PHILOMEL COTTAGE

CHARACTERISTICS
Alix: -33 years old.
-Brown hair, blue eyes.
-Efficient.
-She was poor when she was young.
-Brusque in manner (unfriendly, rude)
-She is secure of herself.
-She wears clean and comfortable clothes without any extravagance.
-She is sensible like Dick
-She felt freedom and independant whe she had the heredity.

Dick: -sensible. He had a slender salary. (poco)

-He’s in love with Alix (?) yes yes
He avoided Alix and He had never directly spoken of his love to Alix
He become morose and gloomy
-He lives at the Travelers Arms.
He helped a brother to pay the school

Gerald: -40 years old (Gerald Martin was Charles LeMaitre.He was swindler and bigamist. He also had
been suspected of doing away with his women victims.)
-photographer.
-He was keen on gardening and spent most of his time there.

George: gardener, old man.

1- TITLE: The story was called Philomel Cottage because it is where the murder was going to take place.
CHARACTERS:
- ALIX & DICK: Alix is an ordinary, pretty and matter-of-fact woman. She works as
shorthand-typist. At first she is in love with Dick Windyford, they are just friends but they
care for one another. Dick does not want to think of marriage but Alix dreams that one day
they will get married. The years had gone on and they did not get married.
- ALIX & GERALD: they met at a friend’s house and fell violently in love with each other and
after a week got engaged. They bought Philomel Cottage and then they moved in. They
started to live together but Alix began to suspect about Gerald, she had weirs dreams and
she did not know what they meant. She found that Gerald was a murderer and

