In the novel Taken at the Flood, Enoch Arden is an alias that comes from the eponymous poem by the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Major Porter (Nicholas Le Prevost) in the club, in Agatha Christie's Poirot: Taken at the Flood
Background story[]
In the Agatha Christie novel, the name is first mentioned by when Major Porter recounts the story of his friend Robert Underhay's marriage to the actress Rosaleen. Underhay was madly in love with her, but Rosaleen was unhappy with him in Nigeria, she "hated the bush and was terrified of the natives and bored to death". In the end, Underhay sent her home and outwardly agreed to a divorce. However, he is of the old school and does not believe in ending marriage through divorce. When he confides in Major Porter afterwards, he tells him that there are "other ways of giving a woman her freedom" – such as being pronounced dead then quietly start his life anew a thousand miles away somewhere as an unknown Mr Enoch Arden.
Six months later, an announcement of Underhay's death of fever in the African bush reaches the Major's ears. However, it is unclear whether the man indeed died or simply went forward with his plan. His apparent widow Rosaleen soon re-married, and is now widowed again as her second husband, the wealthy Gordon Cloade, just died in the Blitz. Cloade did not have time to make a will after his marriage, so Rosaleen inherited all of his fortune – though, if Underhay is alive, her second marriage would be invalidated and Gordon's money would go to his siblings.
When Major Porter finishes telling the story to the members of his club, it turns out one of the millionaire's brothers, Jeremy Cloade, has been listening to him alongside Hercule Poirot and Mr Mellon. Mellon gleefully remarks that the solicitor might sue Porter for defamation of character. He also (correctly) guesses that the story will soon reach the rest of the Cloade clan who might soon try to use it to their advantage.
A year and a half later, Katherine Cloade visits Poirot and asks him to find Underhay whom she believes to be alive based on Major Porter's story and her extensive communications with spirits. The Detective refuses, advising her to go to the police.
Character background[]
The same day, a man going by the name Enoch Arden turns up in Warmsley Vale, the village where the Cloades live. He is described as a big, tall bronzed man with very blue eyes and a beard. According to Rowley Cloade, he seems "a cocksure sort of bloke". David Hunter describes him as someone who has down in the world and "knocked about a bit". His clothes are not of English cut (he wears a broad felt hat), though he is decidedly an Englishman.
- "He was about forty and not ill-looking in a tough and rather dare-devil style. It was not, perhaps, a wholly pleasant face.
- Come from overseas somewhere, thought Rowley. Was there or was there not a faint Colonial twang in his accent? Curious, in some way, the face was not unfamiliar..."
(from Taken at the Flood, Book I, Chapter Eight)
First arriving at 5:20 at the train station in Warmsley Heath, Arden takes the footpath to the smaller village, stopping at Furrowbank and depositing a letter to David Hunter before passing by Rosaleen Cloade on his way down the hill. He proceeds through the valley to the Long Willows farm, where he asks Rowley Cloade for directions and inquires about Furrowbank and the widow who lives there. As for accommodation, Rowley recommends him the Stag Inn, where Arden indeed gets a room. That evening, Rowley comes to the inn and inquires about the mysterious stranger. The landlady readily produces the register, the entry running: "Enoch Arden. Cape Town. British."
The next day, on Saturday, David Hunter sorts through Rosaleen's morning post and finds the letter from Underhay addressed to him. The letter is written in printed characters and runs as follows:
- "Dear Mr. Hunter,
- I think it is best to approach you rather than your sister, 'Mrs Cloade', in case the contents of this letter might come as somewhat of a shock to her. Briefly, I have news of Captain Robert Underhay, which she may be glad to hear. I am staying at the Stag and if you will call there this evening, I shall be pleased to go into the matter with you.
- Yours faithfully, Enoch Arden"
The letter seems to Hunter "very non-commital – polite – well phrased – might mean anything". He is worried, as he also faintly associates the name "Enoch Arden" with Tennyson's verses, and decides to send his sister to London by the earliest train.
That evening, Arden receives a visit from David in his room at the Stag. The man seems to David to have come down in the world and "knocked about a bit", which makes him an unreadable, difficult opponent. His clothes are not of English cut, though he seems to be an Englishman. Together with his age, lack of baggage and cryptic remarks, this seems to suggest that the man could be Underhay himself. As Hunter has never met his sister's first husband, he cannot be sure.
Enoch Arden and David Hunter (Elliot Cowan) discuss Underhay, in Agatha Christie's Poirot: Taken at the Flood
The men share some whiskey with soda and David urges the latter to come to the point. Arden calmly explains that Underhay is still alive and might turn up at Warmsley Vale if his material needs are not seen to, as he needs expensive special treatments for his broken health. If David does not pay 20,000 pounds to cover Underhay's expenses, Arden will turn to the Cloades and sell the information to them. David bargains for less, as her sister cannot touch the capital and only has a life interest. Arden suggests that she can sell her jewels and proposes a sum of 10,000 pounds. Unexpectedly, David agrees, and the easy victory throws Arden momentarily off-balance. He then asks for the money to be brought in 48 hours, but David says he can manage it only on Tuesday. The men settle for nine o'clock next Tuesday, here at the inn, since Arden is suspicious of remote locations.
As the men part ways, Miss Lippincott the landlady emerges from the adjacent room, having eavesdropped on the entire conversation. She promptly writes a letter to Rowley Cloade and tells him everything.
Murder investigation[]
On Wednesday morning, Gladys the chambermaid as per usual passes by the rooms to wake the guests at their desired time and, if asked for, bring them early tea. At 8:15, she calls out the time and deposes tea and milk at the door to Enoch Arden's room, then goes about her other duties. At ten o'clock, she notices that the milk has not yet been touched. Gladys finds it odd, as the gentleman has never overslept so far and, receiving no answer to her heavy raps, she enters the room. She finds Arden lying on his face in the middle of the room, and even without any medical knowledge, she can tell that he is dead – "'Is 'ead's bashed in!".
The bloodied murder weapon, in Agatha Christie's Poirot: Taken at the Flood
The landlady and Dr Lionel Cloade are brought up and the police is summoned by telephone. The police find the murder weapon – bloodied steel-tongs – and three other items of interest in Arden's room: a gold lighter with the initials D.H. on it, a watch with a broken mainspring that stopped at ten minutes past nine, and a red lipstick that rolled under the chest of drawers. Curiously, there is no sign of any documents that could identify the dead man.
Miss Lippincott and Rowley Cloade quickly come forward with their accounts of the dead man. Rowley explains that after hearing Lippincott's story on Tuesday, he wanted to ask Jeremy for legal advice, then thought better of it and instead went to "see this Johnnie for himself". Apparently, Arden was only amused when Rowley accused him of blackmail and asked the farmer how much the Cloades would pay for a definite proof that Underhay was alive. He mentioned that swiftness is advised, as he is expecting a client that very evening who will pay him handsomely for proof of the opposite. Rowley fumingly replied that his family was not going to play such a dirty game and stalked out. He left the inn just before nine o'clock and went home wishing he had consulted Jeremy after all.