The Man Who Was Thursday · Character

Professor de Worms

An elderly detective disguised as a paralytic nihilist, whose tottering gait conceals a pursuer capable of running after omnibuses.

supporting

Also known as de Worms, Professor

First appearance: iv the tale of a detective

As a supporting figure in The Man Who Was Thursday, Professor de Worms is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The Professor, called Thursday, is an old man with a pale, intellectual face and a small tuft of dark beard.

In the storyThe Feast of FearOpen this moment free

De Worms presents himself as a helpless old man with leaden feet and shaky hands, yet he inexplicably keeps pace with Syme across London. This contradiction—the paralytic who pursues—makes him one of the most unsettling figures in the council. His disguise raises the question of how many of the anarchists are not what they seem, deepening the novel's labyrinth of false identities.

See Professor de Worms in The Feast of Fear Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Character Web

10 connections

A slice of how Professor de Worms sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Psychological
Other

Character groups

Central Anarchist Council detectives
Protagonist

+5 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it reveals the Professor’s psychological breaking point: beneat…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

Relationships

Gabriel Syme
professional · positive
Syme and de Worms are fellow undercover detectives in the anti-anarchist council, working… How this plays out →
Gogol
professional · positive
Dr. Bull
professional · positive
Sunday
psychological · ambivalent
Gabriel Syme
professional · positive
Syme and de Worms are fellow undercover detectives in the anti-anarchist council, working… How this plays out →
Gabriel Syme
professional · positive
Syme and de Worms are fellow undercover detectives in the anti-anarchist council, working… How this plays out →
Dr. Bull
professional · positive
Sunday
psychological · ambivalent
Gogol
professional · positive
Gogol
professional · positive
Dr. Bull
professional · positive

Gabriel Syme
Syme and de Worms are fellow undercover detectives in the anti-anarchist council, working together despite initial suspicion.
Gogol
Gogol and de Worms are fellow detectives, collaborating in the undercover operation against the anarchists.
Dr. Bull
Dr. Bull and de Worms are fellow detectives, sharing a professional alliance and mutual respect.
Sunday
De Worms is deeply unsettled by Sunday, who seems to know everything and controls the detectives' fate.
Gabriel Syme
Syme and de Worms are fellow undercover detectives in the anti-anarchist council, working together despite initial suspicion.
Gabriel Syme
Syme and de Worms are fellow undercover detectives in the anti-anarchist council, working together despite initial suspicion.
Dr. Bull
Dr. Bull and de Worms are fellow detectives, sharing a professional alliance and mutual respect.
Sunday
De Worms is deeply unsettled by Sunday, who seems to know everything and controls the detectives' fate.
Gogol
Gogol and de Worms are fellow detectives, collaborating in the undercover operation against the anarchists.
Gogol
Gogol and de Worms are fellow detectives, collaborating in the undercover operation against the anarchists.
Dr. Bull
Dr. Bull and de Worms are fellow detectives, sharing a professional alliance and mutual respect.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Professor de Worms in iv the tale of a detective

In the story

Professor de Worms appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Feast of Fear
The Professor, called Thursday, is an old man with a pale, intellectual face and a small tuft of dark beard. He speaks in a dead voice and has a nervous crooked smile, unnerving Syme with his stillness and fanaticism.
VI: The Exposure
Stares at the ceiling and nihilistically states that nothing is worth doing.
VII: The Unaccountable Conduct of Professor de Worms
The Professor appears repeatedly in Syme's path, despite his apparent frailty, suggesting he is either following Syme or is part of a larger scheme.
The Man in Spectacles
The Professor speaks in a slow, deliberate manner to provoke Dr. Bull, but becomes frustrated by Bull's silence; he signals to Syme for help.
X: The Duel
The Professor wearily dismisses the showing of blue cards and later points out the flaw in Syme's planned dialogue. He observes the duel with a ponderous simplicity.
XII: The Earth in Anarchy
Quotes from Pope's 'Dunciad' and expresses despair at the chaos, but later joins Syme in the charge.
The Pursuit of the President
Reflects on the fear of learning Sunday's true identity; participates in the pursuit.
The Six Philosophers
The Professor speaks of Pan and describes Sunday's face as too large and loose, like a chance arrangement of lamp, window, and cloud that dissolves upon closer inspection.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Professor de Worms unlock in the free preview.

See Professor de Worms in iv the tale of a detective

See Professor de Worms in The Feast of Fear