Start of a transcript of Savoir-Faire An interactive search for loot. Copyright Emily Short 2002. Type INFO if you have not played before. Type LICENSE for the terms of use and distribution. Type CREDITS for tester and library acknowledgements. Release 2 / Serial number 020418 / Inform v6.15 Library 6/10 Standard interpreter 1.0 (6F) / Library serial number 991113 >restore Ok. >l Entrance Hall Flourishing, spacious; it is its best with a half-dozen servants in livery. The floor is Italian marble. The main staircase ascends to the corridor on the second floor, and a smaller version leads down into the dim basement. Doors also open north and northeast. On the wall is one of those mechanical clocks that pop open on the hour, allowing the ingenious internal figures out to play. The cuckoo clock ticks sullenly. >i You are carrying: four food items: some apples some hunks of salt pork some lentils a vanilla bean a red glass jar (which is open) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is open) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) an old letter a pearl necklace (being worn) a sack (which is open) a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait a stone block three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup four books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines On Vegetable Dyes Clock Repair a crumpled paper a white handkerchief a butcher knife a sponge two recipe cylinders: an Andouillettes Recipe a Lentil Soup Recipe a burnt scrap of paper a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff eight food items: an onion skin a peeled onion a clove of garlic some andouillettes a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a loaf of stale bread a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) Just on the quarter-hour the cuckoo clock opens up its door and a mechanical bird flies forward. It sings a brief warbling tune, then withdraws into its little door. >undo Entrance Hall [Previous turn undone.] >n Library Originally a salon for the receiving of guests; but in recent years the Count has become increasingly interested in his own projects, and has taken over the entire room for the storage of books. Bookshelves line the walls, reaching above your head. A clockwork model of the universe stands in one corner, the planets rotating in their orbits. On one wall is an enormous portrait of the Count's father, from the hand of Hyacinthe Rigaud. The planets turn slowly around the empty sun-holder. >s Entrance Hall Flourishing, spacious; it is its best with a half-dozen servants in livery. The floor is Italian marble. The main staircase ascends to the corridor on the second floor, and a smaller version leads down into the dim basement. Doors also open north and northeast. On the wall is one of those mechanical clocks that pop open on the hour, allowing the ingenious internal figures out to play. The cuckoo clock clicks closed. >undo Library [Previous turn undone.] >z Time passes. The model universe clicks. >z Time passes. The model universe clicks. >z Time passes. The model universe clicks. >z Time passes. The planets turn slowly around the empty sun-holder. >z Time passes. The model universe clicks. >z Time passes. The little pearl moon revolves around its earth. >z Time passes. The planets turn slowly around the empty sun-holder. >z Time passes. The little pearl moon revolves around its earth. In your hunger, you hallucinate a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps creme caramel, elegantly centered in its pool of sweet liquid and garnished with three-- no, make it four-- fresh raspberries. >quit Are you sure you want to quit? y The beautiful life is always damned, they say. As for you, you've overexpended yourself: fifteen years of prominence, champagne, carriage rides in the Tuileries, having your name whispered behind manicured hands, getting elegant ladies out of elegant fixes -- and you're in debt. Bound by oath and honor to a pack of scoundrels. Your father, old peasant that he was, could have warned you against their type. You'd hoped to find the Count at home; your original plan was to ask him for an advance on the money you expect to earn on your estate in a month or two. But according to the local population, the Count hasn't been home in months, and Marie, who was in residence until recently, has vanished as well. "No one around the big house now," says one of the peasant women tersely. "Even turned off the cook, they did." But you need the money at once; if you return to Paris without it, your creditors are unlikely to be forgiving. So you walked over the fields anyway, and got in through the gap in the kitchen garden wall. You will just have to find what you can. Savoir-Faire An interactive search for loot. Copyright Emily Short 2002. Type INFO if you have not played before. Type LICENSE for the terms of use and distribution. Type CREDITS for tester and library acknowledgements. Release 4 / Serial number 020418 / Inform v6.15 Library 6/10 Kitchen Garden West is the wall of the kitchen. Most of the space along the wall is planted with herbs -- bay, parsley, stalks of mint -- left of the open doorway. To its right is only a drainage ditch, catching the outflow of a pipe that comes through the wall. In one corner of the plot is the well, drilled many deep feet; in another is the antique sundial. A tangle of climbing roses covers almost completely the wall and door of a shed to the southeast. >script Attempt to begin transcript failed. >[Oh, hey, must be still on.] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >script off Transcripting is already off. >script on Attempt to begin transcript failed. >quit Are you sure you want to quit? y Start of a transcript of Savoir-Faire An interactive search for loot. Copyright Emily Short 2002. Type INFO if you have not played before. Type LICENSE for the terms of use and distribution. Type CREDITS for tester and library acknowledgements. Release 4 / Serial number 020418 / Inform v6.15 Library 6/10 Standard interpreter 1.0 (6F) / Library serial number 991113 >[OK, restarting with release 4] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >license INTERACTIVE FICTION FREEWARE GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE 1. This license grants you the right to use and distribute Savoir-Faire under certain conditions as outlined below. You cannot use this software if you do not agree with these conditions. If you have any queries about the license, please contact me. At the time of writing I may be reached via email at emshort@mindspring.com. 2. Savoir-Faire, including any and all associated files as well as any output produced via the Script command, is copyright 2000-2002 by Emily Short. 3. You are allowed to use Savoir-Faire and make copies for your personal use without restrictions. You may also copy and distribute it in any medium, as long as it and all associated files are kept unmodified. You may charge a reasonable fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and the cost of the media. You are not allowed to distribute Savoir-Faire commercially (i.e., for profit), whether as a stand-alone product, or as part of a compilation or anthology, without prior permission. 4. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: Savoir-Faire is distributed and licensed free of charge, and there is no warranty, either express or implied. The author does not guarantee the suitability of Savoir-Faire for any particular purpose and is not responsible for any loss or damage caused by the use of or inability to use it. >get all herbs That's hardly portable. >l Kitchen Garden West is the wall of the kitchen. Most of the space along the wall is planted with herbs -- bay, parsley, stalks of mint -- left of the open doorway. To its right is only a drainage ditch, catching the outflow of a pipe that comes through the wall. In one corner of the plot is the well, drilled many deep feet; in another is the antique sundial. A tangle of climbing roses covers almost completely the wall and door of a shed to the southeast. >x herbs A bed of herbs, containing, currently, bay, parsley, and mint. >get bay, parsley, mint growing bay: You pick some of the growing bay. growing parsley: You pick some of the growing parsley. growing mint: You pick some of the growing mint. >n You can only really go west, what with the roses covering the shed. >w Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables are a loaf of stale bread and a delicate contraption (which is closed). A string of andouillettes hangs from a beam of the ceiling. >w Kitchen Corridor A narrow corridor between the kitchen and the main house, which has a thick separate wall. The two buildings are only barely attached, to discourage fires. A small staircase leads down. Double doors, west, bar your access to the main house. Lying to one side, and thereby doing no good at all, is the stone block often used as a doorstop. >get sack You can't see any such thing. >e Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables are a loaf of stale bread and a delicate contraption (which is closed). A string of andouillettes hangs from a beam of the ceiling. >n Scullery A small, workmanlike room with a floor of white stones. The principal features of the room are a counter, with a large inset washbasin also made of stone, and a tall wooden cupboard. On the countertop are a sponge, a butcher knife and a sack (in which is a single yellow onion). >get sack Taken. >get knife Taken. >s Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables are a loaf of stale bread and a delicate contraption (which is closed). A string of andouillettes hangs from a beam of the ceiling. >get all andouillettes: You can't reach the andouillettes from here. burnt scrap of paper: (putting the snuffbox into the sack to make room) Taken. loaf of stale bread: (putting the swordstick into the sack to make room) Taken. delicate contraption: It is both too large and too delicate to remove. >u Servants' Dormitory Up here the female servants used to sleep. Now there is only a dreary row of unmade beds; a rack for drying washing; the fireplace, hollow and untended. Time was, when you were very young, that you used to creep in here for chatter and gossip, and the language you were used to hearing at home. On the drying rack is a white handkerchief. >get hanky (putting the bay leaf into the sack to make room) Taken. >x rack A sort of contraption of several long bars which will support clothing thrown over it to dry. >get it That's hardly portable. >move it You are unable to. >x fireplace Not nearly as large as the ones downstairs, of course, and principally intended for keeping the inhabitants toasty when the winter set in especially hard. Something about the fireplace tickles your recollection. >remember it ... Anton's wife Leonie stood by the fireplace. "The new maid -- I think she is a snoop." Anton shrugged his broad shoulders. "She chops potatoes," he said. "Nonetheless I don't trust her. Give me the money." And she took the little sack of coins Anton held out to her, their savings, and concealed them behind a brick in the fireplace. ... >x brick A reddish-brown brick darkened by smoke, and pushed forward from its position among the others. >move it Age and heat have hardened the cement holding the brick in place. >pull it Age and heat have hardened the cement holding the brick in place. >open box You open the snuffbox, revealing a quantity of snuff. >d Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables is a delicate contraption (which is closed). A string of andouillettes hangs from a beam of the ceiling. >get on table You get onto the kitchen tables. On the kitchen tables you can see a delicate contraption (which is closed). >get andouillettes with sword (first taking the sword) (putting the sprig of parsley into the sack to make room) You draw the sword from its sheath. You triumphantly stab the sausages with your sword. They slide down the length of the blade, before the casing bursts through and they fall onto the table instead. But the task is accomplished. >get sausage (putting the sprig of mint into the sack to make room) Taken. >i You are carrying: a sword a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a sack (which is open) a swordstick a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff four food items: a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a single yellow onion a dashing hat (being worn) two food items: some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread >d You'll have to get off the kitchen tables first. >get up You get off the kitchen tables. Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables is a delicate contraption (which is closed). >open contraption You open the contraption, revealing a clove of garlic. >x it The body of the contraption is mostly just a large box, into which things can be put, and an assembly of clockwork parts in a separate case, not to be interfered with. There is also a dial which may be set to various positions, and a spindle, on which is a cylinder with a pattern of strange bumps on it, labeled "Andouillettes Recipe". The delicate contraption is currently switched off. >get garli You can't see any such thing. >get garlic (putting the loaf of stale bread into the sack to make room) Taken. >get recipe (putting the andouillettes into the sack to make room) It takes a bit of wiggling to get the cylinder to come free, but you extricate it without too much difficulty. >read it Andouillettes Recipe: andouillettes, olive oil, dry white wine, single yellow onion, sea-salt. >[Ah, sweet sweet italics] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >[unix frotz actually underlines things. Imagine!] That's not a verb I recognize. >x it A cylinder of silver metal perhaps as long as your thumb. On the surface are a series of strange bumps, depressions, and grooves. The core of the cylinder is hollow, but over one end is a paper label, which reads, "Andouillettes Recipe." Smaller writing on the label indicates the ingredient list. >n Scullery A small, workmanlike room with a floor of white stones. The principal features of the room are a counter, with a large inset washbasin also made of stone, and a tall wooden cupboard. On the countertop is a sponge. >get sponge (putting the butcher knife into the sack to make room) Taken. >open cupboard You open the cupboard, revealing three metal dishes (a cup, a plate and a hinge- lidded teapot). >get all from cupboard cup: (putting the burnt scrap of paper into the sack to make room) Removed. plate: (putting the white handkerchief into the sack to make room) Removed. hinge-lidded teapot: (putting the sword into the sack to make room) Removed. >x washbasin Nothing more than a large stone bowl. In the bottom is a hole, which can be plugged up; when the plug is removed, the water runs out by a pipe and waters the ground outside. In the bottom of the hole you can see something glinting. >x shiny A cylinder of silver metal perhaps as long as your thumb. On the surface are a series of strange bumps, depressions, and grooves, seeming carefully wrought and utterly intentional. The core of the cylinder is hollow, but over one end is a piece of paper which bears a label, in careful lettering, which reads, "Tea Recipe." >get it You can't reach far enough. >get it with sword (first taking the sword) (putting the clove of garlic into the sack to make room) The best you can manage is to move the Tea Recipe around a little. As for bringing it back to the surface or forcing it to fall the rest of the way out of the drain, the geometry of the pipe seems to be against you. >[hmm, geometry] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >s Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables is a delicate contraption (which is empty). >x fireplace The usual empty space and ash within it. >u Servants' Dormitory Up here the female servants used to sleep. Now there is only a dreary row of unmade beds; a rack for drying washing; the fireplace, hollow and untended. Time was, when you were very young, that you used to creep in here for chatter and gossip, and the language you were used to hearing at home. >look under bed Your investigations under the bed turn up a silver cylinder and a crumpled piece of paper -- the latter apparently intentionally hidden, since it was folded in quarters and tucked into the frame of one bed. [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >read crumpled Your name is written on it, perhaps a dozen times, with various honorifics, in Marie's elegant handwriting. She was fluently literate but always a painstaking writer, determined never to blot her work, and wrote, even when grown up, with the tip of her tongue caught between her teeth. >[BTW, this bit made me think Marie was a servant the first time through] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >get recipe Which do you mean, the Lentil Soup Recipe or the Andouillettes Recipe? >all Lentil Soup Recipe: You already have that. Andouillettes Recipe: You already have that. >x lentil A cylinder of silver metal perhaps as long as your thumb. On the surface are a series of strange bumps, depressions, and grooves. The core of the cylinder is hollow, but over one end is a paper label, which reads, "Lentil Soup Recipe." Smaller writing on the label indicates the ingredient list. >read it Lentil Soup Recipe: lentils, single yellow onion, water, clove of garlic, bay leaf, olive oil, sea-salt. >[ah, italics] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >l Servants' Dormitory Up here the female servants used to sleep. Now there is only a dreary row of unmade beds; a rack for drying washing; the fireplace, hollow and untended. Time was, when you were very young, that you used to creep in here for chatter and gossip, and the language you were used to hearing at home. >move rack You are unable to. >d Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables is a delicate contraption (which is empty). >w Kitchen Corridor A narrow corridor between the kitchen and the main house, which has a thick separate wall. The two buildings are only barely attached, to discourage fires. A small staircase leads down. Double doors, west, bar your access to the main house. Lying to one side, and thereby doing no good at all, is the stone block often used as a doorstop. >get block (putting the Andouillettes Recipe into the sack to make room) Taken. >put sword in stick You put the sword into the swordstick. >link doors to teapot Bending your will, you form the link between the double doors and the hinge- lidded teapot. [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >open pot You open the hinge-lidded teapot. The double doors open slowly of their own accord, the ancient hinges protesting. >unlink pot You succeed in unlinking the hinge-lidded teapot from the double doors. >w Dining Room A grand room, for dining in style. The plastered ceiling is several times your height. The air now is cool and deep, the sunlight glancing through the windows and scattering from the chandelier, putting points of light at your feet, over the table, across the painted wallpaper and the handsome wood paneling. Woodworked columns frame the exits west and southwest. Heavy double doors open east to the kitchen. [Your score has just gone up by five points.] >x wallpaper Painted with images such as the queen entering a room accompanied by waiting women. The main subject of each picture is realistic, but there are fantasies around the edges: a fox standing on two legs, dressed in the coat and hose of a courtier, with a broad hat; a girl's gown trailing into peacock feathers. Something about the wallpaper tickles your recollection. >remember it ... "So the man linked himself to a suit of armor. And then he left the suit of armor at home, and went off to war to fight in his bare skin, thinking that whatever happened to him, the links would protect him. But at home his wife was horrified to see the armor slashed in pieces before her eyes..." "Anabelle," interrupted the Count, standing at the doorway with a hand on his vest. "Do you really think this story is appropriate for the children?" The Countess shrugged, half-smiling as she always had when the Count overrode her authority. "I hardly think it is any more disturbing than the other things Marie reads," she said lightly. "The dining room wallpaper is more frightening than this story." "I don't mean that, of course." The Count smiled over you and Marie -- you on the floor, Marie with her skirts spread around her on the chaise. "But our children should not be told silly superstitions about linking." He came into the room then, touching the Countess' shoulder with an affectionate gesture. "Marie," he said, "What is wrong with your mother's story?" "The man has confused reverse-links and ordinary ones," Marie replied. "And he would have to be very stupid to do that, because reverse-links are harder to make and you can always tell when you have done it." The Count nodded at her. "Very good." He kissed the Countess and went out again... ... Hmm. Something to eat would be good. >[not salad. PLEASE NOT SALAD.] That's not a verb I recognize. >x chaise You can't see any such thing. >l Dining Room A grand room, for dining in style. The plastered ceiling is several times your height. The air now is cool and deep, the sunlight glancing through the windows and scattering from the chandelier, putting points of light at your feet, over the table, across the painted wallpaper and the handsome wood paneling. Woodworked columns frame the exits west and southwest. Heavy double doors open east to the kitchen. >x columns Carved in a sort of pseudo-Corinthian style, with carved acanthus leaves and scrollwork in the capitals. >climb it I don't think much is to be achieved by that. >x window Windows framed in the old style, arched at the top with a little knot of carved flowerettes and ribbon-work. >w Library Originally a salon for the receiving of guests; but in recent years the Count has become increasingly interested in his own projects, and has taken over the entire room for the storage of books. Bookshelves line the walls, reaching above your head. A clockwork model of the universe stands in one corner. On one wall is an enormous portrait of the Count's father, from the hand of Hyacinthe Rigaud. >x portrait The old man appears to stand in a vague, ruddy landscape; all the artist's attention was spared for his clothing, which is rendered in shimmering detail, lustrous silks and fur, and for the giant bi-partite mound of wig on his head, whose curls fall over each shoulder. Something about the framed portrait tickles your recollection. >remember it ... "He can make links," the Countess hissed. Neither of them saw you there. "Anabelle--" "And don't tell me that your father strayed into some peasant's bed in his dotage, because I have seen Pierre's mother and she is not old enough to--" "Anabelle, calm yourself." He put a hand on her shoulder, spoke in his voice of diplomacy. "Now you will tell me that he is some by-blow of someone passing through the village, I suppose? Some guest of ours, perhaps?" she asked bitterly. "I wondered why you were so ready to accept him--" "I swear to you, Pierre is no son of mine. Nor, I think, is he any relative of ours for many generations. It is possible that these things appear sportively even among the lesser classes, you know..." She shrugged his hand away. "There's something you aren't telling me," she said. "I always know it, you say so yourself." He sighed. "I will tell you, Ana, but it is not what you think..." ... >l Library Originally a salon for the receiving of guests; but in recent years the Count has become increasingly interested in his own projects, and has taken over the entire room for the storage of books. Bookshelves line the walls, reaching above your head. A clockwork model of the universe stands in one corner. On one wall is an enormous portrait of the Count's father, from the hand of Hyacinthe Rigaud. >x model Fitted out with tiny planets on arms, and the major moons of the planets, revolving around a center. There is no sun, however; there is only a sort of holder designed to contain something spherical. Most of the planets are ordinary balls of solid metal, except for Jupiter. They stand still. Oddly, the contraption also seems to be linked, and quite unsubtly, to something in the foyer, to the south. You can feel the pull of it. Something about the model universe tickles your recollection. >remember it ... The Count was standing in the library, tinkering with the model; Marie was bent over it as well, instructing him about what to connect where. "I will never understand," he remarked to you, "how it is that she has such a mechanical mind. Not the least interest in diplomacy..." "It is my cold heart, Papa," she replied, tossing aside her clockmaking tools. "It is done?" he asked her. "Put the light in," she said, "and then make it go." You turned away. "Stay and see how it works!" Marie called after you. "Sorry, infant, the road to Paris is long..." ... >u You can go only south or east. >s Entrance Hall Flourishing, spacious; it is its best with a half-dozen servants in livery. The floor is Italian marble, and the walls are dressed with yellow silk hangings. The main staircase ascends to the corridor on the second floor, and a smaller version leads down into the dim basement. Doors also open north and northeast. On the wall is one of those mechanical clocks that pop open on the hour, allowing the ingenious internal figures out to play. >x floor (the marble floor) Veined colorfully in cream and muted orange, turned glossy with much polishing. >x hangings Hangings cover up the whole of the west wall, concealing it thoroughly. (Now that you think of it, wasn't there a door through there or some such thing?) >move it You are unable to. >move hangings You lift the hangings out of the way with both hands -- they are heavy, and it's a struggle to move them far enough to get a good glimpse. Behind them there seems to be a door, yes, but locked, and with its key still in the lock. You drop the hangings again disconsolately. >open door You can't get to the gothic door to do anything to it at the moment. >x gothic door You can't get to the gothic door to do anything to it at the moment. >ne It was a long journey down here, and you're wishing you had had something to eat. Dining Room A grand room, for dining in style. The plastered ceiling is several times your height. The air now is cool and deep, the sunlight glancing through the windows and scattering from the chandelier, putting points of light at your feet, over the table, across the painted wallpaper and the handsome wood paneling. Woodworked columns frame the exits west and southwest. Heavy double doors open east to the kitchen. >n You can go only east, west or southwest. >w Library Originally a salon for the receiving of guests; but in recent years the Count has become increasingly interested in his own projects, and has taken over the entire room for the storage of books. Bookshelves line the walls, reaching above your head. A clockwork model of the universe stands in one corner. On one wall is an enormous portrait of the Count's father, from the hand of Hyacinthe Rigaud. >s Entrance Hall Flourishing, spacious; it is its best with a half-dozen servants in livery. The floor is Italian marble. The main staircase ascends to the corridor on the second floor, and a smaller version leads down into the dim basement. Doors also open north and northeast. On the wall is one of those mechanical clocks that pop open on the hour, allowing the ingenious internal figures out to play. >e The south door leads only out of the estate, where you are not ready to go. You can go only north, northeast, up or down. >[or through that other door] That's not a verb I recognize. >[Eeeagh! No more mention of the hangings, or that secret door! Oy.] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >x clocks You can't see any such thing. >x clock Hand-carved by a German carver from dark wood; it was a present to the Count by a political ally. The Countess considered the clock a bit gauche, but was persuaded that it would be impolite not to display it. It consists of the face, a pendulum and pair of weights, and a little door above the face that opens when the hour is struck. It is not ticking at the moment. The clock shows the time to be 10:13. >n Library Originally a salon for the receiving of guests; but in recent years the Count has become increasingly interested in his own projects, and has taken over the entire room for the storage of books. Bookshelves line the walls, reaching above your head. A clockwork model of the universe stands in one corner. On one wall is an enormous portrait of the Count's father, from the hand of Hyacinthe Rigaud. >x bookshelves The shelves line both sides of the room from floor to ceiling. >search them You can't see "them" (the yellow hangings) at the moment. >search bookshelves You peruse the nearest books. Your eye picks out, at random, On Vegetable Dyes. >get dyes (putting the sponge into the sack to make room) Taken. >read it You flip through the pages, becoming transfixed by a discussion of how the Celts, supposedly, were wont to dye clothing in a decoction of powdered lichen and stale piss, brewed together for three weeks and then strained. But beside this pleasant concoction there are references to others, such as onion skin boiled in water to produce a pleasant yellow. You're getting pretty hungry. >search shelves You peruse the nearest books. Your eye picks out, at random, Clock Repair. >get clock (putting the cup into the sack to make room) Taken. >read it A detailed discourse on how to take care of and repair an assortment of common and mechanical clocks. It begins with comprehensible matters, such as pulling up the weights to begin the operation of the pendulum when the clock has stopped, and other bits of routine maintenance; it finishes with diagrams of a clock's inner workings that are almost embarrassingly intimate and far too complex for you to follow. >search shelves You peruse the nearest books. Your eye picks out, at random, Guide to Assorted Wines and The Lavori d'Aracne. >read guide (first taking Guide to Assorted Wines) (putting the plate into the sack to make room) Taken. ...mead, a wine made of honey and very sweet... >read lavoi What do you want to read in? >read lavori (first taking The Lavori d'Aracne) (putting the hinge-lidded teapot into the sack to make room) Taken. On the subject of mirrors: Unusual and costly mirrors of special power exist which enhance the workings of the lavori d'Aracne; they may be recognized by their failure to reflect in the ordinary way. Some make it easier to form a link through the mirror than through open air, allowing the magician to reverse-link items that are otherwise too dissimilar to use. Likewise, such a mirror... But then, unfortunately, it breaks off, the page apparently having been chewed out and carried away by something or other. >[chewed, again, is just weird.] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >read lavori On the subject of mirrors: Unusual and costly mirrors of special power exist which enhance the workings of the lavori d'Aracne; they may be recognized by their failure to reflect in the ordinary way. Some make it easier to form a link through the mirror than through open air, allowing the magician to reverse-link items that are otherwise too dissimilar to use. Likewise, such a mirror... But then, unfortunately, it breaks off, the page apparently having been chewed out and carried away by something or other. >g On the subject of mirrors: Unusual and costly mirrors of special power exist which enhance the workings of the lavori d'Aracne; they may be recognized by their failure to reflect in the ordinary way. Some make it easier to form a link through the mirror than through open air, allowing the magician to reverse-link items that are otherwise too dissimilar to use. Likewise, such a mirror... But then, unfortunately, it breaks off, the page apparently having been chewed out and carried away by something or other. >search shelves There is nothing on the shelves. >l Library Originally a salon for the receiving of guests; but in recent years the Count has become increasingly interested in his own projects, and has taken over the entire room for the storage of books. Bookshelves line the walls, reaching above your head. A clockwork model of the universe stands in one corner. On one wall is an enormous portrait of the Count's father, from the hand of Hyacinthe Rigaud. >move portrait Nothing obvious happens. >look behind portrait You dare not pull the portrait away from the wall; if it falls on you, the experience will be unpleasant. >s Entrance Hall Flourishing, spacious; it is its best with a half-dozen servants in livery. The floor is Italian marble. The main staircase ascends to the corridor on the second floor, and a smaller version leads down into the dim basement. Doors also open north and northeast. On the wall is one of those mechanical clocks that pop open on the hour, allowing the ingenious internal figures out to play. It comes into your mind, yet again, that you'd hoped to find some sustenance here. >u Staircase, First Floor The top of a broad curving stair: east is the long salon that goes the length of the house, downstairs are the foyer and the grand receiving rooms. (You and Marie used to sit up here when the Count had guests, watching them arrive downstairs in their magnificent clothing, until you got old enough to be introduced yourselves.) North is the old conservatory. >u You can go only north, east or down. >e Long Salon In days gone by you ran up and down these halls with Marie, and were barely able to stop at the end, skidding in your stockings the last few feet before the stairs began. She's gone now, both the little girl with dusk-blonde curls and the somewhat older one with dangerous slanting eyes and cleverly backwards magics; the dust falls long and slowly, the walls echo with absence. West is the top of the staircase, and rooms open to the north and east. The door east is closed. A small portrait hangs on the wall. >get portrait (putting the Lentil Soup Recipe into the sack to make room) Taken. >x it Oil on wood, of a small, pinch-faced girl; the writing on the back says it is the Baroness D'Envers at a young age, which would make her some distant cousin of the Count, several generations back, and also related to the man currently holding all your notes. It is not especially well-executed, and probably worth fairly little on the market. >l Long Salon A long empty room with shined wooden floors, perfect for sliding in stocking- feet. West is the top of the staircase, and rooms open to the north and east. The door east is closed. >e You can't, since the tall door is in the way. >open tall door It seems to be locked. >unlock it (with the tall door) (first taking the tall door) That's fixed in place. >link it (to the tall door) The Count made this door unlinkable, perhaps; in any case, you cannot seem to control it. >n Countess' Sitting Room This was the countess' favorite room, and it is more richly decorated than any other in the house, betraying her taste for the brightly-colored and the jewel- like. The count brought her some things from his travels, and made others for her. Most of the contents seem to be gone -- the chairs and sofas, and the wall hangings -- but some bits remain. A thick-pile Persian rug lies on the floor, patterned in lapis and emerald. Against one wall is a glass case full of rare and valuable clockwork figures. >link hanky to rug You valiantly try to link the two objects, but they seem as though they will never go together. You should have stopped at an inn on the way down. And eaten. >search rug There is nothing on the rug. >move rug Nothing obvious happens. >look under it You find nothing of interest. >x case The case is specially made of glass and wood. Inscribed into the surface of the glass with a fine cutting tool are the words: "CAREFUL! DO NOT BREAK!" Inside are mechanical dancers and a clockwork bee. Something about the glass case tickles your recollection. >remember case ... Many years ago, the Countess stood at this case, looking at the contents. "Sometimes I feel like one of these," she said, softly. "Trapped..." She met your eye. "You don't understand what I am saying, do you?" You shook your head. "They are made of gears and magic links," she said. "They have no choices." ... >x dancers The dancers are antique, and peculiar. Their costume replicates an English mode of the sixteenth century: the lady wears a skirt of beaten copper, pierced in designs, and around the gentleman's neck is a ruff of folded silver, though with long neglect it has begun to darken. As for their skin, it is all carved ivory. They both of them stand on a floor made up of cogs, to permit them to spin and dance around. >l Countess' Sitting Room This was the countess' favorite room, and it is more richly decorated than any other in the house, betraying her taste for the brightly-colored and the jewel- like. The count brought her some things from his travels, and made others for her. Most of the contents seem to be gone -- the chairs and sofas, and the wall hangings -- but some bits remain. A thick-pile Persian rug lies on the floor, patterned in lapis and emerald. Against one wall is a glass case full of rare and valuable clockwork figures. >n You can go only south. >w You can go only south. >s Long Salon A long empty room with shined wooden floors, perfect for sliding in stocking- feet. West is the top of the staircase, and rooms open to the north and east. The door east is closed. >w Staircase, First Floor The top of a broad curving stair: east is the long salon that goes the length of the house, downstairs are the foyer and the grand receiving rooms. North is the old conservatory. In your hunger, you hallucinate onion soup. >[here we go...] That's not a verb I recognize. >n Old Conservatory A chilly northern exposure, perhaps, but really quite lovely. This room used to be where Marie would practice her music, and the Countess play her compositions; Marie's own room lies to the west. On the high shelf is a celestial bauble. The pianoforte stands in the center of the room. >x bauble A delicate ornament made of glass, containing inside it a little sun and star that whirl infinitely in the hollow space. It was a plaything of Marie's, which (due to careful reverse linking to a perfectly round rock) she could hurl at walls and never break, drop down staircases and find intact at the bottom. But it is very doubtful that the link has lasted out the years. >play piano You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. In your hunger, you find yourself dreaming a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >g You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette. >play minuette You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette, suggestive of lost elegance. >play (the pianoforte) You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette, suggestive of lost elegance. >g (the pianoforte) You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette, suggestive of lost elegance. >g (the pianoforte) You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette, suggestive of lost elegance. >g (the pianoforte) You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette, suggestive of lost elegance. >g (the pianoforte) You sit down at the piano and begin to play, as you have not in years: a minuette, suggestive of lost elegance. >[hmm, that's somewhat odd how the 'suggestive of lost elegance' adds in there.] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >play waltz They have not even begun to dance the waltz in Vienna; it will be long years before it reaches the provinces of France, and longer years yet before your old fingers learn it. >play baroque Not a tune you know. >play dirge Not a tune you know. In your hunger, you find yourself dreaming quite at random a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette. >[Noooooooooo......] That's not a verb I recognize. > [The grammar is awkward there, too. 'dreaming a salad'? That's usually 'dreaming of a salad'] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >l Old Conservatory A chilly northern exposure, perhaps, but really quite lovely. This room used to be where Marie would practice her music, and the Countess play her compositions; Marie's own room lies to the west. On the high shelf is a celestial bauble. The pianoforte stands in the center of the room. >look in piano You find nothing of interest. >search piano You find nothing of interest. >look under piano A little dust, perhaps. >get dust You collect a little on your finger, tsk at it, and wipe your finger clean again. >l Old Conservatory A chilly northern exposure, perhaps, but really quite lovely. This room used to be where Marie would practice her music, and the Countess play her compositions; Marie's own room lies to the west. On the high shelf is a celestial bauble. The pianoforte stands in the center of the room. >w Marie's Chamber Stripped of the elegant clutter it once possessed, the room still offers a charming view through the north window of the old grounds, and the way out is to the east. The wallpaper and floorboards are still as elegant as ever. Hanging on the wall is an elegant gilt-wood mirror, reflecting sunlight over the ground before it. Her desk remains, pushed against the wall. >x desk A deep, satin-lustrous cherry, with gilt-metal decorations. The years have not been kind, and it has cracked and split in several places; the finish is damaged, and where there is inlaid mother of pearl, it is beginning to come up from its bed. But it is still a sound piece, and features two drawers. >open top desk I only understood you as far as wanting to open the top drawer. >open top You open the top drawer, revealing some household papers. >get household (putting the crumpled paper into the sack to make room) Taken. >read them You ruffle through a list of dresses and furbelows ordered. It seems that Marie still has a taste for brocaded silk, but there are also orders for three ostrich feathers, curled and dyed blue; a pair of heeled shoes with silver buckles; scented powder; three yards of imported gilt-edged lace; a half-dozen elbow- length gloves; and, most exorbitantly, a hooded navy cloak lined with swan's down. >g You turn up elaborate designs for a model house that would exactly copy a real house, with all the doors and windows built, and links made, so that one could watch all comings and goings, and close and lock passages from a distance. At the bottom is added, in Marie's meticulous hand, "Would probably annoy half the adulterers in Paris. Pity." >g You turn up elaborate designs for a model house that would exactly copy a real house, with all the doors and windows built, and links made, so that one could watch all comings and goings, and close and lock passages from a distance. At the bottom is added, in Marie's meticulous hand, "Would probably annoy half the adulterers in Paris. Pity." In your hunger, you hallucinate a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette. >g You turn up elaborate designs for a model house that would exactly copy a real house, with all the doors and windows built, and links made, so that one could watch all comings and goings, and close and lock passages from a distance. At the bottom is added, in Marie's meticulous hand, "Would probably annoy half the adulterers in Paris. Pity." >g You pass your eye over an intended menu, which Marie has laid out in rigorous detail from the soup to the cheeses, not leaving anything to chance, not even the ices to cleanse the palate. (You scowl a little at the concept of a beet- flavored ice, however. No doubt it would look pretty, but God knows about the taste.) >g You pass your eye over an intended menu, which Marie has laid out in rigorous detail from the soup to the cheeses, not leaving anything to chance, not even the ices to cleanse the palate. (You scowl a little at the concept of a beet- flavored ice, however. No doubt it would look pretty, but God knows about the taste.) >g You ruffle through a list of dresses and furbelows ordered. It seems that Marie still has a taste for brocaded silk, but there are also orders for three ostrich feathers, curled and dyed blue; a pair of heeled shoes with silver buckles; scented powder; three yards of imported gilt-edged lace; a half-dozen elbow- length gloves; and, most exorbitantly, a hooded navy cloak lined with swan's down. >g You pass your eye over an intended menu, which Marie has laid out in rigorous detail from the soup to the cheeses, not leaving anything to chance, not even the ices to cleanse the palate. (You scowl a little at the concept of a beet- flavored ice, however. No doubt it would look pretty, but God knows about the taste.) >g You ruffle through a list of dresses and furbelows ordered. It seems that Marie still has a taste for brocaded silk, but there are also orders for three ostrich feathers, curled and dyed blue; a pair of heeled shoes with silver buckles; scented powder; three yards of imported gilt-edged lace; a half-dozen elbow- length gloves; and, most exorbitantly, a hooded navy cloak lined with swan's down. >g You pass your eye over an intended menu, which Marie has laid out in rigorous detail from the soup to the cheeses, not leaving anything to chance, not even the ices to cleanse the palate. (You scowl a little at the concept of a beet- flavored ice, however. No doubt it would look pretty, but God knows about the taste.) >g You pass your eye over an intended menu, which Marie has laid out in rigorous detail from the soup to the cheeses, not leaving anything to chance, not even the ices to cleanse the palate. (You scowl a little at the concept of a beet- flavored ice, however. No doubt it would look pretty, but God knows about the taste.) >g You turn up elaborate designs for a model house that would exactly copy a real house, with all the doors and windows built, and links made, so that one could watch all comings and goings, and close and lock passages from a distance. At the bottom is added, in Marie's meticulous hand, "Would probably annoy half the adulterers in Paris. Pity." >g You ruffle through a list of dresses and furbelows ordered. It seems that Marie still has a taste for brocaded silk, but there are also orders for three ostrich feathers, curled and dyed blue; a pair of heeled shoes with silver buckles; scented powder; three yards of imported gilt-edged lace; a half-dozen elbow- length gloves; and, most exorbitantly, a hooded navy cloak lined with swan's down. >l Marie's Chamber Stripped of the elegant clutter it once possessed, the room still offers a charming view through the north window of the old grounds, and the way out is to the east. The wallpaper and floorboards are still as elegant as ever. Hanging on the wall is an elegant gilt-wood mirror, reflecting sunlight over the ground before it. Her desk remains, pushed against the wall. In your hunger, you imagine in great clarity quite at random poached turbot on a platter. The image is more vivid than the vision of food has any right to be. >x mirror Framed with twists and curls of gilded wood, most abstract, though along the top are floral swags. >open bottom You open the bottom drawer, revealing a dark wooden box. >get box (the dark wooden box) (putting the stone block into the sack to make room) Taken. >open it You open the dark wooden box, revealing a mirror inset inside the box, a pearl necklace and an old letter. The mirror inset inside the box commences to glow with reflected light. >x mirror (the gilt-wood mirror) Framed with twists and curls of gilded wood, most abstract, though along the top are floral swags. >look in miror You can't see any such thing. >x mirror inset A shining panel that reflects whatever is inside the box. >get pearl (the desk) Much too heavy to move significantly. >get pearl necklace (putting On Vegetable Dyes into the sack to make room) Taken. [Your score has just gone up by four points.] >wear it You had better pray that none of your acquaintance sees you so attired. >get old letter (putting Clock Repair into the sack to make room) Taken. >read it You can't read the letter while it remains sealed. >save Ok. >l Marie's Chamber Stripped of the elegant clutter it once possessed, the room still offers a charming view through the north window of the old grounds, and the way out is to the east. The wallpaper and floorboards are still as elegant as ever. Hanging on the wall is an elegant gilt-wood mirror, reflecting sunlight over the ground before it. Her desk remains, pushed against the wall. >x wallpaper Ivory and powder-blue, with a tracery of blush roses. >x floorboards Long slender boards of fine wood. >open window These windows do not open or close. >look through window Through the windows you can see the gardens -- first a wide patch of green, and then the flower plots delineated by hedges and topiary, and the scattered statues. In your hunger, you find yourself dreaming a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette. Or perhaps little grey-pink mushrooms. >x statues Various mythological figures are portrayed -- Cupid is a favorite, and then, if you recall correctly, a Galatea, and an Io-before-the-cow-incident. But you can't see them clearly from here. >[Yay!] That's not a verb I recognize. >reverse link mirror to mirror (the gilt-wood mirror to the gilt-wood mirror) Redundant; all things are themselves. >reverse link mirror inset to mirror (the gilt-wood mirror) Bending your will and all your attention, you manage to make a reverse-link between the mirror inset inside the box and the gilt-wood mirror, feeling their properties begin to merge together. [Your score has just gone up by five points.] >x mirror inset A shining panel that reflects whatever is inside the box. >i You are carrying: an old letter a pearl necklace (being worn) a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait two books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines a sack (which is open) two books: Clock Repair On Vegetable Dyes a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe seven food items: a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a single yellow onion a dashing hat (being worn) >e Old Conservatory A chilly northern exposure, perhaps, but really quite lovely. This room used to be where Marie would practice her music, and the Countess play her compositions; Marie's own room lies to the west. On the high shelf is a celestial bauble. The pianoforte stands in the center of the room. >d You can go only south or west. >s Staircase, First Floor The top of a broad curving stair: east is the long salon that goes the length of the house, downstairs are the foyer and the grand receiving rooms. North is the old conservatory. >d Entrance Hall Flourishing, spacious; it is its best with a half-dozen servants in livery. The floor is Italian marble. The main staircase ascends to the corridor on the second floor, and a smaller version leads down into the dim basement. Doors also open north and northeast. On the wall is one of those mechanical clocks that pop open on the hour, allowing the ingenious internal figures out to play. >d Root Cellar Stone walls, ribbed ceiling, but only a packed-earth floor in spots. The room is lined on both sides with boxes and barrels, which take on odd shapes in the semi-darkness and seem vaguely menacing. You feared this room as a child, and it still seems cold and unnerving. The twisting stairs ascend to the ground floor. An ordinary wooden door seals the east exit. >open wooden door You open the cellar door. >x boxes The barrels are lined up against the wall, three deep in some places and two high. The roof is too low here to permit better. >search boxes You look inside one of the nearby barrels and find some vanilla beans, of which you take one. In your hunger, you imagine in great clarity quite at random a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette. Or perhaps dark squares of prepared chocolate. >g You look inside one of the nearby barrels and find some weathered green apples, no longer in the primest condition. >g You look inside one of the nearby barrels and find some hunks of salted pork. >get apples (putting Guide to Assorted Wines into the sack to make room) Taken. >get pork (putting The Lavori d'Aracne into the sack to make room) Taken. >get vanilla You already have that. >search boxes Your search through the nearest barrel turns up an assortment of lentils. >g In the assortment of barrels are some lentils. >get lentils (putting the small portrait into the sack to make room) Taken. >search boxes The assortment of barrels is empty. >[See, that's just wrong.] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >i You are carrying: four food items: some lentils some hunks of salt pork some apples a vanilla bean an old letter a pearl necklace (being worn) a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a sack (which is open) a small portrait four books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair On Vegetable Dyes a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe seven food items: a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a single yellow onion a dashing hat (being worn) >x hat Made of black felt, and quite ordinary, except for the breadth and sweep of the brim, and the majesty of the pure white feather. In your hunger, you imagine in great clarity a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette. Or perhaps a heavy Christmas-time cake with candied fruit. >l Root Cellar Stone walls, ribbed ceiling, but only a packed-earth floor in spots. The room is lined on both sides with boxes and barrels, which take on odd shapes in the semi-darkness and seem vaguely menacing. You feared this room as a child, and it still seems cold and unnerving. The twisting stairs ascend to the ground floor. Through the open door to the east you can make out the foot of the servants' staircase. >e Bottom of Servants' Staircase An awkward wedge of space between the foundations of the main house and the walls of the new-built wine cellar, east. The staircase does not leave much room to stand in; it is straight and carefully planed lest anyone trip with a priceless bottle of wine. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the east. An ordinary wooden door opens west into the root cellar. >e Wine Cellar Antechamber The air is cool here, protected by deep walls of stone. Heavy beams overhead support the weight of the upper floors. A thick dust overlays everything. An open grey-blue door leads south. A closed red door leads east. An open magenta door leads northeast. A heavy red door, wreathed in chains and locks, leads north into the vault, where the best wines were kept during your youth. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the west. >search dust You find nothing of interest. >[OK, map time.] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >s Among Reds Almost all gone now, though the labels still adhere to the racks, indicating where a '67 rested, or an '82, waiting to be taken up to the dining room. A closed magenta door leads east. There is a grey-blue trap door closed in the middle of the room, just visible among the dust as a less-dusty area. An open grey-blue door leads north. >get wine You can't see any such thing. >search racks You find nothing of interest. >search reds You can't see any such thing. >close door (the grey-blue door leading north) You close the grey-blue door leading north. The grey-blue door leading down opens. >d Subcellar Used solely for storage of extra items (whether or not associated with the wines). The room is barely large enough to stand up in. (Now that you consider it, this room is probably the source of Marie's fables about the oubliette "somewhere in the wine cellar." This story always struck you as improbable, but you can't imagine that a person barred in here would get out easily. You also can't imagine the Count or any of his recent ancestors being moved to take such an action.) The trap door is open to the room above, and you could easily pull yourself up through it if you so desired. You can also see a blue glass jar (which is closed) (in which is some sea-salt) and a red glass jar (which is closed) (in which is a quantity of sugar) here. >get all grey-blue door leading up: That's fixed in place. blue glass jar: (putting the household papers into the sack to make room) Taken. red glass jar: (putting the dark wooden box into the sack to make room) Taken. >close trap door You close the grey-blue door leading up. >l Subcellar Used solely for storage of extra items (whether or not associated with the wines). The room is barely large enough to stand up in. The trap door is closed. >open trap door You open the grey-blue door leading up. >u In your hunger, you imagine in great clarity a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette. Or perhaps purple-black Hellene olives. Among Reds Almost all gone now, though the labels still adhere to the racks, indicating where a '67 rested, or an '82, waiting to be taken up to the dining room. A grey-blue trap door stands open in the middle of the room. A closed grey-blue door leads north. A closed magenta door leads east. >open door It seems to be locked. >n (first opening the grey-blue door leading north) You open the grey-blue door leading north. The grey-blue door leading down shuts. Wine Cellar Antechamber The air is cool here, protected by deep walls of stone. Heavy beams overhead support the weight of the upper floors. A thick dust overlays everything. An open grey-blue door leads south. A closed red door leads east. An open magenta door leads northeast. A heavy red door, wreathed in chains and locks, leads north into the vault, where the best wines were kept during your youth. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the west. >ne Fortified Wines Port, tokay, sherry; amontillado; casks, bottles furred with age and sealed with clots of red wax and ribbon seals. The Count always used to say that a good cognac would close a diplomatic matter more quickly than any bribe. He never let you and Marie stay, of course, on the evenings when he had business; you would be sent up to the conservatory with the Countess, to practice your music and wait for him to finish whatever matters kept him with his guests. A closed magenta door leads east. An open cyan door leads southeast. A closed green door leads south. An open magenta door leads southwest. >get cognac You can't see any such thing. >get all magenta door leading southwest: That's fixed in place. cyan door leading southeast: That's fixed in place. magenta door leading east: That's fixed in place. green door leading south: That's fixed in place. >search all You can't use multiple objects with that verb. >search wines You find nothing of interest. >sw Wine Cellar Antechamber The air is cool here, protected by deep walls of stone. Heavy beams overhead support the weight of the upper floors. A thick dust overlays everything. An open magenta door leads northeast. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the west. A closed red door leads east. An open grey-blue door leads south. A heavy red door, wreathed in chains and locks, leads north into the vault, where the best wines were kept during your youth. >close magenta The magenta door leading northeast is, as it turns out when you struggle with it for a bit, in fact rusted in the open position. >[arr!] That's not a verb I recognize. >ne Fortified Wines Port, tokay, sherry; amontillado; casks, bottles furred with age and sealed with clots of red wax and ribbon seals. An open magenta door leads southwest. An open cyan door leads southeast. A closed magenta door leads east. A closed green door leads south. >se Dessert Wines Tall, slender bottles of ice-wine once resided here, delicate and sweet; and other fine vintages, waiting to be served with the cheese and fruit. In the south wall, the stonework has crumbled a bit, revealing an opening through to the room beyond. You could get a glimpse through if you were careful not to cut off all the light in the process. A closed yellow door leads southwest. A closed white door leads north; it looks oddly streaked. An open cyan door leads northwest. A closed cyan door leads west. There is also a single bottle of mead remaining in one of the slots. >x white (the white door leading north) On close examination, you have the impression that the paint on this door has either faded or been washed over with whitewash; you can still see faint streaks of some darker color, but their efficacy would seem to be gone. >get mead (putting the old letter into the sack to make room) Taken. >x it Aside from the contents, an entirely ordinary bottle. The cork is still wedged firmly in place. In your hunger, you hallucinate a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette. Or perhaps the small, bitter oranges of Jerusalem. >look through opening Through the hole you see Cheese Corner. You can dimly make out a heavy chest, a green glass jar and a silver key. >s You can go only north, west, northwest or southwest. >l Dessert Wines Tall, slender bottles of ice-wine once resided here, delicate and sweet; and other fine vintages, waiting to be served with the cheese and fruit. All are gone now. In the south wall, the stonework has crumbled a bit, revealing an opening through to the room beyond. You could get a glimpse through if you were careful not to cut off all the light in the process. A closed yellow door leads southwest. An open cyan door leads northwest. A closed cyan door leads west. A closed white door leads north; it looks oddly streaked. >close cyan (the cyan door leading northwest) You close the cyan door leading northwest. The cyan door leading west opens. >w Centre With all the doors that lead out of this area, and the heavy pillars that support the roofbeams, there is little room for anything to be stored at all. The absence of racks has not prevented a heavy layer of dust from gathering here too, however. An open cyan door leads east. A closed green door leads north. A closed green door leads south. A closed red door leads west. Over to one side, dropped as though carelessly by someone with a large number of things to carry, is a gleaming silver cylinder. >get cylinder (the Chocolate Recipe) (putting the vanilla bean into the sack to make room) Taken. >read it Chocolate Recipe: dark beans, sugar, vanilla bean. >x it A cylinder of silver metal perhaps as long as your thumb. On the surface are a series of strange bumps, depressions, and grooves. The core of the cylinder is hollow, but over one end is a paper label, which reads, "Chocolate Recipe." Smaller writing on the label indicates the ingredient list. >open red door It seems to be locked. >unlock it (with the red door leading west) (first taking the red door leading west) That's fixed in place. >e Dessert Wines Tall, slender bottles of ice-wine once resided here, delicate and sweet; and other fine vintages, waiting to be served with the cheese and fruit. All are gone now. In the south wall, the stonework has crumbled a bit, revealing an opening through to the room beyond. You could get a glimpse through if you were careful not to cut off all the light in the process. An open cyan door leads west. A closed yellow door leads southwest. A closed cyan door leads northwest. A closed white door leads north; it looks oddly streaked. >open white door There's no handle on this side of the door. In your hunger, you find yourself dreaming a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps purple-black Hellene olives. >w Centre With all the doors that lead out of this area, and the heavy pillars that support the roofbeams, there is little room for anything to be stored at all. The absence of racks has not prevented a heavy layer of dust from gathering here too, however. An open cyan door leads east. A closed red door leads west. A closed green door leads south. A closed green door leads north. >open north door It seems to be locked. >open south door There's no handle on this side. >e Dessert Wines Tall, slender bottles of ice-wine once resided here, delicate and sweet; and other fine vintages, waiting to be served with the cheese and fruit. All are gone now. In the south wall, the stonework has crumbled a bit, revealing an opening through to the room beyond. You could get a glimpse through if you were careful not to cut off all the light in the process. An open cyan door leads west. A closed yellow door leads southwest. A closed cyan door leads northwest. A closed white door leads north; it looks oddly streaked. >close cyan (the cyan door leading west) You close the cyan door leading west. The cyan door leading northwest opens. >nw Fortified Wines Port, tokay, sherry; amontillado; casks, bottles furred with age and sealed with clots of red wax and ribbon seals. An open cyan door leads southeast. A closed green door leads south. An open magenta door leads southwest. A closed magenta door leads east. >open green It seems to be locked. >open magenta (the magenta door leading east) It seems to be locked. >sw Wine Cellar Antechamber The air is cool here, protected by deep walls of stone. Heavy beams overhead support the weight of the upper floors. A thick dust overlays everything. A closed red door leads east. An open magenta door leads northeast. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the west. An open grey-blue door leads south. A heavy red door, wreathed in chains and locks, leads north into the vault, where the best wines were kept during your youth. >close grey You can't see any such thing. >close grey-blue You close the grey-blue door leading south. As you do so, you hear from the room beyond it a peculiar screech and crashing noise, as though wood and metal had strained and then given way. >open it You open the grey-blue door leading south. >s Among Reds Almost all gone now, though the labels still adhere to the racks, indicating where a '67 rested, or an '82, waiting to be taken up to the dining room. An open grey-blue door leads north. There is a grey-blue trap door closed in the middle of the room, just visible among the dust as a less-dusty area. A closed magenta door leads east. >close grey-blue (the grey-blue door leading north) You close the grey-blue door leading north. The grey-blue door leading down opens. >open it You open the grey-blue door leading north. The grey-blue door leading down closes. >n Wine Cellar Antechamber The air is cool here, protected by deep walls of stone. Heavy beams overhead support the weight of the upper floors. A thick dust overlays everything. An open grey-blue door leads south. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the west. An open magenta door leads northeast. A closed red door leads east. A heavy red door, wreathed in chains and locks, leads north into the vault, where the best wines were kept during your youth. >close it That's already closed. >close grey-blue You close the grey-blue door leading south. In your hunger, you imagine in great clarity a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps thinly-sliced venison. >ne Fortified Wines Port, tokay, sherry; amontillado; casks, bottles furred with age and sealed with clots of red wax and ribbon seals. An open magenta door leads southwest. An open cyan door leads southeast. A closed magenta door leads east. A closed green door leads south. >se Dessert Wines Tall, slender bottles of ice-wine once resided here, delicate and sweet; and other fine vintages, waiting to be served with the cheese and fruit. All are gone now. In the south wall, the stonework has crumbled a bit, revealing an opening through to the room beyond. You could get a glimpse through if you were careful not to cut off all the light in the process. An open cyan door leads northwest. A closed yellow door leads southwest. A closed cyan door leads west. A closed white door leads north; it looks oddly streaked. >sw You'll have to get the yellow door leading southwest unlocked first. >open yellow (the yellow door leading southwest) It seems to be locked. >i You are carrying: a Chocolate Recipe a bottle of mead (which is closed) a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) three food items: some lentils some hunks of salt pork some apples a pearl necklace (being worn) a sack (which is open) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait four books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair On Vegetable Dyes a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eight food items: a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a single yellow onion a dashing hat (being worn) >x sponge A sea sponge, sized and rounded like an apple. It is currently bone dry. >read burnt We want: -- Make the thing shut by itself, annoying to have to close it every time -- Lentil soup recipe [DONE!] -- Souffle recipe as Anton keeps making them fall -- Tea (fix it so it is not picky about what kind of leaves as the little voice quite annoying if using wrong kind) [DONE!] -- Recipes for ices? -- Maybe a nice ga... -- Sauce! >peel onion (first taking the single yellow onion) (putting the apples into the sack to make room) You peel the onion of its skin. >nw Fortified Wines Port, tokay, sherry; amontillado; casks, bottles furred with age and sealed with clots of red wax and ribbon seals. An open cyan door leads southeast. An open magenta door leads southwest. A closed magenta door leads east. A closed green door leads south. >close magenta (the magenta door leading southwest) The magenta door leading southwest is, as it turns out when you struggle with it for a bit, in fact rusted in the open position. >sw Wine Cellar Antechamber The air is cool here, protected by deep walls of stone. Heavy beams overhead support the weight of the upper floors. A thick dust overlays everything. An open magenta door leads northeast. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the west. A closed red door leads east. A closed grey-blue door leads south. A heavy red door, wreathed in chains and locks, leads north into the vault, where the best wines were kept during your youth. In your hunger, you hallucinate a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps the small, bitter oranges of Jerusalem. >link wood door to magenta Which do you mean, the dark wooden box or the small portrait? >link wine-cellar door to magenta The linkages on the doors are very old, and set with a power stronger than your raw will alone can manipulate. >w Bottom of Servants' Staircase An awkward wedge of space between the foundations of the main house and the walls of the new-built wine cellar, east. The staircase does not leave much room to stand in; it is straight and carefully planed lest anyone trip with a priceless bottle of wine. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the east. An ordinary wooden door opens west into the root cellar. >w Root Cellar Stone walls, ribbed ceiling, but only a packed-earth floor in spots. The room is lined on both sides with boxes and barrels, which take on odd shapes in the semi-darkness and seem vaguely menacing. You feared this room as a child, and it still seems cold and unnerving. The twisting stairs ascend to the ground floor. Through the open door to the east you can make out the foot of the servants' staircase. >e Bottom of Servants' Staircase An awkward wedge of space between the foundations of the main house and the walls of the new-built wine cellar, east. The staircase does not leave much room to stand in; it is straight and carefully planed lest anyone trip with a priceless bottle of wine. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the east. An ordinary wooden door opens west into the root cellar. >n You can go only east, west or up. >u Kitchen Corridor A narrow corridor between the kitchen and the main house, which has a thick separate wall. The two buildings are only barely attached, to discourage fires. A small staircase leads down. Double doors give west onto the main house. >e Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables is a delicate contraption (which is empty). >x recipe (the Chocolate Recipe) A cylinder of silver metal perhaps as long as your thumb. On the surface are a series of strange bumps, depressions, and grooves. The core of the cylinder is hollow, but over one end is a paper label, which reads, "Chocolate Recipe." Smaller writing on the label indicates the ingredient list. >read chocolate Chocolate Recipe: dark beans, sugar, vanilla bean. >i You are carrying: a Chocolate Recipe a bottle of mead (which is closed) a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace (being worn) a sack (which is open) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait four books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair On Vegetable Dyes a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eight food items: some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) four food items: an onion skin a peeled onion some lentils some hunks of salt pork >read lentil Lentil Soup Recipe: lentils, peeled onion, water, clove of garlic, bay leaf, olive oil, sea-salt. >x oil Oil on wood, of a small, pinch-faced girl who gazes down on you with awareness and pity. It is not especially well-executed, and probably worth little on the market, but it has always filled you with a kind of resentment -- even now. In your hunger, you hallucinate a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps purple-black Hellene olives. >x olive oil You can't see any such thing. >n Scullery A small, workmanlike room with a floor of white stones. The principal features of the room are a counter, with a large inset washbasin also made of stone, and a tall wooden cupboard. >turn on water You can't see any such thing. >open cupboard That's already open. >s Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables is a delicate contraption (which is empty). >u Servants' Dormitory Up here the female servants used to sleep. Now there is only a dreary row of unmade beds; a rack for drying washing; the fireplace, hollow and untended. Time was, when you were very young, that you used to creep in here for chatter and gossip, and the language you were used to hearing at home. >link brick What do you want to link the brick to? >stone You valiantly try to link the two objects, but they seem as though they will never go together. >x brik You can't see any such thing. >x brick A reddish-brown brick darkened by smoke, and pushed forward from its position among the others. >x stone Just a chunk of roughly squared stone from one of the nearby fields. Possibly once it had some value as masonry, but not any more. >d Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables is a delicate contraption (which is empty). >e Kitchen Garden West is the wall of the kitchen. Most of the space along the wall is planted with herbs -- bay, parsley, stalks of mint -- left of the open doorway. To its right is only a drainage ditch, catching the outflow of a pipe that comes through the wall. In one corner of the plot is the well, drilled many deep feet; in another is the antique sundial. A tangle of climbing roses covers almost completely the wall and door of a shed to the southeast. >x sundial A sturdy old sundial, its bronze weathered green. Unlike various tawdry sundials you have encountered in your life, it has a firmly-attached gnomon that is unlikely to come off in times of trouble. >stand on sundial That's not something you can stand on. In your hunger, you find yourself dreaming a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps curls of toasted bread. >x well A dark circle of stone, the depths of which you cannot see. The water comes up within reach. A bar of iron crosses the well, to support a bucket on a rope (which, however, is itself lacking.) >enter well The water would stain the silk of your good waistcoat! >drink from wll You can't see any such thing. >drink from well You dip your hand in and take a sip of the water. It tastes cool and bracing, with the slight mineral tang peculiar to this area. You shake the remaining droplets from your hand, before they can run down your arm into your cuffs. >i You are carrying: a Chocolate Recipe a bottle of mead (which is closed) a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace (being worn) a sack (which is open) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait four books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair On Vegetable Dyes a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eight food items: some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) four food items: an onion skin a peeled onion some lentils some hunks of salt pork >n You can only really go west, what with the roses covering the shed. >w Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables is a delicate contraption (which is empty). >n Scullery A small, workmanlike room with a floor of white stones. The principal features of the room are a counter, with a large inset washbasin also made of stone, and a tall wooden cupboard. >take off necklace You take off the pearl necklace. >get shiny with necklace The best you can manage is to move the Tea Recipe around a little. As for bringing it back to the surface or forcing it to fall the rest of the way out of the drain, the geometry of the pipe seems to be against you. >s Kitchen A long, cross-beamed room, originally washed with white, though smoke has tinged the walls above the massive fireplace in which roasts are prepared. In addition, there are thick high tables that run the length of the room. To the east is the kitchen garden through which you entered; west is the corridor that connects with the main house. To the north there is the little scullery, and upstairs is the attic where the servants sleep. On the kitchen tables is a delicate contraption (which is empty). >x dial A dial which can be rotated to show one word at a time, labeled 'SHAPE'. Currently the word showing is NONE. In your hunger, you imagine in great clarity a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps poached turbot on a platter and hedged around with lightly seared summer vegetables. >turn dial You turn the dial gently with one finger, and it clicks around to display the setting LEAF. >g You turn the dial gently with one finger, and it clicks around to display the setting ROSE. >g You turn the dial gently with one finger, and it clicks around to display the setting FISH. >g You turn the dial gently with one finger, and it clicks around to display the setting SHOE. >g You turn the dial gently with one finger, and it clicks around to display the setting HEART. >g You turn the dial gently with one finger, and it clicks around to display the setting NONE. >i You are carrying: a Chocolate Recipe a bottle of mead (which is closed) a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace a sack (which is open) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait four books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair On Vegetable Dyes a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eight food items: some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) four food items: an onion skin a peeled onion some lentils some hunks of salt pork >[oooh...] That's not a verb I recognize. >d There are exits east to the garden, north to the scullery, and west to the corridor that connects with the rest of the house. There is also the servants' dormitory, upstairs. >w Kitchen Corridor A narrow corridor between the kitchen and the main house, which has a thick separate wall. The two buildings are only barely attached, to discourage fires. A small staircase leads down. Double doors give west onto the main house. >d Bottom of Servants' Staircase An awkward wedge of space between the foundations of the main house and the walls of the new-built wine cellar, east. The staircase does not leave much room to stand in; it is straight and carefully planed lest anyone trip with a priceless bottle of wine. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the east. An ordinary wooden door opens west into the root cellar. >e Wine Cellar Antechamber The air is cool here, protected by deep walls of stone. Heavy beams overhead support the weight of the upper floors. A thick dust overlays everything. A closed grey-blue door leads south. A closed red door leads east. An open magenta door leads northeast. A heavy red door, wreathed in chains and locks, leads north into the vault, where the best wines were kept during your youth. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the west. >link heavy red door to letter You valiantly try to link the two objects, but they are just too dissimilar. >x letter What would appear to be a letter on parchment, sealed with a red-wax seal and stamped with the count's signet ring. >x red-wax seal You can't see any such thing. >link seal to red door Which do you mean, the red door leading east or the red vault door? >east The linkages on the doors are very old, and set with a power stronger than your raw will alone can manipulate. In your hunger, you find yourself dreaming a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps fresh white cheese, still in the soft balls. >w Bottom of Servants' Staircase An awkward wedge of space between the foundations of the main house and the walls of the new-built wine cellar, east. The staircase does not leave much room to stand in; it is straight and carefully planed lest anyone trip with a priceless bottle of wine. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the east. An ordinary wooden door opens west into the root cellar. >u Kitchen Corridor A narrow corridor between the kitchen and the main house, which has a thick separate wall. The two buildings are only barely attached, to discourage fires. A small staircase leads down. Double doors give west onto the main house. >w Dining Room A grand room, for dining in style. The plastered ceiling is several times your height. The air now is cool and deep, the sunlight glancing through the windows and scattering from the chandelier, putting points of light at your feet, over the table, across the painted wallpaper and the handsome wood paneling. Woodworked columns frame the exits west and southwest. Heavy double doors open east to the kitchen. >w Library Originally a salon for the receiving of guests; but in recent years the Count has become increasingly interested in his own projects, and has taken over the entire room for the storage of books. Bookshelves line the walls, reaching above your head. A clockwork model of the universe stands in one corner. On one wall is an enormous portrait of the Count's father, from the hand of Hyacinthe Rigaud. >s Entrance Hall Flourishing, spacious; it is its best with a half-dozen servants in livery. The floor is Italian marble. The main staircase ascends to the corridor on the second floor, and a smaller version leads down into the dim basement. Doors also open north and northeast. On the wall is one of those mechanical clocks that pop open on the hour, allowing the ingenious internal figures out to play. >w You can't go that way. >move hangings The door is still there. >x door You can't get to the gothic door to do anything to it at the moment. >[huh?] That's not a verb I recognize. >x gothic door You can't get to the gothic door to do anything to it at the moment. >pull hangings The hangings are far too well secured to the wall for you to be able to pull them free of their moorings. >climb hangings I don't think much is to be achieved by that. >pull hangings The hangings are far too well secured to the wall for you to be able to pull them free of their moorings. >move them The door is still there. In your hunger, you find yourself dreaming a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps onion soup, with its crust of baked cheese. >u Staircase, First Floor The top of a broad curving stair: east is the long salon that goes the length of the house, downstairs are the foyer and the grand receiving rooms. North is the old conservatory. >n Old Conservatory A chilly northern exposure, perhaps, but really quite lovely. This room used to be where Marie would practice her music, and the Countess play her compositions; Marie's own room lies to the west. On the high shelf is a celestial bauble. The pianoforte stands in the center of the room. >s Staircase, First Floor The top of a broad curving stair: east is the long salon that goes the length of the house, downstairs are the foyer and the grand receiving rooms. North is the old conservatory. >e Long Salon A long empty room with shined wooden floors, perfect for sliding in stocking- feet. West is the top of the staircase, and rooms open to the north and east. The door east is closed. >x door A single tall door with gilt trim marking out its panels. It is dense with the links the Count laid on it -- to lock by itself when closed, to submit to no links by anyone else. When you lived here, it responded to a touch of your hand, though there was also a key used by the servants. >touch door Apparently it has forgotten you. >link door (to the tall door) The Count made this door unlinkable, perhaps; in any case, you cannot seem to control it. >n Countess' Sitting Room This was the countess' favorite room, and it is more richly decorated than any other in the house, betraying her taste for the brightly-colored and the jewel- like. The count brought her some things from his travels, and made others for her. Most of the contents seem to be gone -- the chairs and sofas, and the wall hangings -- but some bits remain. A thick-pile Persian rug lies on the floor, patterned in lapis and emerald. Against one wall is a glass case full of rare and valuable clockwork figures. >x case The case is specially made of glass and wood. Inscribed into the surface of the glass with a fine cutting tool are the words: "CAREFUL! DO NOT BREAK!" Inside are mechanical dancers and a clockwork bee. >link case What do you want to link the glass case to? >window You valiantly try to link the two objects, but they seem as though they will never go together. >i You are carrying: a Chocolate Recipe a bottle of mead (which is closed) a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace a sack (which is open) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait four books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair On Vegetable Dyes a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eight food items: some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) four food items: an onion skin a peeled onion some lentils some hunks of salt pork >peel onion It's not entirely clear what you have in mind. In your hunger, you hallucinate a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps little grey-pink mushrooms, tenderly cooked. >put all food in sack bottle of mead: Done. peeled onion: Done. lentils: Done. hunks of salt pork: Done. >i You are carrying: a Chocolate Recipe a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace a sack (which is open) a bottle of mead (which is closed) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait four books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair On Vegetable Dyes a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eleven food items: some hunks of salt pork some lentils a peeled onion some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) an onion skin >x dyes A book well illustrated with copper-plate engravings, which detail how to dye cloth using all manner of common plants and household items. >read it (first taking On Vegetable Dyes) Taken. You flip through the pages, becoming transfixed by a discussion of how the Celts, supposedly, were wont to dye clothing in a decoction of powdered lichen and stale piss, brewed together for three weeks and then strained. But beside this pleasant concoction there are references to others, such as onion skin boiled in water to produce a pleasant yellow. >g You flip through the pages, becoming transfixed by a discussion of how the Celts, supposedly, were wont to dye clothing in a decoction of powdered lichen and stale piss, brewed together for three weeks and then strained. But beside this pleasant concoction there are references to others, such as onion skin boiled in water to produce a pleasant yellow. >g You flip through the pages, becoming transfixed by a discussion of how the Celts, supposedly, were wont to dye clothing in a decoction of powdered lichen and stale piss, brewed together for three weeks and then strained. But beside this pleasant concoction there are references to others, such as onion skin boiled in water to produce a pleasant yellow. >g You flip through the pages, becoming transfixed by a discussion of how the Celts, supposedly, were wont to dye clothing in a decoction of powdered lichen and stale piss, brewed together for three weeks and then strained. But beside this pleasant concoction there are references to others, such as onion skin boiled in water to produce a pleasant yellow. >i You are carrying: On Vegetable Dyes a Chocolate Recipe a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace a sack (which is open) a bottle of mead (which is closed) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait three books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eleven food items: some hunks of salt pork some lentils a peeled onion some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) an onion skin >x burnt Half the paper is burnt away, but the upper part of the paper can be distinguished clearly. The handwriting is not refined but the spelling is at least correct. >read it We want: -- Make the thing shut by itself, annoying to have to close it every time -- Lentil soup recipe [DONE!] -- Souffle recipe as Anton keeps making them fall -- Tea (fix it so it is not picky about what kind of leaves as the little voice quite annoying if using wrong kind) [DONE!] -- Recipes for ices? -- Maybe a nice ga... -- Sauce! >l Countess' Sitting Room This was the countess' favorite room, and it is more richly decorated than any other in the house, betraying her taste for the brightly-colored and the jewel- like. The count brought her some things from his travels, and made others for her. Most of the contents seem to be gone -- the chairs and sofas, and the wall hangings -- but some bits remain. A thick-pile Persian rug lies on the floor, patterned in lapis and emerald. Against one wall is a glass case full of rare and valuable clockwork figures. >x bee A life-sized golden bee, its wings made of planed gems. It is, unfortunately, equipped with an ingenious equivalent of a sting -- a tail endowed with blades that will cut into any sensitive thing it settles on. And these have been tipped with a vicious poison. >[I am lost] That's not a verb I recognize. >i You are carrying: On Vegetable Dyes a Chocolate Recipe a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace a sack (which is open) a bottle of mead (which is closed) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait three books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eleven food items: some hunks of salt pork some lentils a peeled onion