text: [Themes: Fantasy, fantasy, male protagonist, strong NPCs]
  
  > Describe the surroundings
  A large room with windows that face south, and a fireplace along the east. The place is a mess. Other rooms have looked bare, but this one-- this room has been ransacked. Furniture has not simply been removed or disarranged, it has been thrown around, in some cases even chopped up. The handsome secretaire has been turned into splinters.
  
  North is the doorway into the room that was once your bedroom.
  
  An open door leads back west into the corridor.
  
  > Go north
  A large, bright, sunny room, which you still regard with affection.
  
  In your absence it has turned into a general sitting room. Gone is the table where you used to study -- it took you a long time to learn to read as well as Marie, but you did not care to be left behind by someone two years younger than yourself; also the wardrobe, which astonished when you found that it was to contain nothing but clothes for you.
  
  On the windowsill is a vase (in which are some dead roses).
  
  > examine the roses
  Dried and disintegrating, though you can tell that they were once red. The petals are crumbling into a papery dust around them, however.
  
  Something about the dead roses tickles your recollection.
  
  > remember
  What do you want to remember?
  
  > remember the roses
  ...
  
  "How does he treat you?" Your mother, standing outside in the field in her best dress because she refused to be brought inside the house. "Is he very strict? Does he beat you?"
  
  "No, of course not, Maman. It is just as though he were my own Papa."
  
  She frowned, looked away. "And I suppose you are learning all sorts of things," she said.
  
  "Oh, yes, much more than at home."
  
  She made a little gesture; then her mood changed. "But you must be missing the sweet bread I make at home, no? I'll bring you some in a basket."
  
  "No, Maman, the cooks make me anything I want."
  
  ...
  
  > examine the vase
  A tall vase of some kind of turned stone, ornamented somewhat on the outside but neatly cylindrical inside.
  
  In the vase are some dead roses.
  
  > take it
  (putting The Lavori d'Aracne into the sack to make room)
  Taken.
  
  > eat the roses
  (first taking the dead roses)
  (putting the fanciful book into the sack to make room)
  They're plainly inedible.
  
  > Search window
  Through the windows you can see the gardens -- first a wide patch of green, and then the flower plots delineated by hedges and topiary, and the scattered statues.
  
  > go west
  A long empty room with shined wooden floors, perfect for sliding in stocking-feet. West is the top of the staircase, and rooms open to the north and east.
  
  The door to the Count's study stands open.
  
  > go east
  West is the wall of the kitchen. Most of the space along the wall is planted with herbs -- bay, parsley, stalks of mint -- left of the open doorway. To its right is only a drainage ditch, catching the outflow of a pipe that comes through the wall.
  
  In one corner of the plot is the well, drilled many deep feet; in another is the antique sundial.
  
  You can see a cup (which is empty) and a sticky mixture of mead, water, and onion dye here.
  
  > take the swordstick
  (putting the ivory silk gown into the sack to make room)
  Taken.
  
  > wear the pin
  (first taking the jeweled pin)
  (putting the pair of shoes into the sack to make room)
  You slip the jewelled pin on. You close the jeweled pin.
  
  > Wear the rat corpse
  (first taking the rat corpse)
  You can't wear that!
  
  > look at what you're carrying with you
  You are carrying:
  a rat corpse (as far from yourself as possible)
  a jeweled pin (being worn)
  a swordstick
  some dead roses
  a vase
  a gilded key (which opens the tall door)
  a bracelet (being worn)
  a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open)
  a slice of brie
  some mead (which leaves some room in the hinge-lidded teapot)
  a bag on a string (being worn and open)
  a celestial bauble (providing white light)
  a dashing hat (being worn)
  
  > put the roses in the teapot
  You put the dead roses into the hinge-lidded teapot.
  
  > put the rat in the teapot
  You put the rat corpse into the hinge-lidded teapot.
  
  > put the key in the teapot
  (the gilded key in the hinge-lidded teapot)
  You put the gilded key into the hinge-lidded teapot.
  
