The Water lily Pond

The Water lily Pond
The Sacrifice of Abraham painting
The Three Ages of Woman
The Virgin and Child with St Anne
I did--a year or so ago." ¡¡¡¡ "I--like it. I think it supremely beautiful!" ¡¡¡¡ "Ah well--other people have said so too. Yes, there's money in it, if I could only see about getting it published. I have other compositions to go with it, too; I wish I could bring them out; for I haven't made a five-pound note out of any of them yet. These publishing people-- they want the copyright of an obscure composer's work, such as mine is, for almost less than I should have to pay a person for making, a fair manuscript copy of the score. The one you speak of I have lent to various friends about here and Melchester, and so it has got to be sung a little. But music is a poor staff to lean on-- I am giving it up entirely. You must go into trade if you want to make money nowadays. The wine business is what I am thinking of. This is my forthcoming list--it is not issued yet--but you can take one." ¡¡¡¡ He handed Jude an advertisement list of several pages in booklet shape, ornamentally margined with a red line, in which were set forth the various clarets, champagnes, ports, sherries, and other wines with which he purposed to initiate his new venture. It took Jude more than by surprise that the man with the soul was thus and thus; and he felt that he could not open up his confidences.

Venus and Cupid

Venus and Cupid
Vermeer girl with the pearl earring
virgin of the rocks
Woman with a Parasol
¡¡¡¡ Jude hastened on, and soon had the pleasure of observing a man in a black coat and a black slouched felt hat no considerable distance ahead. Stretching out his legs yet more widely he stalked after. "A hungry soul in pursuit of a full soul!" he said. "I must speak to that man!" ¡¡¡¡ He could not, however, overtake the musician before he had entered his own house, and then arose the question if this were an expedient time to call. Whether or not he decided to do so there and then, now that he had got here, the distance home being too great for him to wait till late in the afternoon. This man of soul would understand scant ceremony, and might be quite a perfect adviser in a case in which an earthly and illegitimate passion had cunningly obtained entrance into his heart through the opening afforded for religion. ¡¡¡¡ Jude accordingly rang the bell, and was admitted. ¡¡¡¡ The musician came to him in a moment, and being respectably dressed, good-looking, and frank in manner, Jude obtained a favourable reception. He was nevertheless conscious that there would be a certain awkwardness in explaining his errand. ¡¡¡¡ "I have been singing in the choir of a little church near Melchester," he said. "And we have this week practised 'The Foot of the Cross,' which I understand, sir, that you composed?"

The Three Ages of Woman

The Three Ages of Woman
The Virgin and Child with St Anne
The Water lily Pond
¡¡¡¡ As he walked humming the air on his way home, Jude fell to musing on its composer, and the reasons why he composed it. What a man of sympathies he must be! Perplexed and harassed as he himself was about Sue and Arabella, and troubled as was his conscience by the complication of his position, how he would like to know that man!" He of all men would understand my difficulties," said the impulsive Jude. If there were any person in the world to choose as a confidant, this composer would be the one, for he must have suffered, and throbbed, and yearned. ¡¡¡¡ In brief, ill as he could afford the time and money for the journey, Fawley resolved, like the child that he was, to go to Kennetbridge the very next Sunday. He duly started, early in the morning, for it was only by a series of crooked railways that he could get to the town. About mid-day he reached it, and crossing the bridge into the quaint old borough he inquired for the house of the composer. ¡¡¡¡ They told him it was a red brick building some little way further on. Also that the gentleman himself had just passed along the street not five minutes before. ¡¡¡¡ "Which way?" asked Jude with alacrity. ¡¡¡¡ "Straight along homeward from church."

William Bouguereau The Nut Gatherers Painting

William Bouguereau The Nut Gatherers Painting
The Nut Gatherers
The Painter's Honeymoon
the polish rider
The Sacrifice of Abraham painting
¡¡¡¡ He walked out to this parish twice every Sunday, and sometimes in the week. One evening about Easter the choir met for practice, and a new hymn which Jude had heard of as being by a Wessex composer was to be tried and prepared for the following week. It turned out to be a strangely emotional composition. As they all sang it over and over again its harmonies grew upon Jude, and moved him exceedingly. ¡¡¡¡ When they had finished he went round to the organist to make inquiries. The score was in manuscript, the name of the composer being at the head, together with the title of the hymn: "The Foot of the Cross." ¡¡¡¡ "Yes," said the organist. "He is a local man. He is a professional musician at Kennetbridge--between here and Christminster. The vicar knows him. He was brought up and educated in Christminster traditions, which accounts for the quality of the piece. I think he plays in the large church there, and has a surpliced choir. He comes to Melchester sometimes, and once tried to get the cathedral organ when the post was vacant. The hymn is getting about everywhere this Easter."

The Kitchen Maid

The Kitchen Maid
The Lady of Shalott
the night watch by rembrandt
the Night Watch
¡¡¡¡ He now returned with feverish desperation to his study for the priesthood-- in the recognition that the single-mindedness of his aims, and his fidelity to the cause, had been more than questionable of late. His passion for Sue troubled his soul; yet his lawful abandonment to the society of Arabella for twelve hours seemed instinctively a worse thing--even though she had not told him of her Sydney husband till afterwards. He had, he verily believed, overcome all tendency to fly to liquor--which, indeed, he had never done from taste, but merely as an escape from intolerable misery of mind. Yet he perceived with despondency that, taken all round, he was a man of too many passions to make a good clergyman; the utmost he could hope for was that in a life of constant internal warfare between flesh and spirit the former might not always be victorious. ¡¡¡¡ As a hobby, auxiliary to his readings in Divinity, he developed his slight skill in church-music and thorough-bass, till he could join in part-singing from notation with some accuracy. A mile or two from Melchester there was a restored village church, to which Jude had originally gone to fix the new columns and capitals. By this means he had become acquainted with the organist, and the ultimate result was that he joined the choir as a bass voice.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
girl with a pearl earring vermeer
Gustav Klimt Kiss painting
Head of Christ
'O ghastly glories of saints, dead limbs of gibbeted Gods!'"... ¡¡¡¡ "Sue, you are not a good friend of mine to talk like that!" ¡¡¡¡ "Then I won't, dear Jude!" The emotional throat-note had come back, and she turned her face away. ¡¡¡¡ "I still think Christminster has much that is glorious; though I was resentful because I couldn't get there." He spoke gently, and resisted his impulse to pique her on to tears. ¡¡¡¡ "It is an ignorant place, except as to the townspeople, artizans, drunkards, and paupers," she said, perverse still at his differing from her. "THEY see life as it is, of course; but few of the people in the colleges do. You prove it in your own person. You are one of the very men Christminster was intended for when the colleges were founded; a man with a passion for learning, but no money, or opportunities, or friends. But you were elbowed off the pavement by the millionaires' sons." ¡¡¡¡ "Well, I can do without what it confers. I care for something higher." ¡¡¡¡ "And I for something broader, truer," she insisted. "At present intellect in Christminster is pushing one way, and religion the other; and so they stand stock-still, like two rams butting each other." ¡¡¡¡ "What would Mr. Phillotson----" ¡¡¡¡ "It is a place full of fetishists and ghost-seers!"

Dance Me to the End of Love

Dance Me to the End of Love
Evening Mood painting
female nude reclining
flaming june painting
There was another long silence. He felt that she was treating him cruelly, though he could not quite say in what way. Her very helplessness seemed to make her so much stronger than he. ¡¡¡¡ "I am awfully ignorant on general matters, although I have worked so hard," he said, to turn the subject. "I am absorbed in theology, you know. And what do you think I should be doing just about now, if you weren't here? I should be saying my evening prayers. I suppose you wouldn't like----" ¡¡¡¡ "Oh no, no," she answered, "I would rather not, if you don't mind. I should seem so--such a hypocrite." ¡¡¡¡ "I thought you wouldn't join, so I didn't propose it. You must remember that I hope to be a useful minister some day." ¡¡¡¡ "To be ordained, I think you said?" ¡¡¡¡ "Yes." ¡¡¡¡ "Then you haven't given up the idea?--I thought that perhaps you had by this time." ¡¡¡¡ "Of course not. I fondly thought at first that you felt as I do about that, as you were so mixed up in Christminster Anglicanism. And Mr. Phillotson----" ¡¡¡¡ "I have no respect for Christminster whatever, except, in a qualified degree, on its intellectual side," said Sue Bridehead earnestly. "My friend I spoke of took that out of me. He was the most irreligious man I ever knew, and the most moral. And intellect at Christminster is new wine in old bottles. The mediaevalism of Christminster must go, be sloughed off, or Christminster itself will have to go. To be sure, at times one couldn't help having a sneaking liking for the traditions of the old faith, as preserved by a section of the thinkers there in touching and simple sincerity; but when I was in my saddest, rightest mind I always felt,

William Bouguereau Biblis painting

Biblis painting
William Bouguereau Biblis
Charity painting
Christ In The Storm On The Sea Of Galilee
not. Better women would not. People say I must be cold-natured--sexless--on account of it. But I won't have it! Some of the most passionately erotic poets have been the most self-contained in their daily lives." ¡¡¡¡ "Have you told Mr. Phillotson about this university scholar friend?" ¡¡¡¡ "Yes--long ago. I have never made any secret of it to anybody." ¡¡¡¡ "What did he say?" ¡¡¡¡ "He did not pass any criticism--only said I was everything to him, whatever I did; and things like that." ¡¡¡¡ Jude felt much depressed; she seemed to get further and further away from him with her strange ways and curious unconsciousness of gender. ¡¡¡¡ "Aren't you REALLY vexed with me, dear Jude?" she suddenly asked, in a voice of such extraordinary tenderness that it hardly seemed to come from the same woman who had just told her story so lightly. "I would rather offend anybody in the world than you, I think!" ¡¡¡¡ "I don't know whether I am vexed or not. I know I care very much about you!" ¡¡¡¡ "I care as much for you as for anybody I ever met." ¡¡¡¡ "You don't care MORE! There, I ought not to say that. Don't answer it!"

