The Fiddle with One String explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Deception and Perjury

  Patience's past deception in the theft and her fear of perjury are central; Gager's promise of marriage is a strategic deception to secure her testimony.

• Legal and Moral Justice

  Gager's pursuit of the thieves and his offer to make Patience a witness rather than a criminal highlight the tension between legal procedure and moral compromise.

Characters to notice

• Mr. Gager

  The detective who tracks down Patience Crabstick at the Fiddle with One String, persuades her to become a witness, and promises to marry her.

• Patience Crabstick

  Lizzie's former waiting-woman, hiding at the Ramsgate pub; she is persuaded by Gager to testify against the thieves and agrees to marry him.

• Lord George de Bruce Carruthers

  A target of Gager's investigation; Gager hopes to catch him along with Mr. Benjamin, though Patience insists he was not involved in the robberies.

• Mr. Benjamin

  A primary target of Gager's net; the detective aims to capture him for his role in the diamond theft.

• Billy Cann

  Mentioned as a potential cooperator with Gager in capturing the thieves.

• Mr. Smiler

  A lesser figure in the theft; Gager hopes to catch him as well, and Patience expresses no affection for him.

Key passages

• “Mr. Benjamin was the game at which he was flying⁠— Mr. Benjamin, and, if possible, Lord George; and he conceived that his net might be big enough to hold Smiler as well as the other two greater fishes, if he could induce Patience Crabstick and Billy Cann to cooperate with him cordially in his fishing.”

  Gager's main targets were Mr. Benjamin and Lord George, but he hoped to catch Smiler too, provided Patience and Billy Cann helped him.

  Gager's strategic plan to capture multiple criminals through cooperation.

• “You aren't a perjuring of yourself?”

  Are you not committing perjury?

  Patience's concern about Gager's promise to marry her, reflecting the theme of deception.