# X: The Belvedere Divan explained — The Maltese Falcon

> Chapter companion for The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett.

## What happens

Spade searches Brigid's apartment while she sleeps, finding nothing related to the falcon. He returns with breakfast, and they share a meal. Brigid refuses to discuss the bird. Later, Spade confronts the young shadow in the Belvedere lobby, enlists hotel detective Luke's help to expel him, and meets a weary Joel Cairo, who was released after police questioning. Spade defends his actions from the previous night and they discuss strategy.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Duplicity

Spade secretly searches Brigid's apartment while she sleeps, and later lies to Cairo about his motives.

### Urban Alienation

The impersonal hotel lobby, shadowing, and police interrogation highlight the isolation and danger of city life.

## Character check-ins

### Sam Spade

Searches Brigid's apartment, returns with breakfast, confronts the youth at the Belvedere, and meets Cairo.

### Brigid O'Shaughnessy

Sleeps while Spade searches her apartment; later refuses to discuss the falcon.

### Joel Cairo

Returns to the Belvedere after police questioning, bandaged and weary; reluctant to continue their association.

### Wilmer Cook

The young shadow sitting in the Belvedere lobby, confronts Spade and is expelled by Luke.

### Luke

Hotel detective who helps Spade expel the youth from the lobby.

## Key lines

> You can’t ask me to talk about that this morning of all mornings. I don’t want to and I won’t.

Brigid refuses to discuss the falcon, insisting it's too soon after the night's events.

_Brigid deflects Spade's questioning about the bird._

> You’ll have to talk to me before you’re through, sonny—some of you will—and you can tell G. I said so.

Spade warns the young shadow that he will eventually have to cooperate, and to pass the message to Gutman.

_Spade confronts the youth and references Gutman._

> I certainly wished you had devised a more reasonable story. I felt decidedly ridiculous repeating it.

Cairo complains that the alibi Spade gave him for the police was absurd and embarrassing.

_Cairo expresses frustration with Spade's cover story._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters/x-the-belvedere-divan
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_maltese_falcon_se/chapters