VOCABULARY
1. STOOD: v​erb, past and past participle of ​STAND​.
2. LEANING: verb(LEAN) be in or move into a sloping position. It means Alix stands over the rustic
gate.
3. RUSTIC: adj,of or relating to the countryside; rural./ made in a plain and simple fashion, in
particular
4. GATE: noun,a hinged barrier used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge
5. RETREATING: verb, to move away
6. BEND: noun, a curve or turn
7. ABSENTMINDEDLY: adv, d​escribes​ someone who often ​forgets​ things or does not ​pay​ ​attention
to what is ​happening​ near them because they are ​thinking​ about other things.
8. BRUSQUE:​ ​quick​ and ​rude​ in ​manner​ or ​speech
9. matter of fact​: natural
10. NEAT: ​tidy
11. WITHOUT A HINT OF COQUETRY​:dressing without flirtation :O
12. STRUGGLE:​ verb, to ​experience​ ​difficulty​ and make a very ​great effort​ in ​order​ to do something:
13. SLENDER SALARY:​ small amount
14. ENVISAGED:​ verb, to ​imagine​ or ​expect​ something in the f​ uture​,​especially​ something good:
15. CARE FOR:​ to ​protect​ someone or something and ​provide the​ things they need,
16. SENSIBLE:​ ​based​ on or ​acting​ on good ​judgment​ and ​practical​ ​ideas​ or ​understanding​:
17. RASH​: acting or done without careful consideration of the possible consequences; impetuous
18. BRING IN:​ cause someone to receive (an amount of money) as income or profi
19. Morose: (adj) Dick became unhappy, bad-tempered and he didn’t talk with Alix as he used to do
it before her cousin left her money when it passed away.
20. GLOOMY​: ​unhappy​ and without ​hope​: PESIMISTA
21. WOMAN OF MEANS:​ someone who has a lot of money
22. PRIDE: consciousness of one’s own dignity/ a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived
from one’s own achievements
23. SWEPT CLEAN OFF HER FEET: if someone sweeps you off your feet, you fall suddenly and
completely in love with them
24. Stammering: ​(verb) Dick had come to Alix in a slow way, with difficulty. He has shocked because
she married a stranger man.
25. AROUSE (evoke or awaken a feeling) HER FORMER LOVER (EX-LOVER): DESPERTO LA ONDA CON
EL CHABON
26. Rage: (adj) Dick was angry and violent because of Alix decision. (casarse con el viejo)
27. Truthful (adj): it means Alix was being honest with Dick. (cuando le dijo que se preocupaba por
él, en la pág 2)
28. ENTREATIES: ​to ​try​ very hard to ​persuade​ someone to do something:
29. Tinge of anxiety: when Alix was alone she felt a small amount of wanted something to happen.
30. Clasped: it means in Alix’s dream she always ended being hold by Dick’s arms around her.
31. PERTURBED: worried
32. SWAYED: to ​move​ ​slowly​ from ​side​ to ​side​:
33. Relief: the feeling of happiness that you have when something unpleasant stops or does not
happen.
34. Gem: a person, place or thing that is especially good.
35. Captivated: to keep somebody’s attention by being interesting or attractive.
36. Hitch: a ​temporary​ d​ ifficulty​ that ​causes​ a ​short​ ​delay
37. SOLITUDE: the ​situation​ of being ​alone​ without other p ​ eople​:
38. STARVED OF DOMESTIC LIFE: she was anxious to work at home
39. Dainty: means Alix meals were small and delicate.
40. STARED AT: t​o look directly and fixedly at somebody gerald at alix
41. JERKED (o make a ​short​ ​sudden​ m ​ ovement​, or to ​cause​someone or something to do this) HIS
HEAD OVER HIS SHOULDER
42. Stooped: standing or walking with your head and shoulders bent forwards. (WTF :|)
43. SCANNING: to ​look​ at something ​carefully​, with the ​eyes​or with a ​machine​, in ​order​ to get
information​:
44. FUSSY: not​ easily​ satisfied​, or having very hig​h standards​ about​ particular​ things: GERALD
WITH THE FUCKING MEALS
45. FLUTTERED:To make a ​series​ of q ​ uick​ d
​ elicate​ ​movements​ from ​side​ to ​side​,
46. Uneasiness: the feeling of being worried or unhappy about something.
47. Concealment: the act of hiding something, the state of being hidden.
48. Absentminded: tending to forget things, perhaps you’re not thinking about what is around
you, but about something else.
49. TEASINGLY: make fun of or attempt to provoke (a person or animal) in a playful way:
50. Vexed: upset or annoyed.
51. Astonished: very surprised.
52. Muttered: to speak or say something in a quiet voice that is difficult to hear because you’re
annoyed about something
53. CONVULSED WITH RAGE: to ​feel​ ​anger​ and violent in a way that you cannot ​control
54. Contented: showing or feeling happiness or satisfaction, especially because your life is good.
55. PRY: to ​try​ to ​find​ out ​private​ ​facts​ about a ​person​:
56. NASTLY SHOCK: a highly unpleasant surprise
57. Rampant: getting ​worse​ ​quickly​ and in an ​uncontrolled​ way:
58. Queer: strange or unusual.
59. GIVE AWAY TO: be replaced
60. DORMANT: D​escribes​ something that is not ​active​ or​growing​ but has the ​ability​ to be ​active​ at
a ​later​time​:
61. AT EASE: without worry or anxiety.
62. ASSAILED:make a concerted or violent attack on: THE FEELING ON ALIX
63. Eluded: if something eludes you, you’re not able to achieve it, or not able to understand it.
64. Glanced at: 1take a brief or hurried look:
65. Swindler: to cheat somebody in order to get something, especially money, from them.
66. Bigamist: a person who commits the crime of bigamy (bigamy: the crime of marrying
somebody when you’re still legally married to someone else )
67. WHIRLED: move or cause to move rapidly round and round
68. Shuddered: to shake because of a strong feeling.
69. GLEAMED: shine brightly, especially with reflected light:
70. Gleamed: Gerald’s eyes showed that he was excited.
71. Trembling: to shake in a way that you can’t control, especially because you’re nervous,
excited.
72. Allayed: to make something, especially a feeling, less strong.
73. Lull: a quiet period between times of activity.
74. Balked: Grald would not refuse again
75. Elation: a feeling of great happiness and excitement.
76. Keeping my head: to stay calm, especially in difficult or dangerous situations.
77. Simmering: to be filled with a strong feeling, especially anger, which you have difficulty
controlling.
78. Tossed away: Gerald threw the book away
79. Twitching: Gerald’s made a sudden quick movement with his hands.
80. Strode over: Gerald did long steps towards to Alix
81. Jerked onto: this means taht Alix made a quick movement and stood up
82. Appalled: feeling or showing horror or disgust at something unpleasant or wrong.
83. Ward off: to protect or defend yourself against danger, illness, attack.
84. Sneered: to show that you have no respect for somebody by the expression of your face or by
the way you speak.
85. Trepidation: great worry or fear about something unpleasant that may happen.
86. Marshalling: Alix was putting her forces in order
