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The River Clyde

The River Clyde
The River Clyde Near Midculter in Lanarkshire

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Part Two. The Play for Gideon Somerville. Chapter III. French Defense

A French Defense in chess is an opening move with "a reputation for solidity and resilience, though it can result in a somewhat cramped game for Black in the early stages."

Who, in this game of kings, is Black and who is White?

1. Touching and Moving (December 1547)

"Several moves" occur in apparently random sequence in the two weeks following the cattle raid, implying the sequence might not be random and the events might not be unrelated:
  • Christian eludes Tom Erskine and goes to Bogle House in Stirling for Christmas.
  • The Buccleuch household, including a very pregnant Janet, also make for Stirling.
  • The Culters, sans Richard, go to Ballaggan to visit Lady Hunter.
The last event we see first as we are again treated to an interview with "naughty" old lady Hunter. She may be a cranky invalid absorbed in diagnosing and treating her own maladies, but she is perceptive, immediately detecting Mariotta's "condition." Mariotta takes Sybilla's advice to heart at first and keeps her mouth shut. When Sybilla responds to Lady Hunter's crude comment about the baby putting two people between Lymond and the family fortune--"I can't say I ever considered the matter in a racial light"--she is using the word "racial" in the 16th century meaning of the word as relating to family lineage. In other words, Sybilla is telling naughty old Lady Hunter that she has not given a thought to the implications the baby will have for who inherits what in the Crawford family. This is almost certainly untrue, but Sybilla would never air the family linen.

Sybilla gives as good as she gets, immediately changing the subject to Andrew Hunter's lack of a wife and to Catherine Hunter's stinky dog. It is Lady Hunter's attack on her son that drives Sybilla's words of warning right out of Mariotta's head and she speaks up in defense of Dandy. Her comments elicit a nasty retort from Lady Hunter about Richard's good fortune, and Sybilla is quick to reply with her own biting quip that it's a good thing she and Agnes Herries are also rich and beautiful or they would be highly insulted by these remarks. Of course, Agnes is only rich, not beautiful, so Sybilla's riposte is a defense of the girl, who, you might have noticed, is silent for the first time. She is bored, no doubt, but also more than a little intimidated. And, perhaps, she has learned the virtue and value of silent observation from Sybilla and Christian.

Lady Hunter's "Recipe" Book
Sybilla deftly steers the conversation to an area of Lady Hunter's liking: herself and her ailments and her cures. Sybilla is working very hard to keep Lady Hunter talking until Andrew comes home, but so far we do not know why. I love the fact that old lady Hunter gets Mariotta entangled in a discussion of the state of Midculter's linen while Sybilla is locating the "recipe" book: it is a nice allusion to "airing dirty laundry," something no one at Midculter is inclined to do. 

By the time Dandy Hunter arrives, it is too late for the Crawford party to return to Midculter and, after dinner, Mariotta finds a way to speak to him alone. From their conversation we learn that Dandy knew about the baby before Richard. So Mariotta continues to confide in a man not her husband, not only about the presents, which continue to arrive, but also about something as intimate as her pregnancy. There is no way to gloss over this: Mariotta's behavior is simply unacceptable and, if discovered, sure to drive a bigger wedge between her and Richard. Badly done, Mariotta. Badly done.

Andrew Hunter is no fool. He warns Mariotta that Richard will be furious if he finds out she has confided in someone outside the family, especially an attractive, unmarried young man. Then Mariotta betrays something else about herself when she starts talking about Lymond. She remarks on his appearance as she plays with the pearl necklace she believes is a gift from Lymond (just as she giggled when she earlier thought of him). She is still under Lymond's spell, and Dandy knows it.

Mariotta is setting herself up for a bad fall: she is infatuated with Richard's younger brother and sharing confidences with another handsome young man to whom she is attracted. At least she has the sense to see that, if she does tell Richard about the gifts, he might come out on the short end of whatever confrontation occurs as a result of this revelation. She does not seem to have a very high opinion of Richard's ability to defend himself.

Possibly the most important disclosure in this section comes from Dandy Hunter when he lays out the treasonous act and other crimes of which Lymond is accused: 
  • as a spy for the English he betrayed the Scots before the battle of Solway Moss (November 1542), allegedly contributing to the catastrophic Scottish loss
  • the English whisked him away to London and Calais (on the coast of France but under English control) when his perfidy was discovered
  • the French caught him, but Lord Lennox arranged to have him freed
  • he worked for Lennox and Wharton (on the English side and against the Scots) until they discovered he was cheating them
  • he escaped and became a mercenary (on the continent) until his recent return to Scotland
Wow...Lymond has been very busy these past five years!

We still do not know why Sybilla wanted to stay at Ballaggan until Dandy arrived.

2. A Queen's Knight Fails Signally to Adjust (December 23-25, 1547)

Christian, alone at Bogle House with a letter, sitting among her thoughts "like a tiger among peahens" (great!), must have been going slowly mad waiting for someone to return and open that letter, which she thinks and hopes has further intelligence from her mystery man. Of course it does, wrapped around Maxwell's letter to Agnes in such a way as to arouse no suspicion and yet be transparent to Christian. Christian deduces from the occult message and the fact that Johnnie Bullo is now avoiding her that her part in Lymond's plans is done. He seems well on his way to finding the man he seeks.

Agnes reads the letter aloud when both Christian and Sybilla are in the room (Sybilla inquires about the identity of "Jack"). Recall that the fortune told to Agnes by Johnnie Bullo at the fair following the papingo shoot was that she would meet a thin man named Jack with a romantic smile (Pt 2, Ch I, Sec 1). It is now clear this was all part of Lymond's plan: he had Johnnie plant the idea of "Jack" (John) Maxwell in the mind of Agnes, a thirteen-year-old romantic; he wrote the love letters with hidden messages; he arranged Maxwell's triumph with the cattle raid against Lennox to gain Marie of Guise's favor; and now he is sending Maxwell to meet Agnes to seal the deal.

***
On Christmas Eve of all days, Richard takes the glove from the papingo shoot, leaves Bogle House very early without telling anyone, and goes to try to trace Lymond using the glove. Merry Christmas, Mariotta. Richard does seem a bit obtuse about his wife.

***
In fairness to Richard, his original intent was to pick up his mother's miniature from Patey Liddell, ask about the gold on the glove, and get home before Mariotta misses him. But once he learns who bought the gold from Patey, Richard does not give a second thought to riding to Perth, a nasty ride of thirty-three miles in the snow, all the while knowing Mariotta rightly expects him to attend her at her very first Christmas at Court. This is truly a foolish errand: no one knows where Richard is and he has left no word about when to expect him. Nothing short of obsession would drive a man to ride over thirty miles of rough ground in the snow on Christmas Eve to talk to a glover and maybe learn who ordered the glove. Badly done, Richard. Badly done.

All that being said, I love this section because Richard gets fully fleshed out for the first time. We learn a great deal about him. He is a very determined man who knows how to handle people and get his way while gaining their respect, trust, and friendship. He is not above making a deal with the old scoundrel Malcolm Waugh and even finds humor in the whole situation (there is "unwilling amusement in the grey eyes" and he laughs aloud despite all the discomfort and trouble of the day). It is obvious that Richard is enjoying himself when he finally tracks down Jamie Waugh and throws him into the river to sober him up.

The true measure of Richard, however, is apparent in his reaction to Lymond's little joke. His brother has made a fool of him, but he keeps his composure on display and his "bitter self-mockery" well hidden. Nonetheless, he is "only human" and, beneath his calm veneer there is deep anger at Lymond's trickery, irritation at his own credulity, and disappointment in not finding any useful intelligence through tracing the glove.

Richard is in no frame of mind to return to Stirling for the Christmas Eve court festivities. Unfortunately for him, his plan of sleeping off the ale and returning to Stirling early on Christmas morning runs afoul of an English raid. Richard Crawford spends most of Christmas Day fighting the English, so his quick morning jaunt to Patey Liddell's shop turns into a long two days of discomfort, humiliation, and combat. Merry Christmas, Richard!
Aside: The verse favored by Jamie Waugh is an anachronism. It is from Hardyknute, thought to be a very old ballad when in fact it was discovered to have been written and published in the early 18th century.   
***
In its own way, Sybilla's Christmas Day is as uncomfortable as Richard's. She finds out from Patey that Richard has gone to Perth in search of the glover. As discomfited as she is about this fact, Sybilla still has the presence of mind to notice the pale yellow gold Patey is using and the likelihood it was mined on Crawford land, meaning it is subject to a tax and legally intended only for the Mint. In short, this is illegally obtained gold. Sybilla is putting Patey on notice about the gold and Patey lets Sybilla know that he will continue to be a friend and help to the Crawfords, so their battle of wits is a draw. Sybilla leaves Patey with the warning not to let anyone else know he is the one who gave Richard the information about where to find the glover or there will be hell to pay.

***
We observe the wildly Gallic Christmas Day festivities, so beautifully described by Dunnett, from Sybilla's point of view as she watches her "flock," in particular Agnes Herries, who has been improving under the careful tutelage of Sybilla and Christian and from the beneficial effects of Maxwell's love letters. "Jack" Maxwell finally makes his appearance before the dazzled gaze of Agnes as Sybilla watches with grandmotherly concern and excitement.

Tom Erskine finally catches up with Christian. What does he want to talk to her about?

***
Agnes Disappears up the
Turnpike Stair Followed by "Jack"
This is the first time Agnes has ever seen Maxwell, and the impression he makes is perfect. Too perfect. This has to be a scene planned by Lymond, from the comment about Abbey Craig speaking to Dumyat (a reference to the difference in their heights), and Maxwell gracefully lifting little Agnes off her feet, to the rose in the snow from his home at Threave Castle. Maxwell even refers to himself as "Jack" to complete the seduction. Agnes's heart is completely his. And there is the exquisite irony of her comment to Maxwell--"I think you are as handsome as your letters"--because we know who wrote them (someone who is more handsome than his letters).

***
Richard and Three Women

The "bloodhound" finally makes it back to Stirling, dirty and tired and disgusted mainly with himself and his fool's errand. This is how Mariotta finds him and the exchange does not go well. Richard makes his first mistake by not telling his wife about the trip to find the glover, instead using the battle with the English as his excuse for being absent. When pressed, Richard tells the truth about the wild-goose chase. Mariotta reasonably suggests he might have told her where he was going and perhaps even talked it over first. Richard's second mistake, and it's a doozy, is his response to this suggestion: "Oh?...Who with?" Oh, Richard, really? He fully deserves Mariotta's uncharacteristically biting response. Both of them have a lot of learning to do if this marriage is going to survive.

Richard's next interview is with the Queen Dowager, who listens to his account of the battle, asks some pointed questions, and chastises him for leaving Mariotta unattended at the Christmas Court. His absence has been noted.

Then he is waylaid by yet another woman, this time Janet Beaton, who again has surreptitiously garnered news for Richard. Richard, ever the upright fellow, stops her from sharing the contents of Wat's letter because he knows it is a betrayal. However, the "serene" Lady Buccleuch thinks she knows what is best for her husband, so Richard learns of the planned rendevouz in February.

Why does Janet tell Richard about Wat's upcoming meeting with Will? Janet wants to protect all things Buccleuch, and she will do pretty much anything to further that end. She knows Richard wants Lymond, preferably dead, which suits her just fine because, as she pointed out earlier, that is the best thing for Will's future. With Lymond out of the way, Will no longer has a mentor to follow and it will be easier to spin a tale of how Buccleuch's heir was a trusting innocent mislead by an outlaw and scoundrel.

Finally, Janet proves her mettle yet again when she tells Richard she will let Buccleuch know that she was the source of Richard's information. It will do Wat Scott good to have an old-fashioned row with the missus rather than "mincing away" with his son's contradictory and convoluted moralizing.

3. Another Royal Lady Enters the Game

Warkworth Castle
The Lord Protector, facing trouble in England, needs a success in Scotland and has a plan for such: 1. destroy the uncooperative House of Buccleuch; 2. destroy the wavering House of Douglas; 3. burn Scotland "up to the eyebrows"; and 4. capture the little queen and raise her in England as the future bride of King Edward VI.

Lord Grey of Wilton (late of the Humiliation at Hume), is still running the show on the border and has gathered the Lords Wardens to lay out the plan. Into this stew comes Gideon Somerville, who finds himself in a decidedly unsavory spot because of Grey's command that he give George Douglas's letter to the mysterious outlaw Gideon now knows to be Crawford of Lymond. Gideon relates the details of his encounter with Lymond and includes every detail except the single most important one: Lymond's identity. Gideon wants to extricate himself from this intrigue as quickly as possible.

Grey has many competing problems, not the least of which is Lord Lennox's ego. Lennox, married to Henry VIII's niece Margaret, has to be given a prominent command but, as Wharton so aptly if crudely puts it, Lennox is "an interfering fool." The trick will be to give Lennox a command that looks and sounds impressive but in which he can do no damage.

***
Almost on cue enters none other than Lennox's wife, Margaret Douglas, the Countess of Lennox. Who is she?
  • Her father is Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (Scottish).
  • Her uncle was Henry VIII of England.
  • Her mother was Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII's elder sister, who was also widow of James IV of Scotland.
  • Her husband is Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox. Lennox spent most of his early life in France and returned to Scotland with the promise of marriage to the Queen Dowager (Mary of Guise), which did not happen. He deserted the Scottish cause and threw his lot in with the English, after which Henry VIII gave him his niece Margaret Douglas's hand in marriage. 
  • George Douglas, brother of Archibald, is another uncle.
  • She is 32 years old.
Margaret is the "Pearl of Pearls" Lymond alludes to in Pt 1, Ch I, someone he knows well and, it seems, recalls without fondness. She is a force to be reckoned with as we soon see: "Lennox might be a bad tactician, but his wife was not."

The situation into which she walks is this: Grey is friends with her uncle George Douglas and has made private pledges of immunity to him, but those promises are endangered by the fact the Douglases have been playing both sides, English and Scottish, in this dangerous game. Wharton is fed up with the Douglases and wants them punished now. The weather is mitigating against all three English armies invading at once, so the plan is for Grey's men to attack Buccleuch while Wharton goes after the Douglases. The plan to march to Haddington south of Edinburgh must be deferred until the weather improves.

Margaret, however, offers them a new plan, bold, practical, and formidable. What that plan is we are not as yet privy to, but it must be a good one if these bold, practical, and formidable men are willing to go along with it.

***
John Maxwell reports to Lymond of his initial success with Agnes Herries. It is interesting that Lymond is the one who told Maxwell that Agnes will make an excellent wife. How does Lymond know this? From his mother and Christian, of course, who have been delicately grooming Agnes, who has wit and native intelligence enough to overcome the awkwardness of her tender years.

But now Lymond has a much more difficult and painful bargain for Maxwell: attack Wharton and win the favor of the Queen Dowager, but at the price of his hostages in the hands of the English. Maxwell does not like this plan at all, but he does not say he is against it. As Lymond points out, the safety and perhaps the survival of Scotland hangs on what Maxwell does or does not do to stop Wharton. Lymond also tells John that he has other means of passing messages and no longer needs his love letters to Agnes. What are those means? As of yet, we do not know.

And now for the passing bit of news that brings the figurative roof down around Francis Crawford: "a niece by marriage." This is all Lymond needs to hear to set his antennae trembling. Will Scott sees the momentary change of expression in the usually inscrutable face: it is there, and then it is gone like the brush of a butterfly wing against a cheek. But it tells Will that something very dire and very dear has reached the Master's ears. Margaret's plan is to try to gather the Douglases and unite them into a force for the English against Scotland.

Margaret is heading to Drumlanrig. Drumlanrig is where Richard Crawford and Agnes Herries ended up after their tumble into the Nith and where Richard overheard the discussion between George Douglas and Andrew Hunter about the prisoner exchange involving Jonathan Crouch.

Drumlanrig is the home of James Douglas, who is John Maxwell's uncle and George Douglas's brother-in-law. Remember: Margaret's father is Archibald Douglas (the Earl of Angus), who is also John Maxwell's brother-in-law because he is married to Maxwell's sister, making Margaret Douglas John Maxwell's "niece by marriage." Confused yet? The point to remember is that Margaret is a Douglas by birth and John Maxwell is closely connected to the Douglases by marriage. This is why Lymond's "courting" of Maxwell is both so important and so dangerous. John Maxwell is involved in a very risky gamble.

Before he leaves, Maxwell lets Lymond know with a subtlety worthy of Francis Crawford that he appreciates his facility with Latin in the letters but his use of French is almost over the top and over the line...but not quite. Maxwell rewards Lymond with a rare smile and Lymond rewards Will Scott with "his old age," i.e., a hostage to replace him:
My brilliant devil, my imitation queen; my past, my future, my hope of heaven and my knowledge of hell...Margaret, Countess of Lennox.
Questions
  1. Why is Christian Stewart avoiding Tom Erskine? 
  2. Why does Sybilla want to remain at Ballaggan until Andrew Hunter comes home?
  3. Is Christian disappointed or relieved (or both) that her role in Lymond's cause now appears to be over?
  4. Why would Mariotta and perhaps Sybilla be surprised to hear that Richard can hold his liquor like a fisherman?
  5. What does Margaret Douglas want?
  6. Would Lymond have used Will as his hostage had Margaret Douglas not become "available"?
Favorite Line
But this time, something new filled the blue eyes; and Scott, sitting forgotten, saw it, and his breathing stopped.
Words that Describe Lymond in French Defense
  • ruthless
  • driven
  • conniving
  • callous
  • surprised
  • exhilarated

Monday, December 8, 2014

Part Two. The Play for Gideon Somerville. Chapter II. Discovered Check 2. An Exchange of Pawns Is Suggested

2. An Exchange of Pawns Is Suggested

In a valley of the Tyne: Flaw Valleys
Thanks to Lord Grey's order for him to stay at home and await the arrival of the mystery man, Gideon Somerville has avoided the command from Wharton to join his son Henry and the Earl of Lennox in their attack on the Scots. Henry Wharton, you may recall, is the man who had the heated helmet dropped on his head by Lymond back in Annan (Pt. I, Ch 1). Waiting for a dangerous man, possibly a murderously dangerous man, to make his appearance on his doorstep is unnerving even for someone as level-headed as Gideon.

We also get a much better view into Kate's character. She reminds me of Anne Elliott from Persuasion: everyone relies on her like a pair of sensible shoes to carry the weight of woe without pinching or squeaking. I suspect that behind the practical but witty facade beats a romantic heart like Anne's.

One other fact we learn about Kate and Gideon: he is considerably older than she (he refers to himself as "old" and she is in her twenties).

***
It is Lymond and his men who cleaned out the livestock not only at Flaw Valleys but throughout neighborhood that day thanks to Wharton's orders for the men along the border to join his forces. The farms were left unattended and therefore ripe for picking.

Will Scott has spent the last three months working on his style (and his sneer), so much so that Johnnie Bullo remarks on Will's resemblance to Lymond, albeit with a "different sort of sneer."

Unbeknownst to the English, the Scots are gathering just to the north, readying their counterattack. Lymond and his men have united their four-footed army and are driving it toward Lennox's line of march while the Scots hunker down with sleet bouncing off their helmets. The predicted foul weather has arrived. The Scots have the better of it. The English must march through the cold and damp and mud and muck.

To add insult to their injury, cattle are blocking their way. But not Scottish cattle! Once the English realize it is their own cattle that have been rustled, mayhem ensues and Lennox loses control of his men. The English have been led into a trap, a narrow passage with cliffs above from which the Scots attack. The escape route to Carlisle has similarly been blocked by more cattle driven onto the road by someone who's "got brains" (Lymond).

16th Century Map of Northumberland
In the midst of this chaos Buccleuch spots his son, perhaps almost unrecognizable to him as an "easy, competent-looking shadow, with wide shoulders and an adroit way with a horse." I get the strong sense Wat is impressed by Will's maturity since he left. He looks like a man to his father, not a boy.

As the rout is complete, Richard Crawford spots Lymond's "bright yellow head" and immediately, without hesitation draws and fits an arrow and prepares to loose it at his brother. Wat Scott will have none of it. He literally puts himself and his men between Lord Culter and Lymond's men, certainly to protect Will but also very probably to prevent Richard from shooting Lymond.

Buccleuch does Richard a very great favor in preventing his murder of Lymond because, had he been successful, that act would have turned the very honorable Baron Culter into a pariah, a man obsessed with killing a younger brother known to have repeatedly humiliated him. It would have been viewed, and rightly so, as an act of petty vengeance, not justice. And that's not to mention Sybilla's reaction to the fratricide. It would have destroyed one of the great families. Bringing a criminal in to face trial and justice is one thing, but murder in cold (or hot) blood is quite another.

Richard, of course, cannot see beyond his own rage. Wat Scott has the measure of Richard at this moment: he is a man obsessed. I love Dunnett's description of Richard: "the enigmatic, the impersonal, the impervious." All words, interestingly, that describe someone else: Lymond. Perhaps Richard should be more understanding of his brother?

***
Grey's men are stationed at Flaw Valleys awaiting the mysterious man coming for Gideon Somerville when the livestock are returned. It is music that announces not the return of the lord of the manor but rather Lymond, whose talent is again on display and emphasized (Gideon plays, but not like Lymond). I find it interesting that, even though Kate knows the harpsichordist is most definitely not her husband, she does not hesitate to fling open the door to the music room.

Kate more than holds her own with the cool stranger. Lymond only takes note of her when she asks the impertinent question, that is, if he is the bad company Will Scott has got into. Lymond admires Kate's humor, a trait he shows under duress as well, so perhaps here is, if not a kindred spirit, at least a spirited woman. He turns to pay closer attention to Kate similar to the way in which George Douglas finally focused on the man in the black mask (Lymond) when he made an attention-grabbing remark.

George Douglas's letter, as George undoubtedly knows, proves nothing to Lymond. Lymond has a completely novel approach to getting at the truth about Gideon Somerville: question his 10 year old daughter. Any parent would be furious to have a child used so by a total stranger, and one who has proved to be willing to go to extremes to get what he wants. However, I find it surprising that Kate describes her daughter as "a Messalina* since birth." Kate is saying Philippa is a liar and deceiver and reprobate of the first order, none of which Lymond believes in the slightest. He has no doubt taken the measure of the Somervilles and found much to admire in the family.
*Messalina was the third wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius; her name has come to mean a woman who is ruthless, devious, and licentious, so for Kate to call her daughter a 'Messalina' is so outrageous as to be thoroughly disbelieved.
Kate gets one of the best digs in at Lymond thus far when she tells Philippa to speak to him as she would to her dog.

Lymond's questioning of Philippa is surely one of the low points in his career to this point, at least among those we have seen. The child is a total innocent and clearly the situation--a criminal breaking into their home, terrifying the parents, and interrogating the girl--is a nightmare, and very much a hostage situation. Gideon and Kate have no idea--no idea--who Lymond is or of what he is capable. For all they know, he'll slit all their throats and rob them blind. Fortunately, he accepts what Philippa tells him as proof that Gideon is not the man he seeks.

Little Philippa's stomping on the sapphire brooch (another brooch!) is Lymond's brutal but well-deserved comeuppance. His awkward attempt to win Philippa's forgiveness after the fact gains him exactly what he deserves: a good stomping. He may not have believed there was any other way to gain the knowledge he was seeking, but he is using an ends-justify-the-means morality that allows him to hold a family hostage and frighten and harass a child in the process. This is hardly one of Lymond's better moments.

Notice that Philippa "shudders" at his touch. Something about Lymond profoundly affects the little girl just as his eyes and voice touched Mariotta deeply. Lymond has a way of discombobulating people in general and women in particular.
Border Reivers setting out on a cattle raid
Border Reivers Setting
Out on a Cattle Raid

The fact that Lymond returns more cattle than he took is small recompense for the trauma he has inflicted and also a genuine measure of goodwill and a sure sign he is not a danger to the Somervilles.
Aside: When Lymond says that the animals have performed a feat of multiplication that, genetically speaking, is fabulous, he must be using the word 'genetically' to refer to the livestock's origins being other than Flaw Valleys' because the current use of the word 'genetic' did not occur until the 19th century. 'Genetical' derives from genesis, meaning origin, creation, generation.
***
The final scene in this chapter continues to inflict pain like touching an open sore. Lymond angry is not a pretty thing to witness and something to be avoided. This may be the first time we have seen him display genuine fury, to be truly out of control and not just using a show of anger to achieve an end. Why is he so furious? He has just come off a wretched display of abuse directed at wholly innocent and even good people, including a child. He used them all ill and he hates himself for so doing. He has a goal he believes he must achieve and is willing to sacrifice just about anyone and anything to that end, but the victims this time were neither guilty nor worthy opponents. He feels debased and dirty for what he did, and his feeble attempt at an apology is met with the kind of humiliation only a child can inflict.

And now Lymond is taking out his anger at himself on his men. Even though Lang Cleg broke Lymond's narrow set of rules and the law, he probably would not have been flayed to within an inch of his life by the Master himself under normal circumstances.

Lymond's self control is still weak when he rousts Will to question him. It seems that Lymond needs yet another victim at whom to loose the arrows of his ire. Will, however, is not quite the naif he was three months earlier. He has in fact learned from the Master and is no longer an easy target. From Will we hear Johnnie Bullo's version of events and Will's interpretation of Johnnie's version, which is quite different from what we know happened.

