Picnic at Hanging Rock Page #3

as far as lm concerned.

They may be out there...

...dying of thirst on...

...on that infernal rock and...

...you and I are sitting here

drinking cold bloody beer.

That's where you and me's different.

If you want my advice, the sooner

you forget the whole thing, the better.

Well, I can't forget it, and I never will.

lm not great shakes on music, but I

reckon the governor must be leavin', eh?

Your auntie'll give you hell

if you're not on show.

Albert.

I want to go back to the rock.

To look for them.

Will you come with me?

Beautiful birds, them swans.

A week in the bush.

They'd be dead by now.

Then I'll go alone.

Hello?

Mike!

Michael!

We'll have to be goin' soon.

Dark before we get back.

lm staying here.

You're what?

lm staying here.

- Here? On the rock?

- Yes.

What the hell for?

- You're mad.

- Yes, perhaps I am.

But lm still staying,

because somebody has to.

Just because you lot are Australians...

You're a funny bugger.

What the hell am I gonna tell 'em

when I get back there without ya?

You can tell 'em what you like.

...What? Woodend?

The Victoria, sir.

The little pub near the corner.

Mr Michael's pretty knocked out, sir.

He's sleepin' there.

The pub.

Yeah. Yeah.

lm dashed if I know

how his aunt'll take it.

Yeah.

All right. Carry on, Crundall.

Thank you, sir.

Stopped at twelve.

Never stopped before.

Everything begins and ends...

...at exactly the right time.

Waiting a million years just for us.

Look! Way up there in the sky!

Now I know!

What do you know?

Surprising the number of

human beings are without purpose...

...although it is probable...

...they are performing some function

unknown to themselves.

Everything begins and ends...

...at exactly the right time and place.

Miranda.

Miranda!

Jesus!

Coo-ee!

Let me have him now, son.

lve had 30 years' experience

puttin' them in so they don't fall out

back on the road.

Eh, now lean back.

Take her quietly, Sergeant.

Oh, Jesus! Jesus!

Help me!

Help me!

Mademoiselle, they found Irma.

What did you say?

They found Irma, and she's still alive.

No one else?

No.

Now go home.

There's nothing you can do.

Go on, now. Go home!

This is a police matter.

Well, go on.

We've got a bloody right to know.

We'd like to know what's going on.

He's right.

We simply want something

done about it.

Where's Bumpher?

What we should do is go to

the bloody rock ourselves.

We've got our own self-respect

to think about.

He's right, there.

Get Bumpher out here.

Come on.

Come out, Bumpher!

Go back.

Go on, go home.

The bloody lot of you.

Nothing you can do.

We can thank the Lord for this merciful

deliverance of our dear classmate, Irma

and pray that Marion and Miranda

and our beloved Miss McCraw

will be likewise spared.

It has been seen fit

that Irma should convalesce at the home

of Colonel Fitzhubert in Mount Macedon.

Although you'll be delighted

at these good tidings,

I would ask you to remember, please,

that of the three remaining lost members

of the party, there is, as yet, no trace.

Would you come with me to my study,

please, Miss Lumley?

You may carry on, Mademoiselle.

Wonderful news, Mrs Appleyard.

Don't be so foolish, woman!

If all of them had been found

but only one?

This makes it worse.

Far worse.

This tragedy is little more

than a week old

and already three - three, mark you -

sets of parents have written

advising me that their daughters

will not be here next term.

Now the newspapers have something

further to sensationalise about.

Newspapers all over the world have

headlined our morbid affair, Miss Lumley.

I mean, you realise that, I suppose.

The three who have been withdrawn, plus

the three still missing on the rock...

Two, Mrs Appleyard, only two now.

lm quite sure Irma will be coming back.

That makes six, Miss Lumley...

will not be with us next term.

In addition, there are several sets of

tuition fees impossibly overdue.

Sara Waybourne, for instance.

Most inconsiderate, if I may say so,

Mrs Appleyard.

Yes.

Well, I...

I expect we shall see

our way through somehow.

Don't let me detain you, Miss Lumley, you

have a class in a few minutes, I believe.

Senior needlework.

Just ask the Waybourne girl

to come in to see me, please.

After luncheon will be convenient.

Yes, Mrs Appleyard.

Oh, and Miss Lumley.

Do your best to forbid any

idle and morbid gossip

- about this whole wretched business.

- Yes, Mrs Appleyard. I will.

Remarkable. Hmm.

A week out in the bush and nothing more

serious than shock and exposure.

Extraordinary!

No bones broken.

Some cuts and bruises

to the face and hands.

To the hands especially.

Quite scratched.

The fingernails are all torn and broken.

There are several other

unusual features.

Her head is quite badly bruised.

Probable concussion.

A blow, maybe?

Or a fall?

But then if she fell...

...why is the rest of the body unmarked?

Its quite unblemished.

And the feet, too, are quite unmarked,

which is very strange

as she was not wearing shoes or stockings

when she was found.

We found no trace of 'em up on the rock.

She's quite intact.

ld give my head to know what really

happened up there.

She's quite intact.

What is it, my girl?

Well, ma'am, it's Miss Irma.

Yes?

Well, it's about her clothing.

What is it, my dear?

Well, I didn't know whether

the sergeant should be told.

There's... there's no corset.

Miss Irma's corset. Its missing.

You did right, my dear.

It can't possibly be of any interest.

The north wind brings me no rest.

Any number of unsolved murders

there are.

Take... Take Jack the Ripper,

for instance.

The police are up there again, naturally.

Thick as flies.

Someone reported seein' a light

flashing around a pigsty

on a place about a mile from the rock.

There's some questions got answers

and some haven't.

No. There'll be a solution

turn up directly, more'n likely.

A kidnappin'.

Or, you know, something like that.

They might have fallen down a hole.

No, no. There's a solution

somewhere, all right.

There's gotta be.

Come over here.

Come on. Over here.

Did you know, lad, there are some plants

that can move?

No.

Miss Lumley said you wanted to see me,

Mrs Appleyard.

That is correct.

Come in.

Close the door, please.

I have written several letters to your

guardian, Mr Cosgrove, Sara,

but I have not been favoured

with a reply thus far.

In fact, it is all of six months since

I have received a letter...

...or a cheque.

I, therefore, have no alternative

but to cancel all your extras.

This means that, as of today,

you can no longer partake in

dancing or drawing lessons.

And unless all your outstanding fees

are paid by Easter,

lm afraid we shall have to make

other arrangements.

You know what that means,

don't you, Sara?

You will have to go away.

There are places for girls

in your predicament.

Institutions.

Now off you go.

Sara.

Sara! What's wrong with you?

Are you feeling ill?

People don't sit on cold steps in the dark

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