# XXVII: They Dread That a Witch Has Ridden from the Country Towards Moon's Rising explained — The Charwoman’s Shadow > Chapter companion for The Charwoman’s Shadow by Lord Dunsany. ## What happens Ramon Alonzo and Anemone wander away from the wood, with Anemone's memories of her past fading as she seems younger. Ramon comforts her, but she grows puzzled by talk of the past. They speak of her childhood in Aragona, but Ramon realizes that Aragona is now hostile to him because of his bad shadow. They decide to go to Aragona in the evening to show his shadow is normal, but prejudices die slowly. Peter brings a letter from Ramon's father, which first seems good but then troubles Ramon. Anemone worries about her reception at the Tower due to her low birth, but Ramon reassures her, thinking of Gulvarez as a worse candidate. ## Themes in this chapter ### Illusion vs. Reality Ramon and Anemone's daydreams of a happy future clash with the harsh reality of Aragona's hostility and the prejudice against Ramon's shadow. ### Social Class and Prejudice Anemone fears rejection due to her low birth, while Ramon argues that Gulvarez's known meanness makes Anemone's unknown status preferable. The villagers' prejudice against Ramon's shadow persists. ### Love and Transformation Anemone's transformation back to youth and her love for Ramon overshadow her dark past, but the future remains uncertain. ## Character check-ins ### Ramon Alonzo Wanders with Anemone, comforts her, and plans to return to Aragona despite the hostility against his shadow. He receives a troubling letter from his father. ### Anemone Her memories of the dark house and old age fade; she appears as a girl of seventeen. She worries about her reception at the Tower due to her low birth and suggests they enter Aragona in the evening. ### Peter Brings a letter from Ramon's father to Ramon, and kneels to kiss Anemone's hand as a first greeting from the Tower. ### Gulvarez Mentioned as the neighbor Ramon's father plans to marry Mirandola to; Ramon uses him as a comparison to argue that Anemone's unknown status is better than Gulvarez's known meanness. ### Father Joseph Mentioned as part of the Tower household that Ramon describes to Anemone. ## Key lines > This defeat of invincible youth on a distant day was no more to them than is the thought of defeat to the men of a great army just fresh from their first victory. The idea of growing old seemed as unreal to them as the possibility of losing a battle seems to soldiers who have just won one. _Highlights the theme of time and mortality, showing their youthful optimism._ > And how could she claim to be the one that legend expected? A tale for a winter’s night, with none to doubt it of those that warmed at the fire. But in the open air, with the sun still over the skyline, who would believe her? Anemone wonders how she can prove her story of magic and long years, which seems believable only in the cozy setting of a winter's tale, not in the bright daylight. _Reflects the theme of illusion vs. reality and the difficulty of being believed._ > What if the parents of this splendid young man should refuse to receive one whose natal house was mouldering walls under a sagging roof that was more moss than thatch, upon which oats were growing. Anemone fears that Ramon's parents will reject her because her birthplace is a ruined, moss-covered cottage with oats growing on its roof. _Illustrates the theme of social class and prejudice._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xxvii-they-dread-that-a-witch-has-ridden-from-the-country-towards-moon-s-rising - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters