FullReads

MILLER.
“Oh, WE sha’n’t stir.”

ROBERTS.
“I’ll see what can be done.”

MILLER.
“Well, see quick, please. We have plenty of time, but we don’t want to lose any. Don’t alarm Mrs. Miller, if you can help it.”

ROBERTS.
“No, no.”

MRS. CURWEN.
“You MAY alarm Mr. Curwen.”

ROBERTS.
“What! Are YOU there?”

MRS. CURWEN.
“Here? I’ve been here all my life!”

ROBERTS.
“Ha! ha! ha! That’s right. We’ll soon have you out. Keep up your spirits.”

MRS. CURWEN.
“But I’m NOT keeping them up.”

MISS LAWTON.
“Tell papa I’m here too.”

ROBERTS.
“What! You too, Miss Lawton?”

MRS. CRASHAW.
“Yes, and young Mr. Bemis. Didn’t I TELL you we were all here?”

ROBERTS.
“I couldn’t realize it. Well, wait a moment.”

MRS. CURWEN.
“Oh, you can trust us to wait.”

ROBERTS,
returning with DR. LAWTON, and MR. BEMIS, who join him in stooping around the grated door of the shaft: “They’re just under here in the well of the elevator, midway between the two stories.”

LAWTON.
“Ha! ha! ha! You don’t say so.”

BEMIS.
“Bless my heart! What are they doing there?”

MILLER.
“We’re not doing anything.”

MRS. CURWEN.
“We’re waiting for you to do something.”

MISS LAWTON.
“Oh, papa!”

LAWTON.
“Don’t be troubled, Lou, we’ll soon have you out.”

YOUNG MR. BEMIS.
“Don’t be alarmed, sir, Miss Lawton is all right.”

MISS LAWTON.
“Yes, I’m not frightened, papa.”

LAWTON.
“Well, that’s a great thing in cases of this kind. How did you happen to get there?”

MILLER,
indignantly: “How do you suppose? We came up in the elevator.”

LAWTON.
“Well, why didn’t you come the rest of the way?”

MILLER.
“The elevator wouldn’t.”

LAWTON.
“What seems to be the matter?”

MILLER.
“We don’t know.”

LAWTON.
“Have you tried to start it?”

MILLER.
“Well, I’ll leave that to your imagination.”

LAWTON.
“Well, be careful what you do. You might” –

MILLER,
interrupting: “Roberts, who’s that talking?”

ROBERTS,
coming forward politely: “Oh, excuse me! I forgot that you didn’t know each other. Dr. Lawton, Mr. Miller.” Introducing them.

LAWTON.
“Glad to know you.”

MILLER.
“Very happy to make your acquaintance, and hope some day to see you. And now, if you have completed your diagnosis”

MRS. CURWEN.
“None of us have ever had it before, doctor; nor any of our families, so far as we know.”

LAWTON.
“Ha! ha! ha! Very good! Well, just keep quiet. We’ll have you all out of there presently.”

BEMIS.
“Yes, remain perfectly still.”

ROBERTS.
“Yes, we’ll have you out. Just wait.”

MILLER.
“You seem to think we’re going to run away. Why shouldn’t we keep quiet? Do you suppose we’re going to be very boisterous, shut up here like rats in a trap?”

MRS. CURWEN.
“Or birds in a cage, if you want a more pleasing image.”

MRS. CRASHAW.
“How are you going to get us out, Edward?”

ROBERTS.
“We don’t know yet. But keep quiet” –

MILLER.
“Keep quiet! Great heavens! we’re afraid to stir a finger. Now don’t say ‘keep quiet’ any more, for we can’t stand it.”

LAWTON.
“He’s in open rebellion. What are you going to do, Roberts?”

ROBERTS,
rising and scratching his head: “Well, I don’t know yet. We might break a hole in the roof.”