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After three months in the Old Country, I was fed up with it. The amusements of London seemed as flat as water. "Richard Hannay," I told myself, "You have got into the wrong ditch and you have better climb out." That morning, I made a vow: I would give the Old Country one more day to <<link [[show me some excitement|Title Page]]>><</link>>. <div class="instructions">This game includes short pieces of music. To carry on, click the link above, or if you prefer, you can <<link [[play without music|Title Page]].>><<set $playmusic to 0>><</link>>. <br>You can also [[read the additional notes|NotesStart]].</div>![[The Thirty Nine Steps->Chapter One, bedroom]] <<playAudio "Titletheme">> Based on the book by John Buchan Game and music by Graham Walmsley\ <<include "InitChapterOne">> !!Chapter 1: The man who died <<fadeAudio 3>> At six, the grey London light streamed through the shutters of my flat. Last night, I had slept the sleep of the dead, and nothing could have woken me. The sparrows chattered outside the window and, truth be told, I envied their excitement. "Whatever happens," I told myself, "This will be the last day I wake in this city". As the light crept over the room, it illuminated the leg of a man, lying on the living room floor. [[Pulling on a dressing gown, I entered the living room. ->Finding the body][$time+=2]] <<stopAudio>> The man on the floor was quite dead, a knife through his heart skewering him to the floorboards. He was an upstairs neighbour, a trim man with gimlet eyes, who had looked at me searchingly whenever we passed on the stairs. I had always liked the chap, whose name I remembered as Scudder. I remembered he had mentioned a woman, Ondrea, who I assumed was his wife. Perhaps he had entered my flat to escape his enemies, perhaps to tell me something. It was too late now, of course, unless he had left something for me in the room. Whoever this man's enemies were, I reflected, they were mine now. They would assume he had involved me and would be after me too. The police, too, would suspect me. The clock on the mantlepiece read <<include "incTheTime">>. I resolved to leave, as quickly as I could, and <<link [[(BE OPEN) inform the police|Living room]]>><<wOpenUp>><<set $headerText to "I resolved to inform the police. Whatever else had happened, London was the capital of the Empire, and if I could not find justice here, I could not find it anywhere.">><</link>> <<link [[(BE CLEVER) cover my tracks as best I could|Living room]]>><<set $headerText to "I resolved to cover my tracks as best I could. London was a trap and I had better get out of it as quickly and quietly as possible.">><<wCleverUp>><</link>> <<link [[(BE BOLD) take whatever revenge I could for the little man|Living room]]>><<set $headerText to "I resolved to take what revenge I could. London was a bearpit and, if I did not stand up to these murderers, nobody would.">><<wBoldUp>><</link>> <div class="instructions">When you do things that are Open, Clever or Bold, you change the way you see the world later in the story.</div>Time was of the essence. At a quarter to eight o'clock, the first train would leave St Pancras station to Scotland. It would quickly take me from London, where people would be searching for me, into the moors and villages. It was now <<include [[incTheTime]] >>, according to the mantlepiece clock. At fifteen minutes past, I knew the milkman would arrive. If I wanted to catch that train, there was no time to linger, or do everything I wanted to do. The most important thing, I judged, was to <<include [[LivingRoomActions]] >>Once the journey started, there was no telling when I would eat again. I breakfasted on biscuits and the remainder of a block of cheese, washing it down with a whisky and soda. As I finished, I looked at the clock, which stood at <<include [[incTheTime]] >>. <<include [[incMilkman]] >> <<include [[LivingRoomActions]] >><<if $wearing eq "pyjamas">><<set $wearing to "lounge suit">>Before leaving the flat, I changed from my sleepwear into my normal clothes.<</if>> Standing on the landing outside my flat, I considered my options. Down a narrow flight of stairs was the front door, which led on to the street. Or I could trust my luck with the small window, which, if memory served, opened near a drainpipe, which would take me to a small back alley. <<if $time gt 35>>The postman passed, delivering mail to the neighbouring flats. <</if>>\ <<if $time gte 13 and $time lte 18>>A rattling of cans alerted me to the milkman's presence. He was a young man of about my height, with sleepy eyes and a badly-trimmed moustache. [[I approached the milkman.->Milkman]] <</if>>\ <<if $time lte 12 and $time lte 18>>[[I stopped for a moment.->On the landing][$time to 13]] <</if>>\ [[I descended the stairs.->Portland Place][$time+=2]] <<link [[(BE BOLD) I opened the window and climbed out on to the drainpipe.|Back alley]]>><<wBoldUp>><<$time+=3>><</link>> With some trouble, I dragged Scudder's corpse into the bedroom, where I concealed it in a trunk. <<set $hidBody to 1>> I was under no illusion this would keep the police from my trail indefinitely. Nevertheless, it might buy me time, and time was what I needed. It was <<include [[incTheTime]] >>. <<include [[incMilkman]] >> <<include [[LivingRoomActions]] >>At the back of my closet I found a well-worn tweed suit. This, I judged, would help me blend in among those in the Highlands. Looking at the clock, I saw it was <<include [[incTheTime]] >>. <<include [[incMilkman]] >> <<include [[LivingRoomActions]] >>Whoever the murderers were, they had investigated every corner of my flat. I looked in drawers and on shelves to see if they had missed anything that Scudder had left behind. As I was about to give up the hunt, I found it. From a plant pot, I pulled a black notebook, which I recalled Scudder clutching on occasion. There was time only for a cursory inspection: it seemed to contain some kind of cipher and curious symbols with numbers written beside them. When I glanced at the clock, it was already <<include [[incTheTime]] >>. <<include [[incMilkman]] >> <<include [[LivingRoomActions]] >> <<actions [[Eat what breakfast I could->Eat breakfast][$time+=5,$food+=5]] [[Look out the window->Look out window][$time+=2]] [[Shave->Shave][$time+=4,$shaved to 1]] [[Search the flat thoroughly->Search flat][$time+=7,$pocketbook to 1]] [[Change into less conspicious clothing->Change clothing][$time+=4,$wearing to "tweeds"]] [[Hide the body->Hide the body][$time+=6]] [[Leave the flat->On the landing][$time+=1]]>><<set $pursued to 1>>\ I swung through the window and got a hand on the drain pipe. After testing it could take my weight, I started to descend. At one point, someone walked through the alley below, and I clung on for an agonising minute while they passed. A piece of guttering came away in my hand, which doubtless my enemies would notice later. Then the person rounded a corner and I descended to the alleyway. To my surprise, there did not appear to be anyone watching this alley. I found a spot where I could observe the road, then saw two who I became sure were watching my flat: one dressed like a loafer, one wearing a waistcost. I caught two words from their conversation, "Black Stone", which seemed to be the name of the organisation they worked for. <<set $blackstone to 1>> <<link [[(BE CLEVER) I slipped away into the back streets.|Fitzrovia]]>><<wCleverUp>><<$time+=10>><<set $headerText to "I watched closely until they were looking away, then slipped past them.">><</link>> <<link [[(BE BOLD) I lured one of them into the alley.|Euston Road]]>><<wBoldUp>><<$time+=12>><<set $pursued to 2>><<set $headerText to "When the man in the waistcoat approached, I threw a stone to attract his attention. He approached the corner cautiously, then gave a shout as I yanked him in. I got in a good punch or two, but my triumph was short-lived, for his companion and the policeman ran after me.">><</link>>I descended the stairs, then emerged into Portland Place in the morning light. In the street, two policeman stood at a corner talking<<if $time gt 30 and $time lt 35>>, as a postman wished them good morning<</if>>. A loafer shuffled suspiciously in the gutter, while a man in a waistcoat read the morning paper. <<if $milkmansjacket eq 1 and $shaved eq 1>> Neither gave me a second glance. <<else>><<set $pursued to 1>> I fancied a glance was exchanged between the loafer and the waistcoated man. Had I been recognised? <<if $shaved eq 0>>Perhaps I should have shaved my beard, I thought. <</if>><<if $milkmansjacket eq 0>>Perhaps I should have found a disguise. <</if>>\ <</if>> <<if $wearing eq "lounge suit" and $shaved neq 1 and $milkmansjacket neq 1>>The loafer approached me, mumbling something I could not hear. [[I waited to see what he had to say.->Caught, enemies]] [[I walked away briskly, towards the policemen.->Caught, policemen]] <<else>>\ <<if $milkmansjacket eq 1>> <<link [[(BE OPEN) I began to enjoy my role, swinging my cans and whistling as I walked to the main road.|Euston Road]]>><<wOpenUp>><<set $time+=7>><</link>> <</if>>\ <<link [[(BE CLEVER) I steered a path around them all, avoiding looking them in the eye, and heading for the backstreets.|Fitzrovia]]>><<set $clever+=1>><<set $time+=9>><</link>> <</if>>\ [[(BE OPEN) I approached the policemen to tell them what had happened.->Caught, approaching police]] <<set $openText to "">>I shaved my beard, leaving my moustache as a short, stubbly fringe. Looking at myself in the mirror, I believed that even my friends would take a moment to recognise me. It was <<include [[incTheTime]] >>. <<include [[incMilkman]] >> <<include [[LivingRoomActions]] >>He was an honest fellow, I judged, and I decided to let him into my confidence. "In my flat," I explained with a gesture, "Is the corpse of man I have never met. If I am discovered here, they will think I am the murderer. I give you my word I am not."<<set $milkmanMethod to "honest">> The fellow looked alarmed, with some reason, and I wondered whether I had judged him correctly. "What do you need, guvnor?" he asked. "Your jacket," I explained. "That will buy me enough time to find out what is going on." Whether in fear or solidarity, I do not know. But, God bless the fellow, he slipped off the jacket, which I put on. He disappeared up the stairs to wait for me to leave. [[I descended the stairs, putting on the jacket.->Portland Place][$time+=2]] <<link [[(BE BOLD) I opened the window and climbed out on to the drainpipe.|Back alley]]>><<wBoldUp>><<$time+=3>><</link>>Here was a fellow, I decided, who would enjoy a game. I spun him a story. "You're a sporting man, I take it?" I asked him. "I'm not one to spoil a bit of sport," he said eagerly, and I knew I had judged my man correctly.<<set $milkmanMethod to "bet">> "I have a friend I want to surprise in his club," I explained, warming to my tale. "Give me your jacket for an hour and I can slip in the back to give him the shock of his life." He smiled a gap-toothed grin and gave me his jacket, which I promised to return within the hour. It would not, I imagined, be the last lie I told. [[I descended the stairs, putting on the jacket.->Portland Place][$time+=2]] <<link [[(BE BOLD) I opened the window and climbed out on to the drainpipe.|Back alley]]>><<wBoldUp>><<$time+=3>><</link>>Taking him aside, I paused to listen whether any of my neighbours were on the stairs. Hearing nothing, I let swing with my right fist, catching him on the jaw. He crumpled immediately and I moved him into the flat, in case anyone should find him. What I needed was his jacket, so I took that, as he lay groaning.<<set $milkmanMethod to "hit">> He was an honest fellow, I imagine, and did not deserve the surprise I gave him. But I had hit him in such a way as to avoid serious damage. I left him three shillings, which I hoped would be some recompense. [[I descended the stairs.->Portland Place][$time+=2]] <<link [[(BE BOLD) I opened the window and climbed out on to the drainpipe.|Back alley]]>><<wBoldUp>><<$time+=3>><</link>>The milkman was about my height, with an ill-trimmed moustache. "Morning guvnor," he greeted me <<if $open gt $clever>>cheerfully<<else>>, without suspicion<</if>>.\ <<set $milkmansjacket to 1>><<set $time+=2>> <<link [[(BE OPEN) "I'm in a great deal of trouble", I told him.|MilkmanHonest]]>><<wOpenUp>><</link>> <<link [[(BE CLEVER) "I need you to help me with a bet", I told him.|MilkmanBet]]>><<wCleverUp>><</link>> <<link [[(BE BOLD) Before he could suspect anything, I punched him.|MilkmanPunch]]>><<wBoldUp>><</link>><<cacheaudio "Titletheme" "THIRTYFadeout.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "endchapterone" "endchapterone.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "endchaptertwo" "endchaptertwo.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "endchapterthree" "endchapterthree.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "endchapterfour" "endchapterfour.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "bridge" "bridgeone.mp3">> <<widget "wOpenCleverBold">><<if $open gt $clever>><<if $open gt $bold>><<print _args[0]>><<else>><<print _args[2]>><</if>><<else>><<if $clever gt $bold>><<print _args[1]>><<else>><<print _args[2]>><</if>><</if>><</widget>> <<widget "wPursued">>\ <<switch $pursued>>\ <<case 1>><<print _args[1]>>\ <<case 2>><<print _args[2]>>\ <<case 3>><<print _args[3]>>\ <<case 4>><<print _args[4]>>\ <<case 5>><<print _args[5]>>\ <<default>><<print _args[0]>>\ <</switch>>\ <</widget>> <<widget "wChaseDescription">>\ <<switch $chaseDistance>> <<case 2>><<if _args[0] eq "ridge">>Distance 2, on ridge.<<else>>Distance 2, not on ridge.<</if>>\ <<case 1>><<if _args[0] eq "ridge">>Distance 1, on ridge.<<else>>Distance 1, not on ridge.<</if>>\ <<case 0>><<if _args[0] eq "ridge">>Distance 0, on ridge.<<else>>Distance 0, not on ridge.<</if>>\ <</switch>> <</widget>> <<widget "wBlackStone">><<if $blackstone eq 1>><<print _args[0]>><<else>><<print _args[1]>><</if>><</widget>> <<widget "wOpenCleverBoldFooter">><<if $open gt $clever>><<if $open gt $bold>><<set $footerInstructions to _args[0]>><<else>><<set $footerInstructions to _args[2]>><</if>><<else>><<if $clever gt $bold>><<set $footerInstructions to _args[1]>><<else>><<set $footerInstructions to _args[2]>><</if>><</if>><</widget>> <<widget "wOpenUp">><<set $open+=1>>\ <<if $firstTimeBeingOpen eq 1>>\ <<set $headerInstructions to "When you are open, you are more likely to enjoy your journey, but less likely to notice suspicious and dangerous things.">>\ <<set $firstTimeBeingOpen to 0>>\ <<else>>\ <<set $headerInstructions to "You did something open. ">>\ <</if>> <</widget>> <<widget "wCleverUp">><<set $clever+=1>>\ <<if $firstTimeBeingClever eq 1>>\ <<set $headerInstructions to "When you are clever, you become more likely to notice suspicious things, but also more likely to see everyday things as suspicious.">>\ <<set $firstTimeBeingClever to 0>>\ <<else>>\ <<set $headerInstructions to "You did something clever. ">>\ <</if>> <</widget>> <<widget "wBoldUp">><<set $bold+=1>>\ <<if $firstTimeBeingBold eq 1>>\ <<set $headerInstructions to "When you are bold, you become more likely to notice dangerous things, but more likely to see everyday things and people as dangerous.">>\ <<set $firstTimeBeingBold to 0>>\ <<else>>\ <<set $headerInstructions to "You did something bold. ">>\ <</if>> <</widget>> <<widget "playAudio">>\ <<if $playmusic eq 1>><<audio $args[0] volume 1 play>><</if>>\ <</widget>> <<widget "fadeAudio">>\ <<if $playmusic eq 1>><<audio ":playing" volume 0.75 fadeoverto $args[0] 0>><</if>>\ <</widget>> <<widget "stopAudio">>\ <<if $playmusic eq 1>><<audio ":all" stop>><</if>>\ <</widget>> <<widget "newLine">>/*This is a blank line with a return*/ <</widget>> <<set $headerInstructions to "">> <<set $footerInstructions to "">> <<set $headerText to "">> <<set $playmusic to 1>>I opened the shutters a fraction. In the street below, two policeman stood at a corner. In the other direction, a loafer approached a man in a waistcoat<<wOpenCleverBold ". " " and I saw a meaningful look pass between them. I realised they were watching the flat and, in all likelihood, waiting for me to emerge. " " and I saw a meaningful look pass between them. I wondered if these were the people that had killed Scudder. ">> The time was <<include [[incTheTime]] >>. <<include [[incMilkman]] >> <<include [[LivingRoomActions]] >>\ <<wOpenCleverBoldFooter "Because you were open in your previous action, you missed learning more about the men outside the window." "Because you were clever in your previous action, you noticed that the men were watching the flat." "Because you were bold in your previous action, you noticed that the men were probable murderers.">><<if $time lte 2>>just after<<elseif $time lte 4>>nearly five past<<elseif $time eq 5>>five past<<elseif $time lte 8>>just after five past<<elseif $time lte 9>>nearly ten past<<elseif $time eq 10>>ten past<<elseif $time lte 12>>just after ten past<<elseif $time lte 14>>nearly quarter past<<elseif $time eq 15>>quarter past<<elseif $time lte 17>>just after quarter past<<elseif $time lte 19>>nearly twenty past<<elseif $time eq 20>>twenty past<<elseif $time lte 22>>just after twenty past<<elseif $time lte 24>>nearly twenty-five past<<elseif $time eq 25>>twenty-five past<<elseif $time lte 29>>nearly half past<<elseif $time eq 30>>half past<<elseif $time lte 34>>just after half past<<elseif $time eq 35>>twenty five to<<elseif $time lte 39>>nearly twenty to<<elseif $time eq 40>>twenty to<<elseif $time lte 44>>nearly quarter to<<elseif $time eq 45>>quarter to<<elseif $time lte 49>>nearly ten to<<elseif $time eq 45>>ten to<<elseif $time lte 55>>nearly five to<<elseif $time eq 55>>ten to<<elseif $time lte 55>>just before <</if>><<if $time lte 30>> seven<<else>> eight<</if>>The loafer approached, then gave a shout to the waistcoated man behind. Clearly, they were in league, and were probably with the same people who had murdered Scudder. I realised my mistake. They knew what I looked like, and in my lounge suit and beard, I had made no attempt to look different. "Murderer!" shouted the man in the waistcoat. At that, the policemen approached, and one grabbed my arm. [[(BE BOLD) Hit the policeman->Euston Road][$bold+=1,$pursued to 2,$headerText="I bolted out of Portland Place, as a police whistle sounded behind me. The loafer and the waistcoated man did not give chase: I supposed they decided to leave me to the police."]] <<set $footerInstructions to "Making the wrong choices will not end the story, but may push you into a course of action you do not want to take.">>\Keeping my eyes down, I walked past the policemen. Then I heard the voice of the waistcoasted man behind me. "Say!", he shouted, and the policemen's heads turned, "There's been a murder in that flat." Perhaps I looked as though I was about to run, because at that point, the older policeman started towards me. [[(BE BOLD) Run->Euston Road][$pursued to 2]] [[(BE BOLD) Hit the policeman->Euston Road][$bold+=1,$pursued to 2]] <<set $footerInstructions to "Making the wrong choices will not end the story, but may push you into a course of action you do not want to take.">>\In the morning rush, the pavement along Euston road was packed with humanity. <<wOpenCleverBold "Once, I would have envied their busy lives, but now I had an adventure of my own" "Everyone I passed had their secrets and, now, I had mine" "I weaved through the crowd, resisting the urge to push others out of the way">>. <<if $time gt 30>>There was not a moment to lose. <</if>> St Pancras station was just ahead of me. <<if $time gt 10 and $time lt 20>>A postman passed towards Fitzrovia, delivering the morning's mail. <</if>><<if $pursued eq 1 and $clever gt $open>>I felt footsteps a few paces away, and knew my enemies were not far behind.<<elseif $pursued eq 2>>Behind, my enemies' feet pounded, as they ran at full pelt after me.<</if>> <<if $milkmansjacket eq 1>>[[Before approaching the station, I disposed of the milkman's jacket in a bin.->Outside St Pancras][$time+=8,$milkmansjacket=0]] <</if>>\ <<if $pursued neq 2>>[[I walked calmly to the entrance of the station.->Outside St Pancras][$time+=6]] <</if>>\ <<link [[I took to my heels and ran into St Pancras station.|St Pancras]]>><<set time+=2>><<if $pursued lt 2>><<set $pursued++>><</if>><</link>><<if $pursued eq 2>>I ran into St Pancras station, dodging the early morning commuters that ambled around the booking hall. There was no time to think. I ran towards a train that was pulling out of the station. <<link [[(BE BOLD) I jumped on the train, without buying a ticket.|Train]]>><<set $ticket to "None">><<wBoldUp>><</link>>\ <<else>><<wOpenCleverBold "As I entered St Pancras, the vast ceiling rose above me. For a moment, it filled me with hope that this journey might give me not just an escape, but a chance to play my part in making a better world." "As I entered St Pancras, the vast complexity of the architecture surrounded me. It reminded me that my enemies were devious and I would need even more guile to evade them, then defeat them." "As I entered St Pancras, the massive iron structure towered above me. I marvelled at its strength and power. My enemies were strong too, it reminded me, and I would need all my power and resolve to bring them down.">> <<set $ticket to 0>> A mass of bodies packed the booking hall, hurrying for work and leisure. \ <<wOpenCleverBold "I felt the thrill of my adventure beginning and the excitement of travelling somewhere new." "It was a good place to lose a pursuer, but also a good place to be surrounded." "It was a good place to dispose of someone, with an anonymous knife between the ribs, and I watched strangers closely.">> I made my way through the booking hall to the platforms. <<if $pursued eq 1>>As I did so, I felt eyes on me and knew my pursuers were not far behind.<</if>><<if $milkmansjacket eq 1>>My milkman's jacket attracted curious looks and I resolved to dispose of it at the first opportuniy.<</if>> <<if $time gt 47>>My train had already left and I would need to wait for the next, giving my enemies more time to find me. <<if $pursued eq 0>><<set $pursued to 1>><</if>>>><<elseif $time gt 43>>My train was about to leave. There was no time to buy a ticket.<<elseif $time gt 30>>My train was standing at the platform. <<set $ticket to 1>><<else>>I had arrived in good time. I would need to buy a ticket, then wait for the train. <</if>> <<if $time lte 43 or $time gt 47>> <<link [[(BE BOLD) I bought a First Class ticket, to show I was not afraid. |Train]]>><<wBoldUp>><<set $ticket to "First Class">><</link>> <<link [[(BE OPEN) I bought a Second Class ticket, as I usually would. |Train]]>><<set $ticket to "Second Class">><<wOpenUp>><</link>> <<link [[(BE CLEVER) I bought a Third Class ticket, in an attempt to avoid notice. |Train]]>><<set $ticket to "Third Class">><<wCleverUp>><</link>> <</if>>\ <<if $time gt 30 and $time lt 48>>\ <<link [[(BE BOLD) I jumped on the train, without buying a ticket. |Train]]>><<set $ticket to "None">><<wBoldUp>><</link>> <</if>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $pursued eq 2>> <<set $footerInstructions to "Because you were pursued, you ran through St Pancras station without noticing your surroundings">><<else>><<wOpenCleverBoldFooter "Because of your openness, you saw the architecture of St Pancras as hopeful and felt the thrill of adventure" "Because you have been clever in your choices, you saw the architecture of St Pancras as complex and your enemies as devious" "Because you have been bold in your choices, you saw the architecture of St Pancras as powerful, and thought the station was a good place to dispose of someone">><</if>>I approached the policemen. As I told my story, their faces clouded over, and I realised how implausible my tale sounded. Perhaps it had been a mistake to be so honest. "If you'd just wait here, Sir," said the older policeman. He waved at the younger officer, who scurried off to investigate my flat. The older policeman laid a hand on my arm, restraining me. If I went with him, I realised my fate was sealed. [[(BE BOLD) Hit the policeman->Euston Road][$bold+=1,$pursued to 2]] <<set $footerInstructions to "Making the wrong choices will not end the story, but may push you into a course of action you do not want to take.">>\<<playAudio "endchapterone">>\ <<if $ticket eq "None">><<if $pursued lt 2>><<set $pursued++>><</if>>Dodging two guards who tried to stop me, I wrenched open the door to First Class and jumped on board. Soon, however, an irate guard escorted me to Third Class and wrote me a ticket. Doubtless, he would remember me if anyone asked questions later.