# VIII: Sister Agnes and the Portrait explained — Short Fiction

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

## What happens

After Ultor De Lacy's death, his daughter Alice discovers a portrait among his effects that horrifyingly matches a phantom from her memory. A narrative reveals that in 1601, Walter De Lacy executed Roderic O'Donnell, who cursed the De Lacy family. The portrait was used to warn children of the lineage. Old Miss Croker heard the story from Alice, now Sister Agnes, a nun in Dublin.

## Themes in this chapter

### Supernatural and the Uncanny

The portrait accurately depicts a phantom that haunted Alice, and the curse of Roderic O'Donnell manifests as a supernatural threat to the De Lacy lineage.

### Guilt and Retribution

Walter De Lacy's execution of O'Donnell, seen as cruel, leads to a curse that seeks retribution against the family.

### Folklore and Local Tradition

The story is preserved as a local tale, with the portrait used to warn children of the family's cursed history.

## Character check-ins

### Ultor de Lacy

Recently deceased; his daughter Alice finds the portrait among his effects.

### Ally Moran

Alice De Lacy, daughter of Ultor, who discovers the portrait and becomes Sister Agnes.

### Aunt Margaret

Old Miss Croker of Ross House, who relates the story and spoke with Sister Agnes.

## Key lines

> When she looked on it, she recoiled in horror. There, in the plenitude of its sinister peculiarities, was faithfully portrayed the phantom which lived with a vivid and horrible accuracy in her remembrance.

Alice was horrified to see that the portrait exactly matched the terrifying ghost she remembered.

_Highlights the supernatural connection between the portrait and Alice's past experience._

> he swore that though he could work them no evil before his death, yet that he would devote himself thereafter to blast the greatness of the De Lacys, and never leave them till his work was done.

O'Donnell vowed that after his execution, he would haunt and destroy the De Lacy family.

_Establishes the curse as a central supernatural element._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_31_se/chapters/viii-sister-agnes-and-the-portrait
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_31_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_31_se/chapters