THE MOONSTONE

by Wilkie Collins

THE AUTHOR
William Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was born in London, the son of a successful landscape
painter and member of the Royal Academy, who was also very strict with both his religion and
his money. While his son inherited much of his fathers parsimony, he rebelled against the strict
morality of his upbringing, and against Victorian morality in general. After the death of his
father, he scandalized his family and friends by setting up housekeeping with Caroline Graves, a
young woman who already had a daughter, and presumably a husband.
Even when the
opportunity presented itself later in life, he refused to marry her, encouraged her to marry another
man, and then moved in with her again when that marriage failed. In the meantime, he kept a
mistress on the side, Martha Rudd, by whom he had three children. At his death, he divided his
estate equally between his two mistresses and two families. Through much of his life, he was
plagued by bad health. He was small and somewhat deformed, and rheumatism contracted in his
thirties caused him to take increasingly-large doses of laudanum. He himself admitted that he was
a bit of a hypochondriac, and eventually became a recluse much like Frederick Fairlie in The
Woman in White.
To please his parents, he tried the tea business for five years and later studied law, but had
no love for either pursuit. He was drawn to the arts, as was his brother Charles, who for a time
worked among the Pre-Raphaelites (and later married Charles Dickens daughter), and determined
to be a writer. His big break came when he met Charles Dickens in 1851. The two were soon
fast friends, collaborating on short stories for the magazine edited by Dickens. Collins first
mystery novel was Basil (1852), followed by two plays, The Lighthouse (1855) and After Dark
(1856), which Dickens both produced and acted in. When Dickens started a new periodical, All
the Year Round, he proposed that Collins become his collaborator. The first serial novel published
in the magazine was Dickens A Tale of Two Cities; the second was The Woman in White (1860).
The story was so successful that it tripled the magazines circulation and started a new literary
trend - the Sensation Novel. Later novels, including No Name (1862), Armadale (1866), and The
Moonstone (1867), considered the first detective novel (and notably critical of British imperialism
in India), were also serialized in Dickens magazine, and the two men worked together on some
of the periodicals famous Christmas stories. After Dickens death, Collins popularity began to
fade as his health declined and his living arrangements became more scandalous.

The Moonstone (1868) is considered by many to be the first detective novel. Earlier works
such as Edgar Allan Poes The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841) and Charles Dickens Bleak
House (1852-3) contained detectives, but the first was a short story while the latter had broader
themes than the solving of a mystery. Collins in his novel established a familiar pattern - an
eccentric detective taking over a case from bumbling local police, clues gradually revealed to the
reader as they are revealed to the detective, and the ultimate conviction of the least-likely suspect.
Lesser themes in the novel include the relationship of the British to their lucrative colony in India
and the relationships between appearance and reality and between senses and feelings. The story
also draws on certain current events. In 1849, the deposed Sikh ruler of the Punjab presented to
Queen Victoria the fabulous Koh-i-Noor diamond, which she had mounted in her crown. In 1860,
the notorious Road Murder Case produced a conviction based on a missing stained dress.
MAJOR CHARACTERS

John Herncastle A British officer in India, he steals the Moonstone during a raid on the
palace at Seringapatam in 1799.

Gabriel Betteredge The steward of Lady Verinder, he narrates the first part of the novel.
He is a loyal and beloved retained who is obsessed with Robinson Crusoe and ascribes to
the novel great powers of problem-solving and prophecy.

Penelope Betteredge Gabriels daughter and Rachel Verinders personal maid, she is
observant and honest.

Lady Julia Verinder She inherits the estate in Yorkshire where much of the story takes
place from her late husband, but dies from a weak heart fairly early in the story.

Rachel Verinder Lady Julias daughter, she receives the Moonstone as a gift through
Herncastles will. She falls in love with Franklin Blake, but when she sees him steal the
gem, she seeks to protect him, and later marries him after he is exonerated.

Franklin Blake Rachels cousin, he carries the Moonstone to Rachels birthday party and
steals it in order to protect it while under the influence of opium.

Rosanna Spearman Lady Verinders plain-looking and mildly hunchbacked second

housemaid, she was a former thief who was taken in on the basis of her good behavior.
She is secretly and hopelessly in love with Franklin Blake, but quite naturally comes under
suspicion when the Moonstone disappears. Her unrequited love leads her to commit
suicide in the Shivering Sand.

Godfrey Ablewhite A cousin of Rachel Verinder and a lawyer of supposed great wealth
and impeccable reputation who hopes to marry her, he is in reality a cad and hypocrite
with massive gambling debts who steals the Moonstone from Blake in order to cover his
debts.

Thomas Candy The local doctor who administers the opium to Franklin as a practical
joke, but takes ill before he can reveal what he has done.

Mr. Murthwaite A world traveler who knows the history of the Moonstone and is thus
aware of its dangers, he is the one who reveals its ultimate resting place at the end of the
novel.

Superintendent Seegrave The local policeman in charge of investigating the

disappearance of the Moonstone, he is a complete incompetent

Sergeant Richard Cuff A London detective who is entrusted with the task of solving the
mystery of the missing Moonstone, he fails at first but later contributes key pieces of
information and important deductions.

Limping Lucy Yolland A club-footed fishermans daughter who is a friend of the

equally-deformed Rosanna Spearman.

Ezra Jennings The new assistant to Dr. Candy, he is neither liked nor trusted in the
neighborhood, but he plays a key role in unraveling the mystery of the missing diamond.

Drusilla Clack A poor but self-righteous religious hypocrite, she is a cousin of Rachel
Verinder who likes champagne and entertains an overwhelming admiration for Godfrey
Ablewhite. She contributes a brief narrative to the Second Period of the novel.

Septimus Luker A moneylender and trader in ancient artifacts from foreign lands, he was
also known to fence stolen goods for Rosanna prior to her reformation.

Mathew Bruff Lady Verinders solicitor, he narrates the second section of the Second
Period of the novel.

Gooseberry (Octavius Guy) A young boy in the employ of Mr. Bruff who plays a key
role in discovering the whereabouts of the diamond.

The Indians - Three Brahmins who have broken caste and traveled to England in order to
retrieve the Moonstone, which had been stolen from an idol in their village in India.

PLOT SUMMARY
PROLOGUE
The Prologue describes the storming of the palace of Seringapatam in India on May 4,
1799. It consists of a letter written to explain the authors decision to break off his friendship with
his cousin, John Herncastle. The palace of Seringapatam contained an image of a four-handed
moon god; in the forehead of the statue was mounted a yellow diamond, supposedly having the
property of waxing and waning in brilliance with the phases of the moon. This diamond was

called the Moonstone. The idol had been rescued during a Muslim invasion of India in the
eleventh century by three Brahmins, who transported it safely to the city of Benares. When a
suitable shrine was completed, the god Vishnu allegedly appeared to the Brahmins, telling them
that three priests were to guard the image day and night in perpetuity and pronouncing a curse on
any who dared lay hands on the Moonstone. In the eighteenth century, the Mogul emperor
Aurangzeb unleashed a flood of devastation on Hindu shrines, including the sacred shrine of the
moon god in Benares, from which the Moonstone was stolen by one of the Mogul officers. He
died under miserable circumstances, but the diamond was passed on from hand to hand, always
followed by the three Brahmins in disguise, who were forbidden to take it by violence. Finally
the Sultan of Seringapatam himself obtained it and set the stone in the handle of an ornamental
dagger.
No one among the British soldiers about to besiege Seringapatam took the story seriously
except for John Herncastle, who could talk of nothing else. The assault was successful and the
Sultan was killed in the battle. The British commander then sent his troops into the city to prevent
looting, but the soldiers themselves took the lead in plundering the wealth of the palace.
Herncastle himself found the dagger containing the Moonstone, and in the process killed the three
Brahmins, the last of which pronounced a curse upon him before dying. The commander decreed
that any thief caught with plunder would be hanged, but little was actually done. The next
morning, the author of the letter confronted Herncastle, who denied having anything to do with
the death of the Brahmins, after which the author would have nothing further to do with his
cousin. Though he refuses to believe in the curse, he is convinced that crime brings with it its
own consequences.
FIRST PERIOD LOSS OF THE DIAMOND (1848)
The entire First Period, taking up almost half of the book, is narrated by Gabriel
Betteredge, Lady Julia Verinders steward. He has prepared the narrative of the missing diamond
at the request of Franklin Blake, the nephew of John Herncastle, who is concerned with the
familys reputation. In fact, all who were concerned with the mysterious tale are to take pen to
paper to record their recollections. Taking inspiration from his favorite novel, Robinson Crusoe,
Betteredge begins his herculean task.
Betteredge had begun serving Julia Herncastle when she was still a child and he was a
fifteen-year-old page boy. When she married Sir John Verinder he followed her to her new home.
He soon rose to the position of bailiff and married one of the housekeepers. Five years later,
Betteredges wife and Sir John both die, leaving her with a daughter named Rachel and him with
a girl named Penelope, who grows up to become Rachels maid. One year before the
disappearance of the diamond, Gabriel is appointed steward by the grateful Lady Verinder.
After Betteredge finishes giving something of his own history he turns to the matter at hand
the story of the lost diamond. On May 24th, 1848, he is called into Lady Verinders sitting room
and informed that Franklin Blake has returned from abroad and would soon visit to celebrate his
cousin Rachels birthday. Franklin had grown up in the house and Gabriel remembers him fondly
as a fine young chap, though Rachel recalls nothing but his endless teasing. Franklins father had
long been involved in a legal dispute over his right to a dukedom, which he had lost, after which
he decided to have Franklin educated in Germany rather than in a country that had treated him so
shabbily. He later studied in France and Italy, dabbled in the arts, and generally wasted his

