“Poetic Justice” - Merri Mysteries

Rudolph Valentino – I’m a Hollywood actor known for my sultrycharms. I saw my future. I saw my early death in 1926 due to aperforated ulcer and the mass hysteria caused by it. I was shocked todie so young. Like Isadora, I found it was very jarring to see myselfdie. Nobody should be confronted with that, surely? Dresssuggestions: Dress like he did on the big screen (eg as an Arab like inthe Sheik by donning a striped sheet & a turban). He had very darkolive skin & slicked back hair.Background InformationStaple their background information hereOptional witnessesThese guests are not suspects as they were out of the apartment at the timewhen the crime took place:Virginia Woolf – I’m a British novelist. It was such a sad life (sob sob). Ihated having to see it flash before my eyes. H. G. Wells had made me sufferso much. I can’t tell you how much. Dress suggestions: As a young Englishlady in the 1920s (eg silk blouse, tweed skirt, tweed coat or fake fur or in aCharleston type dress with no waist or a dropped waist and pearls & lots ofbeads).William Yeats – I’m an Irish poet, dramatist and politician. I saw my futureduring the time travel. How could I let a man like Wells rob me of the joy ofreceiving the Nobel Prize for Poetry? Can you imagine my joy at finallyputting Ireland on the literary map? How could I let him do that to me?Dress suggestions: As a young man of the 1920s (eg two-tone shoes,trousers, jacket & vest). Yeats (pronounced “Yates”) liked to wear ties andhe had reading glasses & was clean-shaven.Bessie Smith – I’m a US blues singer. They say I was important to thedevelopment of the blues. But I ain’t going to sing none of those tunes now.How can I when I’m not in the time where I belong? Wells has wrecked allthat. Dress suggestions: Dress in a dazzling outfit and wear your hair up.She was a buxom lady so you may need to add some padding.© Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 Page 3 of 3Ezra Pound – I’m an American poet and critic and leader of the Europeanliterary avant-garde. I saw my future and although I regret what happened asa result of the war, I had a poetic life and I would like the opportunity to liveit. What hope is there now that Wells has cast me here? This is worse thanany lunatic asylum. Dress suggestions: As a young man of the 1920s (egtwo-tone shoes, trousers & casual jacket). Pound lived in Europe a lot so youmay like to add a cravat instead of a tie. Add a red beard. He was shy butliked tennis so bring a racquet.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 1www.merrimysteries.com

