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Review Thriller -s02e03- Kiss Me and Die ( scene by scene)
- Thread starter michaellevenson
- Start date
A sprawling mansion in the English countryside surrounded by acres of land. Deep, deep down under the building is a sad sight.
A young man in his thirties, chained to a wall. He is wearing Elizabethan clothes, next to him on the floor is a single candle, almost burnt down.
The man is having difficulty breathing as the candle finally flickers and dies.
Man " please...let me out...please let me out LET ME OUT!! LET ME OUT!!!"
Peter Casillas is " prisoner" Jim Stone.
Robert, an American in his thirties drives his open top sports car into the centre of a picturesque village. He parks his car outside the pub, The Columbine, on the seat next to him is a Dictaphone. He picks it up and switches it on, a voice is heard, an American male .
Voice " so now I have reached this beautiful village, an English Shangri La. The pub the columbine inn serves the best bitter beer I've tasted in this country"
Robert places the Dictaphone in his pocket and enters the pub.
The barman and innkeeper is a stout fellow named Jack Woolbridge.
J " what can I get for you sir?"
R " a room please"
J " certainly sir, and for how long sir?"
R " a couple of days I guess"
J " yes sir, I'll get our Jenny to show you to your room sir"
Robert is shown upstairs to his room.
George Chakiris is Robert; John Sharp is Jack Woolbridge.
Robert unpacks his clothes away, among his possessions is a gun.
A little later he goes back to the bar.
J " everything alright sir?"
R " fine, I'll have a pint of your bitter beer please"
Jack pours the beer. At a nearby table are three blokes drinking, one calls over.
Bill Gurney ( dressed in milkman's overalls) " you won't get a full pint sir,not with all that froth Jack puts in it"
J " I'll put less froth in my beer Bill Gurney when you put more cream in your milk!"
General laughter as Robert takes his beer over to the three mates.
R " mind if I join you?"
BG " help yourself sir, American are you?"
R " that's right Robert McCabe"
Ken Hawkes " sit down Mr McCabe"
Robert sits in a largish chair, a wooden one with a high back to it, the others sit on stools.
The three mates, Bill, Ken and Tom Whidden all shout at once,
" aarrgh,...not there sir, that's old Fred's chair"
R " Fred?"
KH " he'd go berserk if he caught you sitting on his chair"
Robert brings over a stool to sit on.
B" funny enough the last one to sit in Fred's chair was an American like yourself sir. Fred went potty, almost started a rerun of the battle of Bunker Hill. Jim Stone was his name. Very fond of him we were"
K " someone else very fond of him. Miss Dominie"
R " who is she?"
T " Dominie Lanceford , niece of Johnathan Lanceford. She lives up at the manor. You can see it from here sir"
Tom points at the window, overlooking the village is the huge sprawling mansion /manor.
R " did this.....what's the name..Jim Stone....did he stay there ?"
B " good lord no, he might as well of though, visited there often enough"
K " at one time we thought Jim Stone would be settling down here, or she going off to America with him"
R " this Johnathan Lanceford, a real English squire eh?"
B " not really sir, though he behaves as if he were, runs the manor very efficiently. You see the Lanceford family go back centuries, roots here and in Bavaria. When Dominie's parents died Mr Johnathan comes over to look after her. Originally Johan, but he changed it Johnathan. Not English at all"
K " nice enough fellow though, always been good to us"
T " we thought Jim Stone would be marrying into that family"
R " what happened?"
Jack comes over to the table,
J " time gentlemen please, lets have your glasses"
K " we've got time for one more"
J " you certainly haven't,I've got my license to think about. ( to Robert) , mind signing the register sir"
Robert gets up and goes over to sign the register
R " nice talking to you"
When Robert is gone,
K " hey Jack, what's going on, since when do you keep licensing hours?"
J " you know Mr Lanceford doesn't like people talking about his affairs, especially not to strangers"
Raymond Mason, John Atkinson, and Barry Jones are Ken, Bill and Tom.
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Back in his room Robert switches on his Dictaphone. Once again the American male voice is heard, the voice of Jim Stone, the prisoner from the first scene.
JS " I've found my Snow White, her name is Dominie Lanceford. It is almost as though she was waiting here for me. I might never have found her if I decided to return to mainland Europe as first planned. That's fate I suppose, and I feel this is my fate. That's the end of this tape, I'll try and get it in the afternoon mail"
Back in the bar a little later, Robert has asked about the old fashioned rifle hanging on the wall behind the bar.
J " Indeed it does work sir, my late uncle used it right up until he died last year. With his bullshot and pouch of gunpowder he could pick off a flea from a hundred yards. Just ask old Fred over there"
Robert looks over to the table, the three mates have now become four.
R " that's Fred ?...with the chair"
J " the very same sir"
Robert goes over to the table.
R ( to Fred) " I hear one of my countryman nearly started a war in here?"
F " how's that sir"
R " when he sat in your chair"
F " oh, that sir yes, but he did make up for it"
Fred a scruffy vagabond type with a wooly hat on, places his empty beer glass in front of Robert.
R " oh...would you like a beer?"
Robert turns to get up, but Jack is already there, pint in hand for Fred. Everyone laughs.
F " oh thank you sir"
R " put that on my bill"
J " yes sir"
Fred reaches into his pocket and pulls out a live rat!
F ( to rat) " Isn't that nice of the gentleman Sally my girl."
He strokes the rat,
F " caught her in one of my traps, she looked at me so old fashioned like, I didn't have the heart to kill her. In you go Sally my girl ( placing rat back in pocket)"
R " the American...Jim Stone I believe he was called"
F " oh yes sir, friend of Miss Dominie up at the manor. Are you on business sir?"
R " sort of, I'm a painter"
The others leave, Robert and Fred continue their chat.
R " I'd love to do some painting in that house"
F " no sir that will never happen"
R " why not"
F " because you'll not be invited sir"
Fred finishes his beer, and five seconds later Jack places another one in front of him.
J " I'll put that on your bill too sir!"
F " Mr Johnathan doesn't hardly see anyone these days"
R " why not?"
F " don't know sir, it used to be such a happy house, but since Dominie's parents died it's as if a great sorrow has fallen on that house"
R " what's he like ? Mr Lanceford"
F " a scholar and a gentleman sir, he owns the family bank in the City, got loads of money.
R " married?"
F " divorced, Mr Lanceford doesn't have much luck. Even his rats are bigger than anyone else's"
R " how do you mean?"
F " well sir, I'm known in these parts as the local ratcatcher, I was up at the manor about four months ago to lay some chain traps in the cellar. They worked too because Miss Dominie told me they had disposed of the bodies and I'd be needed no more"
R " well?"
F " well about 2 weeks ago on one of my ...er... moonlight walks.....I heard them chains still rattling"
R " well they must have reset the traps, don't you think?"
Fred looks like he wants to say something to the contrary, but he looks up and sees a swarthy man glaring at him.
" evening Fred"
F " er...evening Ben"
Fred gets up,
F " er....I better be going sir"
R " finish your beer"
F " no it's okay sir....goodnight"
Fred scarpers, almost runs out of the pub. The swarthy guy goes to the bar, the three chums return.
R " who's that man at the bar?"
B " that's Ben Kroom. Works for Mr Lanceford, has done for years"
T " you see he's Mr Lanceford's gamekeeper and Fred is the local poacher"
R ( laughing) " oh I see"
Russell Hunter is Fred;
Stephen Greif is Ben Kroom;
JS " I've found my Snow White, her name is Dominie Lanceford. It is almost as though she was waiting here for me. I might never have found her if I decided to return to mainland Europe as first planned. That's fate I suppose, and I feel this is my fate. That's the end of this tape, I'll try and get it in the afternoon mail"
Back in the bar a little later, Robert has asked about the old fashioned rifle hanging on the wall behind the bar.
J " Indeed it does work sir, my late uncle used it right up until he died last year. With his bullshot and pouch of gunpowder he could pick off a flea from a hundred yards. Just ask old Fred over there"
Robert looks over to the table, the three mates have now become four.
R " that's Fred ?...with the chair"
J " the very same sir"
Robert goes over to the table.
R ( to Fred) " I hear one of my countryman nearly started a war in here?"
F " how's that sir"
R " when he sat in your chair"
F " oh, that sir yes, but he did make up for it"
Fred a scruffy vagabond type with a wooly hat on, places his empty beer glass in front of Robert.
R " oh...would you like a beer?"
Robert turns to get up, but Jack is already there, pint in hand for Fred. Everyone laughs.
F " oh thank you sir"
R " put that on my bill"
J " yes sir"
Fred reaches into his pocket and pulls out a live rat!
F ( to rat) " Isn't that nice of the gentleman Sally my girl."
He strokes the rat,
F " caught her in one of my traps, she looked at me so old fashioned like, I didn't have the heart to kill her. In you go Sally my girl ( placing rat back in pocket)"
R " the American...Jim Stone I believe he was called"
F " oh yes sir, friend of Miss Dominie up at the manor. Are you on business sir?"
R " sort of, I'm a painter"
The others leave, Robert and Fred continue their chat.
R " I'd love to do some painting in that house"
F " no sir that will never happen"
R " why not"
F " because you'll not be invited sir"
Fred finishes his beer, and five seconds later Jack places another one in front of him.
J " I'll put that on your bill too sir!"
F " Mr Johnathan doesn't hardly see anyone these days"
R " why not?"
F " don't know sir, it used to be such a happy house, but since Dominie's parents died it's as if a great sorrow has fallen on that house"
R " what's he like ? Mr Lanceford"
F " a scholar and a gentleman sir, he owns the family bank in the City, got loads of money.
R " married?"
F " divorced, Mr Lanceford doesn't have much luck. Even his rats are bigger than anyone else's"
R " how do you mean?"
F " well sir, I'm known in these parts as the local ratcatcher, I was up at the manor about four months ago to lay some chain traps in the cellar. They worked too because Miss Dominie told me they had disposed of the bodies and I'd be needed no more"
R " well?"
F " well about 2 weeks ago on one of my ...er... moonlight walks.....I heard them chains still rattling"
R " well they must have reset the traps, don't you think?"
Fred looks like he wants to say something to the contrary, but he looks up and sees a swarthy man glaring at him.
" evening Fred"
F " er...evening Ben"
Fred gets up,
F " er....I better be going sir"
R " finish your beer"
F " no it's okay sir....goodnight"
Fred scarpers, almost runs out of the pub. The swarthy guy goes to the bar, the three chums return.
R " who's that man at the bar?"
B " that's Ben Kroom. Works for Mr Lanceford, has done for years"
T " you see he's Mr Lanceford's gamekeeper and Fred is the local poacher"
R ( laughing) " oh I see"
Russell Hunter is Fred;
Stephen Greif is Ben Kroom;
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Later that day Robert is in the grounds of the manor house, hiding between some trees spying the house.
He takes out of his jacket pocket a knife, takes off his jacket, then closes his eyes, steadying himself for the pain he is about to inflict on himself. He draws the knife across his arm, blood soaking his shirt sleeve. He pockets the knife, and runs across the lawn up to the front door.
He loudly bangs on the door, it is opened by a severe looking lady, Miss Faversham, the housekeeper.
R " my arm, I caught it in some barbed wire"
Fv " I'm sorry there's no one here to help you, try the doctor in the village"
She is about to shut the door when another female voice is heard behind her.
" what is it Miss Faversham?"
Fv " just a stranger Miss Dominie"
Robert pushes past Faversham making sure Dominie can see his arm.
R " sorry to have bothered you"
D " that looks alarming. Miss Faversham get some disinfectant and a bandage quickly"
Outside in the grounds Ben Kroom, shotgun in hand is patrolling the estate. Inside the house Dominie has bandaged Robert's arm, they've been talking. Miss Faversham is in attendance standing halfway up the spiral staircase in the centre of the room.
D " there, thankfully it wasn't your painting arm Mr McCabe"
R " thanks, you should be a nurse"
D " I once thought I'd like to be a surgeon. Have you noticed how few women surgeons there are?"
Robert gets up and walks about the room.
R " this room, the tone of it is special, the colour tone I mean, that's the painter talking. I'd love to paint in this room. Maybe you Dominie, standing by the window, the sun streaming past your hair, holding a book, looking pensive"
Robert reaches for a book from the bookcase.
R " one of these perhaps"
D " they're all Johnathan's , all first editions, all Edgar Allan Poe. Johnathan says he is still an underrated writer. What do you think?"
R " I've never read any of his work"
D " not even The Pit and the Pendulum? Someone should take your education in hand"
R " perhaps you can read them to me"
D " Johnathan wouldn't allow that, but I'm sure he wouldn't object to you painting. Tomorrow alright Mr McCabe?"
R " tomorrow , I look forward to it"
Robert leaves, Miss Faversham comes over,
Fv " you shouldn't you know"
D " a chat with a passing stranger, what's wrong with that?"
Fv " it's upsetting you, your cheeks are all flushed"
D " put some colour back in them, that must be good. You fuss too much"
Fv " I care for you Miss Dominie"
Dominie ascends the stairs, Ben Kroom returns,
K" what's he been doing here?"
Fv " he hurt himself that's all"
K" did she see him?"
Fv " yes, I was here the whole time"
K " when Mr Johnathan finds out they'll be trouble, I can promise you that!"
Fv " well.....he's coming tomorrow"
K " oh no...no he's not!"
Fv " he'll come, Mr Johnathan daren't cross her on this"
Jenny Agutter is Dominie;
Peggy Sinclair is Miss Faversham;
He takes out of his jacket pocket a knife, takes off his jacket, then closes his eyes, steadying himself for the pain he is about to inflict on himself. He draws the knife across his arm, blood soaking his shirt sleeve. He pockets the knife, and runs across the lawn up to the front door.
He loudly bangs on the door, it is opened by a severe looking lady, Miss Faversham, the housekeeper.
R " my arm, I caught it in some barbed wire"
Fv " I'm sorry there's no one here to help you, try the doctor in the village"
She is about to shut the door when another female voice is heard behind her.
" what is it Miss Faversham?"
Fv " just a stranger Miss Dominie"
Robert pushes past Faversham making sure Dominie can see his arm.
R " sorry to have bothered you"
D " that looks alarming. Miss Faversham get some disinfectant and a bandage quickly"
Outside in the grounds Ben Kroom, shotgun in hand is patrolling the estate. Inside the house Dominie has bandaged Robert's arm, they've been talking. Miss Faversham is in attendance standing halfway up the spiral staircase in the centre of the room.
D " there, thankfully it wasn't your painting arm Mr McCabe"
R " thanks, you should be a nurse"
D " I once thought I'd like to be a surgeon. Have you noticed how few women surgeons there are?"
Robert gets up and walks about the room.
R " this room, the tone of it is special, the colour tone I mean, that's the painter talking. I'd love to paint in this room. Maybe you Dominie, standing by the window, the sun streaming past your hair, holding a book, looking pensive"
Robert reaches for a book from the bookcase.
R " one of these perhaps"
D " they're all Johnathan's , all first editions, all Edgar Allan Poe. Johnathan says he is still an underrated writer. What do you think?"
R " I've never read any of his work"
D " not even The Pit and the Pendulum? Someone should take your education in hand"
R " perhaps you can read them to me"
D " Johnathan wouldn't allow that, but I'm sure he wouldn't object to you painting. Tomorrow alright Mr McCabe?"
R " tomorrow , I look forward to it"
Robert leaves, Miss Faversham comes over,
Fv " you shouldn't you know"
D " a chat with a passing stranger, what's wrong with that?"
Fv " it's upsetting you, your cheeks are all flushed"
D " put some colour back in them, that must be good. You fuss too much"
Fv " I care for you Miss Dominie"
Dominie ascends the stairs, Ben Kroom returns,
K" what's he been doing here?"
Fv " he hurt himself that's all"
K" did she see him?"
Fv " yes, I was here the whole time"
K " when Mr Johnathan finds out they'll be trouble, I can promise you that!"
Fv " well.....he's coming tomorrow"
K " oh no...no he's not!"
Fv " he'll come, Mr Johnathan daren't cross her on this"
Jenny Agutter is Dominie;
Peggy Sinclair is Miss Faversham;
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The next day Robert is back at the house with his paints and easel. Dominie is posing, holding a book while Robert paints.
R " talk if you want to"
D " what about?"
R " well, what do girls usually talk about, boyfriends perhaps"
D " don't be boring..I must see what it looks like"
Dominie walks over to view the easel.
R " it doesn't look like anything yet"
D " and it never will"
Robert is no painter, the canvass is a mess.
D " you don't know the first thing about it, why did you say you could paint?"
R." I needed to get into this house, to speak to you"
D " why didn't you just ask?"
R " would I have got in?"
D " probably not"
R " I'm a detective, I'm looking for Jim Stone. I know he came to this village, and I know he saw you"
D " it's not very nice tricking your way in to a private home, you better go. I've never heard of Jim Stone"
Dominie starts to climb the stairs, Robert takes out his Dictaphone and switches it on.
Jim Stone's voice " I've met my Snow White, her name is Dominie Lanceford"
D(shouting) " turn it off, I never want to hear his voice again. What do you want?"
R " I told you, I'm a detective, but my name isn't McCabe, it's Stone, same as my brother!"
R " talk if you want to"
D " what about?"
R " well, what do girls usually talk about, boyfriends perhaps"
D " don't be boring..I must see what it looks like"
Dominie walks over to view the easel.
R " it doesn't look like anything yet"
D " and it never will"
Robert is no painter, the canvass is a mess.
D " you don't know the first thing about it, why did you say you could paint?"
R." I needed to get into this house, to speak to you"
D " why didn't you just ask?"
R " would I have got in?"
D " probably not"
R " I'm a detective, I'm looking for Jim Stone. I know he came to this village, and I know he saw you"
D " it's not very nice tricking your way in to a private home, you better go. I've never heard of Jim Stone"
Dominie starts to climb the stairs, Robert takes out his Dictaphone and switches it on.
Jim Stone's voice " I've met my Snow White, her name is Dominie Lanceford"
D(shouting) " turn it off, I never want to hear his voice again. What do you want?"
R " I told you, I'm a detective, but my name isn't McCabe, it's Stone, same as my brother!"
D " you're Jim Stone's brother?"
R " we had our own business together, Jim was on a sabbatical, but he always kept in touch. Two months ago he came here, that was the last message, and Jim didn't come home. Why did you say you never wanted to hear his voice again?"
D " do you think I'm pretty Mr Stone, attractive?"
R " yes I do"
D " I'm 23, since growing up I've had three serious boyfriends, I couldn't hold any of them. They all ran out on me. Have you any idea what that does to someone?"
R " kids are like that"
D " Jim Stone was no kid, I loved him, and he loved me, and suddenly he was gone"
Into the room from the front door marches Johnathan Lanceford,tall, blonde, Germanic, imposing.
L " what's this?, Kroom tells me we have an artist here. You know young man if I wanted a portrait of my niece I'm quite capable of commissioning one"
Lanceford stares bemused at Robert's work.
L " what on earth are you playing at, who are you?"
D " he's a detective Johnathan, looking for Jim Stone"
L " looking!? He's back in the States isn't he?"
R " no Mr Lanceford he's not. Miss Dominie tells me he left here suddenly for no reason"
D " I didn't say no reason. There was a telephone call from home, wasn't there Johnathan?"
L " that's right"
R " what about?"
L " I've no idea"
D " whatever it was, it was obviously more important than me"
Dominie close to tears, runs upstairs.
Anton Diffring is Johnathan Lanceford;
R " we had our own business together, Jim was on a sabbatical, but he always kept in touch. Two months ago he came here, that was the last message, and Jim didn't come home. Why did you say you never wanted to hear his voice again?"
D " do you think I'm pretty Mr Stone, attractive?"
R " yes I do"
D " I'm 23, since growing up I've had three serious boyfriends, I couldn't hold any of them. They all ran out on me. Have you any idea what that does to someone?"
R " kids are like that"
D " Jim Stone was no kid, I loved him, and he loved me, and suddenly he was gone"
Into the room from the front door marches Johnathan Lanceford,tall, blonde, Germanic, imposing.
