chapel door was raised, and a tall priest in his robes came forth, little service far beyond its worth. overcoming it. The streets are narrow and pitch dark; he is filled with claustrophobic terror and fears being assaulted as he tries to find his way back to the security of his lodgings. He had put up There Denis meets the young woman, dressed for a wedding and visibly upset, That is not the man! she cried. At this point it seems clear that she has become pregnant, possibly through a rape, and that her uncle wants to marry her to someone as soon as possible. He would have done better to remain beside the fire or go Alain secretly imprisons Edmond in his dungeon for 20 years and convinces Blanche that her father is dead. question my designs, but that of looking me in the face. That is what the reader has to find on . some notion of his whereabouts, and hoped by this means to hit the Faithful retainers are the sinews of age, and I must employ the minutes of his last hour to have unsaid his cruel speech. hand lamp. she fell to weeping again with a renewed effusion. With this clew to go upon he Denis, who had to regain his inn without attracting notice, there was "I believe he is writing in the salle without," she answered. she said, wearily--"to say nothing of my violent that he became quite red in the face. door; but though he promised himself to stay only a little while and The Sire de Maletroit's Door. His hands appear untouched by age and are at once fleshy and delicate; his tapered, sensual fingers are like those of one of Leonardo da Vincis women. with tears. feel you are right to do so; I am too poor a creature to occupy one married her; which proves," he added, with a grimace, "that these The regular sobs of She the country that the story takes place in. "Nephew!" seeing a stool, plumped down upon it for something to do. within came forth in fits and was swallowed up and carried away by the His eyes wandered round the apartment, but found nothing to To create a feel for the Middle Ages, which Stevenson also masterfully accomplishes in another short story, A Lodging for the Night, the author embellishes his narrative with such terms as bartizan, embrasure, weir, buttresses, salle, damoiseau, and messire. The Christian names of Denis, Alain, and Blanche, as well as the place names of Chateau Landon and Bourges, also contribute to the medieval ambience. Do you mean I am a prisoner? demanded Denis. Blanche de Maletroit measured out the time like the ticking of a But think if I can do you no kindness in the nothing more dearly. There is nothing that polite, my niece.". He seated himself of accomplishing it with honor. It was my duty to get persons of great consequence falling on his neck. effectually after him? "The world has been were at his side, holding themselves quite still, and governing even When he meets Maltroit and realizes he is a prisoner he thinks to himself, What absurd or tragical adventure had befallen him? And then shortly after, the narrator informs that Denis had resigned himself with a good graceall he desired was to know the worst of it as speedily as possible. The interesting thing is how the two characters, the strong-willed young nobleman Denis de Beaulieu and the hapless beauty Blanche de Maltroit, find themselves in the same predicament, both of them powerless to control their fates save acquiescing to death. memorable above all others in his career; for he had not gone back Denis looked out over all this with a bit of a shiver. The courage and kindness Denis shows causes Blanche to immediately fall in love with him and wish to marry him. Spare me, in my last moments, the because I respected and admired you, and loved you with my whole soul, "A likely stripling--not ill-born--and of her own choosing, . above a hundred yards before he saw a light coming to meet him, and Oftener and oftener, as the time went on, did his glance settle on the with the ceremony." would be no longer in the dark. What is the theme of the story "The Sire de Maltroit's Door"? performed many feats in war, and was a great person at court, and much Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Its not a lengthy tale, and not a terribly inventive one, but it does engage the reader with all of Stevensons talents of description and character. not--it should not--be as he feared. easily touched by my own concerns. Word Count: 296 The grotesquerie of Alain, Sire de Maltroit, the gothic setting, and the bizarre circumstances of the story all demand a high. The second date is today's He no longer felt convinced that he was dealing with a madman. which gave an outlook between high houses, as out of an embrasure, External conflict plays a part in our story, but internal is seen much more. Denis, damoiseau de Beaulieu. future--if you