The Brooklyn Murders · Chapter
X: Charis Lang explained
Inspector Blaikie, convinced of Walter Brooklyn's guilt, re-evaluates fingerprint evidence and decides to interview Charis Lang.
What happens
Inspector Blaikie, convinced of Walter Brooklyn's guilt, re-evaluates fingerprint evidence and decides to interview Charis Lang. He visits her at the Piccadilly Theatre and is surprised by her dignified character. She reveals that Walter Brooklyn made a dishonorable proposal to her, asking her to help extort money from John Prinsep. Blaikie also consults Carter Woodman, who confirms Walter's financial troubles and his attempts to secure money from Prinsep.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and False Clues
Inspector Blaikie reinterprets the fingerprint evidence, concluding that the partial obliteration suggests a gloved hand (likely Walter Brooklyn's) handled the club after Prinsep, making the initial clues misleading.
Greed and Inheritance
Walter Brooklyn's financial troubles and his attempts to extort money from John Prinsep, as well as the conditions set by Prinsep and Sir Vernon, highlight the theme of greed and inheritance.
Characters to notice
- Walter Brooklyn
Inspector Blaikie is convinced of his guilt; he is suspected of murdering both Prinsep and George Brooklyn. Blaikie believes he lied about his walking stick and that he visited Prinsep's room.
- Charis Lang
A dignified actress at the Piccadilly Theatre. She reveals that Walter Brooklyn made a dishonourable proposal to her, asking her to help extort money from John Prinsep.
- Carter Woodman
Sir Vernon's lawyer. He confirms Walter Brooklyn's financial troubles and his attempts to get money from Prinsep, but cannot shed light on Walter's dealings with Charis Lang.
- John Prinsep
The murdered man; his fingerprints on the club are discussed, and his role in refusing Walter's money demands is highlighted.
- George Brooklyn
The other murder victim; his presence at the evening meeting is considered, and the absence of fingerprints on his collar is noted.
Key passages
“Inspector Blaikie, when he left the Byron Club, was quite convinced that Walter Brooklyn was the murderer. Not merely one of the murderers, but the murderer of both men.”
After leaving the Byron Club, Inspector Blaikie was certain that Walter Brooklyn alone had killed both Prinsep and George Brooklyn.
Blaikie's firm belief in Walter's guilt is established early in the chapter.
“She was a girl whom no one but an idiot—and Inspector Blaikie was far from being an idiot—would think of calling pretty. Beautiful, some people would call her, but less from any regularity of feature than from an effect of carriage and expression—a dignity without aloofness, a self-possession that was neither hard nor unwomanly.”
Charis Lang was not conventionally pretty but possessed a dignified and self-possessed beauty that impressed Blaikie.
Blaikie's first impression of Charis Lang surprises him, as she is not the stereotypical actress he expected.
“Mr. Brooklyn came to make to me a dishonourable suggestion that I should help him to extract money from Mr. Prinsep.”
Walter Brooklyn asked Charis Lang to assist him in extorting money from John Prinsep.
Charis Lang reveals Walter's unethical proposal, providing a motive for his involvement with Prinsep.