Sherlock Holmes: A Drama in Four Acts Part 3

Sherlock Holmes 

A Drama in Four Acts

Act 1 (Cont...)

[Last dialogue - Mr. Holmes, I believe.]

HOLMES (rises and turning to LARRABEE as if mildly surprised.) Yes, sir.

LARRABEE:  Who did you wish to see, Mr. Holmes?

HOLMES (looking steadily at LARRABEE an instant. Speaks very quietly): Thank you so much — I sent my card — by the butler.

LARRABEE (stands motionless an instant — after an instant pause): Oh—very well.

(Long pause. Enter FORMAN down stairs. LARRABEEmoves up near piano and turns to hear what FORMAN says.)

FORMAN (to HOLMES): Miss Faulkner begs Mr. Holmes to excuse her. She is not well enough to see anyone this evening.

(HOLMES takes out note-book and pencil and writes a word or two on a card or leaf of the book. Tears it out of book. Pulls out watch and glances at it. Hands the card to FORMAN, taking off coat first.)

HOLMES: Hand Miss Faulkner this — and say that I have —

LARRABEE:  I beg your pardon, Mr. Holmes, but it’s quite useless — really.

HOLMES:  Oh — I’m so sorry to hear it.

(HOLMES turns quietly to LARRABEE and looks at him. LARRABEE is a trifle affected by HOLMES’quiet scrutiny.)

LARRABEE:  Yes — Miss Faulkner is — I regret to say — quite an invalid. She is unable to see anyone — her health is so poor.

HOLMES:  Did it ever occur to you that she might be confined to the house too much?

(An instant’s pause.)

LARRABEE (suddenly in low threatening tone, but not too violent): How does that concern you?

HOLMES (easily): It doesn’t … I simply made the suggestion.

(The two look at one another an instant. HOLMES turns quietly to FORMAN.)

That’s all. (Motions him slightly.) Go on. Take it up. (FORMANgoes out up stairway. After a moment LARRABEE turns, breaking into hearty laughter.)

LARRABEE:  Ha! ha! This is really too good. (Strolling about laughing.) Why, of course he can take up your card — or your note — or whatever it is, if you wish it so much; I was only trying to save You the trouble.

HOLMES (who has been watching him through foregoing speech): Thanks — hardly any trouble at all to send a card. (Seats himself in an easy languid way — picks up Punch.)

LARRABEE (endeavours to be easy, careless and patronizing) Do you know, Mr. Holmes, you interest me very much.

HOLMES (easily): Ah!

LARRABEE:  Upon my word, yes! We’ve all heard of your wonderful methods. (Coming towards HOLMES.) Your marvellous insight — your ingenuity in picking up and following clues — an the astonishing manner in which you gain information from the most trifling details … Now, I dare say — in this brief moment or two you’ve discovered any number of things about me.

HOLMES: Nothing of consequence, Mr. Chetwood — I have scarcely more than asked myself why you rushed off and sent that  telegram in such a frightened hurry — what possible excuse you could have had for gulping down that tumbler of raw brandy at the “Lion’s Head” on the way back — why your friend with the auburn hair left so suddenly by the terrace window — and what there can possibly be about the safe in the lower part of that desk to cause you such painful anxiety.

(Pause. LARRABEE standing motionless looking atHOLMES.  HOLMES picks up paper and reads.)

LARRABEE:  Ha! ha! very good! Very good indeed! If those things were only true now, I’d be wonderfully impressed. It would absolutely — 

(He breaks off as FORMAN enters — coming down stairs. He quietly crosses to LARRABEE, who is watching him, and extends salver with a note upon it. HOLMES is looking over paper languidly. LARRABEE takes note. FORMAN retires.)

You’ll excuse me, I trust.

(HOLMES remains silent, glancing over paper and looking quietly at FORMAN. LARRABEE reads the note hastily.)

(First a second’s thought after reading, as he sees that HOLMESis not observing him — then speaking.) Ah — it’s from — er — Faulkner! Well really! She begs to be allowed to see — Mr. Holmes.  She absolutely implores it! (HOLMES looks slowly up as though scarcely interested.) Well, I suppose I shall have to give way. (Turns to FORMAN.) Judson!

FORMAN: Sir.

LARRABEE (emphasizing words in italics): Ask Miss Faulkner  to come down to the drawing-room. Say that Mr. Holmes is waiting to see her.

FORMAN: Yes, sir. (Bows and goes out upstairs.)

LARRABEE (trying to get on the free and easy style again): It’s quite remarkable, upon my soul! May I ask — (turns towardHOLMES) — if it’s not an impertinent question, what message you sent up that could have so aroused Miss Faulkner’s desire to come down?

HOLMES (looking up at LARRABEE innocently): Merely that if she wasn’t down here in five minutes I’d go up.

LARRABEE (slightly knocked): Oh, that was it!

HOLMES: Quite so. (Rises and takes his watch out.) And unless I am greatly mistaken I hear the young lady on the stairs. In which case she has a minute and a half to spare. (Moving by piano — taking opportunity to look at keys, music, etc.)

(Enter MADGE LARRABEE downstairs as if not quite strong. She has made her face pale, and steadies herself a little by columns, side of arch, furniture, etc., as she comes on, but not overdoing this. She gives the impression of a person a little weak, but endeavouring not to let it be seen.)

LARRABEE (advancing to MADGE): Alice — or — that is, Miss Faulkner, let me introduce Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

(HOLMES is near piano. MADGE goes a step to him with extended hand. HOLMES meets MADGE and takes her hand in the utmost confidence.)

MADGE: Mr. Holmes! (Coming toward him with extended hand.)

HOLMES (meeting MADGE): Miss Faulkner!

MADGE: I’m really most charmed to meet you — although it does look as if you had made me come down in spite of myself, doesn’t it? But it isn’t so at all, Mr. Holmes. I was more than anxious to come, only the doctor has forbidden me seeing anyone — but when Cousin Freddie said I might come, of course that fixed the responsibility on him, so I have a perfectly clear conscience.

HOLMES:  I thank you very much for consenting to see me, Miss Faulkner, but regret that you were put to the trouble of making such a very rapid change of dress.

(MADGE slightest possible start, and recover at once.)

MADGE: Ye — yes! I did hurry a trifle, I confess. (Crosses toward LARRABEE.) Mr. Holmes is quite living up to his reputation, isn’t he, Freddie?

LARRABEE:  Yes … But he didn’t quite live up to it a moment ago.

MADGE: Oh, didn’t he! I’m so sorry. (Sits on seat at foot of piano.)

LARRABEE:  No. He’s been telling me the most astonishing things.

MADGE:  And they weren’t true?

LARRABEE:  Well hardly! (HOLMES sits in arm-chair.) He wanted to know what there was about the safe in the lower part that desk that caused me such horrible anxiety! Ha! ha! ha!

MADGE (above LARRABEE’S laugh — to HOLMES): Why, this isn’t anything. (To LARRABEE.) Is there?

LARRABEE:  That’s just it! Ha! ha! ha! (With a quick motion swings back the doors) There’s a safe there, but nothing in it.

(MADGE joins him in laughter.)

MADGE (as she laughs): Really Mr. Holmes, that’s too grotesque, ha! ha!

(HOLMES, seated in arm-chair among the cushions, regards MADGEand LARRABEE with a peculiar whimsical look.)

LARRABEE (laughing): Perhaps you’ll do better next time! (Closes safe door.)

MADGE:  Yes, next time — (HOLMES is looking at them.) You might try on me, Mr. Holmes. (Looking playfully at HOLMES,greatly enjoying the lark.)

LARRABEE:  Yes, what do you think of her?

HOLMES:  It is very easy to discern one thing about Miss Faulkner— and that is, that she is particularly fond of the piano that her touch is exquisite, her expression wonderful, and her technique extraordinary. While she likes light music very well, she is extremely fond of some of the great masters, among whom are Chopin, Liszt. She plays a great deal indeed; I see it is her chief diversion — which makes it all the more remarkable that she has not touched the piano for three days.

(Pause.)

MADGE (turning to LARRABEE —a trifle disconcerted by HOLMES’S last words, but nearly hiding it with success): Why that’s quite surprising, isn’t it?

LARRABEE:  Certainly better than he did for me.

HOLMES (rising..): I am glad to somewhat repair my shattered reputation, and as a reward, will Miss Faulkner be so good as to play me something of which I am particularly fond?

MADGE:  I shall be delighted — if I can. (Looks questioningly at HOLMES.)

HOLMES:  If you can! Something tells me that Chopin’s Prelude Number Fifteen is at your finger ends.

MADGE: Oh yes! (Rising and forgetting her illness, and going to keyboard — crossing in front of piano): I can give you that.

HOLMES:  It will please me so much.

MADGE (stopping suddenly as she is about to sit at piano): But tell me, Mr. Holmes, how did you know so much about my playing — my expression — technique?

HOLMES:  Your hands.

MADGE:  And my preference for the composers you mentioned?

HOLMES:  Your music-rack.

MADGE:  How simple! But you said I hadn’t played for three days. How did—

HOLMES: The keys.

MADGE:  The keys?

HOLMES:  A light layer of dust.

MADGE: Dust! Oh dear! (Quick business with handkerchief on keyboard.) I never knew Terèse to forget before. (ToHOLMES.) You must think us very untidy, I’m sure.

HOLMES:  Quite the reverse. I see from many things that you are not untidy in the least, and therefore I am compelled to conclude that the failure of Térêse is due to something else.

MADGE (a little under breath — and hesitatingly —yet compelled by HOLMES’ pointed statement to ask): Wh—what?

HOLMES:  To some unusual excitement or disturbance that has recently taken place in this house.

MADGE (after an instant’s pause): You’re doing very well, Mr. Holmes, and you deserve your Chopin. (Sits, makes preparation to play rather hurriedly in order to change the subject.)

HOLMES: Thanks.

(LARRABEE looks toward safe, far from easy in his mind, and leans on piano, giving HOLMES a glance as he turns toMADGE. MADGE strikes a few preliminary chords during above business and soon begins to play the composition spoken of. Shortly after the music begins, and while LARRABEE is looking to front or elsewhere, HOLMES reaches quietly back and pulls the bell crank.  No sound of bell heard, the music supposed to make it inaudible.  He then sinks into seat just at bell. After a short time FORMANenters and stands waiting just in the archway. LARRABEE does not see FORMAN at first, but happening to turn discovers him standing there and speaks a warning word to MADGE under his breath.  MADGE, hearing LARRABEEspeak, looks up and sees FORMAN.  She stops playing in the midst of a bar — a hesitating stop. Looks at FORMAN a moment.)

MADGE:  What are you doing here, Judson?

(Brief pause because FORMAN seems surprised.)

FORMAN:  I came to see what was wanted, ma’am.

(Brief pause.)

MADGE:  What was wanted?

(Brief pause.)

LARRABEE: Nobody asked you to come here.

FORMAN: I beg pardon, sir. I answered the bell.

LARRABEE (becoming savage): What bell?

FORMAN: The drawing-room bell, sir.

LARRABEE (threateningly): What do you mean, you blockhead!

FORMAN: I’m quite sure it rang, sir.

LARRABEE (loud voice): Well, I tell you it did not ring!

(Pause. The LARRABEES look angrily at FORMAN.)

HOLMES (quietly — after slight pause — clear incisive voice.): Your butler is right Mr. Chetwood — the bell did ring.

(Brief pause. LARRABEE and MADGE looking at HOLMES.)

LARRABEE:  How do you know?

HOLMES:  I rang it.

(MADGE rises.)

LARRABEE (roughly): What do you want?

(HOLMES rises, takes card from case or pocket.)

HOLMES:  I want to send my card to Miss Faulkner. (Gives card to FORMAN.)

(FORMAN stands apparently paralysed.)

LARRABEE (angrily — approaching HOLMES): What right have you to ring for servants and give orders in my house?

HOLMES (turning on LARRABEE): What right have you to prevent my cards from reaching their destination — and how does it happen that you and this woman are resorting to trickery and deceit to prevent me from seeing Alice Faulkner? (The situation is held an instant and then he turns quietly to FORMAN.) Through some trifling oversight, Judson, neither of the cards I handed you have been delivered. See that this error — does not occur again.

(FORMAN stands, apparently uncertain what to do.)

FORMAN: My orders, sir — 

HOLMES (quick — sharp): Ah! you have orders! (A sudden sharp glance at LARRABEE and back in an instant.)

FORMAN:  I can’t say, sir, as I — 

HOLMES (quickly breaking in): You were told not to deliver my card!

LARRABEE (step or two up): What business is this of yours, I’d like to know?

HOLMES:  I shall satisfy your curiosity on that point in a very short time.

LARRABEE:  Yes — and you’ll find out in a very short time that it isn’t safe to meddle with me! It wouldn’t be any trouble at all for me to throw you out into the street.

HOLMES (sauntering easily towards him—shaking finger ominously): Possibly not — but trouble would swiftly follow such an experiment on your part.

LARRABEE:  It’s a cursed lucky thing for you I’m not armed.

HOLMES:  Yes — well, when Miss Faulkner comes down you can go and arm yourself.

LARRABEE: Arm myself! I’ll call the police! And what’s more, I’ll do it now.

(HOLMES steps down and faces LARRABEE)

HOLMES:  You will not do it now. You will remain where you are until the lady I came here to see has entered this room.

LARRABEE:  What makes you so sure of that?

HOLMES (in his face) Because you will infinitely prefer to avoid an investigation of your very suspicious conduct Mr. James Larrabee — 

(A sharp start from both LARRABEE and MADGEon hearing HOLMES address the former by his proper name.)

To be Continued.....