March Moonlight is both the shortest and the longest book in Pilgrimage. Little more than 100 pages — but spanning nearly three years. If one leaves out the last chapter, however, the period covered amounts to roughly six months — from April, when Miriam is staying in London with her sister Sarah, to the last evening of her stay at Dimple Hill in September. In Chapter 10, however, two years flash by in a blink — suggesting we are reading a text that is more likely a set of notes for what might have been more chapters had Richardson found the times and energy to write them. And so Pilgrimage comes to an end — or perhaps fades out would be more accurate.
Chapter 1
A letter to Miriam (“Dick”) from Jean, a friend she met while staying at the Lauriers in Switzerland the previous winter. It is now April 1909 and Miriam is now staying with her sister Sarah. Miriam recalls events from her time in Switzerland.
Chapter 2
Miriam talks with Sarah’s children, William and Marian. She thinks of Rachel Mary, who has invited her to Dimple Hill, and Mrs. Harcourt, who helped pay for her recent visit to Switzerland.
Chapter 3
Miriam visits Michael and Amabel. Amabel has “recreated” Miriam’s room at Flaxman Court. Miriam recalls a previous visit to the Shatovs in their previous lodgings.
Chapter 4
Miriam travels to Dimple Hill, recalling moments with her sister Harriet, in Germany, in Switzerland, and during her stay with Sarah.
Chapter 5
On her first morning after arriving at Dimple Hill, Richard silently intrudes on Miriam.
Chapter 6
Later the same day, Miriam learns that she will have to leave for the summer. Miriam recalls the Young Women’s Bible Association (YWBA) [this is undoubtedly a fictional substitute for the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA)] in London as a possible place to stay. Some days later, Miriam gets a letter saying she can stay at the YWBA.
Chapter 7
At the YWBA, Miriam decides to extend her stay until September. She attends a prayer service and talks with Olga, a young woman from Russian.
Chapter 8
On one of her last days at the YWBA, Miriam thinks about her upcoming visit with the Brooms and then Dimmple Hill.
Chapter 9
At Dimple Hill, Miriam meets Charles Ducorroy, a former French monk. She reflects on a book of metaphysics she gives Charles and receives a card from Olga, who has traveled to Paris. She then learns that Olga has committed suicide. Miriam feels she is in love with Charles. She visits Brighton with her friend Pauline.
Chapter 10
Miriam writes Charles of her past affair with Hypo, then anxiously awaits his response while spending a week in Brighton. She returns to Dimple Hill, where Charles is now cool toward her. The two speak on her last evening there, but nothing more happens. Later, by George Thomson’s calculation, it is now at least two years later. Miriam is presumably at the YWBA again by must move before next week. Applying for a room at Mrs. Gay’s house, she meets Mr. Noble [Alan Odle in real life]. Later, she recalls discussing him with Mrs. Gay. Finally, she thinks about Amabel, Michael, and their son.