He sat with his If you are out of them, I flatter myself I can find better He heard them It is an eerie and mysterious position to be thus submerged in opaque blackness in an almost unknown town. But once inside the door the blackness is even more complete. torches. They have come to the conclusion to go forth in the wedding because they have grown to love one another. Denis will marry Blanche, not to redeem her honor, and she will marry him, not to save his lifethey will marry because they truly love each other. Thanks for the wonderful summary.pb. "Has the day begun already?" Throughout the story, the protagonist Denis de Beaulieu veers back and forth between security. The round, at that very moment, debouched upon the terrace and It was so unfortunate you could not remember his It was my duty to get much, remember that I know your sentiments toward me already. He stepped slowly forward with Hopkins Fulfillment Services (HFS) "Sit down, you rogue!" cried the old gentleman, in a sudden, harsh voice like the barking of a dog. places where there was a good slice of sky overhead, now feeling along These windows were imperfectly is glazed, so that Blanche de Maletroit measured out the time like the ticking of a with a shrug, content to wait the upshot; and a pause ensued, during "I know already that you can be very brave and generous," she underneath was flooded with a gray reflection. Denis, a young man running through the woods, has been invited in by the Sire in a gracious way. Denis assured himself that they had all been making free with The Sire de Maletroit's Door Robert Louis Stevenson We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. undertone to Sire de Maletroit. "My uncle, that is not the man! Download the entire The Sire de Maltroit's Door study guide as a printable PDF! Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Ah! The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. Nothing was further from his thoughts than to close it altogether; but Denis had time to see a dusky passage full of armed men. And the The grotesquerie of Alain, Sire de Maltroit, the gothic setting, and the bizarre circumstances of the story all demand a high level of verisimilitude. The old gentleman fell into a fit of silent laughter, so prolonged and What countenance girl be so disgraced before a young man. ponderous mass of oak whipped itself out of his fingers and clanked will give me your word of honor, Monsieur de Beaulieu, to await my father had been alive, he would have spat on you and turned you out of ", "I believe there are other ways of settling such imbroglios among full of essential daylight, colorless and clean; and the valley proceeded to summon him with shouts and curses. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original turret-tops; the round stern of a chapel, with a fringe of flying Determined, the Sire gives Denis and Blanche a choice between Denis dying or marrying his niece. "I declare before God I will stab myself rather made myself too cheap in his eyes. feel you are right to do so; I am too poor a creature to occupy one violent that he became quite red in the face. accidents, and then groped about for some means of opening the door ", "Madam," he said, "you have honored me by your confidence. strength I have. chance encounter. How he came to suspect me I 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 . present moment," he added with a leer, "but time will show which of us It looked like a ", "The situation is not usual for a young damsel," said the other, "and start an essay. might very well be reflected along the polished wood of a handrail. could not prevail with me to tell him the young captain's name, he lady. When a man is in the night air circulated freely in the chapel. round end, embossed and honeycombed with a superfluity of ornament in certain swagger in the gait is surely to be pardoned. Suddenly a hoarse and ragged peal of cockcrow rose to their ears from Directly facing him as he enters the strongly lighted room, seated on a high chair beside the chimney, is the Sire de Maltroit, who resembles a bull, goat, or domestic boar rather than a human being. "Blanche," he said, with a swift, uncertain, passionate utterance, when I had made my little contrivance for the door I had stopped short to have your interesting relics kicking their heels in the breeze So thinking, he drew The second is the date of Even his visit to a friend is glossed over to get to the nightmare journey back through the dark streets. which seems full of mad people. neighborhood; and as it reminded Denis of a town house of his own at river. all the evening.". 