L " what's this?, Kroom tells me we have an artist here. You know young man if I wanted a portrait of my niece I'm quite capable of commissioning one"
Lanceford stares bemused at Robert's work.
L " what on earth are you playing at, who are you?"
D " he's a detective Johnathan, looking for Jim Stone"
L " looking!? He's back in the States isn't he?"
R " no Mr Lanceford he's not. Miss Dominie tells me he left here suddenly for no reason"
D " I didn't say no reason. There was a telephone call from home, wasn't there Johnathan?"
L " that's right"
R " what about?"
L " I've no idea"
D " whatever it was, it was obviously more important than me"
Dominie close to tears, runs upstairs.
Anton Diffring is Johnathan Lanceford;
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R " Mr Lanceford, I'm also Jim Stone's brother, there was no call from the States"
L " I know, to have someone run out on you for no reason is painful, to have him do it after a possibly traumatic telephone call is another thing altogether, I imagine it eases the pain slightly. "
R " you mean she was lying?"
L " you're a man of plain judgments Mr Stone, no, quite possibly Dominie believes it by now"
R " people usually know if they themselves are lying"
L " not always Mr Stone, not when the lie covers up great pain. To quote one of your own poets , Edgar Allan Poe, a great loss brings an iciness, a sickening, a sickening of the heart. Do you read Poe?"
R " no I don't"
L " he had a most subtle mind. He stayed here in this very house as a boy. I like to think this house may have inspired him to write one of his finer works. The Fall Of The House Of Usher. No doubt he was told the foundations of this house are unstable and have been for centuries, I feel quite sure it planted the germ for his story about the much more perilously crumbling house of Usher. He was the poet of pain. I don't mean he celebrated it, but he understood its horror, he could forgive anything people did to avoid it. Yes he knew all about the suffering of the ultra sensitive. To quote again, his heart hung like a lute, the slightest touch and it quivered. Reading him can be quite therapeutic, I recommended him to Dominie, to calm her agitation, but unfortunately it seems to have increased it"
R " when exactly did my brother leave Mr Lanceford?"
L " I don't know, I was in London for a few days on business, when I returned he was gone."
L " I know, to have someone run out on you for no reason is painful, to have him do it after a possibly traumatic telephone call is another thing altogether, I imagine it eases the pain slightly. "
R " you mean she was lying?"
L " you're a man of plain judgments Mr Stone, no, quite possibly Dominie believes it by now"
R " people usually know if they themselves are lying"
L " not always Mr Stone, not when the lie covers up great pain. To quote one of your own poets , Edgar Allan Poe, a great loss brings an iciness, a sickening, a sickening of the heart. Do you read Poe?"
R " no I don't"
L " he had a most subtle mind. He stayed here in this very house as a boy. I like to think this house may have inspired him to write one of his finer works. The Fall Of The House Of Usher. No doubt he was told the foundations of this house are unstable and have been for centuries, I feel quite sure it planted the germ for his story about the much more perilously crumbling house of Usher. He was the poet of pain. I don't mean he celebrated it, but he understood its horror, he could forgive anything people did to avoid it. Yes he knew all about the suffering of the ultra sensitive. To quote again, his heart hung like a lute, the slightest touch and it quivered. Reading him can be quite therapeutic, I recommended him to Dominie, to calm her agitation, but unfortunately it seems to have increased it"
R " when exactly did my brother leave Mr Lanceford?"
L " I don't know, I was in London for a few days on business, when I returned he was gone."
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That evening in the pub, Robert seeks out Fred, at his usual chair. This time no need to buy him pints of beer, he seems well drunk already, slurring his speech.
R " you said last time about rats at the manor house, still rattling in the chain traps"
F ( slurring) " did I say that, oh yes, well mister, if you ask me that was no rat"
R " what else could it be, I mean if you heard rattling..."
F " ah..not just rattling, but groans too"
R " groans! Human groans?"
F ( giggling) " well I don't mean rats groans, hahaha rats groans"
Fred slumps forward, fast asleep in a drunken stupor. Jack the innkeeper comes over.
J " looks like he'll need that old rat of his to take him home sir"
R " he was mentioning groans in the cellars of the mansion"
J " everyone knows about them. It's the foundations, they're not safe, haven't been for years, keep settling and resettling, complaining like"
R " I see"
A stormy night , rain lashes down as Robert drives his car toward the Lanceford manor house. He parks it, nestling behind some trees for cover and gets out.
The front of the house is floodlit as Robert runs across the lawn and presses himself against the side of the house. Quietly he creeps alongside the outer wall. He finds what he was looking for, a way down to the cellar.
A ventilation grill is located at ground level, he bends down, ear up against the grill.
Suddenly a shaft of light plays over him, panic stricken he flattens himself against the wall. Ben Kroom has opened a side door and looks out.
K "are you sure? I didn't hear anything"
Miss Faversham is behind him.
K" probably just a fox, I'll set the dogs onto it, they'll tear it to pieces"
Robert has heard enough, he quietly moves further away and makes a dash for the woods. He wrestles his way through the thicket and then...PAIN!
He had stepped into an animal trap. The metal jaws clamped onto his leg. He screams silently, the barking dogs getting closer. He pulls the jaws of the trap apart releasing his foot. He then desperately hobbles back to his car.
Thankfully he makes it back and gets in. Two Doberman pincers leap up barking as Robert reverses the car back the way he came.....a fruitless trip with just a sore foot to show for it.
R " you said last time about rats at the manor house, still rattling in the chain traps"
F ( slurring) " did I say that, oh yes, well mister, if you ask me that was no rat"
R " what else could it be, I mean if you heard rattling..."
F " ah..not just rattling, but groans too"
R " groans! Human groans?"
F ( giggling) " well I don't mean rats groans, hahaha rats groans"
Fred slumps forward, fast asleep in a drunken stupor. Jack the innkeeper comes over.
J " looks like he'll need that old rat of his to take him home sir"
R " he was mentioning groans in the cellars of the mansion"
J " everyone knows about them. It's the foundations, they're not safe, haven't been for years, keep settling and resettling, complaining like"
R " I see"
A stormy night , rain lashes down as Robert drives his car toward the Lanceford manor house. He parks it, nestling behind some trees for cover and gets out.
The front of the house is floodlit as Robert runs across the lawn and presses himself against the side of the house. Quietly he creeps alongside the outer wall. He finds what he was looking for, a way down to the cellar.
A ventilation grill is located at ground level, he bends down, ear up against the grill.
Suddenly a shaft of light plays over him, panic stricken he flattens himself against the wall. Ben Kroom has opened a side door and looks out.
K "are you sure? I didn't hear anything"
Miss Faversham is behind him.
