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"I beg you will not disturb yourself — I beg you will not move."
John McLenan
28 April 1860
11.3 cm high by 9 cm wide (4 ⅜ by 3 ½ inches), framed, p. 269; p. 146 in the 1861 volume.
Twenty-third regular illustration for Collins's The Woman in White: A Novel (1860).
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.
"I beg you will not disturb yourself — I beg you will not move." — staff artist John McLenan's twenty-third composite woodblock engraving for Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White: A Novel, Instalment 23, published on 28 April 1860 in Harper's Weekly: A Journal of Civilization, Vol. IV, "The Second Epoch; "The Narrative of Frederick Fairlie, Esq., of Limmeridge House." July 7th," p. 269; p. 146 in the 1861 volume. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
“Show him in,” I said resignedly.
The Count’s first appearance really startled me. He was such an alarmingly large person that I quite trembled. I felt certain that he would shake the floor and knock down my art-treasures. He did neither the one nor the other. He was refreshingly dressed in summer costume — his manner was delightfully self-possessed and quiet — he had a charming smile. My first impression of him was highly favourable. It is not creditable to my penetration — as the sequel will show — to acknowledge this, but I am a naturally candid man, and I do acknowledge it notwithstanding.
“Allow me to present myself, Mr. Fairlie,” he said. “I come from Blackwater Park, and I have the honour and the happiness of being Madame Fosco’s husband. Let me take my first and last advantage of that circumstance by entreating you not to make a stranger of me. I beg you will not disturb yourself — I beg you will not move.”
“You are very good,” I replied. “I wish I was strong enough to get up. Charmed to see you at Limmeridge. Please take a chair.”
“I am afraid you are suffering to-day,” said the Count.
“As usual,” I said. “I am nothing but a bundle of nerves dressed up to look like a man.” ["The Second Epoch. The Narrative of Frederick Fairlie, Esq., of Limmeridge House," p. 269; p. 146 in the 1861 volume.]
“My dear Percival,” observed his lordship kindly, “Mrs. Michelson has duties. Pray recognise her admirable performance of them as sincerely as I do! How is the sufferer, Mrs. Michelson?”
“No better, my lord, I regret to say.”
“Sad — most sad!” remarked the Count. “You look fatigued, Mrs. Michelson. It is certainly time you and my wife had some help in nursing. I think I may be the means of offering you that help. Circumstances have happened which will oblige Madame Fosco to travel to London either to-morrow or the day after. She will go away in the morning and return at night, and she will bring back with her, to relieve you, a nurse of excellent conduct and capacity, who is now disengaged. The woman is known to my wife as a person to be trusted. Before she comes here say nothing about her, if you please, to the doctor, because he will look with an evil eye on any nurse of my providing. When she appears in this house she will speak for herself, and Mr. Dawson will be obliged to acknowledge that there is no excuse for not employing her. Lady Glyde will say the same. Pray present my best respects and sympathies to Lady Glyde.” [Part 23: "The Narrative of Eliza Michelson, Housekeeper at Blackwater Park."p. 253; pp. 150-151 in the 1861 volume.]
Ostensibly, the suave and ever-plausible Count Fosco has paid Mr. Frederick Fairlie a visit at Limmeridge to smooth the way for a separation of Sir Percival Glyde (who will remain at Blackwater Park) and Lady Laura Glyde, who will take up a separate residence at Mr. Fairlie's estate with Marion Halcombe. The ingratiating Count promises to act as a go-between as he attempts to effect a reconciliation between the quarreling couple. In his account, Fairlie confides in the reader that he does not wish to become embroiled in the marital dispute, but agrees to the Count's proposal because he believes that Laura will never consent to come without her half-sister, Marion, who is at present far too ill to travel. The illustration presents a sharp contrast between the nattily dressed, self-confident "foreigner," Fosco, and the decrepit English invalid in his dressing gown, surrounded by his artistic "treasures" in his study.
Collins, Wilkie. The Woman in White: A Novel. New York: Harper & Bros., 1861 (first printing, 15 August 1860; reissued in single-column format in 1902, 548 pages).
Collins, Wilkie. The Woman in White: A Novel. Harper's Weekly: A Journal of Civilization. Illustrated by John McLenan. Vols. III-IV (16 November 1859 through 8 September 1860).
Collins, Wilkie. The Woman in White. Ed. Maria K. Bachman and Don Richard Cox. Illustrated by Sir John Gilbert. London: Minerva, 2006.
Peters, Catherine. "Chapter Twelve: The Woman in White (1859-1860)." The King of the Inventors: A Life of Wilkie Collins. London: Minerva Press, 1992. Pp. 205-225.
Vann, J. Don. "The Woman in White in All the Year Round, 26 November — 25 August 1860." Victorian Novels in Serial. New York: MLA, 1985. Pp. 44-46.
Created 18 July 2024