"The Last Devil's Walk" and the Dickens Scandal

In 1858 Charles Dickens confronted rumors about involvement of a "third party" in the collapse of his marriage by composing two documents. First, on 25 May, in a statement apparently intended for private circulation, he declared the sole cause to be differences between her and himself. This account found its way into public print in August and thereafter was referred to by him as the "Violated Letter." Second, on 12 June, in a guarded "Personal" statement, he addressed his public in his weekly journal Household Words. This statement widely circulated in London newspapers and elsewhere. The present article draws attention to a previously unremarked third item relating to the scandal published by him in Household Words shortly thereafter.