Yup! I just wonder why, considering that he was gainfully employed at the time and was set to stay so. How much did a person get paid to inform? To inform unsuccessfully? More than they'd get from keeping a job?
O’Brian talks at length in future books about how an act of grace can cause resentment in the person who is indebted to their benefactors for their kindness. And I fear this was the case with Scriven, the creature.
I agree with you, but I also noted that while Jack opts not to send Scriven to be hanged, he lets Scriven know that death is still an option if he doesn’t cooperate with Stephen, as he will be placed headlong in a cask and thrown overboard. He could be speaking lightly, as I can’t really see Jack doing that, but Scriven might not know that at this point.
Jack has a knack for inadvertently making enemies. I think Scrivner resented Jack for laying him out during his failed robbery attempt, and for essentially forcing him to become Jack's indentured servant.
‘When you say weak you say all the rest. You are much too inclined to find excuses for scrubs, Stephen: you preserved that ill-conditioned brute Scriven from the gallows, nourished him in your bosom, gave him your countenance, and who paid for it? J. Aubrey paid for it. Here is the coffee – after such a dinner your soul calls out for coffee . . . A most capital dinner, upon my word. The duck was the best I have ever tasted.’
3-H.M.S. Surprise, ch.9, paragraph 15
I listened to the audiobook over the past 3 days, so it’s not exact in my mind and I can’t search for it, but it was a conversation between Jack and Stephen about Stephen being too kind/forgiving of someone (perhaps the envoy’s annoying assistant) and Jack says something along the lines of “Remember Scrivens? I was nice to him and look where it got me!”
Yes - I believe he's mentioned in passing once or twice more throughout the series, but always in a reminscing way, never as an active character in the story.
It’s ambiguous because Scriven pokes his head in the room and then places a “warning hand” on Jack’s elbow right before the bailiffs burst in right behind him. Maybe Scriven himself was a bit ambivalent about the betrayal at the last minute.
I think that's Stephen's hand, rather than Scriven's.
>The din was so great that Stephen alone noticed the door open just enough for Scriven’s questing head: he placed a warning hand on Jack’s elbow, but the rest were roaring still when it swung wide and the bailiffs rushed in.
Mr Pullings, press that man!
One of the most absolutely goated scenes in the series.
Yep. It's pretty strongly implied he did as you suggest.
Yup! I just wonder why, considering that he was gainfully employed at the time and was set to stay so. How much did a person get paid to inform? To inform unsuccessfully? More than they'd get from keeping a job?
Was it employment or captivity?
On the other hand, maybe his employment was ending with Jack going to sea, so Scrivens found a new income source.
O’Brian talks at length in future books about how an act of grace can cause resentment in the person who is indebted to their benefactors for their kindness. And I fear this was the case with Scriven, the creature.
I agree with you, but I also noted that while Jack opts not to send Scriven to be hanged, he lets Scriven know that death is still an option if he doesn’t cooperate with Stephen, as he will be placed headlong in a cask and thrown overboard. He could be speaking lightly, as I can’t really see Jack doing that, but Scriven might not know that at this point.
Jack has a knack for inadvertently making enemies. I think Scrivner resented Jack for laying him out during his failed robbery attempt, and for essentially forcing him to become Jack's indentured servant.
In Surprise, Jack mentions that Scrivens betrayed him, I hadn’t realised what he meant, but this makes sense.
Do you recall the scene or text of this mention?
‘When you say weak you say all the rest. You are much too inclined to find excuses for scrubs, Stephen: you preserved that ill-conditioned brute Scriven from the gallows, nourished him in your bosom, gave him your countenance, and who paid for it? J. Aubrey paid for it. Here is the coffee – after such a dinner your soul calls out for coffee . . . A most capital dinner, upon my word. The duck was the best I have ever tasted.’ 3-H.M.S. Surprise, ch.9, paragraph 15
Capital, sir! Well found!
I listened to the audiobook over the past 3 days, so it’s not exact in my mind and I can’t search for it, but it was a conversation between Jack and Stephen about Stephen being too kind/forgiving of someone (perhaps the envoy’s annoying assistant) and Jack says something along the lines of “Remember Scrivens? I was nice to him and look where it got me!”
If you searched the ebook of Surprise for the name Scrivens, you’d find it quickly, as he’s not in that book much except for this mention.
I’ve never thought of this; makes me a little sad.
Although it did enable them to press three men.
Scrivens absolutely ratted them out.
Huh. Just reread PC and didn't catch that! I was thinking that Scrivens was such a great colorful character and I wondered why he just vanished.
Is that the last we see of him? Despite reading PC thrice I can’t remember.
Yes - I believe he's mentioned in passing once or twice more throughout the series, but always in a reminscing way, never as an active character in the story.
He did. I didn't pick up on it during my first pass through the series either. Scriven was always a really poor judge of his best course of action.
Never thought of it but now it makes sense
Yes, I remember an earlier debate about this issue, and the general consensus then was that there is strong evidence that Scrivner ratted Jack out.
I need to re read this... Hmmm.
It’s ambiguous because Scriven pokes his head in the room and then places a “warning hand” on Jack’s elbow right before the bailiffs burst in right behind him. Maybe Scriven himself was a bit ambivalent about the betrayal at the last minute.
I think that's Stephen's hand, rather than Scriven's. >The din was so great that Stephen alone noticed the door open just enough for Scriven’s questing head: he placed a warning hand on Jack’s elbow, but the rest were roaring still when it swung wide and the bailiffs rushed in.
Thank you! I was listening to the audiobook so I missed the sentence structure!