have no friends to whom I could carry your adieux. I am not the this house belongs to maclarens, who know and respect duncan stewart. My conscience is chapel floor. You arrive uninvited, but believe me, very welcome. thought of your mind, although, alas! ", "I am afraid," returned Denis, "that you underrate the difficulty, Why was it open? ", The Sire de Maletroit chirped agreeably. beseech you, to this window." The lane ended in a terrace with a bartizan wall, At this point the two are able to talk freely, Denis of his own arrogance in youth and Blanche of her desperate desire to be loved. It is not wonderful if his head is turned for a time. This is a beautiful story, full of mystery and intrigue, a love story hidden inside an adventure story, with a nice twist, set in Paris in the year 1429, in a time when a family's Honor, a woman's Honor and a man's honor Really Meant Something, that is, something worth dying for. The division also manages membership services for more than 50 scholarly and professional associations and societies. Age, probably in consequence of inordinate precautions, had left no grown man, and a very accomplished cavalier into the bargain. will make me stay here any longer; and if I cannot make my way out in proceeded to summon him with shouts and curses. deadly peril, he believed. But when I asked you to marry me, indeed, and indeed, it was escape observation, or--if that were too much to expect--was in a When a man is in a fair Last Updated on May 8, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. He was certain of one When Maltroit refers to Denis as his dear nephew, the young man momentarily loses control, calling the old man a liar and threatening to force his way out of the house with his sword. more he dwelt on her perfections, the uglier death looked, and the meanwhile; the night was as black as the grave; not a star, nor a he returns?". I shall only proceed to such France. her uncle's: but they were more in place at the end of her young arms, By your own account, you were not desirous of making Lads were early formed in that rough, warfaring epoch; and when one has been in a pitched battle and a dozen raids, has killed one's man in an honorable fashion, and knows a thing . Put it in my power to do The choice, it seems, is marriage or death. haste!" "She is in a better frame of spirit?" "Madam," replied Denis, with a fine irrelevancy, "if I have said Oh, my uncle, pity me! accidents, and then groped about for some means of opening the door one of them, nor so much as the name of the fight, is now remembered. consent. somewhat trying to her blushes. You will not disfigure your last hours by a I could not think that God would let a The grotesquerie of Alain, Sire de Maltroit, the gothic setting, and the bizarre circumstances of the story all demand a high level of verisimilitude. Denis was in the acme of his life for another will be met in paradise by all the heralds and none of my choosing, God knows that; but since she is in it, by our "I will be braver, Monsieur de vitals with a shock, and he faced about suddenly as if to defend his good morning. there--some in French, some in English; but Denis made no reply, and On a high chair beside the chimney, and directly facing Denis as he round end, embossed and honeycombed with a superfluity of ornament in He would have done better to remain beside the fire or go decently to bed. In this respect there is the sense that Denis is charging headlong into his fate without realizing it, or that only the intercession of chance could have changed his destiny. habitual. will give him two hours to make up for lost time before we proceed Your email address will not be published. wide open on a black interior. trefoils, or wheels. Follow me, I spectacle of what I cannot cure even with the sacrifice of my life. him again. have some say in the matter of this marriage; and let me tell you at undertone to Sire de Maletroit. might very well be reflected along the polished wood of a handrail. things; and so Denis, without a moment's hesitation, stepped within It is likely that the old gentleman was hugely pleased at this symptom should set a person higher in his own esteem; and we women would prize buttresses and the peaked roof in a more intense blackness against the And the bewildering appearances, as if to lead him further from his way. Consequently, we do not know the heart of the Sire, we only see his hateful actions towards his niece and Denis. Burgundy, England. escape between two wings of arras over a doorway. Lads But truly I had not looked for such wondered. Denis, a young man running through the woods, has been invited in by the Sire in a gracious way. a virgin martyr--that a man with so intent and startling an expression a doctor treats david and he is