- Case
- Fer-de-lance
- Year Published
- 1934
- Case Introduction
- 7-23 June, 1933. Fred Durkin asks Wolfe to help Maria Maffei, his wife's best friend. Maffei's brother Carlo is missing, and Maria suspects foul play -- she wants her brother found and she wants to see "the one who hurt him."
- Notes
-
Unique case which deviates from patterns developed in those subsequent. Inspector Cramer is notably absent; and Purley Stebbins is mentioned only once and in somewhat friendly terms! Archie's and Wolfe's history and animosity towards Anderson is well-established during this case, as the murders were committed in his county, and he is involved to the very end.
- Resolution
-
Manuel Kimball did it. He intended to kill his father, E.D. Kimball, because his father murdered his mother and her lover in South America 30 years before. Manuel was two years old at the time and present for the murder. His father wasn’t sure why he didn't shoot Manuel too, since he was sure Manuel was not his son. His father abandoned Manuel and only went to South America recently to reestablish a relationship with him. Peter Barstow borrowed E.D. Kimball’s golf club when Barstow’s caddy was off looking for a lost ball. Manuel killed Carlo Maffei when Carlo contacted him after seeing the news report of Barstow’s death in newspaper—presumably to blackmail Kimball.
Characters in the case:
Ch. 11 - Archie interviews Allen and a second (unnamed caddy) regarding the day Peter Oliver Barstow died.
Character descriptionLate teens? Chunky. Snappy brown eyes, lots of freckles. Caddy.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 11 - Allen reveals that Ellen Barstow gave new clubs to her husband months before his death.
Ch. 5 - arrives unannounced at the brownstone early one morning, wanting to speak with Wolfe (who is still in bed). He's incredulous and indignant when told that Wolfe won't see him until 11am. Ultimately, after speaking in general terms regarding Wolfe's conclusion, Anderson decides to order the exhumation and autopsy of Peter Oliver Barstow and leaves.
Character descriptionDistrict Attorney for Westchester County. Married money; a rich man with professional ambitions, and no fool. History with Wolfe goes back five years, to the Goldsmith case, when Anderson was an assistant D.A. and ungraciously deprived Wolfe of due credit. Archie regards his ethics as questionable.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 6 - Archie calls Barber after antagonizing Anderson to learn about law related to the arrest of material witnesses.
Character descriptionWolfe's 1st lawyer.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 15 - Mrs. T. A. Carter tells Archie that it was Barret who gave the pilot who landed in a nearby meadow a lift into Hawthorne.
Character descriptionWorker for a local artist, Miss Wellman; near Hawthorne.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 6 - in a newspaper ad (read by Archie), offers $50,000 reward for killer of her husband.
Ch. 8 - discusses her husbands death with Archie on the Barstow estate. During the interview, Barstow states that she, herself, is the only person who wanted her husband dead.
Character description~56,"very handsome", Hair - nearly white, eyes - grey. Rather neurotic. Wife of Peter O. Barstow, mother of Sarah and Lawrence.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 11 - Dr. Bradford reveals that Ellen Barstow shot a revolver at her husband the past November.
Ch. 3 - mentioned in the newspaper as a member of the golfing foursome when Peter Oliver Barstow dies.
Ch. 9 - has lunch with and is interviewed by Archie at the Barstow estate. Unfriendly, stating Wolfe's agreement with Sarah Barstow is "a cheap piece of insolence...blackmail."
Character descriptionBrother of Sarah, son of Peter & Ellen (wealthy patriarch and matriarch of Barstow family). Eyes gray but without discipline and prone to squinting. Good, regular features. Deep, rumbling, pleasant voice. Studying aircraft design.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 3 - mentioned in the newspaper ready by Archie: he collapsed and died while playing golf at the Green Meadow Golf Club.
Character descriptionAge 58, president of Holland University. Husband of Ellen, father of Sarah and Lawrence.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 2 - Wolfe surmises from an interview with Anna Fiore that Barstow's murder is connected to Carlo Maffei's disappearance.
Ch. 6 - arrives at the brownstone unannounced after her mother (Ellen Barstow) offers $50,000 for information about Peter Barstow's murder. Archie observes her eyes were heavy from tiredness and crying, but her voice had sense in it.
