The Body Snatcher Page #18

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MACFARLANE (cont'd)

Oh -- well, Joseph, it seems I will

have the pleasure of speaking to

Mr. Gray myself. You can go.

Both men wait for Joseph to go into the alcove.

GRAY:

Now that wasn't a friendly thing I

heard, Toddy. Not at all friendly.

MACFARLANE:

That has nothing to do with it.

We've decided to do more lecturing

and less dissection -- it's better

for the students -- that's all

there is to it.

GRAY:

(starting to leave)

You know what you want and don't

want -- so that's an end of

business between us -- but we'll

still be friends, Toddy. I'll be

dropping by to see you and Meg once

in a while -- for auld lang syne,

you know.

MACFARLANE:

I suppose we can't prevent that,

Gray --

(bitterly)

-- for auld lang syne.

Gray turns very humbly and goes to the door, then he turns

again and he is laughing.

GRAY:

And do you think you're getting rid

of me, Toddy?

MacFarlane, who has turned back to his desk, whirls about,

but Gray has already disappeared into the darkness of the

entry way and from thence comes his loud crowing laughter.

The doctor's face clouds in anger. He turns back to his

desk. The street door can be heard closing.

EXT. MACFARLANE'S CLOSE -- DAY

Gray, still laughing, comes out on the sidewalk to find

Joseph waiting for him. Chuckling to himself, Gray starts

to cross to his cab. Joseph stops him.

JOSEPH:

I would like to speak to you.

Gray looks at him.

GRAY:

I presume you shall. This won't be

my last visit here.

JOSEPH:

I want to speak to you alone. I

saw something. I heard.

GRAY:

What did you hear?

JOSEPH:

I know --

He looks off and sees Fettes coming down the alley. Fettes

is whistling to himself.

JOSEPH (cont'd)

Maybe some other time --

GRAY:

(beginning to laugh again)

Oh, you'll have ample opportunity --