Will views Christian as the most innocent and helpless type of victim, and Lymond's use of her arouses in him every ounce of the old chivalry he has renounced to follow this outlaw. Lymond points out Will's hypocrisy in accepting all manner of (supposed) criminality and outrage ("pogrom* and heresy") but in drawing the line at using a blind girl to spy for him.
*Our modern use of the word 'pogrom' is derived from the Russian word pogróm (destruction). Lymond, at this point, does not speak Russian, but he undoubtedly came across this word in his wide reading of history and literature.
Lymond tires to get Will to consider that his interpretation of the facts as Johnnie Bullo sketched them might be inaccurate or at least incomplete. Lymond is also testing Will to see just how deeply committed to amorality he really is (and the answer appears to be, not very). It is fascinating to listen to Lymond's discussion of the benefits of Christian's emotional dalliance with him, all of which are true: she has been psychologically ravished; he has brought excitement, a sense of purpose, intrigue, and pleasure to her otherwise rather dull life. Christian lives through her music and mind, but most people undoubtedly treat her as a fragile invalid. Lymond never does. And, because Lymond never revealed his identity to her, if she is found to have helped him she will be viewed as an object of pity and communal outrage for having been duped by this dastardly villain.

What of the unenumerated advantages of Lymond's relationship with Christian? Beyond getting inside knowledge and assistance, he also has gained a confidante and a friend who is his equal and with whom he can be himself, sans mask and pretense and posturing. The only times we have seen him relaxed have been in Christian's presence. He is only free to be himself when, ironically, he is a nameless, faceless voice with no identity, that is, when he is no one.

When Will starts sounding like a whiny little boy disappointed that his idol has clay feet, Lymond turns his ferocity on him and warns Will that he really, really does not want to go rummaging around in Lymond's head (his pia mater). The entire conversation has been leading to this moment when Lymond thrusts George Douglas's letter at Will to read. Will is understandably unnerved by the letter but hardly surprised that Grey wants to get his hands on him for the humiliation at Hume. However, Lymond is convincing in his claim that he has better bargaining chips in mind than the mere heir of Buccleuch.

What is interesting about the letter is that Lymond does not for one minute think he is doing Lord Grey's bidding; he knows the person calling the shots is George Douglas. Grey is there to provide leverage: he wants Will and can bring Samuel Harvey from London. So if the plan works, Grey gets Will Scott and Lymond gets Samuel Harvey. But what does George Douglas get? Grey's gratitude and, of course, Lymond.

A final thought about another instance of "barbarous hilarity" (inappropriate outburst of laughter or humor):
Lymond suddenly began to laugh. For a moment, so amused and so tired was he, the laughter was less than controlled and Scott, shocked, recognized in the other for the first time since he had known him, the outward signs of extreme fatigue.
Until now, Will Scott has believed that Lymond does not sleep or even need rest. But now Will sees that the stress of a truly terrible day is playing havoc with Lymond and, as is so often the case, his reaction is laughter. In this case, the laughter is of a man walking on the knife edge of mania.

Questions
  1. Was Richard planning to shoot to kill or to wound Lymond?
  2. I've always wondered if George Douglas really believed his prediction that Lennox would not have to lead the force into Scotland, or if he believed all along that Lennox would end up with this terrible duty. What do you think?
  3. Why is Johnnie Bullo telling Will Scott about Lymond behind the Master's back? Do you think Lymond put him up to it?
  4. What do Gideon and Kate Somerville think of Lymond after he leaves Flaw Valleys without harming anyone and increasing their herd?
  5. What is George really up to? Is Lymond really worth this much trouble to him?
Favorite Lines
At Carlisle, the Lord Wharton ... consulted the sky, which told him that something unpleasant was probably on the way and made him very glad indeed, in the small and unkempt civilian corner of his soul, that the Earl of Lennox and not himself was going on this expedition.
[Kate to Lymond] "Oh, shame on you. Is there no God who looks after little brains?" 
Words that Describe Lymond in An Exchange of Pawns Is Suggested
  • shameless
  • wily
  • imperious
  • obsessed
  • angry
  • guilty
  • frustrated
  • callous
  • cruel
  • brutal
  • manic
  • irritable
  • intense
  • enigmatic
  • impervious
  • impersonal

Friday, December 5, 2014

Part Two. The Play for Gideon Somerville. Chapter II. Discovered Check 1. Diagonal Mating Begins

1. Diagonal Mating Begins

Richard is being a pain again, this time to Mariotta. He isn't injured enough to warrant her care or slow him down (or keep him at home and in her bed). Rather than confide in her mother-in-law, Mariotta turns to the only other readily available woman for advice. Unfortunately for Mariotta, Janet Beaton is about as subtle as an andiron. She thinks Mariotta ought to be grateful that Richard is off doing manly stuff and leaving her alone. This is not the advice Mariotta hopes for.

The Jewelry

To add to Mariotta's woes, two anonymous packets containing expensive jewelry arrive for her. The "arrogance" and "insolence" both of the gifts and the messages convince Mariotta they must be from Lymond (who else?). She fails to show the brooch to Richard and Sybilla, so by the time the bracelet arrives, she is in a corner: the first thing Richard is likely to say to two gifts is, "why didn't you tell me about the first one when it arrived?" Richard is a man of unquestioned probity, and he expects the same from everyone else, especially his wife. Her failure to inform him immediately of an unasked for gift, accompanied as it was by a suggestive note, is beyond unacceptable. It would be for Richard a form of betrayal.


Mariotta's rationale for withholding these facts--she fears it would make matters between Richard and Francis worse--would fall on deaf ears with Richard. Mariotta's failure to inform Richard is not entirely because she is worried about her husband. She continues to be plagued by her memories of Lymond who, you will recall, moved her in a way her husband never had. Mariotta does not handle the situation well. Instead of the direct, honest approach, she wears the jewelry to see if Richard notices. He does not.

It is Janet who seems to draw the connection between the jewelry and Lymond: seeing Mariotta's jewels, Janet instantly recalls the shooting glove dropped at the Papingo shoot, which has "some jewellers' work on the back." Richard failed to follow up on the glove, which Sybilla says remains in a cabinet in Stirling.

The Philosopher's Stone, Part 1

Sybilla has invited Johnnie Bullo to visit her, Mariotta, and Janet at Midculter to discuss the Philosopher's Stone. On the surface, it appears the reason for inviting Johnnie to her home, other than satisfying Sybilla's intense curiosity, is to give her an opportunity to use him as a messenger between her and Lymond.


The Alchemist
Johnnie was not anticipating Janet Beaton's presence and is "not altogether pleased to see her" because she dabbles in magic and medicine, which are his domain. She might be a problem for him because she will undoubtedly question his knowledge and credibility, but he accepts the challenge "without diffidence." That is such a fine way of showing Johnnie's character: can you imagine Johnnie Bullo ever being meek or uncertain?

Johnnie's disquisition works his magic on Janet, who now is eager to engage in creating the stone. Janet, ever practical, focuses on making sure a commercial agreement is worked out on how to handle their profits from the gold while Mariotta is now completely caught up in the mystical aspects of the project. And Sybilla thinks through and plans for all the necessary items required for the project. Johnnie is eager to comply.

The Letter

This section is a challenge to understand because the letter operates on so very many levels.

I admit to puzzling over the opening for quite a while. What is the significance of beginning with the strange phrase "the great Pan is dead"? Lymond expects Christian, a highly educated woman, to know the reference to Plutarch, in which a boatman is exhorted by an anonymous, unseen voice to make the proclamation "the great Pan is dead." Lymond seems to be telling Christian (and Sybilla) that he is the anonymous voice speaking through John Maxwell.


The Great God Pan
Also, Pan is the god of shepherds and flocks: that, I think, is another clue to why this quote is included in the letter. Pan liked to frighten men and animals so he could inspire, yes, "PANic." That reminds us, the readers, of Lymond's use of the horses to create panic in the supply train headed for Hume and, perhaps, imply to Christian and Sybilla an incident in which animals will be used to create havoc. Perhaps they will reflect on this reference when they learn about the cattle raid.

My husband suggested a very plausible reason to start the love letter with this phrase. Pan, the satyr, suggests sexual desire; the double meaning here is that Maxwell cries in woe that his desire for Agnes is thwarted by her betrothal to another while Lymond subtly tells Christian that his desire for her must also "die."

Or perhaps the quotation is just one of the "sly absurdities" that Christian takes note of.

