# Septimus Elphick — The Middle Temple Murder character guide > Septimus Elphick in The Middle Temple Murder by J. S. Fletcher. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Mr. Elphick, old Elphick, Mr. Septimus Elphick **First appearance:** 0008-ix-the-dealer-in-rare-stamps ## Snapshot An elderly Middle Temple philatelist who keeps a crucial eleven o'clock appointment with Spargo and then vanishes before the journalist can knock. ## Who they are Elphick is Ronald Breton's guardian and the quieter half of a stamp-collecting pair with old Cardlestone, a punctual man who never misses an appointment. When Spargo arrives at his chambers to hear what he knows about the Marbury affair, the door is shut and the old man is simply gone. His disappearance turns a newspaper story into something personal for Breton and raises the question of what Elphick was afraid to say aloud. ## Relationships ### [Frank Spargo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/characters/frank_spargo) _professional_ Septimus Elphick is a solicitor involved in the case, and Frank interacts with him professionally. ### [Ronald Breton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/characters/ronald_breton) _professional_ Ronald Breton interacts with Septimus Elphick in a legal or journalistic context regarding the case. ### [Frank Spargo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/characters/frank_spargo) _professional_ Septimus Elphick is a solicitor involved in the case, and Frank interacts with him professionally. ### [Ronald Breton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/characters/ronald_breton) _professional_ Ronald Breton interacts with Septimus Elphick in a legal or journalistic context regarding the case. ### [Frank Spargo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/characters/frank_spargo) _professional_ Septimus Elphick is a solicitor involved in the case, and Frank interacts with him professionally. ### [Ronald Breton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/characters/ronald_breton) _professional_ Ronald Breton interacts with Septimus Elphick in a legal or journalistic context regarding the case. ## In the story ### [III: The Clue of the Cap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/iii-the-clue-of-the-cap) Elphick, an elderly barrister and Breton's guardian, shows great interest in the murder and questions Spargo about seeing the body. ### [V: Spargo Wishes to Specialize](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/v-spargo-wishes-to-specialize) Meets Spargo and Breton on the way to the mortuary; shows indifference to the name Marbury but views the body with Cardlestone, claiming no recognition. ### [XXII: The Blank Past](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxii-the-blank-past) Mentioned as Breton's guardian and still interested in the Marbury case. ### [Revelations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxv-revelations) Identified as the man who took Maitland's son away to raise him. ### [XXVI: Still Silent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxvi-still-silent) Identified as Breton's guardian and the man who took the boy; Spargo plans to interview him. ### [XXVII: Mr. Elphick's Chambers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxvii-mr-elphick-s-chambers) Initially confident and bantering, but becomes terrified when Spargo reveals his knowledge of the Maitland secret. ### [XXVIII: Of Proved Identity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxviii-of-proved-identity) Deeply shaken by Spargo's revelation about Ronald Breton's parentage; begs Spargo not to tell Ronald or print the story until their meeting the next morning. ### [XXIX: The Closed Doors](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxix-the-closed-doors) Absent from his chambers; the room shows signs of frantic paper destruction and packing, suggesting he has fled. ### [XXX: Revelation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxx-revelation) Flees with Cardlestone after being confronted by Spargo; claims they are going to Paris as a blind. ### [XXXII: The Contents of the Coffin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxxii-the-contents-of-the-coffin) Mentioned as having a hiding place in Yorkshire with Cardlestone; Breton knows where they are. ### [XXXIII: Forestalled](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxxiii-forestalled) Mentioned as one of the two old men staying at the cottage in Fossdale, the target of Spargo and Breton's journey. ### [The Whip Hand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxxiv-the-whip-hand) Visibly distressed, admits to being blackmailed by Myerst over the Marbury murder. ### [Myerst Explains](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxxv-myerst-explains) Also frightened and exhausted; revealed to have been unaware of Cardlestone's true identity until recently. ### [The Final Telegram](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/chapters/xxxvi-the-final-telegram) Reveals the events of the night Maitland visited Cardlestone, including Jane Baylis's actions. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/characters/septimus_elphick - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_temple_murder_se/characters