Retrieval of the keys from the swords

The retrieval of the keys from the swords reveals that the blades were not merely obstacles: their blunt, key-like tips conceal the means to open the J.W. Wells portable door. Paul and Sophie recover both keys by working together, then confirm that the pair fits the door’s two locks.

The first sword

The effort begins after Sophie points out that she and her father have repeatedly failed to move the sword. Mr Tanner’s mum suggests that it may be protected by a spell or designed as an intelligence test. Sophie proposes buying a jackhammer, but while she and Mr Tanner’s mum half-heartedly argue over that idea, Paul thinks of Gilbert and Sullivan and the advantage of two people acting together. Paul asks Sophie to take hold of the other side of the crossguard. When they pull together, the sword comes free so smoothly that they nearly fall over. Its tip is blunt and crinkled rather than sharp, with the shape of a key’s wards. The unexpected ease of the pull redirects the problem: the sword has yielded, but its blade has revealed the purpose of the test.

Breaking off the keys

After examining the first blade, Paul grips its key-shaped portion and bends it sideways. The brittle metal snaps. He pockets the key, returns the sword to the stone, and reattaches the washing line. Mr Tanner’s mum has suggested that Humphrey may have a sentimental streak, but Paul is not convinced and keeps his own theory to himself. The group then retrieves the second sword. They have enough of their expenses money to take a taxi from Wimbledon to Kentish Town, where the sword comes out as easily as the first. Its key tip breaks off like the point of an icicle, giving them a matching pair. Paul’s discomfort about the untidy state of his flat is eclipsed by the task, and he gives little thought to what Mr Tanner’s mum might think of it.

Testing the pair

Paul takes the J.W. Wells portable door from its cardboard tube, smooths it out, and fixes it to the wall. The first recovered key fits the top lock perfectly, and the second fits the bottom one. Their matching fit confirms that the swords held not one key but a pair intended for the door. Before proceeding, Paul says that he does not think Humphrey put the keys there; he suspects somebody else did. The event therefore resolves the practical puzzle of how to open the door while leaving the identity of the keys’ maker unsettled.