The Cloven Foot · Chapter
Days That Are Over, Dreams That Are Done explained
La Chicot lies near death after a stage accident, her husband Jack Chicot returns to find her unconscious.
What happens
La Chicot lies near death after a stage accident, her husband Jack Chicot returns to find her unconscious. The surgeon George Gerard suspects Jack's secret relief at the prospect of her death, and confronts him about his lack of devotion.
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 conceals his true feelings about his wife's condition, but Gerard sees through his facade.
- Love and Marriage
The Chicots' unhappy marriage is dissected by neighbors and by Gerard, who questions Jack's love.
- Bohemianism vs. Respectability
La Chicot's life as a dancer and the bohemian world of the theatre are contrasted with the domestic ideal.
Characters to notice
- La Chicot
Lies unconscious after a stage accident, her life hanging by a thread.
- Chicot
Returns home after a week's absence; his relief at his wife's condition is detected by Gerard.
- George Gerard
The young surgeon attending La Chicot; he confronts Jack about his hidden feelings.
- Mrs. Evitt
Mentioned as a source of gossip about the Chicots' unhappy marriage.
- Mrs. Bitters
A neighbor who discusses La Chicot's accident and the couple's relationship.
- Mr. Smolendo
The theatre manager who arranges for Sir John Pelham to set La Chicot's leg.
Key passages
“She lies there like a piece of waxwork, pore thing, and every five minutes they takes and wets her lips with a feather dipped in brandy; and sometimes she says 'more, more,' very weak and pitiful!”
A neighbor describes La Chicot's motionless state and the constant care she receives.
Illustrates the public's detailed and dramatic account of La Chicot's condition.
“I know it as well as you know it yourself. I should be a poor physician for an obscure disease of the brain if I could not read your secret.”
Gerard tells Jack that he understands Jack's hidden wish for his wife's death.
Reveals Gerard's insight and the central tension of the chapter.
