Victorians! discussion

Owen decides to take action to uncover the truth of the Manston mystery. A rebuke from Edward set him straight. Cytherea is not too willing but acquiesces to Owen's decision. With the help of Edward, they look for clues to unravel the mystery.

Manston shows his true colours as the villain. Upto this point, I was giving him the benefit of the doubt, but he is nothing but a good schemer and a great actor. His intention of bringing a woman claiming to be his wife is quite puzzling, for we find out the new lady is not his first wife. The drama is heightened with each chapter.

What are your thoughts on this segment?

During this section I had to remind myself that this wasn’t a Wilkie Collins ‘sensation’ novel as it became more similar in style to some chapters of his detective stories. I became a little perplexed, asking myself,….. Is she or isn’t she (dead)? And, did he know or didn’t he know (that she was alive/dead)? Could Hardy have entitled the book ‘Dead or Alive?’ to mimic Collins, or even ‘The Law and the Ladies!’

There was significance in the difference between Edward Springrove’s honest endeavours to find information about Manston’s first wife and Aeneas Manston’s furtive, sneaky, dishonest attempts to cover his tracks. I felt sorry for the postman, who could easily have been dismissed if he had been found drunk on duty. Yet another example of Manston’s disregard for anyone but himself.

Regarding Cytherea’s visit to the rector, I was amazed to read that Hardy was suggesting that the pious luminary of the village had fallen in love with her.

’In short, he had been on the verge of feeling towards her that passion to which his dignified self-respect would not give its true name, even in the privacy of his own thought.’

Sensation indeed, but maybe Cytherea was the type that everyone fell in love with. And like Cytherea, Manston could charm the opposite sex, but in a much more devilish way. He seemed to be turning out to be someone who collected and used women for his own devious purposes, whatever they may be. Truly despicable.

What complications in these chapters! Another woman turns up, and Manston is even more evil than before, f.e. with using the postman to get Edward´s letter.

I wondered how Cytherea knew the colour of Mrs. Manston´s eyes. And Owen´s attempt to find out how the wrong Mrs. Manston´s eyes looked was nearly comic.

It´s true that it becomes more and more of a mystery where you´re looking ahead to the solution.

Michaela wrote: "I wondered how Cytherea knew the colour of Mrs. Manston´s eyes..."

It was stated in a letter Cytherea received from Mrs. Morrison.

Piyangie wrote: "Michaela wrote: "I wondered how Cytherea knew the colour of Mrs. Manston´s eyes..."

It was stated in a letter Cytherea received from Mrs. Morrison."

Ah yes, thanks Piyangie.

Yes, this is as intriguing as a Collins novel. And I love the particulars of the postal service, as Trollope was wont to do.

This section adds even more convolutions to the plot, and my head is spinning! Now there are three possible wives for Manston, and poor Cytherea seems to be working against herself in proving that Manston's current woman in residence is not his legal wife, so I'm not sure why they don't simply accept his assertion that she is his legal wife and have her marriage annulled. I also don't understand why we don't hear much about the sentiment in the village or surrounding area, or of Miss Aldclyffe, about the Manston's and Cytherea.

Anne Seaway remarks that Miss Aldclyffe avoids her. Didn't Miss Aldclyffe have an interview with the real Mrs Manston? So she knows?

Seems not? But Farmer Springrove has seen the original...