(ALICE takes the package with sudden eagerness — then turns and keeps her eyes steadily on HOLMES)
Should you ever change your mind and be so generous, forgiving as to wish to return these letters to the one who wrote them, you have my address. In any event, rest assured there will be no more cruelty, no more persecution in this house. You are perfectly safe with your property now — for I shall so arrange that your faintest cry of distress will be heard! And if that cry is heard — it will be a very unfortunate thing for those who are responsible. Good night Miss Faulkner (Pause — turns toLARRABEE and MADGE. Coming to them) As for you sir and you, madam, I beg you to understand that you continue your persecution of that young lady at your peril
(ALICE looks at HOLMES an instant, uncertain what to do. He makes a slight motion indicating her to go. ALICE, after slight pause crosses in front of HOLMES and goes out LARRABEE makes slight move towards ALICE, but is checked by a look from HOLMES. HOLMES waits motionless eyes on ALICE until exit. Then he looks after her for a moment. Then turns and takes his coat and hat. Looks at them an instant.)
Good evening — (Walks out and the sound of heavy door closing is heard outside)
(Pause LARRABEE and MADGE stand whereHOLMES left them. Sound of window opening SIDPRINCE hurries in at window)
PRINCE (sharp but subdued): Well! ‘E didn’t get it, did ‘e?
(LARRABEE shakes head. PRINCE looks at him, puzzled, and then turns towards MADGE.)
Well — wot is it? Wot’s the pay if ‘e didn’t?
MADGE: He gave it to her.
PRINCE: What!—’e found it?
(MADGE indicates “Yes” by slight movement.)
An’ gave it to the girl?
(MADGE repeats slight affirmative motion.)
Well ‘ere — I say! Wot are you waiting for? Now’s the chance — before she ‘ides it again! (Starting as if to go.)
MADGE (stopping PRINCE): No! Wait! (Glances round nervously.)
PRINCE: Wot’s the matter! (Going to LARRABEE.) Do you want to lose it?
LARRABEE: No! you’re right! It’s all a cursed bluff! (Starting as if to go.)
MADGE (meeting them, as if to stop them): No, no, Jim!
LARRABEE: I tell you we will! Now’s our chance to get a hold of it! (Pushing her aside.)
PRINCE: Well, I should say so!
(Three knocks are heard just as PRINCE and LARRABEEreach archway. A distant sound of three heavy blows, as if struck from underneath up against the floor, reverberates through the house. All stop motionless.)
(Pause.)
(Music, melodramatic agitato, very pp. till Curtain.)
LARRABEE (in a low voice): What’s that?
MADGE: Someone at the door.
LARRABEE (low voice): No — it was on that side!
(PRINCE glances round alarmed. MADGE rings bell. Enter FORMAN All stand easily as if nothing out of the usual.)
MADGE: I think someone knocked, Judson.
(FORMAN at once goes out quietly but quickly. Sound of door outside closing again. FORMAN re-enters.)
FORMAN: I beg pardon, ma’am, there’s no one at the door.
MADGE: That’s all.
(FORMAN goes.)
PRINCE (speaks almost in a whisper from above the piano) ‘E’s got us watched! Wot we want to do is to leave it alone an the Hemperor ‘ave it!
MADGE (low voice — taking a step or two toward PRINCE): Do you mean — Professor Moriarty?
PRINCE: That’s ‘oo I mean. Once let ‘im get at it and ‘e’ll settle it with ‘Olmes pretty quick (Turns to LARRABEE). Meet me at Leary’s — nine sharp — in the morning. Don’t you worry a minute. I tell you the Professor’ll get at ‘im before to-morrow night! ‘E don’t wait long either! An’ w’en he strikes — it means death. (He goes out at window)
(Brief pause. After PRINCE goes MADGE looks after him. LARRABEE, with a despairing look on his face, leans on chair — looks round puzzled. His eyes meet MADGE’Sas lights fade away.)
CURTAIN.
