The Murder on the Links · Chapter
I: A Fellow Traveller explained
Captain Hastings travels from Paris to London on the Calais express and meets a young, outspoken actress who calls herself 'Cinderella.' They converse about her life in vaudeville, Hastings' war experiences, and his friend Hercule Poirot's
What happens
Captain Hastings travels from Paris to London on the Calais express and meets a young, outspoken actress who calls herself 'Cinderella.' They converse about her life in vaudeville, Hastings' war experiences, and his friend Hercule Poirot's detective work, including the Styles case. The girl departs at Calais without revealing her real name, leaving Hastings intrigued.
Themes in this chapter
Class and Social Mobility
Hastings reflects on the girl's lower-class background and her remark that they are not of the same 'kind,' highlighting class distinctions.
Gender Roles and Expectations
Hastings' old-fashioned views on women's behavior contrast with the girl's modern, independent manner and use of slang.
Characters to notice
- Captain Hastings
Narrator of the chapter; traveling from Paris to London, shares rooms with Poirot, and engages in conversation with a young actress on the train.
- Cinderella
A young American-born actress and acrobat, traveling alone on the train; she is lively, uses slang, and calls herself 'Cinderella' before departing at Calais.
- Hercule Poirot
Mentioned by Hastings as his Belgian ex-detective friend and roommate in London; his work on the Styles case is recounted to the girl.
Key passages
“Jumping up from her seat, she let down the window and stuck her head out, withdrawing it a moment later with the brief and forcible ejaculation 'Hell!'”
The girl abruptly stood, opened the window, looked out, and then exclaimed 'Hell!'
Introduces the girl's bold and unladylike behavior, shocking Hastings.
“I'm an actress. No—not the kind you're thinking of, lunching at the Savoy covered with jewellery, and with their photograph in every paper saying how much they love Madame So-and-So's face cream. I've been on the boards since I was a kid of six—tumbling.”
She clarifies that she is a working actress and acrobat, not a glamorous celebrity.
Reveals her background in vaudeville and distinguishes her from high-society actresses.
“Cinderella, she said, and laughed. But little did I think when and how I should see Cinderella again.”
She gave her name as Cinderella and laughed, leaving Hastings unaware of their future encounter.
Foreshadows a later meeting and hints at her mysterious identity.