Dark Nights and Dark Deeds
Night, in the novel, is often coupled with the dreariest of criminal deeds. It was at night that Elma had witnessed the murder committed by Baron Oberg. It was equally at night time that Gordon had come across the double murder in Scotland. Thus, the imagery of dark nights and gloomy surroundings go hand in hand with the concept of criminality and gloomy undertakings.
Sailing on Mystery
The novel follows closely the progress of the Lola from Leghorn, Italy to all the ports at which it had anchored and across all the seas it sailed upon. The imagery of seas, rivers, and sailing on water surfaces in general are thus linked to mystery and the unknown. The identity of the Lola’s owners and their designs, by way of illustration, were lost to Gordon upon their departure towards the mysterious sea. Elma’s welfare and destiny were equally enveloped in an atmosphere of perplexing doubt when Gordon set sail to the river to Kajana castle in order to save her.
The Entangling Woods
The imagery of thick woods in the novel is linked to the most perplexing mysteries of the plot. It was in the deep woods of Scotland that Gordon had come across the murder of a woman, whose body was substituted the following morning with that of a man. After finding her body at last, the corpse vanishes again just before the detectives reach the spot in one of the most mysterious parts of the storyline. Similarly, Elma Heath disappears over night in the woods of Finland just after being rescued by Gordon. The latter is utterly bewildered and unable to hit on a logical explanation of her disappearance until she explains it herself to him later on when they meet again
Revolvers and Safety
Whenever Gordon’s own revolver is mentioned in the story, it is as a means of protection and safety that it makes its appearance in the novel. Consequently, the imagery of fire arms and revolvers in particular is always related to the concepts of self-protection and safety.
