{"id":"01KG8AKVZ9T5CCHGAG3ENX8WWN","cid":"bafkreiehrciqcokhhd2qpdbpl7styubjqtccvifxusgb3eoqj73vtq6rii","type":"section","properties":{"description":"# III.\n## Overview\nThis is a section titled \"III.\" extracted from the text file [pierre.txt](arke:01KG89J1JSYKSGCE149MH9HF6A). It is part of [BOOK XXIV. LUCY AT THE APOSTLES.](arke:01KG8AJV1BGFPB4DMX4FW8WW9J) within the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. The section spans lines 14399 to 14473 of the source file.\n\n## Context\nThis section is preceded by [II.](arke:01KG8AKVZFE5V65J7B85FGDPTS) and followed by [IV.](arke:01KG8AKWW7C56YA31RGTMFGT68) within the chapter. The text file [pierre.txt](arke:01KG89J1JSYKSGCE149MH9HF6A) is part of the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection.\n\n## Contents\nThe section depicts a dramatic scene involving Pierre, Isabel, Lucy, and Lucy's brothers, Glen Stanly and Frederic. Lucy is in distress, calling for Pierre's help as her brothers attempt to take her away. Pierre intervenes, leading to a confrontation with Frederic, who accuses him of bewitching Lucy. Glen tries to restrain Frederic and appeals to Pierre to leave, claiming Lucy is mad. Pierre asserts Lucy's independence and declares she will have her way. In the ensuing struggle, Pierre seizes Lucy and locks her, Isabel, and Delly in a room. Glen and Frederic are then forcibly removed by the Apostles and given into the custody of an officer.\n","description_generated_at":"2026-01-30T20:50:24.873Z","description_model":"gemini-2.5-flash-lite","description_title":"III.","end_line":14473,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:07.471Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"III.","source_file":"01KG89J1JSYKSGCE149MH9HF6A","start_line":14399,"text":"III.\r\n\r\n\"Pierre! Pierre!--Quick! Quick!--They are dragging me back!--oh, quick,\r\ndear Pierre!\"\r\n\r\n\"What is that?\" swiftly cried Isabel, rising to her feet, and amazedly\r\nglancing toward the door leading into the corridor.\r\n\r\nBut Pierre darted from the room, prohibiting any one from following him.\r\n\r\nHalf-way down the stairs, a slight, airy, almost unearthly figure was\r\nclinging to the balluster; and two young men, one in naval uniform, were\r\nvainly seeking to remove the two thin white hands without hurting them.\r\nThey were Glen Stanly, and Frederic, the elder brother of Lucy.\r\n\r\nIn a moment, Pierre's hands were among the rest.\r\n\r\n\"Villain!--Damn thee!\" cried Frederic; and letting go the hand of his\r\nsister, he struck fiercely at Pierre.\r\n\r\nBut the blow was intercepted by Pierre.\r\n\r\n\"Thou hast bewitched, thou damned juggler, the sweetest angel! Defend\r\nthyself!\"\r\n\r\n\"Nay, nay,\" cried Glen, catching the drawn rapier of the frantic\r\nbrother, and holding him in his powerful grasp; \"he is unarmed; this is\r\nno time or place to settle our feud with him. Thy sister,--sweet\r\nLucy--let us save her first, and then what thou wilt. Pierre\r\nGlendinning--if thou art but the little finger of a man--begone with\r\nthee from hence! Thy depravity, thy pollutedness, is that of a\r\nfiend!--Thou canst not desire this thing:--the sweet girl is mad!\"\r\n\r\nPierre stepped back a little, and looked palely and haggardly at all\r\nthree.\r\n\r\n\"I render no accounts: I am what I am. This sweet girl--this angel whom\r\nye two defile by your touches--she is of age by the law:--she is her own\r\nmistress by the law. And now, I swear she shall have her will! Unhand\r\nthe girl! Let her stand alone. See; she will faint; let her go, I say!\"\r\nAnd again his hands were among them.\r\n\r\nSuddenly, as they all, for the one instant vaguely struggled, the pale\r\ngirl drooped, and fell sideways toward Pierre; and, unprepared for this,\r\nthe two opposite champions, unconsciously relinquished their hold,\r\ntripped, and stumbled against each other, and both fell on the stairs.\r\nSnatching Lucy in his arms, Pierre darted from them; gained the door;\r\ndrove before him Isabel and Delly,--who, affrighted, had been lingering\r\nthere;--and bursting into the prepared chamber, laid Lucy on her cot;\r\nthen swiftly turned out of the room, and locked them all three in: and\r\nso swiftly--like lightning--was this whole thing done, that not till the\r\nlock clicked, did he find Glen and Frederic fiercely fronting him.\r\n\r\n\"Gentlemen, it is all over. This door is locked. She is in women's\r\nhands.--Stand back!\"\r\n\r\nAs the two infuriated young men now caught at him to hurl him aside,\r\nseveral of the Apostles rapidly entered, having been attracted by the\r\nnoise.\r\n\r\n\"Drag them off from me!\" cried Pierre. \"They are trespassers! drag them\r\noff!\"\r\n\r\nImmediately Glen and Frederic were pinioned by twenty hands; and, in\r\nobedience to a sign from Pierre, were dragged out of the room, and\r\ndragged down stairs; and given into the custody of a passing officer, as\r\ntwo disorderly youths invading the sanctuary of a private retreat.\r\n\r\nIn vain they fiercely expostulated; but at last, as if now aware that\r\nnothing farther could be done without some previous legal action, they\r\nmost reluctantly and chafingly declared themselves ready to depart.\r\nAccordingly they were let go; but not without a terrible menace of swift\r\nretribution directed to Pierre.\r\n\r\n\r","title":"III."},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJV1BGFPB4DMX4FW8WW9J","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JSYKSGCE149MH9HF6A","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKVZFE5V65J7B85FGDPTS","peer_type":"section","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKWW7C56YA31RGTMFGT68","peer_type":"section","predicate":"next"}],"ver":3,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:18.409Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:50:25.144Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF5C36SQEVDHC9CBNZZJH9K"}}