cigarettes
Typically, the pages are scattered throughout the Notebook and are interspersed with ideas for stories with a British Museum and National Gallery background, the death of a fortune-teller and much of the plotting for
Simeon Lee is a wealthy and horrible old man who enjoys tormenting his family. When he gathers them together for Christmas he sets in motion a train of events that culminates in his own murder. Luckily Hercule Poirot is staying with the Chief Constable and is on hand to investigate.
Published originally during Christmas week, with a serialisation on both sides of the Atlantic a month earlier, this is Christie at her most ingenious. Expert misdirection, scrupulous clueing, an unexpected murderer all coalesce to produce one of the all-time classic titles. Despite its title and publication date, however, there is no Christmas atmosphere whatever, even before the murder occurs. ‘The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding’, an inferior story from every viewpoint, is far more festive. An earlier case,
There are two pages of Notebook 61 that contain rough notes for what was to become
Blood Feast
Inspector Jones—comes to see old Silas Faraday Chamberlayne—diamond king from S.A.
Characters
A family such as
Arthur—the good stay at home one
Lydia—clever nervy wife
Mervyn—son still at home dilettante artist
Hilda—his very young wife—rather common
David—very mean—sensitive
Dorothy—his articulate wife
Regina—unhappy woman—separated from husband
Caroline—her daughter—fascinating—reportedly bad
Edward—her devoted husband—bad lot
Although some names are accurate—Lydia, Hilda, David—the personality traits are not reflected in the eventual characters; and the last three listed have no equivalents. The policeman’s name changes although Simeon Lee did make his fortune in South Africa.
Of the 65 pages of existing notes, however, most of them are in Notebook 21. Christie opens with the beginning of a quotation from Shakespeare’s
A. Who would have thought [the old man to have had so much blood in him?]
Old Simeon Lee—A horrid old man
Alfred—the good son—(a prig) bores his father
Lydia—Alfred’s clever well-bred bitter wife—she makes gardens
Harry?—The Prodigal son—he comes home and the old man likes him
Stephen Fane—A young man from S. Africa—son of Simeon’s partner—(he cheated him!)—S. is really Simeon’s son
Juanita Simeon’s grand-daughter [Pilar]—back from Spain—his daughter ran away with a Spaniard and J. is really not grand-daughter—latter was killed in revolution—J was her friend
The Nurse—says old man was going to leave her all his money—wanted to marry her. She was married already—her husband is in New Zealand
The course of the story is outlined in the extract below, the novel following this synopsis closely:
Possible course of story
1. Stephen in train going up to Midcourt—this drab people—his impatience—the sun he comes from—then his first sight of Pilar—exotic—different—reads label
2. Pilar in train—thinking—keyed up—her nervousness—handsome looking man—conversation—about Spain —the war—finally he reads label
3.Alfred and Lydia—conversation—she is like a greyhound—mention of her gardens—telephone call— Patterson—Horbury—she doesn’t like that man
4. George and Magdalene—or David and Hilda strong motherly woman
If G and M—his pomposity—and earnestness—his wife’s impatience—her vagueness at some point about a letter (she has a lover)—he says better off when my father dies—they must go for Xmas important not to offend old man—he has written saying he would like to have all his children round him at Xmas—sounds quite sentimental
5. David and H
He gets letter—nervous—neurotic passionately fond of his mother—won’t go to the house—she, wise and motherly, persuades him—he goes off and plays piano violently
6. Harry Hugo arrives—cheery word to old Patterson—the prodigal—I could do with a drink—greeting from Lydia—she likes him
7. Old man himself—Horbury—he asks about his family—then goes and gets out diamonds—his face devilish glee
Interview with Alfred
Interview with Harry
Talk about prodigal son to Horbury
There were still significant clues to be inserted, while she also paid attention to the description, given by various characters, of the ‘scream’ establishing the time of death—or so we are led to think—heard in the murder room:
Scenes to work in
(A) Portrait of old Lee P looks at it—found by someone
(B) Passport dropped out of window
(C) Statues in recess
(D) P. buys moustache
(E) Balloon
Screams