inheritance, borrowing money when it ran out wherever he could find it. By the time he visits the
Verinder house he is twenty-five years old. While preparations are being made for the visit,
Gabriel is interrupted by the sound of drums being played softly. When he goes to the terrace,
he finds three Indians in native garb along with a small white boy. They introduce themselves as
traveling conjurers, but Gabriel sends them away with the knowledge that the lady of the house
is not in at present. Soon Penelope arrives with startling news; after leaving, the Indians had
poured ink into the palm of the child and conjured up a vision of the arrival of Franklin Blake and
were assured that he had It with him! Gabriel later discovers that It is a reference to the
Moonstone.
While the servants are enjoying their lunch, Gabriel is called upon to fetch Rosanna
Spearman, who has not appeared for the midday meal. Rosanna has recently joined the household
as second housemaid; Lady Verinder had taken her from a reformatory in London. Rosanna had
comported herself so well that the matron had recommended her as one who could benefit from
a second chance, and Lady Verinder had happily offered her a place. She often stayed to herself
and failed to make friends among the other servants, who knew nothing of her background. She
often spent her free time at the Shivering Sand, a horrid bay filled with quicksand about a quarter
of a mile from the house. Gabriel seeks her at her favorite hideaway. When he finds her at the
Sand, she is crying because of her inability to forget her past life. Before he can convince her to
come home to dinner, Franklin Blake appears and greets him warmly. When Rosanna sees him,
she blushes a deep crimson and hurries off without a word, much to the astonishment of the two
men.
Gabriel is disappointed because little of the child he remembers can be seen in the young
man before him. Franklin tells him that he has arrived early because he fears that he was being
followed in London. When he mentions a dark-complexioned stranger, Betteredge thinks
immediately of the three Indian conjurers who had appeared a few hours earlier at the house and
quickly tells Franklin about what they said to him and what Penelope overheard. Franklin tells
Gabriel that they undoubtedly were discussing the Moonstone, which he had in his possession; he
had been asked by his father to deliver to Rachel, to whom it had been left as a birthday present
by Colonel John Herncastle, Lady Julia Verinders brother, who had died six months earlier.
When Gabriel relates something of the family history to Franklin he shows great concern,
particularly when he is told that the old Colonel had visited Lady Verinders house in London two
years before, asking to see Rachel, and had been turned away; he had left with the words, I shall
remember my nieces birthday. Franklin greatly fears that the Moonstone was the object of some
deep conspiracy in India that had followed it to England, and that John Herncastle had left the
diamond to Rachel in a deliberate attempt to bring trouble on his sisters house.
Franklin continues his tale, explaining how he came to be in possession of the Moonstone.
His father, the brother-in-law of Colonel Herncastle, sought documents establishing his right to
a contested dukedom that he believed to be in the Colonels possession. He asked for the
documents, and Herncastle proposed a bargain: if Franklins father would put the diamond in a
safe place and dispose of it according to sealed instructions at the Colonels death (which he
assumed to be imminent because of the theft of the Moonstone), he would turn over the
documents. Franklins father gave no credence to the legend of the diamond and readily agreed
to take custody of it. Prior to Herncastles death of natural causes, he made a will leaving the
Moonstone to his niece Rachel and entrusting Franklins father with its safe delivery on her next
birthday (had he died by violent means the diamond was to be cut up and sold, thus insuring his

life against a Brahmin plot). When Franklins father died he inherited the stewardship, though he
was very reluctant to bring such a dangerous gift to his cousin. When he retrieves the Moonstone
from the bank where it is stored, he thinks he is being followed by a dark-complexioned man,
causing him to leave earlier than expected for the Verinder house. Needless to say, he is alarmed
by the news of the three Indian jugglers and puzzled about the Colonels motive for giving the
Moonstone to Rachel. After some discussion, he and Gabriel decide to wait a month until
Rachels birthday to bring out the diamond, meanwhile storing it in the vault of the nearest bank.
That afternoon, while Franklin is safely disposing of the diamond, Rosanna Spearman
begins acting peculiarly; Gabriel suspects that she is in love with Franklin Blake. When Lady
Verinder and Rachel return, they are surprised to find that Franklin has already arrived. That
night at dinner, Rachel looks her best and is charming, captivating Franklin immediately. After
everyone retires, Gabriel does his usual rounds to be sure that the house is locked, but hears noises
outside. When he goes to see what is happening, he hears footsteps running away and suspects
he has disturbed the three Indians.
In the process of pursuing the intruders, Gabriel discovers a bottle of ink used by the
Brahmins for divination. He shows this to Franklin the next morning and they prepare for another
visit by the strangers, but they do not appear during the month before Rachels birthday. During
that month, Franklin and Rachel occupy themselves by repainting Rachels sitting room door with
decorative designs using a mixture invented by Franklin himself that smells to high heaven. Soon
the servants begin speculating about the possibility of wedding plans in the near future, though
Gabriel doubts that anything will happen because Rachel is too willful and independent for
Franklins taste despite the fact that he clearly loves her. Furthermore, she appears to be
enamored of another cousin of hers, Godfrey Ablewhite, who is also invited to the birthday party.
His mother is Lady Julias sister and his father is a wealthy banker, though not of noble stock.
Godfrey himself is a lawyer, handsome, charitable, and a ladies man of some reputation, one who
loves everyone and is beloved by all. What chance had Franklin against such a paragon? He even
gives up smoking cigars in an effort to win her approval, but Godfreys picture is still on her
dressing table. A few days before the birthday party a strange man appears for a private
conversation with Franklin, the subject of which he confides only to Lady Julia, though it appears
to create a temporary rift with Rachel.
Finally June 21st arrives Rachels eighteenth birthday. Franklin is still of two minds
about giving Rachel the diamond because it could put her in danger, but realizes that, legally
speaking, he has no choice. That morning, Franklin and Rachel finish decorating the door on
which they have been working for a month, after which he goes to the bank to fetch the
Moonstone, returning with Godfrey and two of his sisters in tow. He takes Rachel aside and gives
her the gem, after which she and the two Ablewhite girls quickly become lost in their fascination
with the enormous jewel, the size of a plovers egg and brilliant enough to glow even after the
curtains are closed. Lady Julia, convinced that her brother the Colonel intended harm to the
family, desired to get the Moonstone out of Rachels hands as quickly as possible. Meanwhile
Godfrey proposes to Rachel and she turns him down.
Dinnertime arrives along with the rest of the guests, a total of twenty-four in all. Rachel
surprises everyone by wearing the Moonstone, which Franklin has set as a brooch in a frame of
silver wire. Sitting on either side of Rachel are Mr. Candy, the local doctor, and Mr. Murthwaite,
a world traveler who has spent much time in India. Both are entranced by the Moonstone; the
former jokes about vaporizing the diamond in the interest of science while the latter warns her that

in certain parts of India she would not survive for five minutes if she appeared wearing that
diamond. Conversation during dinner is awkward; the diamond seems to have thrown a
mysterious pall over the festivities. Eventually a quarrel breaks out when Franklin refers to
doctors as the blind leading the blind, thoroughly offending Candy in the process. Soon the
sound of a drum is heard outside, and the three Indians appear with their little clairvoyant boy,
quickly attracting the attention of the entire company. They begin performing their tricks, but
Murthwaite quickly circles behind them and speaks to them in their own language. After this they
leave, but Gabriel and Franklin both believe they have seen the Moonstone affixed to Rachels
gown. Murthwaite joins the other two men and reveals that the jugglers are not jugglers at all,
but Brahmins who have sacrificially violated the standards of their caste by crossing the ocean and
disguising themselves as humble jugglers. When Franklin tells him about the Moonstone, he
deduces that the gem is the reason the Brahmins have made such a great sacrifice and is amazed
that Franklin is still alive. He advises them to send the stone to Amsterdam and have it cut into
six smaller diamonds, thus depriving it of its sacred identity. In order to protect the family that
night the dogs are set loose on the property.
After the guests leave the rest prepare to go to bed. Lady Julia asks Rachel where she
plans to put her diamond, and the birthday girl responds that she intends to put it in a little Indian
cabinet in her bedroom. She is not worried that the cabinet has no lock because she trusts
everyone who remains in the house. After Gabriel makes his rounds to make sure the house is
secure, he goes to bed. He wakes in the morning to cries from upstairs; Penelope is frantic
because the Moonstone has gone missing. Rachel seems to have fallen into a trance and is
unwilling to speak to anyone about the events of the previous night. Franklin, who for a change
has slept soundly, and Ablewhite check the room carefully and search the house to make sure all
doors and windows are locked, but discover no clues as to the fate of the missing diamond. Lady
Julia decides to call the police, and Franklin insists that he go for them with the recommendation
that the Indian jugglers be arrested as soon as possible, though no one had any idea how they
might have entered the house or gotten away with their prize. When Franklin returns, he is
disconsolate because the Indians, after being arrested, were able to prove that they had not stolen
the diamond because all had airtight alibis. The police intend to make an investigation, but have
little hope of solving the mystery. Superintendent Seegrave arrives with two of his officers and
immediately searches the house but finds nothing; the only clue is a small smear in the fresh paint
on the door of the sitting room. He is sure that the thief must be in the house, which throws the
servants into a panic because they know they are likely to be suspected. Seegrave interviews
Penelope, but when he asks to speak to Rachel, she insists she has nothing to say and refuses to
submit to any questioning. Franklin and Ablewhite have no information to add, so they go for a
walk on the terrace. Suddenly Rachel emerges from her room, walks right past the startled
Superintendent and goes out to the terrace, where she and Franklin have a sharp exchange of
words, after which she returns to her room in a fury, insists that the diamond is gone and will
never be found, and slams the door. Neither she nor anyone else is willing to divulge the nature
of the conversation on the terrace. Seegrave then questions the servants one by one, learns
nothing whatsoever, then searches their quarters, again fruitlessly. Rosanna Spearman, however,
begins behaving strangely, first barging in on Franklin to give him a ring he had dropped, then
insisting to him that the diamond would never be found, then claiming sickness and refusing to
come to dinner. Seegrave decides to interrogate the Indians again while Franklin sends a telegram
to London to see if the Chief Commissioner of Police can recommend an officer more qualified
to handle the case than the bumbling local Superintendent.

