The pistol fires, and pillow feathers fly as they cautiously peek out. Mrs. Judson rushes back out at the stentorian report.

Mrs. Judson: (Panicking) What in heaven's name?

Soon, she discovers her pillows are nothing but feathers.

Mrs. Judson: (Distraught) Oh! Oh! My...

She spits out several feathers.

Mrs. Judson: MY GOOD PILLOWS!

She glares angrily in Basil's direction. He is kneeling in the chair, tossing the feathers aside.

Mrs. Judson: MR. BASIL!

He pops his head above the chair as she spits out more feathers.

Mrs. Judson: How many times have I told you not to...

Basil interrupts Mrs. Judson

Basil: There, there, Mrs. Judson, it's quite all right.

Basil smells cheese crumpets from the kitchen.

Basil: Ah...(Sniffs) Mmm! I believe I smell some of those delightful cheese crumpets of yours.

He gently pushes Mrs. Judson back to the kitchen.

ta

Basil: Why don't you fetch our guests some?

Mrs. Judson: But, ah, but, but...

Basil shuts the door, silencing her.

Basil: Now... (He gets on his hands and knees and searches on the floor) I know that bullet's here somewhere.

Maria had found it and was holding it up for him. He gently takes it.

Basil: (Still staring at her) Thank you, Miss...

Maria: Todd. Maria Todd.

Basil: (Smiled softly) Thank you, Ms.Todd.

Maria: (Returning the smile) Please, call me Maria.

They stare at each other, until Dawson cleared his throat thous breaking the trance.

Olivia: Mr.Basil, you don't understand--

Basil: Shhh!

Basil opens a small box and pulls out another bullet. Taking the one he just fired, he puts them under a microscope and compares their markings.

The first reading matches...

Basil: Yeah...

...so does the second one.

Basil: Yes!

However, from the third direction, the markings go off in separate directions.

Basil: (Yells) NOOOOOOOOOO! Drat! (Depressed) Another dead end.

Dejected, Basil tosses the extra bullet aside and slowly walks over to his chair.

Basil: He was within my grasp.

He flops into his chair and slowly reaches for the violin sitting beside him. As Basil plays a mournful tune, Maria nudges Olivia encouragingly, and she walks towards him, determined to make him listen now that Basil was unoccupied with his detective work.

Olivia: Now will you please listen to me? My daddy's gone and I'm all alone.

Basil pauses temporarily and faces Olivia.

Basil: (Still depressed) Young lady, this is a most inopportune time.

He turns away resumes playing, but after seeing Olivia's sad face, decides to humor her.

Basil: Surely your mother knows where he is.

Olivia: I--- I don't have a mother.

Basil screeches the violin as he abruptly sits up.

Basil: (Uncertainly) Well... um... well, then perhaps... (Firmly) See here! I simply have no time for lost fathers.

He turns away. Olivia was now annoyed, and puts her hands on her hips.

Olivia: (Defiantly) I didn't lose him. He was taken by a bat.

Basil's eyes widen as did Maria's and Basil leans towards Olivia intently; clearly, the information was of great importance.

Basil: Did you say...BAT?

Olivia: Yes.

Basil: (Expectantly) Did he have a crippled wing?

Olivia: I don't know. But he had a peg leg!

The information is key to Basil, who stands up on the arms of the chair, his arms wide.

Basil: HA!

Dawson walks by Olivia.

Dawson: (to Basil) I say, do you know him?

Basil now sits on the top of the chair, as if building up to a shocking revelation.

Basil: Know him? That bat, one Fidget by name, is in the employ of the fiend who was the very target of my experiment! The horror of my every waking moment. The nefarious Professor Ratigan!

Basil points his bow in the direction of the fireplace, where a picture of a well-dressed rat sits on the mantle frame. The flames in the fire burst and lightning strikes as we see a close up of Ratigan's sinister grin.

Maria:(Frighten) No!!!!, not him!!!

Maria falls to the floor, with tears running down her face.

Basil:(Shocked) Miss.Todd!!!

He gets down on his knees, and gathers Maria in his arms and sets her in his chair.

Basil:(Gently asking) My Dear, how do you know of Ratigan?

Maria looks at Basil and explains

Maria: (crying and shaking) Years ago, When i was just a little girl, me and my family worked at a small flower shop, we loved giving flowers to all the mice what would come, but then one night, as I was getting ready for bed, my father ran into my room, grabbed me, put me in the closet, and told me to stay put. (Lowers her head) I heard screams of my mother and father, a lot of stuff smashing, and then nothing. (Looks at Basil's concerned eyes) I waited for a few more minutes until I went down, and when I did...(cries into her hands)

Basil stands up and yells

Basil:(Angry) That sewer rat!!!

Dawson: Uh...Ratigan?

Basil leans over the top of the chair and states Ratigan's character.

Basil: He's a genius, Dawson.

He ducks down from the chair and reappears at the side.

Basil: A genius... twisted for evil.

Basil then moves in front of the chair.

Basil: The Napoleon of crime!

Dawson: As bad as all that, eh?

Basil was now behind them, poking his head through a banister.

Basil: (Hoarsely) Worse! For years, I've tried to capture him and I've come close...

He stands and holds his fist out towards the picture.

Basil: ...so very close. But each time he's narrowly evaded my grasp.

Basil: Not a corner of London's safe while Ratigan's at large. There's no evil scheme he wouldn't concoct! No depravity he wouldn't commit.

At the bottom of the sewers, there was empty barrel on its side, and an iron door with bars.

Basil: Who knows what dastardly scheme that villain may be plotting even as we speak...