Gods and Monsters Page #2

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out the old brain and put in the new...

like tinned beef.

He's one of the great

images of the 20th century,

more important

than the Mona Lisa.

Oh, don't be daft.

It's just makeup and padding

and a big actor.

It's hardly the Mona Lisa.

Boris Karloff.

How did you ever think of

casting him as the Monster?

He'd never even starred

in a movie before that.

Mr. Whale?

Is something the matter?

Mr. Whale?

Please excuse me.

Are you all right?

Just...

need to lie down.

Studio. There's a day

bed in the studio.

Oh, my God. Mr. Whale,

what's wrong? Is it your heart?

No, head, not heart.

Water.

Glass is in sink.

Which ones?

I bring them all.

Luminal.

Mr. Kay,

you're not dressed.

I was gonna go swimming.

So you were.

Mmm.

You should probably go home.

You must think

I'm terrible, Hanna.

I don't think you're

anything anymore.

Just back from the hospital,

already you're chasing after boys.

Oh, shut up.

All we did was talk.

Perhaps I should get you uphill

before the pills knock you cold.

No, no, no, no, no.

Please, no.

Let me stay here.

Thank you.

Quiet on the set, please.

- You're a disgrace!

- Mr. Whale?

- Jimmy, privy needs cleanin'.

- Mr. Whale.

Open your eyes.

Now look left.

That's right.

And breathe out.

Good.

Let's see what we've got.

You're a lucky man,

Mr. Whale.

Whatever damage was

done by your stroke,

it left your motor abilities

relatively unimpaired.

Yes, Dr. Payne, but what about

from the neck upwards?

- What's the story there?

- That's what I'm trying to explain.

The central nervous

system selects items...

from a constant

storm of sensations.

Whatever was killed

in your stroke...

seems to have short-circuited

this mechanism.

So you're saying there's an electrical

storm going on inside my head.

Well, that's as good a

way as any to describe it.

- I've seen far worse cases.

- What about all the rest?

The killing headaches.

The phantom smells.

My inability to

close my eyes...

without thinking of a hundred

things simultaneously.

I've never encountered the

olfactory hallucinations before,

but I'm sure they're related.

- So, what do I do?

- Take the Luminal to sleep...

and whenever you feel

an attack coming on.

What you're saying is that this isn't

just a case of resting until I'm better,

but that my condition will continue

to deteriorate until the end of my life.

You will take them all,

Mr. Jimmy.

Yes.

Don't you worry, Hanna.

- Good night.

- Thank you.

Ohh!

Oh!

Ohh!

Sh*t.

Everything all right, Mr. Boone?

Yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you.

It got away from me.

I was just going to buzz Hanna

to bring down some iced tea.

I'd like it very much

if you'd join me.

I kinda stink to high

heaven right now.

Let me ask Hanna

to bring tea for two.

Or would you prefer a beer?

Uh, no. Thanks.

But tea is fine.

Splendid.

Come in, Mr. Boone.

This is my workshop, my studio.

Hardly somewhere where a sweaty

workman should feel out of place.

- Are these your paintings?

- Uh, yes. Yes.

Excuse me,

but, uh, are you famous?

Oh, well, you know what they say:

If you have to ask...

Look, I'm just a guy

who cuts lawns, but, uh,

some of these

do look familiar.

That's because they were

familiar when I painted them.

The one you're looking at is

a copy of a Dutch still life...

done nearly 300 years ago.

And there's a Rembrandt

here somewhere.

Yeah, copies.

I, I... I got ya.

But before I retired, you might

say I had my time in the sun.

Fame, as it were.

- Tell me, do you like motion pictures?

- Yeah, sure. Everybody does.

- Why? Were you an actor?

- Oh, good Lord, no!

No... Well, actually,

I was, in my youth.

But never in Hollywood, no, no.

No, here I was

merely a director.

Really?

- What were some of your movies?

- Oh, this and that.

The only ones you may have heard

of are the Frankenstein movies.

Frankenstein? And, um, uh,

Bride of Frankenstein?

- And Son of, and the other

ones too? - Uh, no.

I, I just directed the first two.

The others were done by hacks.

Yeah, but still, I mean,

those were big movies.

- You must be rich.

- Merely comfortable.

Look, Hanna's here with our refreshments.

Could you get the door?

Yeah.

Uh...

How are you feeling,

Mr. Jimmy?

How's your mind today?

My mind is lovely.

And yours?

Uh, remember what

the doctor tells us.

Yes, yes, yes. I have invited

Mr. Boone in merely for a cup of tea.

We'll have a brief chat,

and then he'll finish the yard.

I am not forgetting

your last "brief chat. "

Will you go away?

We can manage.

He looks plenty big.

He won't need my help

if anything goes "flooey. "

Go.

Avaunt.

Comic maid.

No, she's a love, Hanna. But when

they're in your employ too long,

servants begin to think

they're married to you.

Please sit down,

and do help yourself, Mr. Boone.

So, what did she mean by

things going all "flooey"?

I'm recently returned

from a spell in hospital.

- What happened?

- Nothing serious.

Touch of stroke.

Huh.

You must excuse

my staring,

but you have the

most marvelous head.

- Huh?

- To an artistic eye.

- Have you ever... modeled? - What,

you mean, like, posed for pictures?

Sat for an artist?

Been sketched?

Mmm, n...

What's to sketch?

You have the most...

architectural skull.

And your nose, it's...

very expressive.

- Broke is more like it.

- Mmm.

Oh, sorry to go

on like this.

It's just the Sunday

painter in me.

I quite understand

your refusal.

It's a great deal

to ask of anyone.

You mean, you really

want to draw me?

I would pay for the privilege

of drawing that head.

It's just my head you want

to draw? Nothin' else?

And what are

you suggesting?

That you'll charge extra if I include

a hand or a bit of shoulder?

No, I mean,

you don't wanna...

draw pictures of me in

my birthday suit, do you?

I have no interest in

your body, Mr. Boone.

I can assure you of that.

Well, uh...

Yeah.

Why not?

I mean, hell,

I could use the money.

Excellent.

Here are the trade

papers you wanted.

Hello? Hi.

I know you already paid me.

- I'm just here to...

- The master is waiting for you.

He's down in his studio.

Here.

Take this with you.

Uh, I'm sorry, lady.

You're gonna have to take this.

I'm just here so he

can draw my picture.

I'm keeping away. What you

are doing is no business of mine.

- What are you talking about? - What kind

of man are you? Are you a good man?

Yeah. Something about me

make you think I'm not?

- You will not hurt him? - I'm gonna sit in

a chair, and he's gonna draw my picture.

Is that gonna hurt him?

No.

I'm sorry.

Forget everything I said.

I will take the tray.

Yeah, you do that.

Ah, Mr. Boone.

Come into my parlor.

Ah, Hanna.

Good.

Thank you.

And, Hanna, good-bye.

Now, I'm sure you'd like to wet

your whistle while I work. Hmm?

Oh.

Beer.

And we'll take it, uh,

slowly today...

because this is your

first time modeling.

- Oh, hey, did you see this?

- Hmm?

- They're showing one of your movies

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