# XXVIII explained — The Murder at the Vicarage

> Chapter companion for The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie.

## What happens

The Vicar visits Hawes late on Sunday night, finds him asleep with an empty cachet box and a crumpled confession letter, and discovers an anonymous letter identical to the one received earlier. He telephones Melchett, who has traced the call, and asks him to come to Hawes's lodging.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Secrets

The Vicar discovers a confession and an anonymous letter, revealing hidden truths and the tension between concealment and revelation.

## Character check-ins

### The Narrator

Hurries to Hawes's lodging, discovers the confession and anonymous letter, and telephones Melchett.

### Mr. Hawes

Found asleep in his chair with an empty cachet box and a crumpled confession letter beside him.

### Colonel Melchett

On the telephone with the Vicar, having traced the call; is asked to come to Hawes's lodging.

## Key lines

> I hurried down the village street. It was eleven o’clock, and at eleven o’clock on a Sunday night the whole village of St. Mary Mead might be dead.

The Vicar rushed through the village at eleven on a Sunday night, when St. Mary Mead was completely still.

_Sets the late-night, quiet atmosphere of the village._

> I picked it up and straightened it out. It began: “ My dear Clement⁠— ” I read it through, uttered an exclamation and shoved it into my pocket.

He picked up the crumpled paper, read the letter addressed to him, exclaimed in surprise, and pocketed it.

_The Vicar discovers a confession letter from Hawes._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_murder_at_the_vicarage_se/chapters/xxviii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_murder_at_the_vicarage_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_murder_at_the_vicarage_se/chapters