# Day—Twilight—Darkness explained — The Wyvern Mystery

> Chapter companion for The Wyvern Mystery by J. Sheridan Le Fanu.

## What happens

Alice, in a state of severe nervous shock after the murder attempt, is visited by Mildred Tarnley who advises her to wait for Charles's return before leaving Carwell Grange. As the day wanes, Alice's terror of the Dutchwoman's return intensifies, and even the servants become infected with fear. Charles remains absent, and Tom's errand to Wykeford fails to locate him.

## Themes in this chapter

### Isolation and Entrapment

Alice feels trapped at Carwell Grange, unable to leave until she sees her husband, and her terror is amplified by the isolated, rambling house with multiple entrances.

### Secrecy and Deception

Mildred Tarnley advises Alice in confidence, asking her not to tell Charles of her counsel, highlighting the undercurrent of secrecy and mistrust.

## Character check-ins

### Alice Maybell

Suffering from severe nervous shock after the murder attempt, unable to eat, terrified of the Dutchwoman's return, and anxiously awaiting Charles's return.

### Mildred Tarnley

Visits Alice to advise her, shows a hard exterior but some pity, and later becomes uneasy herself, barring doors and sending Tom to find Charles.

### Dulcibella Crane

Present in the sitting-room with Alice, also frightened by the atmosphere.

### Charles Fairfield

Absent from the Grange; his prolonged return causes increasing anxiety; he was last seen at Wykeford but his pursuit was misdirected.

### Tom Tarnley

Sent by Mildred to Wykeford to find Charles but returns without success.

## Key lines

> It is not always that a dreadful impression makes itself immediately manifest. Nature rallies all her forces at first to meet the danger.

The full impact of a terrible experience often does not hit immediately; the body initially mobilizes its defenses to cope with the crisis.

_Describes Alice's delayed psychological reaction to the murder attempt._

> The worst panic comes after an interval of many hours.

The most intense fear sets in only after some time has passed.

_Highlights the delayed onset of terror following the attack._

> That straggling old house, with no less than four doors of entrance, favoured the alarms of her imagination.

The rambling old house, having at least four entrances, fueled her fearful fantasies.

_Illustrates how the physical environment exacerbates Alice's anxiety._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wyvern_mystery_se/chapters/xli-day-twilight-darkness
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wyvern_mystery_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wyvern_mystery_se/chapters