A Woman's Vengeance Page #7

That and abdominal massage.

Up the ascending colon, across and down

and across and then down 40 or 50 times.

I used to do it for poor

Mrs Maurier every single day.

Poor thing. Poor thing.

Well, she'll sleep easier

in her grave after this.

Hurry up .. quick.

Alright, alright.

Have you got your bag of dog biscuits?

We'll be back in time for tea.

Don't let it get you down.

Doctor Libbard, Miss.

Show him in.

I just dropped in to see how

things were going along.

Father seems very well.

He's just gone out for his walk.

- And you?

Ah.

Not much of a credit to

your physician, I'm afraid.

If I don't sleep tonight I shall go mad.

You've still got some of that

stuff I gave you, haven't you?

It doesn't seem to work anymore.

Dr Libbard, you don't

know what it's like.

Night after night.

I can't stand it any longer.

This wretched business

with poor Maurier.

You mustn't let it prey on your

mind too much, you know.

I know, naturally. But ..

Well I ..

Anyone can't help feeling

dreadfully sorry for him.

Sorry if the light bothers you.

Hold sill just one moment.

Hmm.

Do you wear these

things all the time now?

I find the light very trying.

It's been like that ever since

I started sleeping badly.

Then of course, poor Emily.

You were very fond of her weren't you.

Oh yes.

Yes. I loved her.

Well, wouldn't that account

or all your troubles?

Grieving over the death of a friend?

And what a death.

What a death.

Suicide at the best.

Murder at the worst.

And remember.

Macbeth hath murdered sleep.

He murdered it for a lot of

other people as well as himself.

Look what I found in

the garden this morning.

Give that here.

Can't I give it to him?

It's just a 4-leafed clover. That's all.

Well, it's against the regulations.

But I don't see any harm in it.

You think it's awfully silly, don't you.

It's not silly to love someone.

It's the only thing that

makes any sense.

How does Libbard

think you're getting on?

Alright.

Darling, let's calls him Patrick.

Call whom? Libbard?

No, I mean if it's a boy.

- Oh. I see.

And if it's a girl?

- Well.

What about Belinda?

- Ah no. There I draw the line.

But it's such a pretty name.

Do you see me running after the

child in Kensington Gardens ..

And yelling "Belinda, Belinda".

There are limits, my dear.

We are taking certain

things for granted, aren't we.

Darling, you mustn't say such things.

After all, you haven't done anything

wrong, so what can they do to you?

Besides.

You've got your 4-leafed clover now, and

we won't call her Belinda, I promise.

I don't imagine that will prevent

you from making an ass of yourself.

Any man looks an idiot when he's

trying to keep a tiny child in order.

I shall roar with laughter

and you'll be furious.

And then a moment later,

you'll be laughing too.

It will be so wonderful, Henry.

Will it?

Of course it will.

Sorry ma'am. Time's up.

Come on.

When driving the car.

Did you notice signs of intimacy between

the accused and the present Mrs Maurier?

Yes, sir.

There was considerable .. embracing.

[ Laughter ]

Silence .. silence!

On more than one occasion?

- Yes. Very frequently, sir.

I have no questions to

ask this witness, Milord.

Caroline Braddock.

- Caroline Braddock.

Janet.

Sorry if I've frightened you.

Have they called you again?

No. I've been sitting

in court with Doris.

Do you think ..?

I mean, how is everything going?

Not too well, I'm afraid.

You mean, for Henry?

- Yes.

They're all coming home to roost, every

one of the follies he ever committed.

Goodness knows, there

were enough of them.

Do you remember in the Gospel, men

and women who were possessed by devils?

I sometimes wonder if that's the only

plausible explanation of things we do.

Things that we know are against

our own interests. Things that are ..

Obviously wrong and

idiotic and suicidal.

And yet we do them.

Or is it somebody else inside

us that makes us do them?

If it's somebody else, then ..

Then we wouldn't be

responsible would we?

I think I'd better get back.

Did the accused and the late

Mrs Maurier ever quarrel?

All the time.

- When did they have their last quarrel?

On the day before Mrs Maurier's death.

Was it violent?

To judge from what I heard

of it, it must have been.

What did you hear?

I heard Mr Maurier say he

wished she was dead.

The day before she died.

Of poisoning, remember.

The deceased wrote as follows.

"Robert, darling."

"Herewith the cheque .. Henry tried

to prevent you from having."

"He was horrible to me

after you were gone."

"He said he wished I was dead."

"I can't see you tomorrow."

But come the day after and we'll

decide definitely about the journey."

"Ever, your affectionate Emily."

Now.

Did you see your sister again ..

After you received this letter?

No I didn't.

She wrote it on Tuesday afternoon.

I got it on Wednesday morning.

And on Wednesday evening, she died.

When she was taken ill that night.

The servants sent for you.

Is that correct?

Yes.

Did you see Mrs Maurier

alive that night?

Yes. I was with her until the end.

Was she unconscious

at the time you came?

No, she was fully conscious.

Then she was able to speak?

Yes, she was able to speak.

Did she say anything about poison?

No.

No, she didn't seem to realize

she'd been poisoned.

Nothing to indicate that the

poison was self-administered?

No.

Nothing.

Now .. what are the

motives for the crime?

There were two of them.

Among the lowest and most

contemptible of all human passions.

Lust .. and avarice.

His wife is rich.

She has made a will in his favour.

Her life is heavily insured.

And now to the lure of money.

Is added the compulsion of

another even stronger passion.

When his wife falls sick.

What does this man do?

Does he sit beside her

bed to comfort her?

Does he devote himself to

alleviating her sufferings? No.

He wanders abroad in search of

low and criminal distractions.

He finds a young and innocent girl.

He flatters and cajoles her.

He dazzles her with a

display of his wealth.

And fascinates her by his

knowledge of the world.

True, he denies the fact

of his adultery, but ..

Nevertheless, he cannot deny

the fact of his infatuation.

The unhappy invalid at home.

Is unaware of what has

happened. And yet.

And yet how terrible for her, are the

consequences of that infatuation.

Her presence becomes

increasingly irksome to him.

Her very existence is a

threat to his pleasures.

More and more, he

wishes her out of the way.

And at last that wish is

translated into action.

The poison, is bought.

Here .. you've been

transferred to Wandsworth.

Wandsworth?

But that's where ..

But you can't .. there is the appeal.

You'll hear about

that in plenty of time.

Hold out your hands.

Poor devil.

Vengeance is mine, said the Lord.

I never was so glad

of anything in my life.

But I have some wonderful

news for you, Miss Janet.

Friday the 24th.

- But aren't you pleased?

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote