Blood on Satan's Claw Page #2

She must have the constitution of an ox.

She was a sick woman.

lndeed, Your Honour, as you say,

she was a sick woman.

l must confess, sir,

l fear there's something very strange afoot.

Did you hear what Gower turned up

with his plough?

Justice Middleton, l myself

examined the furrows.

There was nothing.

Nothing. Of course.

Unless it were witchcraft.

There have been some cases.

Witchcraft?

Hm.

Damnable business, Mr Edmonton, eh?

Fear nothing. The hunt goes on.

Milord, will you sup with me tonight?

Only humble fare but the finest

in the shire.

Thank you, Squire.

l remain here tonight.

The lady was a dear friend of mine.

Naturally. Out of respect.

Well, gentlemen, l take my leave.

There's evil in this house.

You must cleanse your mind

of such fancies.

Would they had taken me with her.

Time will relieve all.

And rest.

Go to your room and l'll go to mine.

Ellen...

my candle.

(Thunder)

(Low creaking)

Ah!

(Thunder)

(Sighs)

(Gasps)

(Choking)

Water, Ellen, and bandages.

Send Ralph to get the doctor.

My lord, when l heard

of Ralph Gower's discovery,

- l was reminded of this old volume.

- (Scoffs)

Mock, sir, if you will.

These sages had access to much wisdom.

Ah, here we are.

Doctor, witchcraft is dead.

And discredited.

Are you bent on reviving forgotten horrors?

How do we know, sir, what is dead?

You come from the city.

You cannot know the ways of the country.

See, this picture.

Did not Ralph describe

such a countenance?

Perhaps some such thing.

(Peter moans)

The drug is wearing off.

His heartbeat is strong.

Doctor, l am leaving soon.

As a favour, might l request

the loan of this book?

lt might merit further study.

No good news, l regret, milord.

l've had to call off the chase.

There's no trace of the lady anywhere.

l fear she is lost to us.

Er... And how is it with the young fella?

The doctor is confident

that Mr Edmonton will survive.

Splendid. Thankful for small mercies.

l have to leave you now.

Ooh, of course. Affairs of state.

Fear not, milord,

the matter is in good hands.

Unfortunate you could not sup with me.

Most unfortunate.

Yes.

Assist His Lordship there.

Your Lordship,

please don't you desert us.

Squire Middleton will keep watch over you.

l have important business in London.

You shall spread no more rumours,

Ralph Gower. Understand?

Witchcraft. Pah!

Perhaps you will have peace from now on.

There will be no nonsense, sir.

l am father to all here.

They love me but they obey me first.

Have a pleasant journey, Your Lordship.

l shall not forget you.

l shall return when the time is right.

But you must have patience.

Even while people die. Only thus

can the whole evil be destroyed.

You must let it grow.

(Man) Come along. Come on.

Thou'll be man of the house now, Ralph.

Till the master's better.

- Come on, Mark. We'll be home soon.

- We'll be all right.

Oh, she's a devil, that Angel.

She be no friend of mine.

T'weren't her. She likes me.

T'were that thing she keeps.

Oh, l told her she shouldn't have touched it.

Oh Lord, Mark, what'll come o' thee?

Well, l were holding the claw

and Angel were laughing.

- Suddenly l gets this pain...

- Oh, sh. Don't tell.

Say a prayer. l'll say one with thee.

(Cathy) Our Father...

(Mark) Our Father...

- which art in heaven...

- which art in heaven...

- Hallowed be Thy name...

- Hallowed be Thy name...

Thy kingdom come...

T'ain't nothing, Ma. Pain's gone. l promise.

You just sit there.

Cathy, get thee to Scripture class.

l'll go to the doctor for medicine

that will settle thee straightway.

- But Ma, l be perfect.

- Hush, now.

- l'll be back in a twinkling.

- Bye, Ma.

Bye, chick. You come

straight home, mind, after.

- Does tha want any broth?

- No.

- Does tha wanna go to bed?

- No.

You just sit there quiet and l won't be long.

Take an apple.

Wilt thou come and play with us, Mark?

Please.

l don't play girls' games.

Angel has taught us some new games.

Please come.

Angel wants thee.

(Bell ringing)

l see only half my class

have deigned to come today.

Mark Vespers is truant, for one.

Oh, no, Reverend, sir. He were took sick.

Have all the others, then,

succumbed to Mark's distemper?

Where's Angel Blake?

(Boy) Angel sends regards, Reverend.

Who spoke?

Says she'm sorry she could not attend but

she had some fearful important things to do.

There is, growing amongst you all,

an insolent ungodliness

which l will not tolerate!

lt's no common disease

which keeps half my class away

(Children) Round and around

and around and around.

(Laughter)

(Girl) Ooh-ooh!

(Whistles)

(Girl) Yoo-ooh!

Yoo-hoo!

Come on.

(Calling out)

(Gasps)

Oh! Who did that?

Ooh.

That cost good silver, that did.

That were for Mark.

Save your pains, mistress.

Mark won't need it no more.

What does that mean, boy?

(Laughing) We... we shut him

in the woodshed.

Hey!

(Fowl clucking)

Mark?

Mark?

Mark. Mark.

Mark. (Sobbing) Mark.

What...?

(Screaming)

What have they done?

(Crying) Mark. Oh, my Mark.

My Mark.

There.

Angel.

l'm glad you're here.

l've been meaning to speak

with you, Angel Blake.

Yes, sir?

Your behaviour, Angel,

has been most unseemly, of late.

l mean to complain to your father of it.

Do you like what you see?

Shame on you, child.

Do you like me, sir?

You...

You are beautiful, Angel.

- Do you wanna play our games with us?

- No, no.

Cover yourself up.

We want you with us, sir.

The Lord have mercy on you.

Come with me.

Get away!

l never want to see you in this school again.

Damn you, you old pagan.

Would you like to know

what becomes of your precious pupils?

One of them is dead already.

Little Mark had the devil in him.

So we cut it out.

- (Bell tolls)

- (Man) ''Man that is born of a woman

''hath but a short time to live

and is full of misery.

''He cometh up and is cut down,

like a flower. He fleeth...''

- Come on, then.

- ''..and never continueth in one stay.

''ln the midst of life, we are in death.

''Of whom may we seek for succour

but of Thee, O Lord,

''who, for our sins, art justly displeased?

''Yet, O Lord God, most holy, O Lord most

mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour,

''deliver us not into the bitter pains

of eternal death.

''Thou knowest, Lord,

the secrets of our hearts.

''Shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer

''but spare us, Lord most holy,

''O God most mighty,

''O holy and merciful Saviour,

''our most worthy judge eternal,

''suffer us not

''at our last hour,

''for any pains of death, to fall from thee.''

''Forasmuch as it hath pleased

Almighty God in His great mercy,

''to take unto Himself the soul

of our dear brother here departed,

''we therefore commit his body

to the ground.''

(Crows cawing)

''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,

''who shall change our vile body

''that it may be like unto His glorious body,

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