87. Gasped: to take a quick deep breath with your mouth open, because you’re in pain.
88. Suffused: to spread all over or through somebody/something.
89. Gripped: an act of holding somebody/something tightly, a particular way of doing this.
90. Summoned: Alix tried to use all her strength
91. Slipped: Alix slode
92. Fled headlong: Alix ran away hastily from Gerald
93. Stalwart: The figure of the man seemed firm
94. Fluttered: Alix moved her eyelids in a lightly and quickly way.
● Leaning: verb. This means that Alix was bending sideways over the rustic gate.
● Rustic: The gate had a rural appearance.
● Retreating: Alix was watching her husband abandoning the place.
● Absentminded: adj. Alix was smoothing her hair in a distracted way.
● Trim: adj. Alix was tidy and attractive in an ordinary way
● Brusque: adj. Alix was blunt in manner and speech.
● Matter-of-fact: NPh. Alix is a person who focuses on facts rather than on perceptions.
● Neat: adj. Her clothes had been clean and in proper order.
● Without a hint of coquetry: Prep Ph. She dresses without any accessories, make up and the like.
● Struggle: V. it implies great effort to achieve a goal.
● Slender salary: Unexpected collocation + noun. This means that Dick’s salary was limited.
● Envisaged: collocation. Alix saw/viewed the future.
● Cared for: it means that Alix and Dick had romantic feelings to each other.
● Sensible: adj. Both, Alix and Dick were wise people.
● Rash: adj. they did not have to do anything without thinking first. (shade of meaning of move).
● Bring in: Ph v. it means that the money was enough to be earned to get by.
● Morose: Dick became bad tempered.
● Gloomy: Dick turned into pessimistic. (Shade of meaning of morose)
● Woman of means: Alix is a woman that had the necessary resources to live in very good conditio
● Pride: A feeling of satisfaction showed in the way Dick proposed.
● Swept clean off her feet: Idiom. Alix fell suddenly and deeply in love with Gerald.
● Arouse her former lover: Alix found the way to make Dick feel outrageous.
● Stammering: Verb. Dick was speaking with difficulty because of the anger he was feeling.
● Rage: Dick came to her stammering with anger.
● Truthful: Adj. Alix was saying only the truth.
● Entreaties: Noun. Dick was saying a plea.
● Tinge of anxiety: A slight amount of anxiety invaded her.
● Clasped: Alix was embraced in Dick’s arms in her dreams. (Shade of meaning of hug).
● Perturbed: Verb. Alix’s dreams disturbed her a lot.
● Swayed: Verb. Alix moved slowly from side to side. (Shade f meaning of move).
● Relief: Noun. Alix had a feeling of alleviation.
● Gem: Noun. They found the cottage as valuable and beautiful as a piece of jewellery.
● Captivated: adj. Alix was enchanted when she saw the cottage.
● Hitch: An impediment had occurred.
● Solitude: The servants do not like being alone in the middle of the countryside.
● Starved of domestic life: (metaphor) Alix was willing to work in the house because she had neve
before.
● Dainty: Alix enjoyed cooking delicate meals.
● Stared at: George kept looking at Alix for a long time. (Shade of meaning of look).
● Jerked his head over his shoulder: George suddenly moved his head.
● Stooped: Verb. Alix bent her body downwards.
● Scanning: Alix was looking at it in detail.
● Fussy: Gerald was too concerned about being punctual.
● Fluttered: Alix moved quickly the pages.
● Uneasiness: Alix had feelings of anxiety.
● Concealment: Alix determined to hide her feelings.
● Absentminded: Alix was unfocused and distant.
● Teasingly: Alix laughed at Gerald.
● Vexed: Gerald looked annoyed.
● Astonished: Gerald became very surprised about what Alix had said.
● Muttered: Alix said something in a quiet voice.
● Convulsed with rage: Gerald was so angry that he could not control it and collapsed.
● Contented: Alix went to sleep feeling satisfied
● Pry: Verb. Do not peep into Gerald’s life.
● Nasty shock: Alix may have an unpleasant and strong feeling if she pries into Gerald’s life. An un
or even bloody incident might happen.
● Rampant: Her jealous were uncontrolled.
● Queer: Her sense of shock was strange.
● Give way to: Alix was forced to agree to do what Gerald wanted.
● Dormant: Alix’s jealousy was not active at the time of the marriage.
● At ease: Alix could not stay still.
 ● Assailed: The temptation she felt had afflicted her.
● Eluded: Alix could not understand why two drawers were locked.
● Glanced at: Alix looked quickly at the clippings.
● Swindler: The person who appeared on the clippings was a person who cheats to get money.
● Bigamist: The person who appeared in the clippings committed the crime of Bigamy that consist
somebody when you are already married to somebody else.
● Whirled: The room started to spin around him.
● Shuddered: Alix shacked because she was frightened about what she had discovered.
● Gleamed: The suspicion shone on his eye.
● Trembling: Gerald was saying that Alix was shivering.
● Allayed: Gerald suspicions were not calmed.
● Lull: Her only chance was to make Gerald suspicions less strong.
● Balked: Gerald could not refuse again.
● Elation: There was a feeling of excitement and happiness underneath Gerald’s calm bearing.
● Keeping my head: Alix thought in keeping focused on her plan.
● Simmering: Alix very angry but she did not show this feeling.
● Tossed away: Gerald threw the book away.
● Twitching Gerald’s hands were making small movements.
● Strode over: Gerald did long steps towards to Alix.
● Jerked onto: He made a quick movement on making Alix stand up.
● Appalled: There was an undisguised ferocity that horrified her.
● Ward off: Alix wanted to avoid Gerald using her hands.
● Sneered: Gerald mocked at Alix.
● Trepidation: Alix asked Gerald with fear about what he wouls answer.
● Marshaling: Alix was putting her forces in order.
● Gaped: The man took a quick deep breath.
● Suffused: Gerald’s face was covered by blood.
● Gripped: Gerald was holding tightly the arms of the chair.
● Fled headlong: Alix run away hastily from Gerald.
● Stalwart: The figure of the man seemed firm.
● Fluttered: Alix’s eyelids made a quick movement.

END: It is not an unexpected end, because at the beginning of the story Gerald mentions ‘Bluebeard’s
chamber’ and this is a clue of how the story will end, because Bluebeard is a short story about a man
that marries a lady and he says to her that she cannot enter to a certain part of the house. The woman
cannot resist the temptation and enters to the forbidden room and discovers the dead bodies of his
husband’s former wives. When he realize that she entered to that room, he wants to kill her but she
asks for help to her brothers and when they arrive to the house, they kill Bluebeard.

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