Reginald is still obsessed with alchemy and magic, the stranger’s secret. He brings Hector in while he is working on this all behind Marguerite’s back, of course. Hector sees what is going on, but has been sworn to secrecy, (not telling the family) but he falls in love and eventually tells his girlfriend after she uses her ‘women’s ways’ on him. Hector asks her not to say anything to anyone but it would seem that Hector is not her only lover. So everyone finds out.
Marguerite has got the family located out in the country again where there is a sense of freedom and no arbitrary influences on Reginald. He locates a hide-a-way on his property where he can play with his secret when he isn’t busy. He even states that the situation would be ‘troublesome’ to Marguerite if she knew. So Reginald goes against what he was told when he was given the secret and tells Hector thinking that Hector is too simple-minded to realize what is going on.
That shows how self-centered St. Leon is because he feels that just because Hector’s skin is dark he isn’t smart enough to figure out what is going on. Reginald is headed down the same road as he was before, thinking that he is rich, unimpeachable, and has fame. And where did the money come from? The death of Charon, beating and eventual death of Hector, and the loss of Reginald’s “reverential awe” were all the result of his unethical decisions. At the same time, Marguerite is having to deal with all of this while her health continues to degrade. Fortunately for her, Reginald has been keeping most of the truth from her as usual. Naturally, all of the problems that he faced were blamed on someone else, including the death of Marguerite!
Literature Rocks 