XXI explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Deception and Appearance

  Mme. Fauvel hides her secret from Madeleine and her husband, while Clameran's public apology masks his true manipulative intentions.

• Suspicion and Trust

  Mme. Fauvel suspects Prosper's guilt despite his innocence, while Madeleine's unwavering trust in Prosper contrasts with the general doubt.

• Secrecy and the Past

  Mme. Fauvel's past fault and the secret of Raoul's parentage drive the current crisis, as she fears exposure and its consequences.

Characters to notice

• Mme. Fauvel

  Tormented by guilt and suspicion, she believes Prosper is complicit in the robbery and struggles with whether to confess her secret to Madeleine.

• Madeleine

  Convinced of Prosper's innocence, she secretly sends him money and urges him to leave France, while resisting Clameran's advances.

• Marquis de Clameran

  Determined to marry Madeleine, he plots to eliminate Raoul as an obstacle and publicly apologizes to M. Fauvel for his earlier rudeness.

• Raoul de Lagors

  His departure leaves Mme. Fauvel in a state of shock; he is the target of Clameran's plot to rid himself of his troublesome accomplice.

• André Fauvel

  Angry about the robbery and Prosper's alleged guilt, he is surprised by Clameran's apologetic visit to the bank.

• Prosper Bertomy

  Accused of the robbery, he is released for lack of evidence; Madeleine sends him money and advice to leave France.

Key passages

• “When he could not untie a knot, he would cut it. Raoul was a stumbling-block to his wishes, and he swore to rid himself of his troublesome accomplice as soon as possible.”

  Unable to solve the problem diplomatically, Clameran decided to eliminate Raoul entirely, viewing him as an obstacle to his plans.

  Illustrates Clameran's ruthless determination to remove Raoul as a barrier to marrying Madeleine.

• “She knew that Mme. Fauvel would be anxious to accept any terms of peace, but she determined to use all her influence to prevent her doing this, and to force upon her the necessity of preserving a dignified silence.”

  Madeleine resolved to stop her aunt from making any concessions to their enemies, insisting instead on maintaining a proud silence.

  Shows Madeleine's strategic resistance against Clameran and Raoul's coercion.

• “The more certain he was of Madeleine’s contempt and dislike, the more determined he was to marry her. His love seemed to be a sort of insane desire to possess and call his own the one being whom he recognized as his superior in every way.”

  Clameran's obsession with Madeleine grew stronger the more she rejected him, driven by a possessive need to control someone he admired as his better.

  Highlights Clameran's twisted motivation and the theme of love and sacrifice.