text: [Themes: Historical, multiple protagonists]
  
  > look around
  You are in a musty corner of the cellar, almost bare of furnishings but for a simple wooden table. A high shelf blocks much of the light coming in through a single tiny window, which is partly open, but barred. The exit is east.
  
  On the shelf is a cat.
  
  On the work table are a letter opener, a tin pot (which is empty), some leaves and twigs, some newspaper clippings, a manuscript, an old bucket (which is empty), a small sign, a postcard, a scarf, a peaked riding cap, some goggles, an index card, some gloves, a loose flyer, a handkerchief, a programme, a coin and a purse (which is empty).
  
  You can see a mound of powder (on which is a powder keg), a line of powder, Salomonder, Prof. Sneedlewood, Mr. Sterling and Mr. Pratt here.
  
  Mr. Pratt wrestles with his ropes.
  
  The cat jumps onto the window ledge.
  
  > Kick table
  Salomonder makes the falsetto "eye" voice again: "Thank you, Mr. Salomonder! You always said I was your favourite...pupil!"
  ...
  Salomonder ties Mr. Sterling up again, this time very tightly.
  "Don't try to escape again," says Salomonder. He holds the eye momentarily on top of Mr. Sterling's head. "Remember...I've got my eye on you!"
  
  Mr. Pratt struggles furiously at his ropes. He seems to be attempting to slam his own head into the wall.
  
  > untie the ropes
  You strain against the ropes, but your efforts are futile.
  
  The cat bounds onto the table.
  
  Salomonder paces, surveying the room. "I thought my wit would go over better than this," he says. "After all, I have a captive audience."
  
  Salomonder nervously bounces his eyeball on the tabletop. (It resounds with a high E.)
  
  > sing high e
  As you begin to sing, the artifact pulses with fierce red energy. The artifact seems to pull a strange sound out of your throat. In an otherworldly voice, you hear yourself saying: "The plover -- the plover is dying, and the mushrooms are foul."
  
  The cat, prowling about on the tabletop, swats playfully at the letter opener.
  
  > Signal to cat
  "You will soon learn to appreciate my wit," continues Salomonder, working himself almost into a frenzy. "In fact, my very next spark of brilliance could very well......bring down the house!"
  
  In the distance to the north, you can hear the distant whistle of a train. Salomonder cups his hand to his ear. "Ah. That sound means it's time for me to leave. The Count is expecting me at the museum. The business we plan to conduct there, Miss Sweet, is enough to leave you speechless... for the rest of your life!
  
  "But don't fret. Soon all your worries will be over. I'd like to thank each of you for being my worthy opponents today," he says, fishing into his pocket, and extracting a small wooden stick from a box. "In light of what's about to happen, I think it's safe to say that you have all met your match!"
  ...
  In one sweeping gesture, Salomonder strikes a match, drops it onto the line of powder, and runs out the door.
  
  The professor shouts desperately into his gag.
  
  You hear Salomonder's footsteps pounding up the stairs and receding. The row of jars clatter together musically.
  
  > sing the c sharp
  You sing the note. The rows of peach preserves begin to rattle -- resonating to the sound of your voice... Suddenly, several jars burst apart. Peach juice, pulp, and glass fragments bounce and splatter on the floor. One glass shard almost hits your foot.
  
  The professor looks on in joyful amazement. The fuse has gone out!
  
  > get the shard
  Although the glass fragment is very near your foot, you're tied too tightly to pick it up.
  
  The cat approaches the peachy gunk, sniffs it warily, and snorts.
  
  > cut the rope
  You strain against the ropes, but your efforts are futile.
  
  > kick shard
  You have just enough slack in the ropes to manage a short jab with your foot. The glass fragment skitters across the room, and comes to a stop near Mr. Sterling!
  
  Mr. Sterling reaches out with his foot, struggling to hook the glass fragment.
  
  The cat stalks over to Mr. Pratt, and crawls onto his lap.
  
  Once again, you hear the train whistle. This time it is much closer, coming from the west side of the house.
  
  > sing high e
  That note's too high for you, even on your best days.
  
  From outside the open window, a warbling voice answers. In a flutter of little wings, the nutfinch lands just outside the window.
  