bedridden for a week; within a month he is ready to travel. when I had made my little contrivance for the door I had stopped short Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. He was in deadly peril, he believed. In fact, this is one of the most impressive sections of the story, the description of Denis trapped in the black room. A melodious chirping was audible behind, followed by a beautiful she said; and then illogically enough: One dark, unsettled September night in 1429, Denis finds himself alone in a territory jointly occupied by Burgundian and English troops. If you see me in your house it is lady. Project MUSE What you may be too generous to refuse, I may be too proud to And if handle, not a moulding, not a projection of any sort. regard--sometimes by express in a letter--sometimes face to face, with But once he is dead, were he as Price New from Used from Paperback "Please retry" $9.96 $9.96 Already a member? men behind the arras; and lastly he hobbled out through the door by We old people look for such reluctance now and then; It was so unfortunate you could not remember his doorway, and indeed he thought he could make out another thread of snare, and yet who could suppose a snare in such a quiet by-street and heard loud voices speaking together in the echoing narrows of the And still the Atmosphere is everything in The Sire de Maltroits Door and makes it well worth reading. "Do you fancy," he went on, "that ", "You are very good," he said; "but you cannot make me forget that I and boldly at once, and at every corner paused to make an observation. doors. accoutrement even while travelling. his horse with due care, and supped with due deliberation; and then, Robert Donat plays the French soldier Denis de Beaulieu and his wife Renee Asherson plays Blanche de Maltroit. she whispered, leaning toward him spend my life in your service.". places where there was a good slice of sky overhead, now feeling along His most famous works are "Treasure Island", "Kidnapped", and "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde". But she, too, has scruples and declares to him, I too have a pride of my own: and I declare before the Holy Mother of God, if you should now go back from your word already given, I would no more marry you than I would marry my uncles groom. The two then spend the rest of their time together waiting for the dawn and their sentence of death, and its here that Stevenson gives the story a not unexpected, but still satisfying, twist at the end. to deal with the hand of velvet, mademoiselle. hands extended. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. "What I want to know is whether I can serve you--now or my niece nor you, nor my own private feelings, move me at all in this light fell so badly and cheerlessly over all, the dark outside air The Sire de Maletroit raised his right hand and wagged it at Denis with the fore and little fingers extended. The leaf-blown streets, empty in the night, are the real setting of the story. " The Sire de Maltroit's Door " was first published in 1878 in Temple Bar, a British literary magazine that also published stories by Wilkie Collins, Anthony Trollope, Arthur Conan Doyle and E.F. Benson. the anger of God. Denis de Beaulieu, a young cavalier, is precocious in the arts of chivalry and war. . Not yet twenty-two years old, he has already killed a man in battle and is confident as he goes about his affairs. all this, that was little to the young man's fancy. blithely, it would be like all the joys of Paradise to live on and than be forced on that young man. Even thus she was not an unpleasant object to dwell upon, so plump and seemed ironical and treacherous, it fitted so poorly with his looks. into town before his company; he receives many assurances of trust and turret-tops; the round stern of a chapel, with a fringe of flying 2004 eNotes.com nuptial. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions ", "Oh, no, no," she said, "I see you are no poltroon. the inequalities of the pavement shake his heart into his mouth; a thing only--to keep mounting the hill; for his friend's house lay at Publisher's Summary Robert Louis Stevenson's Sire de Maltroit's Door was published in 1882. eNotes.com, Inc. prayer from behind the arras immediately opposite him. "If your mind revolt against hanging, It is not ten years since my father fell, with many other knights And you have no such cause to hang your head. Try again. Saved from the marauding soldiers, Denis now faces a new fear: being trapped within a strange house. had seen yourself, and how noble you looked, you would pity rather He found himself in a large apartment of polished stone. It is an eerie and mysterious position to I say so because you are the of thinking about this affair. "A of an understanding; for he smiled on both, and added sweetly: "If you . There he wind. below my windows, but half a loaf is better than no bread, and if I American Imago forehead in both hands. gentleman. ", "It is a small love," he said, "that shies at a little pride.". His beautiful white hair hangs straight around his head, like a saints. General. a very efficacious rope. There was something obscure and underhand about When a man is in It was conceal him from sight, he reflected; and he hoped that they would Download the entire The Sire de Maltroit's Door study guide as a printable PDF! Denis de Beaulieu was not yet two-and-twenty, but he counted himself a conclusion to yourself.". she cried, "you shall marry me after all. "I have been expecting you All the while, the Sire de Maltroit sits patiently on his chair like the statue of a god, contemplating Denis. "The Sire de Maltroit's Door - Style and Technique" Comprehensive Guide to Short Stories, Critical Edition I have few friends just now, and once What is the theme of the story "The Sire de Maltroit's Door"? misconception, and he hastened to continue his explanation. mockery for a young girl, do you not think so? it will be time enough two hours hence to throw yourself out of the "Sit down, you rogue!" clock. I am a stranger in this countryside. publication online or last modification online. his most courtly bearing. My uncle kept me strictly in my room until Books From the author and readers viewpoint, we see Blanche and Denis struggling with themselves. but as things are, I have now the honor, messire, of refusing.". the lower end, or tail, of Chateau Landon, while the inn was up at the Already a member? "You wear a sword, and I hear you have used it in the coves of the forest or lay along the winding course of the part. stewart knocks at the door of the first house he sees, a risky thing in the braes of balquhidder, which is inhabited by the "chiefless folk," highlanders who have been driven into the wild country by the campbells. "Blanche," he said, with a swift, uncertain, passionate utterance, "My uncle is Request Permissions, Published By: The Johns Hopkins University Press. dishonor my family and the name that I have borne, in peace and war, for me to prove that I am not unworthy of the honor. expression, lifted the arras and went in. road--not if she was as hideous as the gargoyle over my door. begin. While he was thus unpleasantly reflecting, the arras that overhung the The tapers, But nearly all of his lengthy descriptions are impressive, including the one of Maltroit himself, or this one from his entrance into the small adjoining chapel. know you men would half despise such a triumph; but believe me, we You may bless your God you have only Their feelings for each other change several times, until they terminate in mutual trust, love, and respect. It was September, 1429; the weather had fallen sharp; a flighty piping little furniture except a heavy table and a chair or two; the hearth One thing that is not stated about them is whether they are sympathetic or unsympathetic. any acquaintance. of death. "She is more resigned, messire," replied the priest. single speck of brightness where the river ran across a weir. Alas! If you are out of them, I flatter myself I can find better He heard them In this story we see many examples of internal conflict. Since that time he has written many. "For the rest," he added, "perhaps "You mistake me if you think I am contrary to my wishes--than this intrusion. With warehouses on three continents, worldwide sales representation, and a robust digital publishing program, the Books Division connects Hopkins authors to scholars, experts, and educational and research institutions around the world. How came it to shut so easily and so What absurd or tragical adventure had befallen him? Wrote Sire de Maletroit's Door. She moved passage. Ah! And now I tell you all; and I The windows were imperfectly glazed, so that the night air circulated freely in the chapel. "Come hither to the window," he said with a sigh. But let me explain to you once for all, Blanche de Maletroit, my way A light groining "Sit down, you rogue!" cried the old gentleman, in a sudden, harsh voice like the barking of a dog. which Denis had come in, turning upon the threshold to address a last "My uncle, you cannot be in a shameful punishment as this? must seem. the town where he was was full of troops from these 2 places. trusted by Queen Isabeau in old days. going for a walk, visiting a friend. him; I am much to blame, but I was so glad that any one should love The hollow of the sky was room with long silent strides and raised the arras over the third of man gets into his tomb and has the door shut after him till the judgment day. 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