# IV: From Mrs. Drake to George Bartram explained — No Name

> Chapter companion for No Name by Wilkie Collins.

## What happens

Mrs. Drake writes to George Bartram, reporting unsettling events at St. Crux: a parlormaid was caught prying into private documents, Admiral Bartram has fallen seriously ill after receiving a disappointing letter from George, and the admiral wandered in his sleep, worsening his condition. She urges George to return home.

## Themes in this chapter

### Secrecy and Revelation

The parlormaid's clandestine prying into private documents and the admiral's hidden sleepwalking episode underscore themes of concealed actions and the gradual revelation of troubling truths.

### Family and Betrayal

The admiral's distress over a disappointing letter from George hints at familial discord or betrayal, while the maid's treachery within the household reflects broken trust.

## Character check-ins

### Mrs. Drake

Writes the letter to George Bartram, detailing the troubling events at St. Crux and expressing concern for the admiral's health.

### George Bartram

The recipient of Mrs. Drake's letter; his absence and a disappointing letter from him have contributed to the admiral's distress.

### Admiral Bartram

The admiral is seriously ill, having caught a severe cold and suffered a relapse after sleepwalking; his health is declining.

### Old Mazey

Assists Mrs. Drake in watching over the admiral; his hard breathing and hearing difficulties are noted.

## Key lines

> Early in the month a most regrettable circumstance took place. Our new parlormaid was discovered by Mr. Mazey, at a late hour of the night (with her master’s basket of keys in her possession), prying into the private documents kept in the east library.

At the beginning of the month, a troubling incident occurred: Mr. Mazey caught the new parlormaid late at night, holding the master's keys and snooping through confidential papers in the east library.

_Highlights the breach of trust and secrecy that sets off the chapter's events._

> I have never, in all the years I have passed in the admiral’s service, seen him so distressingly upset, and so unlike himself, as he was on that day.

In all my years working for the admiral, I have never seen him so deeply distressed and out of character as he was that day.

_Emphasizes the unusual severity of the admiral's reaction to the letter from George._

> The door was open, and the bed was empty.

The door stood open, and the bed was vacant.

_A concise, dramatic moment revealing the admiral's sleepwalking and the failure of their watch._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iv-from-mrs-drake-to-george-bartram
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/no_name_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/no_name_se/chapters