Gwynplaine’s arrest and transfer to Southwark Prison abruptly severed him from Ursus and placed him inside a prison whose doors, once shut, seemed unlikely to open soon. The arrest occurred as Duchess Josiana was leaving London for Windsor, linking the two developments in time while sending them in opposite directions: she was summoned to court, while Gwynplaine was taken into custody.

Arrest at the Tadcaster Inn

At the moment Duchess Josiana left London, a wapentake appeared at the Tadcaster Inn to arrest Gwynplaine and take him to the torture cell of Southwark Prison. The account establishes the place, the arresting authority, and the intended destination, but does not describe the arrest itself in further detail. Its brief simultaneity with Josiana’s departure sets a sharp contrast between a court summons and Gwynplaine’s forced removal into custody.

Ursus at the prison gates

Ursus watched Gwynplaine go within the gates of Southwark Prison. Afterward, he remained in the corner from which he had been watching, held there by the significance of what had happened even though he knew that the prison doors would not readily release a prisoner. The narration describes his waiting as a lingering response that continues after its purpose has become futile: he stayed without knowing what he expected, caught between the closed prison and the nearby cemetery.

The arrest’s immediate consequence

Ursus eventually left his post and walked slowly away, but repeatedly turned to look back toward the wicket through which Gwynplaine had disappeared. Even after he had moved beyond the street containing the prison, he continued to turn as if the door remained before him. His route led toward Tarrinzeau Field, making the arrest not only Gwynplaine’s entry into confinement but also the point from which Ursus began the return toward the troupe’s deserted fairground surroundings. The episode closes on separation and uncertainty: Gwynplaine is inside the prison, while Ursus walks away still mentally fixed on its entrance.