text: [Themes: Fantasy, strong NPCs, fantasy, magic]
  
  > look around
  A small, workmanlike room with a floor of white stones. The principal features of the room are a counter, with a large inset washbasin also made of stone, and a tall wooden cupboard.
  
  On the countertop are a sponge and a butcher knife.
  
  > take all
  sponge: Taken.
  butcher knife: Taken.
  
  > look at the sponge
  A sea sponge, sized and rounded like an apple. It is currently bone dry.
  
  > put sponge in the sack
  You put the sponge into the sack.
  
  > examine the knife
  An ordinary kitchen knife, perhaps a foot long.
  
  > open the cupboard
  You open the cupboard, revealing three metal dishes (a cup, a plate and a hinge-lidded teapot).
  
  > take all
  cup: Taken.
  plate: Taken.
  hinge-lidded teapot: Taken.
  
  > look at the basin
  Nothing more than a large stone bowl. In the bottom is a hole, which can be plugged up; when the plug is removed, the water runs out by a pipe and waters the ground outside.
  
  In the bottom of the hole you can see something glinting.
  
  > look at the hole
  Dark and hollow.
  
  In the drain hole is a shiny silver cylinder.
  
  > examine the cylinder
  A cylinder of silver metal as long as the middle joint of your thumb. On the surface are a series of strange bumps, depressions, and grooves, seeming carefully wrought and utterly intentional. The core of the cylinder is hollow, but over one end is a piece of paper which bears a label, in careful lettering, which reads, "Tea Recipe."
  
  > examine the hole
  Dark and hollow.
  
  In the drain hole is a Tea Recipe.
  
  > go south
  A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room.
  
  To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep.
  
  On the kitchen tables are a loaf of stale bread and a delicate contraption (in which are some andouillettes).
  
  > fill the pot with the water
  The hinge-lidded teapot is closed.
  
  > open the teapot
  You open the hinge-lidded teapot.
  
  > fill the pot with the water
  You put some water in the hinge-lidded teapot. This fills the hinge-lidded teapot to the brim.
  
  > Go north
  A small, workmanlike room with a floor of white stones. The principal features of the room are a counter, with a large inset washbasin also made of stone, and a tall wooden cupboard.
  
  > put the water in the sink
  You put some water in the drain hole, exhausting the supply in the hinge-lidded teapot.
  
  The water goes out the drain.
  
  > examine the hole
  Dark and hollow.
  
  In the drain hole is a Tea Recipe.
  
  > search pipe
  The pipe is empty.
  
  > examine the ditch
  Little more than a damp hollow of earth under the pipe opening.
  
  In the drainage ditch is some mud.
  
  > cut the roses with the knife
  In order to make any headway, you would still have to be in rather undesirable proximity to the sharp poky bits of the rose bushes.
  
  > I tall
  You are carrying:
  three metal dishes:
  a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty)
  a plate
  a cup
  a butcher knife
  a sack (which is open)
  a sponge
  five food items:
  a bay leaf
  a sprig of parsley
  a sprig of mint
  a clove of garlic
  a single yellow onion
  a dashing hat (being worn)
  a swordstick
  a sword
  a snuffbox (which is closed)
  
  > put the sponge in the water
  (first taking the sponge)
  (putting the snuffbox into the sack to make room)
  Taken.
  
  You put the sponge into the well.
  The sponge sinks into oblivion.
  
  > fill the sponge with the water
  Which do you mean, the water in the well or the water in the hinge-lidded teapot?
  
  > fill the sponge with the water from well
  (first taking the sponge)
  (putting the snuffbox into the sack to make room)
  Taken.
  
  The sponge is not something you can fill.
  
  > put the sponge in the teapot
  You put the sponge into the hinge-lidded teapot. You consume some of the water in moistening the sponge.
  
  > examine the sponge
  A sea sponge, sized and rounded like an apple. It is currently sopping wet.
  
  > Go west
  A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room.
  
  To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep.
  
  On the kitchen tables are a loaf of stale bread and a delicate contraption (in which are some andouillettes).
  
  > Up
  Up here the female servants used to sleep. Now there is only a dreary row of unmade beds; a rack for drying washing; the fireplace, hollow and untended. Time was, when you were very young, that you used to creep in here for chatter and gossip, and the language you were used to hearing at home.
  
  On the drying rack is a white handkerchief.
  
  > examine it
  A square of good linen; rather nice, really. It is currently colored white.
  
  > look at the beds
  All of the beds are of the rickety sort with a thin straw mattress. Usually this was accompanied by several layers of blanket -- the Count was not an unreasonable man, and the servants were not ill-treated. But the blankets are gone now.
  
  > examine fireplace
  Not nearly as large as the ones downstairs, of course, and principally intended for keeping the inhabitants toasty when the winter set in especially hard.
  
  Something about the fireplace tickles your recollection.
  
  > remember the fireplace
  ...
  
  Anton's wife Leonie stood by the fireplace. "The new maid -- I think she is a snoop."
  
  Anton shrugged his broad shoulders. "She chops potatoes," he said.
  
  "Nonetheless I don't trust her. Give me the money." And she took the little sack of coins Anton held out to her, their savings, and concealed them behind a brick in the fireplace.
  
  ...
  
  > search the fireplace
  The fireplace is empty.
  
  > enter the fireplace
  You get into the fireplace.