Victorians! discussion

Summary:

(Chapter 36)Everything seems different to Tom now that he has quit Mr. Pecksniff's employment. His friend, the Organist's assistant, advises him to go to London. So, Tom leaves for London. There, he visits John Westlock, who is delighted to see him. After breakfast, they go out. Tom wants to visit his sister, Ruth, and John directs him to the house. Tom finds out that his sister is being treated badly by her employers. Ruth is not happy, and Tom decides to take her away. After showing his displeasure at ill-treating his sister, Tom leaves with her sister. Now that he has his sister to live with, Tom realizes he needs to secure lodgings for them. They take a small apartment in Islington. Having settled his sister there, Tom goes back to John Westlock to inform him of this new development.

(Chapter 37) Tom loses his way to John and accidentally comes across Cherry Pecksniff in front of the Todgers'. She invites him to meet Merry, who has come visiting. Tom finds Merry altered and guesses the reasons for her sorrow. Cherry introduces Tom to her fiancé, Mr. Moddle. Mr. Moddle directs Tom to John's house. At John's, Tom relates all that happened and excuses himself from dining with John. John understands. He escorts Tom to his lodgings in Islington in a cab. There, he meets Ruth Pinch and is immediately smitten by her.

(Chapter 38) Mr. Nadgett finds some important information on Jonas and hands them to Mr. Tigg. Jonas Chuzzlewit has now become a director in Tigg's insurance company. When Jonas comes to Tigg to demand more control over money matters, Tigg whispers to Jonas what Nadgett has found. We are not told what they are, but from Jonas's sudden submissive person, we can assume that Nadgett has unearthed some secret Jonas wishes to hide. Taking advantage, Tigg asks Jonas to persuade Mr. Pecksniff to join in their schemes.

(Chapter 39) Tom and Ruth are settled in their lodgings, and Tom thinks of finding employment. Ruth also wants to seek employment, but Tom doesn't want them to be separated. Tom begins to write a letter to be given to John with his qualifications written in when John himself appears at their place. John brings news to Tom that a man has come to meet him, offering employment to Tom. John is surprised that Tom has friends in London, and Tom is equally surprised. Tom was asked to meet the man, and John accompanied him. The man is called Mr. Fips. He offers Tom a post of secretary and librarian for an annual some of £100. Tom accepts. Mr. Fips says he is acting on the recommendation of someone, but doesn't name him. Finch even tells Tom who his employer is. Here then is another mystery.

(Chapter 40) Tom continually wonders who his employer is. He even listens to footsteps every day, thinking that he'll turn up. The day on which his weekly salary is due, Mr. Fips appears. Tom tries his best to get the identity of his employer out of Mr. Fips, but in vain. Fips tells Tom not to mention the nature of his job to anyone. The mystery deepens. Tom and Ruth make it a habit to have a morning stroll before Tom leaves for work. On such an occasion, they walk towards the wharf to look at the boats. There, they accidentally encounter a woman who is watching keenly the movement of a cloaked man and a veiled woman boarding a boat. The woman turns out to be Mr. Gamp. At the same time, Tom's landlord appears and asks him to do him a favour and hand over a letter to the cloaked man who is on board the boat. Tom's landlord is Mr. Nadgett! Tom obeys and delivers the letter to the man. It's Jonas Chuzzlewit. He becomes aggressive seeing Tom, but the contents of the letter check him. Dragging Mercy out of the boat, he disembarks. Jonas is met by Tigg Montague and goes off with him. Before he leaves, Jonas asks Mrs Gamp to take Mercy home.

(Chapter 41) Tigg takes Jonas to their office. Tigg tells Jonas that he has certain knowledge that he would use against him if he must. Tiggs wants Jonas to lure Pecksniff into their business. Blackmailing Jonas is not very wise. Jonas drags Tigg also into the venture, and they agree to go together to Pecksniff. Meanwhile, at the office, Jonas and Jobling enjoy a light lunch of drinks and sandwiches. Jonas notices a case of lancets. He opens it and picks up one. Jonas asks Jobling if he could cut a man's throat with it, and Jobling affirms, explaining even how it can be done. Jonas's interest in the lancet chilled me. If I know him right, he is certainly plotting something. After dinner, Jonas and Tigg, accompanied by Bailey, set out for Pecksniffs.

