Blind Corner · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Blind Corner by Dornford Yates.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates the book to Norman Kenneth Stephen, a former Senior Assistant Master at Harrow School, acknowledging him as the first to demonstrate that the English language is accessible to all, though few can master it.
Chapter 2
Blind Corner
The chapter follows Chandos as he navigates a complex web of pursuit and deception. He overhears a conversation between Ellis and a mysterious stranger, revealing a plot against him. Chandos then meets Mansel and Hanbury, who are also involved in the intrigue. The group races towards Wagensburg, where they are forestalled by Ellis. The chapter culminates in a tense confrontation at a well, where an attack occurs and the discovery of an oubliette adds to the mystery.
Chapter 3
I: The Well-Digger’s Statement
The narrator, Richard William Chandos, recounts his return from Biarritz to England, stopping on the road near Chartres where he overhears a heated argument between two men, one named Ellis and another who reveals a secret about a treasure. Chandos later meets with his friend Hanbury and a man named Mansel, who proposes a plan to acquire Wagensburg and lift a hidden treasure, warning of Ellis's dangerous nature. They agree to follow Mansel's conditions and begin preparations, including hiring servants Bell and Rowley.
Chapter 4
II: The Way to Wagensburg
Chandos encounters Ellis in London, realizing the danger of their secret. Mansel arranges for Chandos and Hanbury to travel separately, while he drives ahead. They reunite in Boulogne and proceed to Wagensburg, where they inspect the castle and its famous well, setting the stage for their plan.
Chapter 5
III: The Battle with the Springs
Mansel, Chandos, and Hanbury confront the house-agent, revealing Ellis's fraudulent option on Wagensburg. Mansel secures a lease and purchase agreement, outmaneuvering Ellis. They take possession of Wagensburg and fortify their position. Later, Ellis and his party arrive, leading to a tense standoff at the well where Mansel refuses to be intimidated and orders them off the property.
Chapter 6
IV: The Attack on the Well
Mansel, trapped in the well's shaft, recounts the enemy's attack. He ascends to avoid the intruder, but is forced to hide in the chamber behind iron bars. Above ground, Chandos and Hanbury are captured and bound by Rose Noble's gang. The gang discovers Mansel is in the well and attempts to haul him up, but instead pulls up the innkeeper. Chandos and Hanbury are freed by Hanbury, and they join Bell, Carson, and Rowley in a counterattack.
Chapter 7
V: We Go to Ground
The chapter opens with the group recovering from the previous night's attack, establishing a defensive position in the castle's harness-room. They plan to relocate their base to the oubliette, using a shoot for supplies, and to leave Wagensburg to mislead Rose Noble. Mansel takes compass bearings to determine the direction for digging a new shaft, while Chandos observes the enemy's activities from the roof, noting their slow progress building a wall. Mansel devises a plan to draw the enemy into the combe to allow for surveying, and they prepare to execute this feint.
Chapter 8
VI: Tester Gives Tongue
The chapter details the establishment of three bases for the treasure hunt, the division of labor into pairs, and the routine of rotating shifts. Mansel confronts Punter and Job at the well, mocking their futile efforts. Later, while the group is at the quarry, Tester barks, alerting them to a stranger. Chandos chases the stranger but loses him, leaving the group uneasy about the encounter.
Chapter 9
VII: Rose Noble Moves
Mansel analyzes the threat posed by the tanner who spied on them, deducing he may inform the innkeeper and lead the thieves to their hiding place. The group continues their work, shoring up a bulging tunnel and bringing in supplies. Mansel visits the inn at Lerai, learning the landlord's wife believes her husband has thrown in his lot with the thieves. Chandos returns to the dungeon to find Rose Noble has taken possession, having come up the well. Rose Noble attempts to force Chandos to reveal their plans, threatening torture, but Chandos refuses. A struggle ensues in the dark when Rose Noble's torch goes out, and Chandos flees up the ramp, only to be cornered as Rose Noble descends to admit Ellis and Job.
Chapter 10
VIII: The Race for the Chamber
The chapter opens with a council where the group decides to close their bases and work continuously until the treasure is found. They realize the enemy now numbers eight, including the tanner's brother, and that Rose Noble knows of a second entrance to the oubliette. Mansel plans for a final reconnaissance and sets up defensive measures. They break into the 'live ground' and work frantically, discovering water below the shaft floor, which indicates they are level with the chamber. Mansel organizes shifts and prepares for a potential attack, building breastworks and setting an electric alarm.
Chapter 11
IX: Out of the Eater
The chapter details the group's entrapment in the oubliette, their desperate attempts to escape, and their eventual flight with the treasure. After breaking through the wall, they navigate the shaft and well, evade the thieves, and make their way across borders, ultimately dividing the spoils in London.