American Day Dream

American Day Dream
A Greek Beauty
A Lily Pond
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
heavens!--what did you do then?" ¡¡¡¡ "Ah--now you are angry with me!" she said, a contralto note of tragedy coming suddenly into her silvery voice. "I wouldn't have told you if I had known!" ¡¡¡¡ "No, I am not. Tell me all." ¡¡¡¡ "Well, I invested his money, poor fellow, in a bubble scheme, and lost it. I lived about London by myself for some time, and then I returned to Christminster, as my father--who was also in London, and had started as an art metal-worker near Long-Acre-- wouldn't have me back; and I got that occupation in the artist-shop where you found me.... I said you didn't know how bad I was!" ¡¡¡¡ Jude looked round upon the arm-chair and its occupant, as if to read more carefully the creature he had given shelter to. His voice trembled as he said: "However you have lived, Sue, I believe you are as innocent as you are unconventional!" ¡¡¡¡ "I am not particularly innocent, as you see, now that I have ¡¡¡¡ 'twitched the robe From that blank lay-figure your fancy draped,'" ¡¡¡¡ said she, with an ostensible sneer, though he could hear that she was brimming with tears. "But I have never yielded myself to any lover, if that's what you mean! I have remained as I began." ¡¡¡¡ "I quite believe you. But some women would not have remained as they began."

Christ In The Storm On The Sea Of Galilee

Christ In The Storm On The Sea Of Galilee
Biblis painting
Boulevard des Capucines
Charity painting
yes. He died, poor fellow, two or three years after he had taken his degree and left Christminster." ¡¡¡¡ "You saw a good deal of him, I suppose?" ¡¡¡¡ "Yes. We used to go about together--on walking tours, reading tours, and things of that sort--like two men almost. He asked me to live with him, and I agreed to by letter. But when I joined him in London I found he meant a different thing from what I meant. He wanted me to be his mistress, in fact, but I wasn't in love with him-- and on my saying I should go away if he didn't agree to MY plan, he did so. We shared a sitting-room for fifteen months; and he became a leader-writer for one of the great London dailies; till he was taken ill, and had to go abroad. He said I was breaking his heart by holding out against him so long at such close quarters; he could never have believed it of woman. I might play that game once too often, he said. He came home merely to die. His death caused a terrible remorse in me for my cruelty-- though I hope he died of consumption and not of me entirely. l went down to Sandbourne to his funeral, and was his only mourner. He left me a little money--because I broke his heart, I suppose. That's how men are--so much better than women!"

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
A Greek Beauty
A Lily Pond
He saw what a curious and cunning glamour the neighbourhood of the place had exercised over him. To get there and live there, to move among the churches and halls and become imbued with the GENIUS LOCI, had seemed to his dreaming youth, as the spot shaped its charms to him from its halo on the horizon, the obvious and ideal thing to do. "Let me only get there," he had said with the fatuousness of Crusoe over his big boat, "and the rest is but a matter of time and energy." It would have been far better for him in every way if he had never come within sight and sound of the delusive precincts, had gone to some busy commercial town with the sole object of making money by his wits, and thence surveyed his plan in true perspective. Well, all that was clear to him amounted to this, that the whole scheme had burst up, like an iridescent soap-bubble, under the touch of a reasoned inquiry. He looked back at himself along the vista of his past years, and his thought was akin to Heine's: ¡¡¡¡ Above the youth's inspired and flashing eyes I see the motley mocking fool's-cap rise! ¡¡¡¡ Fortunately he had not been allowed to bring his disappointment into his dear Sue's life by involving her in this collapse. And the painful details of his awakening to a sense of his limitations should now be spared her as far as possible. After all, she had only know a little part of the miserable struggle in which he had been engaged thus unequipped, poor, and unforeseeing.

Dance Me to the End of Love

Dance Me to the End of Love
American Day Dream
Biblis painting
Boulevard des Capucines
Charity painting
¡¡¡¡ Meanwhile the academic dignitaries to whom Jude had written vouchsafed no answer, and the young man was thus thrown back entirely on himself, as formerly, with the added gloom of a weakened hope. By indirect inquiries he soon perceived clearly what he had long uneasily suspected, that to qualify himself for certain open scholarships and exhibitions was the only brilliant course. But to do this a good deal of coaching would be necessary, and much natural ability. It was next to impossible that a man reading on his own system, however widely and thoroughly, even over the prolonged period of ten years, should be able to compete with those who had passed their lives under trained teachers and had worked to ordained lines. ¡¡¡¡ The other course, that of buying himself in, so to speak, seemed the only one really open to men like him, the difficulty being simply of a material kind. With the help of his information he began to reckon the extent of this material obstacle, and ascertained, to his dismay, that, at the rate at which, with the best of fortune, he would be able to save money, fifteen years must elapse before he could be in a position to forward testimonials to the head of a college and advance to a matriculation examination. The undertaking was hopeless.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Evening Mood painting
female nude reclining
flaming june painting
¡¡¡¡ When the letters were posted Jude mentally began to criticize them; he wished they had not been sent. "It is just one of those intrusive, vulgar, pushing, applications which are so common in these days," he thought. "Why couldn't I know better than address utter strangers in such a way? I may be an impostor, and idle scamp, a man with a bad character, for all that they know to the contrary.... Perhaps that's what I am!" ¡¡¡¡ Nevertheless, he found himself clinging to the hope of some reply as to his one last chance of redemption. He waited day after day, saying that it was perfectly absurd to expect, yet expecting. While he waited he was suddenly stirred by news about Phillotson. Phillotson was giving up the school near Christminster, for a larger one further south, in Mid-Wessex. What this meant; how it would affect his cousin; whether, as seemed possible, it was a practical move of the schoolmaster's towards a larger income, in view of a provision for two instead of one, he would not allow himself to say. And the tender relations between Phillotson and the young girl of whom Jude was passionately enamoured effectually made it repugnant to Jude's tastes to apply to Phillotson for advice on his own scheme.

Head of Christ

Head of Christ
girl with a pearl earring vermeer
Gustav Klimt Kiss painting
The next week accordingly he sought it. What at first seemed an opportunity occurred one afternoon when he saw an elderly gentleman, who had been pointed out as the head of a particular college, walking in the public path of a parklike enclosure near the spot at which Jude chanced to be sitting. The gentleman came nearer, and Jude looked anxiously at his face. It seemed benign, considerate, yet rather reserved. On second thoughts Jude felt that he could not go up and address him; but he was sufficiently influenced by the incident to think what a wise thing it would be for him to state his difficulties by letter to some of the best and most judicious of these old masters, and obtain their advice. ¡¡¡¡ During the next week or two he accordingly placed himself in such positions about the city as would afford him glimpses of several of the most distinguished among the provosts, wardens, and other heads of houses; and from those he ultimately selected five whose physiognomies seemed to say to him that they were appreciative and far-seeing men. To these five he addressed letters, briefly stating his difficulties, and asking their opinion on his stranded situation.

leonardo da vinci self portrait

leonardo da vinci self portrait
Hylas and the Nymphs
jesus christ on the cross
klimt painting the kiss
¡¡¡¡ Still, the remark was sufficient to withdraw Jude's attention from the imaginative world he had lately inhabited, in which an abstract figure, more or less himself, was steeping his mind in a sublimation of the arts and sciences, and making his calling and election sure to a seat in the paradise of the learned. He was set regarding his prospects in a cold northern light. He had lately felt that he could not quite satisfy himself in his Greek-- in the Greek of the dramatists particularly. So fatigued was he sometimes after his day's work that he could not maintain the critical attention necessary for thorough application. He felt that he wanted a coach--a friend at his elbow to tell him in a moment what sometimes would occupy him a weary month in extracting from unanticipative, clumsy books. ¡¡¡¡ It was decidedly necessary to consider facts a little more closely than he had done of late. What was the good, after all, of using up his spare hours in a vague labour called "private study" without giving an outlook on practicabilities? ¡¡¡¡ "I ought to have thought of this before," he said, as he journeyed back. "It would have been better never to have embarked in the scheme at all than to do it without seeing clearly where I am going, or what I am aiming at.... This hovering outside the walls of the colleges, as if expecting some arm to be stretched out from them to lift me inside, won't do! I must get special information."