  > drop the teapot
  Dropped.
  
  The sun burns off some of the mead, water, and onion dye.
  
  > drop the vase and the swordstick
  vase: Dropped.
  swordstick: Dropped.
  
  > Go north
  You squirm your way through the close packing of stones, a tunnel not much wider than your body...
  
  A room like a coffin of rock: rock lines the floor, packed rocks vault the roof, in a shape little longer than a man's body, and just tall enough to accommodate you in sitting upright. There is an odor of dampness and vague decay, though you can feel, brushing round you in the air, the web of strong protections. The room does not seem to have been soaked, despite the water level in the well outside.
  
  The sloping passage leads back into the body of the well, to the south.
  
  Pushed to one side is a heavy box.
  
  You can also see a round stone and a mirror here.
  
  > examine the mirror
  It is, or should be, a mirror, but it is surrounded by odd markings. A spot at the bottom of the frame seems worn by touch. At one point there is what would seem to be a maker's mark, an ornate letter C.
  
  > say couligne
  (to the mirror)
  When you speak the word, the mirror brightens somewhat, attentive to your intentions.
  
  > touch the mirror
  The mirror brightens and clears.
  
  You make out the image of Marie, alone, in a room high in a tower. The place is bare, except for a cot, and the clothes she is wearing.
  
  On the wall of the room you can discern the painted emblem of the house of D'Envers.
  
  Marie rubs at the handcuffs, shifting her hands.
  
  > look at the handcuffs
  (the handcuffs through the mirror)
  Ugly, thick metal that bind Marie's wrists.
  
  Marie shifts uncomfortably from one position to another.
  
  > link the handcuffs to the pin
  (the handcuffs through the mirror)
  You valiantly try to link the two objects, but they are just a little too different. Maybe if they looked more alike.
  
  Marie shifts uncomfortably from one position to another.
  
  > link the handcuffs to the bracelet
  (the handcuffs through the mirror)
  Bending your will, you form the link between the handcuffs and the bracelet.
  
  Marie shifts uncomfortably from one position to another.
  
  > remove the bracelet
  You take off the bracelet.
  
  Marie pokes at her hair hopelessly, perhaps trying to restore it to some semblance of order.
  
  The handcuffs fall open. Marie appears surprised, but not too surprised to react; she immediately pulls the handcuffs off fully and throws them on the ground.
  
  > examine marie
  (Marie through the mirror)
  She seems bedraggled and dispirited. She is wearing a good dress, but it has been on her for a while, and is ruined by damp and dirt, and frayed at the hems.
  
  Marie sits down against the wall, with a disgusted expression.
  
  > examine the cot
  (the cot through the mirror)
  It looks mostly clean, at least, which is a mercy.
  
  Marie sits down against the wall, with a disgusted expression.
  
  > examine the mirror
  It is, or should be, a mirror, but it is surrounded by odd markings. A spot at the bottom of the frame seems worn by touch. At one point there is what would seem to be a maker's mark, an ornate letter C.
  
  Marie pokes at her hair hopelessly, perhaps trying to restore it to some semblance of order.
  
  > search it
  In the mirror you see reflected some handcuffs, a cot, Marie and a window. Around the edges you can make out other indications of Prison Room.
  
  Marie sits down against the wall, with a disgusted expression.
  
  > look at the window
  (the window through the mirror)
  The window seems to be glass, but with iron bars across it, ensuring against an easy escape even if the hypothetical escapee could reach it.
  
  Marie sits down against the wall, with a disgusted expression.
  
  > look in the mirror
  In the mirror you see reflected some handcuffs, a cot, Marie and a window. Around the edges you can make out other indications of Prison Room.
  
  Marie walks across the width of the room and stands looking up through the high window for a moment.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  a jeweled pin (being worn)
  a bracelet
  a bag on a string (being worn and open)
  a celestial bauble (providing white light)
  a dashing hat (being worn)
  
  Marie pokes at her hair hopelessly, perhaps trying to restore it to some semblance of order.
  