<<set $ticket="Third Class">> <</if>> I settled into my seat, as the train accelerated out of London, towards the open fields. My fellow passengers were \ <<if $ticket eq "First Class">>a <<wOpenCleverBold "quiet" "shifty-looking" "watchful">> stockbroker and a well-dressed lady\ <<elseif $ticket eq "Second Class">>a <<wOpenCleverBold "friendly" "voluble" "talkative">> clerk and a gentleman I took to be a manservant\ <<else>>a <<wOpenCleverBold "large" "imposing" "muscular">> farmer and an older, matronly woman<</if>>. \ <<wOpenCleverBold "I smiled at them and asked them about their journey" "They seemed harmless, but I watched them closely" "They did not look dangerous">>. <<if $milkmansjacket eq 1>>At the first opportunity, I pitched the milkman's jacket from a carriage window, watching it float in the rushing air. <<set $milkmansjacket to 0>><</if>>\ <<if $ticket eq "First Class" or $ticket eq "Second Class">>\ <<if $wearing eq "lounge suit">>\ My lounge suit fitted in well with my fellow passengers, although it would draw attention once in the Highlands. \ <<elseif $wearing eq "tweeds">>\ My tweeds drew curious glances from my fellow passengers, although I knew they would serve me well in the Highlands. \ <</if>>\ <<else>>\ <<if $wearing eq "lounge suit">>\ My lounge suit drew curious glances from my fellow passengers and I knew it would draw attention in the Highlands too. \ <<elseif $wearing eq "tweeds">>\ My tweeds fitted in well with the clothes of my fellow passengers and I knew they would serve me well in the Highlands. \ <</if>>\ <</if>>I ran my fingers over my chin, \ <<if $shaved eq 1>>\ glad I had shaved \ <<else>>wondering if I should have shaved <</if>>my beard, <<if $food gte 1>>\ and thanked my judgement in taking breakfast before the long journey. \<<else>>\ and regretted not having breakfast before the long journey. <</if>> <<if $pocketbook eq 1>>\ I touched Scudder's pocket book in my pocket. I was fleeing, but at least I had a clue that might help me fight back. Nevertheless, <<else>>\ Had I missed something? I was fleeing, without a clue to help me fight back. Moreover, \ <</if>>\ <<if $pursued eq 0>>\ although I had escaped London without my pursuers noticing, I would not escape their attention forever. \ <<elseif $pursued eq 1>>\ although I had escaped London, I had raised my pursuers' suspicions, and they would know where to start looking. \ <<else>>\ I had only escaped London by the skin of my teeth and my pursuers knew exactly which train I had taken. \ <</if>> <<wOpenCleverBold "For the moment, though, I felt alive. The train raced through the English countryside and, for the first time in a long while, I felt good about my life. " "There was danger coming. As the train raced through the English countryside, I watched every field, every shadow for a sign of its approach." "I thought again of Scudder's body, pinned to the floor of my flat with the bloody knife. The day was coming when I would visit a similar fate on his murderers.">> [[Chapter Two]] <<back [[Play Chapter One again|Chapter One, bedroom]] >> <<if $time gte 12 and $time lte 15>>Outside, I could hear the milkman, his cans jangling as he walked.<</if>><<if $time gte 16 and $time lte 18>>Outside, I heard the milkman whistling as he delivered the last of his milk.<</if>><<if $headerInstructions neq "">> <div class="instructions">$headerInstructions</div><<set $headerInstructions to "">> <</if>>\ <<if $headerText neq "">>$headerText <<set $headerText to "">><</if>>I slipped through the quiet backstreets of Fitzrovia. <<wOpenCleverBold "They were coming alive with people, hurrying to work, cleaning their front steps and starting their day's toil." "Everyone I passed seemed to look at me, as though they knew I was a suspected murderer." "Every corner lurked with danger, every passer-by a potential threat.">> I hurried past the Grafton Arms, where I had spent many an evening hour. <<if $time gte 20 and $time lt 32>>A postman stood there with a morning beer, his cap resting on a window-sill.<<else>><<wOpenCleverBold "At this time, it was quiet and peaceful. " "At this time, it was dark and quiet." "At this time, it was dark, which gave it a sinister air. ">><</if>> <<if $time lt 20>>[[I stopped for a moment.->FitzroviaWaiting][$time to 20]] <</if>>\ <<if $time gte 20 and $time lt 32>><<link [[(BE CLEVER) I took his cap, while he was not looking.|Euston Road]]>><<wCleverUp>><<set $time+=8>><<set $postmanscap to 1>><<set $headerText to "Waiting for my moment, I swiped his cap, then walked briskly towards the Euston Road. ">><</link>> <</if>>\ <<if $time gte 20 and $time lt 32>><<link [[(BE BOLD) I took his cap and ran.|Euston Road]]>><<wBoldUp>><<set $time+=5>><<set $postmanscap to 1>><<set $headerText to "Grabbing the postman's cap, I fled for the main road. I heard his shouts behind me as he struggled with his bag. ">><<set $postmanscap to 1>><</link>> <</if>>\ <<link [[I cut through to the Euston Road.|Euston Road]]>><</link>> <<link [[I headed directly for St Pancras Station.|Outside St Pancras]]>><</link>> Outside the entrance to St Pancras station, the brick facade loomed above me. <<wOpenCleverBold "The travellers passing through were of all types: a tall lady with her shopping, a man in an over-large trenchcoat. " "Among the travellers, I saw a tall lady and a man in a trenchcoat exchange glances. They were watching for me, I realised, and I would need to be careful to get past them unnoticed." "Among the travellers, I saw a tall lady and a man in a trenchcoat exchange glances. They were dangerous, I realised, and I should not draw their attention.">> <<if $time gte 35 or $time lte 45>>As I watched, a young couple alighted from a cab. The cabbie placed their suitcase on the kerb, then turned away to receive his payment. <</if>>\ I raised my eyes to the clock. It was already <<include incTheTime>>. <<link [[I entered the station.|St Pancras]]>><<set $headerText to "Passing by the tall lady, I knew that I had been recognised. My enemies would now watch which train I caught and know where I went.">><<set $pursued to 1>><</link>> <<link [[I picked up the suitcase and entered the station.|St Pancras]]>>\ <<if $postmanscap eq 1>>\ <<if $milkmansjacket eq 1>>\ <<set $headerText to "I attempted to conceal myself by carrying a suitcase, but my milkman's jacket drew the watchers' attention.">><<set $pursued to 1>>\ <<else>>\ <<set $headerText to "Pulling the postman's cap over my eyes, I picked up a suitcase and carried it past the two watchers. They paid me no attention, assuming I was a porter.">> <</if>> <<else>> <<set $headerText to "I attempted to conceal myself by carrying a suitcase. This quickly proved to be a mistake, as the couple demanded to know what the devil I was doing. I apologised, pleaded a mistake and retreated into the station, although I had doubtless attracted the attention of the watchers. ">><<set $pursued to 1>> <</if>><</link>><<fadeAudio 3>> !!Chapter 2: The <<wBlackStone "Black Stone" "unknown enemy">> approaches The <<wOpenCleverBold "green, flowering" "shadowed, secretive" "dark, threatening">> landscape rolled past as I travelled north. <<wOpenCleverBold "The hawthorn was in full flower and I wondered why I had remained in London, rather than enjoying this heavenly countryside" "The fields gave way to open moorland and I wondered where I would hide and when my enemies would find me" "The bleak moorland seemed endless and I wondered how far I could run before my enemies put a bullet in my back">>. At Dumfries station, I brushed the soot from my $wearing and crossed the platform to the Galloway train. By now, the London travellers had departed, and my new fellow travellers were cattle-dealers, their talk full of lambing and market prices. <<if $food eq 0>>Hunger gnawed at my stomach. <</if>> <<wPursued "I noted thankfully that, in the crowd, there seemed to be no watchful eyes. This was my chance to put some distance between me and my enemies." "A man on the platform glanced my way, with a calculating look, and made a note in a small book. I had no doubt my enemies would soon locate me and I would need to be swift to avoid them." "A man on the platform pointed and began heading towards me with purpose. Thankfully, the crowd disrupted his efforts, but I had little doubt that he was a spy for my enemies, who would soon know which train I had taken.">> [[Before boarding, I bought a newspaper.|Newspaper]] <<if $pocketbook eq 1>>[[Before boarding, I looked through Scudder's notebook.|StudyNotebookOnTrain]]<<newLine>><</if>>\ [[Before boarding, I bought a ham sandwich.|Sandwich]] <<set $footerInstructions to "When your pursuers find you, Chapter Two will end. If you want to play the chapter in full, avoid being noticed. ">><<set $wearing to "pyjamas">>\ <<set $milkmansjacket to 0>>\ <<set $postmanscap to 0>>\ <<set $pocketbook to 0>>\ <<set $blackstone to 0>>\ \ <<set $shaved to 0>>\ <<set $pursued to 0>>\ <<set $food to 0>>\ <<set $time to 0>>\ \ <<set $open to 0>>\ <<set $clever to 0>>\ <<set $bold to 0>>\ \ <<set $headerInstructions to "">>\ <<set $footerInstructions to "">>\ \ <<set $firstTimeBeingOpen to 1>>\ <<set $firstTimeBeingClever to 1>>\ <<set $firstTimeBeingBold to 1>>\<<if $footerInstructions neq "">>\ <div class="instructions">$footerInstructions</div><<set $footerInstructions to "">> <</if>><<stopAudio>>As the slow Galloway train rolled into life, I <<wOpenCleverBold "relaxed with" "studied" "scanned">> the paper. I turned first to the Late News section. <<if $hidBody eq 1>>There was nothing about the murder, perhaps because I had taken the time to hide the body.<<else>>There was indeed a brief mention of the murder, <<if $pursued gte 2>>with a note that the suspect had escaped by the northern railway lines.<<else>>although no mention of where they thought the suspect was. <</if>><</if>> The Balkan wars were <<wOpenCleverBold "winding down" "rumbling on" "still lively">>, I gathered. Germany was negotiating with Lord Alloa, our Lord of the Admirality, and playing peacemaker. This filled me with <<wOpenCleverBold "hope that peace could be achieved" "suspicion about the game they were playing" "anger, knowing how ready they were for a fight">>. <<wOpenCleverBold "Could war be averted? I prayed that it could, putting my trust in humanity to reach a solution" "When would the war come? It was surely inevitable, but only the machinations of nation states would determine the timetable. I sensed that, behind Germany's fine words, there was a complex plan in place" "How harsh would the war be? It was a bloody business, as I knew only too well, and it would not be subtle. Germany's first strike would be sudden and without warning">>. My eyes strayed over the Galloway landscape, imagining how war would change it. [[As the train continued on, I thought of the lives that would be lost, the fields that would be turned into mud.|Outside the station]]<<stopAudio>>From a red-faced lady with a basket, I purchased a thick ham sandwich, then boarded the Galloway train. She was no slouch with a sandwich, that lady. The fine, springy bread was fresh that morning and generously sliced, while the ham was juicy and thick. <<if $food eq 0>>For a man that had not eaten since the night before, it was the finest sight in the world.<</if>> [[I put it in my pocket and watched the Galloway landscape roll past.|Outside the station][$hamsandwich=1]] [[I ate it with relish and watched the Galloway landscape roll past.|Outside the station][$food+=3]]<<stopAudio>>Standing on the platform, I looked inside the notebook I had found in my flat. The traders piled on to the Galloway train, sweeping me along with them. <<include "incPocketbook">> [[Before I could get any further, the train came to a halt. |Outside the station]]Knowing my enemies would assume I was heading straight for St Pancras station, I waited in the doorway to the pub. A postman arrived, wished me a good morning and stopped for a rest, placing his cap on a window sill. <<link [[(BE CLEVER) I took his cap, while he was not looking.|Euston Road]]>><<wCleverUp>><<set $time+=8>><<set $postmanscap to 1>><<set $headerText to "Waiting for my moment, I swiped his cap, then walked briskly towards the Euston Road. ">><</link>> <<link [[(BE BOLD) I took his cap and ran.|Euston Road]]>><<wBoldUp>><<set $time+=5>><<set $postmanscap to 1>><<set $headerText to "Grabbing the postman's cap, I fled for the main road. I heard his shouts behind me as he struggled with his bag. ">><<set $postmanscap to 1>><</link>> <<link [[I cut through to the Euston Road.|Euston Road]]>><</link>> <<link [[I headed directly for St Pancras Station.|Outside St Pancras]]>><</link>> The train stopped on an embankment, from which a bramble-covered slope descended to a brownish river. Looking down the track, I saw a tiny station ahead, with a waiting-room and a small stationmaster's cottage. My companions in the carriage, a farmer who smelled of whisky and a growling dog, tried to see what was happening. <<wPursued "It was near-deserted and perfect for my needs. As far as I could see, no road led to it, and the surrounding moorland would be an excellent vantage point." "At the station were two men, who had the look of the police. They were questioning an old man, whose cap identified him as the stationmaster, and I fancied I was the subject of their questions." "At the station were two men, staring directly at the train. They were police, I realised. They knew exactly which train I was on and were waiting for it.">> <<link [[(BE OPEN) I waited for the train to pull into the station.|Station]]>><<wOpenUp>><</link>> <<link [[(BE BOLD) I opened the carriage door and leapt into the brambles.|Brambles]]>><<set $pursued++>><<set $headerText to "As I opened the door, the dog tried to seize my trouser leg, then began barking loudly. The passengers in the adjoining carriages looked at me curiously as I lowered myself into the brambles. It was hardly the inconspicious exit I had hoped for.">><<wBoldUp>><</link>> <<if $hamsandwich eq 1>><<link [[(BE CLEVER) Placing the ham sandwich on the floor, I opened the carriage door and leapt into the brambles.|Brambles]]>><<wCleverUp>><<set $headerText to "Behind me, I heard the sounds of a contented dog enjoying the food I had left for him.">><</link>><</if>><<switch $code>> <<case 3>>As I looked at Scudder's notebook, the pieces finally fell into place. The string of letters, "o aohe ilqr oiilo wfii steoi kovoi mioks", was a cipher, using the keyword "Ondrea". It translated to "A fake Lord Alloa will steal naval plans". It seemed almost too incredible: the Black Stone would impersonate Lord Alloa, the Lord of the Admirality, and steal some kind of plans. As for the rectangle that looked like an envelope, marked 784, that must be the number of a Post Office, although I would need a list of Post Office numbers to find out which office it referred to. And the staircase numbered 39, I imagined, would identify a building with thirty-nine steps. \ <<case 2>>Again, I looked at the string of letters, "o aohe ilqr oiilo wfii steoi kovoi mioks". When I had briefly studied ciphers, I remembered a type that used a keyword. That name that Scudder mentioned, Ondrea, would work well. That would mean that the letter O signified A, N signified B, with D being C and so on through the alphabet. For the first time, the pocketbook yielded its secrets. Instead of reading the meaningless letters, I read "A fake Lord Alloa" and surpressed a shudder. Lord Alloa was the Lord of the Admirality. Did the Black Stone intend to impersonate him? I looked again at the symbols: the rectangle that looked like an envelope, numbered "784", and the staircase numbered "39". I had only the sense that these numbers identified a location. <<case 1>>I first looked at the inscription of a jagged line, with the number 39 beside it. Perhaps it signified a staircase with thirty-nine steps, although that told me little by itself. The rectangle, with its diagonals filled in and the number 784, looked like an envelope, but otherwise made little sense. I gave up on the inscription. Instead, I returned to that string of letters, "o aohe ilqr oiilo wfii steoi kovoi mioks". It was a cipher, of that I was sure, and one that needed a keyword. I tried "Scudder", "Black Stone" and even, in a moment of desperation, "War", but nothing worked. Then I remembered the name, Ondrea, that Scudder had mentioned. I had always thought it was his wife, but perhaps "Ondrea" was a codeword. That would mean the first word in the cipher was "a". My excitement grew. <<default>><<set $code to 0>><<set $footerInstructions to "If you keep studying the notebook, you will solve the code. ">>It was a curious thing, that pocketbook, filled with jottings and diagrams. My eye was caught by a rectangle, in which the diagonals were lightly marked, and beside which "784" was written. There was also a jagged line like a staircase, beside which was inscribed "39". But there was one page, well-thumbed, which I considered to be the crux of the whole thing. It contained the letters "o aohe ilqr oiilo wfii steoi kovoi mioks". Now, I have a head for ciphers, and I settled down to decode it. It was some kind of substitution, I reckoned, and the first word was either "I" or "A". Yet none of the simple ciphers answered and I wondered if I needed a keyword. <</switch>>\ <<set $code += 1>>\<<wOpenCleverBold "As I walked across the heather-covered moor, I felt all my unhappiness dropping away. The road was long, the sun was warm and my heart lifted as though I was a boy." "As I trudged across the moor, I felt my pace quicken. Any road could lead to danger, any house could be a trap and anyone I met could be in the pay of my enemies. " "As I made my way over the moor, I broke into a run. My heart beat fast, my brow dripped with seat and the terror of the hunted grew in my heart.">> I stopped to get my bearings. To the east, a stream dropped into a small glen, a ridge rose to the south and a path steered between the two. Beyond that, the moorland gave way to a greener landscape of valleys dotted with buildings, where I might find a place to rest for the night. [[(BE OPEN) I strode along the path, enjoying the journey.|Aeroplane][$open+=1,$pursued+=1,$headerText="I walked along the open path, enjoying the cool air and listening to the distant sound of curlews. Yet I was clearly visible and soon to wonder whether I had misjudged. "]] [[(BE CLEVER) I turned into the glen, which might offer some concealment. |Aeroplane][$clever+=1,$headerText="I climbed awkwardly down the glen, following the stream. It was hard going, but I was shortly to thank my foresight in hiding myself."]] [[(BE BOLD) I climbed the ridge, hoping to get early sight of my enemies.|Aeroplane][$bold+=1,$pursued+=1,$headerText="I climbed up the ridge, which afforded a magnificent view of the surrounding landscape. Yet I was soon to regret my choice, for, although I could see clearly from here, I could also be seen."]] It was a tiny station, with a patch of soil outside the cottage. Gooseberry and sweet-william were growing outside the cottage and, as I arrived, the stationmaster was inspecting his potatoes. <<if $pursued eq 2>><<set $pursued += 1>>As I descended from the train, two policemen started towards me purposively. Before I could get away, one of them had placed a hand upon my arm. [[(BE BOLD) I pushed him away and darted across the tracks.|Moorland][$bold +=1,$headerText eq "From behind me I could hear shouting. When I risked a glance behind, they had not followed, although I took little comfort, since they had doubtless called for help."]] [[(BE CLEVER) I slipped out of my jacket and ran quickly across the tracks.|Moorland][$clever +=1,$wearing="suit trousers",$headerText eq "From behind me I could hear shouting. When I risked a glance behind, they had not followed, although I took little comfort, since they had doubtless called for help."]] <<elseif $pursued eq 1>>As I descended from the train, the two men looked towards me. My clothes must have given them pause, although I did not doubt they would shortly realise that I was the man they sought. [[(BE OPEN) I nodded good morning to them, with amusement, and started across the tracks.|Moorland][$open +=1,$pursued +=1,$headerText="From behind me, I heard the two policemen in animated conversation, and wondered if I had been wise to speak to them."]] [[(BE CLEVER) I turned away from them and started across the tracks.|Moorland][$clever +=1]] <<else>>For a moment, I envied the man's <<wOpenCleverBold "little cottage, with no cares other than the fruit and vegetable patch." "isolation, wishing myself far away from the machinations of others." "ignorance, knowing the dangers that would soon descend on this country and around the world.">> [[(BE OPEN) I wished him good morning and enquired about his gardening, before strolling across the tracks.|Moorland][$open +=1,$pursued += 1,$headerText="As I started out, I realised the stationmaster would remember me, and wondered if I had been wise to talk to him."]] [[(BE CLEVER) I kept my face hidden and started across the tracks.|Moorland][$clever +=1]] <</if>>I staggered down the slope, pushing the brambles aside. At the bottom was a stream, which I splashed along for a while. Above me, I heard the train's engine starting, as it headed into the station. <<if $wearing eq "lounge suit">><<set $wearing to "torn suit">> The thorns made short work of my suit and scratched my hands and face. I thought, with fondness, of my hardy tweeds in my London flat. <</if>> On the stream's opposite bank was a steep ascent, through a tangle of hazels and thorns, at the top of which I could see <<wOpenCleverBold "the flowering of heather on a moor." "an open moor." "an exposed moor.">> [[I ascended the slope, cutting myself a stick of hazel.|Moorland][$hazelstick=1,$headerText="I selected a hefty, straight hazel branch and cut it through. This would make my hike easier, I decided, and might prove useful in other ways."]] [[I ascended the slope, steering a path around the hazels.