Ch. 7 - asks Wolfe to disregard her mother's offer to find Peter Barstow's killer; during the request, she accidentally implies Wolfe is a bloodhound, but Wolfe is not offended. Wolfe (after deducing from her request that Barstow wants to protect someone) offers to find her father's killer (and earn the $50,000) but NOT disclose it to authorities if she does not wish it. Sarah leaves to think about the offer.
Ch. 8 - receives Archie at the Barstow estate after implicitly accepting Wolfe's offer to find her father's murderer.
Character descriptionSmith graduate, age 25, popular and beautiful. Only daughter of Peter and Ellen Barstow, sister of Lawrence Barstow.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 11 - admits to Archie that she disposed her father's golf clubs after his death; they had been given to her father by her mother, and Sarah assumed they constituted evidence of murder.
Ch. 17 - tells Archie about the $10 bill with her signature on it in Anna Fiore's package of evidence against Manuel Kimball - it was Kimball's winnings from a tennis match with the Barstows; Kimball accidentally gave it to Carlo Maffei in payment for his work on the needle-shooting driver.
Ch. 4 - mentioned as Archie and Mr. Derwin discuss Peter Barstow's cause of death; Bradford indicated coronary thrombosis was the cause which contradicted Wolfe's theory regarding poison being the cause.
Ch. 11 - talks with Archie only after he sends a note to him, asserting the doctor is an old fool. Ultimately, Bradford accepts an invitation to dine with Wolfe at the brownstone.
Character descriptionOlder gentleman type. Grey hair and whiskers. Tall, grave and correct. Barstow family doctor.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 1 - acquires and brings to the brownstone 49 different, only recently available, legal (post-Prohibition) beer for Wolfe to test.
Character descriptionMaster chef in Wolfe's kitchen, has a small apartment in the basement. (In "Fer-De-Lance," his apartment is across from the plant room, not in the basement.) Swiss; native French speaker, served in WWI. Uninterested in murder, except whether a client is in the offing; gets anxious about household finance when Wolfe isn't working. Doesn't like to talk while cooking. Changes to his old slippers at 9 pm because of "things left on his feet by the war to remember it by". Implied he was a member of the Swiss Alpine Patrol during WWI.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 15 - sent to deliver the dead fer-de-lance to Manuel Kimball.
Ch. 15 - discusses her response to the newspaper ad placed by Archie; she confirms that she saw a plane land in the countryside and names Art Barret as the man who provided the pilot with a lift into town.
Character descriptionSkinny and active, missing front tooth.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 15 - Mrs. T. A. Carter's information confirms for Wolfe that Manuel Kimball had secretly flown in from the Kimball estate to meet Carlo Maffei and kill him, then fly home in the dark.
Ch. 16 - as part of Wolfe's plot to get information from Anna Fiore regarding Carlo Maffei, is bitten twice by Anna.
Character descriptionSecond in line behind Saul Panzer when Nero and Archie need extra manpower.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 18 - along with Bill Gore, Fred Durkin, and Saul Panzer, surrounds the Kimball estate as Archie and Anderson confront Manuel Kimball.
Ch. 4 - called by Mr. Derwin to consult regarding Goodwin's offer of a bet regarding P. Barstow's cause of death. Cook is quite unfriendly with Goodwin, trying to muscle information out of him. Cook threatens, "You'd be surprised how we treat bright boys up here sometimes."
Character descriptionChief of Police in White Plains. Husky, busy looking, disdainful of bright boys like Archie Goodwin.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 6 - Corbett attempts to shove his way into the brownstone but is thwarted by Archie who exchanges words with him on the stoop. Corbett wants to know how Wolfe knew about the Barstow poisoning.
Ch. 9 - Archie bumps into Corbett as he is about to depart from interviews at the Barstow estate; the two exchange words, and Archie leaves.
Character descriptionMan from Westchester DA Office, thus, associated with Anderson.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 18 - accompanies Archie and Anderson to the Kimball estate to arrest Manuel Kimball; is aggressive towards Archie, asking Anderson if he'd like him to take the evidence against Kimball from Goodwin. Corbett snatches an envelope and the golf club from Goodwin, who punches him; Anderson breaks it up.
Ch. 18 - accompanies Archie, Anderson, and H. R. Corbett on their way to arrest the murderer.
