The Elusive Pimpernel · Chapter
The Challenge explained
At Lady Blakeney's soirée, Désirée Candeille, goaded by Chauvelin, insults Juliette de Marny over her mother's jewels.
What happens
At Lady Blakeney's soirée, Désirée Candeille, goaded by Chauvelin, insults Juliette de Marny over her mother's jewels. Marguerite defends Juliette, but the quarrel escalates. Sir Percy Blakeney intervenes with courtly grace, and Chauvelin challenges him to a duel. Sir Percy accepts, proposing to fight in France, with the Prince of Wales and other guests as witnesses.
Themes in this chapter
Honor and Dishonor
Chauvelin challenges Sir Percy to a duel to avenge Candeille's honor; Sir Percy's acceptance underscores the code of honor among gentlemen.
Deception and Disguise
Chauvelin orchestrates the quarrel as a calculated plot, using Candeille as a pawn to provoke a confrontation.
Class and Aristocracy
The conflict between the aristocratic émigrés (Juliette) and the revolutionary actress (Candeille) highlights class tensions.
Characters to notice
- Marguerite Blakeney
Defends Juliette and tries to end the quarrel; senses Chauvelin's machinations.
- Sir Percy Blakeney
Intervenes with elaborate courtesy, accepts Chauvelin's duel challenge.
- Citizen Chauvelin
Orchestrates the scene, challenges Sir Percy to a duel.
- Juliette Marny
Confronts Candeille over her mother's jewels; tearful and ashamed.
- Désirée Candeille
Insults Juliette, wears the stolen jewels, and demands satisfaction.
- Prince of Wales
Observes the quarrel and interposes his authority.
- Sir Andrew Ffoulkes
Present in the doorway with the Prince and Lord Tony.
- Lord Anthony Dewhurst
Present in the doorway with the Prince and Sir Andrew.
Key passages
“Your old calotin was made to part with his booty, m'dear. Paris and France have been starving these many years past: a paternal government seized all it could with which to reward those that served it well, whilst all that would have been brought, bread and meat for the poor, was being greedily stowed away by shameless traitors!”
Candeille accuses the Abbé Foucquet of being forced to surrender the jewels, justifying the Revolutionary government's confiscations as necessary to feed the starving while condemning aristocrats as greedy traitors.
Candeille uses revolutionary rhetoric to justify the theft of Juliette's family jewels.
“Sir Percy, since you will not offer Mademoiselle Candeille the apology which she has the right to expect from you, are you prepared that you and I should cross swords like honourable gentlemen?”
Chauvelin demands that Sir Percy either apologize to Candeille or agree to a duel.
Chauvelin formalizes the challenge, invoking the code of honor.
“Oh! I have accepted his challenge, of course!”
Sir Percy casually confirms that he has agreed to duel Chauvelin.
Sir Percy's lighthearted tone contrasts with the seriousness of the duel.