The Trail of the Serpent · Chapter
VII: The Last Act of Lucretia Borgia explained
At the opera, Raymond Marolles watches as Valerie de Cevennes arrives with her uncle, the Marquis de Cevennes.
What happens
At the opera, Raymond Marolles watches as Valerie de Cevennes arrives with her uncle, the Marquis de Cevennes. During the performance of Lucretia Borgia, the singer Gaston de Lancy collapses on stage and dies. Valerie maintains a cold exterior but later suffers a breakdown, laughing hysterically and counting street lamps before being diagnosed with brain fever.
Themes in this chapter
Duality and Deception
Valerie's public composure masks her inner turmoil and secret connection to Raymond Marolles, while the opera's plot mirrors real-life poisoning and betrayal.
Madness and Mental Health
Valerie's hysterical laughter and subsequent brain fever highlight the psychological strain of her hidden anguish and the traumatic events.
Revenge and Redemption
Raymond's whispered threat and de Lancy's sudden death evoke themes of vengeance, echoing the opera's narrative of poisoning and retribution.
Characters to notice
- Raymond Marolles
Observes Valerie from the stalls; later whispers a threatening congratulation to her as she leaves.
- Valerie de Cevennes
Attends the opera with her uncle; appears pale and distant; reacts with hysterical laughter to de Lancy's death and is diagnosed with brain fever.
- Marquis de Cevennes
Accompanies Valerie to the opera; comments on the opera's subject; concerned for Valerie's health after de Lancy's death.
- Gaston de Lancy
Opera singer performing Gennaro; collapses and dies on stage during the performance.
- Rinval
Young officer who joins the marquis's box; comments on de Lancy's performance and later helps Valerie into the carriage.
- Mademoiselle Finette
Valerie's maid; begs for Valerie to be taken to the pavilion after her collapse.
Key passages
“That abominable poisoning woman! ... when will the Parisians be tired of horrors?”
The Marquis de Cevennes criticizes the opera's focus on poisoning, questioning the public's appetite for such gruesome stories.
Highlights the marquis's disdain for the opera's subject and foreshadows the real-life poisoning of de Lancy.
“I congratulate you alike on your strength of mind, as on your beauty, mademoiselle!”
Raymond Marolles whispers a sarcastic compliment to Valerie as she leaves the opera, implying her complicity in de Lancy's death.
Reveals Raymond's manipulative control and Valerie's hidden guilt.
“Only twenty-seven! ... It might have been thirty-seven, forty-seven, fifty-seven! But he despised her love; he trampled out the best feelings of her soul; so it was only twenty-seven!”
Valerie hysterically reflects on de Lancy's young age, blaming his rejection of her love for his premature death.
Exposes Valerie's emotional breakdown and her twisted justification for the murder.