Nothing happens that night, but a few strange pieces of news arrive the next day. A boy
in town claims to have seen Rosanna Spearman walking into town wearing a veil despite the fact
that she had been ill in her room all day, and Candy, the doctor is down with a fever from walking
home the night before in the pouring rain. Soon a telegram arrives from London indicating that
the Commissioner was sending his best detective, Sergeant Cuff, to look into the mystery of the
missing diamond. Franklin, who knows the man by reputation, is excited by the news. When
Cuff arrives, however, he looks like anything but a detective, and rather than diving right into the
case, holds a long conversation with the gardener about roses, of which he is an aficionado. After
meeting Lady Verinder, Cuff spends a long time closeted with Seegrave in an effort to find what
has been done so far. He insists on going over everything again, and takes particular notice of the
smeared paint on the door. He ascertains from Franklin that the paint had dried by three oclock
in the morning on the night of the disappearance of the diamond, thus dismissing the notion that
the smear had been caused by a petticoat of one of the servants the morning when the loss was
discovered (Seegraves careless assumption, leading Cuff to ignore him from this point forward).
Rachel suddenly enters the sitting room, swears she knows nothing about the smear, but angrily
warns Cuff not to allow Franklin to help him in his investigation and stalks out of the room,
bursting into tears after closing her bedroom door. Cuff shows no inclination to heed Rachels
warning and continues to consult Franklin as a reliable witness to the events of the night in
question. He is also determined to put the servants at ease after Seegrave has frightened them; he
assures them that he as yet has no evidence of theft and simply needs their help to find the valuable
gem that has been lost. An interview with Penelope yields the information that the paint had been
untarnished at midnight when she left her mistress, thus leading to the conclusion that the diamond
must have disappeared between that time and three in the morning. At this point Cuff dismisses
Seegrave, telling him his services are no longer required, and after some concentrated thought
announces to Franklin that Nobody has stolen the diamond, insisting that only the remaining
pieces of the puzzle have yet to come together.
Cuff asks to interview Lady Verinder, but she is unaccountably frightened of him, having
had a premonition that he will bring trouble upon her house and family. The main question to be
resolved at this point is to determine what article of clothing caused the paint smear on the sitting
room door. Cuff asks Lady Verinders permission to search everyones wardrobe, gentry and
servants alike, knowing that this will assure the cooperation of the servants; she readily consents.
Cuff also asks for the laundry records so he can see if any article of clothing is missing. When
Rosanna brings the washing book, Cuff recognizes her from her time in prison. Moments later,
however, he receives word that Rachel has refused permission for her wardrobe to be searched.
Cuff seems not to be surprised and promptly announces that he is calling off the search of the
clothing because all must be searched or none shall be.
Much to Betteredges consternation, Cuff is fully confident of his conclusions about the
case but refuses to share them with anyone despite the old mans constant probing. He next begins
to ask Gabriel about the behavior of the servants, but before he can answer the detective silences
him, having spotted Rosanna Spearman hiding in the bushes. He asks Gabriel whether she has a
lover, hoping to find some explanation for her furtive behavior that would not draw suspicion in
her direction. Gabriel admits that the girl entertains a secret and hopeless affection for Franklin
Blake. Cuff then interviews the servants one at a time, though their reports of the interviews and
their assessments of the detective are startlingly inconsistent. He then tells Gabriel that if Rosanna
asks to go out she is to be permitted to do so, but he is to be informed first. Soon she does

precisely that, and he undertakes to follow her. Gabriel meanwhile questions the two servants who
are most antagonistic toward Rosanna and finds that they do not believe her to have been sick at
all; they also report that they had knocked on her locked door without response and had later heard
the crackling of a fire in her room despite the fact that it is the middle of the summer. When
Gabriel shares his information with Franklin, the latter immediately concludes that Rosanna has
stolen the diamond and was burning the stained dress in her room late at night, but when he
declares his intention to report this conclusion to Lady Verinder, Cuff appears and forbids it. He
then rebukes Gabriel for trying to do his own detective work and asks him to take him to the
Shivering Sand.
On the way to the quicksand, Cuff informs Gabriel that he knows the latter is trying to
protect Rosanna from suspicion out of pity, but assures him that, though Rosanna is undoubtedly
involved in the incident of the diamond, she is in no danger and bears no guilt because she acted
on behalf of someone else. He proposes that Rosanna had smeared the paint with her petticoat,
went in disguise into town in order to buy cloth to sew a replacement, and was now attempting to
dispose of the incriminating garment. Sure enough, they find her footprints beside the Shivering
Sand and trace them toward the fishing village of Cobbs Hole, the home of the Yolland family,
whose club-footed daughter, Limping Lucy, had become a friend of Rosanna. He spends some
time with Mrs. Yolland, in the process discovering that Rosanna did indeed visit earlier that day
and had purchased a tin box and two dog chains. Furthermore, she informs him that Rosanna
intends to leave her employer and that she wrote a long letter expressing her sentiments. Cuff
concludes that Rosanna bought the box and chains to conceal something in the Shivering Sand in
such a way that she could retrieve it by means of the chain in the future. When Cuff and Gabriel
return to the house, they find that Rosanna has been home for about an hour and that Lady
Verinder wishes to see them immediately. Cuff somehow deduces that Rachel is on the verge of
bolting from the house and that a great scandal will be revealed that very evening.
When the two men attend on Lady Julia, she informs them that Rachel wants to leave the
house the following morning to stay with her aunt in town, and that her request had corresponded
with Rosannas return from the Yollands. Gabriel is astounded because this is exactly what Cuff
had predicted. Cuff then asks if Rachels departure might be delayed until the following
afternoon; he wants to visit Frizinghall himself and needs to speak to Rachel when he returns.
Gabriel finally realizes that Cuff suspect Rachels involvement in the disappearance of the diamond
and confronts him angrily. Cuff calmly tells him that Rachel has had the diamond all along and
has confided in Rosanna because she knew she would be a likely object of suspicion. Betteredge
is now more confused than ever, but Cuff will say nothing more other than to state that he will lay
out the entire case on the following day. Soon Rosanna rushes through the corridor in a state after
attempting to speak to Franklin and losing her courage. After the household retires, Cuff places
three chairs in the upstairs hall and sleeps on them in an attempt to prevent any nocturnal
communications.
Before Cuff leaves for Frizinghall in the morning he asks Franklin to share any useful
information he may possess. Franklin, convinced that Rachel is the object of Cuffs suspicions,
refuses to say anything. Cuff traps him into admitting that he has no interest in Rosanna when the
girl is within earshot, after which she flees the scene. Franklin, realizing what has happened, begs
Gabriel to make things right with the poor girl. Penelope follows that request with one of her
own; she is frightened because Rosanna has been going about as in a trance ever since the
unfortunate encounter in the garden. Betteredge tries his best to mend fences, but Rosanna

continues in her trancelike state. He leaves the interview convinced that she needs to see a doctor,
but since Candy is sick, his new assistant Ezra Jennings, whom no one likes or trusts, is the only
available physician.
Cuff returns from Frizinghall shortly before two and reports that the Indians had nothing
to do with the disappearance of the Moonstone, though they surely intended to steal it and will still
do so if it is not found shortly. He has discovered that Rosanna purchased cloth of the type and
quantity needed to make a nightgown, and remains convinced that she entered her mistress
chamber on the night of the disappearance to help her conceal the gem. He still doesnt
understand, however, why, assuming the old nightgown had been placed in the tin box, she would
choose to conceal the stained garment rather than destroying it. The only alternative at this point
is to find the chain to which the box is affixed and retrieve it from the Shivering Sand. Soon the
carriage arrives to transport Rachel to Frizinghall. She rushes out, speaking to no one. When
Cuff blocks her path and tells her that her departure will hinder the recovery of the gem, she
shows no intention of changing her mind, and when Franklin comes to bid her farewell, she
hastens off without a word. At this point Franklin is ready to leave for London, but Cuff remains
to pursue his investigations. He confides in Betteredge that Rachel, he is convinced, has carried
the diamond off with her. He then turns to the task of questioning Rosanna, but finds that she has
given the slip to the local policeman charged with watching her. Cuff then calmly informs Gabriel
that the investigation would have to be moved to Frizinghall, where Rosanna would surely meet
her mistress. After questioning the servants, Cuff finds that Rosanna had left with a letter in her
hand. The letter, addressed to Cobbs Hole, had been entrusted to the butchers boy to mail from
Frizinghall. Cuff deduces that the letter contains the location of the chain and box and decides to
go to Frizinghall, saving his visit to Cobbs Hole until the letter arrives.
A small boy named Duffy had seen Rosanna running toward the Shivering Sand a half an
hour earlier. Cuff quickly convinces him to lead him the direction she took. Soon Duffy returns
with a request from Cuff to send one of Rosannas boots immediately. Gabriel takes the boot to
the shore himself. By the time he gets there rain is pouring down and waves are sweeping over
the quicksand. He and Cuff find footprints matching Rosannas boots heading toward the sea but
see none returning. Cuff believes that she has suffered an accident in an attempt to retrieve the
tin box at the end of the chain, but Gabriel suspects that she has taken her own life. Soon a groom
brings a letter that Penelope found in Rosannas room. It is a suicide note; in it she thanks Gabriel
for his kindness and asks his forgiveness for her final choice to end her life.
When all return to the house, Lady Verinder hysterically accuses Cuff of being responsible
for Rosannas death and orders him out of the house. He calmly responds that, if she still desires
his departure half an hour hence, he will gladly depart, and without his money too. He then
summons Penelope and Gabriel to the latters room. Penelope tells Cuff that the reason for
Rosannas suicide was her unrequited love for Franklin, but insists that Franklin knew nothing of
it and begs that he not be told. The man himself enters next and remains firm in his desire to leave
the house. He also tells Cuff of Lady Verinders wish that he take his fee and give up the
investigation something that Cuff absolutely refuses to do. He and Gabriel then go to Lady
Verinders room. He tells her that, while he had nothing to do with Rosannas death, he does
believe it to have been caused by extreme anxiety connected with the loss of the diamond
something that only Rachel is capable of confirming. At this point Lady Verinder insists that Cuff
tell all he knows. She is aware that he thinks that Rachel has concealed the diamond for some
purpose of her own and insists that her daughter is incapable of any such deception. Cuff says that

