The Dain Curse · Chapter
But and If explained
The narrator and Fitzstephan debate Mrs.
What happens
The narrator and Fitzstephan debate Mrs. Leggett's psychological motives, the Dain curse, and the inconsistencies in the case over dinner. The narrator questions why Mrs. Leggett would kill her husband after years of waiting for him, and discusses Gabrielle's flight to the Haldorns. Later, at the inquests, the narrator sees Gabrielle with Madison Andrews but apart from Eric Collinson. The chapter ends with a call from the Old Man summoning the narrator back as the Leggett case becomes active again.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Illusion
The narrator and Fitzstephan debate whether Mrs. Leggett's confession is truthful or a calculated lie to protect herself.
Family and Dysfunction
The Leggett family's toxic dynamics are explored, including Mrs. Leggett's manipulation and Gabrielle's flight from home.
Crime and Detection
The chapter focuses on analyzing motives and evidence in the Leggett murder case, with the narrator recalled to active investigation.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Debates Mrs. Leggett's motives with Fitzstephan, attends inquests, and is recalled to the Leggett case.
- Owen Fitzstephan
Dines with the narrator and discusses the psychological basis of Mrs. Leggett's actions.
- Gabrielle Leggett
Seen at the inquests with Madison Andrews, apparently not with Eric Collinson.
- Madison Andrews
Leggett's attorney and executor, accompanies Gabrielle at the inquests.
- Eric Collinson
Present at the inquests but not with Gabrielle; nods to the narrator.
- Minnie Hershey
Mentioned as having bought some of Gabrielle's jewelry and sent her man to pawn the rest.
Key passages
“The killing of her sister is plain enough, knowing her character as we now do, and so are the killing of her husband, her attempt to ruin her niece's life when she was exposed, and even her determination to kill herself on the stairs rather than be caught. But the quiet years in between—where do they fit in?”
Fitzstephan finds Mrs. Leggett's violent actions understandable given her character, but is puzzled by the long period of calm between them.
Fitzstephan questions the psychological consistency of Mrs. Leggett's behavior.
“She was simple as an animal, with an animal's simple ignorance of right and wrong, dislike for being thwarted, and spitefulness when trapped.”
The narrator describes Mrs. Leggett as fundamentally amoral and reactive, like a wild creature.
The narrator reduces Mrs. Leggett's motives to primitive instincts rather than complex psychology.
“You're never satisfied until you've got two buts and an if attached to everything.”
Fitzstephan accuses the narrator of always finding reasons to doubt or complicate any explanation.
Fitzstephan criticizes the narrator's skeptical and analytical nature.