The Maltese Falcon · Chapter
III: Three Women explained
Sam Spade arrives at his office to find Iva Archer waiting for him.
What happens
Sam Spade arrives at his office to find Iva Archer waiting for him. She accuses him of killing her husband, Miles, but he dismisses her suspicions. Effie Perine reports that the police suspect Spade of shooting Thursby. Spade visits the St. Mark hotel to inquire about Brigid O'Shaughnessy (registered as Miss Wonderly) and learns she has checked out, leaving a forwarding address in Los Angeles. He returns to the office, where Effie relays a message from Brigid, now using the alias Miss Leblanc, asking to meet him at the Coronet.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Duplicity
Iva's false accusation and Brigid's use of multiple aliases (Wonderly, Leblanc) underscore the pervasive deceit in the narrative.
Betrayal and Loyalty
Iva's suspicion of Spade and Effie's protective loyalty to him highlight tensions between trust and betrayal.
Moral Ambiguity
Spade's cold handling of Iva and his ambiguous relationship with her reflect his morally gray character.
Characters to notice
- Sam Spade
Spade deals with Iva's accusations, learns of police suspicion, and investigates Brigid's disappearance.
- Effie Perine
Effie manages the office, reports on Iva's visit and police inquiries, and relays Brigid's message.
- Iva Archer
Iva confronts Spade, accusing him of killing her husband, and seeks reassurance of his affection.
- Brigid O'Shaughnessy
Brigid, under the alias Miss Wonderly, has checked out of the St. Mark and left a forwarding address; she later contacts Spade as Miss Leblanc.
- Mr. Freed
Freed, the hotel manager, assists Spade with information about Brigid's stay and departure.
Key passages
“She thinks I shot Miles.”
Iva believes I killed her husband.
Spade reveals Iva's suspicion to Effie.
“The police think I shot Thursby.”
The police suspect me of killing Thursby.
Spade informs Effie of the police's theory.
“She checked out this morning, Mr. Spade.”
Miss Wonderly left the hotel earlier today.
The hotel clerk tells Spade that Brigid has departed.