The Three Taps · Chapter
V: Supper, and Mr. Brinkman explained
During supper at the Load of Mischief, the guests discuss Mottram's death.
What happens
During supper at the Load of Mischief, the guests discuss Mottram's death. Brinkman deflects the old gentleman's ironic comments about Mottram's wealth and fishing habits, revealing that Mottram was from Chilthorpe. Later, Bredon privately questions Brinkman about the suicide, the locked room, the gas tap, and Mottram's health and insurance, while Brinkman insists it was suicide and provides details of the discovery.
Themes in this chapter
Insurance and Mortality
Brinkman explains Mottram's insurance policy and the annuity he was due to receive, linking his suicide to his health fears.
Deception and Fraud
Bredon probes whether Mottram's story about a specialist was a lie, and Brinkman insists it was genuine.
Appearance vs. Reality
The locked room and gas tap suggest suicide, but Bredon questions if there could be foul play or accident.
Characters to notice
- Miles Bredon
Questions Brinkman about Mottram's death, the locked room, and the insurance claim.
- Mr. Brinkman
Nervous at supper, deflects talk of Mottram, later discusses the suicide and Mottram's health with Bredon.
- Angela Bredon
Present at supper, knows the value of silence in such situations.
- Mr. Leyland
In a contemplative mood at supper, puzzling over the locked room mystery.
- The Old Gentleman
At ease, ironically brings up Mottram's death and fishing habits.
- Mr. Mottram
Discussed as the deceased; his background, health worries, and insurance are central to the conversation.
Key passages
“Mrs. Davis’s cuisine, if it did not quite justify all the ironic comments of the old gentleman, lent some colour to them.”
The old gentleman's sarcastic remarks about the food were somewhat justified by the actual meal.
Describes the quality of supper and the old gentleman's attitude.
“I think, however, that I may claim without boasting to have frightened a few of them.”
I didn't catch any fish, but I probably scared some.
The old gentleman's ironic comment about his fishing.
“It's astonishing what a number of group names there are still left in England. There is no clan system to explain it. Yet I suppose every tenth family in this place is called 'Pillock.'”
Many English surnames are place-based, like 'Pillock' being common here, even without a clan system.
Brinkman comments on local naming customs.
“If I ever decided to put a term to my own existence, I should go to some abominable place—Margate, for example—and try to give it a bad name by being washed up just underneath the pier.”
If I were to commit suicide, I'd do it somewhere awful like Margate to tarnish its reputation.
The old gentleman's darkly humorous remark about suicide.
“I can't piece it together except as suicide myself.”
I can only explain it as suicide.
Brinkman's conclusion about Mottram's death.
“But it breaks you up rather when you find a man you said 'Good night' to the night before lying there all gassed.”
It's disturbing to find someone you spoke to the previous night dead from gas.
Brinkman describes the emotional impact of discovering the body.
