This story gives us an insight into Inspector Morse’s character – he was a brilliant student at Oxford; his professor,
Dr Browne-Smith had rated him with rare ingenuity and sensitivity, destined for greatness. But love and lust took over, and his grades suffered. He failed and had to leave Oxford; but then joined the police force where he established a distinguished reputation. However, one would never have associated Morse’s sardonic character with passion!
The book started with Bert Gilbert, recalling the greatest tragedy of his life. There were three of them – Bert, his twin, Alfred and the youngest brother, John. Bert remembered that tragic day during World War II in North Africa. The noise of battle was deafening, and Bert, a corporal then, was injured. He saw a tank on fire, and tried to save the man caught inside; however he was commanded to leave by his officer. He crawled away in despair; remembering little else, except the screaming of the burning soldier and the gaze of cowardice in his officer’s eyes. Later in the hospital they told him that John, tank-driver, had been killed. Bert had been almost sure, and he remembered the name of the officer whose courage had been found wanting in the desert – Browne Smith, who was now a don in question at Oxford.
The book switched back to the present, starting with a marks meeting of seven examiners at Oxford University. It dragged too long into the evening and the Master wanted it to end, but Dr Browne-Smith had been adamant on certain points. After the meeting, Browne-Smith left and was never heard from again. Morse was invited to lunch by the Master and was told about the puzzling disappearance of Browne-Smith. He had left no apology for his absence, just a note at the lodge. However the Master doubted that Browne-Smith wrote the letter; it had atrocious mistakes that Browne-Smith would not have made, or condoned.
A truncated body was fished out at Thrupp, wearing Browne-Smith’s suit; so it was assumed that the corpse was him. A partial letter was recovered from the body, and Morse reconstructed the missing sentences, and followed Browne-Smith’s footsteps to a notorious area of the metropolis, a dark world of vice and viciousness.
Morse, however, suspected the corpse was not Dr Browne-Smith; the murderer had been devious enough to dress the corpse in Dr Browne-Smith’s clothing, and removed the head and limbs which could identify him. Morse went to Browne-Smith’s lodgings, and met Bert Gilbert, now a mover, employed by Browne-Smith’s neighbour, Westerby, to pack and move his belongings to his new lodgings. Westerby and Browne-Smith were colleagues and bitter enemies, and hated the sight of each other.
Morse received a letter from Dr Browne-Smith, praising his intellect and powers of reasoning. Browne-Smith had remembered Morse from his college days; and he chose Morse to communicate with, as he phrased it ‘ a worthy brain that was to be pitted against my own’ . Browne-Smith explained about the sequence of events, leading to his disappearance and the truncated body. However, he advised Morse not to track him down.
Lewis meanwhile had discovered the story about the Gilbert brothers. From the War Office, he heard that the youngest brother was not killed in active service; however he committed suicide, a fact which was hushed up. His platoon officer was Browne-Smith, who however was not involved in this incident. The Gilbert brothers also found this out from Browne-Smith himself.
Browne-Smith was later found at the embankment of a railway track. He had died from cancer of the brain; other dead bodies started turning up – Alfred Gilbert dead from stab wounds, Westerby, strangled and Bert Gilbert had thrown himself off the seventh floor of his apartment.
Morse went over his findings, sounding them out to Lewis; and deduced that the truncated corpse was the Master of Lonsdale; the man who had striked out against Browne-Smith and Westerby during the voting for the Master position. The college rule was: in the voting committee of eight, you must have a minimum of six votes, but no single vote against. Both Westerby and Browne-Smith had each received one vote-against, thus disqualifying them. The position had gone to the third person on the list – the current Master of Lonsdale.
This is one of the most perplexing stories I have ever read – I struggled with this book, backtracking and forwarding, referring and cross-checking. Each time I think that the end is near, yet there are further clues to prove otherwise. Only until the very end, then only we know the whole solution to the puzzle. It is simply bewildering! Don’t guess – just read till the end.