The Cloven Foot · Chapter
La Chicot Has Her Own Way explained
Jack Chicot endures a miserable winter in London, trapped in a degrading marriage to the ballet dancer La Chicot.
What happens
Jack Chicot endures a miserable winter in London, trapped in a degrading marriage to the ballet dancer La Chicot. He works as a draughtsman while she drinks and spends her salary. She insists on performing a dangerous ascent in a new ballet, ignoring his fears. After she accepts an anonymous gold bracelet, they quarrel, and Jack leaves for a few days, asking Desrolles to watch over her.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This scene is the dramatic climax because it marks the emotional peak where Laura’s trust and love are directl…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Secrets and Deception
Jack Chicot hides his true feelings and plans from his wife, and the anonymous gift of the bracelet introduces deception and hidden motives.
- Love and Marriage
The chapter explores the decay of a marriage, with Jack feeling trapped and La Chicot indifferent to his concerns.
- Bohemianism vs. Respectability
Jack's life as a draughtsman and his wife's career as a ballet dancer contrast with his longing for respectability and a life free from scandal.
Characters to notice
- Chicot
Jack Chicot, the husband of La Chicot, feels trapped in a miserable marriage, working as a draughtsman and fearing for his wife's safety.
- La Chicot
La Chicot, a ballet dancer, insists on performing a dangerous ascent and accepts an anonymous gold bracelet, leading to a quarrel with her husband.
- Mr. Desrolles
Desrolles agrees to keep an eye on La Chicot while Jack Chicot leaves for a few days.
- Mr. Smolendo
Smolendo, the manager, dismisses Jack's concerns about the drunk scene shifter working the machinery for La Chicot's ascent.
Key passages
“Slowly, reluctantly, Winter crawled away to his hidden lair, and made room for a chilly, uncomfortable spring.”
Winter ended reluctantly, giving way to a cold and unpleasant spring.
Describes the bleak atmosphere and Jack's mood.
“He felt like a man standing on the edge of a black gulf, blindfolded, yet knowing that the pit was there.”
He felt as if he were on the brink of a dark abyss, unable to see but aware of the danger.
Illustrates Jack's sense of impending doom.
“La Chicot had her own way, naturally, being one of those women who once having taken their bent are no more to be diverted than a mountain torrent which the rains have swollen.”
La Chicot always got what she wanted, as she was as unstoppable as a swollen river.
Highlights her stubbornness and determination.
