# XXXVII: “I Will See You—If You Are Alive” explained — The Crimson Circle

> Chapter companion for The Crimson Circle by Edgar Wallace.

## What happens

Jack Beardmore, tormented by his obsession with Thalia Drummond and his suspicions of her, retrieves a sealed packet containing a photograph from his safe. He takes it to his bedroom but falls asleep. He wakes to find Thalia in his room, having taken the packet. She reveals that the Crimson Circle burgled his library searching for the photograph, and she feared they would think he had seen it. She dictates a letter to Inspector Parr, enclosing the unopened photograph, and leaves with a grim warning: 'I shall see you tomorrow, Mr. Beardmore, if you are alive.'

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Identity

Thalia's secretive actions and her presence in Jack's room at night highlight the theme of hidden identities and deceptive appearances, as she struggles to protect Jack without revealing her true motives.

### Love and Loyalty

Jack's obsessive love for Thalia conflicts with his suspicion of her, while Thalia's risky intervention to save Jack demonstrates her loyalty despite the danger.

### Crime and Punishment

The burglary by the Crimson Circle and Thalia's involvement in covering up evidence of the photograph illustrate the criminal underworld's reach and the characters' attempts to evade or mitigate punishment.

## Character check-ins

### Felix Marl

Jack remembers Thalia spent the evening with Marl on the night he died mysteriously, fueling his jealousy and suspicion.

### Thalia Drummond

Thalia appears in Jack's bedroom, having taken the sealed photograph. She confesses she was in the house when the Crimson Circle burgled it, and she dictates a letter to Inspector Parr, warning Jack he may not survive the night.

### Mr. Parr

Inspector Parr is the recipient of the letter Thalia dictates, which includes the unopened photograph. Jack also dreams of Parr as an ogre in Thalia's power.

### Jim Beardmore

The sealed envelope containing the photograph was addressed to Jack's father, Old Jim Beardmore, and remains unopened.

## Key lines

> Jack Beardmore went home savage and sick at heart. Thalia Drummond was an obsession to him, and yet he had every reason to believe the worst of her.

Jack returned home furious and deeply troubled, obsessed with Thalia Drummond despite having ample cause to distrust her.

_Establishes Jack's emotional turmoil and conflicted feelings toward Thalia._

> I shall see you tomorrow, Mr. Beardmore, if you are alive.

Thalia warns Jack that she will visit him the next day only if he survives the night.

_A dramatic and ominous farewell that underscores the mortal danger Jack faces._

## Links

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