The Three Just Men · Chapter
Before the Lights Went Out explained
At the Arts Ball, Mirabelle dances with Mr.
What happens
At the Arts Ball, Mirabelle dances with Mr. Gurther, who poses as Lord Evington. Feeling homesick and uneasy, she agrees to sit out with him. He orders her an orangeade, secretly lacing it with a red powder. When she tastes bitterness, he swaps glasses. She becomes dizzy and faint. As the waiter opens a side door, Leon Gonsalez is revealed waiting outside. Before any action occurs, the lights go out.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Disguise
Gurther impersonates Lord Evington and conceals his true intentions, while Leon Gonsalez waits in disguise.
Innocence and Corruption
Mirabelle's innocent longing for home contrasts with Gurther's corrupt plan to drug and abduct her.
Characters to notice
- Mirabelle Leicester
Feels unhappy and homesick at the ball; becomes dizzy after drinking the drugged orangeade.
- Gurther
Disguised as Lord Evington; drugs Mirabelle's drink and attempts to lure her away.
- Leon Gonsalez
Appears outside the door, waiting in a Spanish-style cloak, ready to intervene.
Key passages
“The first taste she had through the straws was one of extreme bitterness. She made a wry face and put down the glass. "How horrid!"”
Mirabelle finds the orangeade bitter and complains about the taste.
Gurther has already drugged the drink, but Mirabelle detects the unusual flavor.
“Gonsalez was waiting there, alert … death grinning at him … and then the room went inky black. Somebody had turned the main switch.”
Leon Gonsalez stands ready at the door, but the lights are suddenly cut off.
The chapter ends on a cliffhanger as the power is shut off, leaving the confrontation unresolved.