Professor Merrowdene

In the short story Accident, Professor George Merrowdene is a professor in chemistry who resides in an English country village with his wife. He is described as a "small dream-looking man, gentle and kindly in manner, and usually completely absent-minded." Merrowdene has the habit of using his wife's china-tea bowls for his laboratory experiments as crucibles. One day he had even used one in an experiment involving potassium cyanide. His wife chides him for this dangerous practice but he explains that they are just the right size because the ones he ordered had not arrived yet. Shortly before the events in the story, Merrowdene has just taken out a life insurance policy which pays to his wife when he dies. This is a source of concern for Inspector Evans who believes Mrs Merrowdene is an ex-murderess who has so far gotten away with her crimes.

How Evans's suspicions are resolved form the main plot of the story.