The Body Snatcher Page #13

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WIPE DISSOLVE:

INT. MACFARLANE'S LIVING ROOM -- DAY

MacFarlane is seated in a wing chair before the fire.

Although it is near noon, he still wears dressing gown and

slippers. His hair is rumpled and his eyes bloodshot. He

has a glass in his left hand and holds a poker in his right.

With the poker he tries to push a big piece of cannel coal

into the flames. It eludes the point of the poker and rolls

back against the hobb. Again he pushes it forward. Again it

rolls back. Suddenly, and with almost maniacal rage, he

lifts up the poker and brings it crashing down on the coal.

The soft coal splinters into a hundred pieces. Suddenly,

from behind him comes a woman's soft and teasing laughter.

He turns. Meg Cameron stands in the doorway behind him. She

comes quickly across the room to him.

MEG:

(as she walks)

Gray's head -- is that it, Teddy?

Is that what broke just now under

the poker. Broken it -- and have

done with him forever.

By the time and she has finished her speech, Meg has reached

him and before he has had a chance to even react to her

teasing, mocking tones, she has flung herself down on her

knees beside his chair, thrown her arms about his neck and

kissed him passionately.

MEG (cont'd)

My poor lad -- my poor, poor lad

that can never be free of him.

MACFARLANE:

You're daft. What's Gray to me.

He's only a man from whom I buy

what I need when I need it -- the

rest is forgotten.

MEG:

You may deny the devil, Toddy, but

you'll not rid yourself of him by

saying the devil is dead.

MACFARLANE:

Nonsense. You're a fey creature

with mad ideas. But you have a

wildness that holds me to you,

lass.

MEG:

(quite sure of her ground)

No great lady will ever take my

place?

MacFarlane shakes his head. He kisses her. She clings to

him. It is at this moment that there is a knocking at the

door. Meg rises quickly and adjusts her clothing.

MacFarlane tries to seem more at ease.

MACFARLANE:

Come in.

Fettes comes in.

MACFARLANE (cont'd)

I didn't expect to see you on

Sunday, Fettes. What do you want,

some powders for your aching head?

That was a furious lot we drank

last night -- and in bad company.

FETTES:

It was about last night I wanted to

talk to you -- about the operation

on the little Marsh girl.

MACFARLANE:

(loftily)

You're a man of the world, Fettes,

you wouldn't hold me to promise

given in drink.

FETTES:

But I -- well, you see, sir, I met

Mrs. Marsh and told her.

MACFARLANE:

(beginning to lose

patience)

Really, Fettes, you irk me with

your lack of understanding.

FETTES:

But you did promise.

MACFARLANE:

Look here, Fettes. Not I nor

anyone else knows enough about the

spinal column and its intricacies

to insure success in such an

operation. I would have to study

the matter. Have we any

"subjects"?

FETTES:

Wilmont used up the last spinal

section.

MACFARLANE:

You see, it is completely out of

the question.

FETTES:

(very disappointed)

Yes, I suppose so.

MACFARLANE:

Now you run off and see that pretty

Mrs. Marsh and explain to her.

Fettes, dejected and disappointed, nods and slowly leaves the

room. MacFarlane watches him go.

INT. ANATOMY ROOM -- DAY

CLOSE SHOT -- Joseph at the desk. He has the account book

open before him and with index finger moving from letter to

letter, he is laboriously but silently spelling out the

words. Suddenly, he hears footsteps behind him on the stairs

and quickly slams the book and begins dusting the desk.

FULL SHOT -- The anatomy room from Joseph's ANGLE. Fettes is

coming down the stairs and crosses toward him.

FETTES:

Joseph --

Joseph looks up.

FETTES (cont'd)

Would you know a spinal column if

you saw one?

Joseph nods and grins.

FETTES (cont'd)

Do we have one?

Joseph shakes his head. Fettes shrugs. He stands thinking

for a moment, then speaks to Joseph again.

FETTES (cont'd)

Joseph --

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