"The fury was spent."

This chapter is a continuation with the interaction between Favell, Colonel Julyan, Frank, Maxim, and others. Favell is insisting that his accusations against Mr. de Winter are true, and he is willing to do anything to prove it. He is exceptionally intoxicated, which Colonel Julyan notes. Favell admits that he wants to just blackmail Maxim for a monthly stipend, which Colonel doesn't approve of. Instead, he asks Favell to produce a witness or some type of proof that indicates that Mr. de Winter is in fact a cold-blooded killer. Jack says that can do just that: Ben.

Robert goes to find Ben, while Mrs. de Winter and the others wait fearfully for their return. Mrs. de Winter suddenly realizes that Ben knew all along what had happened, and was alluding to her through what he was saying:

""'She's down there, isn't she? She won't come back again. They'll find her there; won't they? The fishes have eaten her, haven't they? She'll not come back no more'" (339). 

Frank returns with Ben, who is then questioned. Ben produces no answers that reveal Mr. de Winter is a murder. In fact, they take away from Favell's credibility because Ben says that he has never seen before. Next, Mrs. Danvers is called to the carpet. Favell asks Mrs. Danvers about his relationship with Rebecca, which she denies existed. She says that Rebecca loved no man, rather just played them. Mrs. Danvers is questioned in part about the day Rebecca died. She produces evidence, Rebecca's appointment book, which they look through to try and find evidence of where she was. They find that she had a hair appointment in the morning, and then went to see some "Baker."

The group does not know who Baker is, nor does Mrs. Danvers. They decide that they are going to call everyone with the last digits 0488, even if it takes all night. Finally, after a little searching, they find Baker had given up practice, but "The night porter gave me his address. I wrote it down on this piece of paper" (352). This piece of paper, Mrs. de Winter knew, could destroy her husband.

It seems as though in this chapter, Mrs. Danvers wasn't the opposing side of Mr. and Mrs. de Winter. Almost as if she didn't believe that Maxim had killed her Rebecca (maybe she didn't know) and was trying to find the true criminal. It could be denial, as well. In addition, I'm shocked at Ben's response. Had Robert bribed him on the car ride to the estate, or did Ben say what he had said because he despised Favell and Rebecca for what they had threatened him with? (the institution)

Vocabulary: 
shrouded (348)- to wrap, or dress

Literary Devices & Important Quotations

Characterization