in his experience young ladies often accumulate debts, and he suspects Rachel of intending to use
the diamond to pay off those debts. After all, she had refused to allow her wardrobe to be
examined and had left the house despite the fact that Cuff had told her that her presence was
needed to solve the mystery of the diamonds disappearance. Furthermore, Rosannas behavior
implicated her in the concealment of the stained dress and her background as a thief would have
made her ideal as a go-between in the disposal of the diamond for pecuniary considerations. He
proposes to introduce a woman of his acquaintance into the house in Rosannas place in order to
keep a close eye on Rachel while at the same time sending a man to watch the fence in London,
which Lady Julia flatly refuses to consider. His second suggestion is that he tell Rachel bluntly
and suddenly about Rosannas death in the hope of shocking her into a complete revelation of the
truth. Surprisingly, Lady Julia agrees to this approach, though she insists on communicating the
message herself rather than entrusting it to Cuff.
At this point Cuff begins thinking about his next case, realizing that Lady Julia has
checkmated his efforts, and takes up his argument about roses with the gardener. Franklin,
meanwhile, decides to remain until Lady Verinder returns from Frizinghall and spends the time
feeding his discouragement and confusion about his treatment by Rachel. Later two letters come
from Frizinghall. The first contains a check for Cuff and a notice that his services are no longer
required; the reason for this is that Rachel swears she has held no private conversation with
Rosanna at any time about the Moonstone or anything else and affirms that she has no debts, nor
does she have the diamond, though she flatly refuses to say what she knows or thinks about its
disappearance. Cuff accepts the check but promises to complete his investigation when the family
recognizes the need for it. Before leaving he tells Gabriel that three things will happen: the family
will hear from the Yollands on Monday when Rosannas letter arrives, the three Indians will
appear wherever Rachel decides to betake herself, and word will be heard from the moneylender
in London. The second letter is addressed to Franklin and adds to the first by saying that, while
Rachel clearly knows the fate of the diamond, she is unwilling to speak of it and in a dreadful
physical and emotional state. Lady Verinder plans to take her to London to seek care for her there
and advises Franklin to meet them there later. For the time being, however, he must stay away
from her and give her time to recover. Upon receipt of this letter, Franklin undertakes his journey
to London, whence also Lady Verinder and Rachel make their way on the following day.
On the following Monday Cuffs first prophecy comes true. Limping Lucy appears at the
house demanding to see Franklin Blake. She calls him a murderer, blaming him for Rosannas
death and confirming Penelopes belief that unrequited love was the reason for her suicide. She
has a letter for Franklin from Rosanna, but when she hears that Franklin has gone to London, she
insists that she must give it from her hand into his, so if he wants it he must come to Cobbs Hole.
Gabriel writes to Franklin about the letter only to find that he left London for parts unknown the
day after his arrival. In the months that follow, servants poking around the shores of the Shivering
Sand have no success finding the chain to which the tin box is attached. Several days after her
departure, word comes from London that Rachel is occupying herself with frivolous amusements,
including spending time with her rejected suitor Godfrey Ablewhite. At the end of the week, Cuff
sends a newspaper article to Gabriel that speaks of a certain Septimus Luker, a London
moneylender and dealer in antique curiosities, who reported being harassed by three Indians who
persisted in hanging around his place of business. Thus the last two of Cuffs prophecies are
fulfilled the Indians follow Rachel to London and give undue attention to the fence known to
Rosanna Spearman.

SECOND PERIOD THE DISCOVERY OF THE TRUTH (1848-1849)

FIRST NARRATIVE
The first narrative in the Second Period is contributed by Miss Drusilla Clack, an
impoverished cousin of the Rachel Verinder. She presents herself as an extremely orderly person
whose habit of recording everything in her diary allows her to contribute to the present story. She
does this at the request of Franklin Blake, who sends her a check to compensate her for her
troubles (she fears that he will edit her manuscript, but he inserts a footnote assuring the reader
that not one word will be tampered with, allowing the document fully to reflect the character of
its author).
One week after Lady Julia and Rachel arrive in London, Miss Clack descends upon them.
The previous Friday, Godfrey Ablewhite and Septimus Luker had accidentally met at the bank.
When Godfrey arrived at his home, a small boy handed him a letter inviting him to a certain
address with the promise of a large contribution to one of his many charities. At the address,
where he noticed an ancient Indian manuscript, he was assaulted, blindfolded, and thoroughly
searched. After the search proved fruitless, he was abandoned in the room, still tied to a chair.
After being rescued unharmed and with none of his possessions missing, he could say nothing
about his assailants or the reason for the attack; the landlady would confirm that the rooms had
been rented to three Indian gentlemen and an English associate. Later the same day, the same
thing happened to Luker, who was drawn by the promise of a particularly valuable antique. When
the police were summoned, they concluded that the gang consisted of thieves searching for some
valuable article and that Ablewhite had been attacked only based on the coincidence of his meeting
with Luker outside the bank. When Rachel hears the news of the attacks, she is strangely
exercised, at least in the opinion of Miss Clack, who soon hears from Lady Verinder the story of
the Moonstone.
When Godfrey visits the Verinder house, Rachel insists on interrogating him about his
adventure. Rumors are circulating that the object sought by the Indians was the Moonstone, and
that in fact a gem for which Luker possessed a receipt was one and the same. Some are even
accusing Godfrey of being responsible for pawning the diamond in Lukers shop. Rachel knows
this is not so, and is distraught that her silence should shine the light of suspicion on her innocent
cousin. She insists that he write out a declaration of his innocence so she can sign it. After she
leaves to go to a flower show, Godfrey burns the declaration and rapidly exits the house.
Afterward Lady Verinder asks Miss Clack to remain behind in order to witness the will she is
intending to prepare. Miss Clack suddenly realizes that her aunt is gravely ill. Lady Verinder
confirms her suspicions, confiding that she has terminal heart disease and asking that her condition
be kept secret from Rachel. Miss Clack immediately recommends three clergymen in the area,
but Lady Verinder shows no interest in their ministrations, nor does she care to read the books her
niece so generously offers. Miss Clack leaves to get the books anyway; she even goes to the
expense of taking a cab but is shocked when, after paying the driver the exact fare, he responds
with curses, becoming even more profane when she offers him a tract instead of a tip. When she
returns to the house, Bruff, the lawyer, has already arrived and informs her that she will do nicely
as a witness to the will because she will be receiving nothing from it. He also voices his
suspicions about the involvement of Godfrey Ablewhite in the disappearance of the Moonstone.
Miss Clack then has the satisfaction of informing him that Rachel Verinder had that very day

cleared Godfrey of all suspicion in the case. She then suggests that Franklin Blake had the same
opportunities as Godfrey of stealing the diamond, but Bruff argues that he lacked the motive to
do so, especially since his attempt to recover it cost him what would have been a very profitable
marriage to Rachel Verinder.
The signing and witnessing of the will takes only a few minutes, but Miss Clack then
insists on presenting her tracts to her dying aunt. Lady Verinder has no interest in them, but Miss
Clack, determined to edify her aunt at all costs, leaves them lying about in every room of the
house, including the bathroom. The following day the footman brings a parcel containing all the
tracts, unread, back to Miss Clack with Lady Verinders regrets that such excitable reading is
forbidden by her doctor. She also learns that Godfrey Ablewhite plans on going to a ball that
night and a concert the following morning with Rachel, in the process absenting himself from the
meetings of two charitable societies in which he and Miss Clack are active. She is puzzled by his
neglect of his spiritual services in favor of such frivolities and begins to wonder if he is
backsliding. Meanwhile she devises another strategy to communicate her precious exhortations
to Lady Verinder. She copies important passages by hand and includes them in letters, some
written by friends in her charitable society, reasoning that her aunt would be more likely to read
letters than tracts. Some she mails and some she delivers personally, scattering them about the
house as before. While she is engaged in her errand of mercy, however, Godfrey himself appears
at Lady Verinders door.
Miss Clack determines to eavesdrop from behind the curtain, but Godfrey, thinking she
is in the library, pursues his intended purpose. Rachel then enters the room neither of them had
gone to the concert, giving as an excuse Lady Verinders indisposition. Godfrey then tries to
convince her once more to give him her love, insisting that she is more important to him than all
the charitable committees on which he serves put together (Clack, of course, is shocked to hear
such heresy coming from his mouth). She swears that she cannot, despite the fact that she has
found that the man she loves with all her heart, whom she refuses to name, is unworthy of her
affection. She lacks the courage to tell him so, but instead is determined to live in perpetual
torment rather than expose him for the scoundrel she knows him to be. Godfrey, undeterred,
promptly falls to his knees and proposes marriage, which Rachel just as promptly refuses.
Godfrey perseveres, however, telling her that he wants her as a wife even though she doesnt love
him, confident that love will grow over time from mere respect and regard. Amazingly, she
changes her mind and accepts his proposal, shocking the eavesdropping Clack by kissing her
erstwhile hero. Rachel insists that they should wait to tell her mother until she was recovered
from her illness, but soon the footman bursts in with dreadful news: Lady Verinder is dead. Miss
Clack, of course, regrets that her aunt has gone to her eternal reward without ever gaining the
benefit of the tracts she scattered around the house.
An exchange of brief missives between Miss Clack and Franklin Blake, who had originally
asked her to write out her experiences and observations, follows. She sends him a stack of tracts
along with her fifth chapter; he thanks her for the chapter, but returns the tracts unread. She then
wants to include information about the Moonstone that was discovered at a later date, but he insists
that she restrict herself to her own experience. Being somewhat put out, she asks if she might at
least include the present correspondence in her narrative, to which he reluctantly agrees under the
condition that such correspondence come to an end. Wanting to have the last word, she answers
that she will be glad at any time in the future to send her tracts back to Franklin should he repent
or become sufficiently ill to be in need of consolation.

