Isle of the Dead Page #18

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MISS WOLLSTEN:

I think Thea is steady enough for

both. She has not had too much to

drink.

The General looks at her with hatred and crosses back to his

chair and sits down. Miss Wollsten, with a smile, turns and

goes upstairs.

DR. DROSSOS

(almost incoherently)

Don't go. You are leaving me, you

are all leaving me --

Albrecht, instantly concerned, gets up and bonds over the

dying man.

ALBRECHT:

I'm here. The General is here. You

are not alone.

DR. DROSSOS

(with a last spurt of

strength)

I must meet him with laughter -

with songs and laughter -- to

show him I am not afraid --

With the last words, Dr. Drossos catches up his wine glass,

but, before he can lift it to his lips he begins to slump in

his chair. The echo of his final challenge dies. The General

steps quickly to his side.

ALBRECHT:

He is dying.

Dr. Drossos doubles up in his chair and falls limply forward

across the table. His hand relaxes and the wine glass falls,

the wine spilling out with the doctor's life.

GENERAL:

(slowly)

When she stood beside him, I knew.

I could feel death in the room.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

EXT. RUINS - DAY

MED. SHOT — Cathy, alone, paces the little terrace outside

the house. It is evident that she is disturbed and agitated

by something. After a moment, the sound of Thea's voice,

singing, comes into the still morning air. Cathy stops,

listening.

CLOSER SHOT of Cathy, her face hardening with angry jealousy

as she listens to Thea's clear, sweet song. Oliver comes into

the ruins. Cathy turns as Oliver comes toward her, smiling as

he looks off in the direction of the singing.

CATHY:

(emotionally)

Oliver --

Oliver's smile fades into concern as he comes up to take

Cathy's hand in quick sympathy.

OLIVER:

What is it, Cathy? What's the

matter?

MED. CLOSE SHOT of Cathy and Oliver. The singing continues

over this entire scene, sometimes louder, sometimes fainter,

as if Thea were strolling about the island.

Cathy's expression is distraught and she clings to Oliver's

hand.

CATHY:

My father -- I'm alone, Oliver,

completely alone!

OLIVER:

(tenderly)

Poor Cathy --

CATHY:

(with rising hysteria)

Last night Dr. Drossos -- today you

or I -- oh, no, Oliver, it can't be

you, I couldn't stand it.

Cathy, clutching Oliver's hand tightly, leans toward him

yearningly. Oliver, beginning to find her emotionalism

awkward and a little distasteful, is deliberately matter-of

fact now.

OLIVER:

There's no reason to decide

any of us are going to die.

CATHY:

If only we could get away - - you

and I. The others are strangers,

they mean nothing to me

Struck by this callousness, Oliver's face loses the last

trace of sympathy for Cathy.

CATHY (CONT'D)

(feverishly)

We have to get away, we have to

live. I have no one in the world --

you must stay with me, care for me—

Making an effort to control his instinctive aversion to her

closeness, Oliver takes hold of her arms and pulls them away,

at the same time stepping back from her. He smiles at her,

trying to return their relationship to a normal footing.

OLIVER:

We'll talk later, when you're

yourself again.

Cathy still stands motionless and Oliver walks away in the

direction of Thea's singing, which now comes over the scene

clearly. CAMERA REMAINS on Cathy, as she watches him go. Her

face contorts and she starts weeping with rage and

frustration. Abruptly, she turns and starts off.

EXT THE LANDING OUTSIDE THE TUNNEL - DAY

The General stands here, leaning on his sabre, looking toward

the mainland from which comes the sound of cannonading.

Behind him is a camp chair.

EXT. THE MAINLAND - DAY - (MATTE SHOT)

In the distance small puffs of smoke can be seen and the

sound of canon fire comes from afar.

EXT. THE LANDING OUTSIDE THE TUNNEL - DAY

The General looks up at a little flag on a pole which has

been erected nearby. It blows south, rippling and undulating

in the brisk north wind. He turns to look back at the other

shore. Cathy comes out of the tunnel. The General turns to

her.

CATHY:

(looking at the flag)

The wind has not changed.

He shakes his head. Cathy sinks down in the camp chair.Her

face still drawn from her emotional upset looks frighteningly

exhausted.

GENERAL:

(compassionately)

Poor child. These must be horrible

days for you.

CATHY:

I'm so ill, I'm so exhausted -- I

almost don't care.

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