text: [Themes: Historical, escape, male protagonist, post-modern, family, house setting]
  
  > examine the door
  Which do you mean, the kitchen door, the front door or the closet?
  
  > Front
  The front door is large and imposing ... and creaky. Morris says that Aunt Emma makes him keep it that way so she can hear when anyone comes in or out of the house.
  
  > examine the closet
  The hall closet is where things like winter boots and umbrellas are kept. This one is usually a lot tidier than the one back home, but Mother says that's probably because Aunt Emma and Uncle Stephen don't have a nine-year-old to worry about.
  
  Currently, the closet is closed.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > open the closet
  You open the closet, revealing a walking stick.
  
  > examine the stick
  Uncle Stephen has taken to long walks over the hills, and as a consequence has gotten himself a walking stick that's really more of a staff, it's so long and sturdy. Father says he's really just practicing for such a time as when he finally gets a bishop's crozier, but Mother thinks Father should not make light of such things.
  
  > get it
  Taken.
  
  > open the front door
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down and put that walking stick away. It's not a toy." She hauls you back into your seat, but not before taking away anything that isn't covered in Uncle Stephen's handwriting and returning them.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > open the front door
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > Go east
  Uncle Stephen spends most of his time shut up in here, reading the most boring books imaginable. One whole wall is lined with shelves full of these books, and then there's the desk with even more books stacked on it. The only decent things you can see here are the fireplace, which is quite grand, and a marvellous painting of the seaside. The hall is back to the west.
  
  Half-hidden among the papers on the desk, you spot a large matchbox.
  
  Uncle Stephen seems to have nodded off in his chair. His pipe droops unhappily from his lips, stone-cold dead.
  
  A rather thick folder lies on the floor by the desk, having been displaced by some of Uncle Stephen's reference books.
  
  > examine the shelves
  Picking out a random book from the shelves, you find ...
  Confessiones. Ah yes, the works of Augustine of Hippo. Of
  course, Uncle Stephen would only have the Latin translations.
  
  You return the book to the shelves, though not perhaps in quite the same precise location.
  
  > Examine books
  Picking out a random book from the shelves, you find ... The Woman
  In White. Must be another one of those exhortations to virtue.
  Why doesn't Uncle Stephen keep any exciting fiction in his library?
  
  You return the book to the shelves, though not perhaps in quite the same precise location.
  
  > look at the fireplace
  You wouldn't think, to look at it, that this is actually the back side of the much-larger kitchen fireplace, would you? It's so dressed up that it looks like the front side of something fancy. But yes, the two fireplaces share a flue and everything, though the flue itself is really only accessible from the kitchen side.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > wake stephen
  Uncle Stephen stirs and looks bemusedly at you. "Eh? I'm awake.
  What is it, Hector?"
  
  Uncle Stephen takes a puff on his pipe and notes with some annoyance that it has somehow gone out. He draws a match from a nearby matchbox, relights the pipe, and puffs contentedly.
  
  > ask Stephen about Davis
  "Where'd you hear about him? Owen Davis ... Captain Davis, that is ... salt of the earth, but rather a reckless fellow, I'm afraid: always had been, from the time we first met him, in Wales. He died in the Sepoy Mutiny, in India. We were all dreadfully cut up by it."
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes
  
  > examine the folder
  benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  You can't see any such thing.
  
  > examine folder
  It's clearly marked "Old Sermons", and its contents are as advertised. This probably qualifies it as a weapon of Mass destruction.
  
  In the brown folder are Uncle Stephen's old sermons.
  
  > Go north
  You can't go that way.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > ask Emma about Sepoy
  Aunt Emma looks grim when you mention the Sepoy Mutiny. "Those people were not Christian. And that is all I have to say on the subject."
  
  > ask Emma about the christian
  Aunt Emma isn't the best at explaining that sort of thing, and if you get her started, you're never going to get out of here before sundown. And then there'd be no point.
  
