is determined to see him punished. Greysteel does not believe him. The man eventually admits his name is Drawlight. Greysteel has heard about the scandal and scorns him. Other witnesses see the water following Drawlight. Greysteel warns all of the friends he knows not to talk to Drawlight, who turns his attention to servants and gondoliers. He manages to spread rumours about Strange and his alleged abuse of Miss Greysteel, and that he shares Byron’s mistresses. Drawlight invites Frank to a wine shop. He asks if Frank would like to live in London, and says he could help in return for services. Drawlight says he fears something bad will happen to Greysteel and his daughter, and talks of Arabella’s murder. Frank takes Drawlight to show him something, leads him into the darkness and throws him into the canal, cursing him. The water bears him away to some stone steps. He finds himself in darkness and sees stars. He finds a church and sees a man lying on the steps. He leans over the figure, who turns and says that he knows him. Drawlight tries to laugh but brays. The man tells Drawlight he is a Leucrocuta, a wolf of the evening who preys on men and women. He returns Drawlight to human form, and persuades him to talk, and he admits working for Norrell and Lascelles. Strange asks for his help, asking Drawlight if he knows where Lady Pole is. Drawlight mentions Starecross Hall. He gives Drawlight the little box to take to Childermass, and gives him a message for to take to all magicians in England, that “tree speaks to stone, stone speaks to water”, and says if he performs the three tasks he will take no revenge. Drawlight says he has only told him two tasks. Strange asks Drawlight for water, he finds some and Strange gives him a phial telling him to put six drops into it. Strange drinks the mixture. Drawlight smells something rotten and senses magic, and sees strange visions. He comes to, seeing Strange by a wall which becomes a raven and flies off. Drawlight asks for the third message, which is to tell Norrell that Strange is coming. Drawlight runs off and falls headlong across a bridge. He finds himself back in Venice, soaked, in a strange part of the city. He finds his way to his lodgings, and lies in a fever having strange dreams for two days. He then finds a ship bound for England and shows the captain the papers Lascelles has given him. Stephen is depressed, and goes to the stables, seeing Sir Walter’s new greyhounds. The gentleman with thistle-down hair appears. He starts telling a story, and stops, asking if Stephen if he feels shaking. He senses something else talking to the sky, the ravens and the stones. They fly off and see a dark pillar, coming to rest over Venice. Just above the houses, some of the darkness billows off like smoke, and Stephen sees ravens leaving the tower and heading for England. The gentleman understands that he is being challenged.
60. Tempest and lies
Aunt Greysteel has rented a house in Padua, but finds it gloomy and worries about Flora. She tries to make the house as bright as possible. A great storm comes from the direction of Venice. Flora steps onto the balcony into the storm. She sees someone in the street. They bring Flora in and dry her, but she flees the room. The shutters are closed, but they find that Flora has gone. The aunt wonders about Strange and the fate of his wife. She comes back to the drawing room and sees another woman in a dark old-fashioned gown. She steps towards the woman who also steps forward, and sees a mirror between them. She goes back to Flora’s room and finds Flora pulling her wet gown over her head. Flora says she has been out to buy embroidery silk and is not scared of the rain. Her shawl is in a bundle. Flora takes a little bottle of amber liquid from the shawl and puts it in a drawer. The aunt tells her about the mirror, and Flora says it is hers. The aunt goes to the kitchen and finds two men talking to her servants. They say that the storm has been made by the English magician to hide the movement of the pillar of darkness. She becomes convinced Flora is lying to her, and writes to Dr Greysteel in Venice. He arrives the next day before the letter could have reached him. He tells them everyone in Venice saw the pillar of darkness move across the sea, and he guessed that Strange wanted to visit Flora, but says that Strange is now back in Venice. Flora admits that Strange was the man she saw in the street. She says he has been practicing a form of magic that endangers him, but that she has persuaded him to give it up. She says she is helping him out of friendship, on behalf of his wife. Dr Greysteel proposes resuming their travels, but Flora wants to remain in Padua. She proposes an outing to the coast, to go out to sea on a boat. They persuade some fishermen to take them. They go out to see and Dr Greysteel smells cats. The aunt sees a little bottle floating away and sinking. They return to shore. Flora stays in her room by the mirror, comparing the room with its reflection.
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