One other gaudy night

...I am a scholar, but I'm not a Jane Eyre scholar, and though you say that "people always point" to the London trip as the nadir of the Jane/Rochester relationship (not the scene that Rochester describes as the "mouth of hell"? not the scenes where they are both trembling on the verge of madness and parting? okay) that's not a pattern I've observed.

Anyway. Much as I love Jane (as she deserves) and her Edward (as he does not) I think that it really matters, in this sequence, that Charlotte Brontë is doing things. There is Thematic Narrative Work™ happening. Jane keeps imagining herself as a kept woman, the mistress of the man she describes as her lover and master, a sultan's houri, and -- most tellingly -- "an English Céline Varens." This is not what is happening from Rochester's perspective. He is buying clothes for his wife. And she is resisting what he would lavish on her ("so gloomy to have your bride, however bigamous, insisting on grey alpaca or merino or whatever it was, and damping to a lover's feelings," as Sayers' Dowager Duchess of Denver observes.) But we might also view this as Narrative Foreshadowing™ as, from Jane's perspective and a legal one, marriage is, in fact, not what this is heading towards.

G. A fistfight, if it amuses you. :-)

Thanks for the prompt! I'm afraid the emphasis got rather out of order, but I hope you enjoy this double drabble.

*

“What is a devastating uppercut, Peter?”

Lord Peter Wimsey paused in the act of lighting his pipe, and after a moment’s stillness, threw his match into the fireplace. “If one may inquire, does your perplexity arise from the degree of devastation, or on the nature of an uppercut?”

“The latter. There’s also,” continued Harriet, slewing around in her chair, “the question of why it always seems to be devastating, in a certain kind of fiction.”

“Into which realms you are now venturing?”

“Experimentally, at least.”

“Hm. Well. I’ll be able to show you better if you stand up. Now: stay where you are for the minute. You are the intrepid hero, and I the slogging ruffian.”

“I shall exercise my powers of imagination,” said Harriet gravely.

“Thank you. I approach you with felonious intent. I land — for the sake of argument — a blow to your ribs and, pressing my advantage, get within your guard. Then the uppercut.” A sudden and rapid movement brought his lordship’s left fist almost level with his wife’s jaw. “With a bit of luck, the laws of physics and the element of surprise combine to make it devastating.”

Holmes and Watson, Raffles and Bunny, Jeeves and Bertie all exist with an invisible barrier between them. Holmes can't express his emotions openly (or at least greatly struggles), Raffles can't either; opting to be weird and pull Bunny in on things without saying why. Between Bertie and Jeeves at least some professionalism is required to be upheld.

But not Wimsey and Parker lmao. I just finished Clouds of Witness and those guys will literally get wasted on Westminster Bridge at 5am. Bunter follows happily with Wimsey's investigations and will sob for him when he almost got eaten by a bog lmao. Wimsey tells Parker funny stories and brain teasers just to see him puzzled or laughing. They are too cute :3

I have finally decided that my list of Every Time Dorothy Sayers Noticeably Reused a Character Name is complete, which means I can share it on Tumblr and someone will probably immediately point out something I missed. Please do so.

Listed roughly in order of egregiousness, which is a matter of opinion (mine).

Haviland / Martin:

Have His Carcase – Haviland Martin, the mysterious camper

“The Undignified Melodrama of the Bone of Contention” (Lord Peter Views the Body) – brothers Haviland and Martin Burdock 

Note: Both stories involve Wimsey riding a horse who refuses to approach the site of a murder, which Sayers directly references by having Wimsey recall the events of ‘Bone of Contention’ in Have His Carcase. 

Mrs. Munns:

Whose Body – Parker's landlady 

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club – George and Sheila's landlady

Mr. Harcourt:

“Absolutely Elsewhere” (In the Teeth of the Evidence) – Mr. Harcourt Grimbold, nephew of the victim (called Mr. Harcourt to distinguish between his brother, Mr. Neville, and his uncle, Mr. Grimbold)

"A Shot at Goal" (ItTotE) – Mr. Harcourt is the bank manager in this Monty Egg story which immediately follows “Absolutely Elsewhere” in ItTofE. 

Jukes:

Gaudy Night – former porter at Shrewsbury

“The Adventurous Exploit of the Cave of Ali Baba” (LPVtB)– Mr., brings "Rogers" into the gang

“Sleuths on the Scent” (Hangman’s Holiday) – Sgt., officer in charge of case (Monty Egg story)

Twitteron/Titterton/Twittleton:

Busman's Honeymoon – Miss Agnes Twitterton, niece of the victim

“The Unsolved Puzzle of the Man with No Face” (LPVtB) – Miss Gladys Twitterton notifies Sally Hardy's paper about the painting of the victim

Note: This story is notable for having a record number of similarities to other books.

