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Baroness Orczy
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After a day of storm-bound agony at Dover, Marguerite and Sir Andrew cross to Calais and thread through hostile streets to the Chat Gris. Brogard's squalid inn still bears revolutionary slogans on the walls while Marguerite, disguised as an English smuggler's party, learns Percy was there in full evening dress, ordered supper, and will return.
Her joy wars with dread: Chauvelin's net is tightening, yet for a moment hope returns because her husband is near and still magnificently, foolhardily himself.
Hope can return the moment you learn someone is near, even inside enemy country. Marguerite reaches the Chat Gris and hears Percy ordered supper and will come back, still in court dress.
When you enter a watched space, speak through your cover story until you know who controls the exits.
Brogard mutters that the tall Englishman ordered supper and will return here soon. Sir Andrew warns Marguerite that walls have ears in France while they piece together how Chauvelin passed through Calais already in disguise..
What this chapter proves — the patterns beneath the scene
In this chapter: Outmaneuvering a Hostile System · Acting Despite Misunderstanding.
The cards below name the patterns this chapter proves — carry them with you into the original text.
Outmaneuvering a Hostile System
Marguerite and Sir Andrew cross to Calais knowing Chauvelin has a head start. French soil, revolutionary slogans, an innkeeper who serves whoever pays. Planning from England is over. Adaptation is the only remaining instrument.
Key Insight
Outside a hostile system you prepare. Inside it you read, wait, and move in the gaps the system cannot watch all at once.
Acting Despite Misunderstanding
After a storm-bound day at Dover they reach Calais and Brogard's inn. Revolutionary slogans on the walls. Percy was there in evening dress, ordered supper, and will return. Her joy wars with dread. She has come to undo a betrayal in the same rooms where the hunt is waiting.
Key Insight
Crossing after you know you were wrong is still action under a misread. Chauvelin thinks he has a frightened woman. He has a witness who will crawl through gorse.
Chapter 22
CALAIS The weariest nights, the longest days, sooner or later must perforce come to an end. Marguerite had spent over fifteen hours in such acute mental torture as well-nigh drove her crazy. After a sleepless night, she rose early, wild with excitement, dying to start on her journey, terrified lest further obstacles lay in her way. She rose before anyone else in the house was astir, so frightened was she, lest she should miss the one golden opportunity of making a start. When she came downstairs, she found Sir Andrew Ffoulkes sitting in the coffee-room. He had been out half…
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Think of a current situation where you're worried about someone or something isn't going as expected. Write down what you think 'should' be happening and what signs you're looking for. Then brainstorm three completely different ways this situation could actually be unfolding that don't match your assumptions.
Write about a time when someone you cared about surprised you by handling a difficult situation in a completely different way than you expected. What did you learn about them, and what did you learn about your own assumptions?
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Other theme-by-theme analyses from this book.
Watch the same man refuse a duel as a fool in Dover and sign a red flower in Paris.
Sit in the opera box while Chauvelin lays Armand's letter on the choice between a brother and a hero.
Drive the plague cart past Bibot in chapter 1, then bargain as Benjamin Rosenbaum while Chauvelin climbs into the faster cart.
Tell Percy about St. Cyr after the wedding, then stand on the Richmond terrace while he kisses the stone she already left.
Deep diving the literary elements.
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