Man in the Attic

You clatter like a horse.

You'll not steal up

on any Jack the Ripper...

thunderin' through

the streets like that.

Three thousand men

called out...

all wearin' rubber slips on their boots-

except the Yorkshiremen.

And one Yorkshireman's

worth the lot of you.

Never mind me boots.

They'd be better off

giving us guns...

not yawpin' about rubber soles.

And what do we do with this...

against a cunning devil

with a long, sharp knife?

- An Irishman knows what to do with that.

- You go now, Katy.

Now go home, and don't come back here

tlll you learn how to behave yourself.

- I won't go home.

- I've warned you, Katy, 100 times if I've said it once.

Let go of me.

I'll go when I'm ready and not before.

- Let go of me!

- Now, come now.

- Is that any way to be acting?

- Now, just gentle like.

Easy and gentle, if you please.

Three strong men, it takes-

Three men to keep one poor woman

from having a little drink.

Now, you'll be feelin' fine

after a little sleep. Come on.

I'm feeling fine now, you great ape.

You've got a quick eye, miss.

He is a bit like an ape.

- Here, you for home. You've had enough.

- Now look here.

I will drink till I float if I want to...

- and no one is going to stop me.

- I might-

Here, let me handle this.

You see, miss, it's our duty to protect you

from Jack the Ripper.

I don't think you mind

a bit of protection...

from a fiend like that, do ya?

You know...

I will be honored...

to have a stalwart

and polite constable such as you...

take me home.

I live... just around the corner.

Just around the corner.

You know, it's a rare thing...

to find a constable

with such lovely manners.

Yorkshire gallantry, ma'am.

Well, here it is.

And-And-And thank you kindly.

It's our pleasure, ma'am.

Sleep well.

Thank you. Good night.

Good night.

Bah. Rot. Rot!

This fellow George Bernard Shaw

should be shipped back to Ireland posthaste.

- What did you say, dear?

- I was talking to the dog.

About what, dear?

I said George Bernard Shaw

should be sent back to Ireland.

Why? What did he say

that you don't like?

He said if a duchess

went down to Whitechapel...

and got slaughtered

by Jack the Ripper...

something would be done to protect

the lives of the poor women who live there.

- Well, it's true, isn't it?

- In the first place, it's not true.

The second, I was talking to my dog.

Very well, but I think at least

you should tell him both sides.

That's ridiculous.

Now who could that be,

this time of night?

I'm sure if you think carefully,

you will discover a way of finding out.

William.

I feel something.

- Helen.

- Well, I do.

Good evening.

Do you have rooms to let?

I saw your advertisement...

and the estate agents

gave me this order to view.

You must forgive me for coming so late.

I was working.

Oh, yes, of course.

We do have rooms.

Please come in.

- I'm Mrs. Harley.

- My name is Slade.

- Well, Helen, who Is It?

- My husband, Mr. Harley.

This is Mr. Slade, dear.

He's come to see the rooms.

Yes. How do you do?

That's odd, you know.

He never does that with strangers.

May I see the rooms, Mrs. Harley?

Oh, yes, of course, Mr. Slade.

If you'll just come upstairs-

Here we are.

I'm awfully glad

I dusted In here today.

I had a feeling someone might come.

I'm sure you'd be

very comfortable here.

Uh, this is the bedroom.

These are the only rooms

you have, Mrs. Harley?

I could let you have them

quite reasonably.

There Isn't anything else,

except the attic, of course.

The attic?

Please let me see it.

It's really very small, you know.

I would like very much to see it.

Do you like those?

They're old-time actresses.

Quaint, aren't they?

As you see,

it isn't very nice.

Excellent. This is excellent.

Exactly what I need, madam.

You see, I am a pathologist.

I need a place to study

and do a little experimental work...

where I won't be interrupted.

I'd take the other rooms

as well, of course.

I would live downstairs

and work up here.

- Would that be all right with you?

- Yes, of course.

This will be most useful.

I suppose a scientist's experiments always

seem mysterious to other people.

I assure you,

I won't be doing anything dangerous.

That's good.

May I take the rooms tonight?

Yes. Uh, but the terms-

Would five pounds a month

be acceptable?

- Aye, well, now, that's more than adequate.

- Done.

You're our first

paylng guest, Mr. Slade.

You see, we've come upon

a period of hard times.

So you must now let rooms?

Yes. Mr. Harley suffered

business reverses...

and with nothing to do,

he's become so nervous and restless.

If at times he seems

a little eccentric or rude...

- you will understand, won't you?

- Of course I will.

I believe I should

pay you now, Mrs. Harley.

My habits are irregular,

I'm afraid.

I often need to be out

late at night.

But I will be very quiet.

If you'll just regard me

as a lodger, not as a guest...

you'll-you'll hardly know

I'm in the house.

- A month in advance.

- Oh, you are thoughtful, Mr. Slade.

I'm so pleased

it was you who came.

Are you?

Well, that's very kind.

The maid will get your meals

whenever you want them.

- You have a maid?

- Yes.

This happens to be

her night out.

But I can get you

some dinner, if you'd like.

Yes.

This is a beautiful old Bible.

Yes. It belonged

to my grandmother.

I hope you'll not take it away.

I should like to have it here.

It comforts me.

The Rlpper agaln! Murder In Whitechapel.

- Murder. Another Rlpper murder.

- Another one.

- Another murder.

- Another one of those horrible Jack the Ripper murders.

Why can't the police stop them?

"Jack the Ripper."

What a revolting, stupid name.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Harley. The-

The whole thing

is repugnant to me.

If you'll excuse me,

I'll get your dinner now.

Murder. Evening Standard. Echo.

The Ripper again.

Murder In Whitechapel.

Murder. Another Rlpper murder.

Another murder.

Evening Standard.

Echo.

- Oh, it's you.

- Oh, you heard?

- Yes. Another murder.

- The fourth. All the same.

He cuts their throats and then uses his knife

like a doctor who's gone mad.

The papers daren't print

all the details. Too gruesome.

- Want to read it?

- Uh, no, thank you.

William,

Mr. Slade took the room.

- Mm-hmm.

- And the attic too.

- He's taklng them as of now.

- I say, that's a bit quick, isn't it?

He won't be any trouble

to us at all.

Don't like renting out

bits and pieces of my own home.

Can't have any privacy.

Besides, we need the money.

I suppose you want me

to go up and make a show of hospitality.

No. Tomorrow will do, dear,

but if you're finished with the paper...

let me take it up to Mr. Slade

with his dinner.

Finished with it?

I just got it.

There, you see?

It's beginning-

- Well, now. Where's that dog?

- I think I saw him go upstairs.

Look, that fellow is not

going to have my dog too, is he?

These pictures-

Their eyes follow you wherever you move.

They watch.

They get on my nerves.

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