The Body Snatcher Page #11

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GRAY (cont'd)

(to MacFarlane)

Well, you were going to talk of

medical matters. Don't let my

humble presence stop you. Speak

up, Toddy.

MacFarlane, goaded beyond the point of endurance, pounds his

fist on the table.

MACFARLANE:

I will not have you use that name

to me.

GRAY:

You will not have it?

The two men glare at each other, then very slowly MacFarlane

averts his gaze. Fettes looks from one to the other and then

trying to cover the defeat of his teacher, begins to speak.

FETTES:

Dr. MacFarlane -- you remember the

lady who came to see you yesterday --

the lady with the little girl?

MACFARLANE:

I remember her.

FETTES:

She came again today. She wanted

me to ask you if you would not

break your rule and operate. She

feels you are her only hope.

MACFARLANE:

So she told me. I'm a teacher --

not a practitioner.

MacFarlane shrugs as if this aspect of the conversation were

closed. Gray looks over at him quizzically.

GRAY:

You're a teacher, eh? Maybe you're

afraid to be a doctor, Toddy.

MACFARLANE:

Afraid of what?

GRAY:

Afraid you are not as good a doctor

perhaps as you make out to be.

MACFARLANE:

I am the best man for the job.

GRAY:

Why don't you do it then?

He pauses and looks slyly at MacFarlane.

GRAY (cont'd)

I'd like you to do the operation,

Toddy.

MACFARLANE:

You? Why? Since when have you

become the protector of little

children?

GRAY:

I'm not concerned about the child,

Toddy. It's you I'm thinking of,

I'd like to see you prove that a

lot of things I know haven't hurt

Toddy MacFarlane any.

MACFARLANE:

I'll not do it, Gray.

GRAY:

Oh, yes, you will. You'll do it to

oblige Fettes and myself.

MACFARLANE:

No.

GRAY:

Maybe there's some private reason

between you and me which will make

you -- some long lost friend of

ours.

(dropping his voice)

Say that you'll do it for me and my

friend, Mr. Fettes, here.

The two men exchange glances for a moment.

MACFARLANE:

(trying to cover up)

It might be an interesting case.

GRAY:

That's a good boy, Toddy.

NOTE:
The following line to be shot as protection for the

content of this scene.

MACFARLANE:

You only want me to do it because I

don't want to. That's it, isn't

it, Gray?

MacFarlane glares at him with hatred. Gray grins and turns

to Fettes.

GRAY:

Toddy hates me.

MACFARLANE:

(muttering)

Don't call me that confounded name,

I tell you.

GRAY:

Hear him? Did you ever see the

lads play knife?

He picks up the table knife and puts it across his knuckles,

then with a sweep of his fist, tosses it into the loaf of

bread.

GRAY (cont'd)

He would like to do that all over

my body.

FETTES:

(trying to make a joke)

We medicals have a better way than

that. When we dislike a friend we

dissect him.

MacFarlane looks up sharply. Gray glances at him and smiles.

GRAY:

You'll never get rid of me that

way, Toddy. You and I have two

bodies -- aye, very different sorts

of bodies -- but we're closer than

if we were in the same skin -- for

I saved that skin of yours once and

you'll not forget it.

The waiter comes, bearing a steaming bowl of punch. He

ladles out a glassful and puts it before MacFarlane.

MacFarlane drinks thirstily, glad of this excuse to avoid

Gray's penetrating glance.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

EXT. THE RAMPARTS -- DAY

The ramparts of the castle of Edinburgh are about thirty feet

wide and overgrown with the grass of centuries. This forms a

narrow lawn between two crenellated stone walls. From these

battlements only a distant horizon line, a few spires and

fleecy clouds above the town can be seen.

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