Character descriptionDick from White Plains D. A. office; one of Anderson's men.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 18 - called off by Anderson after Archie punched out Corbett.
Ch. 4 - Archie has never heard of Derwin but must deal with him as D.A. Anderson is unavailable. Archie offers to bet Derwin $10,000 that if Peter Barstow's body is exhumed and examined, evidence of poisoning will be found. Derwin replies, "Mr. Nero Wolfe is crazy."
Character descriptionVery respectable, well-dressed, and well-fed, somewhere around forty with his dark hair brushed back slick. Chief assistant to Westchester County D.A. Fletcher Anderson. Archie describes him, "... mixture of a scared look and a satisfied look..."
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 2 - Archie bumps into Doyle at Times Square while he's out getting newspapers for the Anna Fiore interview. Doyle allows him to park at the curb while Archie runs into the Times building for the papers.
Character descriptionCop.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 1 - brings Maria Maffei, his wife Fanny's best friend, to the brownstone to confer with Wolfe about her brother Carlo's disappearance.
Ch. 15 - reports to Wolfe over the phone regarding Anna Fiore's movements (Wolfe had assigned him and Saul the task of protecting her).
Character descriptionHired hand used by Wolfe and Archie when extra manpower is needed. Not the best, but can tail better than anybody but Saul. The favorite "irregular" after Saul - Fritz: "I'm glad it's Orrie instead of Saul or Fred"; Archie: "Such a chore for Saul or Fred of course, but I didn't like doing it for Orrie."; Mr Wolfe: "He doesn't have the dignity of a man who has found his place and occupies it, as you have, Fred."
Bald, burly, 5'10, 190 lbs; moves like a bear. Married with four children. Archie: "You can trust him to hell and back."
Reserved notes for this caseOne of the masked bandits who waylay Anna Fiore.
Ch. 2 - interviewed by Archie at Carlo Maffei's rooming house on Sullivan street. Anna reveals that she overhead Carlo on the phone with the person who presumably killed him. Archie takes her to the brownstone where Wolfe questions her for 5 hours (she shuts up mysteriously when Wolfe asks her if she had ever seen a golf club in Maffei's room).
Ch. 5 - Archie brings her to the office for a second interview during which she reveals she'd received a letter and $100 payment for her silence regarding Carlo Maffei.
Ch. 14 - Archie takes Anna to the brownstone for more questioning; Archie allows her to see Manuel Kimball who had just arrived and was in the front room; she does not recognize him.
Character descriptionAccording to Archie, "Homely kid about twenty with skin like stale dough, and she looked like she'd been scared in the cradle and never got over it."
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 16 - Wolfe arranges for bandits (Orrie Cather, Fred Durkin, Bill Gore and Archie) to waylay Anna and take the $100 payment for silence from her. Believing herself betrayed and promised money when the killer is apprehended, Anna gives Wolfe the evidence linking Carlo Maffei and Manuel Kimball. She bites Orrie Cather twice during the scene. After having her $100 taken, Anna hands over to Wolfe an envelope of evidence compiled by Carlo Maffei (she had it on her person).
Ch. 5 - Archie gives Foster a tip regarding Anderson's order to exhume Peter Barstow's body for autopsy.
Ch. 6 - calls Archie to let him know Barstow's exhumation had occurred but no announcement had been made.
Character descriptionArchie's Gazette contact. Pre-Lon Cohen days.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 18 - mentioned regarding a special hybrid seedling he's offering to Wolfe.
Character descriptionOrchid grower. Sells specialty orchids to Wolfe.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 1 - in our first glimpse into the brownstone household, Archie helps Fritz unload 49 different beers for Wolfe to test (presumably after it has become legal after the repeal of Prohibition).
Ch. 4 - drives to the White Plains courthouse where he poses a bet to Mr. Derwin.
Ch. 6 - reading the newspaper, sees Ellen Barstow's $50,000 offer for information leading to the identification and punishment of her husband's murderer. He shows the article to Wolfe after he comes down from the plant rooms.
Ch. 8 - goes to the Barstow estate after the agreement with Sarah Barstow was struck. Interviews Sarah Barstow (whom he upsets with his questioning) and her mother, Ellen Barstow.
