# IV: The Clouded Turquoise explained — The Teeth of the Tiger

> Chapter companion for The Teeth of the Tiger by Maurice Leblanc.

## What happens

The Prefect of Police arrives to investigate the double murder. Don Luis Perenna is detained and questioned, with suspicion falling on him due to the circumstances. The discovery of a turquoise ring and duplicate keys to the garden door shifts suspicion toward Marie Fauville, who is interrogated about her movements on the night of the murders.

## Themes in this chapter

### Justice and Injustice

The investigation's focus on circumstantial evidence and the presumption of guilt against Perenna and later Mme. Fauville highlights the tension between justice and prejudice.

### Inheritance and Greed

The motive of the enormous fortune drives suspicion toward Mme. Fauville, as she stands to inherit after the deaths of her husband and stepson.

### Identity and Disguise

Perenna's hidden identity as Arsène Lupin and the question of who is truly responsible for the crime underscore themes of deception and mistaken identity.

## Character check-ins

### Don Luis Perenna

Detained and questioned by the Prefect; suspected due to his presence in the house during the murders.

### Marie Fauville

Interrogated about the turquoise and duplicate keys; becomes a suspect as evidence mounts against her.

### M. Desmalions

Prefect of Police leading the investigation; conducts a rigorous cross-examination of Perenna and Mme. Fauville.

### Sergeant Mazeroux

Assists in the investigation; confirms Perenna's account and reveals he fell asleep during the night.

### Hippolyte Fauville

Found dead in the study alongside his son; victim of the double murder.

### Silvestre

Servant who provides Perenna with food; mentioned as a potential witness.

## Key lines

> It was about nine o’clock in the morning when the Prefect of Police entered the study in which the incomprehensible tragedy of that double murder had been enacted.

At around nine in the morning, the Prefect of Police arrived at the study where the baffling double murder had taken place.

_Sets the scene for the official investigation._

> The Prefect of Police continued: “Do you know this turquoise?” She took the stone which he held out to her and examined it without the least sign of confusion. “No,” she said.

The Prefect asked Mme. Fauville if she recognized the turquoise, but she calmly denied any knowledge of it.

_Key moment where evidence is presented to Mme. Fauville._

> “Monsieur,” he said, “circumstances having brought about that, as the residuary legatee and representative of Mr. Cosmo Mornington, you spent the night on this ground floor while a double murder was being committed here, we wish to receive your detailed evidence as to the different incidents that occurred last night.”

The Prefect formally requested Perenna's account of the previous night's events, given his role as Mornington's heir and his presence during the murders.

_Highlights the suspicion directed at Perenna._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_teeth_of_the_tiger_se/chapters/iv-the-clouded-turquoise
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_teeth_of_the_tiger_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_teeth_of_the_tiger_se/chapters