K" probably just a fox, I'll set the dogs onto it, they'll tear it to pieces"
Robert has heard enough, he quietly moves further away and makes a dash for the woods. He wrestles his way through the thicket and then...PAIN!
He had stepped into an animal trap. The metal jaws clamped onto his leg. He screams silently, the barking dogs getting closer. He pulls the jaws of the trap apart releasing his foot. He then desperately hobbles back to his car.
Thankfully he makes it back and gets in. Two Doberman pincers leap up barking as Robert reverses the car back the way he came.....a fruitless trip with just a sore foot to show for it.
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In the pub the next day , Ben Kroom is at the bar with Tom and Ken, Robert at a table on his own.
K " this time of year it's not so much the poachers that concern me, it's the foxes. Almost caught one last night, no doubt it has a sore foot this morning"
Tom " Mr Stone,..how do you deal with foxes back home?"
R " it's not so easy Mr Whidden, our foxes shoot back"
Everyone laughs, except Ben, then total silence as Dominie walks in, in riding gear. She goes up to Robert.
D " I must see you alone"
R " okay, we'll go to my room"
The two of them climb the stairs, Robert with a slight limp.
Ben immediately leaves the pub, he has someone to tell.
Up in Robert's room,
R " what did you want to see me about?"
D " you must leave here Mr Stone , today"
R " why?"
D " because...I might be getting fond of you"
R " that sounds like a reason for staying"
D " I mustn't want you, it's for your own good"
R " you're mad, bad and dangerous to know"
D " don't joke please, I must never want anyone again, it's the only way"
R " I'll leave when I find out what happened to my brother"
Suddenly the door opens, Lanceford is there,
L " Dominie I've been looking for you, luckily I saw your horse outside. You've forgotten haven't you? We're lunching with the Richards"
D " no I hadn't forgotten Johnathan, I'll go and get changed, goodbye Mr Stone"
Dominie leaves,
L " what did she say to you?"
R " that's not your business"
L " oh please"
R " she told me to leave, sooner the better"
L " she said that!, well I would do as she says Mr Stone."
K " this time of year it's not so much the poachers that concern me, it's the foxes. Almost caught one last night, no doubt it has a sore foot this morning"
Tom " Mr Stone,..how do you deal with foxes back home?"
R " it's not so easy Mr Whidden, our foxes shoot back"
Everyone laughs, except Ben, then total silence as Dominie walks in, in riding gear. She goes up to Robert.
D " I must see you alone"
R " okay, we'll go to my room"
The two of them climb the stairs, Robert with a slight limp.
Ben immediately leaves the pub, he has someone to tell.
Up in Robert's room,
R " what did you want to see me about?"
D " you must leave here Mr Stone , today"
R " why?"
D " because...I might be getting fond of you"
R " that sounds like a reason for staying"
D " I mustn't want you, it's for your own good"
R " you're mad, bad and dangerous to know"
D " don't joke please, I must never want anyone again, it's the only way"
R " I'll leave when I find out what happened to my brother"
Suddenly the door opens, Lanceford is there,
L " Dominie I've been looking for you, luckily I saw your horse outside. You've forgotten haven't you? We're lunching with the Richards"
D " no I hadn't forgotten Johnathan, I'll go and get changed, goodbye Mr Stone"
Dominie leaves,
L " what did she say to you?"
R " that's not your business"
L " oh please"
R " she told me to leave, sooner the better"
L " she said that!, well I would do as she says Mr Stone."
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Early evening, Robert is in his room listening to his brother on the Dictaphone.
Jim " I've now met Dominie's gaurdian, Johnathan Lanceford, he seems to be trying to tell me something, about Dominie, warning me"
Robert turns the machine off and goes downstairs to the bar.
Fred's chair is empty,
R "Fred is late tonight"
Jack. " yes sir, he is, still later he is, less it'll cost you in pints"
R " I'll have a beer please"
Ben Kroom enters and joins the three chums at their table, and sits himself down on Fred's chair. Bill, Ken and Tom all stare but say nothing. Ben realises his error and gets up,
K " er...you won't tell him will you?"
Robert looks alarmed and turns to Jack.
R " where does Fred live?"
J " in a shack near the pond"
Robert runs put,
J " sir..your beer?"
Robert drives to the pond just outside the centre of the village. He gets out and walks to the pond edge. Something is floating on it, it's Fred, face down, dead.
Jim " I've now met Dominie's gaurdian, Johnathan Lanceford, he seems to be trying to tell me something, about Dominie, warning me"
Robert turns the machine off and goes downstairs to the bar.
Fred's chair is empty,
R "Fred is late tonight"
Jack. " yes sir, he is, still later he is, less it'll cost you in pints"
R " I'll have a beer please"
Ben Kroom enters and joins the three chums at their table, and sits himself down on Fred's chair. Bill, Ken and Tom all stare but say nothing. Ben realises his error and gets up,
K " er...you won't tell him will you?"
Robert looks alarmed and turns to Jack.
R " where does Fred live?"
J " in a shack near the pond"
Robert runs put,
J " sir..your beer?"
Robert drives to the pond just outside the centre of the village. He gets out and walks to the pond edge. Something is floating on it, it's Fred, face down, dead.
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The next day Robert is in his room, lying on his bed ,door ajar, he can hear Jack and barmaid Jenny taking down in the bar.
J " I knew he'd end up in that pond one day. If only he hadn't had that last drink"
Je " you'll miss him though"
J " yeah, proper rascal he was, best ratcatcher we ever had"
Roberts sits up on his bed,
R " rats!"
Robert is at the pond again, looking for something in the undergrowth. He finds Sally, Fred's rat, dead, crushed, stamped on perhaps.
Back at the pub he shows it to Jack.
J " it's bone dry. I don't understand Fred always had it in his pocket, always"
R " never been in water has it"
Robert pops it into a paper bag,
R " police should be interested"
He leaves the pub, passing Ben Kroom, who goes to the payphone and dials.
K( into phone) " we've got trouble"
Sue Robinson is Jenny;
J " I knew he'd end up in that pond one day. If only he hadn't had that last drink"
Je " you'll miss him though"
J " yeah, proper rascal he was, best ratcatcher we ever had"
Roberts sits up on his bed,
R " rats!"
Robert is at the pond again, looking for something in the undergrowth. He finds Sally, Fred's rat, dead, crushed, stamped on perhaps.
Back at the pub he shows it to Jack.
J " it's bone dry. I don't understand Fred always had it in his pocket, always"
R " never been in water has it"
Robert pops it into a paper bag,
R " police should be interested"
He leaves the pub, passing Ben Kroom, who goes to the payphone and dials.
K( into phone) " we've got trouble"
Sue Robinson is Jenny;
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Robert is driving along a country lane heading out of the village, towards the police station in the next town. Suddenly he hears a car horn behind him. A Jeep is behind , the driver hooting the horn.