|Moorland]] In the still air, I heard the beat of a distant engine. Soon I saw a speck in the blue sky, which became larger as it approached. It was a monoplane. <<wPursued "It was flying in a large circle, as if to scan the whole landscape. Clearly, my pursuers did not know where I was. Yet by some devilish chance, it was heading in my direction. " "It was flying in small circles, as if to scan the land around the station. Clearly, they knew roughly where I was, but not exactly. Yet their luck was in, because it was heading in my direction." "It was flying low in the sky, as if they knew I was somewhere on the moorland, but did not know exactly where. Nevertheless, in seconds, I would be discovered." "It was flying low in the sky. My pursuers knew the route I was taking and, in seconds, I would be discovered. " "It was flying so low that I could see its two occupants. When they glimpsed me, one of them pointed, and the plane banked to head for me. ">> <<if $pursued lte 3>>[[(BE CLEVER) I remained completely still, concealing myself as best I could.|MonoplaneHiding][$clever+=1]]<<else>>[[(BE CLEVER) I remained completely still, concealing myself as best I could.|MonoplaneStanding][$clever+=1,$pursued+=1,$headerText="I attempted to conceal myself, but the plane was too low. It changed course and headed straight for me."]]<</if>> <<if $wearing eq "tweeds">>[[(BE CLEVER) I kept walking, knowing that, if I ran, I would identify myself to them.|MonoplaneWalking][$clever+=1]]<<else>>[[(BE CLEVER) I kept walking, knowing that, if I ran, I would identify myself to them.|MonoplaneStanding][$clever+=1,$pursued+=1,$headerText="I kept walking, hoping they would mistake me for a herder, returning from a day's work. But the "+$wearing+" I was wearing betrayed me. The monoplane headed straight for me."]]<</if>> [[(BE OPEN) I waved my arms to attract its attention. |MonoplaneStanding][$open += 1,$pursued+=1]] [[(BE BOLD) I ran as fast as I could, hoping to escape it. |MonoplaneRunning][$bold += 1,$pursued+=1]]Crouching low in a clump of heather, I watched the monoplane as it grew closer. There were two occupants, I saw, and one had a close-cropped haircut in a German style. [[I broke cover and sprinted for a group of tall trees, hoping to lure the monoplane into a trap. |MonoplaneCrashes]] [[I kept hidden. |MonoplaneLeaves]]With the monoplane bearing down on me, I held my nerve. I affected a tired trudge, as though I was returning from a day in the fields. At my back, the sound of the engine grew loud, and I knew the plane had descended to take a look at me. [[I kept walking. |MonoplaneLeaves][$headerText="Even with the plane right above me, I continued my weary walk, knowing that to change now would be to give myself away."]] [[I broke into a run. |MonoplaneRunning][$pursued+=1]]<<if $pursued lt 3>><<set $pursued to 3>><</if>>\ \ I stood my ground as the monoplane grew closer and waved cheerily. There were two occupants, I saw, and one had a close-cropped haircut in a German style. As I watched, one of them reached downwards, and I realised he was getting a gun. There was the sound of a shot and a bullet hit the earth beside me. [[I continued to stand my ground. |MonoplaneLeaves][$headerText="Whether it was devilish self-belief or a deft calculation of the odds, I do not know. But I took a bet that they could not hit me from the air and I was right. A second bullet kicked up earth, even further from me than the first.",$pursued+=1]] [[I fell to the earth, as if hit. |MonoplanePlayDead]]<<if $pursued lt 3>><<set $pursued to 3>><</if>>\ \ With the monoplane at my back, I ran as fast as I could. Here, the moor sloped downwards, and I could see the greener country ahead of me. There was the sound of a shot and a bullet hit the earth beside me. <<if $food lte 5>>Having eaten so little, I did not have the strength to run.<</if>> <<if $food gt 5>>[[I headed for a group of tall trees, hoping to lure the monoplane into a trap. |MonoplaneCrashes]] [[I kept running. |MonoplaneLeaves][$pursued+=1]]<</if>> [[I fell to the earth, as if hit. |MonoplanePlayDead]]Eventually, the monoplane gave up the chase. It circled lazily upwards, then headed back in the direction it had come. Doubtless, the occupants would report what they had seen to my enemies, and more would come. <<include "incApproachingFarmhouse">><<set $pursued to 5>> I sprinted towards a clump of tall firs, the plane descending lower and lower. A bullet hit the ground beside me, missing me by inches. It was then that the pilot must have realised my plan, since I saw the plane try to ascend. But it was too late. The branches of the tallest fir tore through the wing of the plane, which descended to a grisly crash below. For a moment, the screams of the occupants carried over the moor, then there was silence. "Well, Richard Hannay," I said to myself, "If you were not a killer before, you certainly are now." <<include "incApproachingFarmhouse">> Shouting as I fell, I crumpled to the ground, then lay as still as I could. Even so, the monoplane's occupants did not trust me. They circled for what seemed like an hour and I knew they were watching me. Eventually, they tired of their observation, or more likely their fuel was running low, and headed back the way they had came. I waited until the monoplane was a pinprick in the sky, then rose stiffly to my feet. It had been one of the longest waits of my life, but, if my enemies thought I was dead, it would buy me some time. <<include "incApproachingFarmhouse">>Ahead of me, the heather grew more sparse, and the moor became farming land. In the distance, I could see glimpses of white roads. <<if $pursued gte 5>>\ <<include "incDiscovered">> <<else>>\ Descending a slope, I came to a farmhouse, with a large barn standing beside it. The sun was sinking lower and I would need to stop for the night. <<if $food eq 0>>I also desperately needed to eat.<</if>> [[I approached the farmhouse, hoping they would give me lodging.|Farmhouse]] [[I approached the barn, hoping to stay there without being seen.|Barn]] <</if>><<set $wearingOnArrival to $wearing>>\ \ The farmhouse door was answered by a hearty-looking woman, who looked at me <<wOpenCleverBold "shyly" "suspiciously" "warily">>. When I asked for lodging, she <<wOpenCleverBold "readily" "quickly" "grudgingly">> offered a bed in the loft. <<if $wearing neq "tweeds">>When she saw my <<print $wearing>>, she insisted on giving me clothing that would see me better through my journey. In a corner, she found an old plaid of her husband's, together with some hard-wearing trousers. <</if>>\ Later that evening, her husband came home from the fields. They sat me by the fire and set in front of me scones and fatty ham, washed down with sweet milk. <<if $food eq 0>>It was the first food I had seen since London.<</if>> <<link [[(BE OPEN) As I ate, I told them my tale.|Next Morning]]>><<set $open++>><<$food += 5>><<if $wearing eq "tweeds">><<set $headerText to "In the morning, I arose at five when the farmwork started, and bade my hosts farewell. I wondered if they had believed my tale, especially given I arrived wearing hardy tweeds, more suited to a cattle dealer than a fleeing murderer. ">><<set $pursued+= 1>><<else>><<set $headerText to "In the morning, I arose at five when the farmwork started, and bade my hosts farewell. I sensed they had believed my story and, of course, the "+$wearingOnArrival+" I had worn on arrival had fitted with that story.">><</if>><</link>> <<link [[(BE CLEVER) As I ate, I told them I was a cattle dealer.|Next Morning]]>><<set $clever++>><<$food += 5>><<if $wearing eq "tweeds">><<set $headerText to "In the morning, I arose at five when the farmwork started, and bade my hosts farewell. My tale of being a cattle dealer had convinced them, I judged, and they would not betray me. ">><<else>><<set $headerText to "In the morning, I arose at five when the farmwork started, and bade my hosts farewell. My tale of being a cattle dealer would, I realised, have been more convincing had it not been for the "+$wearingOnArrival+" I had worn on arrival.">><<set $pursued += 1>><</if>><</link>> [[Pleading tiredness, I refused the food and went straight to bed.|Next Morning][$headerText to "In the morning, I arose at five when the farmwork started, and bade my hosts farewell. They may well have been trustworthy folk, but I was glad I had not shared my story. "]] \ <<if $wearing neq "tweeds">><<set $wearing to "plaid">><</if>>\Waiting until sunset, I crept into the old barn and made myself as comfortable as I could, in a pile of old sacking. <<wOpenCleverBold "The spring air was cold, but deliciously fresh" "The spring air was mind-numbingly cold" "The spring air was cold, sapping the energy from me">><<if $food eq 0>>, and hunger was beginning to weaken me.<<else>>. I was thankful that I had eaten.<</if>> <<if $pocketbook eq 1>>[[Before sleeping, I looked through Scudder's notebook, in the dying light.|StudyNotebookInBarn]]<<newLine>><</if>>\ [[Before sleeping, I looked around the barn for anything useful.|Next Morning][$rope=1,$headerText="In a corner of the barn, I found an old rope, which I wound around my waist in case it was useful. In the first light of morning, I left before anyone could find me."]] [[Before sleeping, I listened to the sounds of the countryside around me.|Next Morning][$headerText="In the first light of morning, I roused my tired muscles and stiff bones, and left the barn before anyone could find me."]] <<set $sleptInBarn to 1>>By the dwindling sunlight, I tried to make sense of Scudder's pocketbook. <<include "incPocketbook">> [[I fell asleep with the little book in my hands.|Next Morning][$headerText="In the first light of morning, I roused my tired muscles and stiff bones, and left the barn before anyone could find me."]]As the sun ascended, I hiked through dewy pastures, past thatched villages and fir plantations. <<wOpenCleverBold "Everything seemed full of life and it was easy to forget the peril I was in. " "Everything seemed shadowed, a danger lurking behind every tree and beneath the surface of the water. " "There was a sense that the world was waiting, as if danger would come any moment. ">> <<if $pursued gte 5>>\ <<include "incDiscovered">> <<else>>\ [[When it was nearly midday, I entered a small village. |Village]] <</if>><<fadeAudio 3>><<set $chaseDistance to 2>> !!Chapter 3: The adventure of the broken rock As <<wBlackStone "the Black Stone" "my enemies">> approached, I looked around. Behind me was an inn, cradled between two hills, and they would be watching for me there. Ahead stretched a long ridge, with a clump of tall pines. On the west side of the ridge lay a valley, through which a gang of men advanced, beating the heather savagely. They had not seen me yet, but they would. Further beyond, I could see moving figures, and I knew a cordon lay around me. To the east, a sharp slope led down to a chalky road, on which I could see a distant motorcar. Beyond that was a large house, which might offer sanctuary. [[Keeping below the skyline, I moved along the ridge to the trees.|Trees][$chaseDistance-=1]] [[I scrambled down the slope, to put the ridge between me and my pursuers.|Road]]It was a long, straggling village, laid out along the road I was walking. It seemed a sleepy place and I imagined that, in normal times, it would rarely see much excitement. Directly in front of me was a post office, in which I could see a postmistress decoding a telegram. I have often thought that Britain's network of post offices, each with its own unique number, is one of its overlooked glories. In this post office, there was also a young constable, whom I guessed was the recipient of the telegram. As the message came through, they both turned to look at me. My enemies must have sent a message, I realised, giving a description of me. <<if $food lt 5>>I felt the urge to run, but having eaten so little, did not have the strength to do so.<</if>> The constable emerged from the post office and uncertainly held up his hand. [[(BE OPEN) I smiled confidently and kept walking. |VillageOpen][$open+=1]] [[(BE CLEVER) I stopped, affecting a Scottish accent. |VillageClever][$clever+=1]] <<if $food gt 5>>[[(BE BOLD) I broke into a run. |VillageBold][$bold+=1]]<</if>>It was then I saw distant movements in the landscape ahead. I was discovered, I was surrounded and <<if $blackstone eq 1>>the Black Stone<<else>>my enemies<</if>> were coming for me. <<set $footerInstructions to "If you had avoided your pursuers, you could have played through more of Chapter Two.">> [[Chapter Three|Chapter Three]] <<back [[Play Chapter Two again|Chapter Two]] >> <<playAudio "endchaptertwo">>\I reached the end of the village street, leaving the policeman behind me. As the houses grew fewer, I found myself in the green countryside I had spied before, with a long chalky road ahead of me. At the thought of the journey ahead of me, <<wOpenCleverBold "I felt happiness well up inside me, as if I was a boy. What greater pleasure could there be, I asked myself, than walking in this unspoilt landscape?" "I felt the terror inside me growing. What chance did I have, I asked myself, of keeping myself hidden in this open landscape?" "I felt a sense of danger around me. What enemies were ahead of me, I asked myself, and did I have the strength to fight back against all of them?">> As the afternoon passed, I walked alongside the road, until the sun hung low in the sky. <<if $pursued gte 5>>\ <<include "incDiscovered">> <<else>>\ [[Finally, as the light was about to fade, I came across an inn.|Inn]] <</if>>The inn was a white stone building, which lay in a dip between two hills. Sitting on the steps outside was a young man, reading a newspaper. I asked him whether he offered lodging and he replied in the affirmative. "And to tell you the truth, sir," he continued, "I would be glad of the company, since I have had few visitors since I inherited this place." <<if $sleptInBarn eq 1>>Not wanting another night of rough sleeping, <</if>>I gladly accepted. Over a meal of <<print either("stewed pheasant","smoked haddock soup","venison and turnips")>>, he told me that he dreamed of being a writer. "Alas," he added, "I need an adventure to write about and I will not experience one here." "Then," I said, "Do I have a tale for you!" [[(BE OPEN) I told him the story of the murder and my escape.|InnRoom][$open+=1,$innnewspaper=1,$headerText="I told the young innkeeper of my journey and he listened enthralled. Afterwards, he retired to his room to scribble furiously, leaving me his newspaper."]] [[(BE CLEVER) I told him I was a spy, who was evading German officers. |InnRoom][$open+=1,$innnewspaper=1,$headerText="I told a tall tale of espionage, and whether or not the young innkeeper believed it, he was enraptured. Afterwards, he retired to his room to scribble furiously, leaving me his newspaper."]] [[(BE BOLD) I told him a favourite adventure story, which I had read as a child. |InnRoom][$innnewspaper=0,$headerText="The young innkeeper listened politely to my story, although it was evidently not enough to distract him from his newspaper, which he took to his room after dinner."]]I nodded at the policeman and tried to smile, passing him with all the confidence I could muster. Perhaps, though, my confidence failed or the policeman was not so easily fooled, because I saw his doubt beginning to grow. He stepped in my path, looking at my <<print $wearing>>, and asked me what I was doing in the village. [[(BE OPEN) I told him the truth, as if daring him to arrest me. |VillageSucceed][$open+=1,$pursued+=2,$headerText="Looking him directly in the eye, I told him he had the man wanted for the Portland Place murder in front of him. He backed away nervously, doubtless to contact his superior, and I walked on."]] [[(BE BOLD) I hit him in the eye. |VillageSucceed][$bold+=1,$pursued+=1,$headerText="My left fist caught him squarely in the eye, knocking him backwards. Before he could get back to his feet, I had sprinted away."]] [[(BE CLEVER) I invented a story, affecting a Scottish accent. |VillageClever][$clever+=1]] Affecting the voice of a drunk herder, I spun the constable a yarn, explaining that I had lost a favourite sheep earlier in the day and was looking for a pub to drown my sorrows. As I spoke, though, I could see his disbelief growing. He changed tack and asked me whether I had seen any strangers in the area. [[(BE CLEVER) I told him I had seen a stranger. |VillageSucceed][$clever +=1,$pursued+=1,$headerText="Still impersonating the drunk herder, I told an expansive tale of a blood-covered murderer, roaming the hills in a tattered suit. He clearly doubted my tale. Fortunately, he seemed to blame it on my drunkenness, and sent me on my way. I had no doubt, however, that he would remember me."]] [[(BE CLEVER) Sensing a trap, I told him I had seen no-one. |VillageSucceed][$clever+=1,$headerText="Still impersonating the drunk herder, I told him I had spent the morning drinking and had seen no-one. He became disinterested and sent me on my way."]] [[(BE BOLD) I hit him in the eye. |VillageSucceed][$bold+=1,$pursued+=1,$headerText="My left fist caught him squarely in the eye, knocking him backwards. Before he could get back to his feet, I had sprinted away."]]To my surprise, the constable had his wits about him. As I tried to shove him out of the way, he caught my sleeve, and I could not shake him off. [[(BE BOLD) I hit him in the eye. |VillageSucceed][$pursued+=1,$bold+=1,$headerText="My left fist caught him squarely in the eye, knocking him backwards. Before he could get back to his feet, I had sprinted away."]] [[(BE CLEVER) I apologised, affecting a Scottish accent|VillageClever][$clever+=1]]My room was at the back of the inn, overlooking a tree-lined ridge, over which I would journey tomorrow. <<if $rope eq 1>>That length of rope, which I had found in the barn, would come in handy here if I needed an escape. <<set $innExit to 1>><</if>> I observed myself in a long mirror, with my sunburned skin and my <<print $wearing>>. I felt that, already, I had changed from the man who found Scudder's body: <<wOpenCleverBold "I had learned to enjoy the journey, being open to every joy that came my way." "I was sharper and cleverer, learning to outwit my enemies before they did the same to me." "I was bolder, more ready to take decisive action when it was needed.">> <<if $killer eq 1>>I had also, I remembered, taken a human life.<</if>> [[Before retiring, I searched the room for anything useful.|InnMorning][$headerText="Before bed, I found a wardrobe with an old suit, with a pattern I remembered as heather mixture. I gave silent thanks to the innkeeper and put it on.", $wearing="heather mixture suit"]] <<if $innExit neq 1>>[[Before retiring, I searched the room for potential exits.|InnMorning][$headerText="Before bed, I inspected the window. It looked out to a flat roof, which, if necessary, would serve as a means of descent.",$innExit=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $innnewspaper eq 1>>[[Before retiring, I read the newspaper.|InnNewspaper]] <</if>>\ <<if $pocketbook eq 1>>[[Before retiring, I read Scudder's pocketbook.|InnPocketbook]] <</if>>\ [[Before retiring, I wondered if the rest of the journey would change me further.|InnMorning]]I slept <<wOpenCleverBold "deeply that night, exhausted and exhilirated. " "badly that night, my mind on my enemies' next move. " "lightly that night, alert for any danger. ">>In the morning, I was awakened by a car pulling up<<wOpenCleverBold ". " ", and the fainter sound of bicycle tyres." ", and the fainter sound of bicycle tyres.">> Presently, the innkeeper tapped on the door. "There is a policeman downstairs, asking about you," he said excitedly, "And two chaps waiting outside in a car." [[(BE OPEN) "Tell the policeman he has no right to disturb us without a warrant," I said. |InnUpstairs][$open+=1,$headerText="He was a true friend, that innkeeper. With a gleam in his eye, he headed downstairs, where I heard him telling the policeman he had no right to interfere with people minding their own business, and he should send someone senior if he expected to get anywhere."]] [[(BE CLEVER) "Let's throw the policeman off the scent," I said.|InnUpstairs][$clever+=1,$headerText="I scribbled a few lines on the inn's notepaper, made to look like the lost page of a letter. It was some nonsense about German assassins, but enough to keep the police interested. The innkeeper headed downstairs with the paper, telling the policeman he had found it in the room after I had left."]] <<if $innExit eq 1>>[[(BE BOLD) "Keep him busy while I make my escape," I said, looking towards the window.|InnDownstairs][$bold+=1,$headerText="I opened the window to escape. The innkeeper's eyes widened for a moment, then he took himself downstairs to stall the policeman. "]] <</if>>\ <<if $pocketbook eq 1>>[["Give the policeman this pocketbook," I said.|InnEnd][$pocketbook=0,$headerText="The innkeeper took the notebook downstairs to give to the policeman. It had the desired effect, for the next I heard, the policeman was arguing with the men outside in the car. I took the chance to slip past them all. "]] <</if>>\I found myself behind the inn, amongst a mess of barrels and gardening tools. Leaning against a wall was the policeman's bicycle. My enemies had positioned their car carefully, so that, whichever way I left the inn, they would see me. I would need to either distract them or leave as quickly as I could. [[(BE CLEVER) I threw something through a window to distract them.|InnEnd][$clever+=1,$headerText="I found a garden fork, which I sent sailing through the window. As the men in the car rushed into the inn to investigate, I slipped away."]] [[(BE BOLD) I stole the policeman's bicycle.|InnEnd][$bold+=1,$headerText="As quietly as I could, I stood the bicycle upright and wheeled it to the edge of the road, then pushed off downhill as fast I could go. Fortunately, my enemies took time to turn their car around, and by the time they gave chase, I had abandoned the bicycle and lost myself in the undergrowth. "]] That dealt with the policeman, at least for the moment. There were still my enemies, however, waiting outside in the car and watching for my exit from the inn. [[(BE CLEVER) I crept downstairs and looked for a back exit.|InnEnd][$clever+=1,$headerText="I crept down the stairs, at the base of which I found a door leading to a basement. Feeling my way in that basement, I found a coal hatch, through which I lifted myself to freedom."]] <<if $innexit eq 1>>[[(BE BOLD) "Keep him busy while I make my escape," I said.|InnDownstairs][$bold+=1,$headerText="I opened the window of my room and descended to the ground below."]] <</if>>\ Leaving the inn far behind, I ascended a bare ridge, which would give me a better view of the surrounding countryside. <<include "incDiscovered">> <<set $footerInstructions to "You played through all of Chapter Two, because you avoided your pursuers' attention.">>Crouching low, I moved along the eastern side of the ridge, along the gully of a dried stream. I reached a clump of tall trees, with enough handholds for climbing. Towards the south, the ridge descended into a bog of black pools and thorns. If I could reach it before my pursuers, it might offer some concealment, but I doubted whether I could do so unobserved. Now I could hear the voices of my pursuers and the sound of their beaters against the heather. In a few moments, they would find me, and that would be the end. Below me was the rocky road, on the other side of which was the house, and further along the road was a solitary figure was breaking rocks. [[I climbed the tallest tree I could find.|ClimbTree]] [[I ran straight down the slope to the road, towards the house.