Book of the duchess: imprisoned in the dungeon

Number 15: Michael and Raoul, by order of Guillot, are placed in the castle’s worst dungeon

The plot episode 14 (summarised from the text of Lorna’s novel)

When Provost marshal Guillot learnt of Duchess Jacqueline’s visit to Michael in prison, he feared that their frequency of contact did not bode well for his plans. Guillot hoped to marry Jacqueline himself and seize complete control of the duchy. If Jacqueline was falling in love with Michael, the future that Guillot had anticipated for so long was now at risk.

Guillot ordered that Michael and Raoul be taken from their clean dry cell, the ropes on their hands replaced with manacles. They were to be placed in less congenial quarters of which the duchess had no knowledge.

Michael and Raoul assumed that their removal to the filthy dungeon was yet another example of the duchess’ cruelty. In fact, for a fortnight Jacqueline and her lady-in-waiting Marguérite strove for the release of Michael and Raoul.

At the same time Jacqueline was becoming suspicious of Guillot and his designs on her. She also understood that an allegiance with Michael - perhaps even marrying him - could end the rebellion and result in long-term peace within the duchy. However, Jacqueline did not have the courage to voice this possibility in front of Guillot. Instead she warned him that he risked making martyrs of Michael and Raoul if he continued to hold them without a trial.

Eventually Jacqueline and Guillot struck a deal. Jacqueline persuaded Guillot to offer Michael and Raoul a fair trial by their peers. She was convinced that this would lead to their release. Guillot was happy to agree to Jacqueline’s proposal: he knew just how easy it would be to ensure that the ‘peers’ sitting in judgement on Michael and Raoul were his own supporters.

Lorna’s remarks

Alternatively I am very much ashamed and rather proud of this grisly effort. It is, of course, horribly badly drawn, but if my memory serves, it was a very early picture and very little of it was copied. I cannot, however, remember, if the rats were original!

It is the only one of the series, in my opinion, that has any emotional content, and it may possibly have too much, but it has a conviction that makes all the other illustrations - none of which I feel are in any sense pretty-pretty - look empty and hollow.

The influence, oddly enough, was that of Hogarth, whom I have always admired, and I am rather vain of the fact that I appreciated his dramatic and satiric powers so early as to want to emulate him. Possibly in the face of the result, such claims and theories are ridiculous. All I can say is that anyone of critical turn of mind may try to draw the same thing - the interior of a medieval gaol.