Woman with a Parasol

Woman with a Parasol
A Greek Beauty
A Lily Pond
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
¡¡¡¡ "Oh, they never look at anything that folks like we can understand," the carter continued, by way of passing the time. "On'y foreign tongues used in the days of the Tower of Babel, when no two families spoke alike. They read that sort of thing as fast as a night-hawk will whir. 'Tis all learning there-- nothing but learning, except religion. And that's learning too, for I never could understand it. Yes, 'tis a serious-minded place. Not but there's wenches in the streets o' nights.... You know, I suppose, that they raise pa'sons there like radishes in a bed? And though it do take--how many years, Bob?--five years to turn a lirruping hobble-de-hoy chap into a solemn preaching man with no corrupt passions, they'll do it, if it can be done, and polish un off like the workmen they be, and turn un out wi' a long face, and a long black coat and waistcoat, and a religious collar and hat, same as they used to wear in the Scriptures, so that his own mother wouldn't know un sometimes.... There, 'tis their business, like anybody else's." ¡¡¡¡ "But how should you know"

Hylas and the Nymphs

Hylas and the Nymphs
jesus christ on the cross
klimt painting the kiss
leonardo da vinci self portrait
Madonna Litta
¡¡¡¡ Vilbert was an itinerant quack-doctor, well known to the rustic population, and absolutely unknown to anybody else, as he, indeed, took care to be, to avoid inconvenient investigations. Cottagers formed his only patients, and his Wessex-wide repute was among them alone. His position was humbler and his field more obscure than those of the quacks with capital and an organized system of advertising. He was, in fact, a survival. The distances he traversed on foot were enormous, and extended nearly the whole length and breadth of Wessex. Jude had one day seen him selling a pot of coloured lard to an old woman as a certain cure for a bad leg, the woman arranging to pay a guinea, in instalments of a shilling a fortnight, for the precious salve, which, according to the physician, could only be obtained from a particular animal which grazed on Mount Sinai, and was to be captured only at great risk to life and limb. Jude, though he already had his doubts about this gentleman's medicines, felt him to be unquestionably a travelled personage, and one who might be a trustworthy source of information on matters not strictly professional. ¡¡¡¡ "I s'pose you've been to Christminster, Physician?" ¡¡¡¡ "I have--many times," replied the long thin man. "That's one of my centres." ¡¡¡¡ "It's a wonderful city for scholarship and religion?"

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
girl with a pearl earring vermeer
Gustav Klimt Kiss painting
Head of Christ
¡¡¡¡ "It is a place that teachers of men spring from and go to." ¡¡¡¡ "It is what you may call a castle, manned by scholarship and religion." ¡¡¡¡ After this figure he was silent a long while, till he added: ¡¡¡¡ "It would just suit me." ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡ IV ¡¡¡¡ WALKING somewhat slowly by reason of his concentration, the boy-- an ancient man in some phases of thought, much younger than his years in others--was overtaken by a light-footed pedestrian, whom, notwithstanding the gloom, he could perceive to be wearing an extraordinarily tall hat, a swallow-tailed coat, and a watch-chain that danced madly and threw around scintillations of sky-light as its owner swung along upon a pair of thin legs and noiseless boots. Jude, beginning to feel lonely, endeavoured to keep up with him. ¡¡¡¡ "Well, my man! I'm in a hurry, so you'll have to walk pretty fast if you keep alongside of me. Do you know who I am?" ¡¡¡¡ "Yes, I think. Physician Vilbert?" ¡¡¡¡ "Ah--l'm known everywhere, I see! That comes of being a public benefactor."

Dance Me to the End of Love

Dance Me to the End of Love
Evening Mood painting
female nude reclining
flaming june painting
¡¡¡¡ "Well, 'tis oonly what has come in my way," said the carter unboastfully. "I've never been there, no more than you; but I've picked up the knowledge here and there, and you be welcome to it. A-getting about the world as I do, and mixing with all classes of society, one can't help hearing of things. A friend o' mine, that used to clane the boots at the Crozier Hotel in Christminster when he was in his prime, why, I knowed un as well as my own brother in his later years." ¡¡¡¡ Jude continued his walk homeward alone, pondering so deeply that he forgot to feel timid. He suddenly grew older. It had been the yearning of his heart to find something to anchor on, to cling to--for some place which he could call admirable. Should he find that place in this city if he could get there? Would it be a spot in which, without fear of farmers, or hindrance, or ridicule, he could watch and wait, and set himself to some mighty undertaking like the men of old of whom he had heard? As the halo had been to his eyes when gazing at it a quarter of an hour earlier, so was the spot mentally to him as he pursued his dark way. ¡¡¡¡ "It is a city of light," he said to himself.

American Day Dream

American Day Dream
Biblis painting
Boulevard des Capucines
Charity painting
¡¡¡¡ "Now don't you interrupt, my boy. Never interrupt your senyers. Move the fore hoss aside, Bobby; here's som'at coming.... You must mind that I be a-talking of the college life. 'Em lives on a lofty level; there's no gainsaying it, though I myself med not think much of 'em. As we be here in our bodies on this high ground, so be they in their minds--noble-minded men enough, no doubt-- some on 'em--able to earn hundreds by thinking out loud. And some on 'em be strong young fellows that can earn a'most as much in silver cups. As for music, there's beautiful music everywhere in Christminster. You med be religious, or you med not, but you can't help striking in your homely note with the rest. And there's a street in the place--the main street--that ha'n't another like it in the world. I should think I did know a little about Christminster!" ¡¡¡¡ By this time the horses had recovered breath and bent to their collars again. Jude, throwing a last adoring look at the distant halo, turned and walked beside his remarkably well-informed friend, who had no objection to telling him as they moved on more yet of the city-- its towers and halls and churches. The waggon turned into a cross-road, whereupon Jude thanked the carter warmly for his information, and said he only wished he could talk half as well about Christminster as he.

American Day Dream

American Day Dream
Biblis painting
Boulevard des Capucines
Charity painting
¡¡¡¡ "Now don't you interrupt, my boy. Never interrupt your senyers. Move the fore hoss aside, Bobby; here's som'at coming.... You must mind that I be a-talking of the college life. 'Em lives on a lofty level; there's no gainsaying it, though I myself med not think much of 'em. As we be here in our bodies on this high ground, so be they in their minds--noble-minded men enough, no doubt-- some on 'em--able to earn hundreds by thinking out loud. And some on 'em be strong young fellows that can earn a'most as much in silver cups. As for music, there's beautiful music everywhere in Christminster. You med be religious, or you med not, but you can't help striking in your homely note with the rest. And there's a street in the place--the main street--that ha'n't another like it in the world. I should think I did know a little about Christminster!" ¡¡¡¡ By this time the horses had recovered breath and bent to their collars again. Jude, throwing a last adoring look at the distant halo, turned and walked beside his remarkably well-informed friend, who had no objection to telling him as they moved on more yet of the city-- its towers and halls and churches. The waggon turned into a cross-road, whereupon Jude thanked the carter warmly for his information, and said he only wished he could talk half as well about Christminster as he.

The Sacrifice of Abraham painting

The Sacrifice of Abraham painting
The Three Ages of Woman
The Virgin and Child with St Anne
The Water lily Pond
Somewhat unwillingly, Craddock allowed himself to be guided round the corner of the house and along to the stable yard. Stoddart-West pushed open a heavy door, stretched up, and turned on a rather feeble electric light. The harness room, once the acme of Victorian spit and polish, was now the sad repository of everything that no one wanted. Broken garden chairs, rusted old garden implements, a vast decrepit mowing-machine, rusted spring mattresses, hammocks, and disintegrated tennis nets.
"We come here a good deal," said Alexander. "One can really be private here."
There were certain tokens of occupancy about. The decayed mattresses had been piled up to make a kind of divan, there was an old rusted table on which reposed a large tin of chocolate biscuits, there was a hoard of apples, a tin of toffee, and a jig-saw puzzle.
"It really is a clue, sir," said Stoddart-West eagerly, his eyes gleaming behind his spectacles. "We found it this afternoon."
"We've been hunting for days. In the bushes –"
"And inside hollow trees –"
"And we went all through the ash bins –"

the Night Watch

the Night Watch
The Nut Gatherers
The Painter's Honeymoon
the polish rider
Inspector Craddock!"
The eager whisper made the inspector jump.
He had been just on the point of ringing the front-door bell.
Alexander and his friend Stoddart-West emerged cautiously from the shadows.
"We heard your car, and we wanted to get hold of you."
"Well, let's come inside." Craddock's hand went out to the door bell again, but Alexander pulled at his coat with the eagerness of a pawing dog.
"We've found a clue," he breathed.
"Yes, we've found a clue." Stoddart-West echoed.
"Damn that girl," thought Craddock unamiably.
"Splendid," he said in a perfunctory manner. "Let's go inside the house and look at it."
"No," Alexander was insistent. "Someone's sure to interrupt. Come to the harness room. We'll guide you."