|Road]] [[I ran diagonally down the slope, towards the man breaking rocks. |Roadman]] [[I ran along the ridge, descending into the bog.|BogCapture][$chaseDistance-=1,$footerInstructions="To avoid being captured, try finding a way to delay your pursuers or get behind them."]] <<stopAudio>><<stopAudio>>As I ran down the slope, the chalky pebbles slipped beneath my feet. I found myself on a long, dusty road. Further along, a roadman was hard at work, breaking rocks. Across the road from the ridge, was a long driveway leading to a house. <<wOpenCleverBold "It might offer me a chance to hide." "It felt like a place to hide, but it also felt like a trap." "The driveway appeared unguarded, which made me sense danger.">> In the distance, a motorcar approached, and in a minute would be able to see me. <<if $chaseDistance gte 2>>Behind me, my pursuers were out of sight behind the ridge, and I had a few moments before they would catch me.<<else>>Behind me, a movement at the top of the ridge indicated my pursuers were nearly upon me.<</if>> [[I headed down the road towards the roadman.|Roadman][$chaseDistance-=1]] [[I headed up the driveway.|Driveway]]I headed down into the bog, where the marshy pools sat alongside clumps of vegetation. This would be my best chance of concealment. But before I could conceal myself, my pursuers came within sight. They formed a careful semicircle around me, approaching me from all sides, then overpowered me. <<set $footerInstructions to "To avoid capture, try finding a way to delay your pursuers or get behind them.">> [[Tying me securely, they dragged me up a dusty driveway, and deposited me in a locked storeroom.|Imprisonment]] At the side of the road, a bent figure crouched over a rock, which he was breaking with a pickaxe. I wished him good morning and he replied in kind. <<if $chaseDistance eq 0>><<set $footerInstructions to "To avoid being captured, try finding a way to delay your pursuers or get behind them.">>But that was as far as our conversation went, for at that moment, my pursuers crested the ridge. Spreading wide so I could not escape, they descended on me, and although I tried to escape, there was nowhere to hide. [[Tying me securely, they dragged me up a dusty driveway, and deposited me in a locked storeroom.|Imprisonment]] <<else>>\ A dusty driveway led off the road<<wOpenCleverBold " and might lead to somewhere I could hide." ", which might lead to somewhere I could hide, but could equally lead into a trap." " and appeared unguarded, which made me sense danger.">> In the distance, I could hear my pursuers. But they had not yet crested the ridge, so I had a moment to think about my next move. [[I asked the roadman about his work.|RoadmanTalk][$chaseDistance-=1]] [[I ran up the dusty driveway.|Driveway]] <</if>>My makeshift prison was clearly a repurposed storeroom, with windows boarded from outside and covered with sacking. It made the room dark, although I could just make out some crates. Somewhere in the dark were my belongings, which they had thrown in here with me. The door was locked and, outside it, two of my former pursuers stood guard. They spoke, in German, and I understood they were waiting for someone to arrive. I did not doubt that, when that happened, my time would be up. [[I yelled at the guards, protesting my innocence and demanding food.|imprisonmentFoodBeforeTorch]] [[I felt around in the dark.|imprisonmentTorch]]The driveway was overgrown, as if it had been untended for months. When I reached the house, it looked deserted, although the front door was standing open. Once inside, I explored the house. There was little furniture and a lot of dust, although, I thought, I might find a hiding place. But I had blundered into a trap. From behind, rough arms took hold of me, propelled me to the back of the house, and shoved me through a door. [[As the door clicked behind me, I realised I was in a storeroom.|Imprisonment]]At the side of the road, a bent figure crouched over a rock, which he was breaking with a pickaxe. I wished him good morning and he replied in kind. "That's a hard job of yours," I told him. "It is that," he agreed, "My daughter was married last night and, to tell you the truth, I'm worse for the wear this morning. I would as soon be in my bed." \ <<if $chaseDistance eq 0>><<set $footerInstructions to "To avoid being captured, try finding a way to delay your pursuers or get behind them.">> And at that, my pursuers crested the ridge. Spreading wide so I could not escape, they descended on me, and although I tried to escape, there was nowhere to hide. [[Tying me securely, they dragged me up a dusty driveway, and deposited me in a locked storeroom.|Imprisonment]] <<else>>\ From over the ridge, I heard my pursuers' voices, as they struggled towards the top. Somewhere nearby, there was a motorcar engine. I affected a smile, as if offering a bit of sport. "Well then," I said, "I have an offer for you. Give me your clothes and let me do your job for an hour or so." He looked at me sternly, then realised I was serious. "That's a fine offer," he said, "And for an hour, I won't say no." And that was how I ended exchanging clothes with a roadman. As I finished putting on his dusty jacket and he departed gratefully for his bed, my pursuers came over the ridge. They gave me a glance, but I bent over the broken rock, and they moved past me. <<set $chaseDistance to 99>> [[After they left, I turned back towards the ridge, which descended into a bog.|BogEscape][$footerInstructions="To avoid being captured, try waiting a while longer after taking the roadman's clothes."]] [[After they left, I continued to bend over my work, in case my enemies were still watching.|Motorcar]] <</if>>It was a knotty pine, ideal for climbing, and within seconds I had reached a good height. Here, I had a good view of my pursuers. They were hardy, local men, who were no doubt hired by <<wBlackStone "the Black Stone" "my enemies">>, and knew the land well. They had not yet seen me, but unless I climbed higher, they would doubtless do so. [[(BE OPEN) I shouted at them and waved, hoping to draw their attention.|TreeWave][$chaseDistance=2, $open += 1]] [[(BE BOLD) I climbed higher, hoping to hide.|TreeHide][$chaseDistance=99, $bold += 1]] I shouted cheerily at my pursuers, who hallooed to me in turn. Several of them headed towards the tree, while the others started further up the ridge, to cut me off if I headed that way. This had been my plan. With my pursuers heading one way, I could descend in the opposite direction. It would take them a few minutes to realise their mistake. I clambered down the tree as quickly as I could and took to my heels, running low and fast. [[I ran to the south, where the ridge descended into a bog.|BogEscape][$chaseDistance--]] [[I ran directly down the slope, towards the road and a driveway to a house.|Road]] [[I ran diagonally down the slope, towards a solitary figure breaking rocks.|Roadman]]After scaling to the topmost branches, I clung on for life, keeping the trunk between me and my pursuers as best I could. At this height, the pine swayed precariously in the wind, and I offered prayers to anyone who would listen. Mercifully, my pursuers did not see me. They passed over the ridge, ignoring the tree I was in, and began to descend the other side. Now I was behind them and had the advantage. [[(BE BOLD) I started after my pursuers, hoping to pick them off from behind.|HuntFromBehind][$bold += 1]] [[(BE CLEVER) I started down the hill, towards a bog where I hoped to hide.|BogEscape][$clever += 1]]Grabbing a rock, I started after the beaters. One of them had dropped behind, I noticed, and I headed for him. I sprang on him from behind, my forearm against his throat to prevent him crying out. "Now then, old chap," I said. [[(BE CLEVER) "Give me your shooting jacket, then be off with you."|BogEscape][$clever += 1,$wearing="shooting jacket",$headerText="Without a word, the beater ran off down the slope, leaving his jacket in my hands. Perhaps it had been foolhardy to let him go, but I did not want to take a life needlessly."]] [[(BE BOLD) "I'm afraid this is the end for you."|BogEscape][$bold += 1,$killer = 1,$wearing="shooting jacket",$headerText="I brought the rock down on his head and it broke in my hands. There are few circumstances in which I would take a life, but I knew he would have done the same to me."]]By the light of a small lamp, I studied the newspaper. The Portland Place Murder, as it was called, occupied much of the front page. <<if $hidBody eq 1>>The body had been found in a trunk<<else>>The body had been found on the floor of my flat<</if>> and the police were searching for the flat's occupant, <<switch $pursued>><<case 5>>who they expected to arrest imminently. <<case 4>>who they had traced to a village in Scotland. <<case 3>>who they had traced to the Scottish highlands. <<case 2>>who they suspected was in Scotland. <<case 1>>who they suspected had headed north from London.<<default>>whose whereabouts were currently unknown.<</switch>> <<if def $milkmanMethod>> The suspect had, the story continued, <<if $milkmanMethod eq "hit">>assaulted a milkman in making his escape. I examined my bruised knuckles and offered an apology to the milkman in his absence. <<else>>stolen a milkman's jacket in making his escape. I smiled at the memory of that milkman and offered him my thanks for not saying anything more. <</if>> <</if>>\ Aside from the murder, the newspaper was full of a peace conference taking place in London. There was a brief mention of plans for two new battleships being prepared for Lord Alloa, the Lord of the Admirality. [[Putting the paper aside, I fell gratefully into the bed.|InnMorning]] By the light of a small bedside lamp, I tried to make sense of Scudder's little book. <<include "incPocketbook">> [[Putting the pocketbook aside, I fell gratefully into the bed.|InnMorning]] I headed down into the bog, where the marshy pools sat alongside clumps of vegetation. This would be my best chance of concealment. I selected a pool that looked deep, nestled behind a broken-looking rock to provide extra cover, and lowered myself in up to my neck. There I waited, through a long and cold afternoon, while my pursuers conducted a fruitless search. When I judged they were suitably distant, I emerged. <<if $wearing eq "shooting jacket">>I still needed to make it through the cordon that surrounded me. There, the shooting jacket I had taken from the beater assisted me. [[Dressed like one of my enemies, I made it through their line, and continued heading south.|HelloMrHannay]] <<else>><<set $footerInstructions to "To avoid being captured, try finding a change of clothes.">>But, although I had avoided the beaters, I still needed to make it through the cordon that surrounded me, and there my luck was out. Covered from head to toe with mud, they identified me easily. [[Tying me securely, they dragged me up a dusty driveway, and deposited me in a locked storeroom.|Imprisonment]] <</if>>I found myself in a landscape of fields and rushes, through which a little stream puttered its way. It was, I guessed, the land of a moderate country house. As I stopped to wash my face in the stream, I noticed a fisherman on the other bank. I wished him good morning and he nodded in return. [["Mr Hannay," he said.|ItsAllRight]]I broke rocks diligently for a few minutes, until my pursuers were nearly out of sight. It was as well I did, since, within a minute, a motorcar pulled alongside me. The two occupants were casually dressed, with an affected ease about them. <<wOpenCleverBold "" "They had a clever look and I had no doubt they were also my enemies." "I had little doubt they were dangerous.">> Ignoring me, they stopped the car, got out and wandered over to my pursuers. I heard snatches of German in their conversation. [[(BE BOLD) I hopped into their car and drove off.|HelloMrHannay][$bold+=1,$headerText="I will never forget the look my pursuers gave me, as I drove off in their car. It was halfway between murderous and respectful."]] [[(BE CLEVER) I slipped away, as if I needed to mend the next section of the road.|HelloMrHannay][$clever+=1,$headerText="It was a long walk along that dusty road, carrying my rocks and pickaxe. But, when I reached the cordon surrounding me, my dusty roadman's clothes attracted not a second glance, and I made it through with ease."]] <<set $imprisonmentFood to 1>>In a broad Scottish accent, I demanded to know what they wanted of me. I protested that they had got the wrong man: I had wandered into the house looking for a place to sleep. There was no reply at first. Keeping to my character, I demanded food repeatedly, until I heard one of the guards wandering off in what sounded like exasperation. <<if $hazelstick eq 1>>In a stroke of luck, my hand alighted on the hazel stick I had cut from the trees near the railway.<</if>> Within minutes, the door opened fractionally and they shoved a plate through, on which was a slice of pie and an apple. [[I ate the food.|imprisonmentTorch][$food+=5,$headerText="They slammed the door on me as I ate the pie. I was left alone again in the dark storeroom."]] [[I rushed at the door.|imprisonmentTorch][$headerText="I tried to get a hand in the door, but they were ready for me, and slammed it immediately. I was left alone again in the dark storeroom."]] <<if $hazelstick eq 1>>[[I jammed the hazel stick in the door.|imprisonmentEscape][$headerText="Before they could close the door, I wedged the stick into the crack. They opened the door wider to remove it and I was ready for them. I thrust the stick at the shin of one enemy and heard a howl, then barged past them both."]]<</if>> My hand alighted on a sturdy cylinder, which I realised, with excitement, was an electric torch. When I tried the switch, it gave a dim glow, which gave me just enough to see by. Now I could see that, against one wall of the storeroom, there was a stack of wooden crates, against which was thrown some rusty gardening equipment. There was also an ancient wooden cupboard, which looked sturdy, and an equally ancient back door, although a quick tug showed me both were locked. <<include "incImprisonmentActions">> The gardening equipment was rusted and clearly abandoned. Nevertheless, I did find a pair of old shears, that were blunt but might be of use. <<include "incImprisonmentActions">>When I shone the light inside the cupboard, I was initially disappointed. Perhaps I was hoping for a blade or even a gun. What I found instead were old clothes and tobacco tins containing screws and nails. I did, however, pocket a coil of stiff wire. <<include "incImprisonmentActions">><<if $pocketbook eq 1 and $imprisonmentPocketbook neq 1>>[[I used the time to study Scudder's pocketbook by the torchlight.|imprisonmentPocketbook][$imprisonmentPocketbook=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $imprisonmentFood neq 1>>[[I shouted to the guards, demanding food.|imprisonmentFood][$imprisonmentFood=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $blackstone neq 1>>[[I listened to the guards' conversation.|imprisonmentListen][$blackstone=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $lentonite neq 1>>[[I prised open a crate.|imprisonmentCrate][$lentonite=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $shears neq 1>>[[I played the torch over the gardening equipment.|imprisonmentGardening][$shears=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $wire neq 1 and $shears eq 1>>[[(BE CLEVER) I used the shears to open the cupboard.|imprisonmentCupboard][$wire=1,$clever+=1,$headerText="I opened the shears and slid one of the blades up the side of the cupboard door. To my delight, it caught the lock, and the cupboard swung open."]] <</if>>\ <<if $wire neq 1>>[[(BE BOLD) I forced open the cupboard.|imprisonmentCupboard][$wire=1,$bold+=1,$headerText="I grabbed the corner of the cupboard door and pulled hard, until the lock splintered. One of the guards shouted at me to be quiet, but thankfully did not come in."]] <</if>>\ <<if $lentonite eq 1>>[[(BE BOLD) I blew a hole in the wall.|imprisonmentEscape][$bold+=1,$headerText="Commending my soul, I wedged myself behind the sturdy cupboard and pressed the detonator. There was a blinding flash of yellow light, then I must have fallen unconcious briefly. When I awoke, the guards were rattling at the door, and I stumbled out as quickly as I could."]] <</if>>\ <<if $lentonite eq 1>>[[(BE CLEVER) I called to the guards, threatening to blow a hole in the wall.|imprisonmentEscape][$clever+=1,$headerText="I shouted to the guards that I had found a detonator and would not hesitate to blow us all away. At first, they laughed, until they opened the door to see what I had found. They froze and, in that moment, I barged past and ran out."]] <</if>>\ <<if $wire eq 1>>[[(BE CLEVER) I used the wire to open the back door.|imprisonmentEscape][$bold+=1,$headerText="Twisting the wire into a hook, I poked it inside the lock and turned. I had once known a locksmith, who told me how to feel the tumblers turning. As the lock clicked open, I thanked him and made my way into the sunlight."]] <</if>>\As fast as I could, I ran over the unkempt lawn and away from that accursed house. [[When I was convinced I had lost any pursuers, I slowed my pace and took stock of my surroundings.|HelloMrHannay]]<<set $imprisonmentFood to 1>>In a broad Scottish accent, I demanded food repeatedly. At first, there was no reply, then I heard one of the guards wandering off in what sounded like exasperation. <<if $hazelstick eq 1>>In a stroke of luck, my hand alighted on the hazel stick I had cut from the trees near the railway.<</if>> Within minutes, the door opened fractionally and they shoved a plate through, on which was a slice of pie and an apple. [[I ate the food.|imprisonmentAfterEating][$food+=5,$headerText="They slammed the door on me as I ate the pie. I was left alone again in the storeroom."]] [[I rushed at the door.|imprisonmentAfterEating][$headerText="I tried to get a hand in the door, but they were ready for me, and slammed it immediately. I was left alone again in the dark storeroom."]] <<if $shears eq 1>>[[(BE BOLD) I stabbed the shears through the crack in the door. |imprisonmentEscape][$bold+=1,$headerText="Before they could close the door, I stabbed wildly with the shears, catching the hand of the guard as he gave me the food. It was enough: he screamed and released the door, which I forced open and barged past."]] <</if>>\ <<if $hazelstick eq 1>>[[I jammed the hazel stick in the door.|imprisonmentEscape][$headerText="Before they could close the door, I wedged the stick into the crack. They opened the door wider to remove it and I was ready for them. I thrust the stick at the shin of one enemy and heard a howl, then barged past them both."]] <</if>>\ <<include "incImprisonmentActions">>As quietly as I could manage, I prised open one of the crates. At first, the contents seemed quite useless, a mess of broken pickaxes and heavy gloves. But I had done my time as a mining engineer and recognised the equipment of my trade. Looking through the rest of the crates, I found a detonator, and even a crumbling chunk of lentonite. The question was: how much would I need? Too little and I would only attract attention, too much and I would blow up the whole house. It was an incredible risk, but perhaps one I should take. <<include "incImprisonmentActions">>With my hunger satisfied, I looked around the storeroom and considered my next move. <<include "incImprisonmentActions">><<include "incPocketbook">> I looked around the storeroom again. <<include "incImprisonmentActions">>Before I could reply, he smiled. "It's all right, I know who you are. It may help to know that, earlier today, I told the police you were not the Portland Place Murderer. They are no longer looking for you." He introduced himself as Sir Walter Bullivant, of the Foreign Office, and reeled in his fishing line. "Now," he continued, "If it is agreeable, I thought we might get some dinner, and discuss what you know." [[I, of course, agreed.|Who]]Sir Walter and I walked through the grounds of his house, which were pleasingly wild, with roses and lilac spilling on to the lawns. Once inside, I was shown to a room, where there was a bath drawn and clothes laid out for me. Over dinner, he told me of Scudder, who had been one of his informants. He had, he explained, received a letter from Scudder written just before his death, which had mentioned he intended to confide in me. That had been enough to clear me from the list of suspects for his murder. After dinner, we settled for coffee in a study filled with chintz and well-used books. "But, of your pursuers, we know little," he explained. "Do you know who they are?". <<if $blackstone eq 1>>[["\"They call themselves The Black Stone,\" I replied."|What][$headerText="\"The Black Stone,\" he said, \"Der Schwarzestein. I have heard the name, but did not know they were involved in this. That is dangerous news indeed.\""]]<<else>>[["I do not", I replied.|What][$headerInstructions="To find who your enemies are, get close enough to listen to them.",$headerText="\"I am not surprised,\" he said, \"Our own investigations have revealed little.\""]]<</if>> "And," he continued, "Do you know what they want?". [["\"I think I do\", I replied."|What1]] [["That is still a mystery," I replied.|Where][$headerInstructions="To discover your enemies' plans, read newspapers, and look for the pocketbook hidden in your flat.",$headerText="\"Well,\" he said, \"I am sure we will find out.\""]] He put his coffee down and looked at me. "And, now, the crucial question," he said, "Where must we go to intercept them?". <<if $code gte 1>>[["\"I have a clue\", I replied."|WhereClue]] [["\"I think I know the place\", I replied."|WhereLocation]] <</if>>\ [["That I do not know", I replied.|EndChapterThree][$headerInstructions="To find the location, first find the pocketbook in your flat, then try to understand the symbols. This is a difficult one to solve!",$headerText="\"There we may be able to help,\" he said, \"For I have men scouring the coast of Britain as we speak. Where deduction fails, brute force will succeed.\""]] I explained about the symbols in Scudder's pocketbook, starting with the staircase. "It is somewhere," I said, "With thirty-nine steps." Sir Walter frowned. "We may need to narrow it down a little more than that," he said. "I believe I can," I said, "If we look at..." [["The sea."|WhereTheSea]] [["Post offices."|WherePostOffices]] [["Coordinates."|WhereCoordinates]]"The location," I explained, "Is somewhere with thirty-nine steps." Sir Walter frowned. "We may need to narrow it down a little more than that," he said. "I think I can," I said, "It is in..." [["England."|WhereEngland]] [["Wales."|WhereWales]] [["Scotland."|WhereScotland]]There was the sound of a telephone, at which Sir Walter excused himself. Moments later, he reappeared, several shades paler. "We must go. Two vital sets of naval plans have been stolen," he said, "And we must intercept them." [[Chapter Four]] <<back [[Play Chapter Three again|Chapter Three]] >> <<playAudio "endchapterthree">>\"Post offices?" asked Sir Walter politely. "Yes," I replied, "Or rather..." [["The time of the last post..."|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]] [["Post Office numbers..."|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter turned to his bookshelf, from which he produced an index of Post Office numbers. I scanned for the number 784: it was Tenby, in Pembrokeshire."]] [["The price of a First Class stamp..."