Ch. 11 - discusses the Barstow death with the coroner in White Plains. Goes to the Green Meadow Golf Club and interviews the caddies present the day P. O. Barstow died. Returns to the Barstow's estate and confirms with Sarah Barstow that her mother gave her father new golf clubs just months before the murder. Archie later visits Dr. Nathaniel Bradford at his office on 69th St.
Ch. 12 - on orders from Wolfe, goes to the Green Meadows Golf Club and retrieves the four caddies present the day of Barstow's death, bringing them back to the brownstone for an interview with Wolfe.
Ch. 13 - goes to E. D. Kimball's office on Pearl Street downtown, informs him that it was his driver that killed Barstow, and has to convince him the situation is more than a nuisance in order to get him to agree to go back to the brownstone to talk to Wolfe.
Ch. 14 - goes to White Plains and tells Anderson that E. D. Kimball needs protection; then goes to the Barstow's to inform Sarah Barstow that her father was not the intended victim. Later, Archie picks up Anna Fiore and takes her to the brownstone for more questioning.
Ch. 15 - reviews responses to the ad regarding a plane landing and follows leads; confirms that Manuel Kimball did land a plane in the countryside the night Carlo Maffei was murdered as Wolfe suspected.
Ch. 16 - leads Bill Gore, Orrie Cather, and Fred Durkin in Wolfe's plan to convince Anna Fiore she should give Wolfe information regarding Carlo Maffei.
Ch. 18 - accompanies Anderson to the Kimball estate.
Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 16 - one of the masked bandits who waylay Anna Fiore.
Ch. 18 - goes to the Kimball estate to arrest Manuel Kimball for murder. Witnesses Manuel Kimball crash his own plane, killing himself and his father.
Ch. 16 - participates in Wolfe's plot to convince Anna Fiore to reveal information about Carlo.
Character descriptionUsed periodically by Nero Wolfe for leg work.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 7 - mentioned by Sarah Barstow who spoke with Gottlieb.
Character descriptionPsychologist and professor who has high regard for Wolfe's intuition; considers Wolfe a sensitive artist and a man of probity.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 3 - mentioned for the first time, "... Wolfe seemed to have the same effect on Horstmann that an umpire had on John J. McGraw."
Character descriptionOlder man. Wolfe's orchid nurse. Lives in small cubbyhole on the roof with the plants. First mentioned in ch. 3 of "Fer-de-lance" - Archie sometimes hears him shouting at Wolfe in the mornings.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 3 - mentioned in the newspaper as a member of the golfing foursome when Peter Oliver Barstow dies.
Ch. 10 - mentioned by son, Manuel, who tells Archie he left for Chicago on business shortly after Barstow's death on the golf course.
Ch. 13 - returns to NYC to discover Archie in his office; he finds the story about a poison dart killing Barstow hard to believe, but is convinced to return to the brownstone to talk to Wolfe. Reveals his troubled / dramatic past to Wolfe (who tricks him into doing so).
Character description50's; hair graying. Large but not fat. Commodities trader (grain). Father of Manuel. Quit school at age 12 and ran away from home. Lived in South America, primarily Argentina.
Reserved notes for this caseThe intended murder victim, not Peter Barstow. In South America 30 years before, killed his beautiful Argentine wife and her lover, his best friend. Two-year-old Manuel was present; Kimball isn't sure why he didn't shoot him too, since he was sure Manuel was not his son.
Ch. 3 - mentioned in the newspaper as a member of the golfing foursome when Peter Oliver Barstow dies.
Ch. 10 - interviewed by Archie on the Kimball family estate. Archie states he was "decent and polite."
Ch. 14-15 - arrives at the brownstone unannounced and demands that Wolfe retract his statements regarding the death of Peter Oliver Barstow.
Character description30ish. Hair black, eyes black. Neat and compact, with restless eyes, he made Archie nervous. Pilot.
Reserved notes for this caseManuel Kimball intended to kill his father, E.D. Kimball, because his father murdered his mother and her lover in South America 30 years before. Manuel was two years old at the time and present for the murder. His father abandoned Manuel and only went to South America recently to reestablish a relationship with him.
Manuel killed Carlo Maffei when Carlo contacted him after seeing the news report of Barstow’s death in newspaper—presumably to blackmail Kimball.
Ch. 15 - arranged to have a young man plant a poisonous snake (a fer-de-lance) in Wolfe's desk, causing quite a commotion.
