The Rover · Chapter
II explained
Peyrol, now a master-gunner, arrives in Toulon and hides his treasure in a canvas waistcoat.
What happens
Peyrol, now a master-gunner, arrives in Toulon and hides his treasure in a canvas waistcoat. He meets Arlette, who asks him if he has ever carried a woman's head on a pike, and she tells him he may stay and that she will tell him about the Revolution. Peyrol then travels to the Giens peninsula, where he plans to settle.
Themes in this chapter
Isolation and Community
Peyrol feels like an utter stranger in his native country, and his interaction with Arlette hints at a tentative connection.
Identity and Belonging
Peyrol's return to France after a life at sea raises questions about his place in a changed society.
Characters to notice
- Peyrol
Peyrol hides his treasure in a canvas waistcoat and travels to the Giens peninsula, feeling like a stranger in his native land.
- Arlette
Arlette asks Peyrol about carrying a woman's head on a pike and tells him he may stay, offering to tell him about the Revolution.
- Aunt Catherine
Aunt Catherine peeps at Peyrol fearfully from the kitchen door.
Key passages
“Have you ever carried a woman’s head on a pike?”
Arlette asks Peyrol if he has ever participated in the brutal act of displaying a woman's severed head on a pike.
This question reveals Arlette's traumatic past and her preoccupation with revolutionary violence.
“Yes. You may stay. I think we shall be friends. I’ll tell you about the Revolution.”
Arlette grants Peyrol permission to remain and suggests they will become friends, offering to share her experiences of the Revolution.
Arlette's tentative acceptance of Peyrol marks a potential bond between them.