some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) an onion skin In your hunger, you hallucinate a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps curls of toasted bread, dripping with butter. >x butcher An ordinary kitchen knife, perhaps a foot long. >cut onion with butcher (first taking the butcher knife) (putting the onion skin into the sack to make room) The onion chops easily into numerous pieces, making your eyes water and burn. >undo Countess' Sitting Room [Previous turn undone.] >cut sausage What do you want to cut the andouillettes with? >knife (first taking the butcher knife) (putting the onion skin into the sack to make room) You slice the string of andouillettes into two half-strings of andouillettes, an operation which is to all intents and purposes irrelevant. >undo Countess' Sitting Room [Previous turn undone.] >i You are carrying: On Vegetable Dyes a Chocolate Recipe a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace a sack (which is open) a bottle of mead (which is closed) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait three books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eleven food items: some hunks of salt pork some lentils a peeled onion some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) an onion skin >x snuff Finest snuff, enough (with luck) to last you until you can return to Paris. >eat snuff (first taking the snuff) You put a pinch -- really just the tiniest bit -- on the back of one hand and lift it to your nose. Refreshing, invigorating, and mercifully not spoilt with an excess of perfume such as everyone seems to prefer these days. >i You are carrying: On Vegetable Dyes a Chocolate Recipe a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace a sack (which is open) a bottle of mead (which is closed) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait three books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe eleven food items: some hunks of salt pork some lentils a peeled onion some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a dashing hat (being worn) an onion skin >put recipe in sack (the Chocolate Recipe in the sack) You put the Chocolate Recipe into the sack. >i You are carrying: On Vegetable Dyes a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a pearl necklace a sack (which is open) a bottle of mead (which is closed) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait three books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff eleven food items: some hunks of salt pork some lentils a peeled onion some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf three recipe cylinders: a Chocolate Recipe a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe a dashing hat (being worn) an onion skin >put all in sack On Vegetable Dyes: Done. red glass jar: Done. blue glass jar: Done. pearl necklace: Done. onion skin: Done. >i You are carrying: a sack (which is open) a pearl necklace a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a bottle of mead (which is closed) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff three recipe cylinders: a Chocolate Recipe a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe twelve food items: an onion skin some hunks of salt pork some lentils a peeled onion some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf four books: On Vegetable Dyes The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair a dashing hat (being worn) >wear necklace (first taking the pearl necklace) You had better pray that none of your acquaintance sees you so attired. >i You are carrying: a pearl necklace (being worn) a sack (which is open) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a bottle of mead (which is closed) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff three recipe cylinders: a Chocolate Recipe a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe twelve food items: an onion skin some hunks of salt pork some lentils a peeled onion some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf four books: On Vegetable Dyes The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair a dashing hat (being worn) >x letter What would appear to be a letter on parchment, sealed with a red-wax seal and stamped with the count's signet ring. >save Ok. >open seal You crack the seal, aware that you are trespassing on what was meant to be a private confidence. Inside is the count's long black writing: he used to sit at his desk in the gold lamplight, tossing back the lace of his cuff with a little flick so that it would not drag in the ink. >read it At the top of the page is a sketch of dancing figures. Then: Devv Rtare, Ea tu irymhg flolehi e uo rte aose, aeruwsrm ssot. Ea ytfisto kfho tu niame morv es mias, liess tadp. I moiero ardson. Leaovslo ni smeol nao tfyss nti atte. Eng deyr tairlsro or ebtdnt ruo, u tastfcoi omatcnn oli epss ltnf uic -- hse rfoetns nm mode -- e, e edyle. S a eofd. Thhaw fee in aim yd dynwadt, sdore httv eneo hengey oguar. Tphp! gehe tlooer w, own plinh lri. L lt ara nsycgro holi iw ouerey wrvlio ie emk: uwt, tmeo irthsoleo, esk lstela nohdy fo rell. Teesana r rtv lntv heodhae bygeny ea osthelo dui iwsarfn: Ielly dsllio yh ly fuo taoefuo n y oh bto od. Irytfdn. Ooh teguueh r. Sgrret ihmdo ewalh ntaplathy tflg echeaimhet. Rvaeyc g efo, erap rui urroln, ebi mitdr c mghee. Ecness iarost, fryt aiyrohk; toyuee bufr rle mom. Sea mi btnsaso feen wro pdw. Enrlahlb meu. Ol ui. Ag h tniyetse l yreowlo. Irm hd ug neoet, hoownht tt ulsao i ratr pcs nmgre. K dy i ayil dr col aeltl acum hlska si. Cat n oso sod r wmhy. Irieooaybnr kwa. Uyeie cto sn lh wutt. Lihwuha leece, sd.al db danoee e tdsac sese. Ta p aothm enco ier dt eauoio v nsf noe gslgkre tiytyr eno. Hdopk. Utra ot loe tudo psylin ioodege. Tun aarhw oss hds an tesesli loeny tiyi o guvo tt rdeuwoae tdia abhes lsr aue myotsho. Ot mrisu haamt re. Rnovfeb cree yue yr sotro yiucn ulnrof ricmon wssht dtlhe h. I hoeae. Kanwl rnt gatae a ash ylube halle f in sdtold oyhrd, wwo eek eour. Ce ee av stponeil. A nd rn onhihwo eif eaky meina fmunte tcloyfe. alw o. orrytunh. Eihadi fk ar o fa e. I h dhnb n idiyuks imctoitiatnni nshtaon. Risoa hysy vtily oi hs iounevf. -- Urgr eerlfx >full You have so far scored 18 out of a possible 125, in 383 turns, giving you the rank of miscreant. The score is made up as follows: 2 forging your first link 5 forging your first reverse-link 2 snooping in Marie's papers 4 collecting items of some value 5 visiting various places 18 total (out of 125) >restore Ok. >i You are carrying: an old letter a pearl necklace (being worn) a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (providing light) some household papers a small portrait two books: The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines a sack (which is open) two books: Clock Repair On Vegetable Dyes a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff two recipe cylinders: a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe seven food items: a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf a single yellow onion a dashing hat (being worn) >restore Ok. >i You are carrying: a pearl necklace (being worn) a sack (which is open) a blue glass jar (which is closed) some sea-salt (which leaves the blue glass jar about half full) a red glass jar (which is closed) a quantity of sugar (which leaves the red glass jar about half full) a bottle of mead (which is closed) an old letter a dark wooden box (which is open) a mirror inset inside the box (reflecting white light from the sunlight) some household papers a small portrait a stone block a crumpled paper three metal dishes: a hinge-lidded teapot (which is open but empty) a plate a cup a sponge a white handkerchief a burnt scrap of paper a butcher knife a swordstick a sword a snuffbox (which is open) a quantity of snuff three recipe cylinders: a Chocolate Recipe a Lentil Soup Recipe an Andouillettes Recipe twelve food items: an onion skin some hunks of salt pork some lentils a peeled onion some apples a vanilla bean a clove of garlic some andouillettes a loaf of stale bread a sprig of mint a sprig of parsley a bay leaf four books: On Vegetable Dyes The Lavori d'Aracne Guide to Assorted Wines Clock Repair a dashing hat (being worn) >x envelope You can't see any such thing. >x letter What would appear to be a letter on parchment, sealed with a red-wax seal and stamped with the count's signet ring. >d You can go only south. In your hunger, you imagine in great clarity quite at random a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps dark squares of prepared chocolate. >s Long Salon A long empty room with shined wooden floors, perfect for sliding in stocking- feet. West is the top of the staircase, and rooms open to the north and east. The door east is closed. >d You can go only north, east or west. >d You can go only north, east or west. >w Staircase, First Floor The top of a broad curving stair: east is the long salon that goes the length of the house, downstairs are the foyer and the grand receiving rooms. North is the old conservatory. >d Entrance Hall Flourishing, spacious; it is its best with a half-dozen servants in livery. The floor is Italian marble. The main staircase ascends to the corridor on the second floor, and a smaller version leads down into the dim basement. Doors also open north and northeast. On the wall is one of those mechanical clocks that pop open on the hour, allowing the ingenious internal figures out to play. >d Root Cellar Stone walls, ribbed ceiling, but only a packed-earth floor in spots. The room is lined on both sides with boxes and barrels, which take on odd shapes in the semi-darkness and seem vaguely menacing. You feared this room as a child, and it still seems cold and unnerving. The twisting stairs ascend to the ground floor. Through the open door to the east you can make out the foot of the servants' staircase. >e Bottom of Servants' Staircase An awkward wedge of space between the foundations of the main house and the walls of the new-built wine cellar, east. The staircase does not leave much room to stand in; it is straight and carefully planed lest anyone trip with a priceless bottle of wine. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the east. An ordinary wooden door opens west into the root cellar. >n You can go only east, west or up. >e Wine Cellar Antechamber The air is cool here, protected by deep walls of stone. Heavy beams overhead support the weight of the upper floors. A thick dust overlays everything. A closed grey-blue door leads south. A closed red door leads east. An open magenta door leads northeast. A heavy red door, wreathed in chains and locks, leads north into the vault, where the best wines were kept during your youth. The wine-cellar door -- sturdy wood in yellowish brass panels -- stands open to the west. >ne Fortified Wines Port, tokay, sherry; amontillado; casks, bottles furred with age and sealed with clots of red wax and ribbon seals. A closed magenta door leads east. An open cyan door leads southeast. A closed green door leads south. An open magenta door leads southwest. >se Dessert Wines Tall, slender bottles of ice-wine once resided here, delicate and sweet; and other fine vintages, waiting to be served with the cheese and fruit. All are gone now. In the south wall, the stonework has crumbled a bit, revealing an opening through to the room beyond. You could get a glimpse through if you were careful not to cut off all the light in the process. A closed yellow door leads southwest. A closed white door leads north; it looks oddly streaked. An open cyan door leads northwest. A closed cyan door leads west. In your hunger, you find yourself dreaming a salad of dressed spinach greens in a vinaigrette, tossed with curried walnuts, such as they did at the house of the Princesse when you visited her last summer. Or perhaps a heavy Christmas-time cake with candied fruit and smothered in brandy, such as Englishmen sometimes bring with them to Paris. And you have always considered them an abomination heretofore. >close cyan (the cyan door leading northwest) You close the cyan door leading northwest. The cyan door leading west opens. >w Centre With all the doors that lead out of this area, and the heavy pillars that support the roofbeams, there is little room for anything to be stored at all. The absence of racks has not prevented a heavy layer of dust from gathering here too, however. An open cyan door leads east. A closed green door leads north. A closed green door leads south. A closed red door leads west. >e Dessert Wines Tall, slender bottles of ice-wine once resided here, delicate and sweet; and other fine vintages, waiting to be served with the cheese and fruit. All are gone now. In the south wall, the stonework has crumbled a bit, revealing an opening through to the room beyond. You could get a glimpse through if you were careful not to cut off all the light in the process. An open cyan door leads west. A closed yellow door leads southwest. A closed cyan door leads northwest. A closed white door leads north; it looks oddly streaked. >nw (first opening the cyan door leading nort