Things are moving on. What did you all think of this section?

I really enjoyed this section. It was full of mystery, menace and………sunshine.

The sunshine came mainly from Tom, Ruth and John, whose positivity set against a backdrop of the depressing, decaying and dangerous streets of London lifted my spirits and level of enjoyment of the novel. It started with Tom giving Ruth’s pompous employers just what they deserved, but my favourite section involved the steak pudding.

’ ‘I don’t know, Tom,’ said his sister, blushing, ‘I am not quite confident, but I think I could make a beef-steak pudding, if I tried, Tom.’
‘In the whole catalogue of cookery, there is nothing I should like so much as a beef-steak pudding!’ cried Tom, slapping his leg to give the greater force to this reply.
‘Yes, dear, that’s excellent! But if it should happen not to come quite right the first time,’ his sister faltered; ‘if it should happen not to be a pudding exactly, but should turn out a stew, or a soup, or something of that sort, you’ll not be vexed, Tom, will you?’
The serious way in which she looked at Tom; the way in which Tom looked at her; and the way in which she gradually broke into a merry laugh at her own expense, would have enchanted you.
‘Why,’ said Tom ‘this is capital. It gives us a new, and quite an uncommon interest in the dinner. We put into a lottery for a beefsteak pudding, and it is impossible to say what we may get. We may make some wonderful discovery, perhaps, and produce such a dish as never was known before.’
‘I shall not be at all surprised if we do, Tom,’ returned his sister, still laughing merrily, ‘or if it should prove to be such a dish as we shall not feel very anxious to produce again; but the meat must come out of the saucepan at last, somehow or other, you know. We can’t cook it into nothing at all; that’s a great comfort. So if you like to venture, I will.’

The visit to the butchers was also a delightful section to read and I was interested in the fact that the meat was wrapped in a cabbage leaf ( apparently to keep the meat moist) . I came across some astounding photos of Victorian butchers shops when trying to find out more. I decided not to put a picture up as they may not be to everyone’s taste but here is the link for anyone who would like to look at them.

https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/butc...

The other ray of sunshine in this section was Mrs. Todger, who I have warmed to since she has not been under the influence of Pecksniff. Her concern for Mercy was touching and I loved these exquisite sentences from Dickens.

’ But in some odd nook in Mrs Todgers’s breast, up a great many steps, and in a corner easy to be overlooked, there was a secret door, with ‘Woman’ written on the spring, which, at a touch from Mercy’s hand, had flown wide open, and admitted her for shelter.
When boarding-house accounts are balanced with all other ledgers, and the books of the Recording Angel are made up for ever, perhaps there may be seen an entry to thy credit, lean Mrs Todgers, which shall make thee beautiful!
She was growing beautiful so rapidly in Tom’s eyes; for he saw that she was poor, and that this good had sprung up in her from among the sordid strivings of her life; that she might have been a very Venus in a minute more, if Miss Pecksniff had not entered with her friend.’

However the menace of Tigg, Jonas and Pecksniff can’t be ignored. I am also worried that poor Tom and Ruth are unwittingly the lodgers of henchman Nadgett. Jonas’ desperate situation regarding his secret seems to be driving him towards a terrible act. My hope is that somehow the evil ones will destroy each other before Jonas can wreak his revenge on Tom.

I agree with Trev that the chapters about Tom and his sister were the most delightful so far. These two are adorable! Their pudding-making is so much more interesting to me than Tigg’s fraudulent scheme or Jonas’ evil mind. I liked everyone in chapter 36 from Tom to Mrs Lupin, the coachman, John Westlock and Ruth, though I grew a little tired of Yoho! Another refreshing chapter was 39, where we see more of Tom and Ruth and, new, Ruth and John. Finally, something to look forward to.

