The Scarlet Pimpernel · Chapters

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Chapter companions for The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy.

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Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates the book to Julia Neilson and Fred Terry, acknowledging their theatrical genius in creating the roles of Sir Percy and Lady Blakeney on stage.
Chapter 2
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The opening chapter introduces the mysterious figure of the Scarlet Pimpernel, a daring Englishman who rescues French aristocrats from the guillotine during the Reign of Terror. The chapter sets the stage in Paris, where the revolutionary government is frustrated by the Pimpernel's successful escapes, and introduces the tension between the revolutionaries and the elusive hero.
Chapter 3
Paris: September, 1792
The chapter opens in Paris during the Reign of Terror, depicting the bloodlust of the crowd and the daily executions by guillotine. Sergeant Bibot guards the West Barricade, boasting of his skill at unmasking aristocrats attempting to flee. Rumors spread of a mysterious Englishman, the Scarlet Pimpernel, who daringly rescues royalists. Bibot recounts the tale of Sergeant Grospierre's fatal blunder, and as the gates prepare to close, he examines the market carts, wary of being tricked.
Chapter 4
Dover: The Fisherman's Rest
The chapter introduces the bustling kitchen and coffee-room of the Fisherman's Rest inn in Dover, where Sally and the kitchen maids work under the grumbling eye of old Jemima. In the coffee-room, Mr. Jellyband holds forth on his loyal English opinions, denouncing French spies and revolutionaries. A stranger, Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, engages him in good-humored banter, toasting Jellyband's loyalty while subtly mocking his prejudices.
Chapter 5
The Refugees
At the Fisherman's Rest, Lord Antony Dewhurst arrives and prepares to welcome French aristocratic refugees fleeing the Revolution. The Comtesse de Tournay, her daughter Suzanne, and the Vicomte de Tournay arrive, along with Sir Andrew Ffoulkes. Tensions arise between the English locals and the French newcomers, while two mysterious strangers quietly observe. The chapter also sets up the impending arrival of Sir Percy and Lady Blakeney.

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Dedication

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Paris: September, 1792

Dover: The Fisherman's Rest

The Refugees