"Mercury's finger," on the other hand, is an excellent and more delineated clue. In palmistry, "the small finger is known as the mercury finger. This is the key to individual’s balance or abuse of power. If the finger is long, the individual is witty, and will have success in business. ... It is a good sign if this finger is straight and long. When pointed, it shows eloquence, tact and diplomacy." Mercury Finger: Palmistry Illustrated Guide

We know Lymond's fingers are long and slender, and I think we can safely assume that his Mercury finger is pointed. I am confident this is a message for Sybilla, who reacts to this one thing in the whole letter. She has already shown her interest in things mystical, and it is not unlikely that she and Francis would have read and discussed the arcane "sciences." Also, the Mercury finger and Mercury in general are associated with communication, and this is something Sybilla and Christian (and Janet) would have known. Lymond is communicating to his mother and Christian through Maxwell's letter. 

Remember: Lymond told Christian he would write to her, and he has, through Maxwell. Christian knows that while the letter itself is for Agnes, the subtext of the letter is directed to her. She receives Lymond's messages, and the flowery language and "sly absurdities" are part of his means of letting her know he is the voice behind the written words. His primary goal seems to be to tell Christian he is making good progress toward achieving his goal of tracking down the man he has been seeking with her help. 

Interestingly, Christian does not ruminate on the "love letter" aspects of Lymond's message, although they surely were clear to her. The "Spanish"* quotation at the end of the letter, included by Lymond to ensure Christian is asked to read the letter, is an unmistakable message to her since she recently heard him sing the song. Here's the full verse in English:
Rose of all roses, and Flower of all flowers,
Lady of all ladies, and Liege of all Lords.
Rose of beauty and truth,
and Flower of joy and of youth;
Lady enthroned in great holiness,
Liege Lord, who bears our sorrows and sins.
This is the Lady I hold as Liege
and of whom I long to be the troubadour,
so that, in this, I may have Her love,
giving myself over all other loves.
*The language is Galician-Portuguese, not Spanish, but none of the ladies (except Christian) seems to know the difference, and she is not telling.

Sybilla makes sure that Agnes answers the letter--with Christian's help--right away; there is no doubt that she sees Francis's fine mind behind the overwrought, almost silly letter. I'm amused that Sybilla says, with her fine sense of irony, "you can never tell a man from his letters." Is that ever true in this case!

***
The Plan

Wat Scott arrives after the ladies have dined. Notice Richard did not eat with them, showing up after they were finished. He really is making himself scarce. Sybilla is unhappy that Wat himself came to get Janet, as evinced by the excellent control of her facial muscles, because she has been trying to keep Richard and Wat apart for Lymond's sake. 

The women now learn from Richard and Wat's conversation about the plan for a cattle raid, supposedly hatched by Maxwell. Richard wants to know if Wat will participate in the raid and he is loathe to answer, so his wife does for him, as if pulling divine intervention from above: "Will you listen to this?" demanded Dame Janet of the ceiling. "The man's lost his tongue..."

The River Tyne (with cattle)
Wat has received the Queen Dowager's permission to pay lip service to the English as long as he shows proof of his Scottish loyalties. Participating in the cattle raid is one such proof, but Wat runs the risk of being spotted by the English, who will then know he's playing them for fools.

John Maxwell gets credit for the cattle raid, an idea planted by Lymond, nurtured by Maxwell, and harvested by the Scottish lairds, which somehow involves Wharton's next border incursion. Remember: George Douglas came up with the idea for Lennox to lead the English raid in the dead of winter and apparently it is going to happen after all. Lymond knew about this planned raid and, at the Ostrich Inn, suggested to Maxwell he attack Lennox and thereby get credit with the Scottish court for stopping another English incursion.

We get a glimpse of just how keen Buccleuch is in his analysis of John Maxwell's precarious situation. Both he and Richard know it is risky to trust Maxwell, given the fact that the Protector (of England) "has him by the short hairs," but they agree they should chance it. Maxwell's love letter to Agnes helps seal the deal because it is evidence that Maxwell really is trying to get into the good graces of the Queen Dowager. It appears from all the evidence that John Maxwell has cast his lot with the Scots and not the English.

The final scene in this part is a hasty private conversation between Janet and Richard in which she lets him know Wat has not changed his mind about hunting Lymond and his men. The most interesting part of the exchange is the one Richard does not hear. Janet knows there is trouble--deep trouble--between Richard and Mariotta, but she is also wise and experienced enough to know from Richard's demeanor not to bring it up now while he is chewing on his obsession with his brother.

Questions
  1. Why is Sybilla so keen on having Johnnie Bullo create the Philosopher's Stone?
  2. What does Johnnie Bullo hope to achieve from trying to create the Philosopher's Stone when he knows he cannot turn base metal to gold?
  3. Why is Richard so cold to Mariotta?
  4. When Sybilla suggests Christian help Agnes write her response to Maxwell, do you think Lymond's mother knows he is secretly communicating to Christian as well as her?
Favorite Line
The small panes of the Dowager's window became grey, and then ultramarine, and the hot, scented air fondled and set about itself strange words.
The hot air fondled the strange words...what an amazing image!

Words that Describe Lymond in Discovered Check 1. Diagonal Mating Begins (he does not appear in this section)
  • Clever
  • Conniving
  • Manipulative
  • Duplicitous
  • Unscrupulous
  • Subtle
  • Sly

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Part Two. The Play for Gideon Somerville. Chapter I. Smothered Mate

1. Removal of a Blocking Knight

Branxholm
Winter is coming and with it, more trouble.

Richard Crawford is at Branxholm, the Buccleuch home, trying without much success to enlist if not Wat Scott then his men and hounds in pursuit of Lymond's gang. Branxholm is about as different from Midculter as possible: a cacophonous mix of screaming babies, boisterous children of all ages, argumentative adults, and assorted animals all contained within utilitarian if not pleasing walls. Buccleuch has every reason to be worried about his home and family given the cross-border raids by the English (Seymour and Wharton) that have left other estates in ruin.

Buccleuch is still pretending to be ill to avoid having to accede to Grey of Wilton (he of the mouth injury and victim of Lymond's Spanish supply train commander) and his demands for a show of loyalty. Add to these Wat's concerns over Will's fate, which Richard plays to by offering the logical argument that it would be better for a family friend and a Scotsman to catch Will than for him to fall into English hands.

Notice that Wat is perfectly happy to throw himself into a full-throated argument with Janet as a way of avoiding further discussion with Richard, although Dunnett certainly implies that the Buccleuch household is normally just this "corybantic" (wild) and noisy and unrestrained. How very different from the Crawfords, who are paradigms of self-mastery and reserve. Except, of course, for Francis, who can be quite wild on cue.

Into this madhouse comes Sybilla, purportedly looking for relief from Agnes Herries. Really? If Sybilla wants a quiet retreat from Agnes's overpowering voice, she certainly has come to the wrong house. So what is her true motive? She is once again intervening to block Richard from using Wat or his resources to find Lymond. Sybilla also lets slip the fortune Lymond created for Johnnie Bullo to tell Agnes: she will fall for a thin man with a romantic smile named Jack. This could be important because Lymond undoubtedly had something in mind when he came up with this prophecy.

Sybilla also reintroduces the plan for the discussion of the Philosopher's Stone, which leads her on a desultory journey to other topics, by which time Richard's request for Buccleuch's help is long forgotten. Once again, Sybilla has subtly but effectively disrupted her elder son's plans vis a vis her younger son. Everyone is glad when Richard leaves because Wat Scott does not want to get involved in helping him find Lymond's gang.

As Richard is leaving, Janet lets him know she agrees with him that the Scots need to catch Lymond and Will before the English do and even suggests he go behind Buccleuch's back to do so. But Richard hates conspiracies and deceptions of all kinds and will not consider it. He instead implores Janet to talk Wat round to his (and her) point of view.

Notice Richard's interesting comment about Lymond:
"I tell you, Lymond has taken three months to kill all the years of my childhood."
On the surface, this probably means something like, "his behavior has aged me ten years in three months," but I wonder if he isn't saying that Francis has destroyed all the love and affection and loyalty of their childhood together in the three months he has been back in Scotland and acting the brigand. Richard is, after all, offering to hunt Lymond down and possibly kill him on sight.

