Blood on Satan's Claw Page #3

''according to the mighty working, whereby

He was able to subdue all things to Himself.

''l heard a voice from heaven

saying unto me,

'''Write, henceforth blessed

are the dead which die...

''Even so saith the spirit,

for they rest from their labours.

- ''Lord have mercy upon our souls.''

- (Muffled response)

''Lord have mercy upon us.

Our Father, which art in heaven,

(People join in) ''Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

''Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

''Give us this day our daily bread

''and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive them that trespass against us.

''And lead us not into temptation

''but deliver us from evil.

''Amen.''

- Might l have a word?

- Beg your pardon, sir.

Yes, what is it?

Yes, Reverend?

l might have a talk privately, later.

Very well, Reverend. On my journey home.

- Well, Blake?

- Well, it's about my daughter, sir.

- Well, it's the Reverend, sir.

- What?

He be no true man of God, sir.

Tell the Squire, Angel.

l scarce can tell it.

You see, sir, he called me back to class

the other night,

cos he said l'd been doing wrong.

And he asked me to take my dress off.

l wouldn't, sir.

l ran and he caught me

and tore up my dress.

l were so afeard.

She had nowt on but a shift

when she came home, sir.

And she were bleeding.

He told me if l didn't obey him,

the same'd happen to me as did to Mark.

l didn't know what he meant, sir.

l be so scared, Squire.

The villain. By God,

l'll put a stop to your games,

Reverend Fallowfield.

God willing, the squire

will find the murderer soon.

l'd be happier if the judge were here.

Oh.

- (Ellen) What's up, Cathy, love?

- Ooh, nothing, Ma. lt's all right.

Don't you fret, Cathy, my love.

His soul's at rest.

Did you see, Ma? lt's not everyone

he calls ''my love'' like that, is it?

(Cuckoo calls)

(Cuckoo calls)

- Hello.

- Hello.

(Whip cracks)

Poor Cathy. We were so sad

about your Mark.

Yeah. Poor Mark.

Has thou seen Ralph Gower anywhere?

No.

Those be fine flowers. What they be for?

For my brother. To put on his grave.

We've seen some real giants.

Fine, long stems they got.

- Where?

- Well, not far. Come on.

Hey! Hey!

- Hey!

- (Cathy laughs) Oh!

(Boy) Come on, then.

(Cathy) Oh!

- (Boy) Gotcha! Come on.

- (Cathy laughs and shrieks)

There, boy.

- Where's Will?

- He'll be back.

- Where we going?

- For the flowers.

- A secret place.

- You said we wouldn't go far.

(Screaming) Let me go!

- (Screaming)

- Whoa.

This be a good game.

We be cannibals and you be our catch.

You're hurting me. Play by yourselves.

Sorry, Miss Cathy.

Aw, come on, play with us.

lt's only a game.

(Bird squawking)

Cathy! (Echoing)

(Cathy laughs)

Oh, the rope!

(Boys laughing)

(Children shrieking and cheering)

- (Angel) Come on, Cathy.

- (Cheering)

(Laughing)

Ca-thy!

What is this? Squire, you're mistaken.

You are charged with ravishing Angel Blake.

And in addition, you are suspect

of the murder of Mark Vespers.

Sir, you wrong me.

We'll take him to the farm.

His memory might improve when he is

taken to the scene of his unnatural crime.

( Harmonious chanting)

Cathy.

(All continuously repeat) Cathy.

Ca-thy!

Ca-thy!

Ca-thy!

(Girl) ''Hail, behemoth, spirit of the dark,

''take thou my blood,

my flesh, my skin and walk.

''Holy behemoth, father of my life,

speak now, come now,

''rise now from the forest, from the furrows,

from the fields and live.

''Hail, behemoth, spirit of the dark,

''take thou my blood,

my flesh, my skin and walk.

''Holy behemoth, father of my life,

speak now, come now, rise now

''from the forest, from the furrows,

from the field and live.

''Hail, behemoth, spirit of the dark,

''take thou my blood,

my skin, my flesh and walk.

''Holy behemoth, father of my life,

speak now, come now, rise now

''from the forest, from the furrows,

from the field and live.

''Hail, behemoth, spirit of the dark,

''take thou my blood,

my flesh, my skin and walk.

''Holy behemoth, father of my life,

''speak now, come now, rise now

''from the forest, from the f...''

(Low growling)

(Growling) My skin.

(Cathy) No.

(Gasping)

Ned!

Ned. Ned, has tha seen Cathy Vespers?

Well, l seen a crowd of young 'uns.

Went that way.

Angel Blake leading 'em.

And Cathy? l heard her calling.

Never seed her.

But they'm often round here now,

singing and playing their games.

(Moans)

(Gasping)

(Groaning)

No! No!

(Groaning)

(Gasping)

(Cathy screaming, boy groaning)

(Screaming)

Cathy? Cathy!

(Distant giggling)

Cathy?

(Giggling gets louder)

Cathy!

(Squire) The whole countryside

talks of your evil doings.

Now, by God, we will be shamed no longer.

Here is the place. Bring him in.

There. Confess.

Sir, l loved that child.

l know not how he died.

You know and you shall hang.

Come, what was the weapon?

This axe. You see, men,

his silence condemns him.

Squire.

Merciful Lord.

l found her in the ruined church.

lt were Angel Blake.

Ned Carter saw her

and the children with her.

Release him. We will strike

while the iron's hot.

(Horse neighs)

l have not forgotten you.

Your village has been much in my thoughts.

Oh, you would not recognise it, sir.

Dreadful things are commonplace and

mere children commit the foulest deeds.

Children? What deeds?

They... they murder one another.

We fear that witchcraft has returned.

lt is more than witchcraft.

l am ready to return.

But understand,

l shall use undreamed-of measures.

(Wind howling)

(Distant shouting)

(Man) Come on!

(Second man) There she is!

(Panting)

(Shouting continues)

(Man) There she is!

(All shouting)

Get her!

This way!

Go on!

Get her to speak!

No.

Let's chuck her in, see if she's a witch.

(Gasping)

(Screams) No!

- What you done?

- Her's a witch.

- Aye, so we swung her, eh?

- See if she floats.

- (Ralph) How do you know she be a witch?

- We know if she don't sink, she be one.

lf she sink, you done her murder.

- Who is she then?

- l dunno.

They chased her and throwed her

in the lake,

to see if she'd float like a witch.

- Oh, glory. And is she, then?

- No. She sank straightaway.

But none would pull her out.

For a moment, l thought 'twas my Cathy

you were bringing back to me.

Ellen.

Oh, praise God. Ralph, bring her to the fire

and we'll get her warm. Quickly.

Ralph, get me a rag.

Ralph, bring Cathy's bed in here.

This poor lass shall have it.

Ralph, look. Look.

What is it?

Oh, God, l prayed l'd never see that again.

That's what they call the devil's skin.

- Let her die, say l.

- No, sir, she's no witch.

Well, let the squire put her in jail.

- There, at least, she'll do no harm.

- Could we not take pity on her?

'Tis the mark of the devil.

No wonder the villagers were afraid of her.

lt's madness to keep her here.

Doctor, could you not

cut the skin from her leg?

To what purpose?

The skin would only grow again.

Besides, the operation is too difficult.

l... l am not equipped.

'Twas not l who first ploughed up the field.

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