After Lady Verinders death and Rachels engagement to Godfrey, Rachel comes under the
care of Godfreys father until the time of her marriage, spending the season with Godfreys mother
in Brighton. When Mrs. Ablewhite summons Drusilla for assistance in finding servants, she
comes to the house, where quite to her surprise Rachel apologizes to her for her previous ill
treatment at her hands. She then invites Drusilla to stay with them at Brighton, and the latter
gladly accepts, seeing it as an opportunity to bring about Rachels conversion. She hurries to
Brighton, hires servants who share her religious views, arranges for the family to attend a church
of her persuasion, and fills the house with books and pamphlets of a suitably religious nature.
When the family arrives a few days later, they are escorted by Bruff rather than Godfrey. Only
Rachel accompanies Drusilla to church the following day, and she gets a headache from the
exceedingly loud and long sermon. After lunch, Bruff and Rachel take a long walk, the object of
which is unknown to Drusilla, the narrator. The next morning, Miss Clack tries to force her
pamphlets on Rachel and is rejected. When she probes about the conversation with Bruff the
previous day, assuming that Godfrey was its subject, Rachel becomes sufficiently upset to assure
Drusilla that she will never marry Godfrey Ablewhite.
Drusilla then takes a walk, and upon her return encounters none but Godfrey himself. He
tells her that Rachel has broken off their engagement and that he has submitted with surprising
equanimity. In fact, he feels relieved and is convinced that he will be happier back with his
various charitable institutions than he would ever be married to Rachel, despite her wealth and
position. He leaves for London, but soon his father and Bruff arrive in Brighton. Ablewhite
confronts Rachel, demanding that she give a reason for breaking the engagement. She answers
only that the breakup would be best for both of them, but Godfreys father takes this as an insult
and an attack on the suitability of his family to unite with hers. When Miss Clack tires to
interpose a quotation from one of her tracts, he explodes. He then tells Bruff that he declines the
privilege of serving as Rachels guardian and asks her to leave the house at her soonest
convenience. After he stomps out of the room, his wife comforts Rachel and apologizes for her
husband, but tells Drusilla that she ever wants to see her or her tracts again. Bruff then invites
Rachel to stay with him and his wife until matter can be settled more permanently, and she
gratefully agrees. Miss Clack, however, makes one last desperate attempt to bring about Rachels
salvation by inviting her to her own home a prospect at which Rachel is horrified, especially
when Drusilla says that she only wants to save her from the eternal fate from which she was
unable to save her mother. Rachel screams in agony, leaves with Bruff, and Miss Clack never
sees her again.
SECOND NARRATIVE
The second section of the Second Period is narrated by Mathew Bruff, the Verinder family
solicitor, to whom the reader has already been introduced. Bruff is able to supply information
about the broken engagement and the motivations of both Rachel and Godfrey concerning it to
which Miss Clack did not have access. He begins by speaking of the will written by Lady
Verinder and witnessed by Miss Clack and the footman. That will left Rachel well provided for,
though she could occupy the houses in London and Yorkshire and received a handsome income
for life but was not given absolute control of the family fortune (this was to protect her from being
victimized by some unscrupulous fortune-hunter seeking to gain control of the inheritance), and
named Mr. Ablewhite as her guardian contingent on his willingness to accept the charge.

Strangely, another party asks to examine Lady Verinders will before it can be executed.
Perfunctory research leads Bruff to the conclusion that the party in question was Godfrey
Ablewhite. Bruff then warns Rachel of Godfreys mercenary motives and his straitened financial
condition; she immediately determines to break off the engagement, relieved because she doesnt
love him and doubt that he loves her. When she tells him that she wants to break their engagement
without giving a reason, he readily agrees to terminate the marriage plans because his research
showed that, as her husband, he would have no access to the family fortune, which was his real
goal in courting Rachel. The result, as already noted, is that Godfreys father treats Rachel rudely
and refuses to consent to serve as her guardian, leaving her in the hands of Bruff and his family,
where she is well-received during a long stay in their home.
With regard to the mystery of the Moonstone, Bruff also has information to share. About
a week after Lady Verinders death he is visited in his office by one of the three Indians who had
continued to hang about the fringes of the family wherever they went. The stranger asks to
borrow some money, offering a richly bejeweled box as security for the loan. Bruff refuses
despite the fact that the Indian had been recommended to him by Septimus Luker. The next day
Luker stops by the office and says that the Indian had come to him first with the same request and
had been refused. As the two compare notes, they find that the Indian had asked both of them a
peculiar question about the length of time normally allowed for the repayment of a loan. Neither
could figure out the reason for such a question, which appeared to have been the real reason for
the two visits.
Later, at a dinner party, Bruff meets and converses with the Indian explorer Murthwaite.
The world traveler tells the lawyer that the Indians involved at present in the mystery of the
missing diamond are too young to have known Colonel Herncastle, and therefore must be the
successors of the original Brahmins. When the Colonel died, they went to London and examined
his will, thus discovering that the treasure was to pass to Rachel Verinder through the
instrumentality of Mr. Blake. They thus appeared in Yorkshire in the guise of jugglers, hoping
to steal the gem from Franklin Blake or from Rachel. They were foiled by its disappearance, but
had received a letter from a confederate in London indicating that he had personally seen the
Moonstone, presumably in the possession of the antique dealer and moneylender Luker, leading
them to go to London after their release and assault both Godfrey Ablewhite and Septimus Luker
when they suspected them of possessing it. They were again too late, however, because Luker
had deposited the gem in a bank vault. This explains the question asked of both Luker and Bruff
by the Indian he wanted to know the soonest date at which the Moonstone, which had
presumably been given as security for a loan, might be redeemed so that he and his companions
might again have the opportunity of reclaiming it. The conclusion of the conversation is that the
Indians will make another attempt to steal the Moonstone at the end of June, 1849.
THIRD NARRATIVE
The third narrative in the Second Period is supplied by Franklin Blake himself. Before
Lady Verinders departure to London with her daughter, Franklin had gone abroad, where he
remained for some months. During his travels he received a letter from Bruff informing him of
his fathers death and entreating him to return to England immediately. When he arrives, Bruff
tells him the news of Lady Verinders death and the contracted and broken engagement of Rachel
and Godfrey. He discovers that Rachel is now living with an aunt named Mrs. Merridew and

quickly pays her a visit, but is refused admission. Mrs. Merridew apologizes for Rachels
inexplicable behavior, but to no avail. Rachel refuses even to enter into correspondence with
Franklin. Unable to explain her rudeness, Franklin determines to take up the mystery of the
Moonstone once more beginning at the place where his research had ended, so he heads for
Yorkshire and his old friend Gabriel Betteredge.
When Franklin arrives at his destination, he finds the house deserted except for Betteredge
and a few other servants. The old man welcomes him gladly, but Franklin refuses to cross the
threshold of the house that now belongs to Rachel without her express permission. The old
servant advises Franklin to stop accommodating Rachels ride on her high horse and take charge
of the relationship, but he has no intention of doing so at this point. He confides in Betteredge that
he intends to solve the mystery of the Moonstone; he wants help from Cuff, but finds that he has
retired, so he solicits Gabriels help in the endeavor. He starts Franklin on his quest by revealing
the existence of a letter left for him by Rosanna Spearman in the hands of Limping Lucy. Early
the next morning the two head for Cobbs Hole. When Lucy is introduced to Franklin, she leads
him away from the house and gives him the letter, but swears with great anger and bitterness that
she cant understand what she [referring to Rosanna] ever saw in the man before her, then
leaves, desiring never to see Franklin again. The letter contains instructions for finding the box
hidden in the Shivering Sand and insists that Franklin must search for it when no one else can see
him. He immediately ignores this requirement by sharing the letter with Betteredge and taking
him with him to the quicksand bog, but the old man refuses to be present at the time of the
discovery in order to honor Rosannas wishes. When Franklin locates the box, he discovers that
it contains a letter addressed to him and the paint-stained nightgown that Cuff had described as the
key to the mystery of the diamonds disappearance. To his complete amazement, he sees that the
nightgown is his own he is responsible for the theft of the Moonstone!
The discovery leaves Franklin in a state of shock. Betteredge guides him back to the
house, where they share a stiff drink. When Franklin recovers his senses sufficiently they turn
to the letter left in the box by Rosanna. In it she professes her love for Franklin and explains that
she hid his nightgown as an act of devotion to protect him from the consequences of his own
action. Her failure to attract Franklins attention had thrown her into a state of depression and also
caused her to hate Rachel, the object of her true loves affections, and desire to do anything to
attract his notice, however briefly. On the morning after the disappearance of the diamond,
Rosanna had been cleaning Franklins room as usual and had discovered the stained nightgown,
which she immediately took back to her room. She then obtained material and made an identical
nightgown so the stained one would not be missed. When the police concluded that the wearer
of the stained nightgown must have been the thief, Rosanna was strangely pleased now Franklin
was shown to be a thief like herself, and he might be grateful to her for concealing his guilt. As
Franklin turns the rest of the letter over to Gabriel, Dr. Candys assistant, a peculiar-looking man
with olive skin and piebald hair named Ezra Jennings, briefly enters the room.
Betteredge then finishes reading Rosannas letter, in which she explains her actions with
the nightgown and her futile efforts to communicate with Franklin about it, finally concluding the
narrative with her acquisition of the tin box and chains and her intention to do away with herself
at the Shivering Sand. He warns Franklin not to read the letter in his current state, so the latter
puts it in his pocket for later perusal. He then determines, with the new knowledge he has gained
of his own culpability, to return to London, meet with Bruff with letter and nightgown in hand,
and seek an interview with Rachel. Before leaving, he asks Betteredge whether he had been drunk

