📖 About This Book · Starvecrow Farm · by Stanley J. Weyman
First published in 1905 by LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. NEW YORK LONDON AND BOMBAY
Setting: Lake District, 1819 – a period of post-war economic depression, political unrest, and radical agitation.
Key Themes: elopement and romantic idealism · class conflict · political radicalism · surveillance and authority · women's independence.
Major Characters: Henrietta (young heroine) · Captain Anthony Clyne (naval officer, conservative, Henrietta's former suitor).
Plot Arc: The novel follows the elopement of Henrietta and Alan Stewart, their flight through the Lake District, and the shadow of pursuit and political conspiracy that hangs over their romance.
Chapter XIII · A Jealous Woman
Summary
- Alan Stewart hides in the stairway at Hinkson's farm, terrified that Henrietta will betray him. He creeps to the window to see if anyone is approaching but sees nothing.
- Bess Hinkson returns and finds him frightened. He tells her that Henrietta saw him. Bess is more jealous than afraid, suspecting that Henrietta came by arrangement.
- Stewart fears that Henrietta will inform the authorities and have him arrested. Bess tries to calm him, insisting that Henrietta is too proud to testify against him.
- Bess gives Stewart a letter from Thistlewood, which he reads eagerly. The letter reveals that Thistlewood and other radicals are fleeing Lancashire because it is too dangerous, and they plan to come to the Lake District.
- Stewart is furious, as their arrival will only bring more attention to his hiding place. They want him to send a boat to fetch them from Newby Bridge.
- Bess proposes kidnapping Henrietta to prevent her from talking. Stewart resists at first, still feeling some lingering loyalty to her, but ultimately yields to Bess's pressure.
- Bess forces Stewart to write a letter to Henrietta, luring her to a meeting. He writes it reluctantly, feeling sickened by the task.
- Stewart tries to regain his self-respect by talking about the French Revolution and the rise of men like Henriot, Tallien, and Ney. Bess questions him about Thistlewood and the other radicals.
- Stewart becomes afraid of what might happen to Henrietta if she falls into the hands of Giles and Lunt, whom he describes as brutal men from the slums of Spitalfields.
📖 Glossary of Period Terms
- Vista
- A long, narrow view, often through a line of trees or buildings; figuratively, a prospect or outlook.
- Cur
- A worthless or contemptible person; originally a mongrel dog.
- Blow the gaff
- To reveal a secret or inform on someone.
- Blandishment
- Flattering or coaxing words intended to persuade.
- Saturnine
- Gloomy, dark, or sullen in temperament.
Analysis
- Bess's Jealousy and Power: Bess's jealousy of Henrietta is a driving force in this chapter. She is not merely afraid of discovery; she is bitterly resentful of the girl who once had Stewart's affection. Her hatred of Henrietta's class and beauty makes her eager to see her humiliated. The chapter shows her taking control of the situation, forcing Stewart to act against his own conscience.
- Stewart's Weakness: Stewart is revealed as a coward and a weakling. His earlier revolutionary rhetoric is exposed as hollow when he is faced with real danger. He is terrified of capture, willing to sacrifice others to save himself, and ultimately yields to Bess's stronger will. His attempt to regain dignity by talking about the French Revolution is a pathetic gesture.
- The Radicals' Flight: The letter from Thistlewood reveals that the radicals are fleeing Lancashire because of Captain Clyne's activities. This connects the political plot to the personal drama. The radicals are not heroic revolutionaries but desperate men on the run, willing to endanger Stewart to save themselves.
- Moral Corruption: Stewart's decision to write the letter luring Henrietta is a moral turning point. He knows it is wrong, but he does it anyway. His self-justification is weak: he blames fate and his misfortune, refusing to accept responsibility. The chapter shows how fear can corrupt even a man with some remaining decency.
- Class and Cruelty: Stewart's description of Giles and Lunt as "low brutes" from Spitalfields reveals his own class prejudice. He despises them even as he relies on them. The chapter suggests that revolutionary idealism often attracts people from all classes, but that the lower-class elements are often the most ruthless.
- The French Revolution as a Model: Stewart's invocation of Henriot, Tallien, and Ney is significant. These were men who rose from low origins to power during the French Revolution, but many of them also fell violently. Stewart's admiration for them is a form of self-justification: he imagines himself as a future leader, not as a frightened fugitive.
This phrase alludes to the biblical story of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, in which a great statue with a head of gold, chest of silver, and feet of clay is destroyed by a stone shattering its feet. "Feet of clay" is used to describe a person with a fundamental weakness or flaw beneath an impressive exterior. Here, it suggests that Bess is beginning to see Stewart's flaws, though she still loves him.
These were figures from the French Revolution and Napoleonic era. François Henriot was a general of the National Guard who played a key role in the overthrow of the Girondins. Jean-Lambert Tallien was a politician who rose from obscurity to become a leading figure in the Thermidorian Reaction. Michel Ney was a Marshal of France who began as a cooper's son and rose to prominence under Napoleon, later being executed for his role in the Hundred Days.
Spitalfields was a district in East London, known in the 18th and 19th centuries for its poverty, overcrowding, and high crime rates. It was a centre for silk weaving, which attracted Huguenot refugees, but also became a notorious slum. The area was associated with radical politics and social unrest, making it a recruiting ground for revolutionaries.
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