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Indeholder "Prothalamion", "1. New-Wedded Lord", "2. Goosefeather Bed", "3. Jordan River", "4. Household Gods", "5. Fury of Guns", "6. Back to the Army Again", "7. Lotos and Cactus", "8. £ s. d.", "9. Times and Seasons", "10. Four-Ale Bar", "11. Policeman's Lot", "12. Pot-Luck", "13.
Lord Peter Wimsey og forfatterinden Harriet Vane er blevet gift. De er ret kloge begge to, så brylluppet er efter deres hoved og ikke efter hans families hovede. Familien er hans mor enkehertuginden Honoria Lucasta. Hans ældre bror Gerald den 16. hertug af Denver, hans søster lady Mary og hans svigerinde Helen.
Harriet har fået den ide at de skal købe det gamle hus Talboys og tilbringe hvedebrødsdagene der. Peter køber det prompte til hende via mægleren Simcox. Det bliver lidt primitivt den første aften og nat, for sælgeren mr William Noakes på 65 år er ikke dukket op, så de kan få nøglerne. En niece i nabolandsbyen miss Aggie Twitterton har dog ekstranøgler til huset og de får sig indrettet med god hjælp af Peters kammertjener Mervyn Bunter og en nabokone mrs Martha Ruddle. De må dog slås med at få varme på huset og petroleumsovnen og lamperne har ikke ret gode væger. Skorstenspiberne er stoppet til med gammelt hårdt sod og næste dag har en tilkaldt murermester Tom Puffett sit hyr med stænger og koste for at få hul igennem. Gartneren Frank Cruthley og præsten Simon Goodacre dukker også op. Goodacre har et probat våben mod forstoppede skorstene og fyrer et haglgevær af. Det får hul igennem og får også en jernkæde og en stegevender (roasting-jack) til at falde ned foruden diverse lig af fugle og flagermus. Lord Peter morer sig og siger "Ruat cælum" lige inden skuddet går af. Det er noget med at lade himlen falde ned (for at lade retfærdigheden ske).
Mens soden stadig sætter sit præg på stuen, kommer en sagfører MacBride på visit. Han leder også efter Noakes og har allerede været inde i nabobyen, hvor Noakes har en radioforretning. Her blev han vist til Talboys og han er ikke til sinds at lade sig vise tilbage til start. Trådene bliver redt ud og Noakes skylder 900 pund til Levy, Levy & Levy. Noakes fik 650 pund kontant for huset og han skylder også 40 pund til Crutchley. Desværre for kreditorerne ser det ud til Noakes har gjort sig usynlig og det eneste man kan lægge sin hånd på er det værdiløse møblement i Talloys og varerne i butikken og de er højst 100 pund værd.
Peter Wimsey forsøger at lægge en dæmper på gemytterne ved at foreslå en drink. Puffett foretrækker en øl, hvilket får Bunter til at gå en tur i kælderen, hvor han finder den savnede Noakes. Liget ser ud til at have ligget nogle dage og døden ser hverken ud til at skyldes en ulykke, sygdom, naturlig død eller selvmord. Politiet i form af politiassistent Kirk og politibetjent Joe Sellon kommer tilstede og overtager det videre. Men Peter og Harriet er lige ved at komme op at toppes, for Peter mener ikke at han kan lade være at blande sig i efterforskningen. De 650 pund fra handelen var splittet op i 50 forud og 600 ved selve handelen og Noakes hævede de 600 kontant og de blev fundet på ham. Dødsårsagen var kraniebrud forårsaget af et slag med et stumpt instrument på venstre side af hovedet. Men han har levet op til en time efter slaget før trykket i hjernen slog ham ihjel. Så han kan have låst fordøren og været på vej ned i kælderen, da han drattede om. Onsdag aften den anden oktober ser ud som et sandsynligt dødstidspunkt og så er Crutchley den sidste, der har set ham i live. Han bliver afhørt, mens Peter og Harriet hører på og der er noget med sommertid og hvornår bornholmeruret er trukket op. Peter spørger ind til en tegnebog, som mr Noakes mistede for et par år siden, for han fik sat sikkerhedslåse på døre og vinduer, men Crutchley ved ikke noget om det. Crutchley får lov at gå og de sikuterer hvem der vidste at Noakes var fallit og hvorfor morderen ikke tog pengene fra hans lomme. Fx vidste Aggie ikke noget, men hun regnede jo med at arve, så hvis det var hende, kunne hun med sindsro lade pengene ligge. Kirk forhører mrs Ruddle, der har meget interessant at berette. Hun snupper af og til en dråbe petroleum fra Noakes skur, så hun holder godt øje. Hun har fx set betjenten Joe Sellon stå og snakke med Noakes samme dag, han forsvandt, så næste person i den varme stol bliver Sellon, der må tilstå at have beholdt Noakes tegnebog med 10 pund i, da han fandt den for to år siden. Noakes har til gengæld afpresset ham 5 shilling pr uge de sidste to år (5 x 52 x 2 / 20 = 25 pund). Kirk er lamslået og rasende over at Sellon har holdt dette hemmeligt. Men Peter kan så føje til at Sellons forklaring om ikke at have været inde i huset den dag ikke holder vand, så Sellon er i høj grad i spil som mistænkt for mordet. Dette gør Peter i dårligt humør og for at få dette væk, tager Peter og Harriet ud at spise og giver Bunter fri. Han går på den lokale kro og får gode forbindelser til de gode handlende og håndværkere i byen. Peter og Harriet prøver at vende alle mulige personer som mulige mistænkt, hvilket jo er sjovt, men også alvorligt. Der bliver holdt ligsyn under ledelse af Ted Pullock og journalisterne sværmer rundt. Bunter får diverse forhindringer, fx en flok græssende køer i selskab med en tyr, stillet i vejen for dem og Harriet supplerer ved at fodre dem med svagt misledende oplysninger. Ligsynet ender med en udsættelse på 14 dage for at politiet kan fortsætte undersøgelserne.
