House of Wax Page #4

one of the leaders

of the French Revolution.

The lady found him taking a bath,

and plunged the knife into his heart.

- Quelle femme terrible!

- What a shocking thing.

Yes, wasn't it? The poor man

was dreadfully embarrassed.

The exhibits in this room

will be added to...

from time to time

as various crimes are committed.

You'll read about them

in your newspaper...

and see them enacted here

in waxen tableaux.

By the way, ladies...

this is how your ancestor

carried his bride across the threshold.

During the French Revolution...

a certain doctor invented

a labor-saving device...

to take the place of a headmen's ax.

So successful was this machine...

at cutting off the heads

of the French aristocrats...

they named it after its creator.

Here it is, the bloody guillotine.

I don't think I can stand it.

Pull yourself together.

Twelve years ago, the electric chair

was first used in New York state.

Here we have an authentic reproduction...

of the execution of William Kemmler

on August 3, in 1890.

Kemmler killed without mercy

and 2,000 volts sent him to a higher court.

The torture of the rack. In this case...

Lady Anne Askew, an English noblewoman

accused of treason...

is being put to the question.

Needless to say,

she admitted she was a traitor.

Who wouldn't,

under that sort of pressure?

- Is it your corset?

- It's my stomach. It turned over.

Mine turned over, too.

Now, my friends...

we have that jolly old gentleman

known as the modern Bluebeard.

Like his namesake,

he killed not wisely, but too well...

and did away with eight wives.

- Smelling salts, ladies? Help yourself.

- Thank you very much.

Next door to him, we have a mystery

of more recent date.

Matthew Burke, the stockbroker.

He was found hanged in the elevator shaft

of the building where he had his offices.

Was it murder or suicide?

Only time will tell.

"Foul deeds will rise, though all the world

o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes."

Thank you.

- You like him?

- He looks exactly like my Uncle Rufus.

They ought to have a policeman like this

in the Eden Muse.

- Haven't you been there?

- No.

From what I see in the papers,

this museum is even better.

We'll soon find out.

Meet my good friend, Mr. Sidney Wallace.

- Miss Sue Allen.

- A pleasure.

- I heard you were in town.

- You should have looked me up.

I expect great things of Scott.

He's one of our most promising sculptors.

- Has he been working hard?

- He never knows when to stop.

- Sue's been posing for me.

- Indeed, lovely subject.

She's not a professional model.

She's a guest.

Our mothers were great friends.

- Have you been inside?

- Is it exciting?

If anything, too much so.

But I'm sure it'll catch on.

Jarrod, the owner,

is a good friend of mine.

You'll be interested in him.

Let's go in, shall we?

- These figures are excellent.

- I thought you'd agree with me.

They're not only well done

but they're good theater.

- What do you think?

- I know they are only wax...

but they seem so real,

just looking at her makes my neck hurt.

Wait till you see the Chamber of Horrors.

I told Jarrod he should have

a nurse on duty there.

He lost the use of his hands.

- Who did these figures?

- His pupils, but he supervised the work.

- His is the mastermind.

- Surely knows his anatomy.

Sue, what is it?

- Are you crying?

- What's wrong, Miss Allen?

A dear friend of mine was murdered

and I found her.

She means Cathy Gray, the girl

whose body was stolen from the morgue.

What made you think of her now?

That's her face. I know every line of it.

I wake up at night and I see it.

I can't get it out of my mind.

Perhaps that's the reason

you see a resemblance.

- It's more than a resemblance.

- It's wax, my dear.

I know, but...

But why should it be so like Cathy?

I think I can explain that.

- This is a pleasure.

- You see, Miss Allen...

I heard what the young lady said.

The figure of Joan of Arc

is a traditional exhibit in wax museums.

It was completed just in time

for our opening tonight.

You're right, my dear.

It is more than a chance resemblance.

When I create an important figure,

I can't take just any face.

I saw pictures of your Cathy Gray

in the newspaper.

Her face fascinated me. And here she is.

Immortalized as the victim

of an earlier event.

- Do you really think she'd mind?

- No, I don't think she'd mind.

Cathy loved to "dress up" as she called it.

She used to take fancy dresses...

and imitate the actresses

she saw in the theater.

- I don't think she'd mind.

- Then I'm forgiven?

There's nothing to forgive.

I just don't understand

how it can seem so real.

That's the finest compliment

I have ever received. Thank you, my dear.

Did I hear your name correctly,

Scott Andrews?

- Yes, Mr. Jarrod.

- The sculptor I've been telling you about.

Sidney showed me

photographs of your work.

He was right. You have great promise.

- What are you doing now?

- I'm doing a head of Miss Allen.

Let me see your hands.

Mine were once like that.

How I envy you.

Would you be interested in some modeling

for me, some originals I have in mind?

Yes. I'd be honored.

Good. Come here tomorrow morning,

we'll make the arrangements.

I think you'll like it.

I want you to look at this girl.

- With pleasure.

- Who does she remind you of?

I've been wondering about that.

I haven't known her

more than 10 minutes...

but there's something about her face...

That haunts you as the face

of my Marie Antoinette has haunted me.

Of course. I should have seen it at once.

A figure in wax.

Mr. Jarrod's greatest work.

More than wax. She lived.

- You mean I look like she did?

- Exactly as she did.

Once in his lifetime,

every artist feels the hand of God...

and creates something that comes alive.

So it was with my Marie Antoinette.

And I loved her.

But she is gone now. Horribly destroyed.

Perhaps you would help me

to bring her back.

You will come to see me? Soon?

I'd be glad to.

You'll be welcome at any time,

no matter what I'm doing.

- And you, Mr. Andrews, in the morning...

- I'll be here, very eager to begin.

It has been a very exciting day for me

and I'm a little tired.

So if you'll forgive me, I'll say good night.

Sidney, one moment, please.

Excuse me, I'll be right back.

Forget about it.

You heard what Mr. Jarrod said.

Cathy's face was inspiration.

It's a portrait in wax.

Why should it seem so real?

I hate to drag you away.

That's fine. I'm going to work here.

We'll see it all another time.

Yes, another time.

Still time to see the entire exhibition,

ladies and gentlemen.

Get your tickets from the fine little lady

in the box office and go right in.

See the world in wax

and improve your mind.

See the Chamber of Horrors

and scare yourself out of a year's growth.

Not again.

What happened? Why did you scream?

I saw Cathy again.

And the man who killed her

was right here in this room.

I must have been dreaming.

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