The Moonstone Second Period, First Narrative, Chapters III–V Summary & Analysis

Summary

Second Period, First Narrative, Chapter III

Lady Verinder continues her conversation with Miss Clack and admits that she is mortally ill. A doctor whom she had called for Rachel examined her instead and found that she has heart disease and has, at most, several months to live. Lady Verinder insists that the truth about her health be kept from Rachel. Hearing that her aunt is dying, Miss Clack becomes ecstatic at the prospect of a soul to save from damnation. Miss Clack resolves to bring edifying Christian books for Lady Verinder to read.

Miss Clack returns to the Verinder residence later that afternoon for the witnessing of the will. She has her Christian tracts in hand and has already given two to her unwilling cab driver. She is shown into the library, where she waits with Mr. Bruff, Lady Verinder's lawyer. Mr. Bruff asks Miss Clack about Godfrey, alluding to the gossip which connects him to the theft of the Moonstone. Miss Clack sticks up for Godfrey, but Bruff outlines strongly the case against him: Godfrey was in the house when the gem was stolen, was the first person to go to London afterwards, and the Indians have demonstrated by their attack that they suspect he is connected to Mr. Luker and the gem. Mr. Bruff believes that Sergeant Cuff was led astray because he wasn't previously acquainted with the generous, willful, and high-minded nature of Rachel's character. Miss Clack counters with an account of Rachel's strange interest in the attack of the Indians, but Mr. Bruff refuses not to believe in Rachel. Miss Clack finally informs Bruff that Rachel has declared Godfrey's innocence, thus forcing Mr. Bruff, by extension, to believe in Godfrey's innocence as well, which he concedes.

Mr. Bruff paces around the room, mulling over this shift of "evidence" in the Moonstone case. Miss Clack suggests an unexamined possibility: that Franklin Blake could also be connected to the theft and that the whole family knows of his debts. Mr. Bruff, who handles Franklin's affairs, points out that Franklin's creditors are content to wait for repayment and that he was certain to marry Rachel before the theft, so there was no motivation for him to steal the diamond. Mr. Bruff also points to Franklin's tireless efforts to recover the diamond. Mr. Bruff believes that deadlock has been reached with Godfrey, Franklin, and Rachel cleared of suspicion, but Miss Clack still suspects Rachel. Bruff and Clack are called in to see Lady Verinder.

Second Period, First Narrative, Chapter IV

Lady Verinder's will is quickly signed, with Bruff officiating and Miss Clack and Samuel, the footman, witnessing. Clack is left alone with Lady Verinder and tries to thrust the Christian books onto her. Lady Verinder protests that she has not the strength to read. Miss Clack moves around the house leaving books for Lady Verinder in various hiding places. Miss Clack goes to her home and sleeps satisfied.

The next day, Samuel the footman arrives at Miss Clack's with a package. Miss Clack questions him about the Verinders, and Samuel reports that Lady Verinder is out and that Rachel and Godfrey are going to a concert in the afternoon and a ball in the evening. Miss Clack is indignant that Godfrey is neglecting his charity work. Opening the package, she finds all of her Christian books returned, on Lady Verinder's doctor's orders. Undaunted, Miss Clack resolves to enlist the help of charity friends to write letters for Lady Verinder containing edifying passages from Clack's books.

Later in the afternoon, Clack goes to the Verinders'. Samuel informs her that Lady Verinder is resting, but Clack insists on waiting in the library. Samuel shows her in, and she begins to roam around the house distributing the letters. She is in the drawing room when she hears a visitor admitted to the house. She hides behind a curtain at the back of the room and is surprised to peek out and see Godfrey enter.

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