XVIII explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Deception and Disguise

  Mabuse uses a police uniform as a decoy, and George impersonates him to facilitate the escape.

• Obsession and Destruction

  Wenk's obsessive pursuit of Mabuse leads to a false victory, while the Countess's desperation to escape Mabuse's control drives her to defiance.

• Power and Control

  Mabuse exerts control over the Countess and orchestrates the escape, while Wenk's authority is undermined by the deception.

Characters to notice

• Dr. Mabuse

  Executes a complex escape plan with the Countess, using a disguised car and a decoy to evade capture.

• Countess Told

  Transferred to Mabuse's car during the escape; she begins to resist his control and hopes for rescue.

• George Strümpfli

  Assists Mabuse by driving the car into the lake and later dons Mabuse's police uniform, leading to his capture as a decoy.

• Spoerri

  Fetches the Countess and drives a decoy car towards Austria as part of the escape plan.

• Herr von Wenk

  Arrives at the Villa Elise believing Mabuse is captured, but discovers the prisoner is actually Poldringer.

• Poldringer

  Found bound to a chair in Mabuse's place, mistaken for the criminal.

Key passages

• “Wenk, jubilant, victorious, and intoxicated with success, entered the room and saw the man in police uniform fast bound to his chair. “Where is he?” he asked. “There⁠ ⁠… on that chair!” Wenk looked at the man more closely. He knew it already: his quarry had escaped!”

  Wenk, overjoyed at the capture, realizes the bound man is not Mabuse but Poldringer, and Mabuse has escaped.

  Highlights the theme of deception and Wenk's misplaced triumph.

• ““What is that sound we hear?” she said in a ringing voice. “Death⁠—perhaps!” answered Mabuse calmly. “For you !” cried the woman facing him, above the swirling of the waters. “I shall be able to shake you off at last. I shall be saved from you.””

  The Countess hears the pursuer's boat and defiantly tells Mabuse she hopes to be freed from his control, even at the cost of death.

  Shows the Countess's growing resistance and the theme of obsession and destruction.