The Thirty-Nine Steps · Chapter
The Adventure of the Literary Innkeeper explained
Hannay travels north by train, studying Scudder's coded notebook and evading police.
What happens
Hannay travels north by train, studying Scudder's coded notebook and evading police. He stops at a remote moorland inn, where he observes the arrival of both police and a second, more dangerous group. He escapes by stealing their car.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Resourcefulness
Hannay uses quick thinking to evade pursuers, including stealing a car and hiding in the landscape.
Identity and Disguise
Hannay adopts the appearance of a hill farmer to blend in with other passengers.
The Ordinary Man as Hero
Hannay, an ordinary man, relies on his wits and resourcefulness to survive against professional pursuers.
Characters to notice
- Richard Hannay
Narrator and protagonist; travels north, studies Scudder's cipher, and escapes from the inn by stealing a car.
- Mr. Scudder
Deceased; his coded notebook is studied by Hannay during the journey.
Key passages
“I had a solemn time travelling north that day. It was fine May weather, with the hawthorn flowering on every hedge, and I asked myself why, when I was still a free man, I had stayed on in London and not got the good of this heavenly country.”
Hannay reflects on the beauty of the countryside during his journey north, wondering why he hadn't left London sooner.
Shows Hannay's appreciation for freedom and nature despite his fugitive status.
“I got out Scudder's little black pocketbook and studied it. It was pretty well filled with jottings, chiefly figures, though now and then a name was printed in.”
Hannay examines Scudder's notebook, which contains mostly numbers and occasional printed names.
Highlights Hannay's analytical approach to decoding Scudder's cipher.
“I scribbled a line of thanks to my host, opened the window, and dropped quietly into a gooseberry bush.”
Hannay leaves a note of gratitude to the innkeeper before escaping through the window into a bush.
Demonstrates Hannay's courtesy even in a desperate situation.