One last question: who is the blocking knight who is removed in this section? The obvious answer might be Buccleuch, but on reflection that does not make sense. After all, he has already blocked Richard's plans to hunt down Lymond and company, so he was already removed. I believe the blocking knight is Richard himself. Remember in Opening Gambit that it is Richard who steadfastly refuses to engage in finding Lymond, despite Tom Erskine and Wat Scott's entreaties. Richard was, at that time, Lymond's "blocking knight," that is, the "piece" protecting the "king." Now Richard confesses to Janet that he no longer has any family feeling or other emotional ties that will stop him from finding his brother and, if necessary, killing him. Lymond, the "king," is exposed. But through the inaction of Buccleuch and the interference of Sybilla, Richard is effectively removed from the board, at least for the moment.

2. Irregular Partie Between Two Masters

A Spanish Deck of Cards (1495-1518)
The scene shifts to "the Peel"  (their tower hideout) where Lymond's men are playing cards. We learn a great deal of Lymond's back story and have many actions explained in this section. From the initial exchange we learn that Jonathan Crouch has been with the men since Lymond liberated him from Ballaggan, that Crouch is feeling the absence of an audience for his non-stop monologue, and that Crouch is a first-rate card player who has taught Will Scott a thing or two about winning at cards. Crouch may be an obnoxious little man with a "smooth pansy face" "like cheese rennet," but he is one sharp character.

Also, over the past two months, Will Scott has developed "a certain style," which, I think, refers to more than just his improved skill at cards. He has taken the lesson of his humiliation at Hume Castle to heart and has learned from it--and from the Master.

When Johnnie Bullo slips in unannounced and silently, we find out from him some extremely valuable bits of information about Lymond. At the battle of Solway Moss in November 1542 (five years earlier), Lymond was captured by the English, taken to London as prisoner, supposedly committed the treasonous act for which he now wanted, and rewarded for this betrayal with a fine English manor.

Lymond might have wanted Johnnie to tell Will this story as part of the younger man's education, but it may be that Johnnie, as a free agent, does it on his own initiative to show no man is his master.

Crouch now learns why Lymond freed him from Ballaggan but has not yet sent him home: Lymond thought Crouch might be the man who betrayed him to the Scottish government five years ago by making his treason known to the authorities. Lymond is now convinced Crouch is not the man. But why? I do not think we know what exactly convinced Lymond that "the titmouse" is not the man he is seeking. Lymond also makes clear to Crouch et al. that Andrew Hunter's interest in Crouch was to entice Lymond, in part to earn the bounty on Lymond's head and in part for reasons yet to be disclosed. I suspect that Lymond suspects Hunter of very specific motives which he is as of yet loathe to articulate.
***
The ride to the Ostrich Inn offers another opportunity for exposition. Will Scott has been developing his "certain style" by watching Lymond and learning from him. He, as all the men, is in awe of the Master, who seems super human. Nothing in Will's experience has prepared him for Lymond. Once again, we hear of Lymond's many masks: he never lets anyone see him ill or weak. Even such normal human emotions and experiences as disappointment, worry, genuine (not feigned) anger, or even sleep are weaknesses to Lymond. The "omnipotent" persona he has created must be taking a huge toll on Lymond emotionally and physically.

And, once again, Johnnie Bullo is more than a little eager to take this opportunity to tell tales about Lymond behind his back. Johnnie does not work for the Master, so he is under no obligation to keep his mouth shut. Johnnie also recognizes Will's utter fascination with Lymond, so he makes an eager audience for the gypsy king's stories.

***
The Ostrich Inn
The Ostrich Inn
Just as with Will Scott, through whose eyes we see the events in the Ostrich unfold, it is difficult for the reader not to succumb to the heady atmosphere of the Ostrich--the noise, the alcohol, the music, the heat, the smells, and all the people. We know at least one reason the gypsies were going to the Ostrich: to ply their trade. What else do we know?
  • Lymond quickly disappears. Where? Why? Will does not know.
  • Molly has known the Master for some time and he has rewarded her loyalty quite nicely. Once again, Lymond's wealth is emphasized.
  • Lymond reappears, clean and dressed in new clothes. He must keep a room at the inn.
  • Will Scott flaunts his wealth as well by wearing a jewel in his helmet, which allows Molly to size him up quickly as another potential benefactor.
Lymond takes the occasion of Molly's showing off her gifts to Will for another lesson: in effect he tells him, "Will, if you go around with a flashy jewel in your helmet, do not be surprised when someone tries to take advantage of you."

When Lymond takes the key from Molly and leads Will upstairs, what does Will think is going to happen? 
Where there is no custom of reticence in childhood, there is no vice in which a well-brought-up young man need be ignorant...
Does he think Molly has arranged women for Lymond and him? Or does he, perhaps, think Lymond himself is proposing a homosexual encounter? Remember, Lymond has been watching Will watch him; Will cannot take his eyes off Lymond, so it would not be out of the question that Will might think Lymond has this in mind.

Whatever Will is expecting, it is John Maxwell. But when Will realizes they have come to meet Maxwell, he has enough presence of mind to salvage proper behavior "out of the wreckage of his emotions." Whether Will is relieved or disappointed (or a bit of both), this assignation is all business.

A quick reminder about Maxwell. In Part I, Chapter V, Lymond set up the attack on Maxwell that allowed him to rescue Maxwell, thus putting him in Lymond's debt. Also recall that Maxwell, as a border laird, is in a precarious position vis-a-vis the English.

Maxwell is well connected to the Douglas family: his uncle is James Douglas of Drumlanrig, who is George Douglas's brother-in-law; Maxwell's brother-in-law is Archie Douglas, the Earl of Angus (married to Maxwell's sister Margaret). All three of these Douglas men were at Drumlanrig along with Andrew Hunter when Richard and Agnes recuperated there following their dousing in the Nith (Part I, Ch. IV).

What does Lymond's interview with Maxwell tell us?
  • Lymond's intelligence network is, as George Douglas imagined, enviably broad and meticulously accurate.
  • Maxwell was impressed enough by Lymond at their last meeting (when Lymond "saved" Maxwell) that he looked into the men Lymond is seeking and discovered their names, which Lymond already knows via Crouch.
  • Also at that time Lymond had proposed the idea of a propitious marriage for Maxwell but one that John does not think likely given his current standing with the Queen Dowager (i.e., under the thumb of the English).
  • Lennox, as George Douglas proposed in Part I, Ch. IV, is going to bring an English force north into Scotland in the dead of winter (it appears George's wild idea has hatched into a live goose).
  • The Lennox raid can be arranged to be bungled, with Lennox blaming his own men and Maxwell getting the credit with the Queen Dowager.
After a conversation detailing Lymond's plan, Maxwell leaves at midnight, but not before begging Lymond not let his "mad, antic mind" come up with any more bright ideas. Once again, we get the sense that Lymond is an exhausting person to be around, a buzzing hive of mental and physical activity. Lymond for his part believes Maxwell is equal to whatever lunatic schemes he might devise and, to Will's surprise, Maxwell finds that comment amusing. Q.E.D. The comment about mulberry trees into silk shirts (silkworms live in mulberry trees) indicates Lymond expected this encounter to be yet another moment of edification for Will. Likely it was not because Will, like the company in the inn, is barely conscious. Lymond will have none of this somnolence: he is ready for a uproarious night of wine, music, and general debauchery. 

We are now treated to one of the greatest scenes of frenetic hilarity in literature. I recommend rereading the way Dunnett introduces the bagpiper. It takes a minute to realize what she is describing, but once you do, could you imagine a better way of painting that image in words? Stunning. In fact, the way she casts her spell in unwinding the chaos of that night is so vivid you can almost feel the heat and hear the roaring din and smell the bodies.

Why does Lymond stir up the sleeping crowd into a night of frenzied activity? On a practical level, it ensures that anyone who was at the Ostrich this night will have memories only of the riotous events after midnight, thus defeating any efforts to ferret out Lymond's broader designs. I also think Lymond craves this madcap activity to keep him from going mad. He needs the release and he knows his men need it, too. But, unlike most of his men, he is awake, alert, and dressed for the day before dawn.

One other aside: I suspect there is a little private joke in this scene. Lymond says, "Sleep! Whoever slept at the Ostrich between midnight and five in the morning?" I recall hearing or reading that Dunnett said she wrote her novels between midnight and five in the morning. I have often thought she must have never slept! I at least strongly suspect she was a terrible insomniac, her mind racing with ideas and story lines and images at all hours. So let us be thankful for the grace of the wee hours in which the magic came to our Darling Dorothy.

And then comes the last line of the the section spoken by Francis Crawford, who can hear the music of the spheres, unheeded by other ears:
"Look up," said the Master, "and see them. The teaching stars, beyond worship and commonplace tongues. The infinite eyes of innocence."
Wow. Is that not exquisite? Possibly for the first time we get a glimpse of a more profound Lymond with secret depths of insight and character.

