# The Dark Woman explained — Ashenden

> Chapter companion for Ashenden by W. Somerset Maugham.

## What happens

Ashenden and the Hairless Mexican travel together, playing piquet and discussing card games, love, and fate. The Hairless Mexican shares stories of his past, including his lost estates in Mexico and a dark woman who resisted him. They part ways at Rome, with Ashenden heading to Naples and the Mexican to Brindisi to intercept the Greek spy Constantine Andreadi.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Identity

The Hairless Mexican's ambiguous past and his role as a spy highlight themes of deception and hidden identities.

### Love and Manipulation

The Hairless Mexican's story of a dark woman illustrates love as a force that can lead to folly and ruin.

### Futility and Cynicism

Ashenden's cynical view of the mission and the grim fate awaiting the Greek spy reflects a sense of futility in war.

## Character check-ins

### Ashenden

Travels with the Hairless Mexican, loses at piquet, and reflects on the mission.

### The Hairless Mexican

Wins at piquet, tells stories of his past and a dark woman, and discusses fate and love.

### R.

Mentioned as the colonel who chose the Hairless Mexican for the mission.

### Constantine Andreadi

The Greek spy the Hairless Mexican is sent to intercept at Brindisi.

### La Marqueza

Mentioned in the Hairless Mexican's story about a woman who resisted him.

## Key lines

> Do not play piquet with people you don’t know.

The Hairless Mexican advises Ashenden to avoid playing piquet with strangers, implying he cheated.

_Highlights the theme of deception and the Mexican's manipulative nature._

> Love and a dark woman, danger, betrayal and death.

The cards warned of a dark woman leading to danger, betrayal, and death.

_Foreshadows the Hairless Mexican's story and the theme of love and manipulation._

> I have been loved by multitudes of women. I do not say it in vanity. I offer no explanation. It is mere matter of fact.

The Hairless Mexican boasts of his irresistible charm with women.

_Illustrates his grandiose self-image and the theme of deception and identity._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ashenden_se/chapters/v-the-dark-woman
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ashenden_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ashenden_se/chapters