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For the background to this historical novel, a tale of mystery, suspense and unsolved murder, Dickens chose the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780. Mayhem reigns in the streets of London, vividly described by Dickens, and the innocent Barnaby Rudge is drawn into the thick of it. Against the public disorder, Dickens tells of the private discord within families – with fathers and sons at loggerheads – and creates a wealth of colourful characters: the sinuously evil Lord Chester; the pretty and vivacious Dolly Varden; and the host and regulars at the Maypole Inn – a symbol of security in those uncertain and violent times.
Charles Dickens: Barnaby Rudge (Unabridged)
Preface
Chapter 1
There was another guest…
The heir apparent to the Maypole…
The landlord pausing here…
The man glanced at the parish…
At this point of the narrative…
Chapter 2
Whether the traveller was possessed…
Thus they regarded each other…
Chapter 3
So saying, he raised his face…
With these words, he applied himself…
Chapter 4
After a long and patient contemplation…
Sim Tappertit, among the other fancies…
Although Sim Tappertit had taken no share…
Chapter 5
The widow shook her head.
Chapter 6
He took his wig off outright…
The young man smiled…
The raven gave a short, comfortable…
Chapter 7
Poor Gabriel twisted his wig about…
Chapter 8
With these words, he folded his arms again.
To this the novice made rejoinder…
Chapter 9
Miss Miggs deliberated within herself…
Chapter 10
It was spacious enough in all conscience…
John was so very much astonished…
But Barnaby delayed beyond all precedent.
Chapter 11
Everybody looked at Mr. Willet…
Chapter 12
'I love my niece…'
'In short, justifying the means by the end…'
Chapter 13
To this, Joe made no answer…
Now, Mrs. Varden, regarding the Maypole…
And she hardly looked at him…
Chapter 14
He regarded the young man sternly…
Chapter 15
Edward rose, and paced the room.
'My dear Ned,' returned his father…
The young man leant his head…
Chapter 16
Among all the dangerous characters…
Chapter 17
She had sunk upon her knees…
When he had concluded these arrangements…
Chapter 18
The light came to the level of the pavement…
Chapter 19
This little incident…
With this advice he kissed…
But on they went…
Chapter 20
Dolly bade her good bye…
Chapter 21
Joe had not the smallest objection…
Mrs. Varden opined that if he did…
Chapter 22
But even then, their very kindness shaped…
Chapter 23
Having said this in the politest…
He obeyed. His patron followed him…
As he spoke, he twisted it up…
Chapter 24
During the whole of this dialogue…
Chapter 25
She took his arm…
Miss Haredale stood beside her chair…
With that, she would have left them…
Chapter 26
If the dark little parlour had been filled…
Chapter 27
Dolly showed some reluctance to perform…
Aware of the impression he had made…
Mrs. Varden was perfectly aghast…
Chapter 28
Hugh obeyed again even more zealously…
Chapter 29
Hugh made no answer…
He raised his hat from his head…
'My dear girl,' said Mr. Chester…
Chapter 30
Joe made no effort to reply.
Chapter 31
'What noisy fellow is that in the next room?
He went out by Islington…
Dolly in the meanwhile, turned to the corner
Chapter 32
'You make me blush…'
Chapter 33
Mr. Parkes, who was possibly…
A more complete picture of terror…
Here old John precipitately interrupted…
Chapter 34
Mr. Willet fixed his dull eyes…
Chapter 35
'You surprise me, Grueby…'
As he bustled in and out of the room…
'It's a great power. You're right…'
Chapter 36
'Miggs,' said Lord George…
Chapter 37
It was the slightest action possible…
So along the Strand…
'I don't exactly know how many…'
Chapter 38
The enrolment being completed…
Chapter 39
Mr. Tappertit did not stop here…
He heaved a deep sigh as he indulged…
Chapter 40
'I thought when you left me this evening…'
The knight looked at him with a smile…
Chapter 41
The locksmith did for a moment seem disposed…
If there had been anybody…
Lest the reader should be at any loss…
Chapter 42
With that, as if to change the theme…
Chapter 43
In the abstract there was nothing…
'You have so much of my favour, sir…'
'This man,' said Mr. Haredale…
Chapter 44
Mr. Dennis coughed and shook his head…
Chapter 45
Grip was by no means an idle or unprofitable…
Barnaby looked curiously at his eyes…
She moved towards him, and stooped down.
Chapter 46
He paused a moment…
Chapter 47
Barnaby and his mother walked on…
He was evidently about to make…
Chapter 48
With hands that trembled with his eagerness…
Scouts had been posted in advance…
Chapter 49
It was between two and three o'clock…
The boldness of this action quite took them…
Chapter 50
'Fire and fury, master!' cried Hugh…
Chapter 51
'Martha,' said the locksmith…
Of a rather turbulent description…
Chapter 52
Dennis looked to where Simon Tappertit lay…
Chapter 53
'You know the news, then…?'
The two looked at him, and at each other…
Chapter 54
How long he slept, matters not…
Nearly all the time while John looked on…
Chapter 55
What hunt of spectres could surpass…
The burning pile, revealing rooms…
Chapter 56
While Solomon was speaking, old John sat…
After a short pause, Mr. Haredale shouted…
Chapter 57
Lord George, biting his nails…
At these words, Barnaby furled his flag…
Chapter 58
It was probably this circumstance…
Chapter 59
The little hand seconded this admonition…
Thrusting his face away with all her force…
Poor little Dolly!
Chapter 60
Hugh and his two friends…
Chapter 61
'Now, you hear this, my lord?'
Chapter 62
The blind man listened in silence.
'That's better said…'
'There is a gleam of hope in this!'
Chapter 63
The young fellow who held the light…
This incautious speech…
Chapter 64
They struggled together.
Although the heat was so intense…
Chapter 65
It seemed not a minute's work…
While the hangman addressed them…
Chapter 66
They laid him on a sofa…
Chapter 67
Besides the notices on the gates…
The streets were now a dreadful spectacle.
As he spoke, and drew Mr. Haredale back…
Chapter 68
Sickened by the sights surrounding…
Chapter 69
He was speedily dressed…
With such vociferations…
But this operation was postponed…
Chapter 70
Suiting the action to the word…
'Lookee here, my sugar…'
Chapter 71
Miss Miggs was at some trouble…
It was some check upon their transport…
But Dolly could say nothing…
Chapter 72
'By George!' said the Black Lion…
Chapter 73
All remaining quiet…
Barnaby recoiled in horror…
To make me easy in this jail.
Chapter 74
He looked lazily at him…
Chapter 75
Gabriel thanked him…
Sir John fanned himself…
Sir John took a pinch of snuff…
Chapter 76
The mother and son remained…
Chapter 77
Two rioters were to die before the prison…
But all these things increased his guilt.
Barnaby had moved towards the door…
Chapter 78
He could say nothing to her.
Chapter 79
He pressed her…
But in all the bandyings from hand to hand.
Chapter 80
It would have been odd enough…
Having brought this admonition to an end…
Chapter 81
The ashes of the commonest fire…
He had his hand upon his sword…
Chapter The Last
Many months after…
Mr. Willet the elder…
“Barnaby, the vulnerable man-child, prompts some of Dickens’s finest writing. Overall, however, it’s not one of his best novels, although Sean Barrett’s magical voice somehow persuades you that it is.”
Preface
