# The Old Gentleman — The Three Taps character guide

> The Old Gentleman in The Three Taps by Ronald A. Knox.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the old gentleman

**First appearance:** 0001-the-three-taps

## Snapshot

An elderly guest at the Load of Mischief whose dry, needling wit about geniality and anecdotes hides a sharper interest in the company than he lets on.

## Who they are

He holds court at the dinner table, dissecting the word 'genial' and mourning the anecdote as the enemy of conversation, while the others volley back. His talk is all surface polish and quiet judgment, and Angela Bredon treats him as a man worth dressing for and managing. In a house full of guests with reasons to be watchful, his composure and his eye for other people's weaknesses make him a figure the reader keeps returning to.

## In the story

### [V: Supper, and Mr. Brinkman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/v-supper-and-mr-brinkman)

At ease, ironically brings up Mottram's death and fishing habits.

### [XI: The Generalship of Angela](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/chapters/xi-the-generalship-of-angela)

Engages in the dinner conversation, commenting on the word 'genial' and comparing detectives to schoolmasters.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters/the_old_gentleman
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_taps_se/characters