Delphi Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Illustrated) (1082 page)

RYLOTT
: Answer me — answer me, then!

ENID
: I will answer you! I believe that you murdered my mother by your neglect. I believe that in some way you drove my sister to her grave. Now, I am certain that you mean to do the same to me. You’re a murderer — a murderer! We were left to your care — helpless girls. You have ill-used us — you have tortured us — now you have murdered one of us, and you would do the same to me. You are a coward, a monster, a man fit only for the gallows!

RYLOTT
: You’ll pay for this, you little devil! Get to your room.

ENID
: I will. I’m not without friends, as you may find.

RYLOTT
: You’ve got some plot against me. What have you been arranging in London? What is it? (
Clutches her.
)

ENID
: Let me go!

RYLOTT
: What did you tell them? By God, I’ll twist your head off your shoulders if you cross me! (
Seizes her by the neck
.)

ENID
: Help! Help!

(
Enter
HOLMES
.)

HOLMES
: Hands off, Dr. Rylott.

(
RYLOTT
releases
ENID
.)

You had best go to your room, young lady. I’ll see that you are not molested. Go at once, I tell you, go.

RYLOTT
: You infernal villain. I’ll soon settle you.

(
After
ENID
goes out, he runs to a rack at the side, gets a whip, opens the hall door, stands near it with his whip
.)

Now, then, out you go! By George, you’ll remember Stoke Moran.

HOLMES
: Excuse me, sir, but is that a whip?

RYLOTT
: You’ll soon see what it is.

HOLMES
: I am afraid I must ask you to put it down.

RYLOTT
: Oh, indeed! must you? (
Comes forward to him
.)

HOLMES
(
taking out a revolver
): Yes, sir! You’ll please put down that whip.

RYLOTT
(
falling back
): You villain!

HOLMES
: Stand right back, sir. I’ll take no risks with a man like you. Right back, I say! Thank you, sir.

RYLOTT
: Rodgers! Ali! My gun!

(
He runs into his study
.)

HOLMES
: Hurry up, Billy! No time to lose.

(
Enter
BILLY
,
as Amelia, from the servants’ hall
.)

BILLY
: Yes, Mr. Holmes.

(
HOLMES
and
BILLY
go out through the entrance hall
.)

(
Several shots are heard outside.
RYLOTT
rushes in from his study with his gun.
)

(
Enter
ALl —
running in from outside
.)

ALI
: Stop, Sahib, stop!

RYLOTT
: What were those shots?

ALI
: The new butler, sir. He shoot Siva!

RYLOTT
: Shot my dog! By God, I’ll teach him! (
Rushes toward door
.)

ALI
: No, no, Sahib. He gone in darkness. What do you do? People come. Police come.

RYLOTT
: You’re right. (
Puts gun down
.) We have another game; Ali, you will watch outside Miss Enid’s window to-night.

ALI
: Yes, Sahib, shall I watch all night?

RYLOTT
: All night? No, not all night! You will learn when you may cease your watch.

CURTAIN

SCENE
2

ENID’S Bedroom, Stoke Place

ENID
is discovered seated near the lamp at a small table near a window. A knock is heard at the door

ENID
: Who is there?

RYLOTT
(
off
) It is I.

ENID
: What do you want?

RYLOTT
: Why is your light still burning?

ENID
: I have been reading.

RYLOTT
: You are not in bed then?

ENID
: Not yet.

RYLOTT
: Then I desire to come in.

ENID
: But it is so late.

RYLOTT
: (
rattles door
) Come, come, let me in this instant.

ENID
: No, no I cannot!

RYLOTT
: Must I break the door in?

ENID
: I will open it. I will open it. (
Opens door
) Why do persecute me so?