on the night of Rachels birthday party or if he had ever been in the habit of sleepwalking. The
old servant assures him that neither was the case. Franklin is thus left with no plausible
explanation for how he could have stained the nightgown and taken the Moonstone without being
aware of either, especially since no drunken stupor or sleepwalking incident could explain the
transport of the diamond to London for safekeeping with Luker.
When Franklin arrives in London, he goes immediately to see Bruff and shows him the
nightgown and Rosannas letter. He immediately realizes that Rachels behavior can be
completely explained on the basis of her belief that Franklin had stolen the Moonstone. The two
men therefore determine to confront her with what they know and ask her the basis for her
conviction. Bruff first theorizes that the case against Franklin breaks down because no proof
exists that he was actually wearing the nightgown when it was stained; in fact, Rosannas skill at
deception, her history of thievery, and her interest in driving a wedge between Franklin and
Rachel would go far to cast suspicion on her. This theory only worked, of course, if Rachels
belief that Franklin had stolen the diamond was based on the evidence of the nightgown alone,
presumably shown to her by Rosanna. Bruff also reminds Franklin that Rachel had good reason
to question his integrity because of debts he had accumulated. The two then plan for Franklin to
confront Rachel in Bruffs home two days hence.
When Franklin sees Rachel, all thought flees from his mind and he takes her in his arms
and kisses her, but she violently shoves him away and cries that he is a coward to take advantage
of her weakness for him in such a way. When he frankly asks her what he has done to merit such
rejection, she is incredulous. He then tells her the story of his discovery at the Shivering Sand and
asks if Rosanna had shown her the nightgown. She replies in the negative, but when he asks for
the ground of her suspicion of him, she replies angrily that she saw him steal the diamond with
her own eyes. He then tells her, despite her utter disbelief, that this is the first time he knew that
he took the Moonstone. He then insists that she go over the events of the fateful night, detail by
detail, so that together they may uncover the root of the mystery. Since this is a hope that she has
long cherished, she minutely goes over her memories of the evening in question. The narrative
accomplishes nothing but to eliminate both sleepwalking and intoxication as explanations for
Franklins behavior; the only possible clue regarding his behavior is the fact that his eyes seemed
unusually bright when he took the gem. She then tells him that her odd behavior after the theft
had been motivated by a desire to protect him in spite of everything, but that now she despised him
as the worst of villains for refusing to acknowledge his guilt. He departs with the assurance that
he will prove his innocence or never see her again.
That evening Bruff visits Franklin, and after telling him of the appalling condition in which
he found Rachel, elicits his promise not to attempt to see her again without his express permission
a condition to which Franklin readily agrees. Bruff then encourages him to pursue a different
strategy. Franklin may have taken the Moonstone, but he was certainly not responsible for
carrying it to its present location, presumed to be Lukers safe deposit vault in the bank. If they
can discover the person to whom Luker returns the diamond at the end of the month the time at
which the loan secured by the gem will expire they may yet be able to unravel the mystery,
though great care will have to be taken because of the undoubted interest of the Indians in the same
individual. Franklin, unwilling to wait until the end of the month to clear his name, proposes to
contact Sergeant Cuff. Though the detective is happily tending his roses in retirement, Franklin
hopes that the peculiarities of the case will arouse his renewed interest. Unfortunately, he finds
that Cuff has just left for Ireland to consult a rose-fancier there and given no indication of when

he might return. He is unwilling to give up, however, and turns his thoughts to the birthday
dinner the night before the loss of the diamond. Realizing that his own memory is somewhat
cloudy, he writes to Gabriel Betteredge to get a list of the guests, determined to interview them
to find if any of their memories can shed light on the mystery. He thinks to contact the guests
living in London before he leaves for Yorkshire, but quickly discovers that Murthwaite has
returned to India, Miss Clack is in France, and Godfrey Ablewhite is in some unknown London
location. When Franklin tries to track him down, however, he finds that he left the previous day
for Brussels. At Frizinghall the next day, he begins his inquiries with Dr. Candy. He finds the
doctor a shell of his former self, his body wracked by disease. Disappointed at the inability of
Candy to advance his knowledge of the birthday dinner, Franklin sadly prepares to leave, but is
interrupted at the foot of the steps by Candys assistant, Ezra Jennings.
The strange medical assistant then tells Franklin of the course of Candys illness and his
manner of treating it. During his long hours of caring for his friend he had engaged in writing a
book on the brain, and had incorporated his observations of Candy, a victim of brain fever, in his
research. In particular, he had theorized that the doctors ravings might be disconnected outbursts
of underlying but unexpressed coherent thought. He thus copied down Candys disjointed words
and, like a man solving a puzzle, had sought to fill the gaps in a way that produced meaningful
sentences. Franklin now is anxious to hear the results of his efforts, but Jennings is reluctant to
share them without knowing the reasons behind Franklins curiosity. But before Blake can speak,
Jennings insists on telling his own story. He has throughout his adult life suffered from unjust
accusations of which he is entirely innocent. These have driven him from place to place and
ruined his character wherever he has gone. His only hope in life at this point is to provide for a
girl who depends on his support. Sadly, he is terminally ill and the only thing keeping him alive
is opium. When Franklin shares his story, Jennings is convinced he has the solution to the
mystery Franklin must somehow have come under the influence of opium on the night in
question, which would explain his unusually sound sleep and his complete lack of awareness of
what he had done. At this point Jennings is called to a medical appointment, but agrees to meet
Franklin back at Frizinghall in two hours.
When Jennings returns from his medical call, he and Franklin retire to his surgery. There
he questions Franklin about certain aspects of the night of the birthday dinner and explains that
the sound nights sleep Franklin enjoyed and the trance into which he fell during the theft of the
diamond could both have been caused by a dose of opium administered without the recipients
knowledge by Dr. Candy in order to refute Franklins rude statements concerning the medical
profession. Candy, in fact, had intended to return to Lady Verinders home the following morning
and confess the trick he had played, but he had fallen seriously ill that very night. At this point,
no conclusions could be drawn about how the opium was administered without Franklins
knowledge. Jennings then hands Franklin two sheets of paper, one containing the exact words of
Candy in his delirium and the other his assistants attempts to fill in the blanks; the result confirms
Jennings suspicions, which are now shared by Franklin. The former proposes a bold experiment
that the conditions of the night of the party be replicated as closely as possible, including
Franklin giving up smoking in order to disturb his sleep patterns and taking a dose of opium while
his mind is occupied with the diamond. Witnesses would then watch his behavior, and hopefully
the mystery of the disappearance of the Moonstone would be solved. Jennings then shows
Franklin excerpts from medical books to support his hypothesis. Franklin objects to one aspect
of the plan: How could the diamond be found if it was safely secured in the vault of a London

bank? But because no one can satisfactorily explain how the diamond got to London, Jennings
stands by his theory, convinced that the Moonstone remains concealed somewhere in Lady
Verinders house in Yorkshire. When Franklin raises a second objection that the people present
at the party could not possibly be reassembled Jennings assures him that the location of
furnishings in the house is far more important than any attempt to duplicate the assemblage of
people. Jennings then agrees to write to Rachel to make arrangements for the great experiment
ten days hence.
FOURTH NARRATIVE
The Fourth Narrative is taken from the journal of Ezra Jennings, and recounts the events
of the days leading up to the experiment as well as the experiment itself. Jennings begins by
composing the letter to Rachel. Franklin, meanwhile, writes to Bruff to seek his opinion and
contacts Gabriel Betteredge, who thinks the entire idea is a piece of lunacy. Rachels response
greatly encourages Jennings she readily accepts his evidence of Franklins innocence and insists
on helping to restore the house and being present for the experiment. Jennings thus has no doubt
that she continues to hold onto her love for Franklin and is happy to be the instrument of bringing
the young lovers back together. She also insists, however, that Franklin be told nothing about her
planned involvement. Jennings fears, of course, that her presence might disturb Franklins state
of mind with new concerns and thus ruin the experiment. He proposes that she time her arrival
so that she can be in her room to observe Franklins behavior under the influence of the opium
without having encountered him beforehand, to which she readily agrees. Franklin, meanwhile,
is sleeping badly because he has given up his cigars, which is exactly the result for which Jennings
is hoping.
When Bruff answers Franklins letter, he expresses complete skepticism in the efficacy of
the experiment, both because a medical specialist he consulted in London scoffed at the idea and
because he is convinced that the diamond has been given into Lukers care in London. Betteredge
then enters and voices his objections to the whole proceeding, but insists that he is willing to do
whatever his mistress requires despite his own serious doubts. They then quibble over details of
the restoration before Gabriel leaves to begin the necessary work. The next day, a letter arrives
from Mrs. Merridew, the woman with whom Rachel is staying, informing Jennings that she would
not dream of allowing Rachel to come to Yorkshire without a chaperon, and that she will
accompany her if absolutely necessary. Another addition to the party occurs shortly thereafter
when Sergeant Cuff writes to let Franklin know that he will be in England shortly; Franklin
promptly invites him to join them for the experiment, and also invites Bruff, recognizing the
importance of having a witness who is predisposed against the value of the test.
Finally the day of the experiment arrives. Dinner is served at the same time as before, and
Jennings decides to increase the dose of opium to counteract the fact that Franklin knows he is
getting it. After Franklin retires to his room, Bruff and the ladies arrive. At eleven oclock
Jennings administers the opium, but not before Rachel tenderly kisses the glass containing the
draught. Rachel then retires to her room and places a piece of crystal where the diamond had been
hidden while Bruff, Gabriel, and Jennings sit quietly in Franklins room waiting for the drug to
take effect. He begins to show signs of the drugs impact around midnight. A few minutes after
1:00, Franklin rises from bed, mutters something about the diamond, and leaves the room, trailed
by his three silent observers. He proceeds directly to Rachels sitting room, and from there to her