En tur i omegnen får Peter til at fatte et ønske om at få husets skorstenspiber tilbage. Noakes har solgt dem til blandt andet en herremand, der har stillet en op som solur på en gammel kirkegård. Peter har takket ja til en invitation hos præsten om aftenen. Harriet gruer for sherryen, men synes ellers at det er en fin ide. De hygger sig faktisk til selskabet og præsten fortæller at han samler på kaktus og gerne vil byde på Noakes eksemplar, hvis den skal sælges. Imens er Bunter ved at dreje halsen om på mrs Ruddle, der har taget de gamle portvinsflasker frem og gjort dem rene, dvs rystet dem godt og grundigt, nu de ellers med stor forsigtighed var transporteret frem. Frank Crutchley prøver at gemme sig for Aggie, men uden held. Aggie er varm på ham, men han er varm på Polly Mason. Aggie var dog interessant, fordi hun stod til at arve sin onkel Noakes, men han har jo vist sig i stedet for formue at efterlade sig gæld. Frank er sur over at have måttet sige farvel til 40 pund og nu kan Aggie så fortælle at hun havde lånt ham 50 pund og hun har heller ikke nogen kvittering. Frank bryder med hende og da Peter og Harriet ankommer i bil i det samme flygter hun ovenpå. Lidt senere på aftenen opdager de hende og Harriet får hende trøstet, så godt det nu lader sig gøre og sender hende hjem.
Peter er ikke begejstret over at høre Harriets beretning for det forsyner Aggie med både motiv og lejlighed til mordet. Efter begravelsen af Noakes dukker MacBrides og endnu en kreditor Solomons op og vil afhente alle møblerne. Præsten får lov at købe kaktussen, men klager over at den er blevet overvandet. Det får alle brikkerne til at falde på plads, for det er Frank Crutchley, der ellers er en fremragende gartner, der har vandet den en ekstra gang og hvorfor mon det? Et stykke sejlgarn eller rettere fiskesnøre, som Puffett har samlet op og en anden kæde til kaktussen afslører at Frank har lavet en dødsfælde for Noakes. Når Noakes præcist som altid lukkede låget op til sin radio slap fiskesnøren taget og kaktuspotten med lidt ekstra blyhagl i bunden kom farende og slog kraniet ind på ham. Han kom til bevidsthed lidt senere, men døde af hjerneblødningen på vej ned i kælderen.
Frank er lige ved at blive offer for en rekonstruktion af opstillingen, men i stedet bliver han stillet for en nævningedomstol, der kun behøver en time til at votere i. Skyldig! Og da han ikke appellerer dommen, bliver han hængt tre uger senere.
Peter Wimsey har det dårligt med dødsstraf og har sørget for en god forsvarer, men Frank er ikke til sinds at lytte til fornuft. Han nåede at gøre Polly Mason.
Her er en masse engelsk my lord og His Lordship og hendes Nåde, men heldigvis også ironi og snusfornuft. Hock er rhinskvin efter Hochheim am Main. Ellers er her både en bonzo vase og snak om at installere en lysmaskine, dvs en lille lokal elektricitetsgenerator, i huset. Talboys kostede 650 pund i kontant handel, men det er svært på denne afstand i tid at fornemme pengenes værdi.
Titlen "Busman's Honeymoon" går på at Peter Wimsey gør det samme i sine hvedebrødsdage som han plejer at gøre: Nemlig at opklare mord. På engelsk er "Busman's holiday" en ferie, hvor man gør det samme som på jobbet.
