Solve the riddle at end of FIFTH BUSINESS by Robertson Davies for me (spoilers)

Cafe Society
1

I just finished the novel and thought it was marvelous, but I’m a little [del]dense[/del] puzzled.

[spoiler]The question of who killed Boy Staunton is answered with this oblique explanation:*

”He was killed by the usual cabal: by himself, first of all; by the woman he knew; by the woman he did not know; by the man who granted his inmost wish; and by the inevitable fifth, who was the keeper of his conscience and the keeper of the stone.?*[/spoiler]

The inevitable fifth and the man who granted his inmost wish are pretty obvious, but I’m confused: was Mary Dempster the woman he knew, or the woman he did not know? And who the heck was the other woman and what did she have to do with the price of beans?

Can someone help me out here?

2

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Can someone help me out here?
[/QUOTE]

Well.
This - the Deptford Trilogy - is my favourite book. The riddle is solved by reading all three.
Last week I gave my 8th copy as a present. I love R Davies and this is my fave - Salterton trilogy also excellent.
MiM

3

It’s been a while, but I think MiM might be right-- I recall this becoming clearer in the following books. A couple of mostly ignored characters emerge into the front of things.
I wuv RD. Except for Murther. . .

4

I, too, find the Deptford trilogy among my favorites. You must certainly read The Manticore and World of Wonders.

5

Just ordered 'em. Thanks, you guys.

6

for so many people who love this series, not one person has answered the question.

7

I picked this up a couple years ago and didn’t care for it. Then I read The Cunning Man last month, and because it shares characters with Murther, I tried Murther again, and this time it worked. (I don’t know why, because the other characters carely appeared.)

koeeoaddi, if I knew the answer to the riddle, I’d tell you, but so far I’ve only read The Fifth Business.

surbey, maybe the ones who know don’t want to spoil the other books for her?

8

I picked this up a couple years ago and didn’t care for it. Then I read The Cunning Man last month, and because it shares characters with Murther, I tried Murther again, and this time it worked. (I don’t know why, because the other characters barely appeared.)

koeeoaddi, if I knew the answer to the riddle, I’d tell you, but so far I’ve only read The Fifth Business.

surbey, maybe the ones who know don’t want to spoil the other books for her?

(Apologies if this double-posts, but I saw a typo after I hit submit.) :slight_smile: