The Patient in Room 18 · Chapter
A Gold Sequin explained
Miss Keate learns that a new patient, Mr.
What happens
Miss Keate learns that a new patient, Mr. Gastin, is being assigned to Room 18 despite the recent deaths. She discovers a gold sequin on the windowsill of Room 18, which she believes came from Corole Letheny's dress worn on the night of the dinner party. Keate visits Corole to inquire about the dress, while the inquest continues with testimonies from Corole, Dr. Balman, Dr. Hajek, and Jim Gainsay.
Themes in this chapter
Secrecy and Suspicion
The assignment of a new patient to Room 18 and the discovery of the sequin deepen the mystery surrounding the deaths.
Death and Mortality
The inquest and the continued use of Room 18 highlight the lingering presence of death in the hospital.
Truth and Justice
The inquest seeks to uncover the truth about Dr. Letheny's death, but testimonies raise more questions.
Characters to notice
- Sarah Keate
Narrator and nurse; discovers the gold sequin in Room 18 and investigates its origin.
- Corole Letheny
Testifies at the inquest about her revolver and her last sight of Dr. Letheny; later receives Sarah Keate at her cottage.
- Dr. Balman
Assigns Mr. Gastin to Room 18; testifies about his movements after the dinner party.
- Dr. Fred Hajek
Objects to placing a patient in Room 18; testifies about his response to the emergency.
- Jim Gainsay
Testifies at the inquest about his presence near the hospital and taking Dr. Letheny's car.
- Lance O'Leary
Mentioned as controlling the inquest; Sarah Keate plans to give him the sequin.
Key passages
“I needed no one to tell me from where the thing had come; the night of June seventh Corole Letheny had worn a dress of gold sequins cunningly arranged over net with flashes of green here and there.”
Sarah Keate immediately recognizes the gold sequin as belonging to the dress Corole Letheny wore on the night of the dinner party.
The sequin is a key clue linking Corole to Room 18.
“He had not any more than got out of the room, when Dr. Hajek entered. 'Was there a telephone call for me—thank you,' as Miss Jones handed him the pad with a number scribbled on it.”
Dr. Hajek enters the office immediately after Dr. Balman leaves, and Miss Jones gives him a phone message.
Shows the busy atmosphere and the doctors' reactions to Room 18.