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Hunted Down
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Hunted Down! (hosted by Judy) - 2nd Summer Read 2020
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The old man in the carriage is never seen by Slinkton. Sampson goes over and talks to him, then comes back and tells Slinkton who it is, Slinkton leaves and then the girl goes to the carriage and she apparently recognizes Meltham because she leaves with him. So, I don't think he needed much of a disguise to pull this one off.
Debra wrote: "I really liked him in the drunk scene. I completely believed he was drunk. ..."I loved that scene too, Debra.
While reading, I kept remembering Judge Judy saying, you cannot take out a life insurance policy on someone unless you have an insurable interest.
Thank you, great point about the insurance - I have been wondering about this. With his nieces he is a close relation and can make himself the beneficiary, but I am not sure how he would get a policy for Beckwith assigned to him rather than to the family he is supposed to have in Norfolk.
It wasn't explained how the family sends a reference, but I suppose Meltham somehow sorts that out!
Sara wrote: "The old man in the carriage is never seen by Slinkton. Sampson goes over and talks to him, then comes back and tells Slinkton who it is, Slinkton leaves and then the girl goes to the carriage and s..."I have just looked back at the passage - I see that's true, and although Margaret has seen him several times I think it was always from a distance. So not such a demanding disguise as the drunken scene, I do agree.
I've just finished reading this and enjoyed Slinkton's final fate. I wonder if he acted that way because his fiendish plot didn't work? Or was he afraid to face justice?
Murderers are often cowards. He always went for those who were weaker and more helpless...two girls and a drunkard. I imagine he would not have been brave enough to face the gallows.
Ditto what Sara said.I wonder if he had a cyanide pill?
It must have been some kind of fast acting poison.
I have just downloaded Scenes and Characters from the Works of Charles Dickens. It is a veritable treasure trove. There are 866 illustrations. Hours of browsing pleasure to be found here.
Makes sense. On the insurance, I was wondering if the laws on who can own insurance had changed, but googling revealed the law goes back to the 1700s. I suppose they may have okayed the policy because they were setting him up? Today he would not even be able to insure the nieces unless he could show legal guardianship. I was even surprised to see that a step-parent cannot insure/be the beneficiary of a policy. Of course, considering some of the things we hear about, that might be a very good policy.
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It is, I agree Stephen :) I like looking at the illustrations in there, according to which work by Charles Dickens I am reading. I'm not sure whether there are any in it for Hunted Down though.
Bionic Jean wrote: "It is, I agree Stephen :) I like looking at the illustrations in there, according to which work by Charles Dickens I am reading. I'm not sure whether there are any in it for Hunted Down though..."Jean, it has the Fred Barnard illustration - I posted about it in message 49, confirming your identification of the artist. :) There are no more from the story, though.
Stephen wrote: "I have just downloaded Scenes and Characters from the Works of Charles Dickens. It is a veritable treasure trove. There are 866 illustrations. Hours of browsing pleasure to be found here."I feel just the same, Stephen, glad you like it - looking forward to exploring lots of illustrations in there.
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Oh yes - sorry Judy - I missed 2 or 3 posts from the bottom of the page. On top of travelling home yesterday, my laptop then died, and all my stuff had to be transferred to Chris's - but I can't get the enlarging right and am looking at a tiny letterbox with the correct magnification ... anyway I'll get sorted out soon, hopefully!
My review of Scenes and Characters from the Works of Charles Dickens Being Eight Hundred and Sixty-six Pictures Printed From the Original Wood Blocks is LINK HERE by the way, in case it helps anyone decide whether to get the book or not.
Apologies for the diversion and back to the story!
Oh no Jean, what a pain - hope your laptop can be sorted out! Thank you for the link to your review of the book with all the illustrations.
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Fred Barnard's illustration of the same passage:
"He became so fierce in his gesticulations with the saucepan, that I expected to see him lay open Slinkton's head with it. I therefore put out my hand to check him. He reeled back to the sofa, and sat there panting, shaking, and red-eyed, in his rags of dressing-gown, looking at us both."
(Thanks Judy - I managed it :) Though I doubt whether my laptop can be saved. The keyboard swells (!) and it switches itself off every couple of minutes. It seems to be having heat prostration ;) )
Sara wrote: "Makes sense. On the insurance, I was wondering if the laws on who can own insurance had changed, but googling revealed the law goes back to the 1700s. I suppose they may have okayed the policy be..."
Perhaps Slinkton had set himself up as some kind of guardian of Beckwith, since Beckwith was supposedly in such bad health? Or maybe he conned Beckwith somehow into making a will leaving everything to him? At least he thought he conned him.
I've read through all the comments above and agree with you all. Loved the name of Slinkton. One knows immediately that this man is a villain. Dickens is wonderful when naming his characters.
Overall, I enjoyed this story but can't say it was a cliff-hanger. It is a solid, well told story.
Writing style, wise: had I not known this was a Dickens work, I wouldn't have thought it was one of his works. It felt different in tone and style.
I'm late to the conversation on this story, so don't have lots to add to what has already been said.
Thank you very much for posting the illustration, Jean - and sorry about the laptop!
Katy wrote: "Perhaps Slinkton had set himself up as some kind of guardian of Beckwith, since Beckwith was supposedly in such bad health? Or maybe he conned Beckwith somehow into making a will leaving everything to him? At least he thought he conned him. ..."Could be! I also wondered if he somehow got the policy assigned to him, but I wasn't sure how that would work - maybe with some forgery involved?
The case of poisoner Thomas Griffiths Wainewright seems to have been the main inspiration for the story. If anyone wants to know more about the case, this is his Wikipedia page:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_...
There's also a longer piece here which has details of the life insurance scam involving his sister-in-law, Helen, who may be inspiration for the nieces in the story.
https://brentfordandchiswicklhs.org.u...
Great links, Judy. Truth is stranger than fiction.
Fascinating articles on Wainewright, Judy.
Thanks, Debra and Connie. Very strange story, isn't it?!
If anyone wants a glimpse of Victorian Scarborough, there are some great lantern slides in this article, although I believe these are from the 1890s, so several decades after the story.https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/...
Dickens gave readings at the Assembly Rooms in Scarborough in 1858, the year before this story was written - there is a plaque to him on the building:
https://openplaques.org/plaques/29934
I hope to stay at nearby Whitby next month, so may be able to pay a visit to Scarborough!
I like the one with the children on the donkeys reminded me of Betsey Trotwood.
Katy wrote: "Sara wrote: "Makes sense. On the insurance, I was wondering if the laws on who can own insurance had changed, but googling revealed the law goes back to the 1700s. I suppose they may have okayed ..."
Of course he could have forged it! Why didn't I think of that? Only considering the honest way to get it assigned--Duh. He was after all the one who picked up the papers and the insurance company wouldn't question it because Sampson is in on the sting.
Fascinating reading Judy regarding Wainwright.
I’ve just finished the story. Thank you Judy for the great intro and background information.I agree with the messages above about Meltham: the drunk scene might be unbelievable, but it really gripped me. And it is very well portrayed by Fred Barnard's illustration. Meltham has a remarkable portfolio: old man on wheelchair, drunken man. He should turn professional instead of dying. Anyway, I wish Dickens had developed the character of Meltham, he is so passionate, but this is a short story.
Judy wrote: "If anyone wants a glimpse of Victorian Scarborough, there are some great lantern slides in this article, although I believe these are from the 1890s, so several decades after the story.https://ww..."
Wow, what gorgeous pictures of Scarborough! I love black and white pictures. I have been in Scarborough many years ago. It’s such a lovely place, and those pictures make me feel like going there again.
Milena wrote: "I’ve just finished the story. Thank you Judy for the great intro and background information.I agree with the messages above about Meltham: the drunk scene might be unbelievable, but it really grip..."
It is interesting that he is the character we see the least of and yet the one who steals the story.
France-Andrée wrote: "I like the one with the children on the donkeys reminded me of Betsey Trotwood."I didn't think of this for some reason - I really think donkeys should always remind me of Betsey!
Sara wrote: "Milena wrote: "I’ve just finished the story. Thank you Judy for the great intro and background information.I agree with the messages above about Meltham: the drunk scene might be unbelievable, but..."
Sara and Milena, it's so true that Meltham manages to steal the show, despite Slinkton probably being more what is thought of as a Dickens character, with his memorable name and appearance.
