Toverlantaarn - Jane Conquest deel 4.

De Nacht waarin Sjaan Kwest de Klok liet luiden.
(How Jane Conquest rang the Bell - een kerstverhaal)

Deze pagina toont een paar andere sets toverlantaarnplaten met het droevige verhaal van onze heldin Jane Conquest. De eerste set is rond 1891 gemaakt door de Engelse fabrikant en leverancier van lantaarnplaten Frederick York en de afbeeldingen zijn zowel in kleur als in zwart en wit uitgebracht. Het was een heruitgave van een eerdere serie. De lantaarnplaten van 'York and Son' zijn vanaf 1890 herkenbaar aan het handelsmerk, een ‘Y’ met een kronkelende slang, gevat in een driehoek. In hun catalogie vinden we platen over ieder onderwerp, zoals Reizen, Humor, Wetenschap, Opleiding en..... ook Life Model series. De 17 glazen lantaarnplaten zijn 8,2 cm vierkant. Het bijzondere van dit verhaal is dat de afloop door het publiek bepaald kan worden. Blijft de baby in leven, of...... Aangezien het verhaal inmiddels bekend zal zijn, volgt hier geen vertaling. Jane Conquest. T'was about the time of Christmas, many years ago, when the sky was black with storm clouds and the earth was white with snow.

Our story's set in a humble home Jane, our heroine, so sad is she, baby Tom is at death's door and husband Harry is away at sea.	Jane's not seen Harry for many a month and her last meal was two days ago, Baby Tom is weak and thin, will live forsake him? only God can know.	Outside a fierce storm rages, no fuel is there to warm Jane's child, then she spies a gallant ship in peril.... yonder.... on sea so wild!

If she could only warn the village those sailors might yet reach the land, but what of baby Tom, her child? Oh please, oh please, a helping hand.	Those sailors all have families too. She must save them if she can. The angels will watch over Tom, she must warn the lifeboatmen.	If Jane could only read the church and sound the bell, then help would come, but the snow was deep and the hillside steep, keep going Jane, don't succumb!

When the church came into view her strength had almost gone, but the thought of those poor souls at sea gave Jane the will to carry on.	The heavy door finally yielded. Jane now knew her goal was near. With all her strength she pulled the rope The bell rang out.... but would they hear?	Her task complete, her duty done, her wretched frame could pull no more, all alone.... cold..... exhausted she fell in silence to the floor.

The village folk heard the signal and rallied to the 'Shipwreck!' call. The lifeboat reached the stricken vessel and saved every sailor from the squall.	Fate played it's hand that dreadful day for one young man saved from the sea was Harry Conquest, Jane's true love and now he sought her.... joyously!	But this joy turned to sadness when he saw his dear son Tom, and saw the room was dark and dank, and his lovely wife was gone.

And as he fainted to the floor he cried out for 'Jane', his wife. He could not know, that is was she who had saved his own dear life.	The village folk had wondered who had tolled the timely warning and Old Ned trudged through snow drifts deep to get to the Church that morning.	Old Ned revived our heroine, now her child was her only care, but the sight that they beheld at home was more than Jane could bear. Harry looked up and saw his wife and knew his prayers were not in vain, but what of Tom, their beloved son, would he smile at them again?
Dit is het moment waarop het publiek moet gaan beslissen of de kleine Tom in leven blijft of niet.....
(Het publiek roept nu: leven...... sterven.......leven......sterven!!!!!)	Wanneer Tom blijft leven: Tom soon was well, I'm pleased to tell and their home was filled with laughter. Jane Conquest's love had conquered all and the lived happily ever after. Jane Conquest risked her most precious gift to save a ship's doomed crew. A sacrifice that few would make, Would I? ..... Would you?	Wanneer Tom overlijdt: Alas, Tom's soul had left this world, and they both were lost in grief. Tom's time on earth with Harry and Jane had been so very, very brief. Jane Conquest gave her most precious gift to save a ship's doomed crew. A sacrifice that few would make, Would I? ..... Would you?
Een offer dat slechts weinigen kunnen brengen. Zou ik het kunnen? Of jij?
Hieronder het effect van de engel die verschijnt wanneer Jane op haar knieën valt om voor haar kind te bidden. De engel is op plaat #5 geschilderd en wordt over plaat #4, en eventueel later ook nog over plaat #16, geprojecteerd. Dit werd meestal gedaan met behulp van een tweede lantaarn of een dubbele lantaarn, een biunial.

Er bestaan lantaarnplaten over Jane Conquest die eveneens gemaakt zijn door York and Son, maar afwijken van de bovenstaande. Waarschijnlijk komen deze uit de eerdere versie van deze serie.







Hierboven een set van tien toverlantaarnplaten plus een titelplaat gemaakt door een onbekende fabrikant. Plaat #2 werd gebruikt om het flakkerende licht van het brandende schip dat door haar venster viel, te imiteren. Hieronder een set van twaalf platen van 'How Jane Conquest rang the Bell' gemaakt door Theobald & Co., ca 1900.

She is sitting there with her dying child	Gazes out of the window across the sea	She is torn with doubt as to what she can to to help the mariners

She sinks down on her knees, offers up prayer	Bravely through the tempest she forced her way	She seizes hold of the bell rope

The Lifeboat forces its way slowly, but steadily	Harry Conquest drags his weary steps across the beach and along the road	Seized with a terrible dread he sinks fainting to the ground

His eyes gaze upon a woman lying full length	The woman bent forward and gazed upon the upturned face	There lies the child she had left racked with fever