The Lost Stradivarius · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Lost Stradivarius by John Meade Falkner.
Chapter 1
Epigraph
The epigraph, drawn from Ecclesiasticus 22:6, sets a somber tone, suggesting that a story told at the wrong time is as discordant as music played during mourning. It foreshadows themes of untimely events and the haunting power of the past.
Chapter 2
The Lost Stradivarius
John Maltravers, a young man of good family and moderate fortune, matriculates at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, where he forms a close friendship with William Gaskell. After purchasing an old wicker chair, John begins to hear strange noises emanating from it, which are triggered by playing a particular piece of music, the Gagliarda. He soon sees the apparition of a man in the chair, a vision that Gaskell confirms is a supernatural presence. During a summer vacation at Worth, John discovers a hidden Stradivarius violin, which he sends to London for appraisal. The discovery is followed by a series of events, including a Christmas at Royston where John falls ill, his marriage to Constance Temple, and a honeymoon. After returning to England, John abandons his family and isolates himself in Italy, where Constance dies, leaving a legacy of family secrets and the haunting power of the past.
Chapter 3
Letter from Miss Sophia Maltravers to Her Nephew, Sir Edward Maltravers, Then a Student at Christ Church, Oxford
Sophia Maltravers writes to her nephew, Sir Edward Maltravers, on his coming of age, fulfilling her late brother's dying request to communicate certain events from his final years. She has compiled the narrative from her own vivid recollections and notes taken at the time of his death, expressing the pain of writing but the importance of sharing the truth directly rather than through distorted accounts from others.
Chapter 4
Miss Sophia Maltravers’ Story
Sophia Maltravers recounts her family's history, including her brother John's obsession with a violin and his subsequent marriage to Constance Temple, which leads to tragedy and John's abandonment of his family.
Chapter 5
I
John Maltravers, a young musician at Magdalen Hall, discovers an old manuscript of suites by Graziani. While playing the 'gagliarda' movement alone, he hears mysterious creaking from a wicker chair, as if someone is sitting and then rising. The next evening, he plays the same suite with his friend Mr. Gaskell, who also notices the strange sounds. Both are unsettled, but they attribute it to acoustic vibrations, though Gaskell admits an eerie feeling that something has been listening.
Chapter 6
II
John Maltravers and Mr. Gaskell continue their nightly musical sessions, during which the wicker chair produces mysterious noises whenever the gagliarda from the 'Areopagita' suite is played. They attribute the phenomenon to acoustical vibrations, but John begins to see a vague, human-like form in the chair. After a brief interruption due to Gaskell's confinement for being out after midnight, they resume playing, and Gaskell reflects on the dance origins of the music, linking it to vivid visions of a bygone revel.
Chapter 7
Chapter III
John Maltravers, while playing the Areopagita suite at dawn, experiences a terrifying supernatural vision: a figure in a wicker chair that has been creaking nightly. The apparition, dressed in century-old clothing, vanishes as suddenly as it appeared. Later that summer, John invites his sister Sophia, Mrs. Temple, and Constance Temple to Oxford for Commemoration festivities, where he becomes strongly attracted to Constance. The chapter ends with a planned evening in St. John's College gardens.
Chapter 8
IV
John Maltravers, still shaken from his supernatural encounter, summons his friend Mr. Gaskell to discuss the apparition. Gaskell theorizes that the music of the gagliarda has a fatal connection to the spirit, possibly linked to past sin or tragedy. They attempt to replay the piece to summon the presence again, but the charm fails, and they part for the Long Vacation.
Chapter 9
V
John Maltravers spends the summer vacation at Worth Maltravers, confiding in his sister Sophia about his love for Constance Temple and the apparition he saw. The chapter describes their idyllic summer, John's continued playing of the gagliarda, and the discovery of the coat of arms on the music book, which provides a rational explanation for part of the mystery.
Chapter 10
Chapter VI
In the autumn term, John Maltravers and Mr. Gaskell resume their musical studies, noting that the wicker chair no longer creaks during the gagliarda. They begin to doubt their earlier supernatural experiences. John discovers that his bookcase is heated by a chimney flue, and with Gaskell's advice, moves it. On the evening of November 14th, after playing music, John notices a picture hanging askew and, while adjusting it, discovers a hidden panel in the wall. Forcing it open, he finds a violin covered in dust and cobwebs.
