A laundry for fallen women in Dublin - run by protestants with a matron in charge.

Here is a very old recording of this song - from a wax cylinder! http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr+1=1020&num=1&start=1&query=cylinder1626

I'm not sure it was that small, even then, but it may be small in the sense of everyone knowing each other by some roundabout way...

This is not what you like to hear a mother intend to do for her daughter - it sounds like a breeding program.

Either her father's boss, or the foreman who worked for her father - either way, seems a bit odd!

A heavy, cotton fabric

maybe he'd been to the pub?

more religious imagery

another religious, maybe catholic image - in some churches the children take the chalice and the bread to the altar before communion. There though I suppose he's talking about the image carried with the narrator in his mind of Mangan's sister.

So not the priest from the first story?

mentioned in the previous story...

Is this the school which the previous narrator goes to?

alarm bells were ringing a bit before, are now clanging very loudly!

Did the narrator not need an excuse?

I think the National Schools were set up to create an education system for all in Ireland, the narrator maybe goes to a private, fee paying school?

I wonder if this is the same, or a different narrator?

Ah, so the sisters were the priest's sisters

I was thinking whether the empty fireplace has anything to do with the light having gone from the priest's eyes.

Is this helping us think of the glories of heaven, reflected in the priest's resting place?

The service book he would use

Have we now been introduced to both sisters - a fair way through the narrative.

Some previous bad blood here?

This must be a 'mis-print' although it did make me chuckle, a doork rather than a door knocker!

I had to look this up, but this is someone who takes payment for ecclesiastical privilege - maybe taking money to absolve someone of sin...

It indicates a priest who is possibly a bit corrupt

I'm not sure I'd call that exercise! Torture more like!

That's the second time that Charlotte has been about to tell us what Harold said and we still haven't heard it yet!

A distinctive exhortation of Old Mr Neave

Whatever the business is, Harold might not be the right person to take it on - for the business sake, a better owner/manager might work - but if it has to be kept in the family, then there will be this pressure to hand over to the son, regardless of his commitment or ability

oh what a terrible feeling that must be, being brought down to earth with such a bump.

Although Leila was taught the mechanics of dancing, she wasn't taught the culture - the programme, the pencil, the expressions used, like this one. Seems a bit unfair that her cousins didn't think to help out either.

difficult to resist a dad joke when it comes to invisible hair-pins and the difficulty of seeing them.

Already getting in to the spirit of a ball, the things viewed out of the cab window are already dancing

That repetition again... A Lady..

Not a real station

we call this a piggy back - I'd not come across pick-a-back before

Signalling to us that we are about to experience a flashback

Is this what has changed? Isabel has got in to poetry?

Are we being told here that something changed with Isabel, the old has gone and the new one wants to make changes.

I'm not sure I'm keen on Isabel, they can't be babies anymore and scrapping the donkeys and engines is not the thing to do.

I guess this could mean gayer, as in cheerful, but I'm not sure what the Enfin is all about - anyone have any ideas?

slight over-reaction I think, but maybe if one is looking to keep up appearances, then it really does make a mess.

She asked Hennie to move them, but in the end, the narrator does the trick.

One table, or only one table - sounds quite chintzy this tea-shop/cake-place

The narrator is not a powerful person in this story, a bit afraid of Mrs. Raddick, or maybe, more likely the daughter.

Ah, I see, the daughter was to go in the casino, whilst the narrator looked after the 12 year old Hennie, but in the end, also had to take the 17 year old daughter with them too. The way in which the narrator has described the daughter so far, would indicate that they would quite like to hang out with the daughter.

is this the daughter?

I find this a bit confusing, she's not talking about the daughter here is she?

Is this her escape from her mother? Either for an hour whilst her mother is in the casino, or life in general?

Had Mansfield been reading the Moonstone?!

This is the second reference to the thieving sun, what is it stealing?

Another insight of their fear of Kate as well as the late Colonel.