Ch. 18 - commits murder-suicide, deliberately crashing his plan with his father, E. D. Kimball, onboard (as Archie and Anderson wait for him on the ground at the Kimball estate).
Ch. 1 - Maffei's disappearance leads his sister, Maria, to seek Wolfe's help in finding him.
Character descriptionBrother of Maria. Skilled metal worker.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 3 - homicide dick O'Grady reveals that Maffei's body was found in a thicket a hundred feet from a dirt road in Westchester County; he had been stabbed in the back - we learn later that he was murdered by the man who hired him to design and fabricate a lethal golf club.
Ch. 1 - tells Wolfe about her missing brother, Carlo Maffei; offers to pay all her money (more than $1000) to find him alive or the one who hurt him.
Ch. 16 - participates in Wolfe's plot to convince Anna Fiore to reveal information about Carlo; she invites Anna to go for a drive to her sister's house with Saul Panzer driving.
Character descriptionMiddle aged. Hair black, eyes black; has an Italian look. Best friend of Fred Durkin's wife.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 4 - Mr. Derwin (from White Plains DA office) calls Morley to get background information regarding Wolfe and Goodwin. Morley indicates that Wolfe is highly reliable and to be taken seriously.
Character descriptionFriendly contact in the NYC DA Office.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 3 - from O'Grady's appearance at the brownstone and (poorly phrased) request for items Archie took from Maffei's room, Wolfe deduces C. Maffei's death.
Character descriptionYoung and very athletic homicide detective. Has a bad eye, conscientious and truculent.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 5 - Wolfe mentions that he sent Panzer to talk to Anna Fiore and that he was unable to pry more than her name out of her.
Ch. 9 - mentioned by Archie.
Ch. 16 - drives the car with Maria Maffei and Anna Fiore in Wolfe's plot to convince Anna to reveal information about Carlo.
Character descriptionTop hired hand Nero and Archie look to for manpower. Hosts regular Thursday night poker game at eight pm at his apartment in Brooklyn. Rust-colored hair, 5'7, 145 lbs, big nose and flat ears.
In the "Rubber Band" (ch. 6) Archie tells us that Panzer has a photographic memory when it comes to faces.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 18 - flies a plane over the Kimball estate monitoring any attempt by Kimball to escape by air as Archie and Anderson move in.
Ch. 6 - mentioned as an example of a person well questioned by Wolfe (during the "Diplomacy Club business").
Character descriptionOnce effectively interviewed by Wolfe.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 2 - at the rooming-house Ricci runs, and where Carlo Maffei and Anna Fiore live, Ricci is mentioned by Fiore as Archie questions her. Both she and Fiore overheard a phone conversation Carlo had the evening of his death. Later, Archie interviews Ricci and pays her one dollar to allow Fiore to be taken to see Wolfe for further questioning.
Character descriptionCarlo Maffei's landlady, a nice fat woman with wet hands and a pushed-in nose.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 12 - interviewed at the brownstone with the other caddies present at Barstow's death.
Character descriptionCaddy at the Green Meadows Golf Club.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 12 - reveals that he provided the lethal driver to Barstow from E. D. Kimball's bag.
Ch. 9 - with his wife, had dinner with the Barstow family the evening prior to Peter Barstow's funeral
Character descriptionFriend of Peter Oliver Barstow and Ellen Barstow.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 10 - Skinner is present at the Kimball estate (repairing/maintaining airplane(s)) when Archie arrives to interview Manuel Kimball.
Character descriptionAirplane mechanic on the Kimball estate.
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 18 - present when Manuel Kimball crashes his plan, killing himself and his father, as Anderson and Archie wait for him on the ground.
Ch. 11 - mentioned by Sarah Barstow who said he took Peter Barstow's clubs to his room after his death.
Character descriptionBarstow Butler. Tall skinny guy.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 7 - Archie compares his reaction to Snyder's fielding to his reaction when seeing Wolfe's orchids.
Character descriptionFamous Brooklyn (and later LA) Dodger outfielder.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 14 - Archie buys Stebbins a drink to accompany him to the Times classified ad office to ask some questions. Archie and Purley seem to be on a friendly basis.
Character descriptionInitially an employee in N.Y. D.A.'s office. Later Cramer's man.
