Lorna Doone · Chapter
A Long Account Settled explained
John Ridd and his band of yeomen, miners, and farmers launch a night assault on the Doone stronghold.
What happens
John Ridd and his band of yeomen, miners, and farmers launch a night assault on the Doone stronghold. Using the waterslide to enter from the rear, they set fire to Doone-town and ambush the returning warriors. In the ensuing slaughter, nearly all Doones are killed, including Charleworth Doone, who dies in a mutual killing with Kit Badcock. Only Counsellor Doone and Carver Doone survive. John reflects on the violence and questions divine judgment.
Themes in this chapter
Justice and Revenge
The attack on the Doones is framed as a long-overdue reckoning, with each man seeking vengeance for personal losses, yet John questions the morality of the slaughter.
Family and Loyalty
Kit Badcock's revenge is driven by the loss of his wife and child, highlighting the theme of family honor and loyalty.
Honor and Reputation
The yeomen and farmers are motivated by the need to restore their honor and community reputation after years of Doone depredations.
Characters to notice
- John Ridd
Leads the night assault on the Doone valley, organizing the attack and climbing the waterslide; later hesitates to fire but ultimately participates in the slaughter.
- Uncle Reuben Huckaback
Provides counsel, influence, and warehousemen for the attack, though he does not expose himself to danger due to his age.
- John Fry
Stationed on the heights to fire a signal musket; initially thought to have fallen asleep but eventually fires, starting the assault.
- Kit Badcock
Seeks revenge on Charleworth Doone for stealing his wife; kills Charley in a mutual death struggle, then dies himself.
- Charleworth Doone
A Doone warrior who robbed Kit Badcock of his wife; killed by Kit in the battle.
- Carver Doone
One of the only two Doones left alive after the massacre; not present in the main fight.
Key passages
“Having resolved on a night-assault (as our undisciplined men, three-fourths of whom had never been shot at, could not fairly be expected to march up to visible musket-mouths), we cared not much about drilling our forces, only to teach them to hold a musket, so far as we could supply that weapon to those with the cleverest eyes; and to give them familiarity with the noise it made in exploding.”
We decided on a night attack because most of our men were untrained and would panic facing enemy guns; we focused on basic musket handling and getting them used to the sound of gunfire.
John explains the tactical decision to attack at night due to the inexperience of his men.
“All Doone-town is on fire, on fire! we heard them shrieking as they went; 'a hundred soldiers are burning it, with a dreadful great man at the head of them!'”
The Doone women screamed that a hundred soldiers were burning their town, led by a terrifying giant.
The Doone women spread panic, exaggerating the size of the attacking force.
“I like not to tell of slaughter, though it might be of wolves and tigers; and that was a night of fire and slaughter, and of very long-harboured revenge.”
I dislike describing the killing, even if it were of wild beasts; that night was filled with fire, death, and revenge long held in check.
John expresses his reluctance to recount the violence, acknowledging the deep-seated revenge motive.