IX: Possibilities of a Croquet Set explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Secrecy and Family Dysfunction

  The secret passage and Cayley's hidden actions underscore the hidden truths and dysfunction within the Red House.

• The Amateur Detective

  Antony's deductive reasoning about the ghost and the croquet box exemplifies his role as an amateur sleuth.

• Deception and Identity

  Miss Norris's ghostly disguise and Cayley's deceptive behavior highlight the theme of appearances masking reality.

Characters to notice

• Antony Gillingham

  Investigates the ghost appearance, deduces a secret passage, and observes Cayley's suspicious behavior with the croquet box.

• Bill Beverley

  Accompanies Antony, shares details about the ghost sighting, and expresses excitement about secret passages.

• Matthew Cayley

  Seen approaching the shed after Antony's discovery; Antony suspects him of villainy and of hiding something in the croquet box.

• Miss Norris

  Her ghostly appearance is analyzed; Antony believes she knew about the secret passage and was hurried away to prevent her from revealing it.

• Betty Calladine

  Mentioned as being with Bill when Miss Norris appeared on the bowling-green.

Key passages

• “What’s the matter? said Bill sharply. Antony looked round at him with raised eyebrows. You’ve thought of something suddenly, said Bill. What is it? Antony laughed. My dear Watson, he said, you aren’t supposed to be as clever as this.”

  Bill notices Antony has an idea and presses him to share it; Antony jokes that Bill is too perceptive for his own good.

  Shows the playful dynamic between Antony and Bill, with Antony adopting a Sherlock Holmes-like role.

• “I was wondering about this ghost of yours, Bill. It seems to me— Oh, that! Bill was profoundly disappointed. What on earth has the ghost got to do with it? I don’t know, said Antony apologetically. I don’t know what anything has got to do with it. I was just wondering.”

  Antony shifts the conversation to the ghost, puzzling Bill who sees it as irrelevant; Antony admits he is exploring all possibilities.

  Highlights Antony's methodical approach to the mystery, considering even seemingly unrelated details.

• “But how did Miss Norris appear suddenly—over five hundred yards of bare park? Bill looked at Antony with open mouth. I—I don’t know, he stammered. We never thought of that.”

  Antony points out the impossibility of Miss Norris appearing without being seen crossing the open park, surprising Bill.

  Key moment where Antony identifies the logical flaw in the ghost story, leading to the secret passage theory.

• “I say, what fun! I love secret passages. Good Lord, and this afternoon I was playing golf just like an ordinary merchant! What a life! Secret passages!”

  Bill expresses childlike excitement at the prospect of a secret passage, contrasting his ordinary afternoon with the adventure.

  Reveals Bill's enthusiasm and the novel-like thrill of the mystery for him.

• “There seemed to be no doubt now that Cayley was a villain. Bill had never been familiar with a villain before. It didn’t seem quite fair of Cayley, somehow; he was taking rather a mean advantage of his friends.”

  Bill concludes that Cayley is a villain, feeling personally betrayed by his deceitful behavior.

  Shows Bill's moral outrage and his growing suspicion of Cayley.

• “Miss Norris was hurried away because she knew about the secret passage. The passage, then, had something to do with the mystery of Robert’s death.”

  Antony deduces that Miss Norris was sent away to prevent her from revealing the secret passage, which is connected to the murder.

  Critical deduction linking the ghost, the passage, and the murder, advancing the investigation.