The Room in the Dragon Volant · Chapter
XXV: Despair explained
The narrator, paralyzed by a drug, overhears the Count, Planard, and the Countess discussing the dosage and effects of the poison administered to him.
What happens
The narrator, paralyzed by a drug, overhears the Count, Planard, and the Countess discussing the dosage and effects of the poison administered to him. They prepare him for burial by dressing him in a nightshirt and cap, and then bring in the coffin previously seen, revealing their plan to bury him alive.
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 is the story's dramatic climax because it reveals the protagonist’s complete psychological and physical h…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
The Marquis d'Harmonville is revealed to be Planard, a doctor, highlighting the theme of deception.
- Danger and the Supernatural
The preparation of the coffin and the plan to bury the narrator alive evoke supernatural horror.
- Innocence and Exploitation
The narrator's vulnerability is exploited by the conspirators for their own gain.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
The narrator is conscious but paralyzed, listening to the conspirators discuss his fate.
- Count de St. Alyre
The Count assists Planard in examining the narrator and prepares the coffin.
- Countess de St. Alyre
The Countess admits to administering seventy drops of the drug and is told to retire.
- Planard
Planard, revealed as a doctor, examines the narrator and calculates the drug's duration.
- Marquis d'Harmonville
The Marquis is revealed to be Planard, the doctor, who conducts the examination.
Key passages
“Seventy drops, allowing ten for waste, ought to hold him fast for six hours and a half—that is ample.”
Planard calculates that the drug will keep the narrator unconscious for about six and a half hours.
The conspirators plan the timing of their escape.
“It was the coffin I had seen in the next room. It lay now flat on the floor, its edge against the chair in which I sat. Planard removed the lid. The coffin was empty.”
The coffin is brought in and opened, revealing their intent to place the narrator inside.
The narrator realizes the full horror of their plan.
