Courtesy That Closes Exits
Merton ignores her in company, then corners her alone and takes her hand with libertine ease until Beaumont enters. The public manners and the private grab are one system. Protection, when it arrives, is another man entering the path, not a change in Merton's character.
Key Insight
Watch the split between the performance for the table and the behaviour in the garden. People who only become dangerous when the audience thins are telling you which self they consider real. Trust the garden.
“How glad I am, my sweet girl, to meet you, at last, alone!”Explore full theme analysis
