The Room in the Dragon Volant · Chapter
XX: A High-Cauld-Cap explained
The narrator returns to the Dragon Volant inn after his secret meeting with the Countess.
What happens
The narrator returns to the Dragon Volant inn after his secret meeting with the Countess. He is confronted by an old woman who warns him to leave, implying she knows his secret. He then uses the key and instructions given by the Countess to discover a hidden door and stone staircase in his room, leading to a covert exit into the park. He successfully tests the secret passage and returns to his room, placing the key under his pillow.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
The narrator's secret tryst and hidden passage underscore the theme of deception; the old woman's warning highlights the gap between appearance and hidden truth.
Isolation and Vulnerability
The narrator is alone in the inn, confronted by a mysterious old woman, and feels the weight of his secret, heightening his sense of vulnerability.
Danger and the Supernatural
The old woman's eerie appearance and ominous warnings, along with the narrator's reference to goblins and monsters, evoke a supernatural atmosphere.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Returns to the inn, discovers the secret passage, and is warned by the old woman.
- Countess de St. Alyre
Referenced as the one who gave the key and instructions; the narrator's secret is tied to her.
- Count de St. Alyre
Mentioned as the jealous husband whose suspicions the old woman fears.
- Colonel Gaillarde
Briefly mentioned as the 'grotesque sabreur' the narrator fears encountering again.
Key passages
“I was now upon the road, within two or three hundred yards of the Dragon Volant. I had undertaken an adventure with a vengeance!”
The narrator is near the inn, reflecting on the dangerous adventure he has begun.
Sets the scene and tone of the chapter.
“These old eyes saw you in the park of the château tonight.”
The old woman claims she witnessed the narrator in the château park.
Reveals that the narrator's secret is known to the old woman.
“I examined this carefully, and, on pressure, a small bit of the frame of the woodwork slid aside, and disclosed a keyhole.”
The narrator finds a hidden keyhole by pressing on the wainscot.
Demonstrates the discovery of the secret passage.