Delphi Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Illustrated) (1061 page)

BASSICK
: I sent O’Hagan. His orders are to drive him about for an hour so he doesn’t know the distance or the direction he’s going, and then stop at the small door at upper Swandem Lane. He’s going to get him out there and show him to this door.

MORIARTY
: The cab windows were covered, of course?

BASSICK
: Wooden shutters, sir, bolted and secure. There isn’t a place he can see through the size of a pin.

MORIARTY
(
satisfied
): Ah! … (
Looks about
.) We must have a lamp here.

BASSICK
: Better not, sir — there might be some gas left.

MORIARTY
: You’ve got a light there. (
Pointing to miner’s safety lamp on box.
)

BASSICK
:  It’s a safety lamp, sir.

MORIARTY
:  A safety lamp! You mustn’t have that here! The moment he sees that he’ll know what you’re doing and make trouble. (
Sniffs
.) There’s hardly any gas. Go and tell Lascar we must have a good lamp.

(
BASSICK
goes out
.)

(
Looks about.
) Bring that table over here.

(
CRAIGIN
and
McTAGUE
bring table
.)

Now, Craigin — and the rest of you — One thing remember. No shooting to-night! Not a single shot. It can be heard in the alley below. The first thing is to get his revolver away before he has a chance to use it. Two of you attract his attention in front — the other come up on him from behind and snatch it out of his pocket. Then you have him. Arrange that, Craigin.

CRAIGIN
:  I’ll attend to it, sir.

(
The three men retire. Enter
BASSICK
with large lamp. Glass shade to lamp of whitish colour.
BASSICK
crosses to table and Places lamp on it
.)

BASSICK
(
to
McTAGUE
): Put out that lamp.

(
McTAGUE
is about to pick up lamp
.)

CRAIGIN
:  Stop!

(
McTAGUE
waits
.)

We’ll want it when the other’s taken away.

BASSICK
: He mustn’t see it, understand.

MORIARTY
:  Don’t put it out — cover it with something.

CRAIGIN
:  Here! (
He goes up, takes lantern, and pulling out a large box from several others places lantern within and pushes the open side against the wall so that no light from lantern can be seen from front
.)

MORIARTY
:  That will do.

BASSICK
(
approaching
MORIARTY
): You mustn’t stay longer, sir.  O’Hagan might be a little early.

MORIARTY
:  Mr. Larrabee — (
Moving a step forward
.) You understand! — they wait for you.

LARRABEE
(
low — quiet
): I understand, sir.

MORIARTY
:  I give you this opportunity to get what you can for your trouble. But anything that is found on him after you have finished — is subject — (
glances at
CRAIGIN
and others
) — to the usual division.

LARRABEE
:  That’s all I want.

MORIARTY
:  When you have quite finished and got your money  suppose you blow that little whistle which I observe hanging from your watch chain — and these gentlemen will take their turn.

(
BASSICK
holds door open for
MORIARTY
.
LARRABEE
moves up out of way as
MORIARTY
crosses
.)

(
Crosses to door.   At door, turning to
CRAIGIN
.) And, Craigin —

(
CRAIGIN
crosses to
MORIARTY
.)

At the proper moment present my compliments to Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and say that I wish him a pleasant journey to the other side. (
Goes out, followed by
BASSICK
.)

(
LARRABEE
glances about critically. As
MORIARTY
goes,
PRINCE
throws cigarette on floor in disgust, which LEARY picks up as he goes later, putting it in his pocket
.)

LARRABEE
: You’d better put that rope out of sight.

(
CRAIGIN
picks up rope, which he carries with him until he goes out later.
LEARY
and
McTAGUE
move across noiselessly at back. 
CRAIGIN
stops an instant up stage to examine the window, looking at the caulking, etc., and shaking the frames to see that they are securely spiked. Others wait near door. He finishes at window. 
LARRABEE
is examining package near lamp, which he has taken from his pocket. As
LEARY
crosses he picks up rope which was lying up centre and hides it in barrel.
McTAGUE
in crossing bumps up against
PRINCE
, and both look momentarily at each other very much annoyed.
)

CRAIGIN
(
joins
LEARY
and
McTAGUE
at door. Speaks to
LARRABEE
from door
): You understand, sir, we’re on this floor just around the far turn of the passage — so ‘e won’t see us as ‘e’s commin’ up.

