The Trail of the Serpent · Chapter
A Golden Secret explained
Jabez North visits the sick Jim Lomax in Blind Peter, where he encounters an old woman who hints at a valuable secret.
What happens
Jabez North visits the sick Jim Lomax in Blind Peter, where he encounters an old woman who hints at a valuable secret. Through a tense conversation, she reveals that Jim is his twin brother and that she is his grandmother, recounting how she attempted to drown him as an infant. Jabez learns of a 'golden secret' that she will only sell for money.
Themes in this chapter
Family and Secrets
Jabez discovers his twin brother and grandmother, and learns of a hidden secret tied to gold and his past.
Urban Depravity and Poverty
The setting in Blind Peter highlights the squalor and desperation of the urban poor.
Fate and Determinism
The old woman suggests fate played a role in Jabez's survival after being thrown into the river.
Characters to notice
- Jabez North
Visits Blind Peter, interrogates the old woman about his origins, and learns of a secret involving gold.
- Jim Lomax
Lying ill in Blind Peter, revealed to be Jabez's twin brother.
- Blind Peter
The dilapidated alley where the scene takes place.
Key passages
“The water couldn't have been deep enough. But it's not my fault, Lucy dear, for I saw it safely put away.”
The old woman mutters about a secret involving something she put away, hinting at a hidden treasure or knowledge.
Foreshadows the 'golden secret' that the old woman guards.
“Own brother—twin brother, my dear—that's all. And I'm your grandmother—your mother's mother.”
The old woman reveals that Jim Lomax is Jabez's twin brother and she is their grandmother.
Key revelation of Jabez's family ties.