Delphi Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Illustrated)

by SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

  FORMAN: Oh yes, sir — I beg your pardon! I’ll announce you immediate, sir. (Goes out upstairs.)

  (PRINCE takes off hat, gloves, etc., laying them so as to cover the satchel. Looks about room. Walks over to the heavy desk and glances at it. Swings door of the desk open in easy business-like way.)

  PRINCE: Ah! (As if he had found what he was looking for. Not an exclamation of surprise. Drops on one knee and gives the lock a turn. Rises and goes over to his satchel — which he uncovers and opens. Feels about for something.)

  (MADGE and LARRABEE come downstairs and enter.PRINCE sees them, but does not stop what he is doing.)

  MADGE (going across to PRINCE): Oh, is that you, Sid? I’m so glad you’ve come.

  LARRABEE: Hallo, Sid! … Did you get my note?

  PRINCE (going right on with what he is doing): Well, I’m ‘ere, ain’t I? (Business at satchel.) … That’s what it is, I take it? (Motion of head towards desk.)

  MADGE: Yes … We’re awfully glad you turned up, Sid. We might have had to get in some stranger to do it. (Going across to below piano in front of PRINCE.)

  PRINCE (standing up and looking at LARRABEE andMADGE): That would be nice now, wouldn’t it? If your game ‘appens to be anything off colour — !!!

  LARRABEE: Oh — it isn’t so specially dark.

  PRINCE: That different. (Goes across to desk with tools from satchel.) I say, Larrabee —

  (Quick “Sh!” from MADGE just behind him.)

  LARRABEE (at same time): Shut up!

  (They look round. PRINCE looks up surprised.)

  For Heaven’s sake, Sid, remember — my name is Chetwood here.

  PRINCE: Beg your pardon. My mistake. Old times when we was learnin’ the trade together — eh!

  LARRABEE: Yes, yes!

  PRINCE: I ‘ardly expected you’d be doin’ the ‘igh tone thing over ‘ere, wen I first come up with you workin’ the Sound Steamer Line out O’ New York.

  LARRABEE: Come! Don’t let’s go into that now.

  PRINCE: Well, you needn’t get so ‘uffy about it! You wouldn’t a’ been over ‘ere at all, if it ‘adn’t been for me … An’ youd a’ never met Madge ‘ere neither — and a devil of a life of it you might a’ been leadin’.

  LARRABEE: Yes, yes.

  MADGE: We know all that, Sid — but can’t you open that box for us now? We’ve no time to lose.

  PRINCE: Open it! I should say I could! It’s one o’ those things it’ll fall open if you let it alone long enough! I’d really like to know where you picked up such a relic as this ‘ere box! It’s an old timer and no mistake! (About to try some tools on lock, looks about.) All clear, you say, no danger lurking?

  LARRABEE (shaking head): Not the least!

  (MADGE moves away a little, glancing cautiously about.PRINCE tries tools. LARRABEE remains near piano. Both watch him as he tries tools in the lock.)

  PRINCE (at lock): You’re not robbing yourselves, I trust?

  LARRABEE (near PRINCE): It does look a little like it!

  PRINCE: I knew you was on some rum lay — squatting down in this place for over a year; but I never could seem to — (business) get a line on you. (He works a moment, then crosses to get a tool out of satchel, and goes near light on piano and begins to adjust it. This must bring him where he commands stage. Stopping and looking sharply at MADGEand LARRABEE.) What do we get here? Oof, I trust?

  LARRABEE: Sorry to disappoint you, but it isn’t.

  PRINCE: That’s too bad!

  MADGE (shakes head): Only a bundle of papers, Sid.

  (PRINCE works at tool an instant before speaking.)

  PRINCE: Pipers!

  LARRABEE: Um! (Grunt of assent.)

  PRINCE: Realise, I trust?

  MADGE: We can’t tell — it may be something — it may be nothing.

  PRINCE: Well, if it’s something, I’m in it, I hope.

  MADGE: Why, of course, Sid — whatever you think is due for opening the box.