  Mr. Sterling hooks the glass fragment, and carefully pushes it over to Mr. Pratt, who, rolling over onto his side, manages to pick it up with the fingers of one hand.
  
  > Sing
  You sing a wordless fragment of melody.
  
  The little nutfinch listens with some interest, but only chirps tenatively, casting a wary glance towards the cat.
  
  The cat looks at the bird thoughtfully for a moment. Yawning, it casually head-butts Mr. Pratt.
  
  Mr. Pratt, at last free from the cat's meddlesome influence, finally manages to get the glass fragment.
  
  The other captives look on with hopeful expressions, as Mr. Pratt works on his ropes.
  
  > sing the stone soup
  You sing a wordless fragment of melody.
  
  The little nutfinch listens with some interest, but only chirps tenatively, casting a wary glance towards the cat.
  
  Mr. Pratt manages to free one hand, and quickly tugs off his gag. "Thanks for distracting the cat, Miss Sweet!" he says.
  
  In the distance, on the south side of the house, you hear the train whistle.
  
  The professor mumbles urgently into his gag. Mr. Pratt rushes to uncover his mouth.
  
  "The evening express!" cries the professor, his face beaded with sweat. "If Salomonder catches that train, and brings his plunder to the antiquities exhibit before we can stop him, Miss Sweet may never again be free of Anootla's influence!"
  
  "Salomonder's not going anywhere," says Mr. Pratt, as he cuts through Mr. Sterling's ropes. "That's the Douglas Special you just heard, heading back to the station after its last run. Why, Salomonder would need a locomotive of his own to make it to the station in time to get aboard. Isn't that right, boss?"
  
  Mr. Pratt and Mr. Sterling share a hearty masculine laugh.
  
  Mr. Sterling throws off the last of his ropes. With a winning grin, he crouches beside you and starts untying your wrists.
  
  > Kiss sterling
  You strain against the ropes, but they are only partly untied at this stage.
  
  Mr. Pratt continues to reassure the professor, who is breathing rather heavily. "Professor, our friend Salomonder would need mighty fast transportation, if he thinks he can make it to the train station ahead of the Douglas Special. He'd need the fastest horse that ever lived. Or a pair of wings. Either that, or -- "
  
  Through the open window, you hear a calliope churning out an Oriental gong rendition of "Three Blind Mice."
  
  > sing three blind mice
  Mr. Pratt and Mr. Sterling exchange a horrified glance... Sterling drops your half-tied wrists, and bolts out of the cellar. You can hear his leaden feet clomping up the stairs.
  
  Mr. Pratt begins to follow Mr. Sterling, but hesitates, and comes back. "Here, let me untie you, Miss Sweet. Are you alright?"
  
  Just outside the open window, the nutfinch cocks its head this way and that.
  
  The cat takes a second look at the bird, but evidently concludes that the bird is too far away to bother with it.
  
  > No
  (shaking your head)
  
  Mr. Pratt's face clouds. "That scoundrel. I can't abide a man who mistreats a lady."
  
  You hear Mr. Sterling's clomping feet suddenly stop. Then you hear him coming back down the stairs. He sprints back into the room and dashes over to the table.
  
  He snaps his goggles jauntily over his head.
  
  Mr. Pratt rolls his eyes. "Oh, for Pete's sake!"
  
  > wait for a while
  Time passes.
  
  Mr. Sterling throws his scarf around his neck, flashing a winning grin.
  
  Mr. Pratt hurriedly finishes untying you. Casting a sour look at Mr. Sterling, he charges for the exit, grumbling. His footsteps pound up the stairs.
  
  "Oh, dear," says the professor. He looks very pale and weak.
  
  > stand
  (getting up off the floor)
  You're standing up now.
  
  Mr. Sterling puts on his cap. "Huzzah!" he cries.
  
  > Go south
  A tiny space; really just the beginning of a hallway leading north. The Parlor is back to the west, and the professor's study is east. The front yard is to the south.
  
  Mr. Sterling arrives from the north.
  
  Salomonder pokes his head around the corner. "A visitor?" he asks.
  
  The next thing you know, you find yourself staring down the barrel of a revolver.
  
  Salomonder, holding the gun, regards you with a wry grin.