The Crime at Black Dudley · Chapter
XIX: Mr. Campion’s Conjuring Trick explained
The six young people descend to dinner with trepidation.
What happens
The six young people descend to dinner with trepidation. Campion entertains with a napkin-and-saltcellar trick, then deliberately breaks a glass to create a diversion. Under cover of the noise, Kennedy's party subdues the servants, while Campion trips and gags a manservant. On the landing, Gideon and a thug confront the group; Campion draws a Webley and disarms them. The girls are locked in a room, and Campion and Abbershaw tie up Gideon and knock out the thug, stuffing him in a cupboard.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt represents the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak wher…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Courage and Resourcefulness
Campion's quick thinking with a conjuring trick and his decisive use of a gun demonstrate resourcefulness under threat.
- Deception and Disguise
Campion's feigned foolishness and the saltcellar trick serve as a cover for the group's counterattack.
- Isolation and Entrapment
The girls are locked in a room for safety, and Gideon is physically bound, reinforcing the theme of entrapment.
Characters to notice
- Albert Campion
Executes a conjuring trick as a diversion, then physically subdues a manservant and later disarms Gideon and his companion with a Webley.
- Dr. George Abbershaw
Assists Campion in restraining the servants and later in tying up Gideon; briefly loses his gun but recovers.
- Meggie Oliphant
Receives a small revolver from Abbershaw and reassures him before being locked in a room with Jeanne and Anne.
- Jesse Gideon
Confronts the group on the landing, is forced to raise his hands at gunpoint, and is later tied to a bedpost.
- Chris Kennedy
Leads a successful attack on the servants in the dining-hall, capturing one and taking his revolver.
Key passages
“It’s the risk, my old bird. Our pugilistic friend doesn’t realize that we’re not up against a gang of racecourse thugs.”
Campion warns Abbershaw that Kennedy underestimates the danger, thinking they face ordinary thugs rather than a more serious threat.
Highlights Campion's awareness of the true stakes.
“I knew a woman once who didn’t believe in food—thought it was bad for the figure—so she gave it up altogether. Horrible results, of course; she got so thin that no one noticed her around—husband got used to being alone—estrangement, divorce—oh, I believe in food.”
Campion tells a humorous anecdote about a woman who stopped eating for her figure, leading to marital neglect and divorce, to lighten the mood.
Illustrates Campion's tactic of using absurd chatter to distract and relax the group.
“Don’t lose your Organizing Power, Directive Ability, Self-Confidence, Driving Force, Salesmanship, and Business Acumen. In other words, look on the bright side of things.”
Campion cheerfully tells Abbershaw not to lose his composure after a mishap, using mock-business jargon to encourage optimism.
Shows Campion's characteristic blend of humor and reassurance.