I thought she was going to say eggs!

Third time of Kate bursting!

Josephine is the eldest, yet sometimes it seems as if Constantina is the bravest - or maybe, she's more reckless

These daughters seem terrified by their father, both dead and alive. He sounds like the sort of man who would berate them for being weak, probably disappointed that they were not strong men.

I wasn't really familiar with this term, but it apparently means: "showy but cheap or badly made."

This is the second time we've had Kate and bursting together, last time it was the sideboard, this time it would be bursting in to the room. She seems to be an explosive kind of person.

Unanswered questions do seem to be a feature so far of her work - searching for either ... or an actual ellipses might be an interesting bit of analysis

Funny how we still get this attitude today too - why should the rich pay taxes to help others? To help build society - we should just carry on as we are and they can carry on how they are - bleurgh.

Might this be Laura's first sight of real suffering?

Deference to those of a higher class, even a child

is this the first appearance of the father in this story?

as if they were pests

Surely to carry on without sympathy would be extravagant!

These song words are quoted for us in normal " signs rather than the fancy ones used with speech in the rest of the text - might be useful if we get some more for analysis

Interesting, we (or I) would say have a squiz or have a look

After attempting to be less formal whilst talking to the workmen, she leaves in a very unlady-like manner - skimming along implies barely touching with her feet the lawn, path and steps - she must have been moving at speed.

this has a conversational style, expecting the reader to say "Hundreds? Really?"

We're back to Roses again - first paragraph!

We are all set up here, for the Moonstone 2 - Revenge of the English Gentlemen!

I wonder if this is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathiawar

Unnamed?

You might at first think it was Detective Betteredge here, but actually it was, all down to Robinson Crusoe

I'm not sure I like this - if the Indian's have their stone back, then why can't they keep it (if we take a blind eye to the kidnappings and the murder!)

This seems less of a narrative and more of a statement of facts from the detective - I assume it arrived as a written report.

Return of the grog - and interesting that you could take the tincture this way - I'd assumed that it would require an injection, shows how little I know of medicinal matters!

Is this the name of the Bank?

I guess we can make excuses for those in love, but this is a device which Wilkie Collins has used a few times (when Franklin tried to contact Cuff and he was in Ireland, Godfrey was somewhere else & Miss Clack was in France) - sometimes feels a bit too convenient to draw out the story.

Cuff is creating an extra mystery here, he doesn't care of his reputation, but he wouldn't want to be wrong a second time would he?

Bruff is describing Gooseberry here as if he was a dog!

Awww, at first it seemed that Ezra Jennings might be being painted by the narrators as a baddie, and yet here... he has been very sweet.

Betteredge is so funny here!

The 'curse' of the moonstone in the early narrations brought all kinds of troubles, deaths, kidnappings, engagements being broken.. Now, are we on the cure? Jennings has perked up and sees some hope in other people's lives, Rachel seems a lot happier too

opium?

As we've thought all along, it is a strong belief that Betteredge has in Robinson Crusoe.

The scientist sees a co-incidence, Betteredge receives direction from his book, Miss Clack would receive direction from her tracts & the Bible - would Sgt. Cuff see things as a co-incidence, or would he always dig a bit deeper?

This section is pretty funny!

I would not have liked to be around when that happened - still, Betteredge is being a bit awkward here, and a bit rude I think to the Doc.

Great! I think I've got the detective fever!

We've had Betteredge and Robinson Crusoe, Miss Clack and her tracts, now we have Ezra Jennings and Science

I think I saw in the notes that Wilkie Collins himself had been taking laudanum too

Deceit returns to the narrative

Another stating of facts by a character - these are a real revelation!

I was relieved to read this - I was worried that Ezra was going to die before he got back!

Now we have Ezra Jennings - the Detective!

How dodgy does this sound, £5k in the bank from a rich old lady and off to the continent to spend it!

