# Mr. Pulteney — The Three Taps character guide > Mr. Pulteney in The Three Taps by Ronald A. Knox. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Pulteney, Whereas Pulteney **First appearance:** 0001-the-three-taps ## Snapshot A sardonic old gentleman who slept next door to the dead man and greeted the news by announcing he would fish the Long Pool. ## Who they are Pulteney lodged in the room adjoining Mottram's on the night of the death, claims to have slept soundly, and offers no corroboration of his own movements. His response to the tragedy — 'In that case, Mrs. Davis, I shall fish the Long Pool this morning' — is either remarkable composure or something colder, and he was the first to nudge Bredon toward a suicide reading. Eames suspects he is merely an academic soul out of touch with real life; but his shirked funeral, his inquisitiveness about departures, and his taste for macabre humour keep him uncomfortably in the frame. ## Relationships ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Pulteney have a professional relationship, possibly as investigator and suspect or colleague. ### [Angela Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/angela_bredon) _professional_ Angela Bredon interacts with Mr. Pulteney in a professional or investigative setting, likely as part of the case. ### [Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_brinkman) _professional_ Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Pulteney share a professional relationship, possibly as colleagues or in a business network. ### [Angela Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/angela_bredon) _professional_ Angela Bredon interacts with Mr. Pulteney in a professional or investigative setting, likely as part of the case. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Pulteney have a professional relationship, possibly as investigator and suspect or colleague. ### [Miles Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/miles_bredon) _professional_ Miles Bredon and Mr. Pulteney have a professional relationship, possibly as investigator and suspect or colleague. ### [Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_brinkman) _professional_ Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Pulteney share a professional relationship, possibly as colleagues or in a business network. ### [Angela Bredon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/angela_bredon) _professional_ Angela Bredon interacts with Mr. Pulteney in a professional or investigative setting, likely as part of the case. ### [Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_brinkman) _professional_ Mr. Brinkman and Mr. Pulteney share a professional relationship, possibly as colleagues or in a business network. ## In the story ### [III: At the Load of Mischief](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/iii-at-the-load-of-mischief) The old gentleman fishing by the river; he directs the Bredons to the inn, mentions Mottram's death, the police presence, and the other guest, Mr. Brinkman. He is described as a great one for fishing and taking people up short. ### [VI: An Ear at the Keyhole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/vi-an-ear-at-the-keyhole) Found filling crossword in coffee room; Angela's favorite; suspected of listening at keyhole. ### [VII: From Leyland’s Notebook](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/vii-from-leyland-s-notebook) Exonerated by Leyland as a complete stranger to Mottram; his accurate observation about the east wind is cited. ### [XI: The Generalship of Angela](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xi-the-generalship-of-angela) Another target; his cigarette case is found empty during the investigation, and he later fills a briar pipe. ### [XIII: A Morning with the Haberdasher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xiii-a-morning-with-the-haberdasher) Engages in banter at breakfast about the Bredons' departure and Brinkman. ### [XIV: Bredon Is Taken for a Walk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xiv-bredon-is-taken-for-a-walk) Mentioned as not fishing the Long Pool that day, allowing Brinkman and Bredon to visit the gorge without interruption. ### [XVI: A Visitor from Pullford](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xvi-a-visitor-from-pullford) Attends the funeral, makes darkly humorous remarks about death and village life. ### [XVII: Mysterious Behaviour of the Old Gentleman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xvii-mysterious-behaviour-of-the-old-gentleman) Suspected of eavesdropping; skipped funeral on false fishing pretext; later brings evidence against Brinkman. ### [XVIII: The Barmaid Is Brought to Book](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xviii-the-barmaid-is-brought-to-book) Expresses delight at being mistaken for a criminal, then participates in the tense tea with Brinkman. ### [XIX: How Leyland Spent the Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xix-how-leyland-spent-the-evening) Accompanies Leyland to the garage for the stakeout. ### [XX: How Bredon Spent the Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xx-how-bredon-spent-the-evening) Mentioned in Bredon's card game and by Mrs. Davis as someone who takes sandwiches fishing. ### [XXI: How Eames Spent the Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxi-how-eames-spent-the-evening) Sent to alert Leyland's man at the stables. ### [XXII: At a Standstill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxii-at-a-standstill) Sails into the room recounting his adventures overnight, including examining a car and being suspected of murder. ### [XXIV: Mottram’s Account of It All](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxiv-mottram-s-account-of-it-all) Comments on the confusing rapid adjustment of perspective regarding Brinkman's innocence. ### [XXV: Bredon's Account of It All](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xxv-bredon-s-account-of-it-all) Complains about getting nothing out of the affair; makes a dry remark about object-lessons. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/mr_pulteney - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters