Orley Farm · Chapter
How Can I Save Him? explained
Mr.
What happens
Mr. Furnival receives a letter from Lady Mason explaining her engagement to Sir Peregrine and her desire to break it off. After a tense domestic scene with Mrs. Furnival, Lady Mason visits his chambers in distress, revealing her deep anxiety for her son Lucius and her resolve to end the engagement to protect Sir Peregrine.
Themes in this chapter
Truth and Deception
Lady Mason's letter and visit reveal her hidden motives and the tension between her public engagement and private resolve to break it.
Reputation and Scandal
Mr. Furnival fears the scandal of Lady Mason marrying Sir Peregrine; Mrs. Furnival's jealousy threatens household reputation.
Gender and Power
Mr. Furnival's inability to control his wife's actions and Lady Mason's reliance on male protectors highlight gender dynamics.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Furnival
Receives Lady Mason's letter, faces marital strife with Mrs. Furnival, and meets with Lady Mason in his chambers.
- Lady Mason
Visits Mr. Furnival's chambers, dressed in deep mourning, trembling and distressed; expresses her resolve to break off the engagement with Sir Peregrine out of concern for him and her son.
- Mrs. Furnival
Confronts Mr. Furnival, refuses to live with him, and leaves the drawing-room; sends a message that she will not come down to breakfast.
- Sir Peregrine Orme
Mentioned as the man Lady Mason is engaged to; she is determined to break the engagement to protect him.
- Lucius Mason
Lady Mason's son; her anxiety for him is a key reason for her distress.
- Martha Biggs
Mentioned as Mrs. Furnival's chief lieutenant; sends a message through the servant.
Key passages
“I will not consent to live with you while such deeds as these are being done.”
Mrs. Furnival declares she will no longer cohabit with her husband due to his involvement with Lady Mason.
This ultimatum sets the stage for the marital crisis in the chapter.
“I do not wish to marry him. I have resolved to tell him so.”
Lady Mason states her intention to break off the engagement with Sir Peregrine.
She confides this to Mr. Furnival, revealing her inner conflict.
“My boy!”
Lady Mason cries out in anguish over her son Lucius.
Her maternal fear is a central emotional driver in the scene.