The Portent · Chapter
XXII: The Sleeper explained
Duncan Campbell returns to Hilton Hall after years of searching, hoping to see Lady Alice.
What happens
Duncan Campbell returns to Hilton Hall after years of searching, hoping to see Lady Alice. He meets Mrs. Blakesley, who now cares for Alice, and learns that Alice sleeps most of the time to keep her calm. Mrs. Blakesley allows Duncan to see Alice while she sleeps. During the visit, Alice murmurs his name in her sleep, stirring Duncan's hope. A storm forces Duncan to stay overnight at the Hall.
Themes in this chapter
Isolation and Connection
Duncan's return highlights his isolation from the past and his desperate need to reconnect with Alice, even through sleep.
Memory and the Past
Duncan's walk through the grounds stirs memories, but he feels emotionally numb, contrasting past and present.
Love and Sacrifice
Duncan's patient devotion and willingness to see Alice only in sleep demonstrate his enduring love and sacrifice.
Characters to notice
- Duncan Campbell
Returns to Hilton Hall after years of wandering and war, seeking Lady Alice.
- Mrs. Blakesley
Now the housekeeper at Hilton Hall, caring for Lady Alice; she arranges for Duncan to see Alice asleep.
- Lady Alice
Sleeps most of the time; murmurs Duncan's name in her sleep, showing a lingering connection.
Key passages
“It was winter within me—that was the reason; and I could feel no autumn around me, because I saw no spring beyond me.”
My inner despair made the autumn scenery feel lifeless, as I had no hope for the future.
Duncan's emotional state colors his perception of the world.
“That is not the face of insanity, I said to myself. It is clear as the morning light.”
Her sleeping face shows no signs of madness; it is serene and lucid.
Duncan finds hope in Alice's peaceful appearance.