The Small House at Allington

I have already declared that Crosbie wrote and posted the fatal letter to Allington, and we must now follow it down to that place. On the morning following the squire's return to his own house, Mrs. Crump, the post-mistress at Allington, received a parcel by post directed to herself. She opened it, and found an enclosure addressed to Mrs. Dale… This was Crosbie's letter.

Engagement, Courcy ambition, postal rupture, and refused repair braid into a betrayal plot that will not tidy — so plot scores 90.

Last days are wretched days; and so are last moments wretched moments. It is not the fact that the parting is coming which makes these days and moments so wretched, but the feeling that something special is expected from them, which something they always fail to produce.

Expected special parting that fails marks Lily/Crosbie emotional truth before the letter — cast by failed scene — so cast scores 91.

Mr. Crosbie and his wife went upon their honeymoon tour to Folkestone in the middle of February, and returned to London about the end of March. Nothing of special moment to the interests of our story occurred during those six weeks, unless the proceedings of the young married couple by the sea-side may be thought to have any special interest.

Sixty chapters; honeymoon skip and office return after letter crest show dilated side-time — so pace scores 86.

Of course there was a Great House at Allington. How otherwise should there have been a Small House? Our story will, as its name imports, have its closest relations with those who lived in the less dignified domicile of the two; but it will have close relations also with the more dignified…

Title antithesis stated as logical necessity — exact domestic irony — so prose scores 90.

Our story will, as its name imports, have its closest relations with those who lived in the less dignified domicile of the two; but it will have close relations also with the more dignified, and it may be well that I should, in the first instance, say a few words as to the Great House and its owner.

Great/Small Allington plus London clerkship and Courcy market — swell geography — so world scores 88.

Of course there was a Great House at Allington. How otherwise should there have been a Small House?

Title logic as first joke invents the two-house world before Crosbie enters — so hook scores 89.

It was early in June that Lily went up to her uncle at the Great House, pleading for Hopkins,--pleading that to Hopkins might be restored all the privileges of head gardener at the Great House. There was some absurdity in this, seeing that he had never really relinquished his privileges…

Serial closes on gardener privileges rather than Johnny proposal — refuses consolatory pairing — so innov scores 92.

It was early in June that Lily went up to her uncle at the Great House, pleading for Hopkins,--pleading that to Hopkins might be restored all the privileges of head gardener at the Great House. There was some absurdity in this, seeing that he had never really relinquished his privileges; but the manner of the quarrel had been in this wise.

Domestic coda instead of repair marriage leaves Lily's constancy unresolved — anti-consolation ending — so ending scores 91.