What Will He Do with It?

In Short

This expansive 19th-century novel follows the intersecting lives of Guy Darrell, a wealthy and disillusioned former statesman, and his young protégé, Lionel Haughton. As Darrell attempts to navigate a return to public life and a second marriage, his path is shadowed by the desperate, criminal underworld of the man who once married into his family. Blending social satire with dramatic mystery, the book endures for its rich characterizations of the Victorian elite and its probing exploration of how wealth, pride, and the burden of history shape the human spirit.

The Story

The narrative centers on Guy Darrell, a man who has retreated into a long, solitary hibernation after a lifetime of professional success and personal tragedy. As the story opens, Darrell emerges from his self-imposed exile, prompted by the stirrings of a public that once again desires his oratorical gifts and political influence. Though he is independently wealthy and intellectually formidable, he is haunted by the failure of his first marriage and the lack of an heir to carry on the ancient, storied name of his family.

His life is inextricably linked to Lionel Haughton, a young, high-spirited man of noble instincts whom Darrell has mentored. Lionel, having matured during years abroad, views the world through an idealistic, heroic lens, often clashing with the pragmatic, cynical realism of his contemporaries. As the two men move through the glittering social spheres of London, their relationship deepens, even as the social hierarchy begins to recalibrate around them. Society, ever fickle, initially treats Lionel as a golden boy, but as rumors spread that Darrell intends to remarry and perhaps father a new heir, Lionel finds himself subtly diminished in the eyes of his peers.

The plot grows darker through the intrusion of Jasper Losely, a dissolute, predatory figure from Darrell’s past. Losely, a man of violence and desperate schemes, drifts through the city’s criminal margins, seeking to exploit Darrell’s connections and his long-lost ward, Sophy. The tension between the refined, public world of the elite and the jagged, hidden reality of the underclass provides the engine for the drama. Darrell’s search for a "safe helpmate" in marriage is not merely a social endeavor but an attempt to anchor his fragmented life. Ultimately, the story resolves through the reconciliation of disparate worlds. Darrell, forced to confront the wreckage of his personal history—including the daughter he lost and the shadow of his former wife—finds a true, unexpected connection not through the cold calculation of a political marriage, but through the profound, unselfish bond he shares with Lionel. In their final meeting, the barriers of age and fortune dissolve, leaving both men as equals, their integrity restored by the mutual recognition of their shared humanity.

How It Unfolds

The social stage is set The story opens in the crowded, bustling Hyde Park of a London June, where the reader is introduced to the rigid hierarchies and "human butterflies" of high society. The scene establishes the contrast between the idle, gossiping elite and the more purposeful, if burdened, individuals like Darrell.

The ideals of youth Lionel Haughton and his friend Vance engage in a spirited debate about fame, ambition, and the necessity of economy. Lionel defends the heroic potential of a soldier’s life, while the practical, self-made artist Vance underscores the dangers of debt and the importance of professional discipline.

The return of the recluse Guy Darrell emerges from his long seclusion, reconnecting with his old friend Colonel Morley. Their conversation reveals the fragility of Darrell’s status and his complicated plan to re-enter the political fray and seek a wife who can provide him with a successor.

The criminal underbelly The narrative shifts to the dark, maze-like passages of London, where the sinister Jasper Losely navigates a world of thieves and outcasts. His desperate, violent existence serves as a stark, threatening counterpoint to the refined drawing-room politics Darrell inhabits.

The collision of worlds As the social standing of the characters fluctuates, Darrell and Lionel are forced to confront the consequences of their pasts and their public perceptions. A series of revelations about failed marriages and hidden relatives brings the disparate lives of the characters toward a climactic, emotional reckoning.

The final union In the concluding moments, the artifice of social ambition falls away. Darrell and Lionel cast aside the weight of expectations, finding their true value in a bond of mutual respect that transcends wealth and lineage.

The People

Guy Darrell is the story’s gravitational center. Brilliant, wealthy, and burdened by a history of family decline, he wants to secure his legacy but is paralyzed by his own cynicism. He ends the story having let go of his rigid, guarded identity in favor of an authentic connection with Lionel.

Lionel Haughton is the novel’s moral compass. He desires success and fame, but his essential nobility and love for independence remain uncorrupted by the social climbing he observes. He grows from an impulsive youth into a man of true judgment who values people over status.

Jasper Losely represents the destructive, chaotic force of the past. A "tatterdemalion" of a man, he is driven by greed and a total lack of moral restraint. He stands in direct opposition to Darrell’s order, serving as a reminder of the vulnerability of those who hide from their own history.

Frank Vance, the artist, acts as a grounded, pragmatic foil to Lionel. He provides necessary lessons on the realities of poverty and the need for self-discipline, helping Lionel balance his high-minded aspirations with the practical requirements of survival in a competitive, often uncaring society.

In Its Own Voice

"The lounge in Hyde Park is crowded; along the road that skirts the Serpentine crawl the carriages one after the other; congregate by the rails the lazy lookers-on,--lazy in attitude, but with active eyes, and tongues sharpened on the whetstone of scandal,--the Scaligers of club windows airing their vocabulary in the Park."

(The author captures the bustling, judgmental atmosphere of London’s high society in the opening pages.)

"Fame, fame!" cried Lionel, unheeding the interruption. "What would I not give to have and to hold it for an hour?" "Hold an eel, less slippery; a scorpion, less stinging!"

(Vance offers a cynical, cautionary response to Lionel’s youthful desire for renown.)

"Two noble hearts, intermingled in one emotion, are set free from all time save the present: par each with each, they meet as brothers twin-born."

(The book closes with the final, transcendent reconciliation between Darrell and Lionel.)

What It's Really About

The central argument concerns the tension between the "heroic" inner life and the "mechanical" pressures of social existence. The book poses a question: can a man maintain his integrity while living within a society that measures worth through wealth, political power, and bloodlines? Darrell’s struggle is a meditation on whether identity is something we create ourselves or something inherited from our ancestors. Ultimately, the story suggests that true self-worth is not found in the "golden dreams" of public fame or the accumulation of fortune, but in the vulnerability required to connect genuinely with another human being. It critiques the hypocrisy of the elite while affirming the latent goodness found in those who, like Lionel, choose to value character over status.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the slow, deliberate pacing of 19th-century literature will find a rich, rewarding experience here. The writing is deeply atmospheric, capturing the specific textures of London’s streets—from the manicured parks of the elite to the gloomy, "rayless" alleys where the desperate hide. You will be drawn to the dialogue, which is often witty and sharp, revealing the characters' inner anxieties through the masks they wear in public.

However, be prepared for the book's period attitudes. The prose can be lengthy, and the Victorian focus on social station and marriage as a political act may feel distant to the modern reader. There are sections of dialect and archaic terminology that demand patience, and the plot unfolds with a complex, leisurely gait that does not cater to modern expectations of speed. Yet, for those who value precise character studies and the slow revelation of human motive, the book offers a quiet, profound beauty. It remains a moving reflection on the "steep where Fame’s proud temple shines," reminding us that even the most powerful individuals are eventually humbled by the need for connection, friendship, and the grace of being truly seen by another person.