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Scarhaven Keep quotes

The lines readers remember from Scarhaven Keep, by J. S. Fletcher.

13 quotes · About the book

Standout lines

“Might have been caught unawares, and pushed over. Let’s see what there is up above, anyway.”

XI: Beneath the BramblesRead from here
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“You think he might have been—what?—thrown down?”

“Might have been caught unawares, and pushed over. Let’s see what there is up above, anyway.”

The stair in the turret, much worn, but comparatively safe, and lighted by loopholes and arrow-slits, terminated in a low arched doorway, through which egress was afforded to a parapet which ran completely round the inner wall of the Keep.

Ill!⁠—aye, ill with something that’s worse nor any bodily aches and pains⁠—let me tell you that! But not done for, neither!

XXI: MaroonedRead from here
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“Ill!” he snorted. “Ill! She asks if I’m ill—me, a respectable man what’s maltreated and robbed before his own eyes by them as ought to fall in humble gratitude at his feet!

Ill!⁠—aye, ill with something that’s worse nor any bodily aches and pains⁠—let me tell you that! But not done for, neither!

”

Mr. Vickers, when you’re as old as I am, you’ll know that this here world is as full o’ puzzles as yon sea’s full o’ fish!

XXII: The Old HandRead from here
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“And put another name on a bit of a tombstone—six months afterwards, what?” he said quietly. “

Mr. Vickers, when you’re as old as I am, you’ll know that this here world is as full o’ puzzles as yon sea’s full o’ fish!

”

I was always a misunderstood man.

XXII: The Old HandRead from here
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“Very good, ma’am—that’s quite according to my expectations,” said Chatfield, meekly. “

I was always a misunderstood man.

However, this here proposition will perhaps be more welcome. It’s always been understood that I was to have a retiring pension of five hundred pounds per annum. The family has always promised it—I’ve letters to prove it.

Is it any use taking them any other way?

XXIV: The Torpedo-Boat DestroyerRead from here
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“

Is it any use taking them any other way?

” she asked. “Besides I’ve never been at all frightened nor particularly concerned.

Darned if I don’t know as there was something on the crook in this here affair!

XXX: The Greengrocer’s CartRead from here
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“

Darned if I don’t know as there was something on the crook in this here affair!

” he said, almost cheerily. “Well, well—but I ain’t got nothing to do with it. Warrants?—you say? Ah! And what might be the partiklar natur’ o’ them warrants?”

All quotes

Jump to a chapter
  1. III: The Man Who Knew Something
  2. IV: The Estate Agent
  3. VI: The Leading Lady
  4. VIII: Right of Way
  5. X: The Invalid Curate
  6. XI: Beneath the Brambles
  7. XX: The Courteous Captain
  8. XXI: Marooned
  9. XXII: The Old Hand
  10. XXIV: The Torpedo-Boat Destroyer
  11. XXX: The Greengrocer’s Cart

III: The Man Who Knew Something

“Nothing ever came out that once went in,” she answered. “It’s a sort of whirlpool that’s sucked right away into the sea. The people hereabouts say it’s bottomless.”

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“Well?” asked Copplestone bluntly, “what if he did?”

“Nothing ever came out that once went in,” she answered. “It’s a sort of whirlpool that’s sucked right away into the sea. The people hereabouts say it’s bottomless.”

Copplestone turned his face towards the village.

IV: The Estate Agent

“Sir!” he whispered in a confidential tone. “Do you consider this here a matter of murder?”

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He rose, greeted his visitor cordially, and invited him to a seat by the fire. The estate agent settled his heavy figure comfortably, and made a careful inspection of the young stranger before he spoke. At last he leaned forward.

“Sir!” he whispered in a confidential tone. “Do you consider this here a matter of murder?”

VI: The Leading Lady

“Part? Why, the part, of course!” she retorted. “Goodness! Why, I created it! And played it to crowded houses for nearly two hundred nights, too!”

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“What part did you play?” he asked innocently.

“Part? Why, the part, of course!” she retorted. “Goodness! Why, I created it! And played it to crowded houses for nearly two hundred nights, too!”

“Ah!” said Copplestone. “But I’ll make a confession to you. I rarely visit the theatre. I never saw Lady Hartletop. I haven’t been in a theatre of any sort for two years. So you must forgive me. I congratulate you on your success.”

VIII: Right of Way

“Ah!⁠—but which is master and which is man?” asked Audrey in a low voice.

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“I think not!” observed Copplestone, with unusual emphasis. “For the master is afraid of the man.”

“Ah!⁠—but which is master and which is man?” asked Audrey in a low voice.

Copplestone stopped and looked narrowly at her.

X: The Invalid Curate

Copplestone glanced at the card and read “Sir Cresswell Oliver.”

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The curate laughed quietly, and putting his fingers inside his heavy overcoat, produced a card which he handed over.

Copplestone glanced at the card and read “Sir Cresswell Oliver.”

He turned wonderingly to his companion, who laughed again.

XI: Beneath the Brambles

“Might have been caught unawares, and pushed over. Let’s see what there is up above, anyway.”

Read from here
Show the passage

“You think he might have been—what?—thrown down?”

“Might have been caught unawares, and pushed over. Let’s see what there is up above, anyway.”

The stair in the turret, much worn, but comparatively safe, and lighted by loopholes and arrow-slits, terminated in a low arched doorway, through which egress was afforded to a parapet which ran completely round the inner wall of the Keep.

XX: The Courteous Captain

Andrius has kept his word⁠—and cheated us! We’re stranded!

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“

Andrius has kept his word⁠—and cheated us! We’re stranded!

”

XXI: Marooned

Ill!⁠—aye, ill with something that’s worse nor any bodily aches and pains⁠—let me tell you that! But not done for, neither!

Read from here
Show the passage

“Ill!” he snorted. “Ill! She asks if I’m ill—me, a respectable man what’s maltreated and robbed before his own eyes by them as ought to fall in humble gratitude at his feet!

Ill!⁠—aye, ill with something that’s worse nor any bodily aches and pains⁠—let me tell you that! But not done for, neither!

”

XXII: The Old Hand

Mr. Vickers, when you’re as old as I am, you’ll know that this here world is as full o’ puzzles as yon sea’s full o’ fish!

Read from here
Show the passage

“And put another name on a bit of a tombstone—six months afterwards, what?” he said quietly. “

Mr. Vickers, when you’re as old as I am, you’ll know that this here world is as full o’ puzzles as yon sea’s full o’ fish!

”

I was always a misunderstood man.

Read from here
Show the passage

“Very good, ma’am—that’s quite according to my expectations,” said Chatfield, meekly. “

I was always a misunderstood man.

However, this here proposition will perhaps be more welcome. It’s always been understood that I was to have a retiring pension of five hundred pounds per annum. The family has always promised it—I’ve letters to prove it.

XXIV: The Torpedo-Boat Destroyer

“Captain Andrius is certainly the perfection of polite pirates,” she exclaimed.

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Audrey broke the silence with a ringing laugh.

“Captain Andrius is certainly the perfection of polite pirates,” she exclaimed.

“More food—more wraps—and books and papers! Was any marooned mariner ever one-half so well treated?”

Is it any use taking them any other way?

Read from here
Show the passage

“

Is it any use taking them any other way?

” she asked. “Besides I’ve never been at all frightened nor particularly concerned.

XXX: The Greengrocer’s Cart

Darned if I don’t know as there was something on the crook in this here affair!

Read from here
Show the passage

“

Darned if I don’t know as there was something on the crook in this here affair!

” he said, almost cheerily. “Well, well—but I ain’t got nothing to do with it. Warrants?—you say? Ah! And what might be the partiklar natur’ o’ them warrants?”

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