text: > Look around
  The study is a well-proportioned, rectangular room. The door, of finely polished oak, leads back onto the landing, to the west; a broad sash window in the opposite wall looks out over Cadogan Square. The heavy velvet curtains are drawn back and a pale moonlight falls into the room, illuminating a heavy mahogany desk in its centre. To the right of the window is a small table.
  
  On the north side of the room is a stone fireplace with a dull red glow still coming from the remains of the coals, burning among the ashes: a shadowy oil painting hangs above it. The south wall is covered, floor to ceiling, with bookshelves, laden with hundreds, if not thousands, of leather-bound volumes, in neat rows.
  
  You can see some broken pottery, a sprinkling of soil and an aspidistra here.
  
  You can hear the sound of heavy feet hastening up the staircase.
  
  > lock the door
  (with the heavy iron key)
  
  The key turns smoothly in the lock and you hear a faint but satisfying click as the lock engages.
  
  You hear another set of footsteps coming down the staircase from the upper parts of the house, and somebody shouting about a burglar.
  
  > look at the plant
  The plant has a dense clump of dark green, rather fleshy leaves and a mass of tiny roots. It doesn't look very healthy now that it is out of its pot.
  
  The sounds of running footsteps converge outside the door of the study. You recognise Dewhurst's voice saying "He's in there, my Lord."
  
  > take it
  Taken.
  
  You hear Lord Bellwater's voice, outside the door, saying "Dewhurst, you guard the door! My father used to keep his old service revolver in a drawer in the library. I'll go and get that, then we'll flush the rat out!"
  
  > put it in fireplace
  You leave the door and walk towards the fireplace.
  
  You put the aspidistra into the fireplace.
  
  You hear the sound of someone rattling the door handle and saying "He's got a key and has locked it from the inside!"
  
  > burn it
  This dangerous act would achieve little.
  
  You can hear some muted discussion outside the door.
  
  > tie the cord to yourself
  You cannot tie the curtain cord to yourself.
  
  You can hear some muted discussion outside the door.
  
  > cut cord
  You turn away from the fireplace and walk over to the window.
  
  You try to cut through the cord with everything at your disposal, but nothing is sharp enough.
  
  Out on the landing, you hear the sound of footsteps moving briskly away from the door.
  
  > take the table
  That's hardly portable.
  
  There is silence from outside the door.
  
  > stand on the table
  You climb up onto the table, bringing your head close to the level of the curtain rail.
  
  You recognise Mrs Jenkins" voice outside the door, saying "There's nowhere for him to go. We've got him cornered."
  
  > look at the rail
  The curtains hang from a metal track which is clearly visible from this position. The cord which opens and closes the curtains passes along the track and is tied to the curtains.
  
  You can hear some shuffling of feet and a murmur of voices outside the door.
  
  > untie the cord
  What do you want to untie the curtain cord from?
  
  > Rail
  You undo the knots and release the cord from the curtains. You pull it out from the curtain mechanism and find that you have a considerable length of cord in your hands.
  
  You hear Dewhurst's voice: "We can't go in yet. The burglar might be dangerous. We'll wait for Lord Bellwater to come back with the revolver."
  
  > go outside
  You'll have to get off the table first.
  
  Through the study door you can hear some shuffling of feet and a murmur of voices.
  
  > get down
  You must name something more substantial.
  
  Through the study door you can hear some shuffling of feet and a murmur of voices.
  
  > get off the table
  You get off the table.
  
  On the table is a cardboard grocery box (in which is an envelope (in which is a letter to Sutherland the banker)).
  
  You can see a newspaper cutting here.
  
  You recognise Dewhurst's voice outside the door, saying "I'm ready with this iron poker. I'll give him a good whack with that."
  
  > go outside
  You climb out through the window onto the sill.
  
  You are standing balanced on the narrow ledge. To keep yourself from falling, you have to cling on to the ivy which grows on the house wall. It is a long way down to the pavement below!
  
  There is an eerie silence outside the door.
  
  > tie cord to sill
  Which do you mean, the window or the ledge?
  
  > Ledge
  The ledge is not really suitable to tie a cord on to.
  
  You can hear some whispered conversation outside the study door.
  
  > tie the cord to the window
  The window is not really suitable to tie a cord on to.
  
  You hear a shout from somewhere in the depths of the house.
  
  > go inside
  You clamber back through the window into the study.
  
  The study is a well-proportioned, rectangular room. The door, of finely polished oak, leads back onto the landing, to the west; a broad sash window in the opposite wall looks out over Cadogan Square. The heavy velvet curtains are drawn back and a pale moonlight falls into the room, illuminating a heavy mahogany desk in its centre. To the right of the window is a small table.
  
  On the north side of the room is a stone fireplace with a dull red glow still coming from the remains of the coals, burning among the ashes: a shadowy oil painting hangs above it. The south wall is covered, floor to ceiling, with bookshelves, laden with hundreds, if not thousands, of leather-bound volumes, in neat rows.
  
  On the table is a cardboard grocery box (in which is an envelope (in which is a letter to Sutherland the banker)).
  
  You can see a newspaper cutting here.
  
  You hear the sound of approaching footsteps outside the door.
  
  > Tie cord to table
  You tie the cord around the table and knot it securely.
  
  Through the study door you can hear Lord Bellwater's voice, apparently giving instructions to the others.
  
  > go outside
  You climb out through the window onto the sill.
  
  You are standing balanced on the narrow ledge. To keep yourself from falling, you have to cling on to the ivy which grows on the house wall. It is a long way down to the pavement below!
  
  You recognise Dewhurst's voice outside the door, but cannot distinguish what he is saying.