text: [Themes: Historical]
  
  > look around
  The Parlor has been converted into a cozy-looking studio, with a nice little wood stove. The only exit is back south.
  
  You can see a small white trunk here.
  
  > clean it
  Using up all your fresh water, you manage to wash away the muddy sludge, revealing a solid, crystal clear brick.
  
  > look at the brick
  A rectangular brick of a glass-like substance, with slightly beveled edges. The markings, barely visible before, now stand out as raised symbols. The crystal is perfectly clear.
  
  The artifact is currently in the tin pot.
  
  > Sing
  But the professor has prepared the cozy little salon for you. The least you can do for the good professor is to keep his artifact safe there, while you experiment with it.
  
  > Sing
  (warming up)
  You sing middle C. The artifact resonates musically, amplifying your note and making it linger in the air.
  
  > Sing
  (warming up)
  You sing middle D. The artifact resonates musically, amplifying your note and making it linger in the air.
  
  Something flashes blue out of the corner of your eye. What was that?
  
  > Sing
  (warming up)
  You sing middle E. The artifact resonates musically, amplifying your note and making it linger in the air.
  
  There it is again -- but this time it's a green flash. It seems to have come from the artifact.
  
  > examine artifact
  A rectangular brick of a glass-like substance, with slightly beveled edges. The markings, barely visible before, now stand out as raised symbols. The crystal has a green tint.
  
  > Sing
  (warming up)
  You sing middle F. The artifact resonates musically, amplifying your note and making it linger in the air.
  
  A yellow glow from the crystal catches your eye. Yes, the crystal seems to be radiating a soft yellow light. It fades quickly, but the crystal definitely has a yellow tint now.
  
  You feel a little light-headed.
  
  > Sing
  (warming up)
  You sing middle G. The artifact resonates musically, amplifying your note and making it linger in the air.
  
  As the note builds in volume, the crystal glows a bright orange.
  
  That went pretty well. You're feeling a little dizzy, but confident nonetheless.
  
  The crystal is still glowing orange, but it is fading.
  
  > Sing
  (warming up)
  You sing high A. The artifact resonates musically, amplifying your note and making it linger in the air.
  
  As the note rises in volume and swells to fill the room, you find yourself singing the most beautiful, the purest, the most amazing high E you have ever sung in your life!
  
  > Sing
  The crystal flares, flooding the room with a brilliant red light, as a chord -- an amazing, impossible chord -- emerges from your throat, washes over your body, enfolds your heart, and touches your soul. Your breath becomes alive, and you feel yourself melting into a harmony that caresses the whole universe...
  The room spins, and everything goes dark...
  
  Chapter 3: A Miscued Rescue or Two
  
  Ah... nothing like a leisurely walk in the woods, following a morning of rigorous drilling in such automotive daredevil tricks as starting on an incline and backing into a parking space.
  
  "You only choked up the engine twice this time, Mr Sterling," Aloysius is saying. "That's a great improvement."
  
  > About yourself
  As luck [and plot contrivance] would have it, your stroll through the woods brings you to a...
  
  This wooded rise overlooks the front yard of Sneedlewood's estate, which is visible to the north. A faint path leads southwest.
  
  You can see Aloysius here.
  
  Peering through the thicket of trees, you can someone approaching the front door to Sneedlewood's residence. It is the same short stranger who bumped into a child in town this morning.
  
  > About yourself
  You're Troy Sterling, daredevil adventurer. Or you will be, as soon as you master all this technical stuff and get on with the daredeviling part.
  
  The short stranger rings the doorbell. He looks around anxiously, and then peers in a window.
  
  "Why that... that looks like..." mutters Aloysius.
  
  The man reaches up towards his face and... eww! He seems to have pulled a glass eye out of its socket.
  
  "That's Salomonder!" says Aloysius. "What the devil would the professor want with a worm like him?"
  
  After a few moments, Professor Sneedlewood appears in the doorway, yawning. Salomonder speaks with him inaudibly, casually replacing the eye in its socket.
  
  > look at Salomonder
  You can't make out many details from way up here.
  
  Sneedlewood peers around nervously, lets Salomonder inside, and shuts the door.
  
  > ask Aloysius about Salomonder
  "I knew him when I was boy," says Alyosius. "Tough little kid, from the wrong side of town, you might say -- same as me. But he was good with his hands, so we used to build go-carts together.
  
  "One day, we were racing. He tried to pass me, but wrecked. Lost an eye."
  
  What was that carried by the wind? A scream, from somewhere off to the east, sounding not unlike a woman in distress!
  
  "I don't like the looks of this, Mr. Sterling. I doubt Salomonder came alone."
  
  Aloysius frowns thoughtfully. "This is probably the part where the faithful sidekick gets captured and beaten up, thereby motivating you to delve deeper into the mystery. Maybe we should just skip that and start investigating now. You circle around to the east. I'll see what Salomonder's up to."
  
  > go east
  "Good. It's probably a lot more heroic in that direction, anyway," says Aloysius.
  "You don't need that, Mr. Sterling," says Aloysius, taking the detached wheel from you.
  ...
  Forest Path
  A faint forest path leads west towards a wooded rise and east into a thicket. A paved stone path leads north.
  
  > go north
  This garden path leads from the front of the house to the west, towards the guest cottage to the east. It also forks northeast into a side yard.
  
  > Go east
  Thick woods surround this small forest clearing. Down the path leading west, you can glimpse part of the main house. A yard is to the north. To the south, a gap in the bushes leads into a thicket.
  
  Smoke pours from the roof of a rustic cottage on the eastern edge of the clearing. The simple wooden door is closed.
  
  From inside the cottage, you hear a high-pitched scream! Definitely feminine, and obviously in distress.
  
  A frantic scratching sound comes from the other side of the cottage door.
  
  > open the door
  When the door creaks open, an orange shape streaks out.
  
  It pauses in the yard just long enough for you to identify it as an extremely agitated tabby cat; then it disappears into the bushes.
  
  > Go inside
  This is a small alcove. A small salon is north, and the exit is back west.
  
  You hear another scream -- a very long one. Just inside the north, where you can see an ominous red glow, you hear the soft thud of a body hitting the ground -- and then silence.
  
  > go north
  The escape route is back south.
  
  Miss Sweet is here, unconscious.
  
  You're holding your breath!
  
  > get miss sweet
  You gather up Miss Sweet in your muscular, capable arms.
  
  > Go west
  You can't go that way.
  
  Miss Sweet stirs in your arms.
  
  > Go south
  This is a small alcove. A small salon is north, and the exit is back west.
  
  > Go west
  Thick woods surround this small forest clearing. Down the path leading west, you can glimpse part of the main house. A yard is to the north. To the south, a gap in the bushes leads into a thicket.
  
  The cottage door lies open to the east.
  
  Hmm. Now that the thrill of the rescue is fading, you're beginning to feel a bit awkward carrying her around like this.
  
  > drop sweet
  You carefully put Miss Sweet down.
  
  > wake sweet
  Aware that the slightest shock to her womanly operatic constitution may cause her to launch into an interminable and painful death aria, you gently rouse her.
  
  Miss Sweet emerges from her swoon, and looks around crossly. "Where am I? What are you doing?" she demands.
  
  She doesn't seem to realise the danger she was in.
  
  > Kiss sweet
  Oho, you've done it now.
  
  "Mr. Sterling, perhaps you'd better tell me what prompted you to this course of action," she says, attempting to compose herself.
  
  Perhaps you'd better tell her about the rescue.
  
  Miss Sweet composes herself for a moment, takes a deep breath, and unleashes a scream. Not any ordinary scream, mind you -- an operatic shriek of nerve-rattling, bone-chilling, eardrum-popping proportions.
  
  > tell sweet about the rescue
  Miss Sweet bursts out in laughter. "How bold and daring of you to snatch me away from my fiery tomb! But I'm afraid that the only smoke I see is from the little fire I made in the stove!"
  
  "O! WOE IS ME!" Miss Sweet shouts -- or, rather -- sings.
  
  > tell sweet about the undying love
  Miss Sweet is not about to be distracted.
  
  Suddenly, Miss Sweet stops. The color drains from her face, as she points behind you. When you turn around, you find yourself staring down the barrel of a revolver.
  
  Salomonder, holding the gun, regards you with a wry grin.
  
  > Kiss salomonder
  "Ah, the famous Mr. Sterling... In the audience for a change. This private little performance has been... cancelled."
  
  > fight Salomonder
  Salomonder raises the revolver. "Tut tut, Mr. Sterling."
  
  Salomonder laughs darkly. "Please raise your hands, Mr. Sterling."
  
  > check what you're carrying
  Salomonder raises the revolver. "Tut tut, Mr. Sterling."
  
  Salomonder's mirthless smile becomes cold. "I shall not ask you again, Mr. Sterling."
  
  > Sing
  "Oh, very well," he sighs, aiming the gun testily...
  
  > look
  This is a small alcove. A small salon is north, and the exit is back west.
  
  Hmm. Now that the thrill of the rescue is fading, you're beginning to feel a bit awkward carrying her around like this.
  
  > tell sweet about the fire
  Miss Sweet bursts out in laughter. "How bold and daring of you to snatch me away from my fiery tomb! But I'm afraid that the only smoke I see is from the little fire I made in the stove!"
  
  > tell sweet about the cat
  Miss Sweet's eyebrow edges upwards. "I really don't know what to say about that," she says.
  
  "Rest assured," says Miss Sweet, pausing to choose her words carefully, "my gratitude is duly proportionate to the value of the service you have rendered."
  
  > tell sweet about the scream
  "But I was in no danger. I was merely warming up my voice!" she says. "And as for the smoke, have you examined the chimney?"
  
  "I will bid you good-day, Mr. Sterling," she says, turning to go. As she does so, she stumbles, and starts to fall.
  
  > catch sweet
  You manage to prevent her from losing her footing.
  
  Her cheeks redden. "Please excuse me," she says, trying to regaining her balance.
  
  There is an awkward moment of silence, as you both watch the lazy path a bumblebee makes along the edge of the woods.
  
  > Kiss sweet
  Oho, you've done it now.
  
  Miss Sweet composes herself for a moment, takes a deep breath, and unleashes a scream. Not any ordinary scream, mind you -- an operatic shriek of nerve-rattling, bone-chilling, eardrum-popping proportions.
  
  "If there had actually been a fire..." Her voice trails off.
  
  The bee briefly lands on the peaked riding cap you are wearing. Hastily, you rip it off and drop it. The insect buzzes more angrily still.
  
  > wait a while
  Time passes.
  
  "If there had actually been a fire..." Her voice trails off.
  
  > tell sweet about fire
  "Yes, Mr. Sterling, I'm fully aware of your heroic intentions."
  
  The bee whirls furiously around your head, and then suddenly breaks off. Soon its angry whine fades to nothing.
  
  "I suppose you really did believe I was in danger. Your actions, though ludicrously unnecessary, were nevertheless thoughtful."
  
  > Yes
  That was a rhetorical question.
  
  She sighs. "Once again, I find myself in your debt."
  
  > Smirk
  Miss Sweet hesitates slightly, but responds with a gracious nod.
  
  From high over your head, you hear an angry buzzing noise -- faint but growing louder. It can be nothing other than your winged tormentor, bent on inflicting great bodily harm!
  
  Miss Sweet goes east.
  
  > Go east
  This is a small alcove. A small salon is north, and the exit is back west.
  
  You can see Miss Sweet here.
  
  Miss Sweet goes north.
  
  > Go north
  The escape route is back south.
  
  You can see Miss Sweet here.
  
  > Sing
  "Oh, very well," she says, and sings a few scales.
  
  "You've been very kind, Mr. Sterling, but I have some important business to attend to," says Miss Sweet.
  
  > look at the stove
  It's a typical barrel-shaped cast-iron stove, with a pipe extending up through the ceiling, and a heavy firebox below.
  
  "Mr. Sterling, surely there are countless other delicate females out there, just waiting to be rescued by a big, capable hero like yourself!"
  
  > No
  That was a rhetorical question.
  
  Miss Sweet puts her hands on her hips. "I should think that when a woman expresses a desire to be alone in her room, that The Gallant Troy Sterling would be gracious enough to oblige."
  
  > go to the north
  The escape route is back south.
  
  You can see Miss Sweet here.
  
  Miss Sweet puts her hands on her hips. "I should think that when a woman expresses a desire to be alone in her room, that The Gallant Troy Sterling would be gracious enough to oblige."
  
  > Go west
  Thick woods surround this small forest clearing. Down the path leading west, you can glimpse part of the main house. A yard is to the north. To the south, a gap in the bushes leads into a thicket.
  
  The cottage door lies open to the east.
  
  You can also see a fuzzy yellow bumblebee and a handkerchief here.
  
  The bee hovers about your face, buzzing angrily.
  
  > examine the handkerchief
  It's a delicate, lacy, monogrammed handkerchief -- "M.S."
  
  The bee hovers about your face, buzzing angrily.
  
  > get it
  Taken.
  
  The bee hovers about your face, buzzing angrily.
  
  > smell it
  You smell nothing unexpected.
  
  The bee whirls furiously around your head, and then suddenly breaks off. Soon its angry whine fades to nothing.
  
  > kiss it
  The object of your affection is, sadly, incapable of returning same.
  
  > Go north
  This is a grassy stretch just east of the vine-covered house. A clearing lies south, a garden path leads southwest, and another path leads northwest, behind the house.
  
  A birdbath stands in the middle of the yard.
  
  To the west is a narrow door, nearly hidden by a rose trellis.
  
  You can also see some leaves and twigs here.
  
  > get the leaves
  Taken.
  
  > climb the trellis
  You manage to climb up the trellis, crushing only a few roses in the process...
  
  You are on the roof of the lower storey. It slopes up to a brick wall, which forms part of the upper storey.
  
  Nearby is a skylight.
  
  > open the skylight
  (the skylight)
  It appears to be stuck. Perhaps if you got a hairpin from Miss Sweet, and used a mixture of saliva and earwax as a lubricant -- Bah! You have no time to waste on such trifles!!
  
  > break the skylight
  (the skylight)
  Heroically, you leap through the skylight feet first, intending to hit the floor and roll to absorb the impact. That plan doesn't work out very well, because you end up flat on your back, sprawled across broken furniture.
  
  As you shake the stars out of your eyes, you find yourself staring down the barrel of a revolver.
  
  Salomonder, holding the gun, regards you with a wry grin.