The Jewel Casket

The Jewel Casket
The Kitchen Maid
The Lady of Shalott
the night watch by rembrandt
Now there," said the doctor, "you have got something odd. It is exactly that fact that leads to believe that I have been, as old Morris puts it, a damned fool. You see, it's obviously not a case of small doses of arsenic administered regularly – which is what you might call the classic method of arsenic poisoning. Crackenthorpe has never had any chronic gastric trouble. In a way, that's what makes these sudden violent attacks seem unlikely. So, assuming they are not due to natural causes, it looks as though the poisoner is muffing it every time – which hardly makes sense."
"Giving an inadequate dose, you mean?"
"Yes. On the other hand, Crackenthorpe's got a strong constitution and what might do in another man, doesn't do him in. there's always personal idiosyncrasy to be reckoned with. But you'd think that by now the poisoner – unless he's unusually timid – would have stepped up the dose. Why hasn't he?"
"That is," he added, “if there is a poisoner which there probably isn't! Probably all my ruddy imagination from start to finish."
"It's an odd problem, the inspector agreed. It doesn't seem to make sense."

Sweet Nothings

Sweet Nothings
The Abduction of Psyche
The British Are Coming
The Broken Pitcher
Then he decided to speak frankly.
"Throwing discretion aside, Doctor, there are people who stand to benefit pretty considerably from Luther Crackenthorpe's death." The doctor nodded. "He's an old man - and a hale and hearty one. He may live to be ninety odd?"
"Easily. He spends his life taking care of himself, and his constitution is sound."
"And his sons - and daughter - are all getting on, and they are all feeling the pinch?"
"You leave Emma out of it. She's no poisoner. These attacks only happen when the others are there – not when she and he are alone."
"An elementary precaution – if she's the one," the inspector thought, but was careful not to say aloud.
He paused, choosing his words carefully.
"Surely - I'm ignorant in these matters - but supposing just as a hypothesis that arsenic was administered - hasn't Crackenthorpe been very lucky not to succumb?"

Return of the Prodigal Son

Return of the Prodigal Son

Return of the Prodigal Son
Samson And Delilah
seated nude
Spring Breeze

And what was the result of your inquiries?"
"It seemed that what I suspected could not possibly be true. Mr. Crackenthorpe assured me that he had similar attacks before I attended him - and from the same cause, he said. They had always taken place when there was too much rich food about."
"Which was when the house was full? With the family? Or guests?"
"Yes. That seemed reasonable enough. But frankly, Craddock, I wasn't happy. I went so far as to write to old Dr. Morris. He was my senior partner and retired soon after I joined him. Crackenthorpe was his patient originally. I asked about these earlier attacks that the old man had had."
"And what response did you get?"
Quimper grinned.
"I got a flea in the ear. I was more or less told not to be a damned fool. Well - he shrugged his shoulders – presumably I was a damned fool."
"I wonder." Craddock was thoughtfully.

Abstract Painting

Abstract Painting
War time!" snapped Mr. Wimborne with waspish acerbity. "Yes, indeed, we were in Lincoln's Inn Fields at the outbreak of war and there was a direct hit on the house next door, and a great number of our records were destroyed. Not the really important documents, of course; they had been removed to the country of safety. But it caused a great deal of confusion. Of course, the Crackenthorpe business was in my father's hands at that time. He died six years ago. I dare say he may have been told about this so-called marriage of Edmund's - but on the face of it, it looks as though that marriage
Abstract Painting
even if contemplated, never took place, and so, no doubt, my father did not consider the story of nay importance. I must say, all this sounds very fishy to me. This coming forward, after all these years, and claiming a marriage and a legitimate son. Very fishy indeed. What proofs had she got, I'd like to know?"
"Just so," said Craddock. "What would her position, or her son's position be?"
"The idea was, I suppose, that she would get the Crackenthorpes to provide for her and for the boy."
"Yes, but I meant, what would she and the son be entitled to, legally speaking - if she could prove her claim?"
Abstract Painting

Rembrandt Painting

Rembrandt Painting
Mr. Wimborne eyed his visitor with the polite wariness characteristic of a family lawyer towards the police.
"What can I do for you, Inspector?"
"This letter…” Craddock pushed Martine's letter across the table. Mr. Wimborne touched it with a distasteful finger but did not pick it up. His colour rose very slightly and his lips tightened.
Rembrandt Painting
"Quite so," he said; “quite so! I received a letter from Miss Emma Crackenthorpe yesterday morning, informing me of her visit to Scotland Yard and of - ah – all the circumstances. I may say that I am at a loss to understand – quite at a loss - why I was not consulted about this letter at the time of its arrival! Most extraordinary! I should have been informed immediately…."
Inspector Craddock repeated soothingly such platitudes as seemed best calculated to reduce Mr. Wimborne to an amenable from of find.
"I'd no idea that there was ever any question of Edmund's having married," said Mr. Wimborne in an injured voice.
Inspector Craddock said that he supposed – in war time - and left it to trail away vaguely.
Rembrandt Painting

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
If so, they didn't recognise her as the original of the photograph."
He added:
"We circularised the hotels – nobody registering as Martine Crackenthorpe anywhere. On receipt of your call from Paris, we checked up on Anna Stravinska. She was registered with other members of the company in a cheap hotel off Brook Green. Mostly theatricals there. She cleared out on the night of Thursday 19th after the show. No further record."
Craddock nodded. He suggested a line of further inquiries - though he had little hope of success from them.
The Singing Butler
After some thought, he rang up Wimborne, Henderson and Carstairs and asked for an appointment with Mr. Wimborne.
In due course, he was ushered into a particularly airless room where Mr. Wimborne was sitting behind a large old-fashioned desk covered with bundles of dusty-looking papers. Various deed boxes labelled Sir John ffouldes, dec., Lady Derrin, George Rowbotham, Esq., ornamented the walls; whether as relics of a bygone era or as part of present-day legal affairs, the inspector did not know.
The Singing Butler

Jack Vettriano Painting

Jack Vettriano Painting
He warned Craddock, however, that a definite answer was doubtful. The area in question had not only been occupied by the Germans at almost exactly that time, but subsequently that part of France had suffered severe war damage at the time of the invasion. Many building and records had been destroyed.
"But rest assured, my dear colleague, we shall do our best."
With this, he and Craddock took leave of each other.
Jack Vettriano Painting
On Craddock's return Sergeant Wetherall was waiting to report with gloomy relish:
"Accommodation address, sir – that's what 126 Elvers Crescent is. Quite respectable and all that."
"Any identifications?"
"No, nobody could recognise the photograph as that of a woman who had called for letters, but I don't think they would anyway - it's a month ago, very near, and a good many people use the place. It's actually a boarding-house for students."
"She might have stayed there under another name."
Jack Vettriano Painting

Mary Cassatt painting

Mary Cassatt painting
It seemed unlikely, considering the word picture of Anna that had been given him by those who knew her. What was much more probable was that Anna had at one time known the girl Martine sufficiently intimately to be acquainted with the necessary details. It might have been Anna who wrote that letter to Emma Crackenthorpe and, if so, Anna would have been quite likely to have taken fright at any question of an investigation. Perhaps she had even thought it prudent to sever her connection with the Ballet Maritski. Again, where was she now?
And again, inevitably, Madame Joliet's answer seemed the most likely.
With a man….
Mary Cassatt painting
Before leaving Paris, Craddock discussed with Dessin the question of the woman named Martine. Dessin was inclined to agree with his English colleague that the matter had probably no connection with the woman found in the sarcophagus. All the same, he agreed, the matter ought to be investigated.
He assured Craddock that the Surete would do their best to discover if there actually was any record of a marriage between Lieutenant Edmund Crackenthorpe of the 4th Southshire Regiment and a French girl whose Christian name was Martine. Time - just prior to the fall of Dunkirk.
Mary Cassatt painting

Edward Hopper Painting

Edward Hopper Painting
None of this was helpful. All that seemed to emerge from it was that Anna Stravinska was a proficient liar. She was certainly not shooting deer with a peer in Scotland, and it seemed equally unlikely that she was on the sun deck of a liner cruising round the world. But neither was there any real reason to believe that her body had been found in a sarcophagus at Rutherford Hall. The identification by the girls and Madame Joliet was very uncertain and hesitating. It looked something like Anna, they all agreed. But really! All swollen up - it might be anybody!
The only fact that was established was that on the 19th of December Anna Stravinska had decided not to return to France, and that on the 20th December a woman resembling her in appearance had travelled to Brackhampton by the 4.33 train and had been strangled.
Edward Hopper Painting
If the woman in the sarcophagus was not Anna Stravinska, where was Anna now?
To that, Madame Joliet's answer was simple and inevitable.
"With a man!"
And it was probably the correct answer, Craddock reflected ruefully.
One other possibility had to be considered – raised by the casual remark that Anna had once referred to having an English husband.
Had that husband been Edmund Crackenthorpe?
Edward Hopper Painting

Van Gogh Sunflower

Van Gogh Sunflower
"She likes to pretend things – stories about having been the mistress of a Grand Duke – or of a great English financier - or how she worked for the Resistance in the war. Even a story about being a film star in Hollywood."
Another girl said:
"I think that really she had had a very tame bourgeois existence. She liked to in ballet because she thought it was romantic, but she was not a good dancer. You understand that if she were to say, ‘My father was a draper in Amiens.' that would not be romantic! So instead she made up things."
Van Gogh Sunflower
"Even in London," said the first girl, "she threw out hints about a very rich man who was going to take her on a cruise round the world, because she reminded him of his dead daughter who had died in a car accident. Quelle blague!"
"She told me she was going to stay with a rich lord in Scotland," said the second girl. "She said she would shoot the deer there."
Van Gogh Sunflower