Detective (sergeant). Unfriendly.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 16 - receives Archie at the Williamson's place on the evening of Wolfe's plot to extract information from Anna Fiore.
Character descriptionWilliamson's butler
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 3 - generally explains golf club semantics and demonstrates their usage in the office.
Character descriptionYoung, athletic. Employee of Corliss Holmes Sporting Goods.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 5 - mentioned by Wolfe who compares the mysteries of his own genius with that of Velazquez. See quotation in NWD.
Character descriptionLived June 6, 1599 – August 6, 1660. Famous painter in the court of Spanish King Philip IV.
Last name is actually spelled with an accent: Velázquez.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 14 - visits the brownstone with his wife and son, Tommie.
Ch. 16 - helps with Wolfe's plan to extract information from Anna Fiore.
Character descriptionHotel chain owner indebted to Wolfe. Visits the brownstone for dinner annually on June 16, the anniversary of the recovery of his son Tommie.
Reserved notes for this case
Ch. 1 - agrees to do a favor for Fred Durkin, taking on the case of Maria Maffei.
Ch. 5 - curses when informed that Fletcher Anderson has arrived prior to business hours. Wolfe refuses to see him until 11am; to do otherwise would compromise his reputation for oddity.
Ch. 6 - Wolfe has his first recorded "relapse" lasting 3 days. He has lost interest in the case. Archie reports, "It was a bad one."
Ch. 11 - dines with and charms Dr. Nathaniel Bradford, discussing rock gardens, economics, and Tammany Hall.
Ch. 12 - interviews the four caddies from the Barstow-Kimball foursome.
Ch. 13 - interviews E. D. Kimball, getting him to reveal his dramatic past (see Kimball's Character reserved notes).
Ch. 14 - questions Anna Fiore again and fails to convince her to provide information about Carlo Maffei.
Ch. 15 - confronts Manuel Kimball (who arrives unannounced) in the office. Later, organizes protection for Anna Fiore. Receives a note ostensibly from Sara Barstow requesting cut orchids.
Ch. 17 - informs Anderson that Carlo Maffei and Peter Oliver Barstow were murdered by the same person.
Character descriptionMaster detective. Genius. Estimated weight: 1/7 ton. Carries a large platinum watch in his vest pocket. Sends a check every month to his mother in Budapest ("Fer-de-lance, ch. 13)..
Reserved notes for this caseCh. 12 - during his questioning of the four caddies, discovers that the deadly driver was in E. D. Kimball's bag, intended for his use.
Ch. 15 - kills a poisonous snake that emerged from his desk (planted by an associate of Manuel Kimball).
Ch. 17 - strikes a deal with Anderson to accompany Archie to arrest Manuel Kimball for murder; Anderson writes a $10,000 check to Wolfe in exchange for the evidence he's accumulated against Manuel Kimball.
Ch. 19 - we learn that Wolfe sent Durkin to Manuel Kimball with all the evidence compiled against him; Archie theorizes Wolfe wants Kimball to kill both himself and his father (against whom Wolfe hold animus for his murders 30 years earlier).
Meals in the case:
Ch. 3
Dish of kidneys and waffles and a couple of glasses of milk
Meal noteFirst meal mentioned in the corpus, Archie's breakfast the morning after Wolfe takes the Carlo Maffei case.
Ch. 6
Dish of figs and a fat omelet. Coffee.
Meal noteFritz and Archie informally celebrate the end of Wolfe's relapse.
Ch. 10
Dish of flounder with Fritz's best cheese sauce; platter of lettuce and tomatoes and plenty of good cold milk.
Meal noteFritz kept fish hot in the oven for Archie who was late to dinner due to interviews (Robertsons and then Manuel Kimball).
Ch. 11
Sandwiches, bananas, ice cream, and root beer.
Meal noteArchie feeds the caddies at the Green Meadows Golf Club in exchange for their cooperation in the investigation.
Ch. 12
Two enormous chicken pies and four watermelons.
Meal noteFritz provides this lunch for Wolfe, Archie, and the four caddies present at Barstow's death.
Orchids in the case:
Angraecum sesquipedale
Orchid noteCh. 2 - mentioned by Wolfe during the Anna Fiore interview.
Cattleya Dowiana aurea
Orchid noteCh. 3 - Wolfe implies that this is a very valuable orchid.
