No Name · Chapter
IX: From Mr. de Bleriot to Mrs. Lecount explained
Mr.
What happens
Mr. de Bleriot writes to Mrs. Lecount, revealing that a clerk in Mr. Loscombe's office has disclosed that Noel Vanstone made a will on September 30th, after his marriage. The letter suggests that Loscombe may have been involved in the secret and advises watching the lawyer if Mrs. Lecount cannot act on her own.
Themes in this chapter
Secrecy and Revelation
The letter reveals the secret of Noel Vanstone's new will, uncovered through bribery of a clerk.
Inheritance and Law
The will's existence and date are central to the inheritance dispute, with legal maneuvers and surveillance.
Characters to notice
- Mrs. Lecount
Recipient of the letter from Mr. de Bleriot, informed about Noel Vanstone's new will.
- Noel Vanstone
Subject of the letter; he has made a will since his marriage, dated September 30th.
- John Loscombe
Mr. Loscombe's clerk leaked information; Loscombe may have been in the secret of Vanstone's address.
- Alfred de Bleriot
Author of the letter to Mrs. Lecount, reporting the discovery about Noel Vanstone's will.
Key passages
“Nearly a month since, accident gave the clerk in question an opportunity of looking into one of the documents on his master’s table, which had attracted his attention from a slight peculiarity in the form and color of the paper.”
About a month ago, the clerk happened to see a document on Mr. Loscombe's desk that caught his eye because of its unusual paper.
The clerk's curiosity was piqued by the distinctive appearance of the will.
“At the beginning he saw the customary form used in making a will; at the end he discovered the signature of Mr. Noel Vanstone, with the names of two attesting witnesses, and the date (of which he is quite certain)— the thirtieth of September last.”
He saw that the document began like a typical will and ended with Noel Vanstone's signature, two witnesses, and the date September 30th.
The clerk confirmed the will's existence and date.
“If he was then employed in superintending the execution of his client’s will—which is quite possible—it follows clearly that he was in the secret of Mr. Vanstone’s address after the removal of the 4th of September; and if you can do nothing on your side, it may be desirable to have the lawyer watched on ours.”
If Loscombe oversaw the will's signing, he likely knew Vanstone's address after September 4th; if you can't act, we should surveil the lawyer.
De Bleriot suggests that Loscombe may be complicit and recommends surveillance.