Murder by the Clock · Chapter
IX: 11:55 p.m.—Queer Deeps explained
Lieutenant Valcour interviews Roberts, seeking a friend of Mr.
What happens
Lieutenant Valcour interviews Roberts, seeking a friend of Mr. Endicott's to stay with him while Mrs. Endicott is under a narcotic's influence. Roberts suggests Thomas Hollander, Endicott's 'best' friend, and provides his address from Mrs. Endicott's memorandum book. During the conversation, Valcour probes Roberts's strange emotional state, which leads to her slapping him and speaking of a 'sharing of torture' and her dread of death's finality. After she retrieves the address book, Valcour copies Hollander's information and is bewildered to also find the address and telephone number of Marge Myles.
Themes in this chapter
Appearance vs. Reality
Roberts's composed, indifferent exterior masks a deep, unexplained emotional turmoil, as seen in her sudden slap and her cryptic talk of 'sharing torture' and the dead.
Death and the Afterlife
Roberts expresses a dread of death's finality and a desire to believe in immortality, suggesting a personal stake in the possibility of an afterlife.
The Psychology of Murder
Valcour's introspective thoughts on the 'kaleidoscopic overtones' of crime in higher social strata highlight the psychological complexity he faces in this case.
Characters to notice
- Lieutenant Valcour
Interviews Roberts, seeking a friend of Endicott's; probes her emotional state and is slapped by her; copies Hollander's address and is bewildered by Marge Myles's entry.
- Roberts
Suggests Thomas Hollander as Endicott's best friend; slaps Valcour after a probing question; speaks of a 'sharing of torture' and her dread of death's finality.
- Thomas Hollander
Identified as Mr. Endicott's 'best' friend, living in a bachelor apartment on East Fifty-second Street; his address is obtained from Mrs. Endicott's memorandum book.
- Marge Myles
Her address and telephone number are found in Mrs. Endicott's memorandum book, causing Valcour's bewilderment.
- Dr. Worth
His statement about Mrs. Endicott's condition is summarized by Valcour to Roberts.
- Jane
Her chair is used by Roberts during the interview.
Key passages
“It’s a sharing, if you wish—sort of a sharing of torture.”
Roberts describes her relationship with Mrs. Endicott as a mutual experience of suffering.
This cryptic statement hints at a deep, possibly dark, bond between Roberts and her employer.
“Do you believe, Lieutenant, that the dead remain in emotional touch with the living?”
Roberts asks Valcour if he thinks the deceased can still influence the emotions of the living.
Her question reveals a personal preoccupation with death and the afterlife, possibly connected to her sacrifice.
“It wasn’t so much the door of the room she had closed as it was the door guarding her secrets.”
Roberts's act of closing the door symbolized her retreat from revealing her private thoughts.
This highlights Roberts's guarded nature and the difficulty Valcour faces in uncovering the truth.