The Cloven Foot · Chapter
XLV: The Hunt for Desrolles explained
Desrolles, having secured a handsome annuity, relocates to Paris and indulges in a life of dissipation, frequenting his old haunts in the students' quarter.
What happens
Desrolles, having secured a handsome annuity, relocates to Paris and indulges in a life of dissipation, frequenting his old haunts in the students' quarter. He renounces brandy for absinthe, gambles, and spends recklessly. His plans to travel to South America are delayed when he reads of John Treverton's arrest, causing him to worry about his annuity's security. He considers fleeing to America but hesitates, fearing loss of income.
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 Falling action.
- 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
- Crime and Justice
Desrolles' fear of legal repercussions from John Treverton's arrest highlights the theme of crime and justice, as he contemplates fleeing to avoid exposure.
- Secrets and Deception
Desrolles' hidden past and his attempts to secure his annuity through deception are central, as he worries about revelations from the Treverton inquiry.
- Bohemianism vs. Respectability
Desrolles' return to his old, disreputable Parisian haunts and his embrace of a dissolute lifestyle contrast sharply with the respectability he briefly sought.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Desrolles
Desrolles revels in Parisian dissipation, drinking absinthe and gambling, but is alarmed by news of John Treverton's arrest.
- John Treverton
John Treverton's arrest is reported in an English newspaper, causing Desrolles to fear for his own safety and annuity.
- Laura Malcolm
Laura is mentioned as Mrs. Treverton, whose potential actions regarding the annuity worry Desrolles.
Key passages
“Desrolles took to absinthe as an infant takes to the gracious fountain heaven has provided for its sustenance.”
Desrolles adopted absinthe with the same natural ease as a baby nursing.
Highlights Desrolles' rapid descent into a new vice.
“He found plenty of new companions in his old haunts. They were not the same men, but they had the same habits, the same vices; and Desrolles’ idea of a friend was a bundle of sympathetic wickedness.”
In his familiar haunts, Desrolles discovered new friends who shared his old vices, valuing companionship based on mutual depravity.
Illustrates Desrolles' moral decay and his preference for corrupt company.