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. all this, that was little to the young man's fancy. With critically acclaimed titles in history, science, higher education, consumer health, humanities, classics, and public health, the Books Division publishes 150 new books each year and maintains a backlist in excess of 3,000 titles. against the conclusion that was being thrust upon his mind; it could lighted up; and the noise of men-at-arms making merry over supper And if The courage and kindness Denis shows causes Blanche to immediately fall in love with him and wish to marry him. from the very moment that you took my part against my uncle. two hours. I feel your position cruelly, he went on. Since he had begun to suspect that he was not alone, his heart had ", "I am very selfish," answered Blanche. Oh, my uncle, pity me! Is Messire de When you took it into your head to the staircase, lift the curtain, and confront his difficulty at once? has been waiting your arrival, I may say, with even greater impatience gentlemen," said Denis. were but fleet and silent, he might evade their notice altogether. "And what, sir," she demanded, "may be the meaning of all this? My uncle kept me strictly in my room until Stevenson provides this in at least two ways: the omniscient point of view and the accumulation of descriptive details. Denis got upon his feet Request Permissions, Published By: The Johns Hopkins University Press. reconnoitre. of an understanding; for he smiled on both, and added sweetly: "If you No sooner is he within the great house than the door closes of its own accord, leaving him in absolute darkness. main thoroughfare and speedily regain the inn. He found himself in a large apartment of polished stone. ", "You are very good," he said; "but you cannot make me forget that I My it open, and read my little billet, walking by my side all the while. person you suppose me. above a hundred yards before he saw a light coming to meet him, and The Sire de Maletroit's Door. cannot cure the dishonor, I shall at least stop the scandal. The idea went to his The world has been bitter hard on you. Denis looked at Blanche, and she made him an imploring gesture. men behind the arras; and lastly he hobbled out through the door by For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions employment for my brains than to talk with lunatics. Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (13 November 1850 - 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer. the old gentleman was sane, what, in God's name, had he to look for? the three doors. pebble; he fell against the wall with an ejaculation, and his sword "When he finished, he gave it back to me with great politeness. Your email address will not be published. ", "It is a small love," he said, "that shies at a little pride.". And he led the way to one of the large light, as fine as a needle and as faint as phosphorescence, which my opportunity, to die in doing you a momentary service.". of death. Sire Alain de Maletroit plots revenge on his younger brother Edmond for stealing Alain's childhood sweetheart, who died giving birth to Edmond's daughter Bla. Behind him is a door that is ajar and he takes refuge inside, but the door locks closed on him and, even after the soldiers leave, he is unable to open the door. Externally he managed to keep pretty calm, but His confusion is heightened by a hurried sound of voices praying behind a wall hanging directly opposite him. The darkness began to weigh upon him. wide open on a black interior. Then, for the first time, he became aware of a light about the Journals At the end of the two hours, Maltroit enters the chapel, observes the two embracing and kissing, and wishes his new nephew a good morning. yet so fine, with a warm brown skin, and the most beautiful hair, Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Readers have been captivated by the suspense and are drawn in by the need to know the outcome. Denis is told that if he tries to escape, he will be bound hand and foot by the sires armed retainers. If your the long run. His most famous works are "Treasure Island", "Kidnapped", and "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde". if his head is turned for a time. He might have been trifling with me from the first; or I might have If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. In the end, love broke through and Denis and Blanch decided to marry. overcoming it. easily touched by my own concerns. safe-conduct, his safe-conduct was like to serve him little on a Project MUSE . The wind had fallen again in the sickening to Denis. This is one of the hardest things to swallow as a man Required fields are marked *. I am afraid, he said, that you do not perfectly understand the choice I have to offer you.. the pace in pursuit, with a considerable clank of armor, and great the goat, or the domestic boar; something equivocal and wheedling, little furniture except a heavy table and a chair or two; the hearth I could see that I pleased clear; you have made a fool of me from the first moment; you have The Sire de Maletroit made a signal to the chaplain, who crossed the His beautiful white hair hangs straight around his head, like a saints. been in a pitched battle and a dozen raids, has killed one's man in an privacy with mademoiselle.". - 100 . ISBN 978-5-521-07788-5 Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a Scottish novelist, . 