EVANS TRIES AN O-LEVEL

Colin Dexter

A.      In early march the Governor of Oxford Prison called the secretary of the examination board. He was with an unusual request.

B.      Conversation between the Governor of Oxford Prison and the secretary of the examination board:

1.       The Governor tells him that a prisoner named James Evans is dead keen to appear in O-level examination in German.

2.       He informed the secretary that Evans learned O-level German in the jail itself. The authorities helped him to prepare for the examination by providing evening tuition that would have cost him so much money.

3.        He also informed the secretary that there is no record of violence against Evans. He’s just a congenital (in born) kleptomaniac (habitual thief).

4.       The cell in which Evans was imprisoned was fixed as an examination room and one of the parsons from St. Mary Mags (an Anglican church in central Oxford) to invigilate.

C.      James Roderick Evans:

1.       Jail authorities used to call him ‘Evans the break’ as thrice he had escaped from prison. So, the governor did not want that Evans would disgrace the Oxford prison that time and he would see the arrangements for the exam personally. Besides, there was just a very slight possibility that Evan was really interested in learning German.

2.       At 8:30pm On Monday Evans German teacher shook hands in the heavily guarded Recreational Block, just across from the D wing.

3.       He wished Evans good luck and Evans replied he would surprise everybody.

D.      Precautions taken by the Jail Authority:

1.       At 8:30 following morning Evans had two visitors. The two prison officers, Jackson and Stephens. Thinking Evan might conceal something in his cell the Governor asked a senior prison officer, Mr. Jackson to search Evans’ cell thoroughly. They took away everything that may help him injure himself or anyone else.

2.       Jackson after 2 hours reported that nothing is hidden there. Evans’ nail-file and nail-scissors are also taken away.

3.       Only razor blade was left to shave himself. That too was taken away after the shave.

4.       Evan’s cell was bugged (the governor has got a microphone fitted in the cell) so that the Governor could himself listen to each and every conversation in the cell.

5.       Jackson even asked him to remove his wooden bobby hat. But Evans says that the hat has always brought him good luck. So, he wants to keep it on for luck in the examination and Jackson having a soft corner in his heart does not insist.

(If so he would have seen Evans had cut his long hair short.  He had done so with the other razor blade he had. He has done so to impersonate McLeery, the invigilator.)

E.       The invigilator:

1.       The Board appointed S. McLeery as the invigilator to conduct the examination. He left his flat at Broad Street at 8.45 a.m. It was cold and there was drizzle. He was wearing a long black overcoat and a shallow-crowned clerical hat. He was a parson (preacher). He was carrying a small brown suitcase which contained the sealed question paper envelope, the invigilation form and a special authentication card from the examination board.

2.       After reaching the main gate he signed his name in the visitor’s book, greeted by Jackson and taken to Evans’ cell by Stephens who has to be present to watch the examination.

3.       Jackson has instructed him to be very vigilant and to report the slightest irregularity.

4.       Stephens unlocked the heavy iron door of Evans’ cell. He sat outside the cell and every now and then peeped into the cell.

5.       Though Governor was worried Jackson felt that it was not possible to escape.

6.       Evans did not try to escape from the recreational block, where it was made easier to escape. Now there were two more locked doors between Evans’ cell and the yard. The wall of the yard was very high.

F.       McLeery  was examined:

1.       The governor was worried and feared for McLeery that McLeery might have brought with him anything that Evans might use to hit McLeery. So, he instructed Jackson to have McLeery searched. Jackson searched Mcleery and passed his hands over the envelope.

2.       He had a semi-inflated rubber ring that Jackson wanted to know what it was for. McLeery told him that he suffers from hemorrhoids. He use it to sit on so Jackson let’s him keep it.

(Later in the novel it proves to be a mistake it contains pig’s blood)

3.       There was a paper knife that Jackson thinks could be used as a weapon. He decided to keep it with him.

G.     Starting of Exam:

1.       McLeery told Evans to write the name of the paper -021-1 and the index number 313, and the centre number 271.

2.       Evans objected Stephens’s presence inside the cell. He said he cannot concentrate while Stephens staring at him. The governor heard it on the microphone and asked Jackson to get Stephens out of the cell.

3.       But he has to keep a watch through the peep hole.

H.     Call from examination department:-

1.       A little later the Governor received a call from the examination board. They told the Governor the question paper has to be corrected.

2.       Jackson received the instructions and passed it on to McLeery.

3.       McLeery announced to Evans the error in the question paper. The word ‘goldene’ was to be corrected as ‘goldenen’.

4.       The governor suspected it could be fake call.

I.        A Demand for a Prison Van:

1.       After sometime the governor received another call from the Magistrate’s office.

2.     They want a prison van and two prison officials for a prison case. The governor does not try to find out if it is a hoax.

J.        Stephens keeps a watch:

1.       He looked the peephole every minute and later after two minutes.

2.       Every time he looked he saw Evans sitting with his pen caught between his teeth and McLeery sitting slightly misaligned from the table.

3.       He was reading the Church Times and his index finger was hooked beneath his clerical collar.

4.       Evans dropped a blanket around his Shoulders and Stephens was surprised at this. He considered it as an irregularity. He wanted to report to Jackson. But then he thought it would be icy inside.

5.       So, he does not mind and continued his watch.

K.      Governor’s call for Stephens:

1.       Just five minutes before the end of the examination Jackson received a call that governor wanted to speak to Stephens. So, he left his duty and received the governor’s orders.

2.       He was told that he himself has to accompany McLeery to the main gates. He liked the idea that governor asked him not Jackson. Then he observed Macleery. He looked little thin and his Scottish accent was little broader. After escorting MacLeery he went to confirm he has locked Evans’ cell.

L.       Wounded  McLeery:

1.       When he went to Evans’ cell to make sure he has actually locked Evans. But on reaching he found McLeery lying down and covered in blood. And the blanket slipping over his shoulders.

2.       He hastily presumed that Evans has hit him and impersonated him. As the man who has left was Evans.

M.    MacLeery made a hue and cry.

1.       Seeing MacLeery wounded Stephens screamed for Jackson. Jackson arrived and sent Stephens to ring the police and the ambulance.

2.       After a while McLeery raised himself and informed. Thus, there was no need to call for an ambulance. Instead, they should call the governor. He knew where Evans has escaped. He said he can help to grab him. He clutched the question paper with his blood stained hand.

3.       Jackson and Stephens supported McLeery on either side and led him into the yard where the governor has already arrived. McLeery gave the question paper to the governor and as that he could see what they have done.

4.       The governor noticed the photocopied sheet was superimposed on the last page of the question paper. (As he knew a little German) and the photocopied sheet contained instructions for Evans to escape.

N.     The message on the paper:

1.       It was in German.

2.       Translated as- “You must follow the plan already somethinged. The vital point in time is three minutes before the end of the examination but something something – something something…don’t hit him too hard – remember, he’s a minister! And don’t overdo Scottish accent when…”

O.     Arrival of the detective:

1.       The detective Superintendent Carter arrived in a white police car.

2.       He was shocked to see MacLeery bleeding.

3.       He asked carter to take MacLeery with him as he knew where Evans was.

4.       After that MacLeery left in the police car.

P.      The governor scolded both the officers

1.       He asked which moron accompanied MacLeery to the gate. Then Stephens confessed that it was he and he did it as he was ordered.

2.       It was then they came to know there was no call from Governor.

3.       He also chided Jackson for not searching Evans room thoroughly.

Q.     Governor sent Jackson and Stephens to Newbury:

1.       The Governor was puzzled. He couldnot understand how Evans was able to conceal a false beard, spectacles and other things in his cell.

2.       He again looked at the question paper. According to the directions for Evans he was asked to go to Newgrave.

3.       The governor could soon see that Newgrave means Newbury.

4.       He asked Jackson and Stephens to go to Aldates Police Station and contact Chief Inspector Bell there. There he rings up Bell.

R.      Carter called the Governor

1.       Carter called the Governor to inform that MacLeery had spotted Evans near Elsfied Way.

2.       Evans, impersonating McLeery, leads Carter to Elsfield way.

3.       There he says he has seen Evans in a car and they chased the car but lost sight of it at Headington.

4.       He said he must have gone back to the city.

5.       But taking the clue from the question paper the governor was sure he has gone to Newburry.

S.       McLeery  Disappeared:

T.       Carter informed governor that he and MacLeery reached the examination office.

1.       There Evans’ condition grew worst. So, he rang for ambulance.

2.       Carter added that McLeery was in Radcliffe Hospital. The governor ranged the hospital.

3.       They told him that an ambulance was sent but McLeery was not there.

4.       Then governor realized that McLeery was not the actual person who was appointed by the examination board.

U.     Actual McLeery was Discovered :

1.       The truth was exposed.

2.       Reverend S. McLeery was found securely bound and gagged in his study.

3.       He has been there since 8.15 a.m.

4.       Two men had called him in the morning.

5.       One of them impersonated McLeery.

V.      Evans is in Golden Lion:

1.       Evans has safely reached the Golden Lion in Chipping Norton.

2.       His friends provided him with soap, water and fresh clothes in the car.

3.       He was sorry he had to cut his long beautiful hair.

4.       Had Jackson insisted on him removing the bobby hat, he would have found his hair cut and plan to escape would have failed.

5.       Evans thought that it was good that McLeery had worn two black fronts and necklines.

6.       But they kept slipping off the back knob.

7.       Evans had to keep his pen in his mouth to solve this problem.

8.       He had to drape the blanket to hide the black front and the stud at the back of the collar.

W.   Face to Face with the Governor:

1.       The governor also reached the Golden Lion.

2.       He too used the reference 313/271 to reach Chipping Norton.

3.       He was in Evans’ bedroom when Evans opened it. He was almost paralyzed to see the governor.

4.       The governor told him that now he has no chance of escaping.

5.       He asked Evans how he was able to smuggle blood to pour on himself in his cell.

6.       He learnt McLeery brought it in the rubber ring. It was pig’s blood. The governor was amazed. He said Evans had no visitors. Then he told him that his German teacher was not from the technical college.

7.       He was Evans’ friend. They together had been planning the escape.

X.      Evans was Arrested to be Set Free:

1.       Governor was happy to grab Evans.

2.       When he came down the stairs the receptionist informed them that the prison van was standing outside.

3.       The prison officer handcuffed Evans and it drove away with him.

4.       But as the prison van turned into the Oxford road. The prison officer unlocked the handcuffs and they moved to Newbury. So we can say the prison officers were Evans’ friends.

5.       They had acquired a prison van in the morning on the pretext that it was needed by the Magistrate’s office for a remand case.