  > Link pin to window
  Bending your will, you form the link between the jeweled pin and the window.
  
  Marie sits down against the wall, with a disgusted expression.
  
  > open the pin
  You open the clasp. Naturally, the pin falls off.
  
  Marie flinches as the window swings abruptly open, spraying bits of stone as it does so. You can't hear through the medium of the mirror, but you imagine that it must make a great deal of noise: Marie puts up her arms around her head as though to protect her ears and face.
  
  Then she takes them down again.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  Marie goes to where the cot is and pushes it under the window, obviously in preparation for climbing out.
  
  Just as she does so, however, the door behind her opens, and D'Envers walks in. He says something sharply, which you are unable to hear. She feels around on the bed; you see her hand close around something behind her, and your hopes rise -- but then you see it is only a pillow, roughly round in shape.
  
  > link the pillow to the bauble
  (the pillow through the mirror)
  (first unlinking the celestial bauble)
  You succeed in unlinking the celestial bauble from the sunlight.
  You valiantly try to link the two objects, but they are just too dissimilar.
  
  The conversation in the mirror seems to be growing more heated. Marie's fingers tighten on the pillow, which, unfortunately, does not look likely to protect her against a beating from D'Envers.
  
  As for her captor, his breathing has gotten faster and there is a red flush in his face, which is probably the prelude to violence.
  
  It is now pitch dark in here!
  
  > Reverse link pillow to stone
  (the pillow through the mirror)
  Bending your will and all your attention, you manage to make a reverse-link between the pillow and the round stone, feeling their properties begin to merge together.
  
  D'Envers strides towards Marie, and she swings the pillow in his face; it hits so hard that his head snaps back and his nose streams blood. He falls without even crying out.
  
  Marie stands over him for a moment, startled. She leans forward and touches D'Envers' wrist, and then stands up and kicks him hard in the ribs.
  
  Only then does she climb out the window...
  
  Your townhouse in Paris
  
  Marie sips from the cup of coffee in her hand. "I still do not understand," she says, "why you were at the estate in the first place."
  
  You shrug. "I had-- certain obligations." Her eyes meet yours, and she waits. "Gambling debts," you elaborate. "I was hoping your father would advance--"
  
  "I did not know you gambled."
  
  "Under ordinary circumstances, I do not. I was-- led into it, in a way, by an acquaintance, and found myself indebted through him to the Baron D'Envers. He became quite unpleasant about the matter." You examine your fingernails. "In the event, it seems that I am absolved of these debts. I doubt his heir will press them."
  
  She nods. You consider whether to tell her the rest of what you learned. But she speaks first, frowning into her cup. "I should tell you, Pierre, it might not be a coincidence, your trouble with D'Envers." She bites her lower lip. "You see, he was pressing me to marry him, and he might have had the impression-- that is to say, he might have thought--"
  
  You raise your right eyebrow. "If you used me as an excuse, Marie, do not worry about it," you say, with great generosity. "I have been the subject of more embarrassing rumors."
  
  She opens her mouth again, and you smile...
  
  *** You have won ***
  
  In that game you scored 118 out of a possible 125, in 1333 turns, giving you the rank of returned prodigal.
  
  > Full
  In that game you scored 118 out of a possible 125, in 1333 turns, giving you the rank of returned prodigal.
  
  The score was made up as follows:
  
  5 eradicating a rat
  2 redecorating the foyer
  3 having an interesting dream
  5 forging your first reverse-link
  4 turning on the universe
  5 catching the clockwork bee
  4 success in a culinary venture
  3 finally getting over your hunger
  5 floating the tea recipe
  3 getting rid of a tangle of roses
  2 snooping in the Count's papers
  2 snooping in the King's papers
  3 activating the magic mirror
  3 operating at a distance
  8 rescuing Marie from a sticky situation
  28 collecting items of some value
  30 visiting various places
  
  118 total (out of 125)