The Last Chronicle of Barset
Chapters 43 to 45

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[40-42]   [46-48]

Chapter 43
Mr Crosbie Goes into the City

That his patron and his partner was half drunk
Musselboro notices that Mr. Broughton is drunk during Mr. Crosbie's visit.  Trollope often mentions the Roman system of patron and client, but it is interesting that here Mr. Boughton is both partner and patron.  The patron and client system implies a hierarchy between the men, while a partnership implies equality.  See commentary for The Small House at Allington Chapter 22.  [KD]

Mr. Musselboro's genius
Crosbie perceives that Musselboro is a man of power after Mr. Boughton returns drunk and makes a fool of himself.  He notices that Musselboro's "genius" was on the rise in Hook Court A genius is a protective spirit associated with the Roman household.  Clearly Mr. Musselboro is the guardian at Hook Court.  [KD]

Burton or Bangle, Bangle or Burton
Mr. Crosbie is supposed to ask Bangle and Burton to help him pay his debts.  A chiasmus is a classical rhetorical and poetic arrangement of words.  A chiasmus' word order is ABBA.  Trollope here uses a chiasmus in his repetition of Bangle and Burton's names.  [KD]

Presiding genius
Crosbie runs into Sir Raffle Buffle after his meeting at Hook Court.  Crosbie remembers Raffle Baffle as the former "presiding genius" at his office.  A genius is a protective or guardian spirit associated with the Roman household.  [KD]

 

Chapter 44
'I Suppose I Must Let You Have It'

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Chapter 45
Lily Dale Goes to London

The Fate of L.D.
Upon arriving in London, Lily Dale begins contemplating her cousin Bernard's marriage and her unmarried fate in life.  At this moment perhaps Lily is realizing that she does not want fate to make her an Old Maid, even though she has sealed her own destiny by writing in her book "As arranged by Fate for L.D."  In classical mythology, the Fates are goddesses who determine when someone dies. 
Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology  [KD]

A jovial Mrs. Thorne
As the squire and Lily Dale enter the Thornes' house in London, they are greeted by a "jovial voice on the stairs."  The word "jovial" comes from the Latin name, Jove, king of the gods, and has come to describe someone who is good-natured and cheerful.  In the use of the word here, Trollope may be drawing on the common meaning of the word as well as on its etymological origin.  Not only is Mrs. Thorne merry, but she is also god-like in her social position due to her great wealth.  Mrs. Thorne's jovial voice comes from above--as if from Olympian heights.  [KD & RR]

[40-42]   [46-48]

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