Robert ignoring the impatient driver keeps driving, more beeps and hooting from behind. The Jeep swings outward and is now neck and neck, it's turned into a dangerous race. The driver still hoots trying to cut Robert up on the inside lane. The road bends sharply, Robert loses control and runs off the road.
A little later in a nearby pub he downs a brandy Lanceford has given him.
L " get this down you, you'll feel better."
R ( angrily) "what the hell were you playing at!!?"
L " I want to invite you to a party at the manor tonight. I called at the Columbine, they told me you had left, so I followed, then you turned it into a most enjoyable race, that was as neat a piece of driving as I've seen. I enjoyed it"
R " enjoyed it!!"
L " sorry my fault, any challenge I can never resist"
R " yesterday you were telling me to clear off, today you're inviting me to a party"
L " correction, yesterday Dominie told you to go, today I'm inviting you to a party, oh I do like company, occasionally"
R " and occasionally you throw impromptu parties?"
L ' they're often the best. Say you'll come"
R " I'll think about it"
L ( standing) "good, by the way, it's fancy dress,you can guess the theme.....Edgar Allan Poe"
R " I've told you I know nothing about him"
L." well come as one of your American heroes. Tonight 9 for 9.30"
Ben Kroom comes in,
K " the car is okay Mr Stone"
R " there was a paper bag on the passenger seat"
K " oh, sorry, the dog ran off with it"
L " was it important?"
R " not any more"
L " good... See you"
Robert ignoring the impatient driver keeps driving, more beeps and hooting from behind. The Jeep swings outward and is now neck and neck, it's turned into a dangerous race. The driver still hoots trying to cut Robert up on the inside lane. The road bends sharply, Robert loses control and runs off the road.
A little later in a nearby pub he downs a brandy Lanceford has given him.
L " get this down you, you'll feel better."
R ( angrily) "what the hell were you playing at!!?"
L " I want to invite you to a party at the manor tonight. I called at the Columbine, they told me you had left, so I followed, then you turned it into a most enjoyable race, that was as neat a piece of driving as I've seen. I enjoyed it"
R " enjoyed it!!"
L " sorry my fault, any challenge I can never resist"
R " yesterday you were telling me to clear off, today you're inviting me to a party"
L " correction, yesterday Dominie told you to go, today I'm inviting you to a party, oh I do like company, occasionally"
R " and occasionally you throw impromptu parties?"
L ' they're often the best. Say you'll come"
R " I'll think about it"
L ( standing) "good, by the way, it's fancy dress,you can guess the theme.....Edgar Allan Poe"
R " I've told you I know nothing about him"
L." well come as one of your American heroes. Tonight 9 for 9.30"
Ben Kroom comes in,
K " the car is okay Mr Stone"
R " there was a paper bag on the passenger seat"
K " oh, sorry, the dog ran off with it"
L " was it important?"
R " not any more"
L " good... See you"
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At the pub that evening Robert comes down from his room wearing a wild west jacket and racoon skin hat. Jack studies him,
J " now I know why you wanted that old hat sir, but there's something missing"
He reaches up to the rifle hanging on the wall.
J " here sir, take this, and this pouch, you tie it to your belt sir"
Robert ties a little leather pouch onto his trouser belt, and poses with the rifle.
R " how do I look?"
J " like Davy Crockett sir, if I were an apache I'd run a mile"
The phone rings,
J " hello, Columbine Inn, yes he's here. It's for you sir, Miss Dominie "
R ( into phone) " Dominie?"
D " you mustn't come tonight. I must never see you again"
J " now I know why you wanted that old hat sir, but there's something missing"
He reaches up to the rifle hanging on the wall.
J " here sir, take this, and this pouch, you tie it to your belt sir"
Robert ties a little leather pouch onto his trouser belt, and poses with the rifle.
R " how do I look?"
J " like Davy Crockett sir, if I were an apache I'd run a mile"
The phone rings,
J " hello, Columbine Inn, yes he's here. It's for you sir, Miss Dominie "
R ( into phone) " Dominie?"
D " you mustn't come tonight. I must never see you again"
That evening the rain lashes down as Robert enters the manor, the room he was previously in looks very different now. Furniture moved to one side, eerie subdued lighting, spooky shadows cast by various Edgar Allan Poe props displayed. There is a mannequin on a rack with an axe swinging back and forth hanging over it, a scene from The Pit and the Pendulum, another mannequin, a red haired female with a stuffed orangutan on top of it ripping out intestines, from "The Murders In The Rue Morgue." Scenes from Poe books.
Lanceford greets him,
L " welcome Mr Stone to the world of Edgar Allan Poe, you bring a transatlantic freshness to our revelry. The frontiersman?"
R " that's right, who are you supposed to be?"
Lanceford is wearing a red and yellow one piece costume, and a red and yellow headpiece with little bells on it.
L " I'm Ophrok"
R " Ophrok?"
L " the court jester.....sorry I forgot you're not an aficionado, Ophrok jester to the king and his courtiers, who he captured in an iron net and burned alive"
R " nice"
L " Poe did revel in the macabre"
All the other guests are wearing red capes and hoods, and with eye masks on, as is Lanceford.
L " my guests have shown a distinct lack of imagination and have all come as The Masque Of The Red Death"
Jenny from the pub is there in costume, carrying a tray of glasses of champagne, Robert takes one and he and Lanceford mingle with the guests.
Much to Robert's surprise as one by one they pull off their eye masks, he realises that it is basically the crowd from the pub.
Bill " evening Mr Stone"
Tom " evening Mr Stone"
Jack is there too, his stout figure recognisable, costume or not.
L " the masks lend a mystique to even the most prosaic of faces. Yes , the Masque of the Red Death, an allegory for the plague. Perhaps if Poe were writing today he'd substitute the plague for something else...television maybe"
R " or perhaps he wouldn't write it today"
Lanceford hands Robert an eye mask which he puts on.
L " an ineffective disguise in your case, but you look distinctive in that costume"
Lanceford takes Robert's rifle and puts it behind some furniture for safe keeping.
R " how often to you hold these parties?"
L " oh occasionally, from time to time, when the world gets particularly boring"
L " come into the magic world of Poe"
Lanceford leads Robert over to the displays.
L " the pit and the pendulum, and over here, the murders in the rue morgue "
Lanceford studies the orangutan ripping out intestines.
L " that one disappointed me, an animal has no conscience, without that murder is flavourless "
R " you speak from theory I trust"
L." You know Mr Stone I'm sorry we didn't get acquainted sooner, you make an amusing companion"
R " where's Dominie?"
L " you disappoint me Mr Stone, I thought lovers could detect each other anywhere"
R ( angry) " who said we were lovers"
L" it cannot be anything else with Dominie"
Lanceford greets him,
L " welcome Mr Stone to the world of Edgar Allan Poe, you bring a transatlantic freshness to our revelry. The frontiersman?"
