Fantômas · Chapter
A Mysterious Crime explained
Dollon, the steward, takes a train to Paris to meet with Mme.
What happens
Dollon, the steward, takes a train to Paris to meet with Mme. de Vibray and M. Fuselier. During a violent storm, a man in a waterproof coat waits in a railway cutting, then jumps onto a train. The next morning, a body is found on the line near Brétigny, and officials discover a compartment with an unfastened safety catch. Two passengers recall a fellow traveler who disappeared overnight, and a mysterious bundle containing liquid carbonic acid is found.
Themes in this chapter
Crime and Justice
The discovery of a dead body and the official investigation into a possible murder on the train.
Fear and Terror
The stormy night, the mysterious man lurking in the cutting, and the passengers' shock at the crime.
Identity and Deception
The man disguises himself as a bricklayer and changes clothes to avoid detection.
Characters to notice
- M. Dollon
The old steward who takes the train to Paris, leaving his children at Verrières.
- Baronne de Vibray
Mentioned as someone Dollon plans to call upon.
- Detective M. Fuselier
Mentioned as the official Dollon needs to see at his office.
Key passages
““Awful weather!” he growled: “I don’t remember such a shocking night for years: wind, rain, every conceivable thing! But I mustn’t grumble, for the total absence of moon will be uncommonly useful for my purpose.””
The man complains about the storm but acknowledges that the dark night helps his plan.
Shows the man's calculated opportunism despite harsh conditions.
““Then that must be the man whose body has been found upon the line. But I do not know whether it is to be regarded as a case of suicide or of murder, for some hand baggage has been picked up as well: a suicide would not have thrown his luggage out, and a thief would not have wanted to get rid of it.””
The official is uncertain if the death was suicide or murder, noting that the discarded luggage contradicts both explanations.
Highlights the puzzling nature of the crime.