Sir Percy Blakeney, the Scarlet Pimpernel 🔒 Members

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Age and build

Age in 1792

“Sir Percy Blakeney, as the chronicles of the time inform us, was in this year of grace 1792, still a year or two on the right side of thirty” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Tall and massively built

“Tall, above the average, even for an Englishman, broad-shouldered and massively built” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Face and hair

Lazy expression in deep-set blue eyes

“a certain lazy expression in his deep-set blue eyes, and that perpetual inane laugh which seemed to disfigure his strong, clearly-cut mouth” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Fair hair, low square forehead

“the same low, square forehead, crowned with thick, fair hair, smooth and heavy; the same deep-set, somewhat lazy blue eyes” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 18)

Handsome despite lazy expression

“Physically, Sir Percy Blakeney was undeniably handsome—always excepting the lazy, bored look which was habitual to him” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Dress

Exaggerated Incroyable fashions with perfect taste

“He was always irreproachably dressed, and wore the exaggerated “Incroyable” fashions, which had just crept across from Paris to England, with the perfect good taste innate in an English gentleman” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Fine Mechlin lace at neck and wrists

“his hands looked almost femininely white, as they emerged through billowy frills of finest Mechlin lace: the extravagantly short-waisted satin coat, wide-lapelled waistcoat, and tight-fitting striped breeches” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Cream satin coat at ball

“in gorgeous shimmering cream satin, cut in the extravagant “Incroyable” style, his fair hair free from powder, priceless lace at his neck and wrists” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 11)

Voice and speech

Drawling, affected, inane manner of speaking

“in his own drawly, affected way” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 25)

Perpetual inane laugh

“that perpetual inane laugh which seemed to disfigure his strong, clearly-cut mouth” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Pleasant though distinctly inane laugh

“a pleasant, though distinctly inane laugh, was heard from outside” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 5)

Signature words

La

“La!” said Sir Percy, after a moment or two’s silence” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Demmed

“Demmed uncomfortable things, duels, ain’t they, Tony” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Odd's fish

“Odd’s fish, we must have a bowl on that” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

What or eh

“Don’t you think so, Tony—eh” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Faith

“Faith, Ffoulkes, if that’s a specimen of the goods you and your friends bring over from France” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Gait and mannerisms

Foppish ways and affected movements

“the foppish ways, the affected movements, the perpetual inane laugh, brought one’s admiration of Sir Percy Blakeney to an abrupt close” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Puts up eye-glass to survey others

“putting up his eye-glass and surveying the young Frenchman with undisguised wonderment” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Buries hands in pockets

“burying his slender, long hands into the capacious pockets of his overcoat” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Stretches long lazy legs

“he placidly sat down and stretched his long, lazy legs out before him” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Strengths

Resourceful brain and ingenuity

“the keen brain, which had planned and carried through so many daring plots, was too far-seeing to take unnecessary risks” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 25)

Daring and reckless beyond probability

“a man who was powerfully built, and who was daring and reckless beyond the bounds of probability” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 25)

Skilled at disguise and deception

“Blakeney disguised as a hideous old market-woman, in filthy cap and straggling grey locks, was a sight fit to make the gods laugh” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 21)

Excellent horseman and whip

“Sir Percy was an enthusiastic whip; his four thoroughbreds, which had been sent down to Dover a couple of days before, were just sufficiently fresh and restive” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 9)

Flaws

Appears hopelessly stupid to society

“Everyone knew that he was hopelessly stupid, but then that was scarcely to be wondered at” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Slow-witted and will not listen to circumstances

“Blakeney was slow-witted, he would not listen to “circumstances,” he only clung to facts” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 7)

Allows wife's contempt without protest

“she even amused herself by sharpening her ready wits at his expense” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Appears passive and drawling

“He remained the same, always passive, drawling, sleepy, always courteous, invariably a gentleman” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 8)

Traits

Imperturbably good-humoured

“not even for a second did he seem to lose his own imperturbable good-humour” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Courteous and gallant

“With that perfect, somewhat affected gallantry which characterised his every movement” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)

Lines in their own words

Refusing to fight a duel

“A duel? La! is that what he meant? Odd’s fish! you are a bloodthirsty young ruffian. Do you want to make a hole in a law-abiding man” (The Scarlet Pimpernel, part 6)