# XXI: Hilton explained — The Portent

> Chapter companion for The Portent by George MacDonald.

## What happens

Duncan returns to Hilton village, hoping to find news of Lady Alice. He meets an old soldier, Wood, who helps him gather information. The gardener reveals that Lady Alice is still at the Hall, but completely mad, quiet and gentle. Duncan is devastated, but resolves to see her, thinking that her soul might still be within reach. He plans to call on Mrs. Blakesley at the lodge.

## Themes in this chapter

### Isolation and Connection

Duncan feels utterly isolated from Alice, yet the possibility of a connection through her somnambulic state keeps him hopeful.

### Madness and Identity

Lady Alice's madness is described as a state where her soul is 'out of sight', raising questions about her true identity.

### Love and Sacrifice

Duncan's love for Alice persists even in her madness, and he is willing to sacrifice his own life for her.

## Character check-ins

### Duncan Campbell

Returns to Hilton in disguise, seeking news of Lady Alice. He is devastated by the gardener's report of her madness.

### Lady Alice

Reported to be at the Hall, completely mad but quiet and gentle, like an angel.

### Honest Wood

Former soldier in Duncan's troop, now an ostler at the inn. He recognizes Duncan and agrees to keep his secret.

### Mrs. Blakesley

Mentioned as still at the lodge; Duncan plans to call on her.

## Key lines

> Overcome by the appearances of things—as what man the strongest may not sometimes be?—I felt as if I had lost her utterly, as if there was no Lady Alice anywhere, and as if, to add to the vacant horror of the world without her, a shadow of her, a goblin simulacrum, soulless, unreal, yet awfully like her, went wandering about the place which had once been glorified by her presence—as to the eyes of seers the phantoms of events which have happened years before are still visible, clinging to the room in which they have indeed taken place.

Duncan is overwhelmed by the thought that he has lost Alice completely, and imagines a ghostly likeness of her haunting the place, like a phantom of past events.

_This reflects Duncan's despair and his belief in the supernatural._

> But, in a little while, something warm began to throb and flow in my being; and I thought that if she were dead, I should love her still; that now she was not worse than dead; it was only that her soul was out of sight.

Duncan's love for Alice remains strong even in her madness, and he believes her soul is merely hidden, not lost.

_This shows Duncan's unwavering love and his hope for her recovery._

> Was there not some possibility that the love for whose sake the reason had departed, might be able to recall that reason once more to the windows of sense—make it look forth at those eyes, and lie listening in the recesses of those ears?

Duncan wonders if his love could restore Alice's sanity, bringing her back to consciousness.

_This highlights the theme of love's power over madness._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_portent_se/chapters/xxi-hilton
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_portent_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_portent_se/chapters