  PRINCE: Fair enough. (As if it was all settled to go on.) Now ‘ere. (Glances round quickly.) Before we starts ‘er goin’ what’s the general surroundin’s?

  LARRABEE: What’s the good of wasting time on — (Going near PRINCE.)

  PRINCE (up to him): If I’m in this, I’m in it, ain’t I? An’ I want to know wot I’m in.

  MADGE: Why don’t you tell him, Jimmie?

  PRINCE: If anything ‘appened, ‘ow’d I let the office know ‘oo to look out for?

  LARRABEE: Well — I’m willing to give him an idea of what it is but I won’t give the name of the — (Hesitates.)

  (MADGE goes up to arch.)

  PRINCE: That’s all I ask — wot it is. I don’t want no names.

  LARRABEE (nearer PRINCE and speaking lower): You know we’ve been working the Continent. Pleasure places and all that.

  PRINCE: So I’ve ‘eard.

  (MADGE motions them to wait. Looking off quietly. Nods them to proceed.)

  LARRABEE: It was over there — Homburg was the place. We ran across a young girl who’d been havin’ trouble. Sister just died. Mother seemed wrong here. (Touches forehead.)

  PRINCE: Well — you run across ‘er.

  LARRABEE: Madge took hold and found that this sister of hers had been having some kind of love affair with a — well — with a foreign gentleman of exceedingly high rank — or at least — expectations that way.

  PRINCE: A foreign gentleman?

  LARRABEE: That’s what I said.

  PRINCE: I don’t so much care about that, yer know. My lay’s ‘ere at home.

  LARRABEE: Well, this is good enough for me.

  PRINCE: ‘Ow much was there to it?

  LARRABEE: Promise of marriage.

  PRINCE: Broke it, of course.

  LARRABEE: Yes — and her heart with it. I don’t know what more she expected — anyway, she did expect more. She and her child died together.

  PRINCE: Oh — dead!

  LARRABEE: Yes, but the case isn’t; there are evidences — letters, photographs, jewellery with inscriptions that he gave her. The sister’s been keeping them … (A glance about.) We’ve been keeping the sister … You see?

  PRINCE (whistles): Oh, it’s the sister you’ve got ‘ere? An’ what’s ‘er little game?

  LARRABEE: To get even.

  PRINCE: Ah! To get back on ‘im for the way ‘e treated ‘er sister?

  LARRABEE: Precisely.

  PRINCE: She don’t want money?

  LARRABEE: No.

  PRINCE: An’ your little game?

  LARRABEE (shrug of shoulders): Whatever there is in it.

  PRINCE: These papers an’ things ought to be worth a little Something!

  LARRABEE: I tell you it wouldn’t be safe for him to marry until he gets them out of the way! He knows it very well. But what’s more, the family knows it!

  PRINCE: Oh — family! … Rich, I take it.

  LARRABEE: Rich isn’t quite the word. They’re something else.

  PRINCE: You don’t mean —

  (LARRABEE moves nearer PRINCE and whispers a name in his ear.)

  My Gawd! Which of ‘em?

  LARRABEE (shakes head): I don’t tell you that.

  PRINCE: Well, we are a-movin’ among the swells now, ain’t we? But this ‘ere girl — the sister o’ the one that died—’ow did you manage to get ‘er into it?

  MADGE: I picked her up, of course, and sympathized and consoled. I invited her to stay with me at my house in London. Jimmy came over and took this place — and when I brought her along a week later it was all ready — and a private desk safe for the letters and jewellery.

  LARRABEE (turning): Yes — combination lock and all … Everything worked smooth until a couple of weeks ago, when we began to hear from a firm of London solicitors, some veiled proposals were made — which showed that the time was coming. They wanted the things out of the way. Suddenly all negotiations on their side stopped. The next thing for me to do was to threaten. I wanted the letters for this, but when I went to
get them — I found that in some way the girl had managed to change the lock on us. The numbers were wrong — and we couldn’t frighten or starve her into opening the thing.