|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]]"The sea?" asked Sir Walter politely. "Yes," I replied, "Or rather..." [["High tide..."|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]] [["Cliffs..."|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]] [["Ebb tide..."|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]]"Co-ordinates?" asked Sir Walter politely. "Yes," I replied, "And specifically..." [["Latitude and longitude..."|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]] [["Grid references..."|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]] [["German military coordinates..."|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]]Sir Walter looked interested. "Whereabouts in England?" [["Nottingham.", I said.|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"Although I would expect it to be a port, probably on the South Coast. I have my men searching. \" "]] [["Broadstairs.", I said.|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]] [["Hastings.", I said.|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]] Sir Walter looked interested. "Whereabouts in Wales?" [["Cardiff.", I said.|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"I would certainly expect it to be a port on the South Coast. I have my men searching. \" "]] [["Tenby.", I said.|EndChapterThree][$headerText="I explained the symbol in Scudder's notebook and the link to Post Office numbers.. \"Yes,\" he said, \"That sounds very plausible. \" "]] [["Conwy.", I said.|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"Although I would expect it to be a port on the South Coast. I have my men searching. \" "]]Sir Walter looked interested. "Whereabouts in Scotland?" [["Edinburgh.", I said.|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]] [["Fife.", I said.|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]] [["Skye..", I said.|EndChapterThree][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"Perhaps,\" he suggested, \"And just in case, I have my men searching every port on the South Coast.\" "]]I paused for effect. [["\"The British Prime Minister...\""|What3][$correctImpersonate=0]] [["\"The Greek Prime Minister...\""|What3][$correctImpersonate=0]] [["\"The Lord of the Admirality...\""|What3][$correctImpersonate=1]]"They intend to kidnap the Lord of the Admirality", I said, "And the ransom will be..." [["\"...a pouch of diamonds.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter laughed. \"Goodness,\" he suggested, \"That is quite the plan. \" "]] [["\"...naval plans.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter laughed. \"Goodness,\" he suggested, \"That is quite the plan. \" "]] [["\"...a map of the coming invasion.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter laughed. \"Goodness,\" he suggested, \"That is quite the plan. \" "]]"They intend to kill the Lord of the Admirality", I said, "Because..." [["\"...of revenge.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter laughed. \"It seems unlikely,\" he suggested, \"But we can never be sure. \" "]] [["\"...he is a spy.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter laughed. \"It seems unlikely,\" he suggested, \"But we can never be sure. \" "]] [["\"...it will distract from their real purpose.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter laughed. \"Goodness,\" he suggested, \"That is quite the plan. \" "]]!!Chapter 4: The Thirty-Nine Steps <<fadeAudio 3>>\ From across the bay, I trained my binoculars on the staircase cut into the cliffs. I counted the steps, of which there were thirty-nine. "That," I told Sir Walter, "Is where they will be." At the top was a clifftop road, on which <<wOpenCleverBold "stood an ordinary red-brick house, as you would find in any seaside town." "crouched a half-hidden building, masquerading as an ordinary house." "loomed a brick monstrosity, casting its shadow over the steps.">> On the other side of the road from the house, the steps led down to a small boat, <<wOpenCleverBold "which brought back happy memories of fishing." "positioned for an unobtrusive escape." "positioned for a quick escape.">> I looked again at the house. At the back was a tennis court, dusty after days of dry weather, on which a man who looked like a retiree played tennis with a gaunt younger man. From a bench, a smartly-dressed young chap egged them on. It was, I confessed, the most English sight in the world, and I wondered whether I had made a mistake. [[Together, Sir Walter and I walked over the cliffs to the house.|OutsideTheHouse]] <<set $footerInstructions to "If you play this final chapter several times, you'll learn the layout of the house and what actions to take.">>I listened carefully. The guards spoke mostly in German, although I could make out two words of English, "Black Stone". I wondered if this was the name my enemies used for themselves. <<include "incImprisonmentActions">>A trim parlour maid answered the door. When I asked to see the owner, I was shown through a hallway, strewn with golf clubs and suitcases. Through an archway, I glimpsed a comfortable smoking room, and I also noticed a door that was closed. <<wOpenCleverBold "It was the most normal house you could imagine." "It was a perfectly normal house and, I reflected, a nearly-perfect deception." "It was a perfectly everyday house, almost studied in its normality, and I sensed danger.">> In the dining room, the elderly gentleman rose to meet me, with a puzzled expression. The two younger men stared at me over their coffee. One of them, I reflected, was probably the man who murdered Scudder. Perhaps another was the one who stole the naval plans. And I wondered if the third was the mastermind of the whole operation. Perhaps I could rattle them and make them reveal themselves. "Yes?" said the older man, "You wished to see me, I understand." [["I am here to arrest you for the Portland Place murder," I replied.|TheyReply][$headerText="The thin man looked across at the smartly-dressed one, raising a confused eyebrow. ",$foundMurderer=1]] [["I am here to arrest you for the theft of British naval plans," I replied.|TheyReply][$headerText="The smartly-dressed young looked at the thin one, his nose wrinkling, as if in disbelief.",$foundThief=1]] [["I know everything about your plans," I replied.|TheyReply][$headerText="The old man frowned, as if in deep confusion.",$foundMastermind=1]]<<stopAudio>><<include "incBoldInit">>\ From a closer viewing, the house appeared even <<wOpenCleverBold "more normal" "more deceptively normal" "larger">> than it had from a distance. There was a front door with a bell, with a short path leading to the back. Towards the back of the house, I could just see my three suspects in a dining room, who had returned from their exertions and were chatting merrily. Perhaps, I reflected, I should see if anything looked out of place in the house. Sir Walter informed me that the house was surrounded by police officers and gave me a whistle, which I could use to summon them. He looked at me with curiosity. "What will you do, Mr Hannay?" he asked, "From what I have seen of you so far, you are a <<wOpenCleverBold "straightforward" "clever" "bold">> fellow, and I imagine <<wOpenCleverBold "you are itching to march up to the front door" "you have a ruse up your sleeve" "you will march straight in">>." [[(BE OPEN) I went to the front door and rang the bell.|OpenStart]] [[(BE CLEVER) I went around the back door, pretending to be a salesman.|CleverStart]] [[(BE BOLD) I kicked open the front door.|BoldHallway]] <<set $footerInstructions to "This chapter has three different ways to play, depending on the way you enter the house.">><<set $firsttimeinhallway to 1>>\ <<set $boldMurdererDown to 0>>\ <<set $boldThiefDown to 0>>\ <<set $boldMastermindDown to 0>>\ <<set $boldSavedCloak to 0>>\ <<set $boldSavedFlag to 0>>\ Bursting into the house, I found myself in a hallway. There were golf clubs, suitcases and a cloak hanging to dry. <<wOpenCleverBold "It was, in short, the most normal house you could imagine." "It was, in short, a perfectly normal house and, I reflected, a nearly-perfect deception." "It was, in short, a perfectly everyday house, and I sensed danger.">> On my left, I saw a well-appointed smoking room, and on my right was some kind of study. The dining room, where I had seen the three gentlemen, was in front of me. The eldest and largest of the men rushed straight at me. Behind him, a well-dressed man ran into the study. A gaunt gentleman brought up the rear, seemingly heading into the smoking room. [[Avoiding the older man, I followed the well-dressed gentleman into the study.|StudyTurn1]] [[I stood my ground, waiting for the older gentleman to come at me.|HallwayTurn1][$headerText="That old man was surprisingly strong, knocking me against the doorway before I freed myself. I heard noises from the study, as if the well-dressed man was searching for something."]] [[Avoiding the older man, I went into the smoking room.|SmokingTurn1]] [[I grabbed at the cloak.|HallwayTurn1][$headerText="When I grabbed the cloak, I saw something odd sewn into the lining. It was, I realised, one set of the naval plans. The older man launched himself at me, but I threw him off.",$boldSavedCloak=1]] [[I threw the cloak over the elderly gentleman.|HallwayTurn1][$headerText="When I grabbed the cloak, I saw something odd sewn into the lining. It was, I realised, one set of the naval plans. I threw it at the elderly gentleman, who went down to the floor.",$boldMastermindDown=1,$boldSavedCloak=1]] [[I let the elderly gentleman have my best right hook.|HallwayTurn1][$boldMastermindDown=1,$headerText="As the elderly gentleman came at me, I let him have my right fist in his face, and he crumpled to the floor."]] [[I gave the gaunt man a vicious jab.|HallwayTurn1][$boldMurdererDown=1,$headerText="As the gaunt man tried to run past, I let loose with my best jab to his stomach, and he sprawled."]]I followed the narrow path around to the back of the house, with its trim little garden and tennis courts. The flower beds were full of roses and irises, which were obviously well-tended. Through the kitchen window, I saw a pale kitchen maid, watering a potted thyme plant. I gave her a cheery wave and she reluctantly opened the kitchen door. "Cook is serving dinner," she said nervously. "That's all right," I replied as I entered, "You'll do just fine. I'm selling..." [["The most secure lock you can buy".|SellingLocks]] [["A cloth that gets the cleaning done in half the time". |SellingCloth]] [["Lighting powered by electricity". |SellingLighting]]For a moment, they sat shocked. Then the older man, his voice shaking slightly, replied "There must be some mistake, I am sure." <<wOpenCleverBold "I confess that, in that moment, I was not sure of my accusation. The old man seemed like any middle-class man one might meet in a coastal village. But it was my duty to press on." "I confess that, in that moment, I was not sure of my accusation. If the old man was lying, he was an expert deceiver. I would need to play my game carefully." "But I was sure of what I was saying, so I pressed on." >> "What is more," I said, <<if $foundMurderer neq 1>>[["\"You are responsible for the Portland Place Murder and I intend justice.\""|TheyReply2][$headerText="I looked at them all in turn. The thin man raised an eyebrow: it was a distinctive movement and I wondered if it told me something.",$foundMurderer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $foundThief neq 1>>[["\"You have stolen British naval plans and I intend to find them.\"" |TheyReply2][$headerText="I looked at them all in turn. The smartly-dressed young man wrinkled his nose: it was a distinctive movement and I wondered if it told me something.",$foundThief=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $foundMastermind neq 1>>[["\"I know everything about your plans.\""|TheyReply2][$headerText="I looked at them all in turn. The old man frowned, as if in deep confusion: it was a distinctive movement and I wondered if it told me something.",$foundMastermind=1]] <</if>>\ <<fadeAudio 1>>As we lay down the cards, I suddenly saw everything as it was. <<if $foundMurderer gte 2>>The gaunt man had murdered Scudder. He had raised his eyebrows in irritation when we played bridge and I remembered that movement, because he had done the same when I had mentioned the murder. <</if>><<if $foundThief gte 2>>The well-dressed man, I realised, was a master of disguise. He had probably stolen the naval plans. But he had an involuntary movement, a "tell": he wrinkled his nose, as he had done during bridge and when I accused them of stealing the plans. <</if>><<if $foundMastermind gte 2>>The elderly man was the mastermind of the whole operation. His frown gave him away: he had frowned when we played bridge and also when I had told them I knew their plans. <</if>><<if $foundMurderer gte 2 and $foundThief gte 2>>And, by elimination, that meant the elderly man must be the mastermind of the whole operation. <<elseif $foundMastermind gte 2 and $foundThief gte 2>>And, by elimination, that meant the gaunt man must be the man who killed Scudder. <<elseif $foundMurderer gte 2 and $foundMastermind gte 2>>And, by elimination, that meant the well-dressed man must be the thief, who stole the naval plans. <</if>>\ This house looked perfect, but it was just a front. The naval plans were here and they were waiting for me to leave, so they could escape down the steps to the boat. <<if $foundPlansOne eq 1>>The walking stick stand, in the study, had given the game away. No Englishman would keep walking sticks in a study, rather than the hallway. I wondered if that incongruous flag, stuck in the stand, contained a set of naval plans. <</if>>\ <<if $foundPlansTwo eq 1>>The cloak in the hallway was completely out of place. I wondered if one of the sets of naval plans was secreted within. <</if>>\ <<if $foundLever eq 1>>I was curious about the brass rail above the mantlepiece. It was an unusual place for a rail and, looking at it again, I wondered if it was a lever. What the lever did, I had no idea, but there was only one way to find out. <</if>>\ <<if $foundLever eq 1>>[[I pushed the rail above the fireplace.|EndPullsLever]] <</if>>\ <<if $foundPlansOne eq 1>>[[I ran to get the plans from the study.|EndGetsPlansOne]] <</if>>\ <<if $foundPlansTwo eq 1>>[[I ran to get the plans from the hallway.|EndGetsPlansTwo]] <</if>>\ [[I stood to block the front door.|EndBlockDoor]]!Notes. This game of The Thirty Nine Steps is loosely based on the book by John Buchan. It isn't based on the films of the same name, so you won't find episodes from the films in this game. If you've read the book, you'll recognise episodes from the story, although the game changes these around a lot. There are many ways through the story that aren't in the original book. The text is original, but it's based on the style of writing used in the book. My name's Graham Walmsley (graham at thievesoftime dot com) and this is the first piece of interactive fiction I've written, although I've written tabletop roleplaying games before. I wrote the music too. Thanks to Krystel Nyberg, Steve Hatherley, Mark Caldwell, Graham Roewe, Vivienne Dunstan and Anne Serup Grove for playtesting. [[Give me hints (with minor spoilers).|NotesHints]] [[Give me a full walkthrough.|NotesWalkthrough]] [[Show me the technical notes.|NotesTechnical.]] [[Tell me about bidding in Bridge.|NotesBridge]] <<back "Go back.">>!Walkthrough. There is no "right way" through the game, but here's a way that: <ul><li>Makes more "Open" choices than "Clever" or "Bold" ones, which makes the tone of the story uplifting rather than sinister or dangerous.</li> <li>Avoids your pursuers noticing you.</li> <li>Lets you answer most of Sir Walter's questions correctly.</li> <li>Captures all your enemies at the end and finds the naval plans.</li></ul> !! Chapter 1 After you discover Scudder's body, take the Open option ("inform the police"). Shave, which will remove your beard, then search the flat to reveal Scudder's notebook. Leave the flat and approach the milkman: if he isn't there, wait for him. You can choose any option to get his jacket, so choose the Open one ("I'm in a great deal of trouble"). Now you are disguised - that is, you're dressed as a milkman and you've shaved your beard - you can descend the stairs to Portland Place without the watchers noticing. The text will confirm this, by saying "Neither gave me a second glance". Now go to Fitzrovia, by choosing the Clever option ("I steered a path around them all"). There should be a postman there: if he isn't there, wait for him. You need his cap: choose the Bold option to get it, because it's better to run to the station. You are now on Euston Road. Dispose of the milkman's jacket, then pick up the suitcase and enter St Pancras' station. You can do this without alerting the watchers, because the postman's cap makes you look like a porter. You should be just in time for your train. You can buy any ticket you like, but choose the Open one. Because you've made a majority of Open choices, the text will end "I felt good about my life". <i>An alternative: If you don't care about the pocketbook, then instead of searching the flat, change into less conspicuous clothing before you leave the flat, This means you change into tweeds, which will make you less likely to draw your pursuers' attention in the Highlands.</i> !! Chapter 2 At Dumfries station, look through Scudder's notebook. Wait for the train to pull into the station, then choose the Clever option ("I kept my face hidden") to avoid talking to the Postmaster, who would remember you later. <i>An alternative: if you drew your pursuers attention in Chapter One, there will be policemen waiting at the station, and it is unwise for you to go there. If so, buy a ham sandwich at Dumfries station and place it in your pocket. Then, when the train stops outside the station, place the sandwich on the floor to distract the dog, and leap out into the brambles.</i> You're now walking across a moor. Since you have chosen mostly Open options, you should get a very positive description, in which "my heart lifted as though I was a boy". Take the Clever option ("I turned into the glen"), because it's the only one that keeps you concealed. Now the monoplane follows you. Because you've avoided your pursuers' attention, it should be "flying in a large circle...to scan the whole landscape". If you'd attracted their attention, it would be flying lower. Choose "I remained completely still", then "I kept hidden". If you were wearing tweeds, you could try "I kept walking" instead. Spend the night in the barn, which lets you study Scudder's notebook for a second time. You now know the letters are a substitution cipher and you know the keyword too. This should be enough to solve it, especially if you search the Internet, although you can keep studying the notebook for the full solution. <i>An alternative: If you don't want to decode the pocketbook, you could spend the night in the farmhouse, where they offer you dinner. If you tell the occupants a story, make sure it matches your clothes: if you're wearing the tweeds, tell them you're a cattle dealer, and if not, tell them the truth.</i> As you enter the village the next morning, you learn an important fact: each Post Office has its own unique number. You'll use that to understand the symbols in Scudder's pocketbook. When the policeman challenges you, choose the Open option first ("I smiled confidently and kept walking"), but then you'll need to choose two Clever options to avoid attention ("I invented a story", then "Sensing a trap, I told him I had seen no-one"). You've now chosen a lot of Clever options. If you want to choose a majority of Open options by the end of the adventure, you'll need to choose Open options from now on and avoid too many Clever ones. You also haven't eaten, which limited your choices when dealing with the monoplane and the policeman. Now you're in the inn. On the first night, be Open with the innkeeper ("I told him the story of the murder"). You could read Scudder's notebook for a third time, but instead, read the newspaper, which tells you an important fact: Lord Alloa is the Lord of the Admirality. When you read about the Portland Place murder, the details reflect the choices you made earlier. To escape the inn the next morning, start with the Open option ("Tell the policeman he has no right to disturb us without a warrant"), then the Clever one ("I crept downstairs and looked for a back exit"). You escape to a ridge. Because you've avoided your pursuers' attention, you've made it to the end of Chapter Two. If you'd drawn their attention too much, it would have ended early. !! Chapter 3 There are various ways to escape your pursuers, so here's a fun one with a lot of Open options. Move along the ridge to the trees, climb the tree and choose the Open option ("I shouted and waved"). This distracts them and gives you more time before they catch up with you. Run diagonally down the slope, then ask the roadman about his work, which leads to you exchanging clothes with him and your pursuers going past you. After they leave, keep working and a motorcar will arrive. Choose the Bold option ("I hopped into their car and drove off"), although the Clever option would have let you escape too. Note that the driveway to the house is a trap. If you'd chosen a majority of Clever or Bold options, you would have spotted this, but because you've chosen a majority of Open options, you didn't spot the danger. <i>An alternative: After you climb the tree, you can climb higher to get behind your pursuers, then either steal their clothing or - if you're feeling bloodthirsty - kill one of them. You can also simply let yourself get imprisoned, which leads to a variety of escape options and a final chance to study Scudder's notebook.</i> Now, you'll meet Sir Walter. After dinner, he asks you what you've found out so far. First, he asks who your enemies are. You won't know the answer, because you haven't got close enough to your enemies to hear their conversation. For future reference, you can discover the answer by escaping via the drainpipe in Chapter 1 or getting imprisoned in Chapter 3. Second, he asks what your enemies' plans are. You've studied Scudder's pocketbook twice, so you've found the cipher and the keyword. You can decipher it easily with an Internet search (or, if you'd studied the pocketbook four times, you'd get the complete answer). The translation is "A fake Lord Alloa will steal naval plans" and you know that Lord Alloa is the Lord Admirality. So the correct answer, which you'll give in three parts, is: "They intend to impersonate the Lord of the Admirality in order to steal naval plans". Finally, he asks where your enemies can be intercepted. In Scudder's pocketbook is a symbol like an envelope, containing the number 784. You know that each Post Office in England has its own unique number and this is a Post Office number. You can find the full list of Post Office numbers online (or, again, you get the complete answer if you study the pocketbook four times). The location is Tenby, a small coastal town in Wales. You can give this answer in two ways: you can say "I have a clue", then suggest looking at "Post Offices", then "Post Office numbers"; or you can say "I think I know the place", then "Wales", then "Tenby". <i>An alternative: To play the game so you can answer all Sir Walter's questions, follow this walkthrough, with two changes: in Chapter 2, read the pocketbook rather than the newspaper; and in Chapter 3, get imprisoned - which lets you hear the name "Black Stone" from the guards - and read the pocketbook again.