# The Rest of the Find explained — The Beetle

> Chapter companion for The Beetle by Richard Marsh.

## What happens

In the attic of the mysterious house, Champnell discovers a woman's clothing, which Lessingham and Atherton identify as belonging to Marjorie Lindon. They find her purse, keys, and a severed plait of hair with blood, leading them to fear murder. Champnell suggests a different theory and proposes investigating the house across the road. Atherton arms the cabman with a revolver to guard the premises.

## Themes in this chapter

### Fear and Psychological Terror

The discovery of Marjorie's clothing and severed hair creates a scene of dread and uncertainty, with both Lessingham and Atherton gripped by fear of her fate.

### The Supernatural and the Unknown

The mysterious 'old gent' and the sense of an unseen presence watching from peepholes evoke the unknown, as the house remains a 'conjurer's den' with hidden secrets.

## Character check-ins

### Augustus Champnell

Discovers Marjorie's clothing and hair; proposes a theory that murder may not have occurred and leads the investigation to the neighboring house.

### Paul Lessingham

Identifies the dress and hair as Marjorie's; vows vengeance and threatens Atherton, holding him responsible for the harm to Marjorie.

### Sydney Atherton

Identifies the dress as Marjorie's; accepts Lessingham's threat and arms the cabman with a revolver to guard the house.

### Marjorie Lindon

Her clothing, purse, keys, and severed hair are found in the attic, suggesting she was stripped and possibly harmed.

### Cabby

Guards the house and is given a revolver by Atherton; claims experience with firearms and jokes about earning a reward for shooting the 'old gent.'

## Key lines

> It was a woman’s clothing, beyond a doubt, all thrown in anyhow—as if the person who had placed it there had been in a desperate hurry.

The clothing was clearly a woman's, tossed carelessly as if someone had been in a frantic rush.

_Champnell describes the state of the clothes found in the attic._

> My God! cried Sydney, it’s Marjorie’s!—she was wearing it when I saw her last!

Sydney exclaims in shock that the dress belongs to Marjorie, recalling she wore it when he last saw her.

_Atherton identifies the dress as Marjorie's._

> This points to murder—foul, cruel, causeless murder. As I live, I will devote my all—money, time, reputation!—to gaining vengeance on the wretch who did this deed.

Lessingham declares the evidence suggests a brutal murder and vows to use everything he has to avenge her.

_Lessingham reacts to the discovery of Marjorie's hair._

> It seems to me, gentlemen, that we move too fast—to my mind it does not by any means of necessity point to murder. On the contrary, I doubt if murder has been done.

Champnell cautions against jumping to conclusions, suggesting the evidence does not necessarily indicate murder.

_Champnell offers an alternative theory._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_beetle_se/chapters/xxxviii-the-rest-of-the-find
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_beetle_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_beetle_se/chapters