"The teaching stars." Watch. Wait. See.

3. Cross Moves by a King's Knight

This is a short but significant scene because we meet Gideon Somerville for the first time. He makes a very good impression: he served his king but as soon as the king died, he had the good sense to take his wife, child, and money and head out of court for good and all. He is good-humored, compassionate, and honest (he admits he is not only worried about Kate's skin but his own). He is also dutiful if reluctant, although he really has no choice but to do what Lord Grey wishes.

The most important thing we learn in this scene is that the man Lymond seeks is not Gideon but Samuel Harvey, although Lymond does not yet know this. How does Grey know about Harvey? Because the ever-reliably well-connected George Douglas told him. Or course, we do not know how this bit of news came to George, but he has an excellent spy network. It also means George knows why Lymond wants Harvey; otherwise, how would he have been able to connect the suspects' names to a specific person? One of them has damning information about Lymond.

Grey wants to use Somerville to trap Will Scott, who humiliated him at Hume, and that infernal Spaniard who used him even more ill. And George Douglas gets Lymond in the bargain. It is extremely amusing that Grey still does not realize there was no Spanish captain!

Poor Gideon is stuck in the middle of this muddle, realizing again that you can take your life out of the court but you can't take the court out of your life.

Questions
  1. Who is the "blocking knight" that is removed in section 1? Is it Richard?
  2. Why does Johnnie Bullo tell Will the story about Lymond's purported treason when Turkey Mat makes it clear Lymond hates having people talk about him behind his back? Did Lymond put him up to this for some reason or is Johnnie telling tales out of school?
  3. By telling stories about Lymond's fallibility Johnnie Bullo diminishes Lymond in Will's eyes. Why would he do this?
  4. Why is Lymond convinced Crouch is not the man who he is seeking?
  5. Who do you think Lymond suggested as a wife for John Maxwell?
  6. How did George Douglas figure out that Samuel Harvey is the man Lymond is seeking?
Favorite Line
"The teaching stars, beyond worship and commonplace tongues. The infinite eyes of innocence."
Words That Describe Lymond in Smothered Mate
  • wild
  • frenetic
  • sarcastic
  • cynical
  • crafty
  • manipulative
  • inventive
  • conniving
  • ruthless
  • controlling
  • extremely athletic
  • poetic
  • profound

Monday, October 27, 2014

Part One. The Play for Jonathan Crouch. Chapter VII. A Variety of Mating Replies. 2. Check and Cross Check

Item 7. is the shooting glove, formed to protect
the three fingers used in drawing the string.
 
Here we have Dunnett's three arrows again: the one that freed the parrot, the one that hit the parrot, the one that hit Richard. This last is remarked on: 
For the arrow which struck Richard came from a great distance and had to fly over many heads to an almost invisible mark. Unlike the first two it was not faultless.
I added the emphasis. Remember: Dunnett never says anything that is extraneous or pointless.

What do we learn about the archery equipment? 

  • The bow is English (Richard assumes Lymond got it as part of his Annan booty).
  • The arrows are all from the same source (they are all made from the same wood and feathers, I assume).
  • They are barbed (which is, judging by Richard's comment, highly inappropriate in a perch contest).
  • The glove is high-quality white buckskin, perfumed and jeweled and expensive.
  • The glove is new because it shows no signs of repeated usage.
In short, everything seems to fit into a neat package of damning evidence against Lymond. Richard's ire against his brother is understandably growing stronger. And Mariotta's comment will only help fan the flames of hatred ("He [Lymond] seems able to do almost anything he wants.") What husband could bear such a comment about any man, especially a handsome, rougish younger brother?

Notice that Agnes jumps on this comment by diverting the attention away from Mariotta to herself as she looks (longingly) at Richard and heaves a sigh. She is not impressed by Lymond. She is focused on the true hero: Richard.

Sybilla, exercising her "own brand of humane genius" diverts everyone from the papingo shoot disaster with the very conveniently arranged gypsy entertainment. The scene focuses not on the players but on the audience. We know:
  • Mariotta is relaxing and getting her color back.
  • Tom Erskine is providing commentary for Christian.
  • Christian is trying to restrain Agnes, with limited success.
  • Andrew Hunter is helping Christian keep Agnes's enthusiasm in check.
  • Richard is watching the gypsies while half asleep.
  • Sybilla is watching Richard while she is having a "long and intermittent" discussion with Johnnie Bullo.
  • Wat Scott is the only member of the audience not mentioned.
And Sybilla uses that as an excuse to remove Wat from the scene to ask him about the bloodhounds. Once again Sybilla proves herself preternaturally insightful. She knew immediately what Richard was planning:
"I always could interpret these silences, you know, more easily than half an hour of his brother's chatter."
Oh, my! Isn't that interesting? Lymond's mother claims she has trouble seeing through his elaborate deceptions. He uses language as a disguise just as surely as he uses wigs and clothing and accents. We do get a sense here that Lymond loves to talk and loves to hear himself talk. 

Now we have the treat of watching Sybilla in action--something very similar to watching Francis work his will on others. The exchange between Sybilla and Wat Scott might be a tad confusing, so here's what is going on.


Lord Grey, who was humiliated by Lymond at Hume when he came to rescue Will Scott, has "invited" Wat to Norham to assure the English of his continued assistance along the border. Wat has so far pleaded illness to avoid the summons, but the word is bound to get back to Grey very soon that Wat is quite well enough to attend the papingo shoot, among other activities. Wat realizes that he has two equally terrible choices regarding his son. 


On the one hand, he can disown Will and hope Lord Grey believes him. Wat doubts this will work because Grey knows it was Will at Hume and because the English troops from the supply train ended up "bound and frozen" and half naked ("cutty sarks") on his land. Also, if Wat disowns Will and he is caught, he'll suffer the same punishment as Lymond, that is, as a traitor. 


On the other hand, if Will comes home, as Wat has people praying he will, the English will surely burn his property to the ground in the next cross-border raid. (Wat's irreverence is as touching as it is amusing. He's ordered the clergy to pray for Will's return, but he calls them "baw-heids" or, basically, idiots.)


Add to this Richard Crawford's energetic request that Wat use his bloodhounds to track Lymond and you have a pretty good idea of the stress Wat is under. Sybilla gives Wat the way out of this particular quandary (using the bloodhounds) by promising that she will catch Will before anyone else, English or Scottish, gets hold of him, but we do not know how. Wat is quick to assent to her request.


Notice how quickly and smoothly Sybilla shifts the conversation to Johnnie Bullo and the Philosopher's Stone as the others enter the room. Johnnie clearly wants the ladies to leave Bogle House and come to his tent for some reason, and Sybilla does not hesitate to agree to the jaunt to the Fair even though it is now night and the fair has undoubtedly deteriorated into an event highly inappropriate for ladies and girls, even those with an armed escort.


It is always a matter of speculation among Dunnett readers about whom Sybilla is speaking when, alone with the sleeping Richard, she says, "Oh, my darling...I do hope I've done the best thing!" It could be Richard; it could be Lymond; it could conceivably be someone else. We cannot tell for sure. Nor can we be sure what she has done that worries and possibly even frightens her. We do know she has had a long conversation with Johnnie Bullo earlier this night, right before she asks Wat not to use his hounds to find Lymond, and she plans to meet with Johnnie again at Midculter.


First Johnnie Bullo as Lymond's go-between with Christian. Is he now Lymond's go-between with his mother? 

***
We "see" the day's events and the fair at night through Christian, and the images are disquieting and repulsive. The "uncouth" and "coarse" and "mindless, ganting" noises of the day have unfolded into an even worse "Saturnalia" of the night, filled with "sottish, leering voices" and the smells, the horrible smells, of stale beer and sweaty bodies and rancid food and the sharp odor of blood. It is not just nighttime, it is a nightmare for Christian, whose sensitive nature is assailed not only by the noises and odors but also by the "blundering bodies" and "grasping hands" all around her. And the stresses and anxieties of the day prey upon her mind all the while. We can feel the near panic she is trying hard to conceal.


Gypsies at a Fair
When Christian finally is guided by Johnnie Bullo inside his tent, the tension is hardly eased by the cold, enveloping silence. 

Then comes the "mothlike" voice, which immediately describes the surroundings to Christian so as to give her the comfort of bearings. Notice Lymond instantly detects Christian's fear (he is very sensitive to the emotions of others). Christian is eager to tell Lymond how the varieties of violence disgust her, with the day's events providing further examples of how human beings enjoy cruelty and inflicting pain. 