  > examine the mantel
  It's one of those extraordinarily sturdy oak affairs. Every time you visit, it looks as though it could not possibly hold even one more little ornament without collapsing; and yet, every time you visit, it looks as though Aunt Emma has managed to fit one more thing on it.
  
  On the mantel are a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  > examine the ornaments
  Absolutely everything has some sort of sentimental value. It boggles the mind how any one person can have this much sentiment.
  
  There's a wooden goblet standing at one end of the mantel. It's very plain, but on the other hand you didn't think people made goblets out of wood.
  
  > Examine goblet
  It's plain and non-descript, even remarkably so; its only point of interest is that it's a goblet made of wood, which seems like a funny sort of material to make goblets out of.
  
  > ask Emma about the goblet
  "That is the cup of a carpenter," says Aunt Emma. You wait for her to continue, but she doesn't seem to want to say any more than that.
  
  > examine the ornaments
  Absolutely everything has some sort of sentimental value. It boggles the mind how any one person can have this much sentiment.
  
  You notice a white porcelain cat sitting on the mantel, looking down at you with an expression which might be all-too-human if it only had a mouth.
  
  > ask her about the cat
  (Aunt Emma about the white cat)
  "Charming, is it not? I always imagine it's saying hello to me when I come into the parlour in the mornings." But how can it, when it has no mouth?
  
  > examine the ornaments
  Absolutely everything has some sort of sentimental value. It boggles the mind how any one person can have this much sentiment.
  
  There's that old locket with the snake on the front. You remember playing with it when you were very small, and now it's just another memory on Aunt Emma's mantel.
  
  > look at the locket
  It's rather large, and very ornate. The snake on the front is curved like the letter S, and no-one as far back as anyone remembers has ever been able to open it.
  
  > ask Emma about locket
  "That thing was in the house when we moved in, and we've never been able to track down the owners. Well. I suppose we're duty-bound to hold on to it until its true owner shows up."
  
  > examine the ornaments
  Absolutely everything has some sort of sentimental value. It boggles the mind how any one person can have this much sentiment.
  
  How odd, there's a gnomon here, the triangular shadow-casting bit from a sundial, but no sundial.
  
  > examine the Gnomon
  It's triangular and made of brass, with a screwy end where it's supposed to screw into a sundial somewhere.
  
  Someone whispers "Gnomon is an island" into your ear, but
  when you look around, there's no-one there.
  
  > ask Emma about the gnomon
  "Your Uncle Stephen picked that up while on holiday in London. I don't claim to understand everything about your uncle, but this gnomon clearly means something to him."
  
  > look at the ornaments
  Absolutely everything has some sort of sentimental value. It boggles the mind how any one person can have this much sentiment.
  
  > ask about the Wales
  "Your Uncle and I, when we were children, spent a summer in Wales. I remember...." Aunt Emma pauses to stare out the window, but before you can seize the opportunity, she turns back to you and continues, "That's where we met dear old Owen Davis...."
  
  > ask Emma about Owen
  Aunt Emma sighs. "Sometimes I wonder what might have been...." She turns her attention back to her Bible, determined not to say any more. But when you look up a few moments later, she's staring out the window, Bible forgotten.
  
  > Light fireplace
  This dangerous act would achieve little.
  
  > Light pipe
  It would be rude to go meddling with something while someone else is still holding on to it.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down and put that large matchbox away. It's not a toy." She hauls you back into your seat, but not before taking away anything that isn't covered in Uncle Stephen's handwriting and returning them.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a displaced gnomon, a snake locket, a white cat, a wooden goblet, a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > ask Stephen about the trinity
  Oh no. You do not want to get your uncle started on that. Life is far too short as it is.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a displaced gnomon, a snake locket, a white cat, a wooden goblet, a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > ask Stephen about the kensington gardens
  Uncle Stephen wouldn't have anything interesting to say about that, surely; at least, nothing that you would find interesting.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a displaced gnomon, a snake locket, a white cat, a wooden goblet, a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > ask Stephen about Sepoy
  "Nasty business ... years ago, now, but I remember reading about it. That sort of thing isn't likely to happen up here in England, thank goodness."
  
