The Rover · Chapter
III explained
Peyrol, having settled at Escampobar Farm, reflects on his treasure and his past life as a pirate.
What happens
Peyrol, having settled at Escampobar Farm, reflects on his treasure and his past life as a pirate. He contemplates the unique nature of this wealth, which feels like personal luck rather than plunder. He unpacks his sandalwood chest, hiding his treasure within. He also converses with Citizen Scevola Bron about the history of the farm, learning about Arlette's parents and the English connections to the cove. Peyrol feels a sense of peace and belonging in this new place, far from his former haunts.
Themes in this chapter
Isolation and Community
Peyrol finds a sense of peace and belonging at Escampobar, away from his former life, yet he is still an outsider in a land he barely recognizes.
Identity and Belonging
Peyrol reflects on his past as a pirate and his new role as a settler, questioning where he truly belongs.
Characters to notice
- Peyrol
Settles into the attic room at Escampobar, contemplates his treasure, and reflects on his past life as a pirate.
- Citizen Scevola Bron
Shows Peyrol around, explains the history of the farm and the English landings, and reveals the fate of Arlette's parents.
- Arlette
Meets Peyrol at the door, smiles at him, and watches him carry his cargo upstairs.
Key passages
“What made him meditative was its character, not of a share of a hard-won booty in toil, in risk, in danger, in privation, but of a piece of luck personally his own.”
He was thoughtful because this treasure was different from his usual plunder; it was a personal stroke of luck, not earned through shared hardship.
Peyrol's reflection on the unique nature of his treasure.
“He thought he would never want to get away from it, as though he had obscurely felt that his old rover’s soul had been always rooted there.”
He felt he could stay forever, as if his wandering spirit had finally found its true home.
Peyrol's sense of belonging at Escampobar.