This has got me thinking about split personality syndrome - maybe Franklin has something similar and that's why he has no recollection of taking the Diamond (assuming we believe Rachel)

interesting statements here -

I don't believe x 4 I saw you x 2 I am sure of it

The middle two she has the proof of her eyes, the others however...

For goodness sake Franklin, control yourself man!

an unhelpful turn of phrase!

Blimey, so much sexism

I was quite trusting of Mr Bruff, but now, he's being deceitful to one of his most trustworthy clients - to help Franklin, whom he knows now, can be a bit dodgy

Franklin was close to a very disgraceful position, maybe there were other debts too drawing in - now his father has died, he can pay them all off I suppose, but earlier, maybe he did then have a motive for taking the diamond.. and shipping it to Amsterdam?

a surprisingly modern turn of phrase ;)

Is this a fact? I'm not sure it is, unless Betteredge knows more than we do...

This is a bit meta isn't it?

Mr Luker perchance?!

Oh dear - a motive for Franklin to steal the diamond

Such strange behaviour of Franklin's - he could have taken the letter with him or read it himself if he wasn't in such a tizzy about it.

He is mentioned earlier in Betteredge's narration when they are wondering what to do with Rosanna's illness. He wasn't to be trusted then by Betteredge.

is the character about to knock on the door going to be the living character who can be of use?

it would be very funny, after all this, if it was Penelope & Seegrave had got it correct!

Rosanna and Betteredge both get a bit carried away with their narration - it must be a novelty to get the chance (as a servant) to tell their stories

Here we are actually getting an extra narration of earlier events from Rosanna - one where we find Penelope doing her own detective work as well.. Rosanna doesn't get an official section of the book though

Right near the beginning of the book, we find out about this as Penelope caught Rosanna doing it. I also spotted back there that Franklin, when he arrives, is wearing a rose in his buttonhole!

With his attitude to Lucy (and servants) and his littering, I'm going off Franklin Blake

Diamond, diamond, moonstone - is this deliberate? It feels like they are using the term interchangeably without any reason.

A real emotional response to seeing an old friend (and servant) - maybe unreasonably emotional. Especially as Franklin was away for a long time, back for those weeks in the previous summer and then away again.

It's remarkable to think that he must have met many suitable love-interests, with his travel and position in society - and yet, his heart is set on his cousin

India maybe? Hmm!

Another letter! This story wouldn't work half as well in an age of SMS and emails.... or would it?!

Bruff's money lending is a state above Luker's money. A solicitor would look down upon a money lender, even if solicitors lend money too and Bruff certainly does look down on Luker!

Miss Rachel Verinder - the detective!

For a recently bereaved eighteen year old, this is a pretty sad state of affairs :(

So, for the first time, we are overlapping narratives to provide an alternate view from Miss Clack's on the Brighton stuff

Penelope being the reliable narrator again!

Rachel had veil issues when leaving the Yorkshire house in Betteredge's narration, she left with her veil torn - was this Cuff seeing behind the veil, a bit of truth? Miss Clack saw this time, it as an insult with the door shut in her face too.

Whoops, the classic evangelical view that Lady Verinder will now be burning in hell for failing to prepare her self for death.

As a member of the wider family, you would have thought that a family member would look out for Miss Clack - instead she has to go into exile? Can't help but think that there was some other scandal we don't know about

Gosh, Miss Clack is surely in an improper situation here!

Detective Clack turns up the goods!

Miss Clack the detective

to find out more about the engagement or to do further proselytising? !

Seems slightly odd that this is the first we hear of the Yorkshire rector, he's familiar enough with the family to play cards, but not to be involved around the disappearance of the stone in the first narration.

The fastest London to Brighton trains now take just under an hour (the record is about 48 minutes) - I've been trying to find a time for the 1850s without success, but I'd expect it to be a couple of hours.

The fastest time using a horse and carriage (the only way before the railway) was just under 8 hours!!

