The Woman in Black: Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

When Arthur awakes in the morning, he feels weary and ill—his nerves and imagination are on edge. He rises from bed, takes a hot bath, and begins feeling a little bit better. As he eats breakfast, he reflects on the previous evening. Coming back from the marsh, he swore he would have nothing more to do with the Drablow estate at all, and would return to London at first opportunity. Now, in the light of day, he does not feels inclined to run away.

The landlord comes to clear away Arthur’s dishes, and Arthur apologizes for coming in so late the previous evening. The landlord says that Arthur’s late arrival was better than “an uncomfortable night anywhere else.” Arthur tells the landlord he wants to take a long walk; the landlord suggests Arthur borrow a bicycle, and Arthur is cheered by the idea of bicycling. First, however, he wants to speak with Mr. Jerome about sending an office boy to Eel Marsh with Arthur so that he does not have to face the manor alone again. Arthur vows to return to the house only to sort through the papers inside, returning well before dark and not exploring the grounds any further under any circumstances.

Arthur arrives at Mr. Jerome’s office and knocks at the door. Mr. Jerome answers; it is clear from the look on his face that he is not pleased to see Arthur, but lets him in nonetheless. Arthur explains that there is a massive amount of paperwork inside the Eel Marsh House, and that in order to prevent taking up residence in Crythin Gifford for a long time, he requires some help sorting through it. Mr. Jerome tells Arthur that he cannot help him—he is on his own at the office. Arthur inquires whether there is any young man in town who wants to earn some money by assisting him, but Jerome insists there is no one suitable.

Arthur tells Mr. Jerome that he understands what Jerome is getting at—there is not a soul in town or out of it willing to spend any time at all at Eel Marsh House “for fear of encountering what [Arthur has] already encountered.” Arthur reveals that he saw the woman in black again, and asks if the graveyard outside of Eel Marsh House is the Drablow family plot. Jerome’s face has taken on a sickly gray pallor, and Arthur understands how seriously Jerome is affected by any mention of the woman in black. Arthur considers asking Jerome to tell him more about her, and about what horrors Jerome has seen or heard of at the house, but decides against it—he knows that when he returns to Eel Marsh, he will have to rely on his own senses, and nothing more.

Arthur takes his leave, and Mr. Jerome expresses the hope that Arthur will not encounter the woman in black again. Arthur, putting on a show of carefree cheerfulness, urges Jerome not to worry about him, and hurries from the office.

Arthur returns to the inn and composes a letter to Mr. Bentley. He reveals that he has discovered a hoard of papers in the old house and will be in town for longer than expected—perhaps the whole week. He makes an offhand remark about Eel Marsh House’s “bad reputation,” and warns Mr. Bentley that this will make it difficult to secure any help. He puts the letter on a table in the lobby, with outgoing mail, and then takes the landlord’s bicycle out for a ride.

Arthur cycles out of town, intending to go straight to the next village over to have lunch at another country inn. Once out of town, though, he cannot help looking back at the beautiful marshes, which hold a strange allure despite the horrors he knows lurk within them. Arthur understands that his emotions have become volatile and extreme in the short time since he arrived, and wonders whether his friends and family will notice the change within him when he returns to London.