Aside: Christian mentions a kind of violence that "amuses itself by stuffing women and children into a cave and smoking them to death." I found almost that same language here:
Speaking of the clan system, more particularly during the middle ages, the Duke [of Argyll] says, "It was a rude and barbarous history--a history of almost utter barbarism--and whole tribes smothered, men, women, and children smoked to death in caves..." [my emphasis] from Bishop Carswell and His Times, The Celtic Magazine, April 1882, accessed via Electric Scotland.
John Carswell was born around 1522 and is closely associated with Mary Queen of Scots. He also translated a Gaelic edition of John Knox's liturgy. The language here and in The Game of Kings seems too close to have been coincidental. There are other sources that refer to the same kind of barbaric act (Wild Scottish Clans, by Arthur Griffiths, published 1910). It seems to me that Christian is referring not to English barbarity but to how the Scots themselves have been guilty of perpetrating horrors on each other. After all, who are the people at the fair but her fellow countrymen and women?



Why does Christian want to go to the fair? Remember Johnnie Bullo tried to get a message to her earlier that day but was unsuccessful. She wants to find out what that message is. 
Also, Christian wants to pass along information of her own, that is, about Jonathan Crouch. Lymond has his own motive for meeting Christian in the tent. Even though Lymond asks Christian how Richard is faring, this is more courtesy than necessity. Johnnie Bullo, after all, has been in Culter's company all evening and is a reliable reporter. Lymond's main motive is to let Christian know that he did not try to kill Richard: "I haven't tried to kill anybody today, I give you my word." However, he does not actually deny shooting Richard, only not trying to kill his brother. He could just as easily said, "I did not shoot anyone today."

All this almost certainly means that Christian knows who Lymond is by now, and perhaps knew all along. Why do she and Lymond continue the charade of his anonymity? I think it is mainly because he is a wanted man, a man accused of treason, and her openly acknowledging that she knows his identity is very dangerous. To use the current vernacular, the play-acting gives Christian some degree of "plausible deniability," however slight. Also, for her to admit she knows Lymond's identity would break the spell of their enchanted friendship by introducing cold, stark reality. Neither of them wants that.



Aside: Regarding Lymond's comments on archery--clearly he is a man with a finely honed aesthetic sense. He loves the sport because, done well, it is a beautiful thing to behold and to perform. It is, for him, artistry in motion. Keep in mind Lymond's various skills and talents because they will be important throughout the series. How and when did he become so adept at so many different activities that require years of training and practice?


The long, difficult discussion between Lymond and Christian on the depravity of man reveals a great deal about Francis Crawford. He points out to Christian that it only takes "a good crack of thunder" to bring people to their knees to pray for deliverance. And as for mankind being civilized, he hardly sees much evidence of that. As for the civilizing effect of religion, there seems to be none, only various sects and religions vying with each other to be the most barbarous. Not to be diverted from the attempt on Richard's life, Christian interrupts Lymond's soliloquy to inquire on assassination or murder for private motives. 

Lymond claims he is ignorant of what motivated the attack on his brother--perhaps the usual suspects: greed, hate, envy, religious conflict, a lover's revenge. Lymond rejects only the last of these because Richard is "a remarkably dull and blameless creature." I wonder if he really views his brother this way.

Christian will not let Lymond off easy and continues sparring with him, saying she values candor above self-control. Lymond's comments on truth are a wonderful thing to read. He points out that truth-telling is often used as a weapon to inflict pain and increase suffering, even driving people to "the river and the dagger and the pillow in a quiet corner" (to suicide, to murder, and to despair). Furthermore, if Christian got the candor she craves regarding her mystery man's identity, it might cause irreparable harm to them both, but most especially to her: there would be "no possible going back once [the truth about his identity is] out."

Keep in mind Lymond's hypothetical example of whether or not he murdered his own sister.

Christian remains one of the few people who can genuinely surprise Lymond and verbally spar with him. When she points out that he and not she would deservedly suffer for his misdeeds should they be discovered, he laughs at her candor, wondering if she would even enjoy his punishment (pretend you wouldn't like to see me struggling at the end of the noose, i.e., "dance a vuelta on the widdy"). 

Lymond continues to put a great deal of faith both in his ability to paint a certain image of himself with his voice as well as Christian's ability to discern his true nature from his voice and words. So far, his faith has not been misplaced. And, again, Christian comes through for him with the news about Johnathon Crouch. Remember, Christian learned all this from Sybilla after her visit to Patey Liddell's shop where she overheard George Douglas and Andrew Hunter. It seems clear from what she says that Christian does not know Lymond is the man who took Crouch from Hunter's house. 

Lymond is momentarily taken aback when Christian asks for her fortune to be told before she leaves, but Francis agrees in part to give her something to satisfy the suspicions of Tom and in part, I believe, because he does not want her to go just yet. He enjoys the company of someone with whom he can freely be himself precisely because she (supposedly) does not know who he is. 

I believe the mock fortune Lymond reads in Christian's palm shows his profound disdain for all forms of fortune telling and mysticism. He makes the absurd claim that Christian appears to "have died at the age of seven" and then goes on to utter the typical bromides that Johnnie Bullo spouts: you'll get the most out of life, meet the man of your dreams, get your heart's desire, etc. But then just as unexpectedly, Lymond speaks from his heart: "what are we, after all? Charlatans, faiseurs d'horoscope..." That, I think, is what Lymond truly believes. He has no time for tellers of fortunes, readers of palms, or casters of horoscopes.

As the time for parting draws near, it seems neither Lymond nor Christian wants to go. There is a deep attraction and empathy between them. Lymond first offers the "apologue" (moral fable) of the sands of time being reversed so that they can meet again, and then tries a quotation from a traditional chanson de mal-mariée, which expresses the grievances of an unhappy wife. Dunnett's own translation of the poem sheds an interesting light on it:
Jealous, grudging and tart
Death can haunt him
Sweet and vivid and fond--
Then I want him. (from The Dorothy Dunnett Companion, Vol 1, p 135)
There are many possible ways to interpret why Lymond chooses this snippet, but I believe he sees himself as both "jealous, grudging and tart" (and worthy of death) and "sweet and vivid and fond" (and desirable). This may sound odd, but I think it makes sense when you consider that we have seen these two radically opposed "Lymonds": one very unpleasant, even cruel, and another very charming and lovable. Lymond is not at all happy having to play the divers parts required by the terrible circumstances of his life and not being seen for who and what he is.

Or it could be as simple as his thinking of Mariotta, the '"unhappy wife," whose fortune he has just heard Johnnie Bullo tell, undoubtedly one with a very happy ending involving a "sweet and vivid and fond" lover.

Before Christian leaves, Francis tells her he will write to her (no, he hasn't suddenly forgotten she has to have someone else read letters to her): he simply tells her to "wait and see." Lymond will find a way. The last quotation Christian hears Francis uttering brings their conversation full circle. It also confirms his identity; why else speak of the poor papingo (papinjay)? 

Wouldn't you love to have heard Johnnie Bullo's "chastely phrased double-entendres" in the fortunes he told Mariotta and Agnes? And his description of Agnes is incomparable: "a face like a pound of candles on a hot day." Lucky for her she is rich. 

At the end of the chapter Lymond tells Johnnie he has had a very annoying day, probably because of what happened--or didn't happen--at the papingo shoot. Events did not turn out to his liking. Lymond's leave-taking of Johnnie is classic Lymond: at once careful and brisk. Notice he leaves a "small memento" for Johnnie, certainly one to the gypsy king's profit. The other payment Lymond offers Johnnie may be more valuable: the raw pleasure of watching a master at work.


Questions
  1. Sybilla invited the gypsies to Bogle House before Richard was injured at the papingo shoot. Did her motives for doing so change once the incident occurred?
  2. Does Sybilla know that Bullo has a message for Christian? Is that why Sybilla wants to go to the fair that night? Are she and Christian in cahoots?
  3. Can you think of other examples of Sybilla's "own brand of humane genius"?
  4. Why does Christian blush when Sybilla mentions "love potions" when speaking of the Philosopher's Stone?
  5. Why did Lymond leave his shooting glove behind, knowing it could be used to identify and track him? Was it accidental?
Favorite Line
"Truth's nothing but falsehood with the edges sharpened up, and ill-tempered at that: no repair, no retraction, no possible going back once it's out."
Words that Describe Lymond in A Variety of Mating Replies, 2. Check and Cross Check
  • sober (not drunk)
  • voluable
  • witty
  • clever
  • mocking
  • sensitive
  • cynical
  • thoughtful
  • annoyed
  • conflicted
  • worried