Jamaica Inn, Part 1, Meet Mary Yellan"

Mary narrator My name is Mary, Mary Yellan. I’m 23 years old. I’m not usually very brave, but I feel brave today. Here I am… on this long journey to Cornwall… on my own. I’ve left the farm where I’ve lived all my life . I wanted to stay there, but last week I made a promise to my dear Mother …

Mother [coughing/weak voice] Mary, my child… listen… I won’t be in this world much longer.

Mary Don’t say that, Mother.

Mother It’s true, Mary. But, before I go, I have only one wish …

Mary Yes, Mother dear?

Mother When I die, promise me you will go and live with my sister, Patience.

Mary But why can’t I stay here on the farm, here in Helford?

Mother You can’t stay here alone.

Mary But I haven’t seen Patience since I was a child !

Mother I know, but soon she will be the only family you have. [coughing] I have written to her. She has agreed that you can go and live with her and your uncle Joshua. They live on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall . Here, take her letter.

Mary Bodmin Moor! But that’s so far away!

Mary narrator Mother died last Tuesday. The funeral was yesterday. We buried her next to Papa. Now, I’m on my way to my aunt’s house. I’ve got the letter here …

[reading] Joss and I now live in Jamaica Inn , where he is landlord . It’s on the road between Bodmin and Launceston …

This journey is so long! We have been travelling for hours. What a wild and lonely county Cornwall is. My only consolation is that I will see my aunt again after so many years. Oh how pretty she was with her golden hair and blue eyes! Always laughing, enjoying ourselves…

But I never visited her and I never met her husband either. … Ah, at last, I can see houses and people - this must be Bodmin town.

There is just me and one other traveller left. It’s so cold and grey outside… The rain is lashing against the window . I wish it would stop! All I can see is mile upon mile of empty moorland . No trees … no houses… I wonder how many more hours we have to travel?

Mary Excuse me, sir - is it much further?

Man Where are you going?

Mary Jamaica Inn… Do you know it?

Man Maybe I do and maybe I don’t… and why are you going there?

Mary I’m going to live there… with my aunt and uncle.

Man That will be Joss Merlyn… People say that queer things go on at Jamaica Inn .

Mary What do you mean - queer?

Man It’s just what they say. But respectable people don’t go there any more . It’s a lonely place.

Man If I were you, Miss, I would go on to Launceston tonight and go back to Bodmin tomorrow.

Mary But I can’t. My aunt and uncle are waiting for me.

Man Jamaica Inn is no place for a young woman.

Mary I have nowhere else to go…

Mary narrator What can he mean by ‘queer things’? Why is he looking at me in that curious way?

Driver Whoa boy…! Slow now.

Mary Why have we stopped here - it’s the middle of nowhere?

Driver Jamaica Inn! There you go Miss.

Mary But there’s nothing here! Oh - what’s that? There up on the moor - a dark building with tall chimneys. I can see a path to the door. There’s a sign twisting in the wind. It says ‘Jamaica Inn’.

Mary narrator Suddenly I feel frightened. I want to climb back in the coach.

Too late - it’s already gone … I suppose my only choice now is to enter Jamaica Inn.

Next time we meet - I get to meet my Aunt Patience and Uncle Joss. I discover what a mean and scary man my uncle is. And I discover a locked room - what is inside?