  PRINCE: Oh — I see it now. You’ve got the stuff in there! (Indicating safe.)

  LARRABEE: That’s what I’m telling you! It’s in there, and we can’t get it out! She’s juggled the lock.

  PRINCE (going at once to safe): Oh, well, it won’t take long ta rectify that triflin’ error. (Stops.) But wot gets me is the w’y they broke off with their offers that way — can you make head or tail of that?

  LARRABEE: Yes. (Goes nearer to PRINCE.) It’s simple enough.

  (PRINCE turns to him for explanation.)

  They’ve given it up themselves, and have got in Sherlock Holmes on the case.

  PRINCE (suddenly starting): Wot’s that! (Pause.) Is ‘Olmes in this?

  LARRABEE: That’s what they told me!

  MADGE: But what can he do, Sid? We haven’t —

  PRINCE: ‘Ere, don’t stand talking about that — I’ll get the box open. (Goes to piano in front of LARRABEE.) You send a telegram, that’s all I want! (Tears page out of his note-book and writes hurriedly The other two watch him, LARRABEE a little suspiciously. Silence for a few moments while he writes.) Where’s your nearest telegraph office?

  MADGE: Round the corner. (Going to above piano.)

  PRINCE (down to LARRABEE and giving him the telegram he has written): Run for it! Mind what I say — run for it.

  (LARRABEE is looking at him hard.)

  That’s to Alf Bassick. He’s Professor Moriarty’s confidential man. Moriarty is king of ‘em all in London. He runs everything that’s shady — an’ ‘Olmes ‘as been settin’ lines all round ‘im for months — and he didn’t know it — an’ now he’s beginnin’ to find out that ‘Olmes is trackin’ ‘im down — and there’s the devil to pay. ‘E wants any cases ‘Olmes is on — it’s a dead fight between ‘em! ‘E’ll take the case just to get at ‘Olmes! ‘E’ll kill ‘im before ‘e’s finished with ‘im, you can lay all you’ve got on it.

  LARRABEE: What are you telling him?

  PRINCE: Nothing whatever, except I’ve got a job on as I wants to see ‘im about in the mornin’ … Read it yourself.

  (LARRABEE looks at what PRINCE has written.)

  But don’t take all night over it! You cawn’t tell wot might ‘appen. (Crosses to safe.)

  MADGE: Go on, Jim!

  (LARRABEE crosses, MADGE following him.)

  LARRABEE (to MADGE near archway): Keep your eyes open.

  MADGE (to LARRABEE): Don’t you worry!

  (LARRABEE goes out.)

  (MADGE is looking after him. Quick sound of door closing. PRINCE drops down to work — real work now — at desk. Short pause. MADGE stands watching PRINCE a moment. She moves over to near piano and picks up a book carelessly, which she glances at with perfect nonchalance. After a time she speaks without taking eyes from book.)

  I’ve heard of this Professor Moriarty.

  PRINCE: If you ‘aven’t you must’ve been out in the woods.

  MADGE: You say he’s king of them all.

  PRINCE (working): Bloomin’ Hemperor — that’s wot I call ‘im.

  MADGE: He must be a good many different things.

  PRINCE: You might see it that way if you looked around an’ didn’t breathe too ‘ard!

  MADGE: What does he do?

  PRINCE: I’ll tell you one thing he does! (Turns to her and rests a moment from work) He sits at ‘ome — quiet and easy — an runs nearly every big operation that’s on. All the clever boys are under him one way or another — an’ he ‘olds them in ‘is ‘and without moving a muscle! An’ if there’s a slip and the police get wind of it there ain’t never any ‘old on ‘im. They can’t touch him. And wot’s more, they wouldn’t want to if they could.

  MADGE: Why not?

  PRINCE: Because they’ve tried it — that’s w’y — an’ the men as did try it was found shortly after a-floatin’ in the river — that is, if they was found at all! The moment a man’s marked there ain’t a street that’s safe for ‘im! No — nor yet an alley. (Resumes drilling.)

