# Mr. Joseph Walters — The Three Impostors character guide

> Mr. Joseph Walters in The Three Impostors by Arthur Machen.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Joseph Walters, Mr. Walters, Walters

**First appearance:** 0012-history-of-the-young-man-with-spectacles

## Snapshot

The guest left overnight in a decaying house by three grinning conspirators who joke about leaving the front door on the jar for him.

## Who they are

Walters never appears in the prologue's opening scene, only in the conspirators' chatter as the man staying the night — the bait, or the victim, of a plot they consider finished. Davies, Richmond, and the hazel-eyed girl bid farewell to their assumed roles as Burton, Wilkins, and Miss Lally, gloating over a crying noise and a smell that turned Richmond's stomach. His unseen presence haunts the frame: whatever happened to Joseph Walters is the crime the rest of the book circles, and the conspirators' grim enjoyment makes it clear the story will not end cleanly.

## Relationships

### [Dr. Lipsius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/characters/dr_lipsius)

_psychological_

Dr. Lipsius exerts a sinister psychological influence over Mr. Joseph Walters, drawing him into a web of deception and horror.

### [Mr. James Headley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/characters/mr_james_headley)

_social_

Mr. James Headley and Mr. Joseph Walters are acquaintances, both caught up in Dr. Lipsius's schemes.

### [Dr. Lipsius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/characters/dr_lipsius)

_psychological_

Dr. Lipsius exerts a sinister psychological influence over Mr. Joseph Walters, drawing him into a web of deception and horror.

### [Dr. Lipsius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/characters/dr_lipsius)

_psychological_

Dr. Lipsius exerts a sinister psychological influence over Mr. Joseph Walters, drawing him into a web of deception and horror.

### [Mr. James Headley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/characters/mr_james_headley)

_social_

Mr. James Headley and Mr. Joseph Walters are acquaintances, both caught up in Dr. Lipsius's schemes.

## In the story

### [Novel of the Dark Valley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/chapters/novel-of-the-dark-valley)

Narrator of the embedded story; a poor clergyman's son who struggles in London and later becomes secretary to Jack Smith.

### [Adventure of the Missing Brother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/chapters/adventure-of-the-missing-brother)

The missing brother, described as pale, with small black whiskers and spectacles, and a timid expression.

### [Incident of the Private Bar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/chapters/incident-of-the-private-bar)

Implied as the young man with spectacles who is feared by Wilkins and sought by Dyson and Burton.

### [Strange Occurrence in Clerkenwell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/chapters/strange-occurrence-in-clerkenwell)

The terrified young man with whiskers and spectacles (though spectacles missing); Dyson identifies him as the missing person sought by many.

### [History of the Young Man with Spectacles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/chapters/history-of-the-young-man-with-spectacles)

Narrator and protagonist; a young scholar who has been drawn into Dr. Lipsius's schemes.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/characters/mr_joseph_walters
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_impostors_se/characters