Georgia O’Keefe – I’m an American painter mainly of flowers, still lifes,desert landscapes and sometimes abstracts. I saw my future. My life wassatisfying in its own way. As most of you are poets and writers, you may notappreciate just how good it feels to capture nature in a painting. H. G. Wellshad denied me the pleasure of living the life I saw. Dress suggestions: Adark outfit with a white shirt complete with a leather hat. You may like toadd a cow horn or skull. She liked to paint outdoors so her skin was darkbrown in color. Bring along a sketchpad & a small bag.edward e. cummings – I’m an American poet, novelist and painter. After aprinter’s error made my name lowercase, I went on to deliberately exploreunconventional typography and punctuation. H. G. Wells brought forth afullstop to my life by plonking me in the future. Dress suggestions: Dress asa young man of the 1920s would have dressed (eg two-tone shoes, trousers,jacket and vest). Cummings was in the army so you may prefer to donmilitary garb and some medals.Lily Pad (English hostess) – I’m a groovy young chic who was about to goout to a party when this lot dropped in. I haven’t gotten to see my future, butit sounds really cool. H. G. Wells was a bossy one. Took over the place as ifhe owned it and treated it as if it were a movie set. He was a real creep.Dress suggestions: Wear fake tattoos & colored hair & a fake nose ring.Bring a small clutch bag.Background InformationCut out each character’s background information and attach it to their invitation.Dame Agatha Christie (Writer of mystery novels and more profound novelsunder the penname Mary Westmacott. She wrote almost 100 novels.) At thesoiree, I read from “Absent in the Spring” which I wrote under mypseudonym Mary Westmacott and published later: “Trying to remember andrecite poetry hadn’t been a success–not at all a success. The truth is therewas something very upsetting about poetry. It had a poignancy–a way ofstriking through to the spirit...” During the time travel, I saw my life. I sawmy childhood, my marriage to Archie, the birth of our child. During WWI Iworked as a hospital dispenser, which taught me a lot about poisons. I’d justpublished my first book “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” in 1920. It starredDetective Poirot. Then I saw my future. I was shocked as Archie and Idivorced. I just focused on my writing. Then I met an archaeologist calledMax Mallowan. He was younger than me and we married and I followedhim to desert places.James Joyce (Poet and novelist who used a stream of consciousnesstechnique in “Ulysses”.) At the soiree, I read from my new novel “Ulysses”:“Sooner have me than some poet chap with bearsgrease, plastery hairlovelock over his dexter optic.” During the time travel, I saw my life so far. Igrew up in Dublin, the eldest of ten kids. My dad was a tax collector and adrinker and always in debt. I had a Catholic upbringing. I studied languagesat University. I met Nora. Then we had two children and then we married in1931. We went to live in Europe where I taught languages. I saw my future.I started going blind and I saw my daughter suffering from mental illnesses.I published various works but none received the enthusiastic response“Ulysses” did. We left Paris at the outbreak of war and moved toSwitzerland where I died after surgery.Mae West (Movie actress who also wrote many of her scripts, known forher wit.) At the soiree, I sang some lines from the first song I had writtencalled ‘The Cave Girl’: “I learned to dance, When I saw the tiger prance”.During the time travel, I saw my life so far. I was born in Brooklyn, NewYork and I had a career in burlesque and later on Broadway. People likedmy wit. And men liked my curves. I’m not like those toothpicks you get inrestaurants. I saw my future. I saw my Hollywood films. I wrote my ownplays like “Diamond Lil” and so on. Even in old age, I was still starring infilms.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 2www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 3www.merrimysteries.com

