Parsons

In the short story The Under Dog, Parsons is the butler at Mon Repos, Sir Reuben Astwell's country home.

Parsons witnessed Charles Leverson leaving the study of Sir Reuben just after there had been the sound of a "thud". When Sir Reubens was subsequently found dead, Parson's testimony would have incriminated Leverson severely. However, as Poirot note, Parsons had "the characteristics of his class". He objected very strongly to the police and did not want to say anything to incriminate members of his household. So he stuck to a story of outside burglars to the police. Only later did Inspector Miller of Scotland Yard, noticing that Parsons was unhappy and worried, questioned him and broke him down and extracted the truth from him.

Portrayals
In ITV's 1993 adaptation of the story, Parsons is portrayed by John Evitts.