Cymbidium
Orchid noteCh. 11 - Wolfe arrives with a bunch of Cymbidiums just prior to interviewing the four caddies present at Barstow's murder.
Cymbidium Alexanderi
Orchid noteCh. 5 - Wolfe examines this wilting orchid after Horstmann brought it down from the plant rooms.
Dendrobium Melpomene - Findlayanum hybrid
Orchid noteCh. 18 - Gluekner offers a seedling to Wolfe.
Dendrobiums chlorostele
Orchid noteCh. 10 - Wolfe mentions to Archie that the orchid was showing two buds and that flies in his office were detracting from the happiness at this surprising development. Archie expresses incredulity, demonstrating his shared enthusiasm and knowledge of Wolfe's and Horstman's work in the plant rooms.
Miltonia blueannaeximina
Orchid noteCh. 7 - Sarah Barstow notices and admires this orchid Archie "had never looked at twice."
Quotations in the case:
Ch. 3
Since I entered this room you have made nothing but mistakes. You were without courtesy, which was offensive. You made a statement contrary to fact, which was stupid. You confused conjecture with knowledge, which was disingenuous.
Quotation noteWolfe giving a "free but valuable lesson" to homicide cop O'Grady after he tries to push Wolfe around (this was the first time they'd met).
Ch. 3
You're a lulu, Mr. Wolfe.
Quotation noteO'Grady reacting to Wolfe's manner and words at their first meeting.
Ch. 3
Accept my apologies, Mr. Townsend. I once saw golf clubs through a shop window while my car was having a flat tire, but the ends were not labeled.
Quotation noteWolfe explaining to a sporting good salesman (Townsend) why he does not know that the "end" of a golf club is called the "head."
Ch. 3
Faultless sequitur.
Quotation noteWolfe responding to Mr. Townsend's explanation that a (golf club) brassie gets its name by virtue of its brass bottom.
Ch. 3
You know, Mr. Townsend, it is our good fortune that the exigencies of birth and training furnish all of us with opportunities for snobbery. My ignorance of this special nomenclature (golf club semantics) provided yours; your innocence of the elementary mental processes provides mine.
Quotation noteTownsend's instruction was essential for Wolfe to understand how Peter Barstow was murdered.
Ch. 3
Wolfe seemed to have the same effect on Horstmann that an umpire had on
John J. McGraw.
Quotation noteJohn McGraw was the manager of the New York Giants for nearly 30 years and was notoriously controlling and argumentative.
Ch. 5
Must I again remind you, Archie, of the reaction you would have got if you had asked Velasquez to explain why Aesop's hand was resting inside his robe instead of hanging by his side? Must I again demonstrate that while it is permissible to request the scientist to lead you back over his footprints, a similar request of the artist is nonsense, since he, like the lark or the eagle, has made none? Do you need to be told again that I am an artist?
Quotation noteWolfe expressing frustration at Archie's request to know how he knew that Barstow was murdered by a poisoned needle shot from a golf club.
Ch. 6
You must pardon me; for engineering reasons I arise only for emergencies.
Quotation noteWolfe explains to Sarah Barstow why he did not get up when she entered the office and introduced herself.
Ch. 7
Sarah Barstow (in reference to Wolfe's orchids): "They are too much beauty."
Wolfe: "At first, yes. But a long intimacy frees you of that illusion, and it also acquaints you with their scantiness of character. ..There is not such a thing as too much beauty."
Sarah: "Perhaps. Yes, perhaps."
Quotation noteExchange between Sarah Barstow and Wolfe after Archie gave her a tour of the plant rooms (while Wolfe investigated the Barstow family finances).
Ch. 7
People often find it difficult to think in my presence, I do not leave enough space.
Quotation noteWolfe observing Sarah Barstow's discomfort and confusion, encourages her to leave, consider his offer, and reply the next day.
Ch. 15
Why taunt me? Why upbraid me? I am merely a genius, not a god.
Quotation noteWolfe pushing back against Archie's needling him regarding how he's running the investigation.
Ch. 15
There is death in this room.
Quotation noteWolfe being dramatic, letting Archie know that he suspects Manuel Kimball has left a trap somewhere in office.
Ch. 17
Intrepid.
Quotation noteWolfe reacts to Archie's insistence the he personally have Anderson's check certified (despite the rain falling).