ACT II
SCENE 1
PROFESSOR MORIARTY’S Underground Office. Morning
SCENE 1 — This scene is built inside the Second. PROFESSOR MORIARTY’S underground office. A large vault-like room, with rough masonry walls and vaulted ceiling. The general idea of this place is that it has been converted from a cellar room of a warehouse into a fairly comfortable office or head-quarters. There are no windows.
The colour or tone of this set must not be similar to the third Act set, which is a gloomy and dark bluish-brown. The effect in this set should be of masonry that has long ago been whitewashed and is now old, stained and grimy. Maps on wall of England, France, Germany, Russia, etc. Also a marked map of London — heavy spots upon certain localities. Many charts of buildings, plans of floors — possible tunnellings, etc. Many books about — on impoverished shelves, etc.
PROFESSOR ROBERT MORIARTY is seated at a large circular desk facing the front. He is looking over letters, telegrams, papers, etc., as if morning mail. He is a middle-aged man, with massive head and grey hair, and a face full of character, overhanging brow, heavy jaw. A man of great intellectual force, extremely tall and thin. His forehead domes out in a white curve, and his two eyes are deeply sunken in his head. Clean-shaven, pale, ascetic-looking. Shoulders rounded, and face protruding forward, and for ever oscillating from side to side in a curiously reptilian fashion. Deep hollow voice.
The room is dark, with light showing on his face, as if from lamp. Pause. MORIARTY rings a gong at desk, which has a Peculiar sound. In a second, buzzer outside door replies twice. He Picks up a speaking tube and puts it to his mouth.
MORIARTY (speaking into tube in a low voice): Number. (He Places tube to his ear and listens, then speaks into it again.)Correct. (Drops tube. He moves a lever up against wall and the bolt of the door slides back with a solid heavy sound.)
(Enter JOHN noiselessly. No sound of steps. He stands just within the door in the half darkness.)
Has any report come in from Chibley?
JOHN: Nothing yet sir.
MORIARTY: All the others are heard from?
JOHN: Yes, sir.
MORIARTY: I was afraid we’d have trouble there. If anything happened we lose Hickson — one of our best men. Send Bassick.
(JOHN goes out. Bolt slides back. Buzzer outside door rings twice. MORIARTY picks up tube and speaks into it)
(Speaking into tube.) Number. (Listens. Speaks into tube again.) Correct. (He slides back bolt of door.)
(Enter BASSICK noiselessly Bolt of door slides back. BASSICK goes to MORIARTY’S desk at once and stands. MORIARTY motions to sit. He does so )
Before we go into anything else, I want to refer to Davidson.
BASSICK: I’ve made a note of him myself, sir; he’s holding bad money.
MORIARTY: Something like six hundred short on that last haul, isn’t it?
BASSICK: Certainly as much as that.
MORIARTY: Have him attended to. Craigin is the one to do it. (BASSICK writes a memo quickly) And see that his disappearance is noticed. Have it spoken of. That finishes Davidson … Now as to this Blaisdell matter — did you learn anything more?
BASSICK: The whole thing was a trap.
MORIARTY: What do you mean?
BASSICK: Set and baited by an expert.
MORIARTY: But those letters and papers of instructions — you brought them back, or destroyed them, I trust?
BASSICK: I could not do it, sir — Manning has disappeared and the papers are gone!
(Music melodramatic. Cue, as MORIARTY looks at BASSICK.)
MORIARTY: Gone! Sherlock Holmes again. That’s bad for the Underwood trial.
BASSICK: I thought Shackleford was going to get a postponement.
MORIARTY: He tried to — and found he was blocked.
BASSICK: Who could have done it?
(MORIARTY turns and looks at BASSICK almost hypnotically — his head vibrating from side to side as if making him speak the name.)<
br />
Sherlock Holmes?
MORIARTY: Sherlock Holmes again. (His eyes still on BASSICK.)