Van Gogh Painting

Van Gogh Painting
"She may have had a child before she adopted a stage life," said Craddock. "During the war, for instance."
"Ah! Dans la guerre. That is always possible. But if so, I know nothing about it."
"Who amongst the other girls were her closest friends?"
"I can give you two or three names – but she was not very intimate with anyone."
They could get nothing else useful from Madame Joliet.
Van Gogh Painting
Shown the compact, she said Anna had one of that kind, but so had most of the other girls. Anna had perhaps bought a fur coat in London – she did not know. "Me, I occupy myself with the rehearsals, with the stage lighting, with all the difficulties of my business. I have not time to notice what my artists wear."
After Madame Joliet, they interviewed the girls whose names she had given them. One or two of them had known Anna fairly well, but they all said that she had not been one to talk much about herself, and that when she did, it was, so one girl said, mostly lies.
Van Gogh Painting

Henri Matisse Painting

Henri Matisse Painting
"Very annoying for you."
"Ah! Me - I do not care. No doubt she passes the Christmas holiday with some man she has picked up. It is not my affair. I can find other girls - girls who will leap at the chance of dancing in the Ballet Maritski and who can dance as well – or better than Anna."
Madame Joliet paused and then asked with a sudden gleam of interest:
"Why do you want to find her? Has she come into money?"
Henri Matisse Painting
On the contrary," said Inspector Craddock politely. "We think she may have been murdered."
Madame Joliet relapsed into indifference.
"Ca se peut! It happens. Ah, well! She was a good Catholic. She went to Mass on Sundays, and no doubt to confession."
"Did she ever speak to you, Madame, of a son?"
"A son? Do you mean she had a child? That, now, I should consider most unlikely. These girls, all - all of them know a useful address to which to go. M. Dessin knows that as well as I do."
Henri Matisse Painting

Marc Chagall Painting

Marc Chagall Painting
"I take my company to London for six weeks. We play at Torquay, at Bournemouth, at Eastbourne, at somewhere else I forget and at Hammersmith. Then we come back to France, but Anna - she does not come. She sends message only that she leaves the company, that she goes to live with her husband's family - some nonsense of that kind. I did not think it is true, myself. I think it more likely that she has met a man, you understand."
Inspector Craddock nodded. He perceived that that was what Madame Joliet would invariably think.
Marc Chagall Painting
"And it is no loss to me. I do not care. I can get girls just as good and better to come and dance, so I shrug the shoulders and do not think of it any more. Why should I? They are all the same, these girls, mad about men."
"What dates was this?"
"When we return to France? It was – yes - the Sunday before Christmas. And Anna she leaves two - or is it three - days before that? I cannot remember exactly…. But the end of the week at Hammersmith we have to dance without her - and it means rearranging things…. It was very naughty of her – but these girls - the moment they meet a man they are all the same. Only I say to everybody. ‘Zut, I do not take her back, that one!’"
Marc Chagall Painting

The Birth of Venus

The Birth of Venus
the contrary, big box-office business," said Dessin. "And that was three years ago. You should not bear malice. Now about this girl, Anna Stravinska."
"Well, what about her?" said Madame cautiously.
"Is she Russian?" asked Inspector Craddock.
"No, indeed. You mean, because of her name? But they all call themselves names like that, these girls. She was not important, she did not dance well, she was not particularly good-looking. Elle etait assez bien, c’est tout. She danced well enough for the corps de ballet – but no solos."
The Birth of Venus
Was she French?"
"Perhaps. She had a French passport. But she told me once that she had an English husband."
"She told you that she had an English husband? Alive - or dead?"
Madame Joliet shrugged her shoulders.
"Dead, or he had left her. How should I know which? These girls - there is always some trouble with men –"
"When did you last see her?"
The Birth of Venus

Bouguereau William

Bouguereau William
"It could be," he said. "I can't go further than that. Who was she? What do you know about her?"
"Almost less than nothing," said the other cheerfully. "She was not important, you see. And the Ballet Maritski - it is not important, either. It plays in suburban theatres and goes on tour – it has no real names, no stars, no famous ballerinas. But I will take you to see Madame Joliet who runs it."
Madame Joliet was a brisk business-like Frenchwoman with a shrewd eye, a small moustache, and a good deal of adipose tissue.
Bouguereau William
Me, I do not like the police!" She scowled at them, without camouflaging her dislike of the visit. "Always, if they can, they make me embarrassments."
"No, no, Madame, you must not say that," said Dessin, who was a tall thin melancholy-looking man. "When have I ever caused you embarrassments?"
"Over that little fool who drank the carbolic acid," said Madame Joliet promptly. "And all because she has fallen in love with the chef d’orchestre - who does not care for women and has other tastes. Over that you made the big brouhaha! Which is not good for my beautiful Ballet."
Bouguereau William

Gustav Klimt Painting

Gustav Klimt Painting
You know," said Cedric, reprovingly, "you shouldn't go about thinking everyone wants to marry you. You're quite a good-looking girl but not as good-looking as all that. There's a name for that sort of thing - it grows on you and you get worse. Actually, you're the last girl in the world I should care to marry. The last girl."
"Indeed?" said Lucy. "You needn't rub it in. perhaps you’d prefer me as a stepmother."
"What's that?" Cedric stared at her stupefied.
"You heard me," said Lucy, and went into her room and shut the door.
Gustav Klimt Painting
Dermot Craddock was fraternising with Armand Dessin of the Paris Prefecture. The two men had met on one or two occasions and got on well together. Since Craddock spoke French fluently, most of their conversation was conducted in that language.
"It is an idea only," Dessin warned him, "I have a picture here of the corps de ballet – that is she, the fourth from the left - it says anything to you, yes?"
Inspector Craddock said that actually it didn't. A strangled young woman is not easy to recognise, and in this picture all the young women concerned were heavily made up and were wearing extravagant bird headdresses.Gustav Klimt Painting

Gustav Klimt The Kiss

Gustav Klimt The Kiss
"Don't wait too long. These opportunities should not be missed by a young woman anxious to make her way in the world."
Again his teeth flashed.
"Good night, Miss Eyelesbarrow, sleep well."
"Well," said Lucy to herself, "well… this is all very interesting…."
On her way up to bed, Lucy encountered Cedric on the stairs.
"Look here, Lucy, there's something I want to say to you."
"Do you want me to marry you and come to Iviza and look after you?"
Gustav Klimt The Kiss
Cedric looked very much taken aback, and slightly alarmed.
"I never thought of such a thing."
"Sorry. My mistake."
"I just wanted to know if you've a timetable in the house?"
"Is that all? There's one on the hall table."
Gustav Klimt The Kiss

Modern Art Painting

Modern Art Painting
shall be leaving early in the morning," he explained, "but I want to tell you how struck I have been by your ability."
"Thank you," said Lucy, feeling a little surprised.
"I feel that your talents are wasted here – definitely wasted."
"Do you? I don't."
At any rate, he can't ask me to marry him, thought Lucy. He's got a wife already.
Modern Art Painting
"I suggest that having very kindly seen us through this lamentable crisis, you call upon me in London. If you will ring up and make an appointment, I will leave instructions with my secretary. The truth is that we could use someone of your outstanding ability in the firm. We could discuss fully in what field your talents would be most ably employed. I can offer you, Miss Eyelesbarrow, a very good salary indeed, with brilliant prospects. I think you will be agreeably surprised."
His smile was magnanimous.
Lucy said demurely:
"Thank you, Mr. Crackenthorpe, I'll think about it."
Modern Art Painting

Art Painting

Art Painting
Rather to her surprise Lucy was aware of a queer fascination. There was a quality of charm about Alfred, perhaps due to sheer animal magnetism. She laughed and slipped from his encircling arm.
"This is not time for dalliance. there's dinner to think about."
"So there is, Lucy, and you're a lovely cook. What's for dinner."
"Wait and see! You're as bad as the boys!"
They entered the house and Lucy hurried to the kitchen. She was rather surprised to be interrupted in her preparations by Harold Crackenthorpe.
"Miss Eyelesbarrow, can I speak to you about something?"
Art Painting
Would later do, Mr. Crackenthorpe? I'm rather behind hand."
"Certainly. Certainly. After dinner?"
"Yes, that will do."
Dinner was duly served and appreciated. Lucy finished washing up and came out into the hall to find Harold Crackenthorpe waiting for her.
"Yes, Mr. Crackenthorpe?"
"Shall we come in here?" He opened the door of the drawing-room and led the way. He shut the door behind her.
Art Painting

Famous painting

Famous painting
I'd have to hear more."
"Frankly, my dear girl, I could use you. You've got the sort of manner that's invaluable – creates confidence."
"Do you want me to help you sell gold bricks?"
"Nothing so risky. Just a little by-passing of the law - no more." His hand slipped up her arm. "You're damned attractive girl, Lucy. I'd like you as a partner."
"I'm flattered."
"Meaning nothing doing? Think about it. Think of the fun, the pleasure you'd get out of outwitting all the sobersides. The trouble is, one needs capital."
"I'm afraid I haven't got any."
Famous painting
"Oh, it wasn't a touch! I'll be laying my hands on some before long. My revered Papa can't live forever, mean old brute. When he pops off, I lay my hands on some real money. What about it, Lucy?"
"What are the terms?"
"Marriage if you fancy it. Women seem to, no matter how advanced and self-supporting they are. Besides, married women can't be made to give evidence against their husbands."
"Not so flattering!"
"Come off it, Lucy. Don't you realise I've fallen for you?"
Famous painting

