ABSTRACT
Tom. Caged, trapped by the villains! Oh, Gordon Chumley, what have they done with him, since they dragged me here. Where am I? Oh, that fiend Knatchbull. After I had dogged him to this place, and then to lose him at the hour of triumph. Is there no means of escape from this place? (whistle, sound of train approaching, r.) What’s that? (run train r. to l. and off over platform; sees air-hole in flat) I may be able to climb up and look out. (looks out of hole) It looks like a long dark street, with green and red lights in the distance. Oh, I know it, I know it now. It is the underground railway. (comes down from steps. Light shown l. 2 e.) What’s that? a light in the adjoining cellar. A door! some one is in the next cellar. Surely that is Dicey’s voice. I may hear what he says. Ah! a keyhole! Morris and Knatchbull. What are they carrying between them? The body of a man! Oh, it is Gordon—Gordon Chum-ley. They have murdered him and have brought him here to bury him. What is it they are saying? “Is the hole large enough?” And Morris says: “Yes.” Knatchbull speaks: “Is the line clear?” I hear footsteps returning. Ah, what do they say? “Brick up the hole again!” Ah! they have thrown the insensible man into some hole or blind well! (light removed) I must escape from this. What’s this under my hand? a bar! a fastening to the door. (seizes bar) Come on, come on! (through his set teeth—breaks bar away) Ah! With this I can make the hole larger and escape. To work, Frank Dalton, to work! I must first find a barrel, or something to stand on to work. Here, here!