(
RYLOTT
enters in his dressing gown
)

RYLOTT
: Why are you so childish and so suspicious? Your mind has brooded upon your poor sister’s death until you have built up these fantastic suspicions against me. Tell me now Enid — I’m not such a bad sort you know, if you only deal frankly with me. Tell me, have you any idea of your own about how your sister died? Was that what you went to Mr. Holmes about this morning? Couldn’t you take me into your confidence as well as him? Is it not natural that I should feel hurt when I see you turn to a stranger for advice?

ENID
: How my poor sister met her death only your own wicked heart can know. I am as sure that it came to her through you as if I had seen you strike her down. You may kill me if you like, but I will tell you what I think.

RYLOTT
: My dear child, you are overwrought and hysterical. What can have put such wild ideas into your head? After all, I may have a hasty temper — I have often deplored it to you — but what excuse have I ever given you for such monstrous suspicions?

ENID
: You think that by a few smooth words you can make me forget all your past looks, your acts. You cannot deceive me, I know the danger and I face it.

RYLOTT
: What, then, is the danger?

ENID
: It is near me to-night, whatever it is.

RYLOTT
: Why do you think so?

ENID
: Why is that Indian watching in the darkness? I opened my window just now, and there he was. Why is he there?

RYLOTT
: To prevent your making a public fool of yourself. You are capable of getting loose and making a scandal.

ENID
: He is there to keep me in my room until you come to murder me.

RYLOTT
: Upon my word, I think your brain is unhinged. Now, look here, Enid, be reasonable for a moment.

ENID
: What’s that?

RYLOTT
: What is it, then?

ENID
: I thought I heard a cry.

RYLOTT
: It’s the howling of the wind. Listen to me. If there is friction between us — and I don’t for a moment deny that there is — why is it? You think I mean to hurt you. I could only have one possible motive for hurting you. Why not remove that motive? Then you could no longer work yourself into these terrors. Here is that legal paper I spoke of. Mrs. Staunton could witness it. All I want is your signature.

ENID
: No, never.

RYLOTT
: Never!

ENID
: Unless my lawyer advises it.

RYLOTT
: Is that final?

ENID
(
springing up
): Yes, it is. I will never sign it.

RYLOTT
: Well, I have done my best for you. It was your last chance.

ENID
: Ah! then you do mean murder.

RYLOTT
: The last chance of regaining my favour. You — (
Pause
.) Get to your bed and may you wake in a more rational mood to-morrow. You will not be permitted to make a scandal. Ali will be at his post outside, and I shall sit in the hall; so you may reconcile yourself to being quiet. Nothing more to say to me?

(
He goes out
.)

(
When he has gone
,
ENID
listens to his departing footsteps. Then she locks the door once again, and looks round her.
)

ENID
: What is that tapping? Surely I heard tapping! Perhaps it is the pulse within my own brain?

(
Tapping
.)

Yes! there it is again! Where was it? Is it the signal of death? (
Looks wildly round the walls
.) Ah! it grows louder. It is the window. (
Goes towards window.
) A man! a man crouching in the darkness. Still tapping. It’s not Ali! The face was white. Ah!

(
The window opens and
HOLMES
enters
.)

HOLMES
: My dear young lady, I trust that I don’t intrude.

ENID
: Oh, Mr. Holmes, I’m so glad to see you! Save me! save me! Mr. Holmes, they mean to murder me.

HOLMES
: Tut, tut! we mean that they shall do nothing of sort.

ENID
: I had given up All hope of your coming.

HOLMES
: These old-fashioned window-catches are most inefficient.

ENID
: How did you pass the Indian and the dog?

HOLMES
: Well, as to the Indian, we chloroformed him. Watson is busy tying him up in the arbour at the present moment. The dog I was compelled to shoot at an earlier stage of the proceeding.

ENID
: You shot Siva!

HOLMES
: I might have been forced to shoot her master also. It was after I sent you to your room. He threatened me with a whip.

ENID
: You were — you were Peters, the butler.

HOLMES
(
feeling the walls)
: I wanted to be near you. So this is the famous room, is it? Dear me! very much as I had pictured it. You will excuse me for not discovering myself to you, but any cry or agitation upon your part would have betrayed me.

ENID
: But your daughter Amelia?

HOLMES
: Ah, yes, I take Billy when I can. Billy as messenger is invaluable.

ENID
: Then you intended to watch over me till night?

HOLMES
: Exactly. But the man’s brutality caused me to show my hand too soon. However, I have never been far from your window. I gather the matter is pressing.

ENID
: He means to murder me to-night.

HOLMES
: He is certainly in an ugly humour. He is not in his room at present.

ENID
: No, he is in the hall.

HOLMES
: So we can talk with safety. What has become of the excellent Watson? (
Approaches window.
) Come in, Watson, come in!

(
Enter
WATSON
from window
.)

How is our Indian friend?

WATSON
: He is coming out of the chloroform; but he can neither move nor speak. Good evening, Miss Stonor, what a night it is.

ENID
: How can I thank you for coming?

HOLMES
: You’ll find Dr. Watson a useful companion on such an occasion. He has a natural turn for violence — some survival of his surgical training. The wind is good. Its howling will cover all sounds. Just sit in the window, Watson, and see that our retreat is safe. With your leave, I will inspect the room a little more closely. Now, my dear young lady, I can see that you are frightened to death, and no wonder. Your courage, so far, has been admirable. Sit over here by the fire.

ENID
: If he should come — !

HOLMES
: In that case answer him. Say that you have gone to bed. (
Takes lamp from table.
) A most interesting old room — very quaint indeed! Old-fashioned comfort without modern luxury. The passage is, as I understand, immediately outside?

ENID
: Yes.

HOLMES
: Mr. Peters made two attempts to explore the ground, but without avail. By the way, I gather that you tried to send me a message, and that old Rodgers gave it to your stepfather.

ENID
: Yes, he did.

HOLMES
: He is not to be blamed. His master controls him. He had to betray you. (
Placing lamp down
.)

ENID
: It was my fault.

HOLMES
: Well, well, it was an indiscretion, but it didn’t matter. Let me see now, on this side is the room under repair. Quite so. Only one door. This leads into the passage?

ENID
: Yes.

HOLMES
: And that passage to the hall?

ENID
: Yes.

HOLMES
: Here is where the genial old gentleman sleeps when he is so innocently employed. Where is his door?

ENID
: Down the passage.

HOLMES
: Surely I heard him — (
A step is heard in the passage
.)

ENID
: Yes, it’s his step.

(
HOLMES
holds his hat over the light. There is a knock at the door
.)

RYLOTT
(
outside door
): Enid!

ENID
: What is it?

RYLOTT
: Are you in bed?

ENID
: Yes.

RYLOTT
: Are you still of the same mind?

ENID
: Yes, I am.

(
Pause. They all listen.
)

HOLMES
(
whispering
): Has he gone into his room?

ENID
(
crossing to door, listening
): No, he’s gone down the passage again to the hall.

HOLMES
: Then we must make the most of the time. Might I trouble you, Watson, for the gimlet and the yard measure? Thank you! The lantern also. Thank you! You can turn up the lamp. I am interested in this partition wall. (
Standing on the bed.
) No little surprise, I suppose? No trap-doors and sliding panels? Funny folk, our ancestors, with a quaint taste in practical joking. (
Gets on bed and fingers the wall
.) No, it seems solid enough. Dear me! and yet you say your sister fastened both door and window. Remarkable. My lens, Watson. A perfectly respectable wall — in fact, a commonplace wall. Trap-door in the floor? (
Kneels at one side of the bed, then the other
.) No, nothing suspicious in that direction. Ancient carpeting — (
crossing round bed
) — oak wainscot — nothing more. Hullo! (
Pulling at bed-post
.)

WATSON
: Why, what is it?

HOLMES
: Why is your bed clamped to the floor?

ENID
: I really don’t know.

HOLMES
: Was the bed in your other room clamped?