The Confessions of Arsène Lupin · Chapter
The Invisible Prisoner explained
Farmer Goussot and his sons return from shooting to find Mother Goussot attacked and robbed.
What happens
Farmer Goussot and his sons return from shooting to find Mother Goussot attacked and robbed. They pursue the tramp Old Trainard, who vanishes within the farm's walls. After a thorough search, a mysterious stranger helps capture Trainard but then steals the stolen money, revealing himself as Arsène Lupin.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Identity
Lupin disguises himself as a helpful stranger to gain access to the farm and steal the money.
Wealth and Greed
The Goussots' greed and obsession with the stolen money drive the plot, and Lupin exploits this.
Crime and Punishment
The theft and assault are investigated, but Lupin's clever crime goes unpunished.
Characters to notice
- Farmer Goussot
The farmer who is robbed and leads the search for the tramp.
- Old Trainard
The tramp accused of stealing the money, later found hidden in the farm.
- Arsène Lupin
The mysterious stranger who captures Trainard but then steals the money and escapes.
Key passages
“It’s no use keeping on at it for the present. It’s pitch dark. The old chap must have crept into some hole. We’ll hunt him out tomorrow.”
One of the Goussot brothers suggests stopping the search until morning because it's too dark to find the tramp.
Shows the initial difficulty in locating Trainard.
“I swear I’ll lay hands on him, true as I stand here!”
Farmer Goussot vows to capture the thief himself.
Highlights Goussot's determination and anger.
“Stick to it as the angry Goussots might, they found it impossible to prove that old Trainard had stolen any money.”
Despite their efforts, the Goussots could not prove Trainard took the money.
Reveals the twist that Trainard was innocent of the theft.