Chapter 11
VII
John Maltravers discovers a hidden violin in a secret cupboard, which he suspects to be a genuine Stradivarius. He cleans it, compares it to his Pressenda, and finds the label 'Antonius Stradiuarius Cremonensis faciebat, 1704.' He conceals the discovery from his friend Mr. Gaskell and his servant, then takes the violin to London to consult the expert Mr. George Smart, who confirms it is a genuine and exceptionally fine Stradivarius. John begins to consider the question of ownership, realizing the College might have a claim to the instrument.
Chapter 12
Chapter VIII
John returns to Worth Maltravers for Christmas, but his brother notices a change in his manner—he seems distracted and secretive. They are invited to Royston for Christmas, where John's attachment to Constance Temple grows. During a Twelfth-night ball, John faints and is attended by Dr. Empson. While exploring the gallery, the narrator discovers a portrait of Adrian Temple, which exactly matches the apparition John described seeing at Oxford. Mrs. Temple reveals Adrian's wicked history, and the narrator begins to piece together a troubling connection.
Chapter 13
IX
John Maltravers recovers from his illness at Royston, becomes engaged to Constance Temple, and returns to Oxford for his final term. He keeps the Stradivarius violin a secret, playing it alone, and on the last night of term, he and Mr. Gaskell reconcile but part ways after John refuses to play the 'Areopagita' together.
Chapter 14
The Summer and the Wedding
The summer is spent with Mrs. Temple and Constance, with John playing the Stradivarius violin and showing signs of emotional distance. John and Constance marry on September 1st and honeymoon in Italy. Upon their return, John's moodiness and neglect of Constance intensify, culminating in a somber Christmas at Worth Maltravers where John's estrangement becomes apparent to all.
Chapter 15
Chapter XI
Sophia witnesses John's nocturnal violin playing in the gallery, where he obsessively repeats the gagliarda while staring at Adrian Temple's portrait. Later, John attempts to play with Constance but brusquely stops, humiliating her. Months later, Mrs. Temple writes to John about Constance's condition, and he returns for the birth of their child, but his indifference persists.
Chapter 16
XII
Sophia Maltravers receives a desperate plea from her brother John, who is gravely ill in Italy. She travels to Naples, witnessing his deteriorated state. The chapter also covers John's abrupt departure from Royston, Constance's death, and Sophia's journey to bring John home.
Chapter 17
XIII
Sophia Maltravers spends nearly a week at the Villa de Angelis with her brother John, who is gravely ill. He avoids discussing his wife's death and his past conduct, instead reminiscing about their childhood. Sophia discovers unopened letters from Constance, and explores the villa's Roman-inspired decor and eerie caves, which unsettle her. John reveals his wish to show her something in Naples before returning to England.
Chapter 18
XIV
John Maltravers takes his sister to a dilapidated building in Naples, revealing the skeletal remains of Adrian Temple and connecting the location to a vision described by Mr. Gaskell, identifying it as the hall of the Domacavalli family.
Chapter 19
XV
John and his brother return to England, with John's health declining. They stop in London for medical advice from Dr. Frobisher, who diagnoses advanced lung and heart disease. They proceed to Worth Maltravers, where on Christmas morning John is found sleepwalking and playing the violin, causing a terrifying sound. The chapter ends with a peaceful Christmas breakfast with Mr. Gaskell and plans for Mrs. Temple and little Edward to visit.
Chapter 20
Mr. Gaskell’s Note
Mr. Gaskell provides his own account of Sir John Maltravers's decline, attributing it to the influence of a mysterious diary and a Stradivarius violin. He describes how Maltravers became obsessed with the past, abandoned Christianity for Neo-Platonism, and ultimately deteriorated physically and mentally. The chapter culminates in a confession scene where Maltravers, on Christmas morning, attempts to reveal a dark secret but is interrupted by a supernatural presence.