If you'd like an idea of what the route is like, here are three side by side videos (sped up) of the railway route - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23853863

For someone for whom her faith is so important, including reputation and appearances, she doesn't make it to the funeral. Even if she felt she could go, she didn't like the rector, so would boycott the funeral - self righteousness too far!

Is this telling us that Lady Verinder's death is important, but she cannot elaborate further as a later narrative will explain more.

This chapter is unusual in that it is correspondence about the writing of the narratives & the notes are all written in the third person. Almost like they are formal notes for a court process or procedure. Previously we've had some letters and telegrams, these are quite different.

I find these bits a real comedy - she tries not to look, but she does, she tries not to hear, but she does. It reminds me of Christians who claim not to gossip, but will tell you something like this so you can 'pray for the situation!'

My paper edition has the Franklin Blake (as collator of the narrations) commenting on how he hasn't altered the narrations - a previous annotation has it quoted.

A miserable secret - has she told anyone? Cuff was right to suspect that she knew something - but what did she know? Argh!

waves at the appearence of more roses

Is the first we hear of his debts?

Really, is Bruff really saying that it is in Franklin's character to steal the diamond?! Or is he saying - for the sake of argument that it is in his character, but he has no motive?

ouch!

Miss Clack raises the carnal kiss on the hand to being an ecstatic moment - not quite sure what's going on with her here!

Gosh!

Err, this feels a bit over the top!

made me laugh out loud

I'd not come across this before, but it was a thing : https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1919/1/1/what-is-nerve-force-

Not what Sergeant Cuff thought!

I propose to send one of my brother-officers to make an arrangement with that money-lender in London, whom I mentioned just now as formerly acquainted with Rosanna Spearman–and whose name and address, your ladyship may rely on it, have been communicated by Rosanna to Miss Verinder

Seems very out of place and rude to call her Clack! Fortunately Miss Clack takes it on the chin and makes a note to pray for her!

This kind of makes sense if the perpetrators were watching the bank, but they did know a lot about Mr. Godfrey (to trap him) so maybe there is something more to this.

Smelling salts

They'd done a lot of research, or knew a lot about Godfrey's interests - maybe actually someone who already knew Godfrey?

Barclays Bank are headquartered on Lombard Street (I used to work for them) but in those days would have been "Barclay, Bevan, Bening and Tritton" - seems a bit much to be blotted out! So maybe a different bank

This is hilarious! I think the Wilkie Collins maybe having a bit of fun at the expense of the many charities and do-gooders around at that time. Giving the opportunity for the Miss Clack's of the world to feel like they were doing good. What happens to the unredeemed Father when he wants his trousers back? How desperate do you have to be to pawn your trousers?! How do they know the Father is unredeemed? I guess a Christian would never pawn their trousers!

I'm glad to see that there is humour (if unintended) in her narration too!

Patmos was the island where St. John was exiled, but also where he had his 'Revelations' which became the Book of Revelations in the Bible.

Indeed, brace yourselves for a very different narration!

The quicksand gets named with a capital letter here - is it more important than we think?

I wonder where Lucy got this idea from? The French revolution?

Eh? You're welcome to kiss my daughter? Yuck!

I'm starting to think that Mr. Begbie might actually be Scottish

Here and just above with Sairgent, we get some of Mr. Begbie's dialect as being different to Betteredge.

Fatally because of Rosanna's death?

Yes, this does imply that she doesn't care about being suspected and that her silence stretches to her mother... more to be revealed?

I'm enjoying these descriptions of Mr Franklin disappearing!

Are we to think here that there may be some good (truth) and some bad (lies) in Betteredge's account, but overall, more good than bad?

Some past history going on here?

Betteredge does describe the scene with Miss Clack earlier in his narrative during the birthday dinner, but he doesn't mention her by name. Now he identifies her, I'm not sure why he didn't use her name earlier?

I love how Betteredge just can't help himself with the Detective Fever. By this point he actually hates Cuff, but still he is able to forget!

for what?