</i> Whichever you choose, Sir Walter will then take a phone call, and return to say the naval plans are stolen. It's time to go and intercept them. !!Chapter Four There are three completely different endings, depending on how you choose to enter the house. <ul><li>If you choose the Open way ("I went to the front door"), you'll confront your pursuers, then play bridge with them.</li> <li>If you choose the Clever way ("I went around the back door"), you'll trick your way in, then sneak around.</li><li> If you choose the Bold way ("I kicked open the front door"), you'll burst in and stop them by force.</li></ul> In all three endings, the naval plans are hidden in two locations: a flag in the walking-stick stand in the study; and a cloak in the hallway. Both of these objects are out-of-place in some way: it isn't usual to have a walking-stick stand in the study; it definitely isn't usual to have a flag in a walking-stick stand; and a cloak shouldn't be hanging to dry when the weather is fine. There are other things that are similar in the three endings. When your enemies escape: the well-dressed man tries to grab the plans in the flag then flee through the front or back door; the gaunt man tries to grab the cloak, then jump out of the smoking room window; and the elderly man stays so the other two can escape. The rail over the fireplace is a lever, which destroys the thirty-nine steps. This is also out of place: it isn't usual to have a brass rail over a fireplace. It's intended that you play through these endings a few times, so you work out the right actions to take. !!!The Bold ending In this ending, everything happens fast, and you must take the right actions to stop your enemies escaping and seize the plans. It's intended that you play several times to get the actions exactly rigiht. As the elderly gentleman rushes at you, throw the cloak over him, which both brings him down and reveals one set of naval plans. Run into the study and try to beat the well-dressed man to the walking-stick stand, which reveals the other set of plans. Now open the desk drawer to get the gun. For interest; this is the only ending that has a gun in the drawer. The other endings have a knife, like the one that killed Scudder. Your enemies are running across the road to the thirty-nine steps, so fire a warning shot, which stops everything for a moment. Run into the smoking room and pull downwards on the brass rail, destroying the thirty nine steps and preventing your enemies from escaping. You've now found both sets of naval plans and stopped all of your enemies from escaping. !!!The Clever ending Start by going around to the back door. You have three different options, each of which lets you learn different things. If you choose to sell locks, you'll discover more about the occupants. If you choose to sell a cloth, you'll discover two strange locations in the house, each of which contains a set of naval plans. If you choose to sell lighting, you can learn about the monoplane or the boat your enemies plan to escape in. Some questions will make the maid suspicious and refuse to answer. Choose to be a cloth salesman, then ask what the maid finds hard to clean and what she cannot clean. Her answers tell you the locations of the naval plans. She'll now leave you alone in the kitchen. You can now sneak about the house. The trick is to choose your moves so you find everything before getting caught. Go into the smoking room, examine the brass rail and press downwards on it. That destroys the thirty-nine steps, which prevents your enemies from escaping. Now go into the hallway. You want to examine the cloak, but you can't do it yet, because your enemies are about to walk through the hallway. Instead, go into the study, examine the walking sticks and look at the flag to find a set of naval plans. Your enemies have now started a game of cards in the smoking room, so go back into the hallway and look at the cloak to find and hide the final set of naval plans. Now the cook finds you and your enemies leap into action. But you've done everything you need to do: you've hidden the two sets of naval plans, so they can't grab them, and you've destroyed the thirty-nine steps to stop them escaping. !!!The Open ending This ending can seem counterintuitive, because you discover lots of things (e.g. revealing facial expressions, the location of the plans) that you only realise are significant at the end. After you enter, you make two accusations, and each accusation will make one of your enemies make a distinctive facial expression. Start with "I am here to arrest you for the Portland Place murder" and the thin man will raise his eyebrow. Although it isn't immediately apparent, he does this because he committed the murder. It's a "tell", which you'll confirm this later when you play bridge. Then say "You have stolen British naval plans and I intend to find them". This causes the well-dressed man to wrinkle his nose. He's doing that because he stole the plans. The text points out that this is a distinctive facial movement. Now march through the closed door and examine the walking stick stand. You'll find a furled Union flag there, which will become significant later. Your enemies invite you to play bridge. Use this as a chance to unsettle your enemies, as the text suggests. You want to get your enemies to repeat their distinctive facial expressions. Start by passing, which will unsettle the gaunt younger man. He raises his eyebrow, like he did earlier, and you'll make that connection shortly. Now there's a break in play. Look at the fireplace, which peculiarly has a brass rail above it. It'll come in handy in a moment. Back at the card table, bid Two No Trumps, which will unsettle the well-dressed man, who knows your hand isn't strong enough for that bid. He will wrinkle his nose, just like he did earlier. Now everything comes together. You recognise the gaunt man as Scudder's murderer and the well-dressed man as the thief of the naval plans, meaning that the elderly man is the mastermind. You also realise that one set of naval plans are in the walking stick stand and that the brass rail over the fireplace is the lever. Push the lever above the fireplace, which destroys the thirty-nine steps and ensures your enemies cannot leave. !!!The end Because you have chosen more Open options than Clever or Bold ones, you get a positive ending: "you feel alive, for the first time in years". <i>Alternative endings: if you chose more Clever endings than any other, the last words are "I could never quite trust the world again." If you chose more Bold endings, they are "I realised the world was more dangerous than I could have ever imagined."</i> <<back "Go back.">>!Hints. !!The basics <b>You always get to a good "ending"</b>, but your choices change the tone of the story. <ul> <li>If you choose mostly Clever options, the world will seem deceptive and sinister.</li> <li>If you choose mostly Bold options, the world will seem dangerous.</li> <li>If you choose mostly Open options, the world will seem beautiful and uplifting.</li> </ul> <b>You can't do everything in a single runthrough</b>. For example: <ul> <li>You can't read all the newspapers and fully decode Scudder's pocketbook (see below for more about the pocketbook).</li> <li>You can't do everything in the flat before you leave: not if you want to catch your train on time. For example, you can't change clothing, get Scudder's notebook and completely avoid your pursuers' attention. </li> </ul> <b>You'll need to play multiple times</b> to do everything, discover the secrets and learn the right choices to make. !!Failing <b>You never fail by random chance.</b> The only random thing, in the game, is the meal you get in the inn. You never fail because <b>your Open, Clever or Bold "score"</b> isn't high enough. You might fail because <b>you're wearing the wrong clothing or your pursuers are too close</b>. !! Choices <b>There aren't "right" or "wrong" choices</b>, but the option you choose might <ul> <li>make your pursuers notice you or</li> <li>force you into a later option you didn't want to take</li> </ul> Your Open, Clever or Bold "score" <b>doesn't determine which choices are displayed</b>. !!Scudder's pocketbook You can find Scudder's pocketbook by <b>searching the flat thoroughly</b> before you leave. To decode it fully, <b>study it four times</b>. Alternatively, you can probably decode it yourself (outside of the game), if you study the pocketbook two or three times (in the game). !!Answering Sir Walter's questions To find out the name of your enemies, <b>get close enough to hear their conversations</b>. To find out their plan and where you must go to intercept them, <b>decode the cipher in the pocketbook</b> and ensure you read a newspaper during the adventure, which will tell you the name and position of a key person. Finding the location is particularly difficult. You can do it by studying the pocketbook four times during the adventure or by figuring out what the rectangular symbol means. [[Show me a full walkthrough.|NotesWalkthrough]] <<back "Go back.">><<audio ":playing" volume 0.25 fadeoverto 0.5 0.75>>We played again, the well-dressed young man taking the deck. From the way he held the cards, I suspected he knew exactly which hand he was dealing me. This time, I had a few strong Hearts, but very little else of use. "One Heart," said the well-dressed man who was my partner, indicating his hand was also strong in Hearts. The elder man frowned. "One Spade" said the gaunt young man, which suggested he had a few good Spades in his hand. I imagined he did not like to be beaten. [["Two Hearts," I said, since my hand was also strong in Hearts.|The Veil Falls][$headerText="This bid concerned the elderly man, who frowned deeply. We played the hand and my partner and I won.",$foundMastermind+=1]] [["Two Spades," I said, to make them think my hand was strong in Spades.|The Veil Falls][$headerText="This bid perturbed the thin man, who raised an eyebrow. Naturally, my partner and I lost that hand.",$foundMurderer+=1]] [["Two No Trump," I said, to make it seem as though I had a much stronger hand than I actually did.|The Veil Falls][$headerText="This bid confused the smartly-dressed man, who wrinkled his nose. Of course, my partner and I lost that hand.",$foundThief+=1]]The smartly-dressed man looked up. "Look here, Uncle," he said, "We can clearly show we had nothing to do with this." "Yes, of course," said the elderly man, "I for one haven't left the coast for weeks, so you can hardly suspect me." The well-dressed young man turned back to me. "There you go. I'm sure you'll see this is all a dreadful mistake. We're respectable people." [[Ignoring them, I marched into the smoking room.|Smoking Room]] [[Ignoring them, I marched through the closed door.|Study]] [[Ignoring them, I marched into the hallway.|Hallway]]The door led to a study, which was homely and untidy, the shelves overflowing with both classic and popular fiction. It was the friendly den of an older Englishman, who read for pleasure. A desk was covered in papers and there was a walking-stick stand. [[I searched the drawers of the desk.|AfterTheSearch][$headerText="Most of the drawers were innocous, but in one I found a knife, of the sort used to kill Scudder. It was not conclusive, but it was something."]] [[I sifted through the papers.|AfterTheSearch][$headerText="In the stack of papers, I found a pilot's licence. This, I thought, might be the one used by the pilot of the monoplane."]] [[I examined the walking sticks.|AfterTheSearch][$headerText="It was a set of well-loved walking sticks, in a cylindrical stand, and a furled Union flag had found a home here too.",$foundPlansOne=1]]Returning to the hallway, I looked around. The suitcases stood to one side, as if someone had just returned from holiday, opposite a line of boots, and a cloak had been hung to dry. [[I examined the boots.|AfterTheSearch][$headerText="The boots were coated with thick mud, which I was sure came from nowhere nearby. I wondered if it came from a bog in those Scottish moors."]] [[I wrenched open the suitcases.|AfterTheSearch][$headerText="The contents of the suitcase spilled to the floor. At first sight, there was nothing incriminating, unless one counted a waistcoat similar to the one worn by the man I saw watching Portland Place. More curiously, there was a tube of Arabic gum, of the sort used to apply facial hair as a disguise."]] [[I looked at the cloak.|AfterTheSearch][$headerText="The cloak was dry and curiously clean. It was, I thought, an odd thing for an Englishman to wear.",$foundPlansTwo=1]]The smoking room was a model of normality. A wide open window overlooked the cliff, where the thirty-nine steps led down. There were pictures on one wall and a fireplace with a brass rail above it. [[I looked at the pictures.|AfterTheSearch][$headerText="The pictures were of family members and school classes, as you would find in any suburban house. A picture of a motorcar interested me, since it was the double of the one that I had seen in Scotland, although I knew it would not be evidence enough to convict.",$examinedPictures=1]] [[I closed the window.|AfterTheSearch][$headerText="I closed the window, although I cannot explain why: perhaps I thought it was a potential method of escape. But the fellows in that house did not look as though they were about to run.",$closedWindow=1]] [[I looked at the fireplace.|AfterTheSearch][$headerText="The fireplace looked as though it had been used recently, although it had clearly been swept that morning. The brass rail gleamed, as did a set of tools in a bucket. I wondered why there was a brass rail over a fireplace.",$foundLever=1]]Before I could search further, the gaunt young man appeared at the door. His manner was exceptionally polite, with an underlying irritation, as befitted someone whose privacy had been intruded upon. "Well, I hope your search has helped," he said, "Are you satisfied now? We are not ones to stand in the way of justice, but there has clearly been a blunder." "I'm afraid I am not," I said, although I was at a loss for how to proceed. "Good lord," said the well-dressed man. "In that case, may I make a suggestion? We have been wanting a fourth for bridge. I suggest we play while you consider your next move." [[And so I played bridge with my deadliest enemies.|Bridge]]<<playAudio "bridge">>In the smoking room, a card table was quickly set up. The elderly man, sitting to my left, was first to deal. He dealt cautiously, almost hesitantly, and I sensed there was nothing reckless about him. Looking at my hand, I had the Ace and Queen of Spades, and nothing else of interest. Perhaps, I thought, I should try and unsettle each of my opponents and see if they gave anything away. "One Heart," said the older man, which suggested he had a hand strong in Hearts. "Pass," said the well-dressed man, indicating he had a weak hand. Since he was sitting opposite me, he was my partner for this game. "One Diamond" said the gaunt young man, which suggested he had a few good Diamonds in his hand. He looked at me challengingly, as though ready for a contest. [["Pass," I said, refusing to rise to the young man's challenge.|BridgeBreak][$headerText="My refusal to bid clearly annoyed the gaunt young man, who raised an eyebrow irritably. We won that hand, which annoyed him further.",$foundMurderer+=1]] [["Two Spades," I said, a confident bid, especially given my partner's refusal to bid.|BridgeBreak][$headerText="My bid clearly ruffled my partner, who I presumed had a weak hand. He wrinkled his nose. Indeed, we lost that hand.",$foundThief+=1]] [["Three Spades," I said, an extraordinarily reckless bid.|BridgeBreak][$headerText="This bid perturbed the elderly man, who frowned deeply. We lost that hand, of course.",$foundMastermind+=1]] <div class="instructions">You don't need to know the rules of bridge to choose an option, but [[here is a quick primer|NotesBridge]].</div><<stopAudio>>I threw myself against the brass rail above the mantlepiece. From far below, there was a sound of machinery, then I saw the thirty-nine steps crumble, with only white dust to show their presence. The elderly man leapt on me, while the well-dressed one ran into the study to grab the naval plans hidden there. When he emerged, he ran through the front door towards the steps. <<if $closedWindow neq 1>>While I struggled with the older man, the gaunt man grabbed the cloak from the hallway, leapt through the open window of the smoking room, then ran across the road towards the steps. But the thirty-nine steps were gone. The two men stood helplessly at the top, looking down towards the boat. Then Sir Walter's officers emerged and grabbed them both.<<set $endingEscapees to 0>><<set $endingPlans to 2>><<else>>While I struggled with the older man, the gaunt man grabbed the cloak from the hallway, then ran towards the open window of the smoking room, then realised it was closed. He looked across the road, to where the steps had been. One of the sets of naval plans fell from the cloak. But the thirty-nine steps were gone. The well-dressed man stood helplessly at the top, looking down towards the boat. Then Sir Walter's officers emerged and grabbed him.<<set $endingEscapees to 0>><<set $endingPlans to 2>><</if>> [[It was then that Sir Walter entered.|Sir Walter enters]]<<stopAudio>>Blowing my whistle, I ran to the study to grab the naval plans. The well-dressed man ran after me, but he was too late. Instead, he bolted out the front door. <<if $closedWindow neq 1>>The elderly man leapt on me. Meanwhile, the gaunt man grabbed the cloak from the hallway, then leapt through the open window of the smoking room, then ran across the road. Both he and the well-dressed man started down the thirty-nine steps. Then the elderly gentleman pushed me away, ran into the smoking room and threw himself against a brass rail. From far below, there was a sound of machinery, then I saw the thirty-nine steps crumble, with only white dust to show their presence. "They have escaped," said the elderly gentlemen, "And now you cannot follow. The Black Stone triumphs again."<<set $endingEscapees to 2>><<set $endingPlans to 1>><<else>>The elderly man leapt on me. Meanwhile, the gaunt man grabbed the cloak from the hallway, leapt towards the open window of the smoking room, then realised it was closed. One of the sets of naval plans fell from the cloak. Across the road, the well-dressed man started down the thirty-nine steps. Then the elderly gentleman pushed me away, ran into the smoking room and threw himself against a brass rail. From far below, there was a sound of machinery, then I saw the thirty-nine steps crumble, with only white dust to show their presence. "He has escaped," said the elderly gentlemen, "And now you cannot follow. The Black Stone triumphs again."<<set $endingEscapees to 1>><<set $endingPlans to 2>><</if>> [[It was then that Sir Walter entered.|Sir Walter enters]]<<stopAudio>>Blowing my whistle, I stood by the front door to stop my enemies leaving. The elderly man leapt on me, while the well-dressed one ran into the study to grab the plans hidden there. When he emerged, he started towards the front door, then saw me and turned to run out of the back door instead. <<if $closedWindow neq 1>>While I struggled with the older man, the gaunt man grabbed the cloak from the hallway, then leapt through the open window of the smoking room, then ran across the road towards the steps. Before the officers could grab them, he started down the steps. Then the elderly gentleman pushed me away, ran into the smoking room and threw himself against a brass rail. From far below, there was a sound of machinery, then I saw the thirty-nine steps crumble, with only white dust to show their presence. "He has escaped," said the elderly gentlemen, "And now you cannot follow. The Black Stone triumphs again."<<set $endingEscapees to 2>><<set $endingPlans to 0>><<else>>While I struggled with the older man, the gaunt man grabbed the cloak from the hallway, then leapt towards the open window of the smoking room, but found it was closed. One of the sets of naval plans fell from the cloak.<<set $endingEscapees to 2>><<set $endingPlans to 1>><</if>> [[It was then that Sir Walter entered.|Sir Walter enters]]<<playAudio "endchapterfour">>Sir Walter entered through the front door. We sat in the smoking room and he looked at me seriously. <<if $endingEscapees eq 2>>"We will soon find those that escaped," he said, "My officers are already on their tail.<<elseif $endingEscapees eq 1>>"We will soon find the man that escaped," he said, "My officers are already on his tail.<<else>>"You have stopped them all from escaping," he said, "That is greatly to your credit.<</if>>\ \ <<if $endingPlans eq 2>> And I see we have both sets of naval plans here."<<elseif $endingPlans eq 1>> I see we have one set of naval plans here and we will soon have the other."<<else>> And that means that we will soon have the naval plans back as well."<</if>> He smiled. "Mr Hannay," he said, "You have performed a great service for your country. <<if $killer eq 1>>You have killed in the course of that duty, but there will, no doubt, be many more deaths to come.<<else>>And you have done it without taking a human life.<</if>>" <<wOpenCleverBold "As I looked back at him, I felt alive, for the first time in years." "As I looked back at him, I realised I would never quite trust the world again." "As I looked back at him, I realised the world was more dangerous than I could have ever imagined.">> <<back [[Play Chapter Four again|Chapter Four]] >> [[The End|TheEnd]]<<stopAudio>>Blowing my whistle, I ran to the hallway to grab the cloak containing the naval plans. The well-dressed man ran past into the study, then emerged holding the other set of plans and ran for the back door. <<if $closedWindow neq 1>>The elderly man leapt on me. Meanwhile, the gaunt man leapt through the open window of the smoking room, then ran across the road. He started down the thirty-nine steps. Then the elderly gentleman pushed me away, ran into the smoking room and threw himself against a brass rail. From far below, there was a sound of machinery, then I saw the thirty-nine steps crumble, with only white dust to show their presence. "They have escaped," said the elderly gentlemen, "And now you cannot follow. The Black Stone triumphs again."<<set $endingEscapees to 2>><<set $endingPlans to 1>><<else>>The elderly man leapt on me. Meanwhile, the gaunt man grabbed leapt towards the open window of the smoking room, then realised it was closed. <<set $endingEscapees to 1>><<set $endingPlans to 1>><</if>> [[It was then that Sir Walter entered.|Sir Walter enters]]<<include "incTurn1">>\ There were sounds from the study, as if the well-dressed man was searching for something. [[I broke away and ran into the study.|StudyTurn2]] [[I stood my ground in the hallway, waiting for their next move.|HallwayTurn2]] [[I broke away and ran into the smoking room.|SmokingTurn2]] <<if $boldSavedCloak neq 1>>[[I grabbed at the cloak.