BASSICK (as if fascinated by MORIARTY. Slight affirmative motion.) He’s got hold of between twenty and thirty papers and instructions in as many different jobs, and some as to putting a man or two out of the way — and he’s gradually completing chains of evidence which, if we let him go on, will reach to me as sure as the sun will rise. Reach to me! — Ha! (Sneer.) He’s playing rather a dangerous game! Inspector Wilson tried it seven years ago. Wilson is dead. Two years later Henderson took it up. We haven’t heard anything of Henderson lately, eh?
BASSICK (shaking head): Not a thing, sir.
MORIARTY: Ha! (Sneer.) This Holmes is rather a talented man. He hopes to drag me in at the Underwood trial, but he doesn’t realise what can happen between now and Monday. He doesn’t know that there isn’t a street in London that’ll be safe for him if I whisper his name to Craigin — I might even make him a little call myself — just for the satisfaction of it — (business of head swaying, etc.) — just for the satisfaction of it. (BASSICK watches MORIARTY with some anxiety.) Baker Street, isn’t it? His place — Baker Street — eh?
BASSICK: Baker Street, sir.
MORIARTY: We could make it safe. We could make it absolutely secure for three streets each way.
BASSICK: Yes, sir, but —
MORIARTY: We could. We’ve done it over and over again elsewhere — Police decoyed. Men in every doorway. (Sudden turn to him.) Do this to-night — in Baker Street! At nine o’clock call his attendants out on one pretext and another, and keep them out — you understand! I’ll see this Sherlock Holmes myself — I’ll give him a chance for his life. If he declines to treat with me —
(He takes a savage-looking bulldog revolver from under desk and examines it carefully, slowly placing it in breast pocket. Ring of telephone bell is heard, but not until the revolver business is finished.)
(The music stops.)
(MORIARTY gives a nod to BASSICK, indicating him to attend to phone. BASSICK rises and goes to and picks up telephone. MORIARTY resumes business of examining papers on his desk.)
BASSICK (speaks into receiver and listens as indicated): Yes — yes — Bassick — What name did you say? Oh, Prince, yes. He’ll have to wait — Yes — I got his telegram last night — Well, tell him to come and speak to me at the phone. (Longer wait.) Yes — I got your telegram, Prince, but I have an important matter on. You’ll have to wait — Who? (Suddenly becomes very interested.) What sort of a game is it? — Where is he now? — - Wait a moment. (To MORIARTY.) Here’s something, sir. Sid Prince has come here over some job, and he says he’s got Holmes fighting against him.
MORIARTY (quickly turning to BASSICK) Eh? Ask him what it is. Ask him what it is. (BASSICK is about to speak through the telephone. Quickly.) Wait! (BASSICK stops.) Let him come here. (BASSICK turns in surprise.)
BASSICK: No one sees you — no one knows you. That has meant safety for years.
MORIARTY: No one sees me now. You talk with him — I’ll listen from the next room. (BASSICK looks at him hesitatingly an instant.) This is your office — you understand — your office — I’ll be there.
(BASSICK turns to telephone.)
BASSICK (speaking into telephone): Is that you, Prince? — Yes, I find I can’t come out — but I’ll see you here — What interest have they got? What’s the name? (Listening a moment. Looks round to MORIARTY.) He says there’s two with him — a man and a woman named Larrabee. They won’t consent to any interview unless they’re present.
MORIARTY: Send them in.
BASSICK (speaking into telephone): Eh, Prince — ask Beads to come to the telephone — Beads — eh — ? (Lower voice.) Those people with Prince, do they seem to be all right? Look close
yes? — Well — take them out through the warehouse and down by the circular stairway and then bring them up here by the long tunnel — Yes, here — Look them over as you go along to see they’re not carrying anything — and watch that no one sees you come down — Yes — (Hangs up ear-piece, turns and looks at MORIARTY.) I don’t like this, sir!
MORIARTY (rises): You don’t like this! You don’t like this! I tell you it’s certain death unless we can settle with this man Holmes.
(The buzzer rings three times.)
(Moves towards opening.) Your office, you understand — your office.
(BASSICK looks at MORIARTY. MORIARTY goes out. BASSICK, after MORIARTY is well off, goes and takes MORIARTY’S place at the back of the desk. Rings gong at desk. Buzzer replies twice from outside.)
BASSICK (speaking into tube): Send John here.
(BASSICK pushes back bolt. Enter JOHN noiselessly. He stands just within door. Bolt of door slides back when door shuts.)
There are some people coming in here, you stand over there, and keep your eye on them from behind. If you see anything suspicious, drop your handkerchief. If it’s the woman pick it up — if it’s the man leave it on the floor.
(Three knocks are distinctly heard on door from outside. On last knock JOHN goes near wall.)
(Picks up tube and speaks into it.) Number. (Listens — speaking into tube.) Are the three waiting with you? (Listens — drops tube and pushes lever back, and the bolt slides back from the door. The door slowly swings open.)
(Enter SID PRINCE, followed by MADGE and LARRABEE. The door Closes and the bolts slide back with a clang. At the sound of the bolts LARRABEE looks round at door very sharply, realising that they are all locked in. BASSICK motions MADGE to chair. MADGE Sits. LARRABEE is suspicious, and does not like the look of the place. PRINCE remains standing. BASSICK sits behind desk. JOHN is in the dark, watching LARRABEE and MADGE, with a handkerchief in hand.)
I understand you to say — through our private telephone — that you’ve got something with Sherlock Holmes against you.
PRINCE: Yes, sir — we ‘ave.
BASSICK: Kindly let me have the particulars.
(LARRABEE gives “H’m,” indicating that he wants to hear.)
PRINCE: Jim and Madge Larrabee here, which you used to know in early days, they have picked up a girl at ‘Omburg, where her sister had been havin’ a strong affair of the ‘eart with a very ‘igh young foreign nob who promised to marry ‘er — but the family stepped in and threw the whole thing down. ‘E be’aved very bad to ‘er an had let ‘imself out an written her letters an given her rings and tokens, yer see — and there was photographs too. Now as these various things showed how ‘e’d deceived and betrayed ‘er, they wouldn’t look nice at all considerin’ who the young man was, an’ wot ‘igh titles he was comin’ into. So when this girl up an’ dies of it all, these letters and things all fall into the ‘ands of the sister — which is the one my friends ‘ere has been nursin’ all along — together with ‘er mother.
BASSICK (to LARRABEE): Where have you had the people?
LARRABEE: We took a house up the Norrington Road.
BASSICK: How long have you been there?
LARRABEE: Two years, the fourteenth of next month.
BASSICK: And those letters and — other evidences of the young man’s misconduct — when will they reach their full value?
(LARRABEE is about to answer, but PRINCE jumps in quickly.)
PRINCE: It’s now, don’t you see. It’s now — There’s a marriage comin’ on, an’ there’s been offers, an’ the problem is to get the papers in our ‘ands.
BASSICK: Where are they?
PRINCE: Why, the girl’s got ‘old of ‘em, sir!
(BASSICK turns for explanation of this to LARRABEE)
LARRABEE: We had a safe for her to keep them in, supposing that when the time came we could open it, but the lock was out of order and we got Prince in to help us. He opened it last night, and the package containing the things was gone — she had taken them out herself.
BASSICK: What did you do when you discovered this?
PRINCE: Do — I ‘adn’t any more than got the box open, sir, an’ given one lo
ok at it, when Sherlock Holmes rings the front door bell.
BASSICK (intent): There — at your house?
LARRABEE: At my house.
BASSICK: He didn’t get those letters?
LARRABEE: Well, he did get them, but he passed them back to the Faulkner girl.
BASSICK (rises — in surprise): Passed them back, eh? What did that mean? (Goes down a little, thinking.)
Delphi Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Illustrated) Page 932