# VII: Twenty-Three Minutes Past Twelve explained — The Golden Triangle

> Chapter companion for The Golden Triangle by Maurice Leblanc.

## What happens

Patrice Belval is questioned by M. Masseron, a retired magistrate who insists that Essarès Bey's death was an accident—a fall into the fireplace—rather than murder. Patrice grows suspicious of a private understanding between Coralie and Masseron to hush up the affair, recalling Essarès' own prophecy that the matter would be suppressed. Old Siméon warns that danger still threatens Coralie.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Hidden Identities

The official narrative of accidental death is a deliberate deception to conceal the true circumstances of Essarès' murder, with Coralie and Masseron complicit in the cover-up.

### Justice and Revenge

Patrice's sense of justice is thwarted as the inquiry is manipulated to avoid exposing the crime, echoing Essarès' own prediction that the matter would be hushed up.

## Character check-ins

### Patrice Belval

Questioned by M. Masseron; grows suspicious of a cover-up and feels like an intruder.

### Coralie

Seated with M. Masseron; appears to have a private understanding with him to accept the accident theory.

### M. Masseron

Retired magistrate directing the inquiry; insists Essarès died accidentally and that no murder investigation is needed.

### Siméon Diodokis

Wandering in mind; warns Patrice that Coralie is still in danger and should leave at once.

### Essarès Bey

Deceased; his unfinished letter and the stopped clock at 12:23 are presented as evidence of accidental death.

## Key lines

> I am M. Masseron, a retired magistrate, specially appointed to clear up this affair … not to examine it, as you think, for it does not seem to me that there is anything to examine.

M. Masseron introduces himself as a retired magistrate brought in to resolve the matter, not to investigate it, because he believes there is nothing to investigate.

_Masseron immediately establishes that he views Essarès' death as an accident, not a crime._

> The letter ends there … and we know by an unimpeachable sign that the last lines were written immediately before M. Essarès’ death, because, in falling, he upset a little clock which stood on his desk and which marked twenty-three minutes past twelve.

Masseron reads Essarès' unfinished letter and points out that the clock stopped at 12:23 when Essarès fell, proving the timing of his accidental death.

_The stopped clock is used as key evidence to support the accident theory._

> It’s not over yet … There’s something to fear … to fear! … Today … presently.

Old Siméon whispers to Patrice that the danger is not past and that something terrible will happen soon.

_Siméon's cryptic warning hints that the threat to Coralie is ongoing._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_golden_triangle_se/chapters/vii-twenty-three-minutes-past-twelve
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_golden_triangle_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_golden_triangle_se/chapters