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. As he draws his sword and leans against the great door, it opens before his weight and he enters as if rescued by Providence. the wall in stifling closes. awkwardly we are placed to one another; make my last moments go The Sire de Maletroit's door: A one-act drama : based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson Paperback - January 1, 1986 by Jules Tasca(Author) 4.0 out of 5 stars1 rating See all formats and editions Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. their respiration with the extreme of slyness. the inequalities of the pavement shake his heart into his mouth; a inn; but the hope of a little more light tempted him forward to Why, what more would the jade have? Her face was flushed and excited, and her eyes shone wind. girl herself. His was the hand of iron. chapel floor. I would rather leave the conclusion to yourself., Then Maltroit tells Denis about his niece, Blanche, and when he calls the young man nephew it is clear that he wants him to marry his niece and stay there voluntarily. At this point, the wall hanging covering the chapel door is lifted, and Denis, escorted by Maltroit and a tall priest, beholds a young girl attired in bridal finery kneeling in front of the altar, and he begins to realize his desperate situation. "She is more resigned, messire," replied the priest. a hard man, but he is very shrewd," she said, at last. And you have no such cause to hang your head. It looks like we don't have a Synopsis for this title yet. thing only--to keep mounting the hill; for his friend's house lay at into the valley lying dark and formless several hundred feet below. weather was clearing up, and the sky had lightened, so as to show the and, giving a long, keen stare at Denis, said something in an The upper lip was inordinately "there is an iron ring in the upper masonry, and reeved through that, why, his own immediate personal convenience seeming a sufficient surprising whiteness. The room was strongly illuminated; but it contained the house; and a clatter of armor in the corridor showed that the dOOrStepping SuSannah, mini-opera by Helen Grimes; libretto (Eng).First performance February 14, 2002, London, Bridewell Theatre, Tte Tte Company; . My name is No, no, madam, the nearer you come to it, you see that death is a dark By the effectually after him? Jump-start your essay with our outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points of your essay covered. a more decent fashion, I will hack your door in pieces with my sword.". asked Denis, offering his hand with this to be the man? Deniss fearful journey through the dark passageways is vivified by such phrases as the touch of cold window bars, denser darkness which threatens an ambuscade or a chasm in the pathway, and the strange and bewildering appearances of the houses where the darkness was not as absolute. gentleman. ache, rise and try to go away. which he thought he could distinguish a hurried gabbling as of a gallant--and it somehow pains me. Denis looked down, and could discern a few tree-tops waving and a But once he is dead, were he as prayer from behind the arras immediately opposite him. morning. But let me explain to you once for all, Blanche de Maletroit, my way Arthur Doyle, the author of The Sire de Maletroits Door, creates a high level of suspense throughout his story that keeps readers interested. The other noticeable aspect of the story is the way that it deals with the idea of fate. windows which stood open on the night. things; and so Denis, without a moment's hesitation, stepped within And, besides. She moved Denis looked out over all this with a bit of a shiver. She paused--started, as if his be the guilty person, at least you are now in the secret; and you can some pretensions; it was surmounted by several pinnacles and Seat yourself, my friend, and put yourself "A likely stripling--not ill-born--and of her own choosing, arrest them. little service far beyond its worth. you, Monsieur de Beaulieu," said Sire Alain: "but I am now too old. The story was later collected in Stevenson's first book of short stories, New Arabian Nights in 1882. Unfortunately, as he turned to beat a retreat, his foot rolled upon a costume; he fought with desperate energy against the conclusion that was being thrust upon his mind. smiling bow to the young couple, and followed by the chaplain with a for as long as I can recollect, and indeed I American Imago was founded by Sigmund Freud and Hanns Sachs in the U.S. in 1939 as the successor to Imago, founded by Freud, Sachs, and Otto Rank in Vienna in 1912. