Lord Peter et l'Inconnu

Chapter 1 — The Unwelcome Bath Guest

publié le 1 sept. 2026 · 304 mots

Lord Peter Wimsey learns from his mother, the dowager duchess, that a mild-mannered architect named Alfred Thipps has made a shocking discovery in his Battersea flat. Thipps found a completely naked middle-aged man wearing only a gold pince-nez lying dead inside his bathtub. Intrigued by the bizarre situation and his own passion for criminal investigations, Lord Peter decides to visit Thipps and offer his condolences and assistance. Upon arriving at Queen Caroline Mansions, Lord Peter is warmly greeted by the nervous and flustered Thipps, who explains how upset he and his maid Gladys have been due to the police investigation led by Inspector Sugg, as well as the intrusive presence of reporters and local neighbors.

Thipps guides Lord Peter to the narrow bathroom to show him the body. The flat's top-floor window overlooks a courtyard near Saint Luke's Hospital, whose famous surgical director, Sir Julien Freke, had already been consulted by the police to check if any patient or anatomical subject was missing, though no records matched the deceased. Examining the corpse alone after Thipps momentarily flees from the room, Lord Peter notices the dead man is a heavy-set individual with thick black hair scented with Parma violets and manicured nails. Using his silver electric torch and a magnifying monocle, Lord Peter quietly inspects the teeth, handles the body, and checks the window with his Malacca cane before putting everything back in place.

After finishing his secret examination and declining an invitation to stay for tea, Lord Peter notices an approaching police ambulance and quickly takes his leave to avoid running into Inspector Sugg, whom he knows well and who dislikes him. As he walks away toward the station, Lord Peter leaves Thipps behind to deal with the arrival of Sugg and his officers, thoroughly amused by the prospect of the mysterious investigation ahead.