# II explained — The Rover

> Chapter companion for The Rover by Joseph Conrad.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_rover_se/chapters/ii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_rover_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_rover_se/chapters