Clouds of Witness · Chapter
V: The Rue St. Honoré and the Rue de la Paix explained
Inspector Parker, alone in Cathcart's Paris flat, meticulously examines the deceased's financial records, uncovering a pattern of mysterious cash withdrawals and desperate gambling that suggests blackmail or illicit activity.
What happens
Inspector Parker, alone in Cathcart's Paris flat, meticulously examines the deceased's financial records, uncovering a pattern of mysterious cash withdrawals and desperate gambling that suggests blackmail or illicit activity. He struggles with troubling questions about Lady Mary's lies at the inquest, the green-eyed cat, and the sidecar, while corresponding with Lord Peter, who updates him on the Duke's committal for trial and his own investigations in England.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Secrets
Parker uncovers hidden financial dealings and suspects blackmail; Lady Mary's lies and mysterious behavior deepen the mystery.
Crime and Morality
The investigation into Cathcart's possible card-sharping, blackmail, and the murder itself raises questions about guilt and justice.
Class Conflict and Social Mobility
Cathcart's fall from wealth and the scrutiny of aristocratic behavior highlight tensions between social standing and criminal suspicion.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Parker
Sits disconsolate in Cathcart's flat, writes a report, interviews the concierge and police, and reconstructs Cathcart's financial history from his papers.
- Captain Denis Cathcart
The deceased; his financial records reveal a once-rich man who lost his fortune during the war and resorted to gambling and mysterious cash receipts.
- Lady Mary Wimsey
Parker suspects she lied at the inquest; her nervous breakdown and refusal to testify raise questions about her possible involvement or knowledge.
- Lord Peter Wimsey
Corresponds with Parker, sends photographs, reports on a 'damn queer little adventure,' and is working to clear his brother while dealing with Lady Mary's condition.
- Gerald Wimsey
The Duke of Denver, committed for trial at Northallerton; Peter is focused on getting him cleared.
- Madame Leblanc
The concierge of Cathcart's building; she provides information about his habits and tidiness, and expresses grief over his death.
- Dowager Duchess of Denver
Peter's mother, who is at Riddlesdale and hopes to get sense out of Mary; she questions Mary about the comb and cat.
- Sir Impey Biggs
Mentioned as being perturbed about the unusual procedure for trying a peer in the House of Lords.
Key passages
“I think it was the cat. H.M.S. Pinafore”
Parker humorously references the cat as a clue, echoing a line from Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta.
The cat is a recurring mysterious object; Parker uses it as a mental touchstone.
“It was a man’s room, well appointed after the manner of a discreet club; a room that kept its dead owner’s counsel imperturbably.”
Cathcart's flat is described as a typical gentleman's space that reveals nothing of its occupant's secrets.
The room's silence contrasts with the financial chaos Parker uncovers.
“The great crash which in 1914 shook the credits of the world was mirrored in little in the passbook.”
Cathcart's financial ruin reflects the global economic collapse caused by World War I.
Parker uses the passbook as a microcosm of wartime economic history.
“Where had the money gone? Parker could think only of two destinations—an irregular establishment or a blackmailer.”
Parker speculates that Cathcart's mysterious cash outflows went to either a mistress or someone extorting him.
This leads Parker to favor the blackmail theory, linking to the murder.
“Why had Lady Mary lied at the inquest? For that she had lied, Parker had no manner of doubt.”
Parker is certain Lady Mary gave false testimony and questions her motives.
Her lies become a central puzzle, suggesting she may be protecting someone.
