Bedlam Page #5

- Is it wise to eat money?

But it was a jest.

Gentlemen, would you permit me

to communicate with Master John Wilkes?

He will speak for me.

This is not a court.

You are not in need of any witnesses

but your own sanity...

and we shall judge the worth of that.

Mistress Bowen...

you have asked for voluntary commitment

to enter St. Mary of Bethlehem's asylum.

The charges for your care and keep

to be borne by Milord Mortimer.

I have here the commission's approval

of your request.

The commission has adjudged you insane.

But I made no petition to enter Bedlam.

Perhaps you did it as a jest,

Mistress Bowen.

You're not going to put me in Bedlam?

Not for a little joke. Not for playing a trick.

Milords, gentlemen, please listen.

I am of sound mind. I know what I do.

I know what I say.

I did not ask for admission to Bedlam.

Please!

Here in Bedlam, my dear...

we can't feed you banknotes.

Try chewing on this.

- I want a biscuit. Polly want a biscuit.

- Polly want a biscuit?

You see, Varney, now that he's mine...

I've already taught him

a new and original trick.

- Yes, milord.

- But Mistress Bowen must have been here.

Now, my love,

and how did you spend the night?

- Going on a voyage, milord?

- Voyage? No, not a voyage.

Just a trip to the country to ride.

To smell the innocent air.

To listen to the twitter of the birds.

- To rusticate.

- I see. To rusticate.

I would invite you, my dear,

but it's a bachelor affair.

Sports, you know. Manly things.

I see.

All good things must end, milord.

I'll have a bit of the gin.

And another little sip

to get rid of the dry taste of piety.

Piety?

I thought there was

precious little of that in this house.

There's a Quaker out there

who wants to see you.

Pompey is sending him about his business.

Such a person has never been known

in this household.

Come now.

Thee must know that to be an untruth.

Mistress Bowen had tea with milord

only yesterday.

Your young lady was the one

who was telling tales.

There's been no woman in this household

but Mistress Sims since I can remember.

So they tell me.

Well, never mind.

- Where is the Quaker?

- He's been and gone.

- He must have just left.

- That's likely.

Apples, apples

Apples a penny, apples

Master Hannay.

I'll tell you where she is, Master Hannay.

I'll tell you where she is.

- They put her in Bedlam.

- In Bedlam?

Yesterday they summoned her.

She's there now.

Friend, thee must come with me.

We shall go to Bedlam.

No, I can't go with you.

I'm employed by milord.

You see, Master Stonemason,

I have to live.

And you yourself said I didn't have

enough muscle for honest work.

It's enough that thee

is an honest man, Varney.

That thee ran all this way

to tell me where she is.

Nell Bowen.

Is that your name they call?

- How do they know I'm here?

- They don't know.

Some of our poor companions spend

their days looking out the window.

If they hear a new cry, they repeat it.

Then others take it up and so it goes.

But my name? How do they know it?

Someone must have shouted in the street.

Perhaps someone trying to reach you.

Thank you.

You can't come in.

- By George Sims' order, I suppose.

- Even so.

May I see Sims?

And quickly, too.

- I have been refused admittance.

- That is unfortunate.

- A new ruling. You understand.

- I understand only that I am a free man.

That I have money in my hand.

Thee has no legal right to deny me entry

to a place...

- where others have been admitted.

- Quite true.

- Well?

- The warder will take your tuppence.

And now if you will leave your arms

at the arms rack.

But I have no arms.

I am of the Society of Friends.

Then I'm afraid

we must return your tuppence.

But why?

Did you not quote the law to me?

Let me then quote the law to you.

It is a rule of our institute

that all who enter the main hall...

- must hang their arms upon that rack.

- But I have no arms.

Since you have none,

I cannot let you enter.

Thee cannot deny me entry for such cause.

I must.

Save yourself a walk, Quaker. It's locked.

It's a rule, Master Quaker,

and I break no rules.

Blast me.

Brother Hannay sauntering

as if it were a holiday.

On my own business, friend Smith,

and without profanity.

And without this good job of work

that we have, Hannay.

- I bid on it.

- And found Master Sims' way...

of doing business a little strange?

We've the work. We've the will.

Let's at it, boys.

But thee hasn't the knack of it.

Thanks, Hannay.

Maybe you'd give us a hand.

- There are but three of us.

- I'd just as leave.

You call.

One, two. Heave, all.

- Call.

- One then two. Down we go.

- Thanks, Hannay.

- Thee is welcome.

Now you're here, Hannay. You can see all

of Bedlam without paying your tuppence.

- Can't he, lads?

- That he can.

All the wonders of Bedlam,

and for nothing.

- That I would like to see.

- This corridor leads to the main room.

It's a little dark maybe, but if you get to

the end of it, you'll get an eyeful.

If thee don't mind, I'll go and look.

Nell. Nell Bowen.

Nell Bowen.

- Nell Bowen.

- Nell Bowen.

- Nell Bowen.

- Nell Bowen.

- Nell Bowen.

- Nell Bowen.

Over here, Nell.

Come, Nell.

Nell.

- You've come to take me away?

- No.

- There is no way.

- Find Wilkes.

- Wilkes will get me out of here.

- I had thought of that.

I'll seek him out, but until he can free thee,

thee must be patient.

Patient? How can I be patient?

I'm terrified.

- These people are like beasts.

- So thee has that same thought.

- The same thought as Sims.

- No. But they frighten me.

They're dirty, savage, mindless.

- Disgusting.

- Thee wanted to help them.

That's why they put thee here,

for trying to aid them.

I still want to aid them, but I cannot here.

Not here where they're all about me.

All I want is release

or a weapon to defend myself.

Thee has thy kindness and thy courage.

They can be sword and buckler to thee

in this place.

I want better weapons.

I want something more than

my naked hands...

to help me if there should be trouble.

- Give me a weapon.

- Thee knows I carry no sword.

Anything.

I carry nothing that would harm

my fellow creatures.

Your trowel.

- That is to build with.

- It has a point. It has a handle.

Would you have me maimed,

scratched, scarred?

My face.

The Lord will not let it happen.

Give me the trowel

and I'll not let it happen.

Look at my face again.

Look close.

Shall it be scarred?

God forgive me for what I do.

Forgiven or not,

at least I can defend myself.

Now get to Master Wilkes.

Wilkes will have me out of here like that.

- I haven't seen Wilkes in the last week.

- He's never at home.

He's electioneering.

- Where?

- Anywhere in the kingdom.

But it's a matter of import, grave import.

A woman's reason hangs on it.

I must see him.

He's ordered pamphlets

and posters from me.

He must come here and when he does,

I'll tell him.

I'll come back tomorrow.

We might ask her, Master Todd.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes