Reading Rebecca Pt. 8

Chapter 22

Newspapers, Gossips, and Inquests

They talked about him as Max de Winter. It sounded racy, horrible. Each paper made great play of the fact that Rebecca's body had been found the day after the fancy dress ball, as though there was something deliberate about it. Both papers used the same word, "ironic." Yes, I supposed it was ironic. It made a good story. . . I thought of all the things they could say, if they knew the truth. Not one column, but five, or six. Placards in London. Newsboys shouting in the streets, outside the underground stations. That frightful word of six letters, in the middle of the placard, large and black.

"Those blasted reporters," said Maxim.
"I know," said Frank, "we all want to wring their necks, but you've got to see their point of view. It's their bread-and-butter, they've got to do their job for their paper. If they don't get a story the editor probably sacks them. If the editor does not produce a saleable edition the proprietor sacks him. And if the paper doesn't sell, the proprietor loses all his money.

I don't know why that strikes me, but I just love Frank at this moment. Maxim as part of the upper class, the elite, misses the reality of life sometimes. Frank gets it. I think these sections are interesting. Even in this older time period--celebrity status has its advantages and disadvantages. The stories, the scandals, the papers, the reporters, the paparazzi.

Manderley was news, and so was Maxim.

Our narrator is beginning to appreciate Frank as well. His handling of the reporters, his spinning of the story, his coaching on how to get through this mess.

I understood it all. Frank knew, but Maxim did not know that he knew. And we all stood there, looking at one another, keeping up these little barriers between us.

We only get a glimpse of the inquest and testimony before our narrator faints. A lucky break on Max's part.

Chapter 23

...Frank did not answer. I realized that his loyalty to Maxim was such that he would not let himself be drawn into a discussion, even with me. He did not know how much I knew. Nor could I tell for certainty how much he knew. We were allies, we travelled the same road, but we could not look at one another. We neither of us dared risk a confession.

In this chapter, Rebecca's death is ruled a suicide. While the men are off burying her in a private, quiet ceremony of sorts, our narrator has to play host to Mr. Favell (boo, hiss). He's come to see what he can squeeze out of Maxim. Who couldn't smell the blackmail coming???
He has a note from Rebecca written the day/night she died. The note is "proof" that she had no death wish.

The sliminess of Favell:

I'm a bit of a socialist in my way, you know, and I can't think why fellows can't share their women instead of killing them. What differences does it make? You can get your fun just the same. A lovely woman isn't like a motor tyre, she doesn't wear out. The more you use her the better she goes.

I actually like the fact that Maxim is sticking his ground. He's not going to let this scumbag bully him. He probably knows that if he gave in once and gave him money, he'd be tied to him for life.

Eww. I just read that Favell and Rebecca were first cousins. The fact that both boasted about being lovers is just sickening.

When Favell accuses Max of murdering Rebecca, it's his sliminess that keeps the truth from appearing as truth. Everything coming out of his mouth sounds like a lie. Favell so lacks character and integrity that he hasn't a chance of convincing anyone even if the truth is on his side.

Chapter 24
Thank God for Favell's laugh. Thank God for his pointing finger, his flushed face, his staring blood-shot eyes. Thank God for the way he stood there swaying on his two feet. Because it made Colonel Julyan antagonistic, it put him on our side. I saw the disgust on his face, the quick movement of his lips.

The truth about the blackmail scheme comes out naturally and Favell looks like an idiot of course.

"Proof?" said Favell. "What the hell do you want with proof? Aren't those holes in the boat proof enough? Witness be damned," said Favell. "Of course de Winter did it. Who else would kill Rebecca?"

The demand for proof continues and Favell finally stumbles onto a weak sort of "proof" the testimony of Ben. A man who might have "seen" the murder that night.

Ben does testify--and his testimony is great. I love almost every scene Ben is in in this book.

Then Favell demands that Colonel Julyan interview Mrs. Danvers. Perhaps Favell never realized that she despised him, scorned him, saw him for the slimy self he is.

She was not in love with you, or with Mr. de Winter. She was not in love with anyone. She despised all men. She was above all that.

Then comes a sudden outburst of too much information on Mrs. Danvers part. She shares how they would sit and talk together, laugh together, joke together, about Rebecca's sex life.

This interview results in Mrs. Danvers producing Rebecca's appointment book...and it comes out that Rebecca had a doctor's appointment on the day she died. Sure enough, the group must now talk to this Dr. Baker to resolve the matter of Rebecca's state of mind to see if suicide was likely.