Death on the Nile: Chapter Two Summary & Analysis

At the Cataract Hotel in Egypt, Mrs. Allerton points out the famous detective Hercule Poirot to her son Tim. They’re both excited and watch Poirot talk with a good-looking girl, who is revealed to be Rosalie Otterbourne. She looks to be in a bad temper as she walks with Poirot (standing three inches taller than him). Rosalie complains to him that there are no other young people around except Tim, who Rosalie finds conceited and who is always with his mother, Mrs. Allerton. When Poirot asks if she also finds him conceited, she comments that she doesn’t know but she’s not interested in crime. Poirot says he’s glad she doesn’t have a guilty secret—she seems surprised by the statement. They discuss Mrs. Otterbourne, who Rosalie reveals doesn’t like their current location, and then they comment that they will all go on the same trip to Wadi Halfa and the Second Cataract.

As they talk, Rosalie and Hercule Poirot pass some local street vendors who swarm close trying to sell them cheap souvenirs and tours, but they both make an effort to ignore them. Rosalie says that it’s best to “pretend to be deaf and blind.” Rosalie and Poirot reach a row of proper shops, and Rosalie goes in one of them to hand over some rolls of film to get developed. Then they watch passengers departing from the Nile steamer boats.

Tim Allerton joins Rosalie and Poirot as they watch the passengers. Suddenly, Tim excitedly notices Linnet, dressed in white and accompanied by a tall man, her new husband, Simon Doyle. They comment on how rich and beautiful she is, how she really seems to have everything. Rosalie watches Linnet with “a queer grudging expression.”

Linnet disembarks with the grace of a famous actress, treating the gangplank like a stage, conscious that everyone is looking at her. As Linnet and Simon Doyle pass, Poirot hears Simon say that they can “make time for it” and can spend a week or two in the area if she likes. Tim notes Simon’s luck while Rosalie remarks that the couple seem happy and then enviously adds, “It isn’t fair.”

Tim leaves, and Poirot and Rosalie head back toward the hotel. After they pass the street vendors again, Poirot asks Rosalie about what made her say that things were unfair. She says Linnet has everything, but Poirot asks if she saw what he did: that Linnet had “dark lines” under her eyes and a white-knuckled grip on her parasol. He reminds Rosalie that all that glitters is not gold, suggesting that all may not be as it seems beneath her successful exterior. In fact, Poirot remarks that he even remembers hearing Doyle’s voice somewhere before, but he can’t place it.

Rosalie suddenly says, “I’m odious. I’m quite odious. ['m just a beast through and through. I'd like to tear the clothes off her back [Linnet] and stamp on her lovely, arrogant, self-confident face.” Poirot is surprised but tries to joke with her about it, telling her she must feel better after getting that off her chest. After recovering from her outburst, Rosalie laughs too. Once they reach the hotel, Rosalie leaves to find her mother, Mrs. Otterbourne.

Poirot walks alone along a terrace and spots some tennis players. He recognizes a girl sitting on a bench near the tennis courts and recognizes her from months earlier at Chez Ma Tante a few months earlier. He notices that the girl seems paler and much more tired than she was the first time Poirot saw her. Poirot shrinks back and tries to keep watching her without being seen. She looks out at the boats on the Nile with a pained but triumphant look in her eyes.

Suddenly, Poirot hears voices from above. Linnet and Simon are walking down the path. Jacqueline greets them, and they both react with shock and dismay. Simon looks as if he’s about to hit Jacqueline. But then, when Jacqueline glances to the side, Simon notices Poirot and tries (unconvincingly) to greet Jacqueline as if everything is normal. Jacqueline tells them it must be a surprise to see her, then walks off. Poirot hears Linnet say “Simon—for God’s sake! Simon—what can we do?”