Famous artist painting

Famous artist painting
"One could see that. Funny what a taste old ladies have for any kind of society, however dull. And, really, nothing could be duller than Rutherford Hall. Two days here is about as much as I can stand. How do you manage to stick it out, Lucy? Don't mind if I call you Lucy, do you?"
"Not at all. I don't find it dull. Of course with me it's not a permanency."
"I've been watching you - you're a smart girl, Lucy. Too smart to waste yourself cooking and cleaning."
"Thank you, but I prefer cooking and cleaning to the office desk."
"So would I. But there are other ways of living. You could be a freelance."
Famous artist painting
"I am."
"Not this way. I mean, working for yourself, pitting your wits against –"
"Against what?"
"The powers that be! All the silly pettifogging rules and regulations that hamper us all nowadays. The interesting thing is there's always a way round them if you're smart enough to find it. And you're smart. Come now, does the idea appeal to you?"
"Possibly."
Lucy manoeuvred the car into the stableyard.
"Not going to commit yourself?"
Famous artist painting

Decorative painting

Decorative painting
It was clear that she suggested to them something that they had never thought of and which they did not find overpleasing.
Miss Marple rose to her feet, dropping as she did so, several little woolly scarves and her bag.
The three brothers were most attentive picking things up.
"So kind of you," fluted Miss Marple. "Oh, yes, and my little blue muffler. Yes – as I say - so kind to ask me here. I've been picturing, you know, just what your home was like – so that I can visualise dear Lucy working here."
"Perfect home conditions – with murder thrown in," said Cedric.
"Cedric!" Harold's voice was angry.
Miss Marple smiled up at Cedric.
Decorative painting
Lucy took Miss Marple home. On her way back a figure stepped out of darkness and stood in the glare of the headlights just as she was about to turn into the back lane. He held up his hand and Lucy recognised Alfred Crackenthorpe.
"That's better," he observed, as he got in. "Brrr, it's cold! I fancied I'd like a nice bracing walk. I didn't. Taken the old lady home all right?"
"Yes. She enjoyed herself very much."
Decorative painting

Abstract Painting

Abstract Painting
An accomplice?"suggested the Assistant Commissioner. "Hardly，"said Poirot."It is odd that-unless-"We all looked at himinquiringly as he paused. He shook his head，however，and the inspector proceeded.That search putsthe matter beyond doubt.I found a block of notepaper similar to that onwhich the letters were written，a large quantity of hosiery and-at the backof the cupboard where the hosiery was stored-a parcel much the same shapeand size but which turned out to contain-not hosiery-but eight new A B Crailway guides!"
Abstract Painting
"Proof positive，"said the Assistant Commissioner. "I've found something else，too，"said the inspector-his voice becomingsuddenly almost human with triumph."Only found it this morning，sir.Not hadtime to report yet.There was no sigh of the knife in his room-""It would bethe act of an imbecile to bring that back with him，"remarked Poirot. "After all，he's not a reasonable human being，"remarked the inspector. "Anway，it occurred to me that he might just possibly have brought itback to the house and then realized the danger of hiding it (as M.Poirotpoints out)in his room，and have looked about elsewhere.
Abstract Painting

Rembrandt Painting

Rembrandt Painting
"I've checked up with Churston，Paignton and Torquay.Got a list ofpeople where he went and offered stockings.I must say he did the thingthoroughly.Stayed at the Pitt，small hotel near Torre Station.Returned tothe hotel at 10.30on the night of the murder.Could have taken a train fromChurston at 9.57，getting to Torre at 10.20.No one answering to hisdescription noticed on train or at station，but that Friday was DartmouthRegatta and the trains back from Kingswear were pretty full. "Bexhill much the same.Stayed at the Globe under his own name.Offeredstockings to about a dozen addresses，including Mrs Barnard and includingthe Ginger Cat.Left hotel early in the evening.
Rembrandt Painting
Arrived back in London about 11.30the following morning.As to Andover，same procedure.Stayed at the Feathers.Offered stockings to Mrs Fowler，nextdoor to Mrs Ascher，and to half a dozen other people in the street.The pairMrs Ascher had I got from the niece (name of Drower)-they're identical withCust's supply." "So far，good，"said the A.C. "Acting on information received，"said the inspector，"I went to theaddress given me by Hartigan，but found that Cust had left the house abouthalf an hour previously.He received a telephone message，I'm told.First timesuch a thing had happened to him，so his landlady told me."
Rembrandt Painting

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
But how did she know the inspector was coming? And her voice-she'd disguised her voice from her mother...... It looked-it looked-as though she knew...... But surely if she knew，she wouldn't...... She might，though.Women were very queer. Unexpectedly cruel and unexpectedly kind.He'd seen Lily once letting amouse out of a mouse-trap. A kind girl...... A kind，pretty girl...... He paused by the hall stand with its load of umbrellas and coats. Shoule he......? A slight noise from the kitchen decided him...... No，there wasn't time...... Mrs Marbury might come out...... He opened the front door，passed through and closed it behind him...... Where......?
The Singing Butler
Conference again. The Assistant Commissioner，Inspector Crome，Poirot and myself. The A.C.was saying: "A good tip that yours，M.Poirot，about checking a large sale ofstockings." Poirot spread out his hands. "It was indicated.This man could not be a regular agent.He sold outrightinstead of touting for orders." "Got everything clear so far，inspector?" "I think so，sir."Crome consulted a file. "Shall I run over the position to date?" "Yes，please."
The Singing Butler

Jack Vettriano Painting

Jack Vettriano Painting
Her conscience gave her a sudden twinge. Last night Tom and Lily and all the hunting back over dates!Trying tomake out that Mr Cust was that dreadful monster，A B C.Just because of hisinitials and because of a few coincidences. "I don't suppose they meant it seriously，"she thought comfortably."Andnow I hope they'll be ashamed of themselves." In some obscure way that she could not have explained，Mr Cust'sstatement that his sister had had a baby had effectually removed any doubtsMrs Marbury might have had of her lodger's bona fides. "I hope she didn't have too hard a time of it，poor dear."thought MrsMarbury，testing an iron against her cheek before beginning to iron outLily's silk slip.
Jack Vettriano Painting
Her mind ran comfortably on a well-worn obstetric track. Mr Cust came quietly down the stairs，a bag in his hand.His eyes resteda minute on the telephone. That brief conversation re-echoed in his brain. "Is that you，Mr Cust?I thought you might like to know there's aninspector from Scotland Yard may be coming to see you......" What had he said?He couldn't remember. "Thank you-thank you，my dear......very kind of you......" Something like that. Why had she telephoned to him?Could she possibly have guessed?Or did shejust want to make sure he would stay in for the inspector's visit?
Jack Vettriano Painting

Mary Cassatt painting

Mary Cassatt painting
"Not often you have a telephone call，Mr Cust?" "No-er-no，Mrs Marbury.It isn't." "Not bad news，I trust?" "No-no."How persistent the woman was.His eyes caught the legend on thenewspaper he was carrying. Births-Marriages-Deaths...... "My sister's just had a little boy，"he blurted out. He-who had never had a sister! "Oh，dear!Now-well，that is nice，I am sure. ("And never once mentioned a sister all these years，"was her inwardthought."If that isn't just like a man!")I was surprised，I'll tell you，when the lady asked to speak to Mr Cust.Just at first I fancied it was myLily's voice-something like hers，it was-but haughtier if you know what Imean-sort of high up in the air.
Mary Cassatt painting
Well，Mr Cust，my congratulations，I'm sure.Is it the first one，or haveyou other little nephews and nieces?" "It's the only one，"said Mr Cust. "The only one I've ever had or likely to have，and-er-I think I must gooff at once. They-they want me to come. I-I think I can just catch a train if I hurry." "Will you be away long，Mr Cust?"called Mrs Marbury as he ran up thestairs. "Oh，no-two or three days-that's all." He disappeared into his bedroom.Mrs Marbury retired into the kitchen，thinking sentimentally of "the dear little mite".
Mary Cassatt painting

Edward Hopper Painting

Edward Hopper Painting
"It does seem awful，"she observed. "Well，now you're going to come and have a bite of lunch，my girl.Justyou think that if we're right I expect my name will be in the papers!" "Oh，Tom，will it?" "Rather.And yours，too.And your mother's.And I dare say you'll have yourpicture in it，too." "Oh，Tom."Lily squeezed his arm in an ecstasy. "And in the meantime what do you say to a bite at the Corner House?" Lily squeezed tighter. "Come on then!" "All right-half a minute.I musst just telephone from the station." "Who to?" "A girl I was going to meet."
Edward Hopper Painting
She slipped across the road，and rejoined him three minutes later，looking rather flushed. "Now then，Tom." She slipped her arm in his. "Tell me more about Scotland Yard.You didn't see the other one there?" "What other one?" "The Belgian gentleman.The one that A B C writes to always." "No.He wasn't there." "Well，tell me all about it.What happened when you got inside?Who didyou speak to and what did you say?" Mr Cust put the receiver back very gently on the hook. He turned to where Mrs MArbury was standing in the doorway of the room，clearly devoured with curiosity.Edward Hopper Painting