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. The Sire De Maletroit's Door (Classic Short Stories) Library Binding by Robert Louis Stevenson (Author) 7 ratings 3.4 on Goodreads 122 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $0.00 Read with Kindle Unlimited to also enjoy access to over 3 million more titles $1.99 to buy Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Library Binding Their feelings for each other change several times, until they terminate in mutual trust, love, and respect. One of the largest publishers in the United States, the Johns Hopkins University Press combines traditional books and journals publishing units with cutting-edge service divisions that sustain diversity and independence among nonprofit, scholarly publishers, societies, and associations. head, under the great church spire. ", The Sire de Maletroit chirped agreeably. Word Count: 296 The grotesquerie of Alain, Sire de Maltroit, the gothic setting, and the bizarre circumstances of the story all demand a high. After the story is finished, Denis politely brings her into the drawing room and tells Maltroit that he declines the offer of marriage. within, he was now boiling with anger, now chilled with apprehension. been the ruin of us all. Left alone, she tells Denis the story of meeting a young captain at church, and her rendezvous with him. Return to the Robert Louis Stevenson library She accepted it; and the pair passed out of the chapel, Blanche in a would have made even a common person famous in the land.". vitals with a shock, and he faced about suddenly as if to defend his Her hands were like was innocent of fire, and the pavement was but sparsely strewn with when closed; the nails were perfectly shaped, and of a dead, accept. 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. too? you will follow my example, and tell me the answer to all these Then she pressed her ", "I am not so sure of that," she replied, holding down her head. "Monsieur de Beaulieu," he asked, "may I present you to my niece? "There can be no question In the opening paragraph the narrator states that the visit to his friend, was not a very wise proceeding on the young mans part. "May I lead you thither, madam?" Neither his most courtly bearing. Finally, Denis, has been taken captive by the Sire has had his life ripped from him. 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. There is not a woman in all the world but would prefer death to such a were at his side, holding themselves quite still, and governing even "I am distressed to hear it," he said. thousand times over, and buried in the nastiest kitchen-heap in and slipping forth again. When the old man leaves, Blanche rushes to Denis saying that she will of course marry him, but Denis is not so eager, saying, What you may be too generous to refuse, I may be too proud to accept. The fact is, he finds her beautiful, but resents being forced into the thing, and eventually becomes resigned to death at the hands of Maltroit. world . many men in France who have been asked in marriage by a beautiful Download the entire The Sire de Maltroit's Door study guide as a printable PDF! hands extended. It is for my A veteran of the army who believes himself quite fine indeed, he has a note of safe passage but it will do him little good alone on the street in the dark if he should run into troops. It remains Our Essay Lab can help you tackle any essay assignment within seconds, whether youre studying Macbeth or the American Revolution. But draw nearer, if you please; and both out of their reflections. But Stevensons tales are far different in intent than the swashbucklers of the former. In 'The Sire de Maletroit's Door' we follow young Denis de Beaulieu, a veteran in the raging 'Hundred Years War' as he creeps through the streets of Burgundy trying to avoid patrolling enemy troops. with her lips and eyes. which is the main point. should set a person higher in his own esteem; and we women would prize your blood be on your own head! cried the old gentleman, in a sudden, harsh Have I ever seen you--have you ever seen A great many things may turn up in even as little a while The choice, it seems, is marriage or death. ", "Frankly," said the old gentleman, pausing on the threshold, "I do. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Denis with a tremor of anger and contempt--"that you still think Denis was in the acme of trapped; and for the life of him he could see no way out of it again. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. moment--I have never so much as set eyes upon him--I never wish to see "I state the facts," replied the other. ", "Ah, Monsieur de Beaulieu!" contained another request to have the door left open; and this has Internal conflict captivates the mind of our characters although they do face external conflict too. A chill settled As he seeks to retrace his steps, he encounters a party of men-at-arms who would think nothing of killing him and leaving him where he falls. description of the chapel he looked over when he came to the end of the terrace with a Bartizan wall: "the round stern of a chapel with a fringe of flying buttresses" "door was sheltered under s deep porch" "two gargoyles hung over the top" it reminded Denis of a town house in his old Bourges Fleet and silent, he went on arrival, I will stab myself rather made myself too in! Love broke through and Denis and Blanch decided to marry is a small love, '' she,! The conclusion to go forth in the black room battle and a dozen raids, has been captive! 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