Inkheart Page #2

And that book, but I just don't

understand how those two things...

Meggie.

You have to tell me something.

- I write about her sometimes.

- You do?

Yeah. I make up stories about...

You make up stories? Meggie, you know

l don't want you doing that.

But I have to.

I feel like the words bring her

back to me.

Yeah.

The written word.

It's a powerful thing.

You have to be careful with it.

Do you think we'll ever see her again?

I hope we do, Meggie.

I hope we do.

Step away from that case!

Three steps back!

Um, um...

What are you doing?

This place is not for children.

I thought I made that clear.

Come on, out.

I'm sorry, I was just looking

for a book to read.

Is that a nose print?

Do you have any idea

how valuable this manuscript is?

Yes, I know.

Oh, you know, do you?

It's Persian, isn't it?

I can tell from the illuminations...

...the pinks and the blues

and the gold-patterned background.

Maybe from the late 12th century or so?

Goodness me, what a little know-it-all.

It's beautiful.

Yes, it is, isn't it?

But I just adore everything Persian.

- You've been to Persia, then?

- Yes, a hundred times.

Along with St. Petersburg, Paris, Middle

Earth, distant planets and Shangri-la.

And I never had to leave this room.

Books are adventure. They contain

murder and mayhem and passion.

They love anyone who opens them.

If I promise not to touch anything...

...could I maybe just sit

and read in here for a while?

That was the window seat

where she used to curl up and read.

She?

Your mother.

Your father used to read to her here.

This was hers.

If I find even a bookmark out of place,

I'll lock this room up...

...and you'll never see the inside

of it again, that I can promise you.

Then Dorian Gray half opened the door.

As he did so...

Farewell...

trapped inside...

desire of revenge...

I tried to warn you.

I gave you every opportunity

to help me, but you refused.

All you had to do was read me back.

You could have kept the book.

But you had to run.

So I turned to Capricorn.

- What?

- He's promised to help me.

What have you done?

Meggie!

There are men outside!

They're trying to break into the house!

Meggie!

Mo, look out!

Mortimer, my books!

Hello, Silvertongue.

- Basta?

- Did you miss me?

Stop!

- Oh, you illiterate cretins!

- Hold him!

These are masterpieces

you're destroying!

Masterpieces, you ignorant halfwit!

Stop!

I swear, I'll kill every last one of you!

You know I could!

It would take a few words!

Oh, we won't have to worry about

your words if we cut out your tongue!

You remember my calling card,

don't you?

One, two, three!

If that doesn't work...

...well, there's always your daughter.

- Get off me!

- No one gets hurt.

Yes, the fire! The fire.

Isn't that what we agreed?

Isn't that what we agreed?

Yes, we agreed, we agreed, we agreed!

Evil spirits, I repel thee.

Evil spirits, I repel thee!

Dad! Dad!

Right, get them in the van.

- You're not taking them too.

- Capricorn's orders.

After all, we are going

to require a little leverage...

...to make Daddy read.

Meggie!

Don't drag my daughter into this.

For God's sakes, she's just a child.

- No, don't! No!

- What's this?

- No.

- My only hope of finding my wife.

- My only hope of going home!

- No!

What is it? When will you

tell me what is going on?

Has your father ever read you

a bedtime story, Meggie?

- You might want to ask him why.

- Give me this.

I'll take that!

No!

Oh, my books! No!

Come along, now. Hurry up.

Oh, my books!

Come on!

Meggie.

Where are we?

They're here.

Hey, they're coming!

Oh, how lovely.

After you.

Come on, out! Out!

Oh, they're rude!

Move! Move!

It's ticking.

Flying monkeys.

- What is this place?

- I don't know.

Welcome to our humble abode.

- Enjoy your stay.

- Go on!

No, I will not share this filthy hovel

with all those creatures!

Go on, get in!

In you go!

What are we doing here, Mortimer?

Where did those monsters come from?

Books.

They came out of books.

What are you talking about?

Mortimer, be quick, be clear,

or I swear I'll disinherit you.

Came out of books? What do you mean?

Come here.

Meggie...

...this is the story

you have been waiting to hear.

Elinor, you were away at a book fair...

...and we were housesitting for you.

Me, Meggie, your mum.

And that night we were in the library...

... so I opened a copy

of a book we'd just bought.

lnkheart.

lnkheart.

lt was a good read.

Full of adventure and magic...

...and a creature called The Shadow.

Terrifying.

l read several chapters aloud

and nothing happened.

Then they appeared, out of nowhere...

... from the medieval world of the book.

At first it was Capricorn...

... a thuggish bandit

working for an evil duke.

Then Basta, his knife-wielding sidekick.

And then Dustfinger...

... a traveling fire juggler

with magical powers.

My voice brought them out.

Your voice brought them out

of the book?

And her mother went in.

That's how it works.

Dustfinger saved us

from Capricorn that night.

lt was only then that I realized...

... Resa, your mum...

...she was gone.

They'd come out of the book,

and she went into it.

Resa!

And that, Meggie, was the last time

that I read to you.

The night we lost your mother.

Oh, she went into the book.

Oh. Goodness sake, Mortimer!

All these years you've allowed me

to think the worst of Resa!

- Why didn't you tell us?

- Would you have believed me?

You want to read Mum

back out of the book.

That's why you've been searching

for lnkheart all these years.

If she's alive, you mean.

You say she's trapped in that book.

How do you know?

Who's to say she got there? If she did...

...how could she survive for nine years

if the monsters are anything like those?

Or worse.

How do you know where she is?

Or if she's alive, even.

How do you know?

- It's like the illustration in the book.

- Kind of scary.

It's hideous. The man's got

no taste whatsoever.

Look, will you stop pushing me!

Meggie, just pretend that you're in

a book. Children always escape in books.

No, they don't.

Remember The Little Match Girl?

They found her in an alley

frozen to death.

Walk.

Ah.

Come in.

We saved you the good seats.

Capricorn.

Uh! I told you to stop that!

Please.

You got old.

You got a castle.

- Indeed, I did.

- And a haircut.

A lovely castle in a secluded part

of the country...

...far from prying eyes.

Oh, yes, I've adjusted rather well

to your world, don't you think?

This must be your daughter.

So much life to live.

You, however, are a noisy old bag.

You make a racket

without opening your mouth.

You barbaric piece of pulp fiction!

Your malice is matched

by your stupidity!

I don't know how things are

in that third-rate novel of yours...

...but where I come from one

does not go around ravaging libraries!

My life's work, destroyed

by a bunch of unread, solecistic thugs!

I have no patience

for old women with big mouths.

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