LARRABEE
:  I understand. (
Turning to
CRAIGIN
.)

CRAIGIN
:  An’ it’s w’en we ‘ears that whistle, eh?

LARRABEE
:  When you hear this whistle.

(
CRAIGIN
,
LEARY
and
McTAGUE
go out noiselessly. Pause. Door remains open.
PRINCE
, who has been very quiet during foregoing scene, begins to move a little nervously and looks about. He looks at his watch and then glances about again.
LARRABEE
is still near lamp, looking at package of papers which he took from his pocket
.)

PRINCE
(
coming down in a grumpy manner, head down, not looking at
LARRABEE
): Look ‘ere, Jim, this sort of thing ain’t so much in my line.

LARRABEE
(
at table
): I suppose not.

PRINCE
(
still eyes about without looking at
LARRABEE
): When it comes to a shy at a safe or drillin’ into bank vaults, I feels perfectly at ‘ome, but I don’t care so much to see a man — (
Stops — hesitates
.) Well, it ain’t my line!

LARRABEE
(
turning
): Here! (
Going to him and urging him toward door and putting package away
.) All I want of you is to go down on the corner below and let me know when he comes.

PRINCE
(
stops and turns to
LARRABEE
): ‘Ow will I let you know?

LARRABEE
:  Have you got a whistle?

PRINCE
(
pulls one out of pocket
): Cert’nly.

LARRABEE
:  Well when you see O’Hagan driving with him Come down the alley there and blow it twice. (
Urging
PRINCE
a little nearer door
.)

PRINCE
:  Yes — but ain’t it quite loikely to call a cab at the same time?

LARRABEE
:  What more do you want — take the cab and go home.

PRINCE
:  Oh, then you won’t need me ‘ere again.

LARRABEE
:  No.

(
PRINCE
turns to go
.)

PRINCE
(
going to door — very much relieved
): Oh, very well — then I’ll tear myself away. (
Goes out.
)

(
Music. Pathetic, melodramatic, agitato, pp
.)

(
LARRABEE
crosses to table and looks at lamp, gets two chairs and places them on either side of table; As he places second chair he stops dead as if having heard a noise outside, listens, and is satisfied all is well. Then thinking of the best way to conduct negotiations with Holmes, takes out cigar, and holds it a moment unlighted as he thinks. Then takes out match and is about to light  it when
ALICE FAULKNER
enters. He starts up and looks at her.  She stands looking at him, frightened and excited
.)

(
Music stops
.)

LARRABEE
:  What do you want?

ALICE
: It’s true, then?

LARRABEE
:  How did you get to this place?

ALICE
:  I followed you — in a cab.

LARRABEE
:  What have you been doing since I came up here? Informing the police, perhaps.

ALICE
:  No — I was afraid he’d come — so I waited.

LARRABEE
:  Oh — to warn him very likely?

ALICE
:  Yes. (
Pause
.) To warn him. (
Looks about room
.)

LARRABEE
:  Then it’s just as well you came up.

ALICE
: I came to make sure — (
Glances about
.)

LARRABEE
: Of what?

ALICE
: That something else — is not going to be done besides — what they told me.

LARRABEE
:  Ah — somebody told you that something else was going to be done?

ALICE
:  Yes.

LARRABEE
:  So! We’ve got another spy in the house.

ALICE
:  You’re going to swindle and deceive him — I know that. Is there anything more? (
Advancing to him a little
.)

LARRABEE
: What could you do if there was?

ALICE
:  I could buy you off. Such men as you are always open to sale.

LARABEE
:  How much would you give?

ALICE
:  The genuine package — the real ones. All the proofs — everything

LARRABEE
(
advancing above table, quietly but with quick interest
): Have you got it with you?

ALICE
:  No, but I can get it.

LARRABEE
:  Oh — (
Going to table. Slightly disappointed.
) So you’ll do all that for this man? You think he’s your friend, I suppose?

ALICE
:  I haven’t thought of it.

LARRABEE
:  Look what he’s doing now. Coming here to buy those things off me.

ALICE
:  They’re false. They’re counterfeit.

LARRABEE
:  He thinks they’re genuine, doesn’t he? He’d hardly come here to buy them if he didn’t.

ALICE
:  He may ask my permission still.

LARRABEE
:  Ha! (
Sneer — turning away
.) He won’t get the chance.

ALICE
(
suspicious again
): Won’t get the chance. Then there is something else.