R " that's right, who are you supposed to be?"
Lanceford is wearing a red and yellow one piece costume, and a red and yellow headpiece with little bells on it.
L " I'm Ophrok"
R " Ophrok?"
L " the court jester.....sorry I forgot you're not an aficionado, Ophrok jester to the king and his courtiers, who he captured in an iron net and burned alive"
R " nice"
L " Poe did revel in the macabre"
All the other guests are wearing red capes and hoods, and with eye masks on, as is Lanceford.
L " my guests have shown a distinct lack of imagination and have all come as The Masque Of The Red Death"
Jenny from the pub is there in costume, carrying a tray of glasses of champagne, Robert takes one and he and Lanceford mingle with the guests.
Much to Robert's surprise as one by one they pull off their eye masks, he realises that it is basically the crowd from the pub.
Bill " evening Mr Stone"
Tom " evening Mr Stone"
Jack is there too, his stout figure recognisable, costume or not.
L " the masks lend a mystique to even the most prosaic of faces. Yes , the Masque of the Red Death, an allegory for the plague. Perhaps if Poe were writing today he'd substitute the plague for something else...television maybe"
R " or perhaps he wouldn't write it today"
Lanceford hands Robert an eye mask which he puts on.
L " an ineffective disguise in your case, but you look distinctive in that costume"
Lanceford takes Robert's rifle and puts it behind some furniture for safe keeping.
R " how often to you hold these parties?"
L " oh occasionally, from time to time, when the world gets particularly boring"
L " come into the magic world of Poe"
Lanceford leads Robert over to the displays.
L " the pit and the pendulum, and over here, the murders in the rue morgue "
Lanceford studies the orangutan ripping out intestines.
L " that one disappointed me, an animal has no conscience, without that murder is flavourless "
R " you speak from theory I trust"
L." You know Mr Stone I'm sorry we didn't get acquainted sooner, you make an amusing companion"
R " where's Dominie?"
L " you disappoint me Mr Stone, I thought lovers could detect each other anywhere"
R ( angry) " who said we were lovers"
L" it cannot be anything else with Dominie"
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Robert wanders off and sees a curtained off area by the far wall. He pulls the curtains apart to reveal Dominie in costume sitting next to the writing bureau in a rocking chair.
D " I told you not to come here"
R " the last message I got from Jim he said he was coming to a party at this house. Tell me, the other boyfriends who ran out on you, did they do so after a party too?"
Surprise surprise! Lanceford isn't going to leave them together, he comes over and guides Robert away and hands him another glass of champagne. Robert looks back ,Domimie is nowhere to be seen.
Lanceford is entertaining guests who are staring at a man sitting in a chair.
Lanceford with his mask on, Germanic voice unmistakable though addresses the guests.
L" we come to the case of Monsieur Valdemaire whose mind was kept alive by a mesmeritist for six months after he died "
The guy in the chair, one of the guests who has agreed to play the part of Monsieur Valdemaire, 60 ish man balding, grey hair, covered in cobwebs and face whited up
L " tell me Monsieur Valdemaire what is it like, what message do you have for us?"
V " for God sake , wake me or let me die, I tell you it is hell"
L" the mesmeritist said the appropriate words and as Mr Poe said, what happened next was scarcely believable "
Lanceford removes his mask, the audience gasps in shock, standing there in the Ophrok costume is Kroom, not Lanceford. The guests applaud, a great impression by Kroom, or perhaps Lanceford from elsewhere threw his voice, ventriloquist style .
Robert suddenly sees Dominie opening a door and disappearing through it, he follows. He finds himself at the top of a passage, steps leading down into semi darkness. He goes down, Dominie is about a dozen steps below running.
R " Dominie .....come back"
He follows in pursuit. The long,long, descending passage is hewn out of rock, like a medieval catacombs, candles every so often light the way.
R " Dominie...."
Finally at the bottom, a vast chamber, a wine cellar. Dominie with her back to Robert, who grabs her and spins her round. He removes her mask...IT'S NOT DOMINIE, it's Miss Faversham.
D " I told you not to come here"
R " the last message I got from Jim he said he was coming to a party at this house. Tell me, the other boyfriends who ran out on you, did they do so after a party too?"
Surprise surprise! Lanceford isn't going to leave them together, he comes over and guides Robert away and hands him another glass of champagne. Robert looks back ,Domimie is nowhere to be seen.
Lanceford is entertaining guests who are staring at a man sitting in a chair.
Lanceford with his mask on, Germanic voice unmistakable though addresses the guests.
L" we come to the case of Monsieur Valdemaire whose mind was kept alive by a mesmeritist for six months after he died "
The guy in the chair, one of the guests who has agreed to play the part of Monsieur Valdemaire, 60 ish man balding, grey hair, covered in cobwebs and face whited up
L " tell me Monsieur Valdemaire what is it like, what message do you have for us?"
V " for God sake , wake me or let me die, I tell you it is hell"
L" the mesmeritist said the appropriate words and as Mr Poe said, what happened next was scarcely believable "
Lanceford removes his mask, the audience gasps in shock, standing there in the Ophrok costume is Kroom, not Lanceford. The guests applaud, a great impression by Kroom, or perhaps Lanceford from elsewhere threw his voice, ventriloquist style .
Robert suddenly sees Dominie opening a door and disappearing through it, he follows. He finds himself at the top of a passage, steps leading down into semi darkness. He goes down, Dominie is about a dozen steps below running.
R " Dominie .....come back"
He follows in pursuit. The long,long, descending passage is hewn out of rock, like a medieval catacombs, candles every so often light the way.
R " Dominie...."
Finally at the bottom, a vast chamber, a wine cellar. Dominie with her back to Robert, who grabs her and spins her round. He removes her mask...IT'S NOT DOMINIE, it's Miss Faversham.
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Lanceford appears, without his jesters hat on but still in costume,he slipped out of the party whilst Kroom was impersonating him, here waiting....
R " where's Dominie?"
L." We come to our second tableau, played to a smaller audience. The Cask Of Amontillado, which no doubt you've never read. A pity"
R " Mr Lanceford your Poe stories are beginning to bore me"
L " a great pity, if you had read it you wouldn't have allowed yourself to be lured down here"
R " no one lured me down here"
L " in the Cask of Amontillado Fortunato's enemy lured him down to the cellar with the promise of tasting sherry"
R " I don't drink sherry"
L " of course, the lure for you was different. You thought Dominie would help you solve the mystery of your brother. Fortunato's enemy first got him drunk"
R " two differences, I'm not Fortunato and I'm not drunk"
L " no Mr Stone you're not drunk, but drugged, that second glass of champagne"
Lanceford removes his mask and fixes Robert with a steely glare, Robert starts losing focus, his eyes glaze over, Lanceford gently puts his forehead on Robert's forehead and walks forward pushing Robert backwards, until at the top of a short flight of stairs , Robert falls down them....unconscious.