Does anyone get anything from the names Meltham or Beckwith? Neither of them seems to have a particular significance to me.
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Donkeys at Scarborough? I loved them - my favourite was one called Polly :) We went every Summer when I was a child, and from this family photo, it must have been quite a tradition! (My mum is the toddler on the right :))
This was 50 years after Charles Dickens had died, but Scarborough was the first, largest and most popular spa resort for Victorians. It is still the second most-visited destination in England by British holidaymakers.
If you get there next month Judy, have an ice cream cornet for me!
That’s so nice to have a picture of your mom at that age and the woman next to her has the same tradition of closing her eyes for pictures like my sister (unless it’s the angle).
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That's my grandma - she hated having her photograph taken, but probably felt obliged as these are some of her children (my mum's brothers and sisters) on the donkeys, and granddad at the other end.
Photographs by now had begun to seem more naturalistic, but the studio shots from Charles Dickens's time look very stiff and formal. To some extent, I believe that has influenced the way we think about that era. Because the time exposure had to be so long for these early glass plates, people had to stay immobile for several minutes, and so they sometimes even had "photographers' aids" (stiff rods or wooden panels behind, etc.,) to keep them still! The rigid, upright look, which we associate with Victorian society, is all appearance, in an age full of hypocrisy. The illustrations from the time are often much more lively!
This story too - Hunted Down - demonstrates hypocrisy. Perhaps this particular scam could only work in a Victorian or Edwardian age in Western society, where females were generally more dependent, and thus more gullible.
Great discussion already, and thanks for all the extra information Judy :) Whenever I come across a new scenario or character in Charles Dickens I now expect an instance or person in real life, which he has based his story on. It has happened countless times!
Maybe the scam like it is in Hunted Down is not possible, but plenty of women (and men) fall for the love of their lives, get scammed out of their money and have to rebuild their lives; I think now the victim is sometimes blamed as being too trusting, but they probably suffer from emotional dependence to a degree so time changes, but stay the same.
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Bionic Jean wrote: "Donkeys at Scarborough? I loved them - my favourite was one called Polly :) We went every Summer when I was a child, and from this family photo, it must have been quite a tradition! (My mum is the toddler on the right :))"It’s a beautiful picture, Jean. You can see how your grand-mother cared for her little one on the donkey.
Lovely picture, Jean, and I'll remember to have an ice cream for you - I'm also happy to volunteer to have fish and chips on your behalf in Whitby!
Bionic Jean wrote: "This story too - Hunted Down - demonstrates hypocrisy. Perhaps this particular scam could only work in a Victorian or Edwardian age in Western society, where females were generally more dependent, and thus more gullible...."I think hypocrisy is one of the greatest elements in Dickens's humour - he created so many sublime hypocrites who are hilariously self-righteous and condemn themselves out of their own mouths! I don't think Slinkton is quite up there with the best of these, since he doesn't really have the space to develop, but he is definitely one of Dickens's hypocrites.
marvelous photo, Jean. How nice to have it!
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Like last week's read with Sara, I'll leave it in our current group reads folder for now, in case there are further comments.
I agree, Judy. Great job covering this read. I enjoyed both the story and all the background information you provided, along with the marvelous discussion.
Thank you to Judy and everyone who commented. I'm new to this group so only lurked during this discussion which was pretty much completed by the time I finished the story. But I so appreciate the wonderful discussions, the background information and the illustrations provided. I learned far more than I would have imagined from reading one short story.
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Jean, I truly am enjoying the group so far. The amount of knowledge and insight on Dickens is fabulous and way beyond anything I learned long ago, so at this point I am just enjoying myself reading posts, learning and marveling.
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Bionic Jean wrote: "I hope you enjoy what's coming up, and our next long read just as much :)"I have the feeling that I will. :)) Thanks, Jean.
Except for the narrator and Margaret, none of the characters are who they appear to be - much masquerading.
Dickensians!
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Charles Dickens (other topics)Charles Dickens (other topics)
Fred Barnard (other topics)
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Fred Barnard (other topics)
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The whole story was enjoyable but not a surprise. While reading, I kept remembering Judge Judy saying, you cannot take out a life insurance policy on someone unless you have an insurable interest. So I kept thinking about what could go wrong here. And there was Slinkton doing funky things with life insurance policies.