Little Women
Part 2, Chapter 46: Under the Umbrella
by Louisa May Alcott
Jo and Professor Bhear divulge their true feelings to one another.
Jo and Professor Bhear divulge their true feelings to one another.
Jurgis gets a job at Packingtown. Jurgis witnesses the processes inside a beef and pork packing plant.
Jane finds life at Thornfield pleasant and comfortable. Adèle proves to be exuberant and intelligent, though spoiled and at times a bit petulant. Nonetheless, Jane is frequently restless and collects her thoughts while pacing Thornfield’s top-story passageway. One evening a few months after her arrival at Thornfield, Jane is alone watching the moon rise when she perceives a horse approaching. It calls to her mind the story Bessie once told her of a spirit called a Gytrash, which disguises itself as a mule, dog, or horse to frighten “belated travellers.” Oddly enough, a dog then appears as well. Once she realizes that the horse has a rider, the uncanny moment ceases. Just after the horse passes her, it slips on a patch of ice, and its rider tumbles to the ground. Jane helps the man rise to his feet and introduces herself to him. She observes that he has a dark face, stern features, and a heavy brow. He is not quite middle-aged. Upon reentering Thornfield, Jane goes to Mrs. Fairfax’s room and sees the same dog—Pilot—resting on the rug. A servant answers Jane’s queries, explaining that the dog belongs to Mr. Rochester, who has just returned home with a sprained ankle, having fallen from his horse.
Mina and Lucy arrive at Whitby. Dr. Jack Seward journals about his lunatic client Renfield. Mina is concerned that she has not heard from Jonathan. Lucy is beginning to act strangely in her sleep.
The men enter Carfax to try to determine the location of the fifty boxes of earth. Mina is left alone, and finds herself feeling strange things.
The boat avoids trouble. Captain Spike remembers Jack Tier. Mrs. Budd shows her interesting view of things. Jack Tier boards the Molly Swash. The captain disguises the boat.
David shares some of his earliest memories.
Toad, now in jail, escapes with the help a sympathetic party.
Ahab continues to enquire about the white whale. The Pequod's catch puts the crew at risk.
Phoebe begins spending more and more time with Holgrave. He tells her his thoughts on the Pycheon curse and reads her an article he has written about it.
A fairy tale about the gnome Rubezahl who tried to understand the trickery of man by capturing a princess and marrying her.
Jonathan attempts to escape the castle to no avail. His letters are intercepted by the Count. He discovers where the Count sleeps. Gypsies come to do work for the Count at the castle, but Jonathan is not able to communicate with the outside world. He waits for his doom.
The Count of Monte Cristo visits Danglers at his home to speak to him about a business arrangement.
Edwin Drood visits the Staple Inn, where he is invited to stay for dinner. Grewgious bestows a valuable gift upon Edwin.
There is a funeral for the deceased. Mina and Harker have a disturbing run-in with a mysterious man in London. Children of the town are attacked by the “Bloofer Lady.”
Amelia visits the Osbourne home. Old Osbourne makes an offer George can't refuse.
Christmas Eve and the dinner party to make peace between Neville and Edwin is at hand. Edwin has a strange and troubling conversation with a woman on the streets of Cloisterham. A great storm descends upon the town.
Becky gets acquainted with the Sedley household.
A conitnuation of part 1 in which Dr. Watson receives a letter from an old friend that tells about a treaty that was stolen from his office. Watson refers the letter to Holmes to investigate.
How a prince overcomes an evil magician and wins a princess.
Maurice and his father are invited to America to offer assistance to their family members. The travel there is peopled with interesting characters and the excitement of a child gone overboard.
Carol and Will have their first argument. Will complains about Carol's "highbrow" attitude, and the effect is it having on his personal and professional relationships.
Joseph, Amelia, Georgy, and Dobbin depart for the continent. Amelia starts to appreciate Dobbin's presence.
Holmes finds himself at a university town and discovers that a tutor’s office had been disturbed and Holmes suspects Bannister the servant.
Jane closes her school for Christmas and spends a happy time with her newfound cousins at Moor House. Diana and Mary are delighted with the improvements Jane has made at the school, but St. John seems colder and more distant than ever. He tells Jane that Rosamond is engaged to a rich man named Mr. Granby. One day, he asks Jane to give up her study of German and instead to learn “Hindustani” with him—the language he is learning to prepare for missionary work in India. As time goes by, St. John exerts a greater and greater influence on Jane; his power over her is almost uncanny. This leaves Jane feeling empty, cold, and sad, but she follows his wishes. At last, he asks her to go to India with him to be a missionary—and to be his wife. She agrees to go to India as a missionary but says that she will not be his wife because they are not in love. St. John harshly insists that she marry him, declaring that to refuse his proposal is the same as to deny the Christian faith. He abruptly leaves the room.