L ( to Faversham) " help me with him, then tell Kroom to get ready"
Lanceford removes Roberts costume, jacket and hat.
The two of them lift Robert up and carry him over to the far wall.
R " where's Dominie?"
L." We come to our second tableau, played to a smaller audience. The Cask Of Amontillado, which no doubt you've never read. A pity"
R " Mr Lanceford your Poe stories are beginning to bore me"
L " a great pity, if you had read it you wouldn't have allowed yourself to be lured down here"
R " no one lured me down here"
L " in the Cask of Amontillado Fortunato's enemy lured him down to the cellar with the promise of tasting sherry"
R " I don't drink sherry"
L " of course, the lure for you was different. You thought Dominie would help you solve the mystery of your brother. Fortunato's enemy first got him drunk"
R " two differences, I'm not Fortunato and I'm not drunk"
L " no Mr Stone you're not drunk, but drugged, that second glass of champagne"
Lanceford removes his mask and fixes Robert with a steely glare, Robert starts losing focus, his eyes glaze over, Lanceford gently puts his forehead on Robert's forehead and walks forward pushing Robert backwards, until at the top of a short flight of stairs , Robert falls down them....unconscious.
L ( to Faversham) " help me with him, then tell Kroom to get ready"
Lanceford removes Roberts costume, jacket and hat.
The two of them lift Robert up and carry him over to the far wall.
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Meantime at the party Jack is trying to open the door of the cellar. Dominie comes over,
D " what's wrong?"
J " we've run out of champagne Miss Dominie, and this door appears to be locked"
D " I'll get the key"
Dominie goes over to the writing bureau and opens it looking for the key. She takes out a photo album from the drawer and smiles. Opening it she sees family photos of herself when younger. She turns over the last page, and is troubled by a photo, it's her, kissing a man, someone has written underneath " Dominie's first lover" and blacked out the man's face with biro.
D " what's wrong?"
J " we've run out of champagne Miss Dominie, and this door appears to be locked"
D " I'll get the key"
Dominie goes over to the writing bureau and opens it looking for the key. She takes out a photo album from the drawer and smiles. Opening it she sees family photos of herself when younger. She turns over the last page, and is troubled by a photo, it's her, kissing a man, someone has written underneath " Dominie's first lover" and blacked out the man's face with biro.
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Back in the cellar Robert awakes, chained to the wall. A thick metal belt is around his waist, this connects to a chain, which is connected to a padlock which is locked to a ring in the wall. Next to him on the floor is a candle burning on a saucer. He looks up, Lanceford is staring at him from behind a brick wall that he has constructed, just a few bricks left to cement in place.
L " we come to the end of our story Mr Stone. Fortunato pleaded with his enemy to no avail. The victim bricked in, walled up, alive"
R " it won't work, too many people have seen me come here tonight"
L " when Kroom puts on your jacket, hat and mask, a great many people will see you leave Mr Stone"
R " that's how it was done with my brother was it?"
Lanceford's voice quivers, he is deeply emotional, he knows he is doing evil, but the pain of losing Dominie is too much.
L." There's nothing that I've not prized that wasn't finally taken from me, my wife, my beautiful children, my brother, my darling sister. Dominie is a prize that I cannot let anyone take from me"
R " Kroom and Miss Faversham won't keep their mouths shut for ever"
L " I'm doing this to protect my interests, Kroom and Faversham do it for money. Finally, the candle is a refinement of my own, you can have the air or the light, while it's lit it's burning up precious oxygen, put it out and you're in the dark that much sooner....goodbye Mr Stone....forever"
Lanceford puts the final bricks in place.
L " we come to the end of our story Mr Stone. Fortunato pleaded with his enemy to no avail. The victim bricked in, walled up, alive"
R " it won't work, too many people have seen me come here tonight"
L " when Kroom puts on your jacket, hat and mask, a great many people will see you leave Mr Stone"
R " that's how it was done with my brother was it?"
Lanceford's voice quivers, he is deeply emotional, he knows he is doing evil, but the pain of losing Dominie is too much.
L." There's nothing that I've not prized that wasn't finally taken from me, my wife, my beautiful children, my brother, my darling sister. Dominie is a prize that I cannot let anyone take from me"
R " Kroom and Miss Faversham won't keep their mouths shut for ever"
L " I'm doing this to protect my interests, Kroom and Faversham do it for money. Finally, the candle is a refinement of my own, you can have the air or the light, while it's lit it's burning up precious oxygen, put it out and you're in the dark that much sooner....goodbye Mr Stone....forever"
Lanceford puts the final bricks in place.
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Dominie returns to Jack,
D " I can't find the key, are you sure it's locked?"
J " I thought it was"
The door opens Lanceford steps out carrying a case of champagne.
J " just what I was coming for sir"
L " beat you to it. Come on lets celebrate"
D " what are we celebrating Johnathan?"
L." what else do we ever celebrate Dominie, your perfection"
D" have you seen Robert Stone?"
L " no, he must be around here somewhere"
Dominie leaves, Lanceford locks the door and pockets the key.
In the cellar Robert is pulling at the chain, then examines the padlock and the metal belt around him, it's utterly hopeless
R " HELP. SOMEONE HELP ME HEEELLLLPP!!!"
D " I can't find the key, are you sure it's locked?"
J " I thought it was"
The door opens Lanceford steps out carrying a case of champagne.
J " just what I was coming for sir"
L " beat you to it. Come on lets celebrate"
D " what are we celebrating Johnathan?"
L." what else do we ever celebrate Dominie, your perfection"
D" have you seen Robert Stone?"
L " no, he must be around here somewhere"
Dominie leaves, Lanceford locks the door and pockets the key.
In the cellar Robert is pulling at the chain, then examines the padlock and the metal belt around him, it's utterly hopeless
R " HELP. SOMEONE HELP ME HEEELLLLPP!!!"
A few of the guests are looking at the Pit and the Pendulum display. Lanceford in his element.
L " you see the axe gets lower and lower, but the prisoner has smeared his bonds with his food, the rats gnaw at his bonds, and just in time he's free"
Dominie goes up to Bill and Ken,
D " have either of you seen Robert Stone?"
K " yes Miss, he left a little while ago"
D " are you sure?"
K " no mistaking that costume of his, hahaha"
L " you see the axe gets lower and lower, but the prisoner has smeared his bonds with his food, the rats gnaw at his bonds, and just in time he's free"
Dominie goes up to Bill and Ken,
D " have either of you seen Robert Stone?"
K " yes Miss, he left a little while ago"
D " are you sure?"
K " no mistaking that costume of his, hahaha"
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