A. E. W. Mason

Name: The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25
Author: A. E. W. Mason

The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (1924)

Summary

“The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25”, published in 1924, is a work by A. E. W. Mason. It explores elements such as Betty Harlowe, Francine Rollard and Ann Upcott.

Quotes from The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (A. E. W. Mason)

A. E. W. Mason, The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (1924)

“ You can imagine the girl, too, her purpose changing under the torrent of abuse. Why should she use the arrow-poison to destroy herself when she can save everything—fortune, liberty, position—by murder? Only she must be quick. Madame's voice is rising in gusts of violence. Even in that house of the old thick walls, Jeanne Baudin, some one, might be wakened by the clamour. And in a moment the brutal thing is done. Madame Harlowe is flung back upon her bed. Her mouth is covered and held by Francine Rollard. The needle does its work. 'That will do now,' whispers Betty Harlowe. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (1924)

“ They rearrange the bed, they compose their victim in it as if she were asleep, they pass into the treasure-room, and they forget to lock the door behind them. Very likely they visit the Hôtel de Brebizart. Betty Harlowe has the rest of the arrow-poison and the needle to put in some safe place, and where else is safe? In the end, when every care has been taken that not a scrap of incriminating evidence is left to shout 'Murder' the next morning, Betty creeps up the stairs to make sure that Ann Upcott is asleep; and Ann Upcott, waking, stretches up her hands and touches her face. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (1924)

“ Betty Harlowe stretched out upon the bed to represent Madame, and Francine whispering 'That will do now'?"
"Yes."
Hanaud lit a cigarette and smiled.
"Francine Rollard would not stand at the side of the bed. No! She would stand at the foot and whisper those simple but appalling words. But nowhere else. That was significant, my friend. She would not stand exactly where she had stood when the murder was committed." He added softly, "I have great hopes of Francine Rollard. A few days of a prison cell and that untamed little tiger-cat will talk." ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (1924)

“ They were anxious to get the exact time the journey would take with Ann Upcott in the side-car, so that there might be no needless hanging about waiting for its arrival. But they were a little too careful. Our friend Boris said a shrewd thing, didn't he? Some crimes are discovered because the alibis are too unnaturally perfect. Oh, there was no doubt they meant to bring back Mademoiselle Ann! But suppose they brought her back dead! It wasn't likely—no! It would be so much easier to finish her off with a dose of the arrow-poison. No struggle, no blood, no trouble at all. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (1924)

“ Frobisher interrupted. "If Madame Harlowe showed this letter first of all to Jeanne Baudin, and afterwards to Betty Harlowe in Jeanne Baudin's presence, why didn't Jeanne Baudin speak of it at once to the examining magistrate when Waberski brought his accusation? She kept silent! Yes, she kept silent!"
"Why shouldn't she?" returned Hanaud. "Jeanne Baudin is a good and decent girl. For her, Madame Harlowe had died a natural death in her sleep, the very form in which death might be expected to come for her. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (1924)

“ Jeanne Baudin didn't believe a word of Waberski's accusation. Why should she rake up old scandals? She herself proposed to Betty Harlowe to say nothing about the anonymous letter."
Jim Frobisher thought over the argument and accepted it. "Yes, I see her point of view," he admitted, and Hanaud continued his narrative.
"Well, then, Betty Harlowe is off to her ball on the Boulevard Thiers. Ann Upcott is in her sitting-room. Jeanne Baudin has finished her offices for the night. Madame Harlowe is alone. What does she do? Drink? For that night—no! She sits and thinks. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (1924)

“ There were twenty-five kilometres of a bad track, with many sharp little twists between the Val Terzon and the Hôtel de Brebizart. And a motor-cycle with an empty side-car would take appreciably longer to cover the distance than a cycle with a side-car weighted, which could take the corners at its top speed. ”

A. E. W. Mason

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Quotes from The House of the Arrow — Chapter 25 (A. E. W. Mason)

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