The Beast with Five Fingers Page #6

---

You must lie down, Don, please.

It came back in my sleep.

8 bones has the carpis

Uncle Francis studied medicine once.

He told me the jingle

when I was a kid.

They're the number of bones

in the hand!

Don't worry, this isn't fever,

I'm feeling well, I'm alright.

You've got to stay in bed,

Don... please!

it's the combination

of the safe downstairs.

8-5-14-27

Let's open the safe...

Let's open the safe

and get the first will!

Why not wait 'til tomorrow?

It may not be there anymore.

Well, you stay here,

and I'll go.

What were those numbers again?

See... how can I trust your memory?

Come along Dad... and don't worry,

I feel great!

It's strange how things

you thought you'd forgotten,

suddenly come back to you.

I even remember the eau-de-Cologne

Uncle Francis used.

It was 'Lanvin Verbena'.

One moment, signor.

May I ask what you are doing here,

Signor Raymond, and you Signor Donald?

I was under the impression

you are very ill.

Commissario and his pride of duty.

You're just in time

to see a safe being cracked.

This will send you to prison,

Signor Donald.

On the contrary, Commissario...

Now you can testify that we took nothing

but the will of Francis Ingram.

This unheard of... asking the police

to witness an unlawful act.

Suppose somebody were to remove

that document tonight...

I don't think you'd care

to take that responsibility.

I feel quite sure you'll give us

your permission.

Whatever you do is your responsibility...

Go right ahead..

But remember... it is

without my permission.

Thanks a lot, Commissario.

Do you remember

the combination, dad?

5 bones has the carpis...

No... no... you'll mix me up.

8 bones has the carpis...

5 the metacarpis.

14 the phalanges...

All in all... 27...

Abracadabra!

Francis Ingram's hand!

Donald!

Donald... come back!

Signor Conrad... stop him,

he's gone mad!

What's the matter?

Why did you run away?

I saw it there in the safe!

But it's dead...

It can't hurt you anymore.

Arlington!

I've found him.

Do you believe me now?

You can see the hand truly exits.

Hilary,

Listen to me...

I've got something to say to you.

I'm sorry. I'm almost sorry

I even know.

But I DO know!

What?

It was you who tried to kill Don,

wasn't it?

Remember I'm not the beast...

I'm your friend, Hilary.

But I do know you pretended to come

from the garden, the night he was attacked.

And I know it was you

who murdered Duprex.

No...

You can talk to me.

I nailed it down so it

could not kill again.

It was the hand!

I tell you it was the hand!

That's what you wanted people

to believe.

You used it to put fingerprints

everywhere.

To prove it was the hand

that committed the crime.

You can follow what I'm saying,

can't you?

You're ill, Hilary.

You can't distinguish any more between

what is right and what is wrong.

Between imagination and reality.

Raymond threatened to

take your books away.

You'd have done anything

to prevent it.

I know how much

they meant to you.

Now... now you'll have

to face it.

The charge will be murder.

Murder!... I never hurt anybody.

I'm not a murderer.

It was the hand.

You'll have to go to the police

and tell them about the hand.

Yes...

And yourself!

You'll have to tell them

everything, Hilary.

They'll put me away...

They'll put me away!

But there's nothing else

for you to do.

I'm sure they'll let you take

your books with you.

My books?

They'll let me take my books?

Are you sure of that?

I'll do everything I can

to help you.

But if they take the house

away from you...

Julie... you didn't tell

the Commissario, did you?

No, I haven't told anyone.

That's nice of you Julie...

You're sure you didn't tell anyone?

- Anybody?

- Yes.

Not even Conrad?

No... I'm very fond of you Hilary.

I wanted to give you the chance.

Then if I don't?...

Then I'll have to tell the police.

I still have so much work to do.

You're the only one

that knows I...

I can't let you stop me!

I can't trust you any longer!

That's Ingram.

He's playing again.

Listen!

The hand... it's playing down there!

The hand... it's Ingram's hand!

There's nobody playing, Hilary.

It's only in your mind.

I know it...

It's not in my mind...

Don't you hear it?

It's bursting my eardrums!

I can't stand it!

I can't stand it!

Julie!...

Julie!

Don't leave me alone!

Open the door!

Hilary... listen!.. Listen!

Can't you hear it?

The piano... it's the hand playing...

it's the hand!

You were right all the time!

It WAS Ingram's hand

that committed murder!!.

I'm your friend, Hilary.

Please save me from the hand...

It wants to kill me!

Please help me!

Destroy it before it kills again!

I'll destroy it!

You see my friend...

I was ill.

It won't hurt you.

Donald and his father

ought to be pleased

when they find out I've signed over

the Villa Francesca to them.

Who's playing?

Do not worry, signorina,

it is not the hand!

Look! I found it!

You let the string go...

It stops.

It starts... it stops...

It starts...

Stops.

Come with me, signorina,

I will show you.

The secret of the ghost, signorina.

Signor Conrad and I...

We discovered it.

A mere record.

After Hilary's death I found a receipt

from the Milano Edison Recording Agency...

Indicating that Francis Ingram had made

a record of the Bach arrangement.

But I couldn't find a trace of such a recording

until I found the hidden gramophone.

And Hilary was of sound mind

when he installed this contraption.

Then, after committing one murder,

and attempting another...

His brain snapped.

He started to imagine that he was

hearing the piano...

and seeing the hand.

The hand was always in the safe

or in his desk.

All ready?

All except the passports.

Ah! I have them.

All signed and stamped.

I'm going to be very sorry

to see you both go.

We're going to miss you too, Ovidio.

You know, I like this place,

now that I found there are no ghosts.

It's a good thing I didn't write

to HQ in Milano about the ghosts!

I saved myself from ridicule.

That you did, Commissario!

- Arrividerci!

- Goodbye, Commissario.

Arrividerci, Ovidio.

What is the matter?

The hand!

Silly girl!

You should know by now

there is no such thing as ghosts.

I think I better

get out of this house.

Can you imagine anyone believing

a hand that can walk around?

How do you like that...

My own hand!

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote