Sleepy Hollow Page #5

ICHABOD:

To the best of your recollection,

where did the open wound fall?

Van Ripper points. Ichabod takes a BOTTLE of WHITE POWDER

from his pocket.

He uncorks the bottle, cautiously pouring powder in an x on

the dirt there, then waiting.

A chemical reaction causes the powder to bubble a bit.

ICHABOD:

There was not much blood, was there?

VAN RIPPER:

I didn't see none.

Ichabod stands, puzzled. He walks to the coffin cart,

rolling up his sleeves. Others come to watch, but keep

distance. Ichabod removes the blanket...

Reveals Jonathan's headless corpse.

Philipse can't look. Ichabod takes strange spectacles from

his satchel; wire-framed with many lenses. MAGNIFICATION

SPECTACLES. He examines the gross neck wound, sniffs it.

He pokes the flesh and severed spinal cord.

ICHABOD:

No bleeding.

DOCTOR LANCASTER

What is that?

ICHABOD:

This should have bled by the pint.

Yet, no blistering or scorched flesh.

How... ? Whatever weapon was used...

it cauterized somehow....

Ichabod straightens, eyes weirdly big in the spectacles.

ICHABOD:

It instantly burnt the wound shut.

EXT. CHURCHYARD AND CEMETERY -- DAY

A coffin in a grave. Headstone reads "MASBATH, 1799." A

CROWD gathered. Young Masbath broods. Clergyman Steenwyck

steps forward to take a handful of newly dug dirt.

Men with guns stand at the outskirts, like on guard.

Steenwyck sprinkles dirt into the grave with prayerful words.

In the crowd people whisper. They steal glances at Ichabod,

who stands with the Van Tassels.

INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, DINING/VARIOUS ROOMS -- DAY

Dining room. Sarah and two other servants collect plates. A

few people still sup, including Van Ripper, his warty WIFE

and two kids. Van Ripper guzzles ale, laughs at something

his also-drunk wife says.

IN the HALL and FOYER, funeral goers socialize quietly.

FURTHER ON, in the SITTING ROOM, men smoke. Young Masbath

is confronting Ichabod, who is leaving...

ICHABOD:

I am not here for revenge. I am

here to bring justice.

YOUNG MASBATH:

Whatever. You still need a second

to tend to your things.

ICHABOD:

I manage fine alone.

YOUNG MASBATH:

I deserve to help you. Don't you see

how much this means? My father...

he... he was a good man...

ICHABOD:

(faces Masbath)

Young Masbath, I am sorry for your

loss. It is a great and sad tragedy.

However... I cannot be the one to

look after you now.

YOUNG MASBATH:

(angry)

I did not ask you to, did I?

Young Masbath exits. Ichabod remains impassive.

EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, FRONT PORCH -- DAY

Ichabod comes out. KILLIAN, a dashingly rustic man, carries

his son, THOMAS, 5, and chats with Baltus. Doctor Lancaster

peers off at something through a SPYGLASS.

BALTUS:

Hail, Constable. How are you?

ICHABOD:

Well enough. Your gathering does

honor to the deceased.

DOCTOR LANCASTER

(still using spyglass)

We must be a curious sight to him.

ICHABOD:

What are you spying on?

DOCTOR LANCASTER

(offers the spyglass)

The Lenape. He comes to gawk at

civilization from time to time.

ICHABOD'S POINT OF VIEW -- THROUGH SPYGLASS

Searching a line of trees and foliage far away...

DOCTOR LANCASTER (o.s.)

Do you see the Redskinned bastard?

There he is -- the LENAPE. A towering savage with misshapen

features covered in tumors. He ducks away.

BACK TO SCENE ON PORCH

Ichabod lowers the spyglass, a little awed.

ICHABOD:

He is a behemoth.

DOCTOR LANCASTER

A diseased monster.

BALTUS:

If you gentlemen will excuse the

doctor and I... we have financial

matters to discuss.

Ichabod and Killian nod as Baltus and Lancaster head in.

KILLIAN:

Master Crane, sir. I'm glad we have

time alone. You've been told plenty

about the Horseman, I'm certain.

ICHABOD:

More than enough, actually.

(tired laugh)

I beg you, no more, please.

KILLIAN:

No, sir, no. If you ask me, I say

you just laid eyes on our murderer

through that glass.

Ichabod ponders, folding the spyglass.

ICHABOD:

Tell me something.

(pause)

What becomes of Young Masbath?

KILLIAN:

Van Ripper and his wife agreed to take

him. They have children and a good

home and good land.

Ichabod nods. He turns to look THROUGH THE WINDOW. In the

DINING ROOM, Van Ripper rises, ill. His wife questions his

health, but he holds her off and vomits.

Ichabod notes this with a deep sigh.

EXT. VAN TASSEL ORCHARD -- EARLY EVENING

Ocher dusk. Ichabod rides to Young Masbath, seated on the

ground, miserable. Young Masbath does not look up.

ICHABOD:

Find yourself a place in the servants'

residence and wake me before dawn.

Our first task will be an unsavory one.

Ichabod rides. Young Masbath runs to his horse and follows.

EXT. CHURCHYARD AND CEMETERY -- DAWN

Steenwyck is on horseback, looking down at Ichabod, furious.

FATHER STEENWYCK

It is sacrilege!

ICHABOD:

I cannot proceed without examining

the previous victims.

Steenwyck looks to men with shovels. Killian's there.

Philipse, hung-over, stands beside Young Masbath.

FATHER STEENWYCK

Magistrate Philipse, surely you can

stop this.

Philipse just looks up with a helpless expression.

FATHER STEENWYCK

I will not allow it. I will not!

ICHABOD:

Protest to my superiors if you like.

FATHER STEENWYCK

Your superiors are two days away!

ICHABOD:

Then, you should have left two days

ago, because I have men willing to

help me today.

Ichabod motions. Killian leads the men to the graveyard.

Steenwyck watches, enraged. He kicks his horse and rides.

Philipse looks worried.

EXT. CHURCHYARD AND CEMETERY -- LATER MORNING (TIME CUT)

A PSALM is HEARD READ by STEENWYCK O.S. while a coffin is

exhumed. Ichabod guides the lifting. The coffin is put near

the headstone "WINDSOR." Ichabod looks...

At the church, Steenwyck faces about fifty people who now

take up the PRAYER.

Across the cemetery, two coffins, one small, one large, are

pried open. "VAN GARRETT, 1799." Killian leads the effort

with Young Masbath's aid...

The lids come off, revealing the HEADLESS BODIES of a MAN and

a little BOY. Young Masbath backs away.

At the "WINDSOR" coffin, nails creak as Ichabod opens the

lid. WE DO NOT SEE inside, but when Ichabod does, he is

aghast. He looks to the men, angry.

ICHABOD:

Why was I not told of this?

No answer. Killian arrives, nods solemnly.

KILLIAN:

The Widow Windsor.

ICHABOD:

Is that all you say? Look at her.

KILLIAN:

It's not something people speak of

openly. She did not remarry.

Ichabod kneels, studying. Now, WE SEE: the belly of the

headless corpse is bulbous, because the Widow Windsor was

very far along in a pregnancy.

Ichabod notices:
a tear in the cloth of widow's blouse. He

reaches through the tear, feeling the stomach.

He straightens, greatly troubled.

INT. DOCTOR'S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM -- MORNING

Scissors cut open the widow's blouse. There's an inch-long

WOUND on the moldering belly; a sword puncture.

Ichabod examines the corpse on a table. Lancaster watches,

anxiously mopping his face. Young Masbath's in a corner.

Ichabod goes to write in his ledger full of notes.

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