The Withered Arm (1888)
Rhoda Brook is a lonely peasant who works long hours as a milkmaid to support her and her young son. A prior affair with Mr Lodge, a wealthy employer - by which her child was conceived - lead her to exclusion from the rest of the town's inhabitancy and lead Rhoda to the decision of living away from the village's glare on the outskirts of town. Though both her and her son are ignored by Mr Lodge, Rhoda keeps a watchful eye on his business, especially after she hears of his marriage to a much younger woman.
Gertrude, the pretty 19-year-old bride, unwittingly fans the flames of a long-term rage inside Rhoda. Stricken with jealousy, her subconscious thoughts surface in her sleep as she innocently dreams of grabbing the girls' arm in a defensive tackle, only to find that her dreamed actions were not so innocent, as Gertrude meets her for the first time the next day and reveals to her a mysterious mark on her arm. Rhoda tries to replace any thoughts of witchcraft as sheer coincidence, but the marks on Gertrude's arm rapidly worsen, and she resorts to visiting a type of witch doctor named Conjuror Trendle to find the cause; much to Rhoda's dismay, as she is asked to lead the way to the home of the exorcist and fears the loss of a good friendship should the identity of the culprit be revealed.
Rhoda Brook is a lonely peasant who works long hours as a milkmaid to support her and her young son. A prior affair with Mr Lodge, a wealthy employer - by which her child was conceived - lead her to exclusion from the rest of the town's inhabitancy and lead Rhoda to the decision of living away from the village's glare on the outskirts of town. Though both her and her son are ignored by Mr Lodge, Rhoda keeps a watchful eye on his business, especially after she hears of his marriage to a much younger woman.
Gertrude, the pretty 19-year-old bride, unwittingly fans the flames of a long-term rage inside Rhoda. Stricken with jealousy, her subconscious thoughts surface in her sleep as she innocently dreams of grabbing the girls' arm in a defensive tackle, only to find that her dreamed actions were not so innocent, as Gertrude meets her for the first time the next day and reveals to her a mysterious mark on her arm. Rhoda tries to replace any thoughts of witchcraft as sheer coincidence, but the marks on Gertrude's arm rapidly worsen, and she resorts to visiting a type of witch doctor named Conjuror Trendle to find the cause; much to Rhoda's dismay, as she is asked to lead the way to the home of the exorcist and fears the loss of a good friendship should the identity of the culprit be revealed.
