The Murder at the Vicarage · Chapter
V explained
The Vicar returns home to find Colonel Protheroe murdered in his study.
What happens
The Vicar returns home to find Colonel Protheroe murdered in his study. Lawrence Redding behaves erratically outside the Vicarage. Dr. Haydock confirms the death and estimates the time of death. Inspector Slack arrives and takes charge, focusing on a stopped clock and a half-written letter as evidence. The Vicar is unable to inform Slack that the clock is kept fifteen minutes fast.
Themes in this chapter
Appearance vs. Reality
The stopped clock appears to give the exact time of death, but the Vicar knows it is consistently fast, creating a discrepancy between what seems evident and the truth.
Deception and Secrets
The false telephone call luring the Vicar away suggests premeditation and concealment. Lawrence Redding's agitated behavior hints at hidden knowledge.
The Role of the Detective
Inspector Slack's overbearing and dismissive approach contrasts with the Vicar's local knowledge, highlighting different methods of investigation.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Discovers Protheroe's body, tries to inform Inspector Slack about the clock being fast, but is silenced.
- Lawrence Redding
Seen leaving the Vicarage gate in a distraught state, acting strangely.
- Colonel Protheroe
Found dead in the Vicarage study, shot through the head.
- Dr. Haydock
Called to the scene, examines the body, estimates time of death, and notes the absence of a weapon.
- Inspector Slack
Takes charge of the investigation, focuses on the stopped clock and the unfinished letter, dismisses the Vicar's attempts to speak.
- Griselda
Returns from London and learns of the murder; points out the clock is kept fifteen minutes fast.
Key passages
“I was telephoned for this afternoon to go to a dying parishioner. When I got there everyone was very surprised to see me. The sick man was very much better than he had been for some days, and his wife flatly denied telephoning for me at all.”
Someone called the Vicar out on a false errand to get him away from the house.
The Vicar recounts the suspicious phone call to Dr. Haydock, indicating a deliberate plan to remove him from the scene.
“Plain as a pikestaff... He sits down here to write this, an enemy comes softly in through the window and shoots him as he writes. What more do you want?”
Inspector Slack is convinced the evidence clearly shows Protheroe was shot while writing a note.
Slack's confident interpretation of the scene, ignoring the Vicar's attempts to correct the clock time.
“But, Len, that makes the whole thing perfectly extraordinary. Because when that clock said twenty past six it was really only five minutes past, and at five minutes past I don't suppose Colonel Protheroe had even arrived at the house.”
Griselda realizes the clock's inaccuracy means the supposed time of death is wrong, making the case even more puzzling.
Griselda points out the crucial discrepancy that undermines Slack's timeline.