Themes & patterns

The protagonist, John Vansittart, is haunted by a fatal stabbing in Venice, and the narrative explores his attempts to escape guilt through flight, self-exile, and eventual atonement through acts of kindness and support for the victim's family.

The book examines the constraints of class and respectability in marriage, as seen in Vansittart's choice of Eve, a woman from a disreputable family, and the contrasting expectations of his mother and sister regarding suitable matches.

Vansittart hides his past crime and assumes false names (John Smith) to protect his reputation, while also concealing his relationship with Lisa and her child, leading to a life of prevarication and fear of exposure.

Eve's jealousy and suspicion of her husband's fidelity create a rift in their marriage, and the narrative explores how unresolved doubts and hidden truths corrode trust between lovers.

The theme of physical and emotional exile is central, as Vansittart flees to Africa and the desert to escape his past, and Lisa and her aunt are displaced from Venice to London, seeking a new life away from poverty and shame.

The book contrasts the wealth and privilege of the English gentry with the poverty of Venetian lace-makers and the struggles of the Marchant family, highlighting how economic circumstances shape characters' choices and social standing.

Love is portrayed as both a redeeming and a destructive force, with characters like Lisa refusing a wealthy marriage out of love, and Eve sacrificing her happiness for her husband's peace, while Vansittart sacrifices his reputation for his family's honor.

The narrative emphasizes the inescapable consequences of past actions, as Vansittart's crime resurfaces through Lisa and her child, and the characters' attempts to control their futures are repeatedly thwarted by fate and circumstance.