Gaslight Page #5

No wonder that girl despises me,

the way you encourage her.

Despises you?

Whatever makes you think that?

Her whole manner!

The way she talks to me,

the way she looks at me.

Looks at you?

I hope you're not starting

to imagine things again.

- You're not, are you, Paula?

- Of course I'm not.

I hope you're not, but if you start talking

about the way Nancy looks at you...

Don't turn away, Paula.

We must have this out.

Do you really think Nancy despises you?

Answer me, Paula. Do you?

No, Gregory.

I'm glad of that.

It hurts me when you're ill and fanciful.

Come in.

What is it now?

If you please, sir,

Miss Thwaites is downstairs.

She wanted to know

if the mistress was at home.

You mean that old busybody

from across the square?

Yes, sir. She has her nephew with her.

I don't think

we need bore ourselves with them.

- Tell her your mistress is not at home.

- Gregory, really, she's been...

My dear, if you let her in once,

you'll always have her here.

But she's called so often,

and we've never been at home to her...

I do not want people all over this house!

Bringing her family with her.

You tell Miss Thwaites...

that your mistress is sorry,

but she's not well enough to see her.

Very good, sir.

Gregory, why did you do that?

I would've liked to have seen her.

I thought you were only trying

to be polite.

Why didn't you tell me

you really wanted to see her?

I couldn't in front of that girl.

You must get over

this ridiculous fear of the servants.

If you really wanted to see her,

all you had to say was:

"Show her up, Nancy," wasn't it?

- Yes, but...

- I'm sorry, miss. That's all I know.

The mistress isn't well enough

to receive anyone.

Please tell her how sorry we are.

Come along, Auntie dear.

You wouldn't have had time

to see them anyway.

You have to dress, do your hair.

Why?

We're going out tonight.

We are? You didn't tell me.

Or have I forgotten?

Don't you think this is charming?

It's from the new operetta at the Gaiety.

I wish I could write tunes like Strauss.

Paula, you silly child, don't look like that.

Of course you haven't forgotten anything.

This is my surprise for you.

We're going to the theater tonight.

How wonderful!

- And you thought I was being cruel to you.

- No, you're not cruel.

Keeping people away from you,

making you a prisoner.

You're the kindest man in the world.

I'm sorry.

I'm so happy.

What's the matter?

Paula, I don't want to upset you.

If you will put things right...

when I'm not looking,

we'll assume it did not happen.

But what? Gregory, what?

Please don't turn your back on me.

What has happened?

You mean you don't know?

No, I...

Look.

Yes.

The little picture has been taken down.

Who took it down?

- Why has it been taken down?

- Why indeed?

Why was it taken down before?

Get it from wherever you've hidden it

and put it back in its place.

But I haven't hidden it.

I swear I haven't. Why should I?

Don't look at me like that.

Someone else must have done it.

No, don't ring. Please don't ring.

- Don't shame me before the servants.

- Please stop being hysterical.

Now sit down and calm yourself

before they come.

We must get to the bottom of this

once and for all.

Please come in, Elizabeth.

Do you notice anything missing

from this room?

Missing, sir?

No. I don't think so, sir.

Look carefully on the walls.

- There's a little picture missing, sir.

- Exactly.

- Did you take it away?

- No, sir.

Have you ever taken it down

from where it belongs?

- No, sir. Why ever should I?

- Why indeed?

You go to church, don't you?

- To what, sir?

- Church!

Yes, sir.

Please kiss this Bible as a solemn oath

that you've told the truth.

Thank you, Elizabeth. You may go now.

And send Nancy in here at once.

- Nancy.

- Yes, sir.

Gregory, no, not that girl.

I'll say anything. I'll say that I did it.

I'll not have that...

Please! Have the goodness

to control yourself.

This is painful enough

without your making it worse.

Please come back.

Since you've thrown suspicion

on the servants...

they must be cleared of it. Now sit down.

Did you hear what I said?

Sit down.

Come here, Nancy.

A picture has been taken down

from the wall there.

So it has. That's another rum go.

I did not ask

for any comments on your part.

I want to know whether it was you

who took the picture down.

Of course it wasn't, sir.

What would I want to take it down for?

Shall I ask her to kiss the Bible, Paula,

or will you accept her word?

- Of course I'll accept it. Let her go.

- Very well. You may go, Nancy.

Give me that Bible!

There. Do you see? I swear on the Bible

I didn't take that picture down.

Go look for that picture.

So you knew where it was all the time.

I didn't know.

I only looked there because that's

where it was found twice before.

I didn't know, Gregory.

I didn't.

I think you better go to your room.

We're not going to the theater?

I'm afraid you are far from well enough

for the theater.

Now come.

- If it was I who took that picture down...

- lf?

If it was I who took it down

the other times...

if I do all these senseless,

meaningless things...

It's so meaningless.

Why should I take a picture down?

- Then I don't know what I do anymore.

- I know, Paula.

- That's just the trouble.

- But then, if that's true...

then you must be gentle with me.

You must bear with me, please.

Please, Gregory, please.

Now come, Paula.

- You better go to your room.

- What are you going to do?

I'm going out to work and forget all this.

No. Please don't leave me here

all by myself now.

I get so frightened when I am here alone

and you go out night after night.

Frightened? You never

told me that before.

I'm telling you now!

I'm frightened of the house!

I hear noises and footsteps.

I imagine things,

that there are people over the house.

I'm frightened of myself, too.

Gregory, please!

Please don't leave me. Stay with me.

Gregory, take me in your arms, please!

Please. Take me in your arms, Gregory.

I hope to find you better in the morning.

She seems to be getting worse,

doesn't she, sir?

You will please not refer

to your mistress as "she."

Thank you, Nancy.

Gonna work on your tunes

again tonight, sir?

- You're always working, aren't you?

- Yes.

What are you doing

with your evening out?

I'm going to a music hall.

- I've never been to an English music hall.

- You don't know what you've missed, sir.

- You'd like it a lot, sir.

- We must see about that.

And whom are you going

to the music hall with?

Gentleman friend, sir.

Now, you know, Nancy, don't you...

that gentleman friends

are sometimes inclined...

- to take liberties with young ladies?

- No, sir, not with me.

I can take care of myself when I want to.

It strikes me that you're not at all

the kind of girl that your mistress...

- should have for a housemaid.

- No, sir?

She's not the only one

in the house, is she?

Let people find their own places

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes