:27:03
You know, my dear Milo, in the good
old days, before television, that is,
:27:08
People constructed the pleasures
of life for themselves.
:27:12
They amused each other
and were in turn amused.
:27:14
They didn't just sit, stare.
:27:18
Why, in this house there
was scarcely a weekend...
:27:20
without its treasure hunts, charades,
games of infinite variety.
:27:25
Makeup and dress up--
:27:27
there was virtually no end to
the concealment of identity.
:27:31
- But surely Marguerite has told you.
- Actually she never mentioned it.
:27:36
Well, it was all some time ago.
:27:40
Aha ! A few scenes from some of my books,
:27:43
lovingly recreated by an artist friend.
:27:45
The necrophilic barber of Tunbridge Wells,
:27:47
and the doltish pie poisoner
from the Simple Simon murders.
:27:52
Oh ! And here's my favorite.
:27:55
- Now, this really is ingenious. Do look--
- Andrew,
:27:57
we were looking for a disguise.
:28:00
Ah, quite so, dear boy. So we were.
Ah, here we are.
:28:04
The old dressing-up basket, our old
treasure chest of make-believe.
:28:08
Let's see what we've got.
Ah, this should suit.
:28:10
Item-- one black face mask,
one black flat cap,
:28:15
a striped jersey and a bag marked "swag."
:28:18
Why not a neon sign with "burglar" on it ?
:28:21
You may have a point. One of my favorites !
:28:25
The ecclesiastical housebreaker,
Brother Lightfingers.
:28:29
Perhaps we shall never know the
identity of the cowled figure...
:28:32
seen haunting the grounds of the old manor
house on the night of the terrible murder,
:28:35
if living identity it had.
:28:38
And there are those to this day who
claim to hear the agonized screams...
:28:44
of the victim echoing through
the chimney ports !
:28:49
For Christ's sake, Andrew,
stop mucking about !
:28:52
Haven't you just got an
old pair of sneakers,
:28:55
a raincoat and a sock I
can put over my head ?
:28:57
Old pair of sneakers and a sock ?