# Farewell to England explained — The Trail of the Serpent

> Chapter companion for The Trail of the Serpent by M. E. Braddon.

## What happens

After the trial and suicide of Raymond de Marolles, Slopperton learns that Richard Marwood is alive and has escaped from the asylum. The town gives him a hero's welcome at the railway station, with a triumphal procession and speeches. Richard, now married and accompanied by his mother and friend Mr. Darley, departs for South America. At the docks, he bids farewell to Mr. Peters and meets Valerie de Cevennes, who has been reunited with her husband Gaston de Lancy, revealed to have survived an attempted poisoning.

## Themes in this chapter

### Revenge and Redemption

Richard's wrongful conviction and subsequent vindication highlight themes of redemption and the restoration of reputation after suffering injustice.

### Duality and Deception

The revelation that Gaston de Lancy was not murdered but drugged underscores the theme of deception and hidden truths.

## Character check-ins

### Richard Marwood

Returns to Slopperton as a hero after escaping the asylum; gives a speech and departs for South America with his wife and mother.

### Joseph Peters

Bids farewell to Richard at Liverpool; plans to marry Kuppins and educate the 'fondling'; grateful for the annuity settled on him.

### Valerie de Cevennes

Reunited with her husband Gaston de Lancy, who was not murdered but drugged; present at the docks to see Richard off.

### Gaston de Lancy

Revealed to be alive; had been given an opiate by Blurosset and suffered a long fever; now restored to Valerie.

### Augustus Darley

Present at the hotel and dinner; the crowd turns to him as vice-hero after Richard.

### Mrs. Marwood

Richard's mother, who accompanies him to the docks and has survived every trial.

## Key lines

> Scarcely had Slopperton subsided in some degree from the excitement into which it had been thrown by the trial and suicide of Raymond de Marolles, when it was again astir with news, which was, if anything, more exciting.

Slopperton had barely calmed down after the trial and suicide of Raymond de Marolles when even more thrilling news broke.

_Sets the scene of the town's renewed excitement following Richard's return._

> He tells his friends, in a very few simple sentences, how this hour, of all others, is the hour for which he has prayed for nearly nine long years; and how he sees, in the most trifling circumstances which have aided, however remotely, in bringing this hour to pass, the hand of an all-powerful Providence.

Richard speaks briefly, saying this moment is the one he has prayed for over nine years, and he sees divine providence in every small event that led to it.

_Highlights Richard's gratitude and religious perspective on his vindication._

> He was restored to her. She had never murdered him. The potion given her by Blurosset was a very powerful opiate, which had produced a sleep resembling death in all its outward symptoms.

Gaston was alive; Valerie had not killed him. Blurosset's potion was a strong opiate that mimicked death.

_Reveals the truth about Gaston's survival and Blurosset's role._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/vii-farewell-to-england
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters