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Cornelia Robson
Ferguson is a dark-haired young man who looks like he wants to pick a fight with everyone around him. Poirot first meets him and Signor Richetti during an excursion near their hotel. An avowed communist, Ferguson is vocal about his dislike of capitalist “parasites” like Linnet, Louise, Mrs. Otterbourne, and Miss Van Schuyler—even though he himself is actually a wealthy lord who is only pretending to be a poorer man named “Ferguson.” He argues intensely with Cornelia, and even tries several times to propose to her, but she resists all his advances. Ultimately, Ferguson fulfills the archetype of the whodunnit character who is so vocal about his motives that he can’t possibly be the real criminal. His supposed hatred of the rich theoretically makes him a candidate to be either Linnet’s murderer or the agitator Colonel Race is tracking, but it is clear early on that Ferguson is more interested in talk than action. Ferguson is also a figure of satire in the novel, a member of the aristocracy who claims to hate the rich but in fact can’t escape his own sense of privilege or superiority and so makes himself ridiculous.
Mr. Ferguson (Lord Dawlish) Quotes in Death on the Nile
The Death on the Nile quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Ferguson (Lord Dawlish) or refer to Mr. Ferguson (Lord Dawlish). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter Thirty-One Quotes
Lastly the body of Linnet Doyle was brought ashore, and all over the world wires began to hum, telling the public that Linnet Doyle, who had been Linnet Ridgeway, the famous, the beautiful, the wealthy Linnet Doyle was dead.
Sir George Wode read about it in his London club, and Sterndale Rockford in New York, and Joanna Southwood in Switzerland, and it was discussed in the bar of the Three Crowns in Malton-under-Wode.
And Mr. Burnaby said acutely: “Well, it doesn’t seem to have done her much good, poor lass.”
But after a while they stopped talking about her and discussed instead who was going to win the Grand National. For, as Mr. Ferguson was saying at that minute in Luxor, it is not the past that matters but the future.
Related Characters:
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Mr. Ferguson (Lord Dawlish) Character Timeline in Death on the Nile
The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Ferguson (Lord Dawlish) appears in Death on the Nile. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter Seven
...same boat journey to the island. The men don’t know each other: one is a dark-haired young man , looking ready for a fight, with clothes that look out of place in Egypt....
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...He walks with Poirot to a museum, speaking first in Italian, then in French. The dark-haired young man loiters near them at first, before eventually going his own way.
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Later, Poirot and Signor Richetti see the dark-haired young man again near some ruins on the island. Poirot is distracted, however, when he sees a...
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...hotel for lunch, so she and Poirot go back to the boat, where they see the dark-haired young man and Signor Richetti. Poirot makes a friendly comment to the dark-haired young man about all...
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The dark-haired young man tells Poirot and Mrs. Allerton that he feels ill thinking of all the suffering workers...
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The boat finally arrives back at the hotel, and Mrs. Allerton, Poirot, Signor Richetti, and the dark-haired young man all disembark. In the hall of the hotel, Poirot meets Jacqueline, who is on her...
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Chapter Eight
...Fanthorp is one of the other men at Dr. Bessner’s table, and Mrs. Allerton identifies Ferguson as the dark-haired young man who she describes as “our anti-capitalist friend.” Finally, she identifies...
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Chapter Nine
...with Simon), even though it’s her honeymoon. The only other passengers in the saloon are Ferguson, Poirot, and Miss Van Schuyler. Linnet agrees to look over some papers to sign, so...
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Mr. Ferguson remarks to Poirot that he’d like to “scrag that dame” (meaning Miss Van Schuyler). He...
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Ferguson asks Poirot what he does for a living, and if he’s a middle man. Poirot...
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Chapter Eleven
...laments that Cornelia didn’t stay behind with her and instead went with the young man Ferguson; Miss Bowers corrects her and says she actually saw Cornelia with Dr. Bessner.
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Chapter Twelve
...previously on the voyage out (although that time was during the day). She remarks to Ferguson that she wishes Dr. Bessner were there, but Ferguson responds that he can’t stand Bessner....
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Chapter Fourteen
...rival of Linnet’s father, although Simon doesn’t know the name. Dr. Bessner chimes in that Ferguson may also have had a motive.
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Chapter Fifteen
Race then brings up Ferguson as a suspect. He also brings up “my fellow”—the agitator and murderer that Race has...
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Chapter Seventeen
Poirot and Race move on to questioning Ferguson. He has a cabin on the starboard side and thinks he remembers hearing one shot....
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Chapter Eighteen
...stole as “a man’s handkerchief—but not a gentleman’s handkerchief,” perhaps of the kind Fleetwood or Ferguson would own. Poirot remarks that it was odd how peacefully Linnet was lying dead, and...
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Chapter Twenty-Two
...of the cabins for the real pearls. They go through the rooms of Signor Richetti, Ferguson, Fanthorp, Louise, and Tim, finding no incriminating correspondence or handkerchiefs. They search especially carefully in...
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Chapter Twenty-Four
...his way over. Poirot heads back, where a small crowd has gathered: Jacqueline, Rosalie, Cornelia, Ferguson, Fanthorp, and Mrs. Allerton.
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Race borrows a glove from Tim and examines the revolver. He reveals that Fanthorp and Ferguson were sitting in the deck lounge and didn’t see anyone run that way. Race identifies...
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Chapter Twenty-Five
As he leaves the area, Poirot overhears Ferguson and Cornelia arguing about Western and Eastern attitudes toward death. Ferguson calls Linnet, Louise, and...
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Ferguson asks Poirot what he thinks of Cornelia. Poirot responds that “she has a great deal...
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Miss Van Schuyler asks Poirot to send her Miss Bowers, because Ferguson has so upset her. Poirot notes that Ferguson is “rather eccentric” and “spoilt.” He asks...
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Chapter Twenty-Eight
...creating scandal: “This is Hush Hush House,” he says. Poirot asks if Cornelia has seen Ferguson again, at which point Dr. Bessner mentions that Ferguson is actually “highly-born,” even though he...
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Chapter Thirty-One
...New York, Cornelia replies that she can’t come because she’s getting married to Dr. Bessner. Ferguson overhears and reacts in disbelief, and angrily asks if Cornelia is just marrying Dr. Bessner...
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...other things, and start talking about the Grand National (a major horse race). For as Ferguson was saying at just that moment in Luxor, Egypt, what happened in the past is...
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