Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Page #3

being slaughtered,

Tolliver would hire an army

of policemen

to find this Ripper.

BRUCE:
But I don't agree.

If it were affluent women, society

ladies, the outcry might be deafening.

Jack targets destitute women.

When the voiceless cry out,

no one hears.

I think you're ignoring

the real tragedy here.

Every establishment in town

is closing down.

What a shame.

I was starting to suspect that

there was more to your friend

than a good family name

and prep school manners.

Well, there's

the Wayne fortune.

But I'm sure you didn't

forget that, did you, Selina?

Steady, old man.

You'll have to excuse Harvey.

Oh, I know.

When he drinks, he's

an entirely different person.

A regular Jekyll and Hyde.

This is my club.

We can catch a hansom here.

I'd invite you in

for a drink but,

unfortunately, men only.

At least we still

have something.

I didn't take you

for an anti-suffragist.

(STRING MUSIC PLAYING)

(SELINA LAUGHS)

I don't think the doorman

was quite convinced

that I'm a man.

If he was, I'd have

to have him dismissed.

The Dionysus Club cannot

tolerate a doorman who is blind.

You'd never do that.

Have someone fired.

You're too kind. I've heard.

You don't know me.

I know most other men would have

abandoned Harvey hours ago.

Well, we've all had a few.

You haven't.

You've been pouring your drinks

in potted plants all night.

A mutual friend told me you like to solve

mysteries, ever since you were a boy.

You're studying me.

You're a fascinating subject.

And what have you learned?

Only that you were raised

in a small, regional circus,

probably in a family

of performers.

That some traumatic event

possibly connected

to the scar on your left arm

that you're trying to conceal,

led you to the continent

where you reinvented yourself

as a night club performer.

Nothing else?

That you take it upon yourself

to act as champion

of the voiceless.

Which you, no doubt, learned

from our mutual friend,

Sister Leslie Thompkins.

One of the few people

who knew me as a boy.

Yes. She was the one

who told me you were kind.

And she should know.

She took me in too.

She takes in all

of the helpless,

the hopeless,

feeds them, protects them.

I've been a fool.

Bruce, what?

Fetch me a hansom, quickly.

(KEYS JANGLING

AND DOOR LOCKING)

(SINISTER MUSIC PLAYING)

(EXCLAIMS)

Oh, Sister.

You gave me a fright.

Marlene, what are

you doing here?

A warm cot is waiting for you and

you're out here, in the cold.

(SCOFFS)

You've been at the bottle.

I'm sorry, Sister.

I was having trouble sleeping.

I needed my medicine.

Well, I don't know

where you're hiding it,

but your sort of medicine

will kill you for sure.

Back to bed with ya.

(HORSE CARRIAGE APPROACHING)

(HORSE WHINNIES)

Keep it, don't wait.

(CHAIN RATTLES)

(GRUNTS)

(GRUNTS)

So, this is it then.

Well, I won't beg

and I won't go hysterical.

I won't give you

the satisfaction.

Know this,

I forgive you.

(SISTER LESLIE SCREAMING)

(MELANCHOLIC MUSIC PLAYING)

Master Bruce, I took

the liberty of...

(CLOCK TICKING)

Bruce, I know how

much Sister Leslie...

What, Alfred?

What did you say?

Nothing at all, sir.

I presumed

and I presumed incorrectly.

What have you there?

It's a membership pin

from the Dionysus Club.

It was at the scene.

BRUCE:
The Batman will return

it to Gordon after my analysis.

Yours? You were there,

you might've dropped it.

No.

There's blood splattered

on the pin.

It was there

when the murder happened.

Mine wasn't.

This does, however,

narrow the field considerably.

Including the Mayor, Harvey,

even Hugo Strange.

Virtually every

wealthy man in Gotham.

Testing your fingerprints

theory again?

You know, they'll never admit

that sort of thing as evidence.

BRUCE:
There are no prints,

just a few fibers

in the fastener.

If I could match these...

It will have to wait.

I've laid out

your mourning clothes.

I have my own

manner of mourning.

Revenge.

Her blood cries out for it.

Does it, sir?

"Beloved,

avenge not yourselves,

"vengeance is mine.

"I will repay,"

sayeth the Lord.

She wouldn't want you

to be alone right now.

It's how I work best, Alfred.

But I can pay my respects.

PRIEST:
For as much as it

hath pleased almighty God,

of his great mercy

to take unto himself the soul of

our dear sister here departed.

We therefore commit

her body to the ground.

Earth to earth.

Ashes to ashes.

Dust to dust...

In sure and certain hope of the

resurrection to eternal life

through our

Lord Jesus Christ...

(YAWNS)

...who shall change

the body of our low estate,

that it may be like unto

his glorious body.

Amen.

ALL:
Amen.

STRANGE:
Mr. Wayne?

Dr. Hugo Strange, isn't it?

Ah, you know me.

I read your monograph on the habits of

the clinically degenerate lunatics.

You believe their cure

lies in surgery.

Ablation of the

frontal cortex.

The scalpel solves everything.

You knew Sister Leslie?

No, I came for

professional reasons.

He is here.

I am certain of it.

Jack.

His sick mind burns with the hatred of

all that he sees as evil and wicked.

Hatred of women.

A hunger that never dies.

It is strong.

Overpowering.

You know who he is?

Pardon me, Mr. Wayne.

The Commissioner was wondering if

you'll be coming to the memorial.

Yes, Chief.

I'll be right there.

Well?

I should very much like to tell this

Batman I've heard so much about

all that I know.

- Then why come to...

- You know everyone in town, Mr. Wayne.

I'm sure you could find a way

to tell the Batman

to come to my office.

Tonight. Midnight.

Strange, I don't know who...

- (GRUNTS)

- Gotcha.

Let me go, geezer.

I'm afraid you lack

the subtlety

to be an effective cat purse,

young fellow, my lad.

And so near a bevy

of policeman, too.

(CLICKING TONGUE)

He didn't mean

nothing, mister.

You idiot. You think that's how Sister Leslie

would want you to act at her own funeral?

But I'm hungry.

Mister, Jason here

is not worth the trouble.

Cut him loose, huh?

Orphans.

Sister Leslie

did what she could for us.

Fed us, tried to

teach us right.

Look, knock Jason around

a little if you want

but please don't get the cops.

I occasionally have

odd jobs that need doing.

Call upon me here.

You'll not go away hungry.

Shoo.

Not so hasty, if you please.

- What?

- I know I'm too old now

to catch the eye

of a gent like you.

But my eyes

are still good, yeah?

They see everything.

I don't quite follow.

Of course, my memory

ain't so great.

I forget things all the time

for the right price.

Follow me, Mr. Bruce Wayne?

I recognized you sneaking

around the church yard.

I'm afraid you've

made a mistake.

Afraid?

Oh, you'll be afraid

all right,

Mr. High and Mighty

Bruce Wayne.

When I tell the coppers

what I know.

Now, let's just settle down.

Get your hands off me.

If you think you can do me

like you did Sister Leslie,

you're dead wrong, fella.

Now, what's all

the commotion, granny?

Why don't we just

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