  > ask Stephen about the wales
  "The family spent a summer there, a long time ago. Your Aunt Emma and I must have been about 17 or 18, at the time." It occurs to you that Mother must have been born in that year. You're old enough to know that parents don't like having the children around when the stork makes a delivery, which probably explains why Uncle Stephen and Aunt Emma were sent to Wales to begin with.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a displaced gnomon, a snake locket, a white cat, a wooden goblet, a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > ask Emma about Owen
  Aunt Emma sighs. "Sometimes I wonder what might have been...." She turns her attention back to her Bible, determined not to say any more. But when you look up a few moments later, she's staring out the window, Bible forgotten.
  
  "Now hold it right there...!"
  
  July, 1916
  
  Getting the other fellows to join in on this story-telling lark seemed like a good idea at the time. It was better than yet another game of cards, anyway, and it rather took the mind off who is or is not going to be at mess in the morning.
  
  It's a little terrifying how accustomed you've gotten to this muddy, grimy hell-hole. You could probably find your way back here in the dark, crawling blind through a maze of twisty trenches, all alike.
  
  Anderson was doodling on an old letter of recommendation earlier, and seems to have forgotten about it.
  
  You can also see Anderson, Jellicoe, Hardy and Macdougal here.
  
  Anderson shakes his head. "I can't believe she'd fall for that a third time. What kind of a weak-minded aunt did you have, Conrad?"
  
  "You're the ones who can't figure it out," you reply. "So she'll keep falling for the same stunt until you do."
  
  > look at Hector
  Your uniform was beautifully starched and crisp when you first left England two years ago. You thought you'd be back (for good, not on leave) before the starch had quite softened on your collar. And now look at you.
  
  "Major Conrad just wants us to try again," says Jellicoe, with an air of pouring oil over troubled waters. "So why don't we go and do that?"
  
  "We need a better strategy," Hardy muses, drawing the other men to him. "Look, we've got only so long before she stops mooning over ancient history, and I'm pretty sure the major doesn't mean for the trick to happen more than once. What can we do with those few minutes?"
  
  > ask hardy about the outdoors
  The men can figure this out on their own.
  
  Macdougal says, "there's bound to be something in one of the other rooms that will convince her to leave us alone."
  
  "It can't be that simple," snorts Anderson in reply.
  
  "Anyway we can just keep trying until we get it right, right?" Hardy looks around the table, and the others nod. "So, let's get on with this."
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a displaced gnomon, a snake locket, a white cat, a wooden goblet, a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  Goodness. Where did that dream come from?
  
  > go to the north
  (First stealthily slipping out of the armchair)
  
  The dining room is a pleasant, sunny room, with a round dining table just large enough for six. A huge bay window looks out over the lawn towards the cathedral: Uncle Stephen's morning reminder of who he is and why he's here. Aunt Emma's parlour is back to the south, and the hall is to the southeast. The butler's door into the kitchen is to the east.
  
  On the dining table is an elaborate flower centrepiece.
  
  > examine the centerpiece
  Aunt Emma believes in "civilised dining", which is why she insists on maintaining a pretty centrepiece on the dining table at all times. This centrepiece is beginning to get a little old and dry. The flowers and leaves stick out all over like bristles on a brush, and the ribbons holding it together are looking droopy.
  
  > examine the ribbons
  This centrepiece is beginning to get a little old and dry. The flowers and leaves stick out all over like bristles on a brush, and the ribbons holding it together are looking droopy.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down and put that elaborate flower centrepiece away. It's not a toy." She hauls you back into your seat, but not before taking away anything that isn't covered in Uncle Stephen's handwriting and returning them.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a displaced gnomon, a snake locket, a white cat, a wooden goblet, a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > Go east
  (First stealthily slipping out of the armchair)
  
  The dining room is a pleasant, sunny room, with a round dining table just large enough for six. A huge bay window looks out over the lawn towards the cathedral: Uncle Stephen's morning reminder of who he is and why he's here. Aunt Emma's parlour is back to the south, and the hall is to the southeast. The butler's door into the kitchen is to the east.
  
  On the dining table is an elaborate flower centrepiece.
  
  Taken.
  
  Bright sunlight shines through the sidelights of the front door, to the south. The rest of the hall is dull and muted, with heavy wood panelling. Aunt Emma's parlour is to the west, Uncle Stephen's study is to the east, and the dining room is to the northwest. A small, unobtrusive door behind the stairs goes northeast to the servant areas, and then there's the hall closet.
  
  Uncle Stephen spends most of his time shut up in here, reading the most boring books imaginable. One whole wall is lined with shelves full of these books, and then there's the desk with even more books stacked on it. The only decent things you can see here are the fireplace, which is quite grand, and a marvellous painting of the seaside. The hall is back to the west.
  
  Half-hidden among the papers on the desk, you spot a large matchbox.
  
  Uncle Stephen seems to have nodded off in his chair. His pipe droops unhappily from his lips, stone-cold dead.
  
  A rather thick folder lies on the floor by the desk, having been displaced by some of Uncle Stephen's reference books.
  
  > Light centerpiece
  This dangerous act would achieve little.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down and put that elaborate flower centrepiece away. It's not a toy." She hauls you back into your seat, but not before taking away anything that isn't covered in Uncle Stephen's handwriting and returning them.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a displaced gnomon, a snake locket, a white cat, a wooden goblet, a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > Go east
  (first opening the butler's door)
  It seems to be locked.
  
  > go southeast
  Bright sunlight shines through the sidelights of the front door, to the south. The rest of the hall is dull and muted, with heavy wood panelling. Aunt Emma's parlour is to the west, Uncle Stephen's study is to the east, and the dining room is to the northwest. A small, unobtrusive door behind the stairs goes northeast to the servant areas, and then there's the hall closet.
  
  > go northeast
  (first opening the kitchen door)
  It seems to be locked.
  
  "Hector...!"
  
  Crumbs! Aunt Emma bears down on you like the wrath of Achilles and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.
  
  Parlour (in the armchair)
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic.
  
  You are ensconced in an armchair near the fireplace. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  On the mantel are a displaced gnomon, a snake locket, a white cat, a wooden goblet, a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, dutifully reading her Bible.
  
  In the armchair you can see Uncle Stephen's latest sermon.
  
  > go to the south
  Taken.
  
  The parlour is Aunt Emma's domain, and is wonderfully comfortable and cosy on cold winter nights, especially when there's a fire going in the fireplace. On warm summer afternoons, however, it gets stiflingly claustrophobic. Escape seems most likely either east into the hall or north into the dining room.
  
  An armchair, which years of visits have accustomed you to thinking of as "your" armchair, is positioned near the fireplace.
  
  On the mantel are a displaced gnomon, a snake locket, a white cat, a wooden goblet, a flower saucer, a ship painting, a black falcon, a glass unicorn and a duelling pistol, all half hidden in a crowd of other little ornaments.
  
  From her portrait above the fireplace mantel, Queen Victoria gazes benignly down on the room.
  
  Aunt Emma sits by the window, staring off into the distance.
  
  > show the centerpiece to Emma
  Aunt Emma is distractedly gazing out the window. Surely you have better things to do than to draw her attention back to the task of keeping you in your place.
  
  > drop the centerpiece
  Dropped.
  
  Aunt Emma sighs and finally looks around. When she sees you out of your seat, she frowns and rises, and grabs you by the ear. "What have you been up to, Hector? It's the Lord's day: do try to behave yourself this one day of the week! Now please, sit down." She hauls you back into your seat.