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Fiction. Mystery. Society's eligible women are in mourning. Lord Peter Wimsey has married at last, having finally succeeded in his ardent pursuit of the lovely mystery novelist Harriet Vane. The two depart for a tranquil honeymoon in a country farmhouse but find, instead of a well-prepared love nest, the place left in a shambles by the previous owner. His sudden appearance, dead from a broken skull in the cellar, only prompts more questions. Why would anyone have wanted to kill old Mr Noakes? What dark secrets had he to hide? The honeymoon is over, as Lord Peter and Harriet Vane start their investigations. Suspicion is rife and everyone seems to have something to hide, from the local constable to the housekeeper. Wimsey and his wife can think of plenty of theories, but it's not until they discover a vital fact that the identity of the murderer becomes clear.… (more)
User reviews
Harriet and Peter head for their honeymoon for a month at an old farmhouse that Harriet loved as a child, but they get there to discover that nobody knew they were coming, and inconvenience and farce piles one on top of another until it culminates when they find a week-dead body in the basement.
"Oh, my dear, what is happening to us? What has become of our peace?"
"Broken," Peter said. "That's what violence does. Once it starts, there's no stopping it. It catches us all, sooner or later."
"But...it mustn't. Can't we escape?"
"Only by running away." He dropped his hands in a hopeless gesture. "Perhaps it would be better for us to run. I have no right to drag any woman into this mess---least of all my wife. Forgive me. I have been my own master so long---I think I have forgotten the meaning of an obligation." The stricken whiteness of her face startled him. "Oh, my dear---don't upset yourself like this. Say the word, and we'll go away. We'll leave this miserable business, and never meddle again."
"Do you really mean that?" Harriet said, incredulously.
"Of course I mean it. I have said it."
His voice was the voice of a beaten man. She was appalled, seeing what she had done. "Peter, you're mad. Never dare to suggest such a thing. Whatever marriage is, it isn't that."
"Isn't what, Harriet?"
"Letting affection corrupt your judgement. What kind of life could we have if I knew that you had become less than yourself by marrying me?"
I've honestly found most of Sayers' mystery plots to be a bit over-engineered anyway - I was never really interested in whodunit with a Sayers novel - the real interest for me was always in the relationships. Busman's Honeymoon has those in abundance, and they are all very specific and finely drawn.
I agree with another reviewer who says the best bit is the epistolary foreword. It's delicious.
Lastly, if you like audiobooks and you can lay your hands on a copy of Ian Carmichael reading this one, do it.
Harriet Vane and Lord Peter Wimsey are married at last, and have purchased an old house in the country where they intend to honeymoon. They arrive to find that the previous owner hasn't put things in order as he promised, and find out (mercifully AFTER the
This novel was based on a stage play that Sayers wrote with a friend (presumably to capitalize on the popularity of Gaudy Night, the previous Wimsey/Vane book.) You can still, if you think about it, see the original bones of the play's structure underneath the accretion of quotations, letters and inner monologues that glorify The Relationship into something way larger than any real relationship could be. Having spent so long getting her two characters together, Sayers endows them with superhuman amounts of tact, class and sexual prowess (hinted at above and beyond the bounds of delicacy.) The bones rest on the murder story itself, which is quite ingeniously done with a very devious murder method and a pretty decent supporting cast.
As for the rest...Sayers seems to have decided that now that she's made Harriet and Wimsey fall in love, she's going to make them very, very happy. Wimsey does, at the end, fall prey to the psychological problems that have haunted him since the War, but Harriet, naturally, provides the outlet for his guilt and pain so we're all good.
Don't get me wrong, I find this book very enjoyable and have read it several times. But after Gaudy Night which is a heartfelt exploration of her characters' psychology, Sayers seems content to fall back on a mess of quotations, sturm und drang and family ghosts to fill out her murder plot. However enjoyable, I'm kind of glad it was her last full-length Wimsey book. She needed to rein herself in and didn't.
Well worth the re reading.
The adjustment to marring someone with money is a hurdle for Harriet. She buys him an expensive wedding gift that is just right, and with the last of her money she buys a gold designer wedding dress from Worth which suits her dark beauty perfectly. Lord Peter has made her independently wealthy but she has difficulty understanding the details. All that matters is that she has completely given her heart to Peter.
However, the honeymoon is not the quiet country idyll the Wimseys were longing for. The discovery of a body in the basement of their new home causes Lord Peter and Harriet to be swept up in a murder investigation and the press are once again at their door. While distracting, the investigation does not keep them from sharing many deep passionate moments. It does, however, cause them to confront difficulties in their personalities and temperaments.
Sayers writes with her usual wonderful characterizations and evocative style. The reader is transported to 1930's England, a simpler more elegant time. The intricacies of a grisly murder investigation throw into relief the charm of the simple life. Yet somehow this story has a more somber tone than the other Lord Peter mysteries, perhaps because it is the last book of the series. At any rate, once again Sayers delivers prime entertainment and an enchanting detective mystery, only this time Lord Peter is finally in a settled relationship with his beloved.
