Squire Faggus Makes Some Lucky Hits explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Social Class and Inequality

  Tom Faggus, a former highwayman turned squire, is judged by his birth and past; John and his mother feel he lacks deference to a 'high lady' like Lorna.

• Love and Sacrifice

  John defends Lorna's worth beyond her necklace, valuing her person above all material wealth, and risks family safety to keep her as a guest.

• Honor and Reputation

  Tom's honesty is questioned due to his past; John and his mother are concerned with maintaining proper conduct and reputation in their household.

Characters to notice

• John Ridd

  Narrator; defends Lorna's honor and is proud of her beauty and grace; reflects on his own temper and the folly of satire.

• Lorna Doone

  Guest at the Ridd home; dines with the family; Tom Faggus recognizes her necklace as valuable diamonds and recalls seeing her as a child.

• Tom Faggus

  Squire and former highwayman; engaged to Annie; identifies Lorna's necklace as brilliants; recalls having seen Lorna as a child.

• Annie Ridd

  John's sister; engaged to Tom Faggus; serves as hostess and is vexed by Tom's gaze at Lorna.

• Mistress Ridd

  John's mother; concerned about propriety and Tom's past; calls Lorna 'the young mistress' and defends her dignity.

• Betty Muxworthy

  Servant; waits at the high dinner.

• Gwenny Carfax

  Servant; attends to the gravy during dinner.

Key passages

• “But Lorna had some curiosity to know what this famous man was like, and declared that she would by all means have the pleasure of dining with him, if he did not object to her company on the ground of the Doones' dishonesty.”

  Lorna was curious about Tom Faggus and insisted on dining with him, provided he didn't mind her being associated with the Doones' bad reputation.

  Lorna shows independence and a desire to meet Tom despite her own family's infamy.

• “The necklace, you great oaf, the necklace is worth all your farm put together, and your Uncle Ben's fortune to the back of it; ay, and all the town of Dulverton.”

  Tom tells John that Lorna's necklace is worth more than John's entire farm, his uncle's fortune, and the whole town of Dulverton combined.

  Tom reveals the immense value of Lorna's heirloom necklace, surprising John and his mother.

• “For it strikes me that of all human dealings, satire is the very lowest, and most mean and common. It is the equivalent in words of what bullying is in deeds; and no more bespeaks a clever man, than the other does a brave one.”

  John reflects that satire is the meanest form of human interaction, comparing it to bullying in actions, and says it shows neither cleverness nor bravery.

  John moralizes on the cruelty of satire, regretting his own past use of it against Eliza.