The Mystery of Edwin Drood

The novel begins as John Jasper leaves a London opium den. The next evening Edwin Drood visits Jasper who is the choirmaster at Cloisterham Cathedral. Edwin confides that he has misgivings about his betrothal to Rosa Bud. The next day Edwin visits Rosa at the Nuns'' House the boarding school where she lives. They quarrel good-naturedly which they apparently do frequently during his visits. Meanwhile having an interest in the cathedral cemetery Jasper seeks the company of Durdles a man who knows more about the cemetery than anyone else.Neville Landless and his twin sister Helena are sent to Cloisterham for their education. Neville will study with the minor canon Rev. Mr Crisparkle; Helena will live at the Nuns'' House with Rosa. Neville confides to Rev. Mr Crisparkle that he had hated his cruel stepfather while Rosa confides to Helena that she loathes and fears her music-master Jasper. Neville is immediately smitten with Rosa and is indignant that Edwin prizes his betrothal lightly. Edwin provokes him and he reacts violently giving Jasper the opportunity to spread rumours about Neville''s reputation of having a violent temper. Rev. Mr Crisparkle tries to reconcile Edwin and Neville who agrees to apologize to Edwin if the former will forgive him. It is arranged that they will dine together for this purpose on Christmas Eve at Jasper''s home.Rosa''s guardian Mr. Grewgious tells her that she has a substantial inheritance from her father. When she asks whether there would be any forfeiture if she did not marry Edwin he replies that there would be none on either side. Back at his office in London Mr. Grewgious gives Edwin a ring which Rosa''s father had given to her mother with the proviso that Edwin must either give the ring to Rosa as a sign of his irrevocable commitment to her or return it to Mr. Grewgious. Mr. Bazzard Mr. Grewgious''s clerk witnesses this transaction.Next day Rosa and Edwin amicably agree to end their betrothal.They decide to ask Mr. Grewgious to break the news to Jasper and Edwin intends to return the ring to Mr. Grewgious. Meanwhile Durdles takes Jasper into the cathedral crypt. On the way there Durdles points out a mound of quicklime. Jasper provides a bottle of wine to Durdles. The wine is mysteriously potent and Durdles soon loses consciousness; while unconscious he dreams that Jasper goes off by himself in the crypt. As they return from the crypt they encounter a boy called Deputy and Jasper thinking he was spying on them takes him by the throat but seeing that this will strangle him lets him go.In cludes a biography of the author