bedroom. He goes to the cabinet, takes the substitute diamond, but then collapses on the sofa
the dose of opium had been too large, and he falls fast asleep without ever hiding the diamond.
Nonetheless, Jennings has proved his case Franklin clearly had stolen the diamond under the
influence of opium without realizing what he was doing. Sadly, the final part of the experiment
has failed and the Moonstone remains missing. Bruff and Betteredge, initially skeptical, render
suitable apologies and sign a document witnessing what they have seen. Bruff at t his point returns
to London to continue his watch on Luker and the bank while Rachel and Franklin, in an ecstasy
of love, pour out their thanks to Jennings and go to London to plan a wedding.
FIFTH NARRATIVE
The fifth narrative in the Second Period is again picked up by Franklin Blake. He attests
that upon awaking the morning after the experiment, he had no memory of what had transpired.
He and Rachel reconcile immediately and decide to accompany Bruff to London to be present
during the watch on the bank. Their gratitude to Jennings is beyond bounds, but they fear they
will never see him again because of the severity of his illness. No sooner do they get to London
than they are met by a boy in the employ of Bruffs firm. He reports that Luker is heading for the
bank with an escort of two policemen. When he emerges from the bank, he appears to pass
something to a man in the crowd. Bruff and Franklin follow him, but to no avail; he turns out to
be a long-time employee of a local drugstore. Those who follow Luker meet with similar lack of
success. Franklin then goes to spend the evening with Rachel. The next morning Sergeant Cuff
arrives at Franklins door. Franklin catches him up with recent events, and soon the boy from
Bruffs office appears. He is nicknamed Gooseberry because of his unusually big eyes, but he is
streetwise and observant. He had followed a tall sailor from the bank and seen Luker pass
something to him outside. The sailor in turn is followed by a mechanic who is seen conversing
with what appears to be one of the Indians. The mechanic invades the sailors room at a public
house, then leaves, feigning drunkenness. Upon hearing these things, Cuff concludes that Luker
passed the diamond to the sailor and that the Indians were using the mechanic as their front man
in their plans to steal it. The men rush to the pub and find it in an uproar. The sailors room is
locked and the innkeeper fears he has been cheated out of his money. When the men break into
the room, however, they find the sailor dead on the bed, and next to him a small box that
apparently had contained a valuable jewel. Cuff soon realizes that the man on the bed is in
disguise. When he removes the disguise and washes off the makeup, he reveals none other than
the person of Godfrey Ablewhite! The detective had earlier given Franklin a sealed envelope,
which he now opened, revealing a single sheet of paper containing the name of the dead man; Cuff
had known all along who had taken the diamond.
SIXTH NARRATIVE
The Sixth Narrative is contributed by the redoubtable Sergeant Cuff. He is convinced that
Godfrey was killed by the three Indians in a successful attempt to reacquire the Moonstone.
Luker, in fact, soon admitted that he had been in possession of the diamond and had returned it
to Ablewhite after retrieving it from the bank. The Indians had apparently entered the room from
the roof of the tavern through a trap door, killed the sleeping Ablewhite, taken the diamond, then
left London on a steamer bound for Rotterdam. Efforts have been made to locate the man dressed
as a mechanic, to no avail, and the Indians are by now far beyond the reach of British law.

Cuff then explains how the theft of the diamond occurred. He starts by asserting that
Godfrey Ablewhite had been living a double life. To the public he was a man given to charity,
particularly ladies charities, but in private he was a man of pleasure with a villa outside London
that he shared with a mistress. He financed his double life by spending money from a trust fund
that he held for a young man. He knew that when the young man came of age the trust must be
delivered to him, so he became desperate for funds as the months passed. When time came for
Rachel Verinders birthday party, Godfrey was willing to do anything to get the money he needed,
including proposing marriage to Rachel. Her refusal left him in terrible straits, but a new
opportunity presented itself when Dr. Candy decided to play a practical joke on Franklin at the
party. Godfrey agreed to put the opium into a glass of brandy. He later followed Franklin as he
walked in a trance to Rachels sitting room and not only saw him take the diamond, but also
noticed that Rachel had seen the theft. When the men got back to their rooms, the dazed Franklin
saw Godfrey, gave him the diamond, and told him to put it in his fathers bank for safekeeping.
Ablewhite then simply took the diamond for himself, went to Lukers establishment, and sought
to borrow money on its future sale price. Lukers terms were extortionate he would lend
Godfrey two thousand pounds and take the Moonstone as collateral. After one year, Godfrey
would repay him three thousand pounds, at which time he would return the diamond. The
desperate Godfrey had no real choice. He accepted the terms, but still needed to raise three
thousand pounds in a year, leading him to propose to Rachel again. This time she accepted him,
but he soon sought release from the engagement when he realized that she had no more than life
interest in her familys property. Worse yet, his mistress was threatening to tell all if he did not
make a handsome settlement on her. An unexpected legacy gave him the wherewithal to redeem
the diamond, and he quickly made arrangements in Amsterdam to have it cut into smaller stones
and sold. When he returned to England, he redeemed the stone and quickly met his death at the
hands of the Indians. Subsequently, word was sent to the authorities at Bombay to keep an eye
out for the Indians when their ship landed.
SEVENTH NARRATIVE
The Seventh Narrative is supplied by Dr. Candy in the form of a letter. The doctor
informs Franklin of the death of Ezra Jennings, who suffered horribly in his final hours, but
always maintained that he was grateful to Franklin for bringing a brief moment of happiness to
his sad life. He asked that his papers be buried with him and that no gravestone mark his final
resting place. Candy closes by wishing Franklin well in his coming marriage to Rachel Verinder.
EIGHTH NARRATIVE
The eighth and final narrative is contributed by Gabriel Betteredge, who gives a brief
description of the wedding of Franklin and Rachel, noting that a year later they were expecting
their first child.
EPILOGUE
Three statements concerning the finding of the Moonstone bring the story to a close. The
first is by a man deputized by Sergeant Cuff to follow the Indians. He discovered that they had

left on the ship bound for Rotterdam, but had convinced the captain to put them ashore at
Gravesend, after which they returned to London and embarked from Plymouth on a ship bound
for Bombay. These circuitous maneuvers were intended to lose anyone seeking to follow them.
The captain of the ship that carried them to Bombay reported that they had behaved in a way that
drew no attention to themselves until the ship was becalmed near the shores of India, when they
stole a boat at night and left the ship, landing in a place such that their whereabouts could not
possibly be traced. The last contribution comes from Murthwaite, the Indian traveler, who reports
venturing to an obscure Indian city with the intention of visiting a famous shrine to the god of the
Moon. He finds himself accompanied by many pilgrims who are going to a great celebration. He
arrives to find the three Brahmins he had seen in England as the focal point of the gathering. They
had broken cast by leaving the country and were condemned to wander among Indian shrines for
the rest of their lives, never to see one another again, as penance. As they departed in three
different directions, a curtain was lowered, revealing the imposing image of the Moon god. In
its forehead is an enormous yellow diamond the Moonstone had been returned to its original
resting place.
NOTABLE QUOTATIONS
The Moonstone will have its vengeance yet on you and yours! (Brahmin, Prologue,
p.14)
Sometimes, Mr. Betteredge, I think that my grave is waiting for me here. (Rosanna,
First Period, ch.4, p.32)
Was the legacy of the Moonstone a proof that she had treated her brother with cruel
injustice? or was it a proof that he was worse than the worst she had ever thought of him? (First
Period, ch.9, p.64)
Nobody has stolen the Diamond. (Cuff, First Period, ch.12, p.102)
I have done much to make my mother pity me nothing to make my mother blush for
me. (Rachel, First Period, ch.21, p.164)
When I came here from London with that horrible Diamond, I dont believe there was a
happier household in England than this. Look at the household now! Scattered, disunited the
very air of the place poisoned with mystery and suspicion! (Franklin, First Period, ch.22, p.169)
Mr. Betteredge, the day is not far off when the poor will rise against the rich. I pray
heaven they may begin with him. (Limping Lucy, First Period, ch.22, p.172)
We are above reason; we are beyond ridicule; we see with nobodys eyes, we hear with
nobodys ears, we feel with nobody hearts but our own. Glorious, glorious privilege! And how
is it earned? Ah, my friends, you may spare yourself the useless inquiry! We are the only people
who can earn it for we are the only people who are always right. (Miss Clack, Second Period,
First Narrative, ch.4, p.209)

We are all of us more or less unwilling to be brought into the world. And we are all of
us right. (Betteredge, Second Period, Third Narrative, ch.4, p.290)
You villain, I saw you take the Diamond with my own eyes! (Rachel, Second Period,
Third Narrative, ch.7, p.307)
This was, as I think, a great man though the world never knew him. He bore a hard
life bravely. He had the sweetest temper I have ever met with. The loss of him makes me feel
very lonely. (Candy, Second Period, Seventh Narrative, p.408)
ESSAY QUESTIONS
Discuss the following in a five-paragraph essay:
1.

