I Walked with a Zombie Page #3

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INT. BETSY'S ROOM -- NIGHT

This is a small but lovely room with white plastered walls.

As in the rest of the house, the furniture is not the usual

tropical porch furniture, but is neat, serviceable

furnishings such as an well-to-do family established for a

long time in any given place would acquire. There is a nice

four-poster bed with pineapple carving, a dressing table with

a little Chippendale chair before it, and a maple rocker so

old it has turned a hard, brown color that softly reflects

the highlights in the room. On the wall is a little mirror

in a carved Spanish frame. There are no pictures or other

ornaments. A woven grass rug lies on the floor. Betsy is

seated before the dressing table, putting the last touches to

her hair. She has changed her clothes and is wearing a

simple, linen dress. There is a discreet rap on the

jalousied door which separates the room from the garden.

Betsy crosses the room and opens the door. A colored man in

a butler's white jacket stands there. This is Clement.

CLEMENT:

Miss Connell -- it's dinner.

BETSY:

Thank you, Clement.

He stands aside and lets her step through, goes ahead of her

and precedes her down the garden path.

EXT. GARDEN AT FORT HOLLAND -- NIGHT

Betsy and Clement pass the fountain. The figure of St.

Sebastian gleams wetly in the rays of the candlelight. On

the covered porch in front of the living room, a dinner

service has been set out on a long mahogany table. As she

comes forward, Betsy sees a handsome young man waiting for

her. This is Wesley Rand. The table by which he stands is

set for two and lit by candelabra in great glass hurricane

lamps. The table is laid with white linen, and the

candlelight gleams on silver and cut-glass arranged in the

most formal manner. The table itself is a beautiful mahogany

structure with elaborate carving, and the four chairs which

surround it are massive Victorian pieces. A fifth chair

stands by the wall. Rand steps down into the garden and

extends his hand to Betsy.

RAND:

Miss Connell -- I'm Wesley Rand.

Paul asked me to introduce myself.

They shake hands and he takes her elbow to guide her to the

table.

RAND (CONT'D)

(as they walk)

It seems we are having dinner by

ourselves, Miss Connell. But I may

as well introduce everyone to you,

anyway.

(points to the chair at

the head of the table)

There -- in the master's chair,

sits the master -- my half-brother

Paul Holland. But you've already

met him.

BETSY:

Yes -- on the boat.

RAND:

And that chair --

(indicates the chair drawn

back against the wall)

is the particular property of Mrs.

Rand -- mother to both of us and

much too good for either of us.

Too wise, in fact, to live under

the same roof. She prefers the

village dispensary.

BETSY:

(interested and a little

surprised)

Is she a doctor?

RAND:

No -- she just runs the place.

She's everything else -- amazing

woman, mother. You'll like her.

BETSY:

I like her already.

RAND:

And that --

(points to another chair)

is my chair. And this --

(draws back a chair for

Betsy)

is Miss Connell -- who is

beautiful.

BETSY:

Thank you. But who sits there?

(indicating a chair at her

left)

RAND:

My brother's wife.

There is a little pause. Rand stands for a very brief

moment, looking at the empty chair and then, almost as if

pulling himself together, takes hold of his own chair and

moves it down the table nearer to Betsy.

RAND (cont'd)

(as he moves the chair)

Here, here, this isn't at all cozy --

it makes me seem aloof and I'm

anything but that.

They smile at each other. Betsy looks around the table and

out toward the garden.

FROM BETSY'S VIEWPOINT, as we see the garden. The CAMERA

PANS AROUND to show one aspect of its beauty after another

and finally COMES TO REST ON a lighted window. On the

shutters can be seen the shadow of a man seated at a desk,

obviously working.

BETSY'S VOICE

(over pan)

We had a lovely dinner. Somehow as

we sat there, I couldn't help

thinking of all the stories I had

read in the magazines, stories in

which people had dinner on a

terrace with moonlight flooding a

tropical garden. It seemed a

little unreal. -- Then we had

coffee.

EXT. THE PORCH -- NIGHT

Betsy and Rand are seated in easy chairs with a small coffee

table before them. On it are a coffee urn, a bottle of

brandy, cups and glasses. Behind them is the lighted window

where we have seen the shadow of Paul Holland. From this

angle the shadow can no longer be seen. As if part of a

general conversation that has been going on for some time.

BETSY:

-- But, you're an American?

RAND:

I went to school in Buffalo. Paul

went to school in England.

BETSY:

I wondered about your different

accents. I'm still wondering about

your names -- Rand and Holland.

RAND:

(making mockery of his own

explanation)

We're half-brothers. Paul is

mother's first child. When his

father died, she married my father.

Dr. Rand, the missionary. And you

know what they say about

missionaries' children.

Far off somewhere a drum begins to beat, slowly and sullenly.

Betsy turns in the direction of the sound. Rand watches her,

grinning.

RAND (CONT'D)

(mocking her interest)

The jungle drums -- mysterious -

eerie.

Betsy turns back to him and smiles.

RAND (cont'd)

That's a work drum at the sugar

mill. St. Sebastian's version of

the factory whistle.

He finishes the little bit of liquor left in his brandy glass

and gets up.

RAND (CONT'D)

As a matter of fact, it means the

sugar syrup is ready to be poured

off. You'll have to excuse me.

BETSY:

Of course. It's been nice of you

to spend this much time with me.

Rand picks up the brandy bottle.

RAND:

(pouring himself a drink)

Don't worry. I wasn't missed. The

only important man here is the

owner.

BETSY:

Mr. Holland?

RAND:

Yes, the redoubtable Paul. He has

the plantation, and I, as you must

have noticed, have all the charm.

BETSY:

I don't know. He spoke to me last

night on the boat. I liked him very

much.

RAND:

(pouring another drink)

Ah, yes, our Paul, strong and

silent and very sad -- quite the

Byronic character. Perhaps I ought

to cultivate it.

The drum sounds again.

BETSY:

(smiling and pointing off)

Perhaps you ought to get on to the

mill.

RAND:

(leisurely sips at his

drink)

It'll wait.

The work drum sounds for the third time. Rand who has

finished his drink, reaches for the bottle again. At this

moment the jalousies behind them open and Holland comes out.

Rand puts down the bottle and straightens up. Holland stands

watching him.

RAND (CONT'D)

(to Holland)

I was just going to the mill.

(nods to Betsy)

Good night, Miss Connell.

Betsy nods and smiles to him. Rand starts toward the gate.

HOLLAND:

(still watching Rand)

Have the servants made you

comfortable?

BETSY:

Yes, thank you.

Clement comes from the house carrying a large, silver tray

covered with a napkin. He comes up to Holland and holds the

tray before him, lifting the corner of the napkin to present

the food under it for inspection.

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