|HallwayTurn2][$headerText="When I grabbed the cloak, I saw something odd sewn into the lining. It was, I realised, one set of the naval plans.",$boldSavedCloak=1]] <</if>>\<<set $firsttimeinstudy to 1>>I followed the well-dressed man into the study. It was filled with stuffed armchairs and books, with a desk in one corner and a walking-stick stand in another. The man started towards the desk, then seemed to change his mind, and moved to the walking-stick stand instead. <<include "incTurn1">>\ [[I returned to the hallway.|HallwayTurn2]] [[I ran through the hallway to the smoking room.|SmokingTurn2]] [[I launched myself at the man's waist.|StudyTurn2][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="I collided with the well-dressed man, who crashed against the wall, then lay still"]] <<if $boldGun neq 1>>[[I tore upon the drawers of the desk.|StudyTurn2][$boldGun=1,$headerText="In the first drawer of the desk, I found a gun, which I grabbed."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldSavedFlag neq 1>>[[I tried to beat the man to the walking-stick stand.|StudyTurn2][$boldSavedFlag=1,$headerText="We both reached the walking-stick stand at the same time, knocking it over. There was a British flag in the stand, which unfurled, showing one of the sets of naval plans inside."]] <</if>>\<<set $firsttimeinsmokingroom to 1>>As I ran into the smoking room, I noticed pictures on one wall, and a mantlepiece with a brass rail mounted above it. A wide window overlooked the road, past which were the thirty-nine steps, leading down the chalky cliff. <<include "incTurn1">>\ There were sounds from the study, as if the well-dressed man was searching for something. [[I broke away and ran into the study.|StudyTurn2]] [[I ran back to the hallway.|HallwayTurn2]] [[I waited in the smoking room, to see what would happen.|SmokingTurn2]] <<if $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>[[I punched the gaunt man in the stomach.|SmokingTurn3][$boldMurdererDown=1,$headerText="As the gaunt man ran for the window, I caught him in the stomach, and he collapsed to the floor."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldPulledLever neq 1>>[[I pulled downwards on the brass rail above the mantlepiece.|SmokingTurn2][$boldPulledLever=1,$headerText="When I pulled the lever, the elderly man shouted. There was a grinding, far below ground, then I saw the thirty-nine steps collapse into a cloud of chalky dust."]] <</if>>\<<if $firsttimeinstudy eq 1>>I stood, breathing heavily, in that perfectly English study. <<else>>I followed the well-dressed man into the study. It was filled with stuffed armchairs and books, with a desk in one corner and a walking-stick stand in another.<</if>> <<include "incTurn2">>\ [[I waited in the study.|StudyTurn3]] [[I ran through to the hallway.|HallwayTurn3]] [[I ran through to the smoking room.|SmokingTurn3]] <<if $boldThiefDown neq 1>>[[I launched myself at the waist of the well-dressed man.|HallwayTurn3][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="I caught the well-dressed man behind and had the satisfaction of seeing him sprawl over the floor of the hallway."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun neq 1>>[[I tore upon the drawers of the desk.|StudyTurn3][$boldGun=1,$headerText="In the first drawer of the desk, I found a gun, which I grabbed."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldThiefDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the well-dressed man.|StudyTurn3][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="The well-dressed man crumpled to the floor of the hallway.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the gaunt man.|StudyTurn3][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="The gaunt man crumpled to the floor of the smoking room.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the elderly man.|StudyTurn3][$boldMastermindDown=1,$headerText="The elderly man crumpled to the floor of the hallway.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldSavedFlag neq 1>>[[I looked in the walking-stick stand.|StudyTurn3][$headerText="The walking-stick stand had been knocked over and, on the floor, was an unfurled British flag. I guessed that one of the sets of naval plans had been hidden inside."]] <</if>>\<<if $firsttimeinstudy eq 1>>The study, I noted wryly, was looking decidely untidy. <<else>>I went into the study. It was filled with stuffed armchairs and books, with a desk in one corner and a walking-stick stand in another.<</if>> <<include "incTurn3">>\ [[I waited in the study.|StudyTurn4]] [[I ran through to the hallway.|HallwayTurn4]] [[I ran through to the smoking room.|SmokingTurn4]] <<if $boldGun neq 1>>[[I tore upon the drawers of the desk.|StudyTurn4][$boldGun=1,$headerText="In the first drawer of the desk, I found a gun, which I grabbed."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldThiefDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the well-dressed man.|StudyTurn4][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="The well-dressed man crumpled to the floor at the side of the road, just short of the steps.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the gaunt man.|StudyTurn4][$boldMurdererDown=1,$headerText="The gaunt man crumpled to the floor at the side of the road, just short of the steps.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the elderly man.|StudyTurn4][$boldMastermindDown=1,$headerText="The elderly man crumpled to the floor of the hallway.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldSavedFlag neq 1>>[[I looked in the walking-stick stand.|StudyTurn4][$headerText="The walking-stick stand had been knocked over and, on the floor, was an unfurled British flag. I guessed that one of the sets of naval plans had been hidden inside."]] <</if>>\I stood, breathing heavily, in that perfectly English hallway. <<include "incTurn2">>\ [[I ran into the study.|StudyTurn3]] [[I waited in the hallway.|HallwayTurn3]] [[I ran through to the smoking room.|SmokingTurn3]] <<if $boldThiefDown neq 1>>[[I tacked the well-dressed man as he passed me.|HallwayTurn3][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="I crashed with the well-dressed man against the wall and he slumped to the floor."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldSavedCloak neq 1>>[[I grabbed at the cloak.|HallwayTurn3][$headerText="When I grabbed the cloak, I saw something odd sewn into the lining. It was, I realised, one set of the naval plans.",$boldSavedCloak=1]] <</if>>\The hallway, I noted wryly, was looking decidely untidy. <<include "incTurn3">>\ [[I ran into the study.|StudyTurn4]] [[I waited in the hallway.|HallwayTurn4]] [[I ran through to the smoking room.|SmokingTurn4]] <<if $boldSavedCloak neq 1>>[[I grabbed at the cloak.|HallwayTurn4][$headerText="When I grabbed the cloak, I saw something odd sewn into the lining. It was, I realised, one set of the naval plans.",$boldSavedCloak=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldThiefDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the well-dressed man.|HallwayTurn4][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="The well-dressed man crumpled to the floor at the side of the road, just short of the steps.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the gaunt man.|HallwayTurn4][$boldMurdererDown=1,$headerText="The gaunt man crumpled to the floor at the side of the road, just short of the steps.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the elderly man.|HallwayTurn4][$boldMastermindDown=1,$headerText="The elderly man crumpled to the floor of the hallway.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\<<if $firsttimeinsmokingroom eq 1>>I stood, breathing heavily, in that perfectly English smoking room. <<else>>As I ran into the smoking room, I noticed pictures on one wall, and a mantlepiece with a brass rail mounted above it. A wide window overlooked the road, past which were the thirty-nine steps, leading down the chalky cliff.<</if>> <<include "incTurn2">>\ [[I ran through to the study.|StudyTurn3]] [[I ran through to the hallway.|HallwayTurn3]] [[I waited in the smoking room.|SmokingTurn3]] <<if $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>[[I punched the gaunt man in the stomach.|SmokingTurn3][$boldMurdererDown=1,$headerText="As the gaunt man ran for the window, I caught him in the stomach, and he collapsed to the floor."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldPulledLever neq 1>>[[I pulled downwards on the brass rail above the mantlepiece.|SmokingTurn3][$boldPulledLever=1,$headerText="When I pulled the lever, the elderly man shouted. There was a grinding, far below ground, then I saw the thirty-nine steps collapse into a cloud of chalky dust."]] <</if>>\<<if $firsttimeinsmokingroom eq 1>>The smoking room, I noted wryly, was looking decidely untidy.<<else>>As I ran into the smoking room, I noticed pictures on one wall, and a mantlepiece with a brass rail mounted above it. A wide window overlooked the road, past which were the thirty-nine steps, leading down the chalky cliff.<</if>> <<include "incTurn3">>\ [[I ran through to the study.|StudyTurn4]] [[I ran through to the hallway.|HallwayTurn4]] [[I waited in the smoking room.|SmokingTurn4]] <<if $boldPulledLever neq 1>>[[I pulled downwards on the brass rail above the mantlepiece.|SmokingTurn4][$boldPulledLever=1,$headerText="When I pulled the lever, the elderly man shouted. There was a grinding, far below ground, then I saw the thirty-nine steps collapse into a cloud of chalky dust."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldThiefDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the well-dressed man.|SmokingTurn4][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="The well-dressed man crumpled to the floor at the side of the road, just short of the steps.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the gaunt man.|SmokingTurn4][$boldMurdererDown=1,$headerText="The gaunt man crumpled to the floor at the side of the road, just short of the steps.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the elderly man.|SmokingTurn4][$boldMastermindDown=1,$headerText="The elderly man crumpled to the floor of the hallway.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\<<if $firsttimeinsmokingroom eq 1>>I stood for a moment in the deceptive normality of that smoking room, with its pictures on the wall.<<else>>As I ran into the smoking room, I noticed pictures on one wall, and a mantlepiece with a brass rail mounted above it. A wide window overlooked the road, past which were the thirty-nine steps, leading down the chalky cliff.<</if>> <<include "incTurn4">>\ [[I ran through to the study.|StudyTurn5]] [[I ran through to the hallway.|HallwayTurn5]] [[I waited in the smoking room.|SmokingTurn5]] <<if $boldPulledLever neq 1>>[[I pulled downwards on the brass rail above the mantlepiece.|SmokingTurn5][$boldPulledLever=1,$headerText="When I pulled the lever, the elderly man shouted. There was a grinding, far below ground, then I saw the thirty-nine steps collapse into a cloud of chalky dust."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the elderly man.|SmokingTurn5][$boldMastermindDown=1,$headerText="The elderly man crumpled to the floor of the smoking room.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\I stood for a moment in the deceptive normality of that hallway, with its boots and suitcases. <<include "incTurn4">>\ [[I ran into the study.|StudyTurn5]] [[I waited in the hallway.|HallwayTurn5]] [[I ran through to the smoking room.|SmokingTurn5]] <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the elderly man.|HallwayTurn5][$boldMastermindDown=1,$headerText="The elderly man crumpled to the floor of the smoking room.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldSavedCloak neq 1>>[[I grabbed at the cloak.|HallwayTurn5][$headerText="When I grabbed the cloak, I saw something odd sewn into the lining. It was, I realised, one set of the naval plans.",$boldSavedCloak=1]] <</if>>\<<if $firsttimeinstudy eq 1>>I stood for a moment in the deceptive normality of that study, with its books, papers and desk.<<else>>I went into the study. It was filled with stuffed armchairs and books, with a desk in one corner and a walking-stick stand in another.<</if>> <<include "incTurn4">>\ [[I waited in the study.|StudyTurn5]] [[I ran through to the hallway.|HallwayTurn5]] [[I ran through to the smoking room.|SmokingTurn5]] <<if $boldGun neq 1>>[[I tore upon the drawers of the desk.|StudyTurn5][$boldGun=1,$headerText="In the first drawer of the desk, I found a gun, which I grabbed."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the elderly man.|StudyTurn5][$boldMastermindDown=1,$headerText="The elderly man crumpled to the floor of the smoking room.",$killer=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldSavedFlag neq 1>>[[I looked in the walking-stick stand.|StudyTurn5][$headerText="The walking-stick stand had been knocked over and, on the floor, was an unfurled British flag. I guessed that one of the sets of naval plans had been hidden inside."]] <</if>>\<<include "incTurn5">>\ For a moment, I paused in that study and looked around, taking in what had happened. [[There was the sound of a police whistle.|Sir Walter enters]]<<include "incTurn5">>\ For a moment, I paused in that hallway and looked around, taking in what had happened. [[There was the sound of a police whistle.|Sir Walter enters]]<<include "incTurn5">>\ For a moment, I paused in that smoking room and looked around, taking in what had happened. [[There was the sound of a police whistle.|Sir Walter enters]]<<if $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>The elderly gentleman stared at me, with murderous intent. <</if>>\ <<if $boldMurdererDown neq 1>><<if $boldSavedCloak neq 1>>I saw the gaunt man snatch the cloak from the hallway, <<else>>I saw the gaunt man reach for the cloak, which was no longer there, <</if>> then bolt into the smoking room. <</if>>\<<if $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>The elderly gentleman stood firm in the centre of the hallway, looking at what was happening. I had the impression he was waiting, but for what I did not know. <</if>>\ <<if $boldThiefDown neq 1>>The well-dressed man ran from the study into the hallway, heading towards the front door<<if $boldSavedFlag neq 1>> with a sheaf of papers in his hand<</if>>. <</if>>\ <<if $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>I saw the gaunt man run towards the window of the smoking room, which opened out towards the street. On the other side of that street were the thirty-nine steps. <</if>>\<<if $boldThiefDown neq 1>>From where I was standing, I saw the well-dressed man run across the road, towards <<if $boldPulledLever eq 1>>where the thirty-nine steps had been<<else>>the thirty-nine steps<</if>>. <</if>>\ <<if $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>I saw the gaunt man running across the road, towards the steps. <</if>>\ <<if $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>The elderly gentleman watched from the centre of the hallway, his eyes like a hawk. <</if>>\<<if $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>The elderly man walked, with purpose, into the smoking room. <</if>>\ <<if $boldThiefDown neq 1>><<if $boldPulledLever eq 1>>Across the road, I saw the well-dressed man ran towards where the thirty-nine steps had been, then stop in confusion.<<else>>Across the road, I saw the well-dressed man disappear behind the cliff, as he escaped down the thirty-nine steps.<</if>> <</if>>\ <<if $boldMurdererDown neq 1>><<if $boldPulledLever eq 1>>The gaunt man stopped in the centre of the road, staring at the cloud of chalky dust from the steps.<<else>>The gaunt man descended the steps, taking them at pace, and was soon out of sight.<</if>> <</if>>\<<if $boldMastermindDown neq 1>><<if $boldPulledLever eq 1>>The elderly man looked, with horror, at the lever I had pressed. "What have you done?" he said. <<else>><<if $boldThiefDown eq 1 and $boldMurdererDown eq 1>>The elderly man looked at the body of his fallen comrades. He reached for the brass rail above the mantlepiece, then his hand fell again. <<else>>The elderly man pressed downwards on the brass rail in the smoking room. which moved like a lever. From far below, there was a rumbling, then the thirty-nine steps collapsed, leaving only a cloud of chalk dust below them. "The Black Stone has escaped," he proclaimed with satisfaction. <</if>><</if>><</if>>\ <<if $pulledLever eq 1>><<set $endingEscapees to 2>><<else>><<set $endingEscapees to $boldThiefDown + $boldMurdererDown>><</if>>\ <<set $endingPlans to $boldSavedCloak + $boldSavedFlag>>\A glass bell rang from the dining room next door, with some urgency. "That's Mrs Callaghan," she said, "She'll want my help clearing the plates. You should call another time." As she disappeared through the dining room door, I caught a glimpse of my three enemies: the elderly man, the well-dressed man and the gaunt man. They were finishing their dessert and talking with animation. It was time for me to explore this house. There were two other doors from the kitchen. From my initial look at the house, I calculated that one led to the study, the other to the smoking room. <<set $clevertime to 10>> [[Opening the door softly, I entered the study.|CleverStudy]] [[Opening the door softly, I entered the smoking room.|CleverSmoking]]<<set $clevertime-->><<if $beeninstudybefore eq 1>>I stood in the study, wondering what to do next.<<else>><<set $beeninstudybefore to 1>>Moving quietly, I entered the study. It was homely and untidy, the shelves overflowing with both classic and popular fiction. It was the friendly den of an older Englishman, who read for pleasure. A desk was covered in papers and there was a walking-stick stand.<</if>> <<include "incCleverMovements">> <<if $clevertime > 0>>\ <<if $searchedDrawers neq 1>>[[I searched the drawers of the desk.|CleverStudy][$headerText="Most of the drawers were innocuous, but in one I found a knife, of the sort used to kill Scudder. It was not conclusive, but it was something.",$searchedDrawers=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $searchedDesk neq 1>>[[I sifted through the papers.|CleverStudy][$headerText="In the stack of papers, I found a pilot's licence. This, I thought, might be the one used by the pilot of the monoplane.",$searchedDesk=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $foundFlag neq 1>>[[I examined the walking sticks.|CleverStudy][$headerText="It was a set of well-loved walking sticks, in a cylindrical stand, and a furled Union flag had found a home here too.",$foundFlag=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $foundFlagPlans neq 1>><<if $foundFlag eq 1>>[[I examined the Union flag.|CleverStudy][$headerText="The Union flag was curiously out of place. Looking within its folds, I found one of the sets of naval plans. I took the precaution of hiding it beneath an armchair.",$foundFlagPlans=1]] <</if>>\ <</if>>\ [[I made my way into the hallway.|CleverHallway]] <<else>>Then, in a fury, the cook entered. [[ "And what the devil are you doing in here?" she said, "I'll thank you to leave."|CleverEndgame]] <</if>>\<<set $clevertime-->><<if $beeninsmokingbefore eq 1>>I stood in the smoking room, looking around. <<else>><<set $beeninsmokingbefore to 1>>Moving quietly, I passed into the smoking room. It was a room as you would find in any suburban English house, with pictures on one wall and a fireplace, which had a brass rail mounted over it. A wide open window overlooked the cliff, where the thirty-nine steps led down.<</if>> <<include "incCleverMovements">> <<if $clevertime > 4>>\ <<if $searchedPictures neq 1>>[[I looked at the pictures.|CleverSmoking][$headerText="The pictures were of family members and school classes. A picture of a motorcar interested me, since it was the double of the one that I had seen in Scotland, although I knew it would not be evidence enough to convict.",$searchedPictures=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $closedWindow neq 1>>[[I closed the window quietly.|CleverSmoking][$headerText="I closed the window, although I cannot explain why: perhaps I thought it was a potential method of escape. But the fellows in that house did not look as though they were about to run.",$closedWindow=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $foundLever neq 1>>[[I looked at the brass rail above the fireplace.|CleverSmoking][$headerText="The fireplace looked as though it had been used recently, although it had clearly been swept that morning. The brass rail appeared to have some sort of hinge. I wondered whether it was a lever.",$foundLever=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $pressedLever neq 1>><<if $foundLever eq 1>>[[I pressed down on the brass rail.|CleverSmoking][$headerText="I pushed down on the brass rail and it moved like a lever. There was a grinding from below ground, then a soft shudder. Across the road, a cloud of chalk dust rose from where the thirty-nine steps had been.",$pressedLever=1]] <</if>><</if>>\ [[I crept into the hallway.|CleverHallway]] <<else>>As they saw me, my enemies stopped and stared. [[ Quickly, though, they recovered their wits.|CleverEndgame]] <</if>>\<<set $clevertime-->><<if $beeninhallwaybefore eq 1>>I stood in the hallway, looking around. <<else>><<set $beeninhallwaybefore to 1>>I made my way into the hallway. There was a line of boots against one wall and suitcases placed against the other, as if someone had just returned from holiday. On a hatstand, a cloak had been hung to dry.<</if>> <<include "incCleverMovements">> <<if $clevertime eq 4 or $clevertime eq 5>>As they saw me, my enemies stopped and stared. [[ Quickly, though, they recovered their wits.|CleverEndgame]] <<elseif $clevertime > 1>>\ <<if $searchedBoots neq 1>>[[I examined the boots.|CleverHallway][$headerText="The boots were coated with thick mud, which I was sure came from nowhere nearby. I wondered if it came from a bog in those Scottish moors.",$searchedBoots=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $searchedSuitcases neq 1>>[[I peeked into the suitcases.|CleverHallway][$headerText="Softly opening the latch, I peered into the cases. It appeared to be full of clothes, although I did see a tube of Arabic gum, of the sort used to apply facial hair as a disguise.",$searchedSuitcases=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $foundCloakPlans neq 1>>[[I looked at the cloak.|CleverHallway][$headerText="The cloak was dry and curiously clean. It was, I thought, an odd thing for an Englishman to wear. In the lining, something rustled, and I found one of the sets of naval plans, which I hid behind a suitcase.",$foundCloakPlans=1]] <</if>>\ [[I crept into the study.|CleverStudy]] [[I crept into the smoking room.|CleverSmoking]] <<else>>Then, in a fury, the cook entered. [[ "And what the devil are you doing in here?" she said, "I'll thank you to leave."|CleverEndgame]] <</if>>\"I'll believe that when I see it," said the maid, who was clearly no-one's fool, least of all mine. From the room next door, which I realised was the dining room, I heard the sound of my enemies talking. Their conversation was about cricket, which was as English as you could get. I decided to persevere with the maid. "Let me ask you a question," I said. [["What, in this house, do you find it hard to clean?"|SellingCloth2A][$headerText="The maid rolled her eyes. \"There's that stupid walking-stick stand in the study,\" she said, \"It's got a flag in at the moment, heaven knows why.\""]] [["Is there anything in this house you cannot clean?"|SellingCloth2B][$headerText="The maid looked confused. \"I'm not allowed to clean the brass rail in the smoking room,\" she said,\"But I don't suppose that's what you mean.