Wilkie Collins The Moonstone is generally considered to be the first detective novel. Its
popularity led many to enter the genre, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his famous
protagonist. Compare and contrast the character and role of the detective in Collins
seminal work with that of Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles. Which of
the qualities that you observe helped to shape the expectations of readers of the genre and
which are unique to Sergeant Cuff and Conan Doyles great consulting detective?

2.

Wilkie Collins The Moonstone is generally considered to be the first detective novel, but
it is not the first English novel to feature a detective. That honor goes to Charles Dickens
Bleak House. The two men were longtime friends, and Collins novels were serialized in
Dickens periodicals. Though the two works are not in the same genre, the characters of
Sergeant Cuff and Inspector Bucket may nonetheless be compared. In what ways are they
similar and in what ways are they different? To what extent do these similarities and
differences help to shape the lots of the two novels?

3.

In Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, Rachel Verinder and Rosanna Spearman serve as foils,
and are largely able to do so because of some key traits they have in common. What are
those common qualities, and how are they essential in bringing out the differences between
the two women? How does the connection between the two help to advance the plot of the
novel?

4.

In Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, Franklin Blake and Godfrey Ablewhite serve as foils,
both in who they actually are and in the public perception of the two men. How do these
differences, and the way the readers opinion changes as the novel progresses, help to
bring out the central themes of the novel and advance the plot? Be specific.

5.

In Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, the character portrayed as the brilliant detective is
Sergeant Cuff. Though the sergeant does wind up playing a significant role in solving the
mystery, he is not really the most important contributor to the final solution, since both
Franklin Blake and Ezra Jennings make major contributions. Of the three, who would you
argue is most important in the ultimate resolution? Support your answer with details from
the novel, being sure to argue why your choice was more important than the other two.

6.

Evaluate the moral universe of Wilkie Collins The Moonstone and assess the moral
perspective of the novel from a biblical perspective. Consider relationships among the
characters, attitudes toward things like lying, sexuality, and drug use, and the motives that
drive the characters to act in the ways that they do.

7.

Franklin Blake is the protagonist of Wilkie Collins The Moonstone. To what extent may
he be described as a good or admirable character? Evaluate his character on the basis of
Scripture. Do his flaws detract from the ability of the reader to identify with him, and do
they make such a process easier?

8.

In Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, the author makes use of multiple narrative voices. The
stated reason for this is to allow the story to be told completely in firsthand accounts, thus
assuring its fidelity to the actual events. How successful is this narrative device? In order
for it to work, the narrators must be trusted by the reader. To what extent do you find
them trustworthy? Do the peculiarities and biases of the individual writers undermine the
believability of their narratives? How and in what ways?

9.

In Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, much is made of the contrast between the evidence of
the senses and the inner feelings of the characters, particularly with regard to Franklin
Blake and Rachel Verinder and the disappearance of the Moonstone. Does the author
suggest that one source of evidence is more reliable than the other? If so, which one?
Support your conclusion with specifics from the novel.

10.

Several of the characters in Wilkie Collins The Moonstone show the willingness to
sacrifice themselves for something they value more than their own comforts or reputations.
Examples of this include Rachel Verinder, Rosanna Spearman, Ezra Jennings, and the
three Indians. Choose two of these and compare and contrast their sacrifices. Do their
acts of sacrifice stem from the same motivations? Is one sacrifice less noble than the other
because of those motivations? Support your conclusions with specifics from the novel.

11.

Discuss the view of British colonialism presented in Wilkie Collins The Moonstone.
Several of the characters have had experience in the colonies, and the Moonstone has its
source in India. Even though the British colonial experience lies on the fringes of the
novel, it is nevertheless an ongoing presence. Develop a thesis about the authors view of
imperialism and defend that thesis with specific evidence from the book.

12.

Wilkie Collins The Moonstone uses multiple narrative voices, but behind them all is a
single editor, Franklin Blake. How does the presence of a single editor contribute to the
readers understanding of the purpose behind the telling of the story? In what ways does
it contribute to its unity despite the use of many narrators?

13.

The problem of addiction, whether to opium or tobacco, plays a major role in Wilkie
Collins The Moonstone. The author himself was a victim of opium addiction. How do
the accounts of addiction in the story, along with the sympathetic portrayal of the malady,
reflect the viewpoint of one who had experienced it personally? Use specific details from
the novel to support your arguments.

14.

In Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, Gabriel Betteredge makes constant references to Daniel
Defoes Robinson Crusoe, viewing the novel as containing answers to every problem one
might encounter in life. What is the significance of the classic work to the themes of
Collins novel? Why do you think the author chose that particular novel as the obsession
of one of his characters?

15.

In Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, Gabriel Betteredge uses Daniel Defoes Robinson
Crusoe as a source of guidance in all things and even considers its words to be prophetic.
Clearly, this is a reflection of the way many people treat the Bible. Evaluate this plot
device. What do you think of Betteredges hermeneutic technique? Is Collins here
caricaturing those who place their trust in the Bible, or does he have some other purpose?
Support your conclusions with specifics from the novel.

16.

Compare the use of Daniel Defoes Robinson Crusoe in Wilkie Collins The Moonstone
with the themes of the great work itself. Is the way in which Gabriel Betteredge uses
Defoes novel, viewing it as a prophetic tome with answers to all of lifes problems, in any
way coherent with the message communicated by Defoe? Support your conclusions with
specifics from both novels.

17.

The dead hand of the past plays a major role in Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, beginning
with the curse on the diamond itself. To what extent does the author believe that a person
can escape his or her past? Choose examples of characters in the novel who are unable to
escape the past and those who are, and use their stories to support your conclusion about
the authors overall belief concerning the role of the past in a persons life and destiny.

18.

Analyze the character of Drusilla Clack in Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, who describes
herself and her fellow believers by saying, We are above reason; we are beyond ridicule;
we see with nobodys eyes, we hear with nobodys ears, we feel with nobody hearts but
our own. Glorious, glorious privilege! And how is it earned? Ah, my friends, you may
spare yourself the useless inquiry! We are the only people who can earn it for we are
the only people who are always right. What does the way her character is drawn tell you
about the authors attitude toward Christianity? Is he ridiculing hypocrisy, or is he
mocking evangelical Christianity itself? Support your conclusion with details from the
novel.

19.

Wilkie Collins The Moonstone makes use of multiple narrators to tell the story. The
different narrators reveal much of themselves through their writing. Some have even
suggested that some of the selections tell the reader more about the narrator than they do
about the characters who are being described. Choose one of the narrators used in the
novel and discuss ways in which his or her narration gives insights into the character of
the writer.

20.

Postmodern critics have suggested that the use of multiple narrators in Wilkie Collins The
Moonstone undermines the possibility of writing as a source of absolute truth. To what
extent is this true? Does this then lead to the conclusion that absolute truth does not exist?
Support your arguments with specifics from the novel.

21.

Discuss the symbolism used by Wilkie Collins in The Moonstone. Choose one of the
major symbols in the novel such as the Moonstone itself or the Shivering Sand and discuss
what it means and how it contributes to the themes of the novel. Be sure to use specifics
to support your argument.

22.

Some critics have suggested that the gem at the heart of the mystery in Wilkie Collins The
Moonstone represents India, and that the curse upon it speaks of the futility of the British
attempt to possess that to which no foreigner has a right. Do you believe this
interpretation is correct? If so, support it, and if not, refute it, it both cases using details
and quotations from the novel.

23.

Some critics have suggested that in Wilkie Collins The Moonstone we find a contrast
between the spiritual East and the mercenary West. Is this a valid interpretation? In
answering the question give particular consideration to the diamond and the way it is
viewed by different characters. Which of these ways of looking at the world does the
author favor? Why do you think so?

24.

Wilkie Collins The Moonstone spends considerable time discussing the meaning of being
English. Qualities of the English are juxtaposed, not only with clear outsiders like the
Brahmins, but also with those of mixed heritage like Ezra Jennings, mixed education like
Franklin Blake, or mixed life experiences like Murthwaite. What, according to the author,
are the defining characteristics of an Englishman, and how do these differ from Indians,
Italians, Frenchmen, or anyone else? What do you think Collins is saying in making these
distinctions?

25.

In the fourth chapter of the First Period in Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, Rosanna
Spearman, while staring out over the Shivering Sand, says, Sometimes, Mr. Betteredge,
I think that my grave is waiting for me here. Later, she kills herself by walking into the
same quicksand. What other examples of foreshadowing do you see in the novel? Choose
two other examples besides the one given and discuss how they contribute to the plot and
themes of the book? Why, in these cases, did the author choose to give away to the
readers what would be happening later?

26.

In the twenty-first chapter of the First Period of Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, Rachel
Verinder says, I have done much to make my mother pity me nothing to make my
mother blush for me. Some critics have argued that the Moonstone symbolizes the
virginity of the heroine, making the theft of the gem by Franklin Blake a sort of symbolic
deflowering. Discuss the validity of this interpretation, using details from the novel to
support your arguments.

27.

In Wilkie Collins The Moonstone, Limping Lucy famously says, The day is not far off
when the poor will rise against the rich. To what was she referring? Did the author have
something deeper in mind? Use details from the novel to discuss the criticism of social
class divisions in Britain in the middle of the nineteenth century.