# XVI: The Militant Mrs. Meade explained — The Crime at Black Dudley

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

## What happens

Meggie and Abbershaw are awakened by a noise and discover Mrs. Meade, a fanatical local woman who has barricaded herself in an adjoining room. She reveals she witnessed a secret meeting between Von Faber, Gideon, and Dr. Whitby on the night of Colonel Coombe's death, and heard them discussing murder. Her testimony clears Dawlish, Gideon, and Whitby of the actual killing, leaving Abbershaw and Meggie to realize the murderer must be among their own party.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Disguise

Mrs. Meade hides behind a screen, eavesdropping on the secret meeting, and the truth about the murder is concealed by the perpetrators.

### Isolation and Entrapment

Abbershaw and Meggie are prisoners in the house, and Mrs. Meade is barricaded in her room, highlighting the theme of entrapment.

### Crime and Detection

Mrs. Meade's testimony provides crucial evidence about the murder, advancing the detective plot and narrowing the list of suspects.

## Character check-ins

### Dr. George Abbershaw

Awakens to Mrs. Meade's noise, interrogates her, and realizes the implications of her story.

### Meggie Oliphant

Awakens with Abbershaw, helps coax Mrs. Meade's story, and shares the terrifying realization about the murderer.

### Mrs. Meade

Introduced as a militant, religiously fanatical local woman who witnessed the secret meeting and overheard incriminating talk about murder.

### Eberhard von Faber

Mentioned as the 'German gentleman' involved in the secret meeting with Gideon and Whitby.

### Jesse Gideon

Mentioned as present at the secret meeting with Von Faber and Whitby.

### Dr. White Whitby

Mentioned as present at the secret meeting, where he spoke of an 'opportunity' and murder.

## Key lines

> The wicked shall perish. The earth shall open and they shall be swallowed up.

Mrs. Meade delivers a biblical warning that the guilty will be punished.

_Reflects her fanatical religious fervor and her belief in divine retribution._

> It's four shall swing from the gallows, their lives in the paper, before there's an end of this business.

Mrs. Meade predicts that four people will be hanged for the crimes at Black Dudley.

_Shows her certainty about the outcome and her malicious satisfaction._

> Those three didn't actually do the murder, but there's someone in the house who did.

Mrs. Meade reveals that Dawlish, Gideon, and Whitby are not the actual murderers, implying the killer is still among the guests.

_This statement shocks Abbershaw and Meggie, forcing them to suspect their own companions._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crime_at_black_dudley_se/chapters/xvi-the-militant-mrs-meade
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- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crime_at_black_dudley_se/chapters