Under the Lens

Lurking behind the shadow of a ceramic coaster... I set my sights on an essential detective relic: a heavy brass magnifying glass resting upon an open notebook. Deliberately... silently... I glided forward and gripped the knurled metal handle with both gloved hands. I hoisted the curved glass to inspect the mysterious ink strokes—only for the top-heavy frame to tilt wildly! My boots lost traction on the slick paper, and I pitched forward, my hollow mask planting flat against the thick convex lens with a dull clunk. Agonizing... theatrical silence. After a frooozen, breathless pause... I eased upright, casually smoothing my robes while resting an elbow against the notebook's spine. Optical calibration... thoroughly verified. @tkcommando