What always throws me off is random, clumsy scenes and transitions - the scene, for example, where Bunter discovers the housekeeper dusting
Years later, I discovered why. Sayers didn't write this book. A friend of hers wrote a stage play using the characters, and when publishers and public were badgering her for more Peter Wimsey, she grabbed the play and adapted it. This revelation clarified everything. I can see an audience roaring with laughter at Bunter's sudden discomfiture, and so many of the scenes I deplore are now revealed as stage directions converted to text.
Having said all that, there is a lot to like about this book. Peter and Harriet are wonderful characters, and watching them settle in to life together is a joy. The whole game of quotations they constantly play is well worth whatever anyone might pay for a copy. There are other memorable characters, and Sayers did a good job with dialogue and setting.
This gets four stars, which is low only in that everything else in this series gets five.
I've seen reviews that complain this mystery was a bit self-indulgent, and I won't disagree, but I think this just goes to show how well-loved Wimsey is by his creator and his readers alike. The mystery itself is first-rate and the village personalities great fun--especially the police superintendent who plays literary games with the Wimseys. I'll definitely be starting this series over at the beginning.
Even though their honeymoon is (partly) spent with crime solving, Sayers finds time for subtle romancing.
Lord Peter Wimsey & Harriet Vane finally get married & (almost incidentally) solve the problem of nasty Noakes who sold his 'country' house to them being found with his head bashed in in the celler.
No, this probably wasn't the best if you're looking for
But I really loved:
Dowager Duchess of Denver's appearances--she is so sweetly loving & adaptable to anything Lord Peter comes up with.
Bunter losing his cool with the dreadful Mrs Ruddles over port.
The so sarky snobbish Helen.
The loyal, unworldly lady dons of Harriet's 'home' college.
The wonderfully nasty yet charismatic Frank Crutchley
The vicar & cactus devotee, Mr Goodacre.
Their game of applied quotations.
So yes--I really enjoyed reading it, though it might not qualify as a great whodunnit it felt like a cross between fantasy & nostalgia for a time I never experienced.
This is a kind of literature I seldom visit, the clever mystery richer in wit than in blood, where refined detectives jovially put two and two together. And, even though I liked the smart sense of humor and the banter shared by the newly wed couple here, I often felt a bit out of place. It just isn’t my cuppa, this.
However, as the mystery unfolds and continues to elude Lord Peter and Harriet, a darker streak starts to glimpse. This murder is really destroying their honeymoon. It appalls them. And in finally solving it, there is remorse and bad thoughts connected with condemning the culprit. There may not be that much blood on the floor here, but there is blood in the characters, making this a book about middle aged love and obsession more than detatched puzzle solving. Much as I enjoy Bunter’s stiff upper lip and Sayers ear for the way people speak, this gloom is what in the end pushes the book up to four stars for me.
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Omslaget viser Lord Peter Wimsey med monokel i øjet
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Dette eksemplar var ved at falde fra hinanden, så det er gået til papirgenbrug.
Busmans Honeymoon
Side 58: I am as black as Belloc's scorpion. He is a most unpleasant brute to find in bed at night.
Side 70: Promises cost nothing, but chimbleys is eighteenpence apiece and the soot thrown in.
Side 92: George Joseph Smith (badekarmorderen, der myrdede sine koner ved at holde dem nede i badekarret, så de druknede)
Side 109: So that's the nigger in the woodpile.
Side 128: Murders go to my head like drink. I simply can't keep off them.
Side 142: All this matrimony is a sad mistake.
Side 177: A generous country expects a lot of honesty for two or three pounds a week.
Side 234: There's an awful strain of inquisitiveness on both sides of the family. You'd better reconsider those children, Harriet; they'll be intolerable pests from the cradle.
Side 235: The reason why the vicar is so pleasant and innocent about it all now, is that the brain-storm has passed, and he has forgotten the whole thing.
Side 235: Henvisning til en af Chestertons historier.
Side 270: Mutton dressed as lamb. Makes me fair sick.
Side 273: You lousy old nosy-parking bitch! You ignorant, interfering old bizzom! Who told you to go poking your long nose into my pantry?
Side 274: Put yer flat foot right into it that time, Ma.
Side 305: With a scullion to turn the spit? Or one of those bandy-legged period dogs?
(Turnspit dogs. Vernepator Cur. In 1750 there were turnspits everywhere in Great Britain. But by 1850 they had become scarce, and by 1900 they had disappeared.)
Side 305: I like the best of both worlds - I'm quite ready to be picturesque but I draw the line at inconvenience and hard work. I'm sure it would be hard work training a modern dog to turn a spit.
Side 327: They would not have it if it were given away with a pound of tea
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823.912 |