Thomas S. Eliot (American born, English poet & playwright whoinfluenced modern poetry.) At the soiree, I read from “The Wasteland”which had only just published: “Sweet Thames, run softly, for I speak notloud or long. But at my back in a cold blast hear The rattle of the bones, andchuckle spread from ear to ear.” During the time travel, I saw my life so far.I was born in the USA. I studied literature and philosophy at Harvard andthen at the Sorbonne and at Oxford. With the outbreak of WWI, I took uppermanent residence in England. I married Vivien and worked as a teacher,a bank clerk and published a magazine and poetry. I saw my future. My wifewent insane and I became a director a publishing company. I joined theChurch.Isadora Duncan (US dancer – one of the first to use dance steps based onnatural movement.) My husband is a poet. But at the soiree, instead ofreading poetry, I danced. Everyone seemed to enjoy seeing my new flowingBolshevik steps. During the time travel, I saw my life so far. I was born inSan Francisco. I invented my own free style of dance based on naturalmovement and performed barefoot in flowing tunics in Europe, the US andGreece. I visited Russia and I influenced the reform of ballet there. I hadlove affairs with a stage designer and a millionaire and I had a child by eachof them. But unfortunately my children drowned when the automobile theywere in went into the Seine in 1913. Last year I visited the Soviet Union andI married Sergei Yesenin. In my future, I saw that Sergei wasn’t asunderstanding as I thought he was. He left me in the next year, I mean 1923.Then he committed suicide in 1925. I returned to France. In 1927 I wasstrangled by one of my long scarves after it caught in the wheel of my sportscar. I’ve never had much luck with automobiles.Charlie Chaplin (He made comedy an art-form.) At the soiree, I performedas the “Little Tramp” – the character I am most famous for. That is why Iam dressed as I am. During the time travel, I saw my life so far. I was bornin a London slum. My parents were music hall performers. I started out as aclown and was “discovered” whilst touring in the US. In 1914, I made myfirst movie. In my second movie, I performed as the Tramp for the first time.I also learned to direct my own films. Later I helped co-found United Artistsmovie studio. I saw my future. I made more and more Tramp films and aparody of Hitler called “The Great Dictator”. I married 4 times. I refused toaccept US citizenship. I was accused of Communist sympathies and deniedre-entry into the US, so I settled in Switzerland with my last wife Oona andour 9 children. In 1972 I received a special achievement Academy Awardand in 1973 another Academy Award for my score to “Limelight”. In 1975 Iwas knighted by Queen Elizabeth.Sarah Bernhardt (French actress who performed world-wide. She alsopainted, sculpted & wrote.) At the soiree, I performed a soliloquy by LadyMacbeth about having blood on my hands. I was wonderful. As I am old,during the time travel, I saw most of my life flash by. I was the illegitimatedaughter of a Parisian courtesan. I began training to be an actress at age 13and made my debut when I was 18. I acted in numerous countries. Then Imanaged several Paris theatres and opened my own theater. The Belgianaristocrat I loved deserted me when I became pregnant with my only child. Iwas unconventional. Some thought I carried a coffin with me to sleep in. In1915 I had my right leg amputated after a fall, but I continued to act. I sawmy future. I published a treatise on acting and died the next year.William C. Fields (US actor known for his misanthropic humor & raspyvoice. He also wrote scripts.) At the soiree, I told them a few funny lineslike: “Madam, there's no such thing as a tough child - if you parboil themfirst for seven hours, they always come out tender.” During the time travel, Isaw my life so far. I was born in Philadelphia as William ClaudeDukenfield. I started as a comic juggler and then did stage reviews. In the1920s I started doing silent movies. I saw my future. In the 1930s my raspyvoice and crazy persona made me popular and I starred in sound films. Iwrote some myself and some with you, Mae. The characters I played wereknown for their dislike and fear of children, their duping of old ladies andother socially prominent persons and officials.Dorothy Parker (US critic, poet & short story writer.) At the soiree, I readfrom my new poetry collection called “Enough Rope”. Here are a few of thelines I read from “Testament”: “Death will not see me flinch; the heart isbold That pain has made incapable of pain.” During the time travel, I sawmy life to date. I was born in New Jersey. I was Vanity Fair’s drama criticfrom 1917 to 1920. I saw my future. I became the New Yorker’s theater andbook reviewer. I also published poetry and short story collections andBroadway plays. I married Edwin Pond Parker II and later we divorced.Then I married the actor-writer Alan Campbell. We went to Hollywood as awriting team and went through a tempestuous marriage, separating,divorcing, getting back together and remarrying until he died in 1963. ThenI took to drink and died alone in a hotel room in Manhatten.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 4www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 5www.merrimysteries.com

Rudolph Valentino (A Hollywood actor known for his sultry charms,flashing smile & presence.) I write poetry myself, so at the soiree I read afew of my poems. I later published these in 1923 as a collection called “DayDreams” and it sold well. During the time travel, I saw my life to now. Iwas born in Italy. I changed my name from Rudolfo d’Antonguolla toRudolph Valentino. Although I studied agriculture, I ended up becoming adancer when I came to the US and then an actor in Hollywood’s silentmovies. This year I starred in “The Sheik” and “Blood and Sand”. Theywere all a bit silly really. I have been married twice and my second wife isNatacha Rambova. Her real name was Winifred Hudnut. I saw my future. Isaw myself star in three more movies. Then I saw my early death.Virginia Woolf (British novelist known for her innovative stream ofconsciousness & interior monologue.) At the soiree, I read from “Jacob’sRoom”: “I am very beautiful,’ she thought. She shifted her hat slightly. Herhusband saw her looking in the glass; and agreed that beauty is important; itis an inheritance; one cannot ignore it. But it is a barrier; it is in fact rather abore.” During the time travel, I saw my life so far. Because of my delicatehealth, I was educated at home and spent a lot of time in my father’sextensive library. We had people like R. L. Stevenson and Thomas Hardy asvisitors. I started contributing to the Times Literary Supplement. My father’sdeath caused my first nervous breakdown. I moved to London and marriedLeonard and we began Hogarth Press. I published 3 of my novels. I saw myfuture. I published more innovative novels and also critical essays. I sufferedfrom nervous exhaustion and acute sensitivity. In 1941 with the advent ofwar and feeling another breakdown coming on, I drowned myself.William Yeats (Irish poet who received the Nobel Prize for poetry.) At thesoiree I read from “Down by the Salley Gardens”:“She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs;But I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears.”During the time travel, I saw my life so far. Like Joyce I was also born inDublin. I have always been one for Irish national identity. I publishedcollections of my poems. I married Georgianna. In my poetry I tried to fusehistory, philosophy, mysticism and psychology. I purchased a Norman fort.In 1922, I had just become a senator of the Irish Free State. I saw my future.In 1923, I received the Nobel Prize for Poetry. I continued writing.Bessie Smith (US blues singer known for her forthright approach &uninhibited performances.) At the soiree, I sang “Down Hearted Blues”. Isang it really well. During the time travel, I saw my life so far. I was born inChatanooga, Tennessee. I began my career as a singer in honky-tonks andtent shows. I saw my future. In 1923 I went to New York for my firstrecording session. I created quite a stir and for the next ten years I made lotsof records. I became known as the “Empress of the Blues”. I performed withartists like Louis Armstrong. Unfortunately, I died in an automobile accidentin 1937 just as I was about to make a comeback and Edward Albee wrote aplay about me called “The Death of Bessie Smith” in 1960.Ezra Pound (American poet, critic and translator and leader of theEuropean literary avant-garde.) At the soiree, I read from one of my earlierpoems:“I who have seen you amid the primal thingsWas angry when they spoke your name In ordinary places...”During the time travel, I saw my life to date. I was born in Idaho. I studiedliterature. I moved to Europe where I met and married Dorothy. I wasinterested in Chinese poems. I founded Vorticism and contributed to itsmagazine. In 1921 we moved to Paris. I saw my future. I had a daughterfrom an affair with an American violinist and my wife had a son. Somethought I was anti-Semitic because I could see bankers destroying the worldand a lot of them were Jewish. But that’s not true. I don’t care what racebankers are, but finance is the root evil in this world. During WWII, I madethe mistake of supporting Mussolini and was indicted for treason. But I wasunfit to stand trial in the US and was confined to a mental hospital for 12years until I was released as incurable. Then I returned to Italy and died atage 87.Georgia O’Keefe (American painter) At the soiree, I read fromThoreau as I have always admired him. I was born in Wisconsin. Istudied art and taught it. I moved to New York and Alfred gave mehis support and allowed me to exhibit my paintings at his gallery. Isaw my future. I started painting flowers. I saw Alfred divorce hiswife and marry me. I became famous and my paintings sold for largeamounts. I left New York to return to painting in the desert. I died in1986.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 6www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 7www.merrimysteries.com

edward e. cummings (American poet, novelist and painter) At the soiree, Iread the poem “Buffalo Bill’s” from my collection Tulips and Chimneys.The lines:“and what i want to know ishow do you like your blueeyed boyMister Death”are apt in this context. During the time travel, I saw that I had a productivelife, having produced 2,900 poems, two autobiographical novels, four playsand several essays, as well as numerous drawings and paintings. And I amremembered as an eminent voice of 20 th century poetry.Lily Pad (English hostess) I was born in London. I’m a nobody really. I justwork in a fish & chip shop. I wasn’t at the soiree. I was just sitting at homehere watching the footie on TV. Footie, by the way, is what we call “soccer”in the UK. I haven’t gotten to see my future, but it sounds really cool.Suspect name tagsDame AgathaChristieJamesJoyceMaeWestPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 8www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 9www.merrimysteries.com

Thomas S.EliotSarahBernhardtIsadoraDuncanWilliam C.FieldsCharlieChaplinDorothyParkerPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 10www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 11www.merrimysteries.com

RudolphValentinoOptional witness name tagsVirginiaWoolfWilliamYeatsBessieSmithPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 12www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 13www.merrimysteries.com

EzraPoundLilyPadGeorgiaO’Keefeedward e.cummingsPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 14www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 15www.merrimysteries.com

Merri Mysteriespresents...“Poetic Justice”by Stephanie ChambersPoetic Justice - Act OneNote: Although this is in play format, you do not have to take to astage and act it out. You can just sit around a dining table and readout your lines or sit in a circle on sofas etc.Note: The suspects have 3 lines each to say. If it says the line may besaid by “Anyone”, we recommend that one of the optional witnessestake a turn to say the line. If there are no optional witnesses, theneveryone should take a turn saying one of these lines, however, theperson to whom the line is addressed should not say it (generally thisis the person who speaks next). You may like to work out beforehandwho will say each of these 21 “Anyone” clues and write theircharacter’s name next to each one, so that everyone gets a similarnumber of lines to say.The PlayAnyone:Agatha Christie:James Joyce:I want you to tell me how you came to be at thesoiree. Why did Mr Wells invite you to thisexclusive gathering? Had you met him before?I hadn’t met H. G. Wells before he invited me tohis party. He said he wanted to gather togetherall of the great people of our time. I wasflattered, as I had only just published my firstnovel “The Mysterious Affair at Styles”, so Ihardly thought of myself as “great”.H. G. Wells was a scientist turned writer and Idon’t think he really liked “Ulysses” as it wasfar too avant-garde for his taste, but he invitedme to the soiree anyway. Why, I’m not sure.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 16www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 17www.merrimysteries.com

Mae West:T.S. Eliot:Isadora Duncan:Charlie Chaplin:Sarah Bernhardt:I don’t know why HG invited me. Maybe hepreferred blondes. But science fiction just ain’tmy style. There ain’t nothing fancy about it, ‘tisthere? H. G. Wells wasn’t my kind of man. Hejust didn’t have enough muscles to my way ofthinking. My Dad was a boxer. And as I say “agirl whose curves are knockouts has been knownto win on points”. But it sounded like it wasgoing to be a fun soiree, so I said I’d comealong.Joyce was going to the party, so I agreed tocome along too. I’d met you, through EzraPound, hadn’t I, James? Pound reduced “TheWasteland” by half and then it was published. Infor a “Pound” not a “Penny” as he’d say. I preferto read the classics like the Upanishads ratherthan science fiction. I had never even read H. G.Wells’ work, but I came anyway.As my husband Sergei Yesenin is a poet, Iwasn’t surprised to be invited to the soiree. Infact, my brothers and sisters used to recite poetrywhile I danced to it.I had met HG a number of times. And I’d alsomet Rudy Valentino. I was invited to the party,partly because HG wanted me to adapt “TheTime Machine” into a movie. When I receivedthis invitation from Wells, I thought it was abouttime to return to England for a visit, so Iaccepted.Although I had performed in London, Paris, allover Europe, North and South America, andeven Australia, I had not heard of Mr Wells untilI received his invitation. He may have seen meperform. Many people have seen me on thestage.W.C. Fields:Dorothy Parker:Rudy Valentino:James Joyce:Dorothy Parker:T.S. Eliot:W.C. Fields:I love a party, so when Mr Wells invited me, Isaid I’d come. He promised me there wouldn’tbe any children, old ladies or dogs there.I can’t remember meeting Mr Wells. But I wasdelighted to receive his invitation as it meantmeeting other writers.I was invited to the party because of my fame.As you all know, I’m regarded as one of the firstgreat movie stars. Even Mr Chaplin would haveto agree. Will John Travolta have fans lining upfor eleven blocks at his funeral? I’m known allover the world as “The Great Latin Lover” – andwith good reason. Although Signore Wells wasfar too conceited to admit that he too was a fan.Eliot was at the party, so at least I knewsomeone, which helped. I had met H.G. Wellsthrough Ezra Pound. It was an interesting party.I was especially delighted to meet a lady of yourliterary talents, Mrs Parker.It was a pleasure to meet you at the party, MrJoyce. And it was also a joy to meet you MrEliot. I have always admired your work.Yes. I was delighted to meet a lady of yourpoetical prowess, Mrs Parker. Perhaps I can alsopersuade you to see men in a more favorablelight?I remember performing on stage with you, MissBernhardt. It was an honor.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 18www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 19www.merrimysteries.com

Sarah Bernhardt:Mae West:W.C. Fields:Yes I remember when I was on stage with you,Mr Fields. Your antics were amusing although abit trivial when compared to the majesty of myperformance. But we didn’t let that stop us frombecoming friends, did it Billy? We had a verygay time. We theatrical people cling to oneanother like props. I think you mentioned to meat the party, Miss West, that you had seen mewhen I came to America.Yes. I had seen you on stage when I was muchyounger Miss Bernhardt and I very much wantedto meet you.You are my little chickadee Mae. We alwayswork well together, don’t we?Rudy Valentino:T.S. Eliot:Wells wasn’t what I would really call a goodsport. Too much of a scientist. He had no realidea how to make his party swing. Although Iam not really a party-lover, I agreed to go to theparty because my agent said it would be goodpublicity.Because most of my friends had been invited, Icame along. I thought it peculiar that none of ourspouses were invited. Even Noah took animalsin pairs. But Wells only wanted the crème de lacrème to journey with him into the future. A lotof writers had come to Europe where we feltthere was more of the creative spirit and lessmaterialism. Mr Wells, alas, was the kind ofman from whom we had fled.Mae West:Charlie Chaplin:Funny that you were on the same bill as Bill,WC, here. This was when he was still trying tokeep all those balls in the air. Miss B had aclause in her contract forbidding animal acts tobe on the same bill as her. Lucky you didn’tjuggle any animals Bill.I have always idolized you, Sarah. If it weren’tfor your little leg problem, I probably wouldhave asked you to star in one of my movies. Butmaybe my little tramp could still sweep you offyour foot?James Joyce:Charlie Chaplin:Mr Wells read from his novel “The TimeMachine” at the party. It was full of cannibals. Itreminded me of a couple of lines from“Ulysses”: “Eat or be eaten. Kill! Kill!”At the party, I told HG that I didn’t really thinkthat his novel was the type of stuff thatmoviegoers would want to see. Audiences prefercomedy to science fiction. Wells was furious.Told me I didn’t know what I was talking about.His book had sold millions. I told him I’d thinkabout it – mainly to shut him up.Isadora Duncan:Mr Wells invited me to the party to entertain hisguests by dancing to jazz music. I explained tohim how I absolutely detest jazz music. Heallowed me to dance to classical music instead.He didn’t offer me very good wages. He waspretty stingy, but I agreed to come along becauseof all the famous people that would be there.Anyone:Anyone:At the soiree, after a magnificent repast, MrWells led us into his large study and got us to sitin his Time Machine.Yes after the soiree Mr Wells invited us all totake a seat in his Time Machine. And of coursewe didn’t expect to be going anywhere, so noneof us had even a toothbrush. Except for MissWest who had her handbag.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 20www.merrimysteries.comPoetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 21www.merrimysteries.com

Anyone:Anyone:Agatha Christie:Anyone:Anyone:Anyone:Anyone:Anyone:Mr Wells said the Time Machine was the sameas the one in his novel and he just wanted to seehow it looked with people in it.No sooner were we in the Time Machine than he“took the starting lever in one hand and thestopping one in the other, pressed the first...”.Just as he described in his novel, we “saw thesun hopping swiftly across the sky”.When I found myself here in the future, Ipleaded to Mr Wells that I really must be gettingback as I have a book signing at Harrods ontomorrow. And of course I had yet to meet MaxMallowan, the lovely young archeologist, whowas to become my second husband.Mr Wells seemed happy with the way things hadworked out. He was fascinated with theadvances in technology and in the way modernday society is organized.Mr Wells’ head was split open from his fall tothe floor. He had slipped on some bath oil on thefloor. Every inch of the bathroom floor wascovered with the bath oil.The police found Mr Wells’ pocket watch inMae West’s handbag.HG Wells is a man you couldn’t help feel sorryfor, because he took his own work far tooseriously and allowed this to distance himselffrom others.No. Wells was more interested in flogging booksthan creating literary works. The man had nosoul. He was a barbarian.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 22www.merrimysteries.comRudy Valentino:Agatha Christie:Anyone:Anyone:Sarah Bernhardt:Anyone:Anyone:Mr Wells had been planning for us all to makeour debut on the modern world. Although we allrefused to do so, he was adamant that it was tohappen tomorrow. He said he would contact thepress.I thought that Mr Wells, being a writer likemyself would understand my need to get back.But he said something had gone wrong with hismachine and there was no way to repair it as thatpart just wasn’t available anymore.Mr Wells’ diary made it quite clear that heintended to make millions from selling the storyof our time travel exploits to the highest bidder.In Isadora Duncan’s autobiography she quotedJohn Keats’ “Ode to a Grecian Urn”:“Who are these coming to the sacrifice?Beauty is truth, truth beauty – that is allYe know on earth, and all ye need to know.”I believe these lines are appropriate as the key toour puzzle is in beauty.I once attempted suicide. But I generally have aninfectious joie de vivre and an irrepressiblegaiety about me. Today I feel as if I’m in themidst of one of Monsieur Sardou’s melodramas.I am used to living a life of style. I find thisEnglish apartment very drab accommodation.When is the next boat to Paris?In the bathroom, there was oil on the walls andon the towel racks – on almost everything!There had even been oil on the door handle, butit had been wiped off, probably after the murder.Most of the guests tried to avoid our hostess as ifshe had leprosy. They said that it was for herown good – that they didn’t want to affect thefuture.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 23www.merrimysteries.com

Anyone:Anyone:Dorothy Parker:Anyone:Anyone:Anyone:Yes. It must have been strange for our hostess tohave all these people in her apartment and all ofthem trying to avoid her.Mr Wells, like so many of his kind, was anopportunist. They take what they want and spityou out like a cherry pip or in this case, leaveyou floundering in the future.Mr Wells assumed that because I am a veryindependent, free-spirited woman, that I wasalso that way inclined in the romantic sense. Iassure you, that I am not at all like that.Someone told me that they heard the men in thestudy arguing about whether it is an evil to killan evil man.As you all know, Mr Wells married his cousinand then later eloped with, and subsequentlymarried, Catherine Robins, his “Jane”.Yes. HG was no stranger to scandal. Themodern world certainly had not cured him of hiswicked ways.Isadora Duncan: I came to the party in my simple cotton tunic –bare-foot and bare-armed as usual. As I had nomoney, I had no need for a handbag. I haveknown great sadness since the tragic death of mychildren. But I still want to teach myrevolutionary new dance method and for that Isimply have to return to my own era.Anyone:We all knew that Mr Wells had his bath at thesame time every afternoon. But we don’t knowwho prepared the bathroom for his visit.Poetic Justice © Merri Mysteries Inc 2013 24www.merrimysteries.com