Van Gogh Sunflower

Van Gogh Sunflower
He nodded thoughtfully. "We're getting warm，"said Inspector Crome-rather inaccurately，for hehimself was always slightly chilly. "Any instructions，sir?" "Put on a couple of men to watch this Camden Town address，but I don'twant our bird frightened.I must have a word with the A.C.Then I think itwould be as well if Cust was brought along here and asked if he'd like tomake a statement.It sounds as though he's quite ready to get rattled." Outside Tom Hartigan had rejoined Lily Marbury who was waiting for himon the Embankment. "All right，Tom?" Tom nodded.
Van Gogh Sunflower
"I saw Inspector Crome himself.The one who's in charge of the case." "What's he like?" "A bit quiet and lah-di-dah-not my idea of a detective." "That's Lord Trenchard's new kind，"said Lily with respect."Some of themare ever so grand.Well，what did he say?" Tom gave her a brief resume of the interview. "So they think as it really was him?" "They think it might be.Anyway，they'll come along and ask him aquestion or two." "Poor Mr Cust." "It's no good saying poor Mr Cust，my girl.If he's A B C，he's committedfour terrible murders." Lily sighed and shook her head.
Van Gogh Sunflower

Van Gogh Painting

Van Gogh Painting
Tom gave it to him. "Thank you.I shall probably be calling round in the course of the day.Ineed hardly tell you to be careful of your manner if you come across thisCust." He rose and shook hands. "You may be quite satisfied you did the right thing in coming to us.Goodmorning，Mr Hartigan." "Well，sir?"asked Jacobs，re-entering the room a few minutes later. "Think it's the goods?" "It's promising，"said Inspector Crome. "That is，if the facts are as the boy stated them.We've had no luck withthe stocking manufacturers yet.It was time we got hold of something.By theway，give me that file of the Churston case."
Van Gogh Painting
He spent some minutes looking for what he wanted. "Ah，here it is.It's amongst the statements made to the Torquay police. Young man of the name of Hill.Deposes he was leaving the TorquayPalladium after the film Not a Sparrow and noticed a man behaving queerly.Hewas talking to himself.Hill heard him say "That's an idea."Not a Sparrow-that's the film that was on at the Regal in Doncaster?" "Yes，sir." "There may be something in that.Nothing to it at the time-but it'spossible that the idea of the modus operandi for his next crime occurred toour man then.We've got Hill's name and address，I see.His description of theman is vague but it links up well enough with the descriptions of MaryStroud and this Tom Hartigan......"
Van Gogh Painting

Henri Matisse Painting

Henri Matisse Painting
and Lily suggested that asMr Cust was away Bert Smith might have his bed.But Mrs Marbury wouldn'tagree，because she said it wasn't acting right by her lodger，and she alwaysliked to act fair and square.But we fixed the date all right because of BertSmith's ship docking at Southampton that day." Inspector Crome had listened very attentively，jotting down anoccasional note. "That's all?"he asked. "That's all，sir.I hope you don't think I'm making a lot of nothing." Tom flushed slightly.
Henri Matisse Painting
"Not at all.You were quite right to come here. Of course，it's very slight evidence-these dates may be mere coincidenceand the likeness of the name，too.But it certainly warrants my having aninterview with your Mr Cust.Is he at home now? "Yes，sir." "When did he return?" "The evening of the Doncaster murder，sir." "What's he been doing since?" "He's stayed in mostly，sir.And he's been looking very queer，MrsMarbury says.He buys a lot of newspapers-goes out early and gets the morningones，and then after dark he goes out and gets the evening ones. Mrs Marbury says he talks a lot to himself，too.She thinks he's gettingqueerer." "What is this Mrs Marbury's address
Henri Matisse Painting

Marc Chagall Painting

Marc Chagall Painting
We didn't think no more about it.At least，in a sort of way I did，sir，underneath like.I began wondering about this Cust fellow and thinking that，after all，harmless as he seemed，he might be a bit batty." Tom took a breath and then went on.Inspector Crome was listeningintently now. "And then after the Doncaster murder，sir，it was in all the papers thatinformation was wanted as to the whereabouts of a certain A B Case or Cash，and it gave a description that fitted well enough.
Marc Chagall Painting
First evening off I had，I went round to Lily's and asked her what herMr Cust's initials were.She couldn't remember at first，but her motherdid.Said they were A B right enough.Then we got down to it and tried tofigure out if Cust had been away at the time of the first murder at Andover. Well，as you know，sir，it isn't too easy to remember things threemonths back. We had a job of it，but we got it fixed down in the end，because MrsMarbury had a brother come from Canada to see her on June 21st.He arrivedunexpected like and she wanted to give him a bed
Marc Chagall Painting

The Birth of Venus

The Birth of Venus
Cust-eh?" "That's right，sir.A sort of middle-aged bloke what's rather vague andsoft-and come down in the world a bit，I should say. Sort of creature who wouldn't hurt a fly you'd say-and I'd never ofdreamed of anything being wrong if it hadn't been for something rather odd." In a somewhat confused manner and repeating himself once or twice，Tomdescribed his encounter with Mr Cust at Euston Station and the incident ofthe dropped ticket. "You see，sir，look at it how you will，it's funny like.Lily-that's myyoung lady，sir-she was quite positive that it was Cheltenham he said，andher mother says the same-says she remembers distinct talking about it themorning he went off.Of course，I didn't pay much attention to it at the
The Birth of Venus
time.Lily-my young lady-said as how she hoped he wouldn't cop it from this AB C fellow going to Doncaster-and then she says it's rathre a coincidencebecause he was down Churston way at the time of the last crime.Laughing like，I asks her whether he was at Bexhill the time before，and she says she don'tknow where he was.but he was away at the seaside-that she does know.And thenI said to her it would be odd if he was the A B C himself and she said poorMr Cust wouldn't hurt a fly-and that was all at the time.
The Birth of Venus

Bouguereau William

Bouguereau William
"Very well，Jacobs，"said Crome. "Send him along." A few minutes later there was a tap on the inspector's door and SergeantJacobs appeared，ushering in a tall，moderately good-looking young man. "This is Mr Tom Hartigan，sir.He's got something to tell us which mayhave a possible bearing on the A B C case." The inspector rose pleasantly and shook hands. "Good morning，Mr Hartigan.Sit down，won't you?Smoke?Have a cigarette?" Tom Hartigan sat down awkwardly and looked with some awe at what hecalled in his own mind "One of the big-wigs."The appearance of the inspectorvaguely disappointed him.He looked quite an ordinary person!
Bouguereau William
"Now then，"said Crome."You've got something to tell us that you thinkmay have a bearing on the case.Fire ahead." Tom began nervously. "Of course it may be nothing at all.It's just an idea of mine.I may bewasting your time." Again Inspector Crome sighed imperceptibly.The amount of time he had towaste in reassuring people! "We're the best judge of that.Let's have the facts，Mr Hartigan." "Well，it's like this，sir.I've got a young lady，you see，and hermother lets rooms.Up Camden Town way.Their second-floor back has been letfor over a year to a man called Cust."
Bouguereau William

Gustav Klimt Painting

Gustav Klimt Painting Mr Ball，swelling with pride and importance，and Mary，somewhat tearful，accompanied them. The sergeant returned about ten minutes later. "I've brought the register，sir，"he said. "Here's the signature." We crowded round.The writing was small and cramped-not easy to read. "A B Case-or is it Cash?"said the Chief Constable. "A B C，"said Crome significantly. "What about luggage?"asked Anderson. "One good-sized suitcase，sir，full of small cardboard boxes." "Boxes?What was in'em?" "Stockings，sir.Silk stockings." Crome turned to Poirot. "Congratulations，"he said."Your hunch was right."
Gustav Klimt Painting
Inspector Crome was in his office at Scotland Yard. The telephone on his desk gave a discreet buzz and he picked it up. "Jacobs speaking，sir.There's a young fellow come in with a story that Ithink you ought to hear." Inspector Crome sighed.On an average twenty people a day turned up withso-called important information about the A B C case.Some of them wereharmless lunatics，some of them were well-meaning persons who genuinelybelieved that their information was of value.It was the duty of SergeantJacobs to act as a human sieve-retaining the grosser matter and passing onthe residue to his supeior.
Gustav Klimt Painting