  MADGE (after pause): What’s the idea of telling him about this? He might not want —

  PRINCE (turning to her,): I tell yer, ‘e’ll come into anything that gives ‘im a chance at ‘Olmes — he wants ter trap ‘im — that’s wot is an just what he’ll do (Resumes work)

  (PRINCE works rapidly, drill going in suddenly as if he had one hole sunk. He tries a few tools in it and quickly starts another hole with drills. MADGE starts forward at business of drill.)

  MADGE (recovering to careless): Have you got it, Sid?

  PRINCE: Not yet — but I’ll be there soon. (Works.) I know where I am now.

  (Sound of door closing outside. Enter LARRABEE hurriedly. He is breathless from running.)

  LARRABEE: Well, Sid. How goes it?

  PRINCE (working): So-so.

  LARRABEE: Now about this Professor Moriarty? (Gets chair from near piano and sits behind PRINCE.)

  PRINCE (working): Ask ‘er.

  MADGE: It’s all right, Jim. It was the proper thing to do.

  (Music. Melodramatic, very pp. Hardly audible.)

  (MADGE and LARRABEE move near PRINCE, looking over him eagerly. He quickly introduces small punch and hammers rapidly; sound of bolts, etc., falling inside lock as if loosened. Eagerness of all three increases with final sound of loose iron work inside lock, and PRINCE at once pulls open the iron doors. All three give a quick look within. MADGE and LARRABEE start back with subdued exclamation. PRINCE looks in more carefully, then turns to them. Pause. LARRABEE in moving back pushes chair along with him. Pause. Music stops.)

  MADGE (turning to LARRABEE): Gone!

  LARRABEE (to MADGE): She’s taken ‘em out.

  PRINCE (rising to his feet): What do you mean?

  LARRABEE: The girl!

  (MADGE stops and goes quickly to safe in front of PRINCEand dropping down feels carefully about inside. Others watch her closely. PRINCE gives back a little for her.)

  (NOTE. — Their dialogue since opening of safe has dropped to low excited tones, almost whispers, as they would if it were a robbery. Force of habit in their intense excitement.)

  MADGE (rises and turns to LARRABEE): She’s got them!

  PRINCE: ‘Ow can you tell as she ‘asn’t done the trick already?

  LARRABEE (quick turn on PRINCE): What’s that?

  PRINCE: She wants to get even, you say.

  MADGE: Yes! yes!

  PRINCE: Well, then, if she’s got the thing out of the box there — ain’t it quite likely she’s sent ‘em along to the girl as ‘e wants to marry. (Brief pause.)

  MADGE: No! She hasn’t had the chance.

  LARRABEE: She couldn’t get them out of this room. We’ve Watched her too close for that.

  MADGE: Wait! (Turns and looks rapidly about piano, etc.)

  (LARRABEE hurriedly looks about under cushions.)

  LARRABEE: Here! (Strides towards archway.) I’ll get her down She’ll tell us where they are or strangle for it! (Turns hurriedly) Wait here! When I get her in, don’t give her time to think!

  (LARRABEE goes out. PRINCE comes to the end of the piano looking off after LARRABEE.)

  (Music. Very pp.)

  (Brief pause. MADGE glances nervously.)

  PRINCE: Wot’s he goin’ to do?

  MADGE: There’s only one thing, Sid. We’ve got to get it out of her or the whole two years’ work is wasted.

  (Muffled cry of pain from ALICE in distance. Pause.)

  PRINCE (glances off anxiously): Look ‘ere, I don’t so much fancy this sort of thing. (Goes to safe and collects tools.)

  MADGE: Don’t you worry, we’ll attend to it!

  (Sound of LARRABEE approaching outside and speaking angrily Nearer and nearer. Footsteps heard just before entrance. LARRABEE drags ALICE FAULKNER on, jerking her across him.)

  LARRABEE (as he brings ALIC
E on): Now, we’ll see whether you will or not! (Pause for an instant.)

  (NOTE. — This scene should be played well up stage.)