The Midnight Guest · Chapter
I: At Whose Hand? explained
Mrs.
What happens
Mrs. Delahay, veiled in deep mourning, arrives at Lord Ravenspur's house early in the morning to report the murder of her husband, artist Louis Delahay. Newsboys already cry the murder in the streets. Ravenspur, shocked, learns that Delahay had gone to his studio the previous night and never returned. Mrs. Delahay found his body that morning. Ravenspur reveals he had been using Delahay's studio the previous evening, leaving after 1:30 a.m. without seeing Delahay. He offers to take her back to her hotel and call a doctor.
Themes in this chapter
Crime and Mystery
The chapter opens with the shocking murder of Louis Delahay, setting up a central mystery about the circumstances and perpetrator.
Secrecy and Deception
Mrs. Delahay's veiled appearance and the hidden details of the night's events hint at secrets and potential deception.
Characters to notice
- Mrs. Delahay
The veiled widow who brings news of her husband's murder to Lord Ravenspur; she is in deep mourning and struggling to maintain composure.
- Lord Ravenspur
A wealthy, talented artist and friend of the Delahays; he is shocked by the murder and reveals he was using Delahay's studio the night before.
- Maria Delahay
Addressed as 'Maria' by Ravenspur; she is the same person as Mrs. Delahay, the grieving widow.
Key passages
“A hansom pulled up in front of 799, Park Lane, and a slim figure of a woman, dressed in deep mourning, ran up the broad flight of marble steps leading to the house.”
A horse-drawn cab stopped at 799 Park Lane, and a slender woman in black mourning clothes hurried up the wide marble stairs to the front door.
Establishes the setting and the arrival of the mysterious widow.
“I am Mrs. Delahay. Please don't stand staring at me like that, but take me to your master at once. It is imperative that I should see Lord Ravenspur without a moment's delay.”
She identifies herself as Mrs. Delahay and insists urgently on seeing Lord Ravenspur immediately.
Reveals her identity and the urgency of her visit.
“Louis is dead! He has been foully murdered. I could not say more if I spoke for an hour. Louis is dead!”
She announces that Louis has been murdered, repeating the words as if trying to grasp the reality.
The pivotal revelation of the murder.
“I obtained a duplicate key from the house agent, and all yesterday I was working on my picture there. In fact it is in Louis' studio at the present moment.”
Ravenspur explains that he got a spare key from the rental agent and spent all of yesterday painting in Delahay's studio.
Ravenspur's alibi and connection to the crime scene.