This is some description, with a lot of colours and also, a rose word in there - rosy

The rumble is the seat at the back of a carriage, no suspension, hence rumbly - for the servants to sit.

it would be interesting to trace the journey of Betteredge & Cuff's relationship - from respect and admiration through to disgust - and yet still, sometimes the detective-fever takes hold!

It'd be nice to have a plan of the house - I think there is a sitting room next to Miss Rachel's bedroom? Sgt. Cuff would have sussed it out though, so I think we can assume that there was no communication

Starting to wonder whether there are any clues in the poem. Could Lady Verinder be the last rose of summer? Maybe a step too far, and it does mention the 'gems dropping away' - just a co-incidence?

'Tis the last rose of summer, Left blooming alone; All her lovely companions Are faded and gone; No flower of her kindred, No rose-bud is nigh, To reflect back her blushes Or give sigh for sigh!

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one. To pine on the stem; Since the lovely are sleeping, Go, sleep thou with them; Thus kindly I scatter Thy leaves o'er the bed, Where thy mates of the garden Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow, When friendships decay, And from love's shining circle The gems drop away! When true hearts lie wither'd, And fond ones are flown, Oh! who would inhabit This bleak world alone

Hmm, earlier we can identify a motive for Lady Verinder to have taken/lost/arranged the disappearance of the stone - is this a guilty reaction?

An old Irish folk poem (and song) - you can hear Charlotte Church giving it a go here: https://youtu.be/CxJsXWHmFiA?t=78

Is this why Cuff outranks the superintendent? Because he's Detective Sergeant?

I thought a Sergeant to be of lower rank than a Superintendent - seems a bit odd

Definitely getting serious for Betteredge if he can no longer take solace in his holy book!

As @kenneth_khuu remarked on earlier, another example of a word which we might spell without the hyphen

Pretty strong words here, why does she think that no one will ever find it? Rachel's reactions don't make much sense to me.

Ah, and Betteredge comments on the same in the next paragraph!

In terms of the class system - where do the Police fit in during this time? Higher than the staff, but lower than the ladies & gents?

As others had mentioned previously, he's believing in the curse

I'd not come across this foreign plan before, drinking a cup of coffee hours before your breakfast

It does seem odd that Murthwaite, who knows more about the Indians and their culture & faith than anyone else, doesn't even make the suggestion that they return the diamond to the rightful owners - the Indians. Lady Verinder isn't short of cash and I assume Rachel doesn't need it either. Maybe Mr Murthwaite is more of an Empire era Brit than you might think!

Why doesn't Betteredge mention the name of this family member? He does a fair job of listening to their conversation and wonders why they keep it to themselves, but it seems that by not naming her, either he's adding a little mystery or telling us it's not worth paying attention.

A-ha! A motive!

I wonder whether Mr. G feels outdone in the present stakes - belittling the diamond as mere carbon does seem like a sour reaction. Betteredge is with him though, as the only one who kept his senses.

If this was a movie - it sounds like the perfect time for a musical montage of a couple in the early stages of romance!

I'm assuming this doesn't mean 'make love' but more means being lovey dovey with her - or am I mistaken?!

Using Ma'am here confused me - unless it's a known saying - isn't Betteredge providing his narrative for Franklin?

I do find this a little odd and possibly out of character - Betteredge seems so dedicated to his lady and his job, that I'd imagine him taking more care over the state of his clothes!

I'd not given too much thought of Betteredge being an unreliable narrator (I usually give all my narrators the benefit of the doubt!) but statements like this make me question the integrity of his account

Is the shabby man an accomplice of the three Indians I wonder? They also have the fortune telling boy - maybe we'll find out later?

I'm fortunate to live in Yorkshire, but sadly, a long way from the sea - nevertheless, I can picture what this house might be like, with its rose garden, beautiful walks and coastline.

Interesting to look back at this as I think it might foreshadow a future plot point