The Elusive Pimpernel
'The Elusive Pimpernel' Summary
It is September 1793 and French Agent and chief spy-catcher Chauvelin is determined to get his revenge for the previous humiliations dished out to him at the hands of the Scarlet Pimpernel.
Chauvelin travels to England as an official representative of the French government tasked with looking after the interests of French citizens, but this is only a cover and his real purpose is to trick Sir Percy Blakeney into returning to France, where he can be captured and put to the guillotine.
The plot is hatched at a gala on Richmond Green, with the help of a young French actress, Désirée Candielle, whom Chauvelin has enlisted with promises of money, pardon and fame if she succeeds.
Désirée is manning a tent with a model guillotine under the premise of raising money for the poor of Paris. Marguerite Blakeney enters her stall and starts talking to Désirée. On discovering her to be a fellow French actress, she is soon taken in by the young woman's sob story and before long had invited her to perform at her house in Richmond in front of the Prince of Wales.
Once the offer has been made and accepted, Désirée's official chaperone is revealed as Chauvelin. Marguerite realises she's been set up, but the offer has been made and Sir Percy insists that both of them should come to his house as arranged.
Juliette de Marny (whose rescue by the Scarlet Pimpernel is told in the novel I Will Repay), is staying with them at Blakeney Manor. Chauvelin has managed to get his hands on her family jewels (which were being looked after by the local priest) and has given a diamond necklace, which belonged to Juliette's mother, to Désirée Candielle.
When Désirée turns up at the Blakeney's Richmond mansion wearing the jewels there is a bitter argument between the women. Désirée manages to engineer the situation so that Sir Percy must fight Chauvelin in a duel to avenge the insults levied against her—for which they must go to France, as duelling is outlawed in England.
The following morning Percy leaves Marguerite behind in Richmond and heads for Boulogne. Chauvelin has no intentions of actually fighting the Englishman, but to ensure the Pimpernel cannot escape before he can be captured, Chauvelin sets a further trap for Marguerite who falls for it completely. Before long she has been arrested for attempting to enter France on a false passport, given to her by an apparently apologetic Désirée Candielle, as part of Chauvelin's plot.
With Marguerite in prison and the citizens of Boulogne threatened with death if she escapes, Chauvelin appears to have an air-tight plan to secure and discredit Sir Percy that will end the meddling of the Scarlet Pimpernel for good... but as always Percy is more than a match for his arch-enemy.
Book Details
Author
Baroness Orczy
Hungary, England
Baroness Emma Orczy usually known as Baroness Orczy (the name under which she was published) or to her family and friends as Emmuska Orczy, was a Hungarian-born British novelist and playwright. She is...
More on Baroness OrczyDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Treve by Albert Terhune
This novel is a touching tale of friendship, love, and loyalty that explores the unbreakable bond between a man and his beloved dog. The story center...
A Day of Fate by Edward P. Roe
This is a compelling novel that takes readers on a captivating journey through the twists and turns of life's defining moments. With its engaging narr...
In the Year of Jubilee by George Gissing
In the Year of Jubilee is the thirteenth novel by English author George Gissing. First published in 1894. In the summer of 1893 Gissing returned...
The Ranchman by Charles Alden Seltzer
The book follows the life of a rancher named Jim Benton, who faces numerous challenges while trying to establish his ranch in the Wild West. Seltzer'...
Yellow Butterflies by Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews
The title of this historical fiction could as well have been "A Soldier’s Mother" or “An Unknown Soldier”. There are indeed butterflies, and there is...
The Hope of Happiness by Meredith Nicholson
It is a novel, first published in 1923. The book tells the story of Bruce Storrs, a young man who returns to his hometown of Middleburg, Indiana, afte...
The Florentine Dagger by Ben Hecht
It is an exciting and suspenseful novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey into the world of mystery and intrigue. This book is a perfect choic...
Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson
Ramona is a American novel written by Helen Hunt Jackson. Set in Southern California after the Mexican–American War, it portrays the life of a mixed-r...
Our Friend The Charlatan by George Gissing
This is a captivating novel that delves into the complexities of human nature and the consequences of deception. Written in the late 19th century, thi...
A Lady of Quality by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Set in late 1600's England, the story follows the life of a woman living an unconventional life. The loves of her life and all of its ups and downs ar...
Reviews for The Elusive Pimpernel
No reviews posted or approved, yet...