Prologue Part TwoThe drawing room door is still open, disturbed as it was by the dying butler. You see that the Germans coming down the hall are smartly dressed, and have clearly disguised themselves as gentlemen. It must have been the only way they could gain entry to Sir Melville’s quarters.
They appear to outnumber your group, and at least one is brandishing a revolver. Several are armed with umbrellas and they are speaking amongst themselves in an unintelligible tongue.
They are heading directly for the drawing room!
One of Sir Melville's servants, spying the open door and the bleeding corpse in quick succession, does what only seems natural to him: he gently closes the door, and out of nowhere produces a damp cloth with which he sets to cleaning the worst of the rapidly spreading bloodstain.
Unfortunately his instincts also work quicker than his intellect when there is a loud but polite rap on the door from the other side. He stands and opens the door.
A surprisingly smartly dressed German bursts unannounced into the room and attempts to strike down the servant with his umbrella. He fails miserably, and only manages to stumble embarrasingly into the centre of the room. But another German soon follows in penetrating the privacy of Sir Melville's drawing room, and another, and then yet another.
They move to attack, but thanks to that remarkable gentlemanly courage and the sacrifice of the unknown butler, the Military Intelligence Gentlemen are ready!
Mr Smith, showing a remarkable knowledge of Military Tactics Past and Present, is ready by the door.
Cave in their skulls with the bat walking stick.
[4] As the second German walks in, Smith caves in his skull with his walking stick! The German falls to the ground, clutching his German head! He is clearly dead!
Mr Wallace follows suit, bravely attacking with his mighty and surprisingly inconspicuous claymore.
Get out my trusty claymore and prepare to "greet" them.
[3] He gets in a rather good swipe with the noble weapon, but the German shows remarkably good reactions and sidesteps the blow, the impact of which is largely taken by a now ex-bookshelf which decorated the wall.
Henry McGeenyton is in the corner of the room, arming himself with a revolver.
Grab a revolver, ask for a top hat
He absent-mindedly asks Wellington, or anyone else who hears, for a top hat. Sir Melville, even in mortal danger, notes this excellent grasp of decorum, and realises the man will indeed go far.
[3] He manages to arm himself with one of the revolvers just as the Germans burst in.
John Link, showing an even keener military mind, exits the room.
Calmly grab a gun. Leave the room and look for an exit that allows me to flank the Germans.
[2] Link leaves the drawing room on the right hand side, and indeed seems to have found a means to flank the Germans!
“Most excellent!” he thinks to himself, before realising that he forgot the revolver in the drawing room.
“Bother,” he mutters, before all of a sudden blushing slightly and being thankful that no-one heard such a coarse exclamation.
He quietly opens the door to his left and pokes his head round in a distinguished yet stealthy manner. He sees a German just behind the door! He appears to be brandishing some form of shotgun!
If there is a fireplace in the room, I grab a fire iron, otherwise something heavy and metal-y I can easily wield, like a candlestick.
Back in the drawing room, Von Fersen [4] grabs a fire iron, one end of which is blisteringly hot!
"Well, I'll say,” says, indeed, the young Swedish noble.” Let us give those Germans a greeting to remember, shall we? Surely, my friend, you are not averse to me borrowing this?"
Sir Melville doesn’t seem to mind in the slightest.
Persuade the Germans to settle this with a game of chess instead.
Failing that, smother one of them with my top hat.
Wellington, that master of the spoken word, appears unaware entirely of the commotion going on in the now German-invaded room, until three of them approach him, apparently hell-bent on attacking the poor fellow.
He turns at that very instant and [6] is lucky enough to find that they speak English well enough for him to persuade them all that they should perhaps take this into the study and settle their disputes with a good game of chess.
They all take a seat in the study and Wellington opens with a classical variation on the King’s Indian Defence. Then, while the German trio are discussing their next move, the Englishman strikes!
He smothers one of the Germans with his top hat, smiting him instantly! He attacks a second with his top hat, but his opponent avoids the blow.
The third German is still very much absorbed in the game of chess, and appears to believe that this is merely part of Wellington’s opening strategy.
You have gained experience in the art of top hat fu! You are a third of the way to mastering this Skill!
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Topic: Roll to Be a Gentleman Spy - Chapter Three Part Twenty One. (Read 74875 times)