Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 -- Homes and haunts -- England -- London; Literary landmarks -- England -- London
The Red Lion Inn thus referred to is situated north of Henley Bridge, on
the west bank of the river, and is a favourite resort for disciples of
Izaak Walton and boating men in general. Here it was that Eugene
Wrayburn—after the murderous attack by the schoolmaster—was brought
almost lifeless by Lizzie, when rescued by her from the river, as
narrated in chapter 6—
“She ran the boat ashore, went into the water, released him from the
line, and by main strength lifted him in her arms and laid him in the
bottom of the boat. He had fearful wounds upon him, and she bound
them up with her dress torn into strips. Else, supposing him to be
still alive, she foresaw that he must bleed to death before he could
be landed at his inn, which was the nearest place for succour. . . .
She rowed hard—rowed desperately, but never wildly—and seldom removed
her eyes from him in the bottom of the boat. She had so laid him
there as that she might see his disfigured face; it was so much
disfigured that his mother might have covered it, but it was above
and beyond disfigurement in her eyes. The boat touched the edge of
inn lawn, sloping gently to the water. There were lights in the
windows, but there chanced to be no one out of doors. She made the
boat fast, and again by main strength took him up, and never laid him
down until she laid him down in the house.”
The landing-place and patch of inn lawn, above indicated, may now be
verified as belonging to the “RED LION” at Henley aforesaid. The lawn is
a favourite standpoint for spectators interested in the HENLEY ROYAL
REGATTA, which takes place every year usually about the beginning of
July.
The marriage of Eugene and Lizzie took place at this same inn some weeks
later, while it was yet uncertain that Eugene would recover; the _Rev.
Frank Milvey_ officiating at the bedside, _Bella_ and her husband, _Mr.
Lightwood_, _Mrs. Milvey_, and _Jenny Wren_ being duly in attendance—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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