Play@YSDC

The bookshelves are dominated by the thirty-five volumes of Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers of Messieurs Diderot and d'Alembert. There are also popular novels, including the rather scandalous Les Liaisons dangereuses of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

Doctor North attempts to examine the books cautiously.
He makes not a sound as he explores with nimble fingers each tome.
A sudden burst of insight leads him to pull The Castle of Otranto (the second edition, in which Horace Walpole acknowledges his authorship) from the shelf. Not only is it the only English work to be found, rendering it notable, but its fantastic content -- including secret passages! -- is appropriate, denoting an ironical sense of humor on the part of the one who selected it.

Once the volume is removed an ingenious mechanical arrangement causes the bookshelf to slide noiselessly aside, revealing a small opening to prisoner's cell. He can be barely seen by the lantern's glow, as if the gloomy environs in which he is kept absorb the light that enters. At first one might think him dead, but it soon becomes clear that he is in a very deep sleep, brought on no doubt by exhaustion.

Henry bows and steps aside to allow Lila to enter first.

"Ivan, can you free him from his shackle as quietly as possible?"

Although the giant Russian is not known for moving silently, in this case, perhaps due to some feeling of sympathy for the prisoner, he is as quiet as the proverbial mouse. The slumbering young man stirs uneasily in his sleep as Ivan seizes the shackles and, with a mighty effort, bends the iron band sufficiently to allow it to be removed from the fellow's ankle.
This rouses the dreamer at last. He opens his eyes (which, even in this dim light, can be seen to be of an extraordinarily pale blue shade, nearly white) and stares at his rescuers in evident surprise.

"Am I dead at last?" he says weakly. Gazing at Ivan, he continues "Have you come to escort me to Perdition? Or," with a glance at Miss Carrow, "to Paradise?"

"Neither, sir," Lila replies. She briefly makes introductions and recounts how they came to learn of his mistreatment. "There is little time, for we risk discovery. Are you strong enough to rise? We have friends waiting without. But -- who are you, sir?"

"You are in good hands, sir," whispers Henry. "I am a physician, and I can aid you. If you are not strong enough to stand and walk on your own, my man Ivan here can carry you."

With some effort, the young man is able to stand. "I am able to ambulate my person, if it be not at an excessive pace. As to my identity," he adds, with a nod to Miss Davenport, "that is something of a mystery. I am unable to recall from whence I came to this place, nor for what reason, nor, indeed, even my own name. It is as if a fine mist has entered my brain, and clouded my memory. Whither are we bound?"

He seems strangely calm, given his situation.

"We are bound for our lodgings in Paris," Henry whispers, thinking that Paris has elements of both Perdition and Paradise. "From there, we can plan what to do next. I suggest we depart with all due haste."

"I will come," the young man says quietly. The party is able to make its way back outside with little trouble, now that they are familiar with the chateau. Mister Witherly and Ines report no activity whilst the others were within. The adventurers are able to walk back to the coach. The driver is surprised to see the new arrival.

-- And who might this be? He shall have to ride next to me, unless another wishes to take his place. There is no more room inside. --

[OOC: I think my connection problems are solved]



Ines volunteers to take the outside seat, unless the coachman objects.

The driver offers a wide grin and speaks softly in his own language to Ines. Although she is not able to understand the words, his tone and manner is clear. During the short ride back to the inn he continues to chatter, patting the Gypsy's hand now and then in a familiar manner. Assisting her down from the coach upon arrival, he offers perhaps a bit more help than is strictly required.

All is quiet at the inn. The young man has not spoken during the journey, but only wears a slight smile.

That is more or less what Ines was expecting, but hopefully it will have taken the coachman's mind off of anything else to do with the evening. She will treat herself to a fortifying drink when the company are under the lodging roof again, though.

The innkeeper is able to provide a strong, if not particularly delicious, brandy to those members of the party who which to indulge.

-- It is just the thing when one has been out on a chilly night -- he says with a wink, no doubt speculating on what activities have sent the adventurers out so late.

Henry buys a meal, and some brandy if he wants it, for the man they rescued, though he does not imbibe himself. He knows he will need his wits about him.

Lila turns down the brandy in order to focus on the mystery of the young man. "It is most puzzling. What reason could Madame LaMont have for imprisoning you so?
Doctor North, do you recognize the signs of his condition? Can his memory be restored by science?"

The young man only asks for water. (This is somewhat unusual; as all well know, it is safer to mix a little wine or ale with one's water, common experience revealing that this purifies it in some manner.) Perhaps surprisingly, Mister Witherly indulges.
Upon examination of the fellow's head, Doctor North's phrenological skill is able to deduce that a blow on the back of the skull (evidence for which may be found in the form of a lump) has injured the organ of memory. The only known cure, other than the passage of time, is the inducing of a mesmeric trance by one skilled in dealing with animal magnetism.

"The memory loss was caused by a blow to the back of the head," says Henry. "The memories may return in time, but there is a possible way to bring them back sooner: Mesmerism. I have not been trained in that technique, but we are in Paris. Mesmer himself spent quite some time here, and though he left a few years ago, no doubt he had numerous students. We can probably find them by going back to the Sorbonne."

Ines pays as much attention as she can to the conversation, though it is obvious the brandy has dulled her wits somewhat.

After obtaining some well-deserved rest, the party wakens at a fairly late hour. Their fast is broken, plainly but adequately. The young man seems to have recovered a portion of his bodily strength, but not that of his mind. He remains quietly co-operative and as helpful as his nervous disability allows. He prefers to remain in the room he shares with Doctor North, Ivan, and Mister Witherly until later in the afternoon. Mister Witherly agrees to stay and keep a watchful eye on him.

Whilst discussing their strategy for the day, a conversation is overheard from another part of the public room of the inn. The gist of the discussion, once it has been translated from French, is that someone has been making discreet inquiries in many parts of the city as to the whereabouts of one who matches the description of the young man. It is a topic of interest because a substantial reward has been promised for his return, no questions asked.

"It is a good thing nobody but the innkeeper was here last night when we returned," Henry whispers to his companions. "It is also good that our friend wishes to remain in the room. I think we should pay the innkeeper a little something extra, to reward him for his discretion."