# The Blind Spinner explained — The Three Hostages

> Chapter companion for The Three Hostages by John Buchan.

## What happens

Hannay endures a week of close association with Medina, feigning docility while gathering evidence. He visits Dr. Newhover, who dismisses him, and receives a cryptic note from Sandy urging him to stay close to Medina. Finally, Medina takes Hannay to meet his blind mother, who attempts to hypnotize him, but Hannay resists and plays along.

## Themes in this chapter

### Identity and Deception

Hannay adopts a docile slave persona to deceive Medina, while Medina's public repute is shown to be false.

### Psychological Warfare

Medina and his mother attempt to hypnotize and control Hannay; Hannay resists and feigns submission as a countermeasure.

### The Nature of Villainy

Hannay's growing conviction of Medina's dark and subtle villainy, despite lack of concrete evidence, explores the essence of evil.

## Character check-ins

### Richard Hannay

Narrator; endures Medina's company, feigns obedience, resists hypnosis by Medina's mother.

### Dominick Medina

Hannay's suspect; treats Hannay with affectionate friendliness in public but with authority in private; introduces Hannay to his blind mother.

### Sandy Arbuthnot

Sends Hannay a typed note urging him to stay close to Medina and break with Sandy.

### Dr. Newhover

Hannay visits him; dismisses Hannay's case, advises against Norway, and seems eager to be rid of him.

### Macgillivray

Reports that surveillance on Odell and Palmyra Square has yielded little.

### Madame Breda

Referenced in Dr. Newhover's report; Hannay realizes Medina's mother was the third person in the Palmyra Square scene.

## Key lines

> I had the clearest conviction now that Medina was the key of the whole puzzle, but as yet I had found out nothing worth mentioning, and I had to wait like the sick folk by the pool of Bethesda till something troubled the waters.

Hannay is certain Medina is central to the mystery, but has no solid evidence and must wait passively for a breakthrough.

_Hannay's frustration and reliance on patience despite strong intuition._

> I had been annexed by him as a slave, and every drop of free blood in my veins was in revolt; but I was also resolved to be the most docile slave that ever kissed the ground before a tyrant.

Hannay feels enslaved by Medina, rebels internally, but decides to act utterly submissive to gain revenge.

_Hannay's internal conflict and strategic deception._

> I knew that his public repute was false, but I had no worse crime to accuse him of than vanity.

Hannay is certain Medina's reputation is a lie, but can only prove his vanity.

_Hannay's lack of concrete evidence despite strong suspicion._

> I had a conviction, on which I would have staked my life, that if I stuck to him I would worry out some vital and damning truth; so, with no very lively or cheerful hope, but with complete certainty, I resolved for the hundredth time to let logic go and back my fancy.

Hannay is utterly convinced that staying close to Medina will eventually reveal a terrible truth, so he abandons logic and trusts his instinct.

_Hannay's determination to rely on intuition over evidence._

> Blind though they were, they seemed to radiate an ardent vitality, to glow and flash like the soul within. I realised that it was the most wonderful face of a woman I had ever looked on. And I realised in the same moment that I hated it, that the beauty of it was devilish, and the soul within was on fire with all the hatred of Hell.

Medina's mother's blind eyes seem alive and intense; Hannay finds her face beautiful but evil, full of hatred.

_Hannay's visceral reaction to Medina's mother's appearance and aura._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_three_hostages_se/chapters/viii-the-blind-spinner
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_three_hostages_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_three_hostages_se/chapters