Gustav Klimt The Kiss

Gustav Klimt The Kiss
"Didn't hear about it at once，"said Ball. "Not till news came along as there'd been another murder done.And thenthe lass she screams out as it might have been blood in the basin，and Iasks her what she means，and she tells me.Well，it doesn't sound right to meand I went upstairs myself. Nobody in the room.I asks a few questions and one of the lads incourtyard says he saw a fellow sneaking out that way and by his descriptionit was the right one.So I says to the missus as Mary here had best go topolice. She doesn't like the idea，Mary doesn't，and I says I'll come along withher." Inspector Crome drew a sheet of paper towards him. "Describe this man，"he said."As quick as you can.There's no time to belost."
Gustav Klimt The Kiss
"Medium-sized he were，"said Mary. "And stooped and wore glasses." "His clothes?" "A dark suit and a Homburg hat.Rather shabby-looking." She could add little to this description. Inspector Crome did nit insist unduly.The telephone wires were soon busy，but neither the inspector nor the Chief Constable were over-optimistic. Crome elicited the fact that the man，when seen sneaking across the yard，had had no bag or suitcase. "There's a chance there，"he said. Two men were despatched to the Black Swan.
Gustav Klimt The Kiss

Modern Art Painting

Modern Art Painting
"Get on，lass，"said Mr Ball."Tell your tale.Nowt to be afraid of." Mary gasped，groaned and plunged in a breathless voice into her narrative. "I knocked on door and there wasn't no answer，otherwise I wouldn't havegone in leastways not unless the gentleman had said"Come in，"and as hedidn't say nothing I went in and he was there washing his hands." She paused and breathed deeply. "Go on，my girl，"said Anderson. Mary looked sideways at her master and as though receiving inspirationfrom his slow nod，plunged on again. ""It's your hot water，sir，"I said，"and I did knock，"but "Oh，"hesays，"I've washed in cold，"he said，and so，naturally，I looks in basin，and oh!God help me，sir，it were all red!"
Modern Art Painting
"Red?"said Anderson sharply. Ball struck in. "The lass told me that he had his coat off and that he was holding thesleeve of it，and it was all wet-that's right，eh，lass?" "Yes，sir，that's right，sir." She plunged on: "And his face，sir，it looked queer，mortal queer it looked.Gave mequite a turn." "When was this?"asked Anderson sharply. "About a quarter after five，so near as I can reckon." "Over three hours ago，"snapped Anderson. "Why didn't you come at once?"Modern Art Painting

Art Painting

Art Painting
"Think so?Well，it's possible.Damn it all，hasn't anyone got eyes intheir head?" "Have patience，"said Poirot. "You seem very confident，M.Poirot.Got any reason for this optimism?" "Yes，Colonel Anderson.Up to now，the murderer has not made a mistake. He is bound to make one soon." "If that's all you've got to go on，"began the Chief Constable with asnort，but he was interrupted. "Mr Ball of the Black Swan is here with a young woman，sir.He reckonshe's got summat to say might help you." "Bring them along.Bring them along.We can do with anything helpful." Mr Ball of the Black Swan was a large，slow-thinking，heavily moving man. He exhaled a strong odour of beer.With him was a plump young woman withround eyes clearly in a state of high excitement.
Art Painting
Hope I'm not intruding or wasting valuable time，"said Mr Ball in aslow，thick voice."But this wench，Mary here，reckons she's got something totell as you ought to know." Mary giggled in a half-hearted way. "Well，my girl，what is it?"said Anderson."What's your name?" "Mary，sir，Mary Stroud." "Well，Mary，out with it." Mary turned her round eyes on her naster. "It's her business to take up hot water to the gents'bedrooms，"said MrBall，coming to the rescue."About half a dozen gentlemen we'd got staying. Some for the races and some just commercials." "Yes，yes，"said Anderson impatiently.
Art Painting

Famous painting

Famous painting
"God bless my soul，"said Mr Downes，sobered into whispering. He got up.He looked suddenly old and shaken. "If you don't want me any more，gentlemen，I think I'll go home.I-Idon't feel very well." "That's quite all right，Mr Downes.I'll send a constable with you-justto see you're all right." "Oh，no-no，thank you.That's not necessary." "Might as well，"said Colonel Anderson gruffly. His eyes slid sideways，asking an imperceptible question of theinspector.The latter gave an equally imperceptible nod. Mr Downes went out shakily.
Famous painting
"Just as well he didn't tumble to it，"said Colonel Anderson."There'llbe a couple of them-eh?" "Yes，sir.Your Inspector Rice has made arrangements.The house will bewatched." "You think，"said Poirot，"that when A B C finds out his mistake hemight try again?" Anderson nodded. "It's a possibility，"he said."Seems a methodical sort of chap，A B C. It will upset him if things don't go according to programme." Poirot nodded thoughtfully. "Wish we could get a description of the fellow，"said Colonel Andersonirritably."We're as much in the dark as ever." "It may come，"said Poirot.Famous painting

Famous artist painting

Famous artist painting
"I'm telling you，man，"said Colonel Anderson，"just where your luckcame in.Somehow or other，when the murderer followed you in，he got confused. He picked on the wrong back.I'll eat my hat，Mr Downes，if that knifewasn't meant for you!" However well Mr Downes's heart had stood former tests，it was unable tostand up to this one.He sank on a chair，gasped，and turned purple in theface. "Water，"he gasped."Water......" A glass was brought him.He sipped it whilst his complexion graduallyreturned to the normal. "Me?"he said."Why me?"
Famous artist painting
Water，"he gasped."Water......" A glass was brought him.He sipped it whilst his complexion graduallyreturned to the normal. "Me?"he said."Why me?" "It looks like it，"said Crome."In fact，it's the only explanation." "You mean that this man-this-this fiend incarnate-this bloodthirstymadman has been following me about waiting for an opportunity?" "I should say that was the way of it." "But in heaven's name，why me?"demanded the outraged schoolmaster. Inspector Crome struggled with the temptation to reply:"Why not?"andsaid instead:"I'm afraid it's no good expecting a lunatic to have reasonsfor what he does."
Famous artist painting

Decorative painting

Decorative painting
At the close of the performance I rose from my seat.The seat on my leftwas empty but in the one beyond a man was sitting，apparently asleep.I wasunable to pass him to get out as his legs were stuck out in front of him.Iasked him to allow me to pass.As he did not move I repeated my requestin-a-er-slightly louder tone.He still made no response.I then took him bythe shoulder to waken him.His body slumped down further and I becameaware-that he was either unconscious or seriously ill.I called out:"Thisgentleman is taken ill.Fetch the commissionaire."The commissionaire came.AsI took my hand from the man's shoulder I found it was wet and red......I canassure you，gentlemen，the shock was terrific!Anything might havehappened!For years I have suffered from cardiac weakness-"Colonel Andersonwas looking at Mr Downes with a very curious expression.
Decorative painting
"You can consider that you're a lucky man，Mr Downes." "I do，sir.Not even a palpitation!" "You don't quite take my meaning，Mr Downes. You were sitting two seats away，you say?" "Actually I was sitting at first in the next seat to the murderedman-then I moved along so as to be behind an empty seat." "You're about the same height and build as the dead man，aren't you，andyou were wearing a wollen scarf round your neck just as he was?" "I fail to see-"began Mr Downes stiffly.
Decorative painting

Rembrandt Painting

Rembrandt Painting
"It makes me so stupid.I cannot even remember what it was I wanted tosay to you." "Was it something about your husband's death?" "Car's death?Yes，perhaps......Mad，poor creature-the murderer，I mean. It's all the noise and the speed nowadays-people can't stand it.I'vealways been sorry for mad people-their heads must feel so queer.And then，being shut up-it must be so terrible.But what else can one do?If they killpeople......"She shook her head-gently pained."You haven't caught himyet?"she asked. "No，not yet." "He must have been hanging round here that day." "There were so many strangers about，Lady Clarke.It is the holidayseason."
Rembrandt Painting
"Yes-I forgot......But they keep down by the beaches，they don't come upnear the house." "No stranger came to the house that day." "Who says so?"demanded Lady Clarke，with a sudden vigour. Poirot looked slightly taken aback. "The servants，"he said."Miss Grey." Lady Clarke said very distinctly: "That girl is a liar!" I started on my chair.Poirot threw me a glance. Lady Clarke was going on，speaking now rather feverishly.
Rembrandt Painting

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
We sat down as her vague gesture directed.There was a silence.LadyClarke seemed to have lapsed into a dream. Presently with a slight effort she roused herself. "It was about Car，wasn't it?About Car's death.Oh，yes." She signed，but still in a faraway manner，shaking her head. "We never thought it would be that way round......I was so sure I shouldbe the first to go......"She mused a minute or two. "Car was very strong-wonderful for his age.He was never ill.He wasnearly sixty-but he seemed more like fifty......Yes，very strong......" She relapsed again into her dream.Poirot，who was well acquainted withthe effects of certain drugs and of how they give their taker the impressionof endless time，said nothing.
The Singing Butler
Lady Clarke said suddenly: "Yes-it was good of you to come.I told Franklin.He said he wouldn'tforget to tell you.I hope Franklin isn't going to be foolish......he's soeasily taken in，in spite of having knocked about the world so much.Men arelike that......They remain boys......Franklin，in particular." "He has an impulsive nature，"said Poirot. "Yes-yes......And very chivalrous.Men are so foolish that way.EvenCar-"Her voice tailed off. She shook her head with a febrile impatience. "Everything's so dim......One's body is a nuisance，M.Poirot，especiallywhen it gets the upper hand.One is conscious of nothing else-whether thepain will hold off or not-nothing else seems to matter." "I know，Lady Clarke.It is one of the stragedies of this life."
The Singing Butler