# Candlelight explained — The Crime at Black Dudley

> Chapter companion for The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham.

## What happens

Dr. George Abbershaw arrives at the gloomy Black Dudley mansion for a weekend party hosted by Wyatt Petrie and his uncle, Colonel Gordon Coombe. Abbershaw, a pathologist and minor celebrity, is secretly in love with Meggie Oliphant, who is also present. The chapter introduces the setting and several guests, including Albert Campion, Chris Kennedy, Michael Prenderby, and Anne Edgeware, as Abbershaw observes the eerie atmosphere and the Colonel's disfigured face.

## Themes in this chapter

### Isolation and Entrapment

Black Dudley is described as a dreary, lonely mansion surrounded by neglected parkland, with a 'tomb-like' atmosphere that evokes a sense of isolation.

### Class and Social Hierarchy

The party includes a mix of scholars, socialites, and athletes, highlighting social distinctions and the old-money setting of Black Dudley.

## Character check-ins

### Dr. George Abbershaw

The protagonist, a pathologist in love with Meggie Oliphant, observes the gloomy mansion and its guests.

### Meggie Oliphant

A modern young woman with copper-colored hair, seated next to Abbershaw at dinner, who teases him about his practicality.

### Wyatt Petrie

The host, a scholar and minor poet, who arranged the party and resembles the portraits on the wall.

### Colonel Gordon Coombe

Wyatt's uncle and host, an invalid with a flesh-colored mask covering a war injury, sits at the head of the table.

### Albert Campion

A seemingly foolish young man with tow-colored hair and spectacles, introduced as a 'silly ass' who performs conjuring tricks.

### Anne Edgeware

A Stage-cum-Society person sitting next to Wyatt, described as rather pretty.

## Key lines

> Gloomy old place... Thank God it's not mine.

Abbershaw remarks on the dreariness of Black Dudley, expressing relief that he does not own it.

_Reflects Abbershaw's practical nature and the oppressive atmosphere of the mansion._

> He was a smallish man, chubby and solemn, with a choirboy expression and a head of ridiculous bright-red curls which gave him a somewhat fantastic appearance.

Abbershaw is described as short, plump, and serious-looking, with bright red curls that make him appear whimsical.

_Introduces Abbershaw's physical appearance and contrasts his ordinary look with his intellectual reputation._

> The candlelight caught his clever, thoughtful face for an instant, and immediately the young scientist was struck by the resemblance to the portraits on the wall.

Abbershaw notices that Wyatt's face, illuminated by candlelight, resembles the ancestral portraits in the dining hall.

_Foreshadows the theme of lineage and the connection between Wyatt and the house._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crime_at_black_dudley_se/chapters/i-candlelight
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crime_at_black_dudley_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crime_at_black_dudley_se/chapters