The scarab murder case

Philo Vance was drawn into the Scarab murder case by sheer coincidence, although there is little doubt that John F.-X. Markham--New York’s District Attorney--would sooner or lat...

Markham shot him a shrewd look, and gave orders to the chauffeur to drive with all possible haste to the Bliss Museum. He recognized the symptoms of Vance’s perturbation: a friv...

“It may mean nothing--surely nothing supernatural--but the fact that this particular statue was chosen for the murder makes me wonder if there may be something diabolical and si...

“I’m afraid you’re right, Vance,” he said, nodding with reluctance. “Doctor Bliss found that scarab on the site of the excavation of Intef’s tomb two years ago. He didn’t mentio...

Vance knocked on the narrow door and reached into his pocket for his cigarette-case. We on the floor below watched the metal panel in silent expectancy. A feeling of dread, for...

“Poor girl!” he commented, with a sigh. “You know, Vance, she was devoted to Kyle--her father and Kyle were great cronies. When old Abercrombie died Kyle cared for her as though...

Vance had already drawn up a second chair beside the one on which he had stood during his inspection of the top of the cabinet; and he now made a beckoning gesture to the Egyptian.

I had often seen Vance in crucial moments of violent disagreement with Markham’s judgment, but, whatever his feelings had been, he had always assumed a cynical and nonchalant at...

Vance went direct to the end cabinet before which Kyle’s body had been found, and dropped the two sofa pillows on the floor. Then he looked again speculatively at the upper edge...

“More serious than you think,” Vance returned. “And far more complex.… I assure you, Markham, that this murder is one of the most astounding and subtle criminal plots you have e...

Markham resumed his seat. He was far too dismayed to resent Vance’s good-natured irony. The murder of Kyle, which at first had appeared so straightforward and simple, was becomi...

“There are one or two matters,” Vance explained to Markham, “that we should clear up at once; and Hani may be able to enlighten us.… The actual murder of Kyle is the least devil...

“Yes, yes.” Vance had become _distrait_ and introspective. I knew something was preying on his mind. He stood near the table, his hands in his pockets, regarding the samovar int...

Markham got up irritably and walked the length of the room and back. As always in moments of perplexity his hands were clasped behind him, and his head was projected forward.

“I wish you’d run up-stairs,” he said, “and take a post where you can watch all the rooms. I don’t want any communication between Mrs. Bliss and Salveter and Hani.”

“O.K.” Heath looked commiseratingly at Guilfoyle. “Out on the cement, Guil,” he ordered. “And don’t ask any questions. This ain’t a murder case--it’s a Hallowe’en party in a bug...

We had to walk to Fifth Avenue to find a taxicab at that hour, and even then there was five minutes’ wait until an unoccupied one came by. The result was that it was fully twent...

Hani joined us in the drawing-room. He was very calm and dignified, and his inscrutable eyes rested impassively on Vance like those of an ancient Egyptian priest meditating befo...

Heath left us at Nineteenth Street and Fourth Avenue; and Vance, Markham and I took a taxicab back to Vance’s apartment. It was nearly two o’clock, but Markham showed no indicat...

We arrived at the museum in less than ten minutes. Vance ran up the stone steps, Markham and Heath and I at his heels. Not only was there a light burning in the vestibule, but t...

“Suppose, sir, I should be blamed!” the man blurted. “It was I who left the front door open yesterday morning--I wanted to get some fresh air. And then you came and said somethi...

“I say, Sergeant! Don’t be rash.” Despite the drawling quality of Vance’s tone Heath halted abruptly. “If I were you I’d take a bit of legal advice from Mr. Markham before arres...