# III: Lewis Pyneweck explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by J. Sheridan Le Fanu.

## What happens

Judge Harbottle's footman is attacked by a disguised Mr. Peters, who escapes after knocking him unconscious. The Judge, furious yet secretly pleased, deduces the attack was a failed attempt to intimidate him. He resolves to try Lewis Pyneweck, a former grocer with a grudge, despite his own past wrongdoing against him. The Judge's housekeeper, Pyneweck's estranged wife, pleads for leniency but is rebuffed. Harbottle later notes the resemblance between Peters and Pyneweck, but confirms the prisoner is still in jail.

## Themes in this chapter

### Corruption and Injustice

Judge Harbottle abuses his judicial power, planning to hang Pyneweck out of personal spite rather than justice, and shows no remorse for past wrongs.

### Guilt and Retribution

The Judge's past wrong against Pyneweck haunts him through the attempted trick, yet he feels no guilt; the theme of retribution is inverted as the guilty judge seeks to punish the victim.

## Character check-ins

### Judge Harbottle

The hanging judge, determined to try Lewis Pyneweck despite a past wrong; dismisses the attack as a failed trick and shows no remorse.

### Mr. Peters

Disguised as a feeble old man, he attacks the footman and escapes; his features resemble Lewis Pyneweck.

### Mrs. Pyneweck

The Judge's housekeeper and estranged wife of Lewis Pyneweck; she pleads for her husband but is mocked by the Judge.

### Lewis Pyneweck

The prisoner in Shrewsbury jail, a former grocer with a grudge against the Judge; his identity is confirmed as still incarcerated.

## Key lines

> The street was silent and deserted. The footman had hardly descended to what he termed his 'hunkers,' and begun to search the pavement about the spot which the old man indicated, when Mr. Peters, who seemed very much exhausted, and breathed with difficulty, struck him a violent blow, from above, over the back of the head with a heavy instrument, and then another; and leaving him bleeding and senseless in the gutter, ran like a lamplighter down a lane to the right, and was gone.

In a quiet, empty street, the footman crouched down to search for a dropped guinea as the old man directed, but Mr. Peters, feigning exhaustion, suddenly struck him twice on the head with a heavy object, knocking him unconscious, then fled swiftly down a side lane.

_Describes the violent ambush of the footman by the disguised Mr. Peters._

> In hanging that fellow he could not be wrong. The eye of a man accustomed to look upon the dock could not fail to read 'villain' written sharp and clear in his plotting face.

Judge Harbottle believed that executing Pyneweck was justified, as his experienced eye could unmistakably see villainy in the man's face.

_Reveals the Judge's arrogant certainty in his own judgment and his disregard for due process._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_31_se/chapters/iii-lewis-pyneweck
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_31_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_31_se/chapters