Tom’s new employer is yet another mystery, but I have a strong suspicion who it is…

As for Jonas, I cheered when villains Tigg and Nadgett finally cornered him. And further intend to (financially) harm that horrible Pecksniff. Let’s see what comes of this. The different plot lines touch again in chapters 40 and 41, when several members of our cast (what was Mrs Gamp doing there?) end up at the pier to intercept Jonas running off to the continent. At first I thought that this was about saving Merry, which confused me, but it rather seemed to be about money.

This section ended with quite a cliffhanger: a furious Jonas embarking on a trip with Tigg. There were many hints that something bad will happen and we all believe Jonas capable of it.

That said, I will probably not be able to comment in the next two weeks. I have finished the book, though, and will catch up and post my final thoughts with a little delay. Before I forget it, thank you, Piyangie for organizing this read! I really enjoy reading Dickens’ in this group and I hope we’ll manage another one next year, if there is enough interest. I still have 6 novels to go...

I also enjoyed the chapters of Tom and Ruth. Their sections are refreshing to read than the evil designs of Tigg, Jonas, and Pecksniff.
My wish for the evil ones are the same as Trev's. Let them destroy one another, and keep Tom safe, for he is the best of the lot.

I truly didn't understand what Gamp's business at the wharf or who sent her there. As to Tom's secret employer, I'm wavering between two.

I get a feeling Tigg is going to suffer by his action in cornering Jonas. Jonas's fury is something to fear. He is capable of anything.

Lindenblatt wrote: "I agree with Trev that the chapters about Tom and his sister were the most delightful so far. These two are adorable! Their pudding-making is so much more interesting to me than Tigg’s fraudulent s..."

You're welcome, Lindenblatt! I hope you will share your thoughts about the next two segments with us when you get the time. Your input has been really valuable. Charles Dickens is always a favourite in the Victorians. I'm not too sure he will be a moderator's choice for next year since we read him through moderator pick back to back two years. But you can make your suggestion at the nominations.
Good luck in your journey with Dickens!

I also wonder what brought Mrs. Gamp to the wharf and who might be the mysterious employer of Tom. And I add my wholehearted agreement that the section involving Tom, Ruth, and the beefsteak pudding are a happy delight. Most of all, I am glad to see that Tom is now willing to stand up for himself and his sister, that he is no longer the naive toady who adored Mr. Pecksniff. He has blossomed into a man who can be respected, and I hope a happy future awaits him.

I agree with you about Tom, Nancy. He's become a strong man now that his illusion about Pecksniff is broken.

I loved the descriptive writing-especially Tom‘s journey to London, I was almost sat on the box with Tom and imagining the vistas from the coach. I thought Tom was mean to keep John the dark about moving in with his sister and then standing him up for their prearranged supper.

Neil wrote: "I loved the descriptive writing-especially Tom‘s journey to London, I was almost sat on the box with Tom and imagining the vistas from the coach. I thought Tom was mean to keep John the dark about ..."


I was also interested in Tom’s journey to London from Salisbury Neil. He went by coach, sitting next to coachman. The distance was about 64 miles.

In Robson’s London Directory of 1842
( a digitised copy can be found at Archive.org here -https://archive.org/details/robsonslo... )
on page 900 it shows that Tom probably got the mail coach coming from Exeter. (The Directory shows that by 1842 part of the journey (from Basingstoke) would have been made by railway.)

The journey’s end in London was, according to the directory, at the Bell and Crown, Holborn. The Bell and Crown ( known also as Ridlers Hotel) was almost next door to Furnivals Inn, but is now demolished.

There was another coaching Inn still operating in 1884 close by in Holborn named the ‘Old Bell.’ It was only a few doors down the street from the Bell and Crown.

Here is a photo of it.



https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs///Ho...

https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/Holb...

Exeter mail coach-now there is a coincidence, I live in Exeter and usually travel to London by rail via Salisbury and Basingstoke, not a lot of progress has been made as it takes about 4 1/2 hours. Many thanks for the public House links Trev.

Thanks for that extra information, Trev.