The Third Round · Chapter
III: In Which Strange Things Happen in Professor Goodman’s Laboratory explained
The chapter opens with Sir Raymond Blantyre and the Metropolitan Diamond Syndicate meeting behind locked doors, tense over their hiring of Mr.
What happens
The chapter opens with Sir Raymond Blantyre and the Metropolitan Diamond Syndicate meeting behind locked doors, tense over their hiring of Mr. Blackton to suppress Professor Goodman's discovery. Mr. Lewisham, one of the members, is wracked with guilt and nearly backs out, but Blackton manipulates the situation, suggesting Lewisham visit Goodman to retrieve a compromising letter. Blackton, revealed to be a master of disguise, returns to his London pied-à-terre, where his secretary Freyder awaits. Blackton plans to use Lewisham as a pawn, intending to murder him and pass it off as Goodman's death, all while maintaining his artistic satisfaction in the crime.
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 Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Professor Goodman’s psychological breaking point—his haggard, defiant accusation (“What have you done to that…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Crime and Consequence
The Syndicate's hiring of Blackton to commit murder, and the psychological toll it takes on members like Lewisham, explores the moral consequences of criminal actions.
- Deception and Disguise
Blackton's multiple identities and his manipulation of the Syndicate highlight the theme of deception, as he conceals his true intentions and plans.
- The Art of Crime
Blackton's aesthetic appreciation of the murder plan, comparing it to a painter's joy, frames crime as an art form.
Characters to notice
- Sir Raymond Blantyre
Presides over the Syndicate meeting, struggling with guilt but committed to the plan.
- Mr. Edward Blackton
The orchestrator, manipulating the Syndicate and planning Lewisham's murder as a substitute for Goodman.
- Mr. Lewisham
A guilt-ridden Syndicate member who is manipulated into visiting Goodman and later becomes Blackton's victim.
- Mr. Freyder
Blackton's confidential secretary, assisting with the logistics of the plan.
- Professor Goodman
The target of the Syndicate's plot, unaware of the danger he is in.
Key passages
“It gratified his intellect; it pleased his artistic sense. Just as the sudden and unexpected acquisition of a tube of some rare pigment completes a painter’s joy, so this one detail completed Mr. Blackton’s.”
Blackton felt intellectual and artistic satisfaction from the plan, akin to a painter finding the perfect color.
Highlights Blackton's view of crime as an art form.
““I suppose there’s no chance of this man double-crossing us.””
A Syndicate member worries that Blackton might betray them.
Shows the Syndicate's distrust and fear.
