Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings

I didn't even remember what they were called in German! But I've read them all - and I admired Dickie and his clever detecting and disguising skills. I know he was able to escape from a locked room once by pushing the key out of the lock so that it fell on a piece of paper and pulling it to him under the door. Even then, it seemed odd to imagine how huge the gap under the door must have been, but the idea was great nevertheless.