The Big Bow Mystery · Chapter
II explained
The inquest into Arthur Constant's death begins, with testimony from Mrs.
What happens
The inquest into Arthur Constant's death begins, with testimony from Mrs. Drabdump, George Grodman, Denzil Cantercot, Inspector Howlett, Sergeant Runnymede, and Dr. Robinson. The medical evidence suggests the wound could not have been self-inflicted, yet the room was locked from within with no weapon found. Meanwhile, Tom Mortlake is arrested in Liverpool but quickly released, and he gives an interview blaming police harassment. The chapter also covers public reactions and the media's shifting narrative from suicide to mystery.
Themes in this chapter
The Nature of Truth and Evidence
Conflicting testimonies and the locked-room puzzle highlight the difficulty of establishing objective truth from circumstantial evidence.
The Perfect Crime and Detective Work
The seemingly impossible locked-room murder challenges conventional detective methods, with Grodman's notes and the police search failing to find a weapon or explanation.
Appearance vs. Reality
Mrs. Drabdump's description of Constant as 'weak-headed' contrasts with his actual cheerful demeanor; Mortlake's arrest and release show the gap between suspicion and guilt.
Characters to notice
- George Grodman
Testifies at the inquest, describing finding the body warm and the door bolted and locked; his book 'Criminals I Have Caught' gains new editions.
- Denzil Cantercot
Called as a witness; he was on his way to Grodman's house when called to fetch the police, but did not go upstairs.
- Tom Mortlake
Arrested in Liverpool on suspicion but released; gives an interview blaming police enmity; subpoenaed to appear at the inquest.
- Mrs. Drabdump
Testifies at the inquest, describing her discovery of the body and her interactions with the lodgers.
- Arthur Constant
The deceased; described as a cheerful, soft-hearted young idealist; his body found with throat cut in a locked room.
- Edward Wimp
Mentioned as the detective who arrests Mortlake at the ceremony later; not directly present in this chapter.
Key passages
“Mr. Grodman stated that the body was still warm when he found it. He thought that death was quite recent. The door he had had to burst was bolted as well as locked.”
Grodman testified that the body was warm, indicating recent death, and that he had to break in because the door was both bolted and locked.
Key evidence establishing the locked-room mystery.
“The wound could not have been self-inflicted. A sharp instrument had been used, such as a razor. The cut might have been made by a left-handed person.”
Dr. Robinson concluded the wound was not self-inflicted and was likely made by a left-handed person using a sharp blade like a razor.
Medical testimony ruling out suicide and pointing to murder.
“Tom Mortlake had been arrested the same day at Liverpool on suspicion of being concerned in the death of his fellow-lodger.”
Tom Mortlake was arrested in Liverpool on the same day, suspected of involvement in Constant's death.
Mortlake's arrest adds a major suspect to the case.
“If they had known I had just come from the 'scene of the crime,' and actually lived in the house, they would probably have—let me alone.”
Mortlake sarcastically noted that if the police had known he lived at the crime scene, they might have left him alone.
Mortlake's ironic comment on police logic.
