Mr. Gaunt

Mr. Gaunt is the father of Myra Selfridge (née Gaunt) and the grandfather of the little girl Myra. He appears only in the final chapters of the story, but his actions in New York City have a decisive and unjust consequence: he causes the arrest of John Rowland, the man who rescued his granddaughter from an iceberg and defended her from a polar bear.

Identity and Role

Mr. Gaunt is a wealthy, indignant, and protective patriarch. He is the father of Myra Selfridge and the grandfather of her child, also named Myra. He is introduced as a prosecuting witness in a New York City court, where he testifies against John Rowland. He describes Rowland as a man who was once a gentleman and a frequent guest at his house, who asked for the hand of his daughter, and who, when his request was not granted, threatened revenge. Mr. Gaunt's testimony frames Rowland as a stalker and a would-be murderer, claiming that Rowland followed his daughter to sea in the guise of a sailor and attempted to murder the child.

Actions in New York City

Mr. Gaunt's most consequential actions occur on the day Rowland arrives in New York with the child. After Rowland has spent his last money buying new clothes for Myra, he is stopped on Broadway by a policeman who suspects him of kidnapping. At that moment, Mr. Gaunt emerges from a department store with a party of people, including his daughter. When Myra Selfridge sees Rowland with her child, she screams and faints. Mr. Gaunt, flourishing his cane over Rowland's head, exclaims, "You scoundrel! We've caught you." He instructs the policeman to take Rowland to the station-house, promising to follow and make a charge in the name of his daughter. The policeman then raps Rowland on the head with his club and drags him through the streets, while an approving crowd applauds. The narrative notes the irony: "the man who had fought and conquered a hungry polar bear was dragged through the streets like a sick animal by a New York policeman."

Testimony and Consequences

The next morning, Mr. Gaunt appears in court as the prosecuting witness. He testifies excitedly, repeating the accusation that Rowland attempted to murder the child on the ship. When the magistrate instructs him to confine his testimony to the present offense, Mr. Gaunt continues, claiming that Rowland stole the child from its bed just before the shipwreck. He is dismissed from the stand when he admits he was not a witness to these events. His testimony, combined with his daughter's emotional account, leads to Rowland being charged with kidnapping. However, the magistrate, after reading a newspaper account of Rowland's heroism, discharges the prisoner. Mr. Gaunt leaves the courtroom with his mystified and aggrieved daughter and friends, while the child Myra shouts profanely for Rowland.

Significance

Mr. Gaunt serves as a figure of unthinking, class-bound prejudice. His immediate assumption of Rowland's guilt, his reliance on the word of the disgraced first officer, and his willingness to use the legal system to punish a man he sees as a social inferior, all contribute to the story's critique of civilized society. His actions create a final, bitter ordeal for Rowland, who, after surviving shipwreck, a polar bear attack, and amputation, is arrested and publicly humiliated for his heroism. Mr. Gaunt's role underscores the novel's theme that the institutions of civilization can be more cruel and unjust than the natural world.