# Jabez North — The Trail of the Serpent character guide > Jabez North in The Trail of the Serpent by M. E. Braddon. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. Jabez North, Jabez, kind old Jabez, Mr. North **First appearance:** 0001-i-the-good-schoolmaster ## Snapshot A mild-mannered usher at a Slopperton school whose respectable card-case and gentle bearing hide a double identity and a ruthless eye for the main chance. ## Who they are Jabez North is the kind of man a town trusts without thinking—a schoolmaster's usher with a soft voice and an inoffensive manner. But when a ragged old woman in Blind Peter mistakes him for her grandson Jim, his composure cracks and his interest pricks up at the mention of a secret worth a mint of money. That encounter exposes the fault line in him: a man who has remade himself into respectability and will do anything to keep the disguise from slipping. ## Relationships ### [Jim Lomax](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/characters/jim_lomax) _rivalry_ Jabez North and Jim Lomax are antagonists, locked in a bitter conflict with each other. ### [Slopperton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/characters/slopperton) _rivalry_ Jabez North and Slopperton are adversaries, with Slopperton often opposing North's schemes. ### [Jim Lomax](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/characters/jim_lomax) _rivalry_ Jabez North and Jim Lomax are antagonists, locked in a bitter conflict with each other. ### [Jim Lomax](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/characters/jim_lomax) _rivalry_ Jabez North and Jim Lomax are antagonists, locked in a bitter conflict with each other. ### [Slopperton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/characters/slopperton) _rivalry_ Jabez North and Slopperton are adversaries, with Slopperton often opposing North's schemes. ## In the story ### [Book I: A Respectable Young Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/book-i-a-respectable-young-man) Introduced as a seemingly respectable young man, but with underlying hints of deception. ### [The Good Schoolmaster](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/i-the-good-schoolmaster) Introduced as the good schoolmaster, a foundling raised by Slopperton, now an assistant at Dr. Tappenden's academy. Described as outwardly meek and pious, but with a hidden coil of rope in his desk. ### [The Usher Washes His Hands](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/iii-the-usher-washes-his-hands) The usher who secretly prepares a rope, leaves the school at night, returns with a dark stain on his hand, forces a sick boy to drink opium, and then washes his hands in a grotesque manner. ### [V: The Healing Waters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/v-the-healing-waters) Meets a woman he has wronged, offers her money, and is struck by her when she refuses. He later lies about his injury to his employer. ### [VI: Two Coroner’s Inquests](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/vi-two-coroner-s-inquests) Borrows the Saturday paper and reads the accounts of the two coroner's inquests with great interest. ### [Book II: A Clearance of All Scores](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/book-ii-a-clearance-of-all-scores) Suspicious character involved in preparing an escape rope, possibly connected to the crime. ### [I: Blind Peter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/i-blind-peter) Remains at Dr. Tappenden's school during the holidays; ventures out and is mistaken for a man named Jim in Blind Peter. ### [Like and Unlike](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/ii-like-and-unlike) Observes the Lomax family and his own resemblance to Jim; later buys hair dye, hinting at a plan. ### [A Golden Secret](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/iii-a-golden-secret) Visits Blind Peter, interrogates the old woman about his origins, and learns of a secret involving gold. ### [IV: Jim Looks Over the Brink of the Terrible Gulf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/iv-jim-looks-over-the-brink-of-the-terrible-gulf) Jim's twin brother, who withholds medicine and allows Jim to die. ### [Midnight by the Slopperton Clocks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/v-midnight-by-the-slopperton-clocks) Absent from Dr. Tappenden's household past midnight, causing concern among the maids. ### [VI: The Quiet Figure on the Heath](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/vi-the-quiet-figure-on-the-heath) Found dead on the heath; identified as a school usher who apparently committed suicide, possibly due to an unrequited love for his master's daughter. ### [The Usher Resigns His Situation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/vii-the-usher-resigns-his-situation) The usher who has disappeared; his body is later found on Halford Heath with evidence of suicide. ### [Book V: The Dumb Detective](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/book-v-the-dumb-detective) Dual identity with Raymond Marolles, key to the deception. ### [Book VI: On the Track](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/book-vi-on-the-track) Central figure in the unfolding investigation, his dual identity as Raymond Marolles is a key focus. ### [I: Father and Son](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/i-father-and-son) Raymond's true identity, revealed during the arrest as a former assistant at Dr. Tappenden's academy. ### [Raymond de Marolles Shows Himself Better Than All Bow Street](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/ii-raymond-de-marolles-shows-himself-better-than-all-bow-street) Referenced as the twin brother who died eight years ago. ### [IV: What They Find in the Room in Which the Murder Was Committed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/iv-what-they-find-in-the-room-in-which-the-murder-was-committed) Mentioned as the likely culprit who might have left evidence; Peters searches for Indian coins he may have dropped. ### [VI: The End of the Dark Road](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/chapters/vi-the-end-of-the-dark-road) Revealed as the true identity of Raymond de Marolles, the former pauper and usher whose supposed death is disproven at trial. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/characters/jabez_north - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_trail_of_the_serpent_se/characters