Delphi Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Illustrated) (1051 page)

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
PRINCE
and 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
ALICE
on
): Now, we’ll see whether you will or not! (
Pause for an instant
.)

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

(
Music stops
.)

(
Coming down
.) Now tell her what we want.

ALICE
(
low voice — slight shake of head
): You needn’t tell me, I know well enough.

MADGE
(
drawing nearer to
ALICE
with quiet cat-like glide. Smiling
) Oh no dear you don’t know.  It isn’t anything about locks, or keys, or numbers this time. (
Points slowly to the open safe
.) We want to know what you’ve done with them!

(
Pause
.
ALICE
looks at
MADGE
calmly. No defiance or suffering in her expression
.)

(
Comes closer and speaks with set teeth
.) Do you hear! We want to know what you’ve done with them.

ALICE
(
low voice — but clear and distinct
): You will not know from me.

LARRABEE
(
sudden violence, yet subdued, as if not wishing servants to overhear
): We will know from you — and we’ll know before — (
As if to cross
MADGE
to
ALICE
.)

MADGE
(
motioning him
): Wait, Jim! (
Moves down with him a little
.)

LARRABEE
(
to
MADGE
,
violently
): I tell you, they’re in this room — she couldn’t have got them out — and I’m going to make her — (
As if to seize
ALICE
.)

MADGE
(
detaining him
): No! Let me speak to her first!

(
LARRABEE
after an instant’s sullen pause, turns and walks up stage. Watches from above sullenly.
MADGE
turns to
ALICE
again
.)

Don’t you think, dear, it’s about time to remember that you owe us a little consideration? Wasn’t it something, just a little something, that we found you friendless and ill in Homburg and befriended you?

ALICE
:  It was only to rob me.

MADGE
:  Wasn’t it something that we brought you and your mother across to England with us — that we kept you here — in our own home — and supported and cared for you —

ALICE
:  So that you could rob me.

MADGE
:  My dear child — you have nothing of value. That package of letters wouldn’t bring you sixpence.

ALICE
:  Then why do you want it? Why do you persecute me and starve me to get it? (
Pause —
MADGE
looking at her cruelly.
) All your friendship to me and my mother was a pretence — a sham. It was only to get what you wanted away from me when the time came.

MADGE
:  Why, we have no idea of such a thing!

ALICE
(
turning slightly on
MADGE
): I don’t believe you.

LARRABEE
(
who has controlled himself with difficulty
): Well, believe me, then.

(
ALICE
turns to him, frightened but calm. No forced expressions of pain and despair anywhere in the scene
.)

(
Moves towards her
.) You’re going to tell us what you’ve done with that package before you leave this room to-night!

(
MADGE
backs away a step or two
.)

ALICE
:  Not if you kill me.

LARRABEE
(
seizing
ALICE
violently by the arms or wrists at back of her
): It isn’t killing that’s going to do it — it’s something else.

(
Music melodramatic and pathetic
.)

(
LARRABEE
gets
ALICE’S
arms behind her, and holds her as if wrenching or twisting them from behind. She gives slight cry of pain.
MADGE
comes to her.
PRINCE
l
ooks away during following — appearing not to like the scene but not moving
.)

MADGE
(
sharp hard voice
): Tell us where it is! Tell us and he’ll stop.

LARRABEE
(
a little behind — business of gripping as if wrenching her arms
): Out with it!

ALICE
(
suppressed cry or moan)
: Oh!

(
NOTE
. —
ALICE
has little expression of pain on her face. The idea is to be game
.)

MADGE
: Where is it?

LARRABEE
:  Speak quick now! I’ll give you a turn next time that’ll take it out of you.

MADGE
(
low voice):
Be careful, Jimmie!

LARRABEE
(
angry
): Is this any time to be careful? I tell you we’ve got to get it out of her — and we’ll do it too! (
Business
.) Will you tell? (
Business
.) Will you tell? (
Business
.) Will you —

(
Loud ringing of door bell in distant part of house.
)

(
NOTE
. —
This must on no account be close at hand.
)

(
After bell music stops
.)

PRINCE
(
quick turn on ring. Short sharp whisper as he starts up
): Lookout!

(
All stand listening an instant.
ALICE
,
however, heard nothing, as the pain has made her faint, though not unconscious
.
LARRABEE
pushes
ALICE
into chair facing fire-place. He then hides her. 
MADGE
goes quickly and cautiously draws picture from a small concealed window.
LARRABEE
stands near
ALICE
close up to her.  Steps heard outside
.
LARRABEE
turns quickly, hearing steps. Make these steps distinct — slow — not loud.
)

LARRABEE
(
speaking off
): Here!

(
Enter
FORMAN
.
He stands waiting
.)

Don’t go to that door; see who it is.

(
FORMAN
simply waits — no surprise on his face.
MADGE
turning and speaking in low but clear voice
.
LARRABEE
stands so that
FORMAN
will not see
ALICE
.)

MADGE
(
standing on ottoman
): Tall, slim man in a long coat — soft hat — smooth face — carries … an ebony cane — (
Short, quick exclamation from
PRINCE
.)

PRINCE
(
breaks in with quick exclamation under breath.
MADGE
stopped by
PRINCE’S
exclamation
): Sherlock ‘Olmes! He’s ‘ere!

(
Pause
.
PRINCE
quickly conceals his satchel above safe — also closing door of safe. Music melodramatic, very pp
.)

LARRABEE
(
moving towards piano, turns out lamp
): We won’t answer the bell.

PRINCE
(
turning from tools, etc., and stopping him quickly
):  Now that won’t do, ye know! Looks crooked at the start!

LARRABEE
:  You’re right! We’ll have him in — and come the easy innocent. (H
e turns up the lamp again
.)

MADGE
:  There’s the girl!

PRINCE
(
at piano
): Get her away — quick!

(
ALICE
is beginning to notice what goes on in a dreamy way.
)

LARRABEE
:  Take her up the back stairway!