The Cloven Foot · Chapter
Mrs. Evitt Makes a Revelation explained
Mrs.
What happens
Mrs. Evitt, a chronically ill and melancholic landlady, provides crucial information to Mr. Leopold that implicates Desrolles in the murder of La Chicot, leading to John Treverton's potential exoneration. George Gerard and Tom Sampson discuss the case, while Laura Treverton reacts with horror but insists on saving her husband's name.
Themes in this chapter
Crime and Justice
The chapter revolves around the investigation of La Chicot's murder, the gathering of evidence, and the legal process leading to John Treverton's potential exoneration.
Secrets and Deception
Mrs. Evitt's revelation uncovers the hidden truth about Desrolles's guilt, while John Treverton's own secretiveness about the case is hinted at.
Characters to notice
- George Gerard
The surgeon who attends Mrs. Evitt and discusses the case with Mr. Leopold, feeling remorse for his earlier suspicion of John Treverton.
- Mrs. Evitt
The landlady who reveals the identity of the murderer, Desrolles, to Mr. Leopold, driven by her anxiety about the case.
- Mr. Leopold
The lawyer who extracts the revelation from Mrs. Evitt and informs John and Laura Treverton of the new evidence.
- John Treverton
The accused, who listens to the news of Desrolles's guilt but remains reticent about providing further information.
- Laura Malcolm
John Treverton's wife, who is horrified by the revelation but insists on saving her husband's name at any cost.
- Thomas Sampson
The faithful friend who defends John Treverton and accompanies Mr. Leopold.
Key passages
“There was a time when I believed John Treverton guilty, but I have wavered in my opinion ever since last Sunday week, when he and I talked together.”
George Gerard admits he once thought John Treverton was guilty but changed his mind after a recent conversation.
Gerard's shifting perspective on Treverton's guilt.
“I should be sorely perplexed. You see, I should be called upon to find my verdict according to the evidence, and the evidence against him is very strong.”
Gerard tells Mrs. Evitt that as a juror, he would struggle because the evidence points strongly to Treverton.
Gerard's honest assessment of the case's difficulty.
“We have found the murderer. ... It's the man I suspected from the beginning—your second-floor lodger, Desrolles.”
Mr. Leopold announces to John and Laura that Desrolles is the murderer, as he had always suspected.
The key revelation that shifts suspicion away from John Treverton.