Strong Poison – Miss “Titterton” is a guest for Christmas at Denver 

"A Shot at Goal" (ItTotE) – Monty Egg story set in village of Twittleton

Gotobed:

Unnatural Death – Bertha and Evelyn, a sister duo of housemaids-cum-waitresses 

The Nine Tailors – Harry and Dick, a father and son duo of gravediggers

Vavasour:

Murder Must Advertise – Ethel, Tallboy's mistress

Have His Carcase – Maurice, the man who acquired Olga's photograph from the theatrical agent

Merridew:

“Bone of Contention" (LPVtB) – the kennel keeper who first sees the coach

“The Cyprian Cat” (ItTotE) – the narrator's friend and husband to the mysterious lady

Mrs. Wilbraham:

The Nine Tailors – The rich aunt of the Thorpes

"The Milk-Bottles" – (ItTotE), Mr. and Mrs. are the mystery couple (Hector Puncheon short story)

Cranton:

Have His Carcase – Colonel, whose tennis party Mrs. Morecambe is on her way to when she picks up Weldon

The Nine Tailors – Nobby, gentleman thief

Pomfret:

“The Queen's Square” (Hangman’s Holiday) – Giles, party guest

Gaudy Night – Reggie, aka Mr. Jones of Jesus

Potts:

Murder Must Advertise – Joe, aka Ginger

Have His Carcase – Mr Sullivan jokes that "Maurice Vavasour" is probably really named “Potts or Spink”

“Blood Sacrifice” (ItTotE) – The actor Garrick Drury’s given name is revealed to be “Obadiah Potts”

“Striding Folly” (ditto) – Innkeeper 

Challoner:

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club – “Tin-Tummy,” an old army pal of Wimsey's

Strong Poison – Mr., Harriet's agent (mentioned as having given evidence)

Mrs. Wrayburn:

Strong Poison – Rosanna, a.k.a. Cremorna Gardens

“The Queen's Square” (Hangman’s Holiday) – Lady Hermione's niece

Perkins:

Have His Carcase – Mr., hiker

Busman's Honeymoon – Mr., coroner 

The Nine Tailors – Nathaniel, notable local mentioned by the vicar (refereed for the great Tom Sayers [no relation])

Thorpe:

Clouds of Witness – Dr., who attends to Mary

The Nine Tailors – Sir Henry, unnamed wife, daughter Hillary

Milligan:

Whose Body – Mr., American businessman suspected by Peter

Murder Must Advertise – Major, drug dealer suspected by Peter

Al(l)cock:

Five Red Herrings – one L, Mr. Gowan’s butler

Unnatural Death – two L’s, Whitaker cousin next in line to inherit

Pollock:

Have His Carcase – Esdras, fisherman

Busman's Honeymoon – Ted, member of the jury

I’m certain there’s a third, possibly a different spelling, but I haven’t been able to lay my finger on it

Baines:

The Nine Tailors – local doctor

Have His Carcase – rival fishing family 

Freemantle:

Whose Body – Mrs., a guest at Lady Swaffham's lunch

*Gaudy Night – Catherine, former student at the Gaudy who hates the Welsh (maiden name)

Cobbleigh/Cobbley/Cobling:

The Nine Tailors – Arthur Cobbleigh, murdered soldier

Have His Carcase – Tom Cobbley, inquest jury member who thinks it was bolsheviks 

Unnatural Death – Ben Cobling, old groom of Miss Dawson and the late Miss Whitaker

Grimbold:

Whose Body – Dr., police surgeon

“Absolutely Elsewhere” (ItTotE) – Mr., victim (plus his two nephews, suspects)

Stokes:

Gaudy Night – Mary, old school friend who invites Harriet to the gaudy

Have His Carcase – Colonel Belfridge asks Peter if he recalls a military acquaintance of that name 

Pritchard:

Bellona – Mr., Anne Dorland's lawyer

Have His Carcase – Mr., one of Endicott's former customers

Unnatural Death – Dr., real case mentioned at the beginning 

Horrocks:

Whose Body – Gladys, maid at the Thipps'

Have His Carcase – secretary to Mr Sullivan 

Simpson:

Have His Carcase – Bill/William, another name of “Mr. Bright”

Gaudy Night – Mr., a contact in the hunt for Arthur Robinson 

Simon:

Unnatural Death – Simon Dawson is a mysterious family member who went out to the Indies and was never more heard from (until it was revealed that he became a privateer).

Busman’s Honeymoon – Simon Wimsey is a mysterious family member who went out to the Indies and was never more heard from (except that the family historian suspects he may have turned pirate).

MacPherson, Ferguson, and Strachan:

“The Piscatorial Affair of the Stolen Stomach” and *Five Red Herrings *share these names, as well as references to Kirkcudbright and Gatehouse.

I am fairly certain that this letter was never published (alas!) but if you are ever able to make your way to @thewadecenter in the American Midwest, you can see the originals!

I can’t photograph or scan the pages without getting in trouble with copyright and security and stuff, but herewith my meticulously accurate (if rearranged) sketches (real size to a 9x11 sheet of paper):