\""]] [["What, in this house, doesn't seem right to you?"|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid stared at me. \"Well, that's a funny question for a salesman,\" she said."]]"I don't know nothing about locks," said the maid, which made two of us. From the room next door, which I realised was the dining room, I heard the sound of my enemies talking. Their conversation was about cricket, which was as English as you could get. I decided to persevere with the maid. "It's important to keep a house safe," I said. [[" \"Have you ever had a visitor who stole something?\" "|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid stared at me. \"That's a funny question for a salesman to ask,\" she said."]] [["\"Have you ever had a visitor you didn't quite trust?\""|SellingLocks2B][$headerText="She looked confused. \"That Mr Jeremy looks different every time I see him,\" she said,\"Always nicely dressed, but different. And he does different voices.\". I wondered if the well-dressed man was a skilled impersonator."]] [["\"Have you ever had a visitor who seemed dangerous?\""|SellingLocks2A][$headerText="She looked confused. \"Mr Howard has a look about him,\" she said,\"The thin one. I wouldn't want to meet him late at night.\". I wondered if the gaunt man had been the one who murdered Scudder."]] "That sounds very modern," said the maid, in a way which implies she did not approve of modern. From the room next door, which I realised was the dining room, I heard the sound of my enemies talking. Their conversation was about cricket, which was as English as you could get. I decided to persevere with the maid. "There must be something modern you like," I said. [["Aeroplanes, perhaps".|SellingLighting2A][$headerText="She looked unsure what to say. \"Mr Jeremy has an aeroplane,\" she said,\"The nicely-dressed one.\""]] [["Machine guns, perhaps".|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid stared at me. \"That's a funny thing for a salesman to ask,\" she said."]] [["Motorboats, perhaps".|SellingLighting2B][$headerText="\"There's a boat at the base of the cliff,\" she said,\"They said Mr Harold was leaving in it tonight.\""]] I warmed to my theme, playing the salesman to the hilt. "And," I asked. [["Is there anything in this house you cannot clean?"|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid looked confused. \"I'm not allowed to clean the brass rail in the smoking room,\" she said,\"But I don't suppose that's what you mean.\""]] [["What, in this house, doesn't seem right to you?"|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid stared at me. \"Well, that's a funny question for a salesman,\" she said."]]I warmed to my theme, playing the salesman to the hilt. "And," I asked. [["What, in this house, do you find it hard to clean?"|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid rolled her eyes. \"There's that stupid walking-stick stand in the study,\" she said,\"It's got a flag in at the moment, heaven knows why.\""]] [["What, in this house, doesn't seem right to you?"|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid stared at me. \"Well, that's a funny question for a salesman,\" she said."]]I warmed to my theme, playing the salesman to the hilt. "And," I asked. [["Have you ever had a visitor who stole something?"|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid stared at me. \"That's a funny question for a salesman to ask,\" she said."]] [["Have you ever had a visitor who seemed dangerous?"|SellingLocks2A][$headerText="She looked confused. \"Mr Howard has a look about him,\" she said,\"The thin one. I wouldn't want to meet him late at night.\". I wondered if the gaunt man had been the one who murdered Scudder."]] I warmed to my theme, playing the salesman to the hilt. "And," I asked. [["Machine guns, perhaps."|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid stared at me. \"That's a funny thing for a salesman to ask,\" she said."]] [["Motorboats, perhaps."|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="\"There's a boat at the base of the cliff,\" she said,\"They said Mr Harold was leaving in it tonight.\""]] I warmed to my theme, playing the salesman to the hilt. "And what else is modern?" I asked. [["Aeroplanes, perhaps."|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="She looked unsure what to say. \"Mr Jeremy has an aeroplane,\" she said,\"The nicely-dressed one.\""]] [["Machine guns, perhaps."|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid stared at me. \"That's a funny thing for a salesman to ask,\" she said."]]I warmed to my theme, playing the salesman to the hilt. "And," I asked. [["Have you ever had a visitor who stole something?"|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="The maid stared at me. \"That's a funny question for a salesman to ask,\" she said."]] [["Have you ever had a visitor you didn't quite trust?"|AloneInTheKitchen][$headerText="She looked confused. \"That Mr Jeremy looks different every time I see him,\" she said,\"Always nicely dressed, but different. And he does different voices.\". I wondered if the well-dressed man was a skilled impersonator."]]<<switch $clevertime>> <<case 9>>In the dining room, I heard my enemies talk. One of them complimented the wine they were drinking. \ <<case 8>>From the dining room, I heard the conversation drawing to a close, and plates and glasses being collected.\ <<case 7>>In the dining room, I heard one of my enemies suggest a game of gin, which was enthusiastically accepted.\ <<case 6>>There was the scraping of chairs in the dining room as my enemies rose to their feet.\ <<case 5>>I could hear my enemies' footsteps as they left the dining room and entered the hallway.\ <<case 4>>Still talking, my enemies entered the smoking room.\ <<case 3>>There was a scraping of chairs in the smoking room, as my enemies sat down for their game.\ <<case 2>>The conversation died in the smoking room as someone began to deal cards.\ <<case 1>>Sitting in the smoking room, my enemies began to play their card game.\ <</switch>>\After that, everything happened with exceptional speed. The elderly man came at me, restraining me with surprising strength, and shouting at the other two. The gaunt man grabbed the cloak from the hallway<<if $foundCloakPlans eq 1>>, not realising I had removed the plans from it,<</if>> and fled through the front door. The well-dressed man rushed into the study. <<if $foundFlagPlans eq 1>>There was a clattering and I was sure he was searching for the plans, but I had hidden them. Then he must have given up, for he fled out of the front door.<<else>>There was a clattering, then he ran out of the study, holding what I believed was one of the sets of naval plans, and fled out the front door.<</if>> <<if $pressedLever eq 1>>I watched, with satisfaction, as the two men fled towards where the thirty-nine steps had been, and stood helplessly looking downwards as the police descended on them.<<else>>As I watched, the two men fled down the thirty-nine steps, towards the boat that waited below.<<set $endingEscapees to 2>><</if>> [[It was then that Sir Walter entered with his men.|Sir Walter enters]] !The End Thanks for playing The Thirty Nine Steps. I'm Graham Walmsley (graham at thievesoftime dot com) and this is the first interactive fiction game I've written. I wrote the music too. If this was your first time playing, please play again and take a different path. In particular, Chapter Four has three different versions, depending on whether you take the Open, Clever or Bold option when you enter the house. You can read the [[notes|NotesStart]], which include a walkthrough. <<link "Play again">><<run Engine.restart()>><</link>><<set $boldroom to "hallway">><<if $firsttimeinhallway eq 1>><<include "incBoldRoom">><<else>><<set $firsttimeinhallway to 1>>Bursting into the house, I found myself in a hallway. There were golf clubs, suitcases and a cloak hanging to dry. <<wOpenCleverBold "It was, in short, the most normal house you could imagine." "It was, in short, a perfectly normal house and, I reflected, a nearly-perfect deception." "It was, in short, a perfectly everyday house, and I sensed danger.">> On my left, I saw a well-appointed smoking room, and on my right was some kind of study. The dining room, where I had seen the three gentlemen, was in front of me.<</if>> <<include "incBold">> <<if ($boldMurdererDown + $boldThiefDown + $endingEscapees) gte 2>>[[A police whistle blew.|Sir Walter enters]]<<set $endingPlans to $boldSavedCloak + $boldSavedFlag>><<else>>\ <<if $boldSavedCloak neq 1 and $boldtime lt 2>>[[I grabbed at the cloak.|BoldHallway][$headerText="When I grabbed the cloak, I saw something odd sewn into the lining. It was, I realised, one set of the naval plans.",$boldSavedCloak=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldSavedCloak neq 1 and $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I threw the cloak over the elderly gentleman.|BoldHallway][$headerText="When I grabbed the cloak, I saw something odd sewn into the lining. It was, I realised, one set of the naval plans. I threw it at the elderly gentleman, who went down to the floor.",$boldMastermindDown=1,$boldSavedCloak=1]] <</if>>\ [[I ran into the study.|BoldStudy]] [[I ran into the smoking room.|BoldSmoking]] <<if $boldtime gte 1 and $boldtime lte 5 and $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I hit the elderly man with my right fist.|BoldHallway][$boldMastermindDown=1,$headerText="The elderly man crashed to the wall, then slumped to the floor."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldtime eq 4 and $boldThiefDown neq 1>>[[I caught the well-dressed man with a swift punch.|BoldHallway][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="The well-dressed man crashed against the wall, then slumped against the suitcases."]] <</if>>\ <</if>> <<set $boldroom to "study">><<if $firsttimeinstudy eq 1>><<include "incBoldRoom">><<else>><<set $firsttimeinstudy to 1>>The study was filled with stuffed armchairs and books, with a desk in one corner and a walking-stick stand in another.<</if>> <<include "incBold">> <<if ($boldMurdererDown + $boldThiefDown + $endingEscapees) gte 2>>[[A police whistle blew.|Sir Walter enters]]<<set $endingPlans to $boldSavedCloak + $boldSavedFlag>><<else>>\ [[I ran into the hallway.|BoldHallway]] [[I ran through into the smoking room.|BoldSmoking]] <<if $boldGun neq 1>>[[I tore upon the drawers of the desk.|BoldStudy][$boldGun=1,$headerText="In the first drawer of the desk, I found a gun, which I grabbed."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldtime lte 3 and $boldSavedFlag neq 1>>[[I tried to beat the man to the walking-stick stand.|BoldStudy][$boldSavedFlag=1,$headerText="We both reached the walking-stick stand at the same time, knocking it over. There was a British flag in the stand, which unfurled, showing one of the sets of naval plans inside."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldtime gte 2 and $boldtime lte 4 and $boldThiefDown neq 1>>[[I let the well-dressed man have my best right hook.|BoldStudy][$boldThiefDown=1,$headerText="The well-dressed man crumpled to the floor of the study."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldGun eq 1 and $warningshot neq 1>>[[I fired a warning shot.|BoldStudy][$warningshot=1,$warningtimer=2]] <<if $boldThiefDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the well-dressed man.|BoldStudy][$boldThiefDown=1,$killer=1,$headerText="The bullet caught the well-dressed man squarely and he fell with a thud."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the elderly man.|BoldStudy][$boldMastermindDown=1,$killer=1,$headerText="The bullet hit the elderly man in the shoulder and he fell to the floor, groaning in pain."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>[[I fired at the gaunt man.|BoldStudy][$boldMurdererDown=1,$killer=1,$headerText="The bullet hit the gaunt man in the stomach, who whimpered and crumpled over."]] <</if>>\ <</if>>\ <</if>> /* This if refers to the "police whistle blew" above*/<<set $boldroom to "smoking room">><<if $firsttimeinstudy eq 1>><<include "incBoldRoom">><<else>><<set $firsttimeinstudy to 1>>As I ran into the smoking room, I noticed pictures on one wall, and a mantlepiece with a brass rail mounted above it. A wide window overlooked the road, past which were the thirty-nine steps, leading down the chalky cliff.<</if>> <<include "incBold">> <<if ($boldMurdererDown + $boldThiefDown + $endingEscapees) gte 2>>[[A police whistle blew.|Sir Walter enters]]<<set $endingPlans to $boldSavedCloak + $boldSavedFlag>><<else>>\ [[I ran into the hallway.|BoldHallway]] [[I ran through into the study.|BoldStudy]] <<if $boldPulledLever neq 1>>[[I pulled downwards on the brass rail above the mantlepiece.|BoldSmoking][$boldPulledLever=1,$headerText="I pulled the lever. There was a grinding, far below ground, then I saw the thirty-nine steps collapse into a cloud of chalky dust."]] <</if>>\ <<if $boldtime gte 2 and $boldtime lte 4 and $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>[[I gave the gaunt man a vicious jab to the stomach.|BoldSmoking][$boldMurdererDown=1,$headerText="The gaunt man groaned, then sunk to the floor of the smoking room."]] <</if>>\ <</if>>\\ \ <<if $warningtimer eq 2>><<set $warningtimer-->>The warning shot rang out. For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. \ <<elseif $warningtimer eq 1>><<set $warningtimer-->>The last echoes of the warning shot died away. My enemies, who had been momentarily disconcerted, resumed what they were doing. \ <<else>>\ <<set $boldtime++>>\ <<if $boldMastermindDown neq 1 and $boldtime eq 1>>Emerging from the dining room, the elderly gentleman rushed at me. <</if>>\ <<if $boldMurdererDown neq 1>>\ <<switch $boldtime>> <<case 1>>Behind the elderly man, the gaunt gentleman headed for the smoking room. \ <<case 2>><<if $boldSavedCloak neq 1>>I saw the gaunt man snatch the cloak from the hallway, <<else>>I saw the gaunt man reach for the cloak, which was no longer there, <</if>> then bolt into the smoking room. \ <<case 3>>I saw the gaunt man run towards the window of the smoking room. \ <<case 4>>I saw the gaunt man climbing out of the window to the road. \ <<case 5>>I saw the gaunt man crossing the road towards the steps. \ <<case 6>><<if $boldPulledLever eq 1>>The gaunt man stopped in the centre of the road, staring at the cloud of chalky dust from the steps. <<set $boldMurdererDown to 1>><<else>>The gaunt man descended the steps, taking them at pace, and was soon out of sight.<<set $endingEscapees++>> <</if>>\ <</switch>><</if>>\ <<if $boldThiefDown neq 1>>\ <<switch $boldtime>> <<case 1>>The well-dressed man ran towards the study. \ <<case 2>>The well-dressed man entered the study and looked around. \ <<case 3>><<if $boldroom eq "study">>The well-dressed man started towards the desk, then seemed to change his mind, and moved to the walking-stick stand instead. <<else>>There were sounds from the study, as if the well-dressed man was searching for something. <</if>>\ <<case 4>><<if $boldroom eq "study">><<if $boldSavedFlag eq 1>>Abandoning the naval plans, the well-dressed man ran for the front door. <<else>>The well-dressed man grabbed a sheaf of papers from the walking-stick stand, then ran for the front door. <</if>><<else>>The well-dressed man ran from the study into the hallway, heading towards the front door<<if $boldSavedFlag neq 1>> with a sheaf of papers in his hand. <</if>><</if>>\ <<case 5>>From where I was standing, I saw the well-dressed man run across the road, towards <<if $boldPulledLever eq 1>>where the thirty-nine steps had been<<else>>the thirty-nine steps<</if>>. \ <<case 6>><<if $boldPulledLever eq 1>>Across the road, I saw the well-dressed man run towards where the thirty-nine steps had been, then stop in confusion. <<set $boldThiefDown to 1>><<else>>Across the road, I saw the well-dressed man disappear behind the cliff, as he escaped down the thirty-nine steps. <<set $endingEscapees++>><</if>>\ <</switch>><</if>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $boldMastermindDown neq 1>>\ <<switch $boldtime>> <<case 2>>The elderly gentleman looked at me, with murderous intent. \ <<case 3>>The elderly gentleman watched from the centre of the hallway, his eyes like a hawk. \ <<case 4>>The elderly gentleman stood motionless in the centre of the hallway, watching everything. \ <<case 5>>The elderly man walked, with purpose, towards the smoking room. \ <<case 6>><<if $boldPulledLever neq 1>>The elderly man pressed downwards on the brass rail in the smoking room, which moved like a lever. From far below, there was a rumbling, then the thirty-nine steps collapsed, leaving only a cloud of chalk dust below them. "The Black Stone has escaped," he proclaimed with satisfaction. <<else>>The elderly man walked towards the brass rail, then saw it had already been pulled. He turned pale.<</if>> \ <</switch>>\ <</if>>\<<switch $boldtime>> <<case 1>>I stood breathing heavily, in that perfectly English $boldroom.\ <<case 2>>The $boldroom, I noted wryly, was looking decidedly untidy.\ <<case 3>>I stood for a moment in the deceptive normality of that $boldroom.\ <<case 4>>Standing in that $boldroom, I considered my next move.\ <<case 5>>I paused in that $boldroom and looked around, taking in what had happened.\ <<case 6>>I stood breathing heavily, in that perfectly English $boldroom.\ <<case 7>>Standing in that $boldroom, I considered my next move.\ <</switch>><<set $boldMurdererDown to 0>>\ <<set $boldThiefDown to 0>>\ <<set $boldMastermindDown to 0>>\ <<set $boldSavedCloak to 0>>\ <<set $boldSavedFlag to 0>>\ <<set $boldtime to 0>>\ <<set $endingEscapees to 0>>\ <<set $roomnumber to 0>>\<<audio ":playing" volume 0.75 fadeoverto 0.5 0.1>>In the break before playing the next hand, I got up from my seat. I paced around that very English smoking room, with its <<if $closedwindow neq 1>>open<<else>>closed<</if>> window, its pictures on the wall and the polished brass rail over the fireplace. <<if $examinedPictures neq 1>>[[I looked at the pictures.|Bridge2][$headerText="The pictures were of family members and school classes, as you would find in any suburban house. A picture of a motorcar interested me, since it was the double of the one that I had seen in Scotland, although I knew it would not be evidence enough to convict.",$examinedPictures=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $closedWindow neq 1>>[[I closed the window.|Bridge2][$headerText="I closed the window, although I cannot explain why: perhaps I thought it was a potential method of escape. But the fellows in that house did not look as though they were about to run.",$closedWindow=1]] <</if>>\ <<if $foundLever neq 1>>[[I looked at the fireplace.|Bridge2][$headerText="The fireplace looked as though it had been used recently, although it had clearly been swept that morning. The brass rail gleamed, as did a set of tools in a bucket. I wondered why there was a brass rail over a fireplace.",$foundLever=1]] <</if>>\!On Bridge. In Chapter 4, you may find yourself playing Bridge. You don't need to understand Bridge at all to do this. For example, if you have the following options to choose between: <i>"Pass," I said, refusing to rise to the young man's challenge. "Two Spades," I said, a confident bid, especially given my partner's refusal to bid. "Three Spades," I said, an extraordinarily reckless bid.</i> You don't really need to understand what Pass, Two Spades or Three Spades mean. All you need to know is: the first option is refusing to rise to the challenge; the second is noticeably confident; and the third is downright reckless. <<back "Go back.">> [[I really want to know about Bridge.|NotesBridge2]]!Technical notes. The Thirty Nine Steps was written on the browser-based version of Twine 2.4.1. It uses SugarCube. The music was written using PreSonus Studio One. The virtual instruments are BBC Symphony Orchestra from Spitfire Audio, except for the lead violin, which is Joshua Bell Violin. I used paid versions of Studio One and BBC Symphony Orchestra, although I recommend the free versions. Most of the music cues start on the page before a new chapter (e.g. on the page containing a link saying "Chapter Two"), then fades on the page that starts the new chapter. So, if you want to listen to the full cue, don't click the "Chapter Two" link until it's finished. <<back "Go back.">>!I really want to know about Bridge. Here's a quick overview to explain what's happening. In Bridge - which is strictly called "contract bridge" - everyone is dealt a hand of thirteen cards. Everyone plays a card and the highest card wins, with one exception: if the card is a "trump" (that is, it comes from the suit that's designated as "trumps"), it beats all other suits. That's called a "trick". When everyone has played all the cards in their hands, that's called a "hand". Before each hand, each player predicts how many "tricks" they and their partner will win. For example, a bid of One Heart means you think you'll win one trick and you'd like the trump suit to be Hearts. Two No Trumps means you think you'll win two tricks and you don't want a trump suit. You can also Pass if you don't want to bid. There's an order to the bids and you can't bid lower than the previous bidder. The order is: One Heart, One Spade, One Club, One Diamond, One No Trumps, Two Hearts, Two Spades and so on. That's what you need to know about Bridge to understand what's happening. <<back "Go back.">> Sir Walter looked at me, over his coffee cup, in an enquiring way. I leaned forward. [["\"They intend to impersonate...\""|What2][$theyIntendTo="impersonate"]] [["\"They intend to kidnap...\""|What2][$theyIntendTo="kidnap"]] [["\"They intend to kill...\""|What2][$theyIntendTo="kill"]]"They intend to impersonate the Lord of the Admirality", I said, "In order to..." [["\"...start a war.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter smiled. \"It seems unlikely,\" he suggested, \"But we can never be sure. \" "]] [["\"...steal naval plans.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter looked concerned. \"Yes,\" he suggested, \"That is more plausible that we might think. \" "]] [["\"...cause a distraction.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter laughed. \"It seems unlikely,\" he suggested, \"But we can never be sure. \" "]]<<set $headerText to "Sir Walter smiled. \"It seems unlikely,\" he suggested, \"But we can never be sure. \" ">>\ <<switch $theyIntendTo>> <<case "impersonate">>\ "In order to..." <<if $correctImpersonate eq 1>>[["\"...start a war.\""|Where]] [["\"...steal naval plans.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter looked concerned. \"Yes,\" he suggested, \"That is more plausible that we might think. \" "]] [["\"...cause a distraction.\""|Where]] <<else>>\ [["\"...start a war.\""|Where]] [["\"...steal naval plans.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"It is almost plausible,\" he suggested, \"Except for the Prime Minister. \" "]] [["\"...cause a distraction.\""|Where]] <</if>>\ <<case "kill">>\ "Because..." [["\"...of revenge.\""|Where]] [["\"...he is a spy.\""|Where]] [["\"...it will distract from their real purpose.\""|Where]] <<case "kidnap">>\ "And the ransom will be..." [["\"...a pouch of diamonds.\""|Where]] [["\"...naval plans.\""|Where][$headerText="Sir Walter looked puzzled. \"It is almost plausible,\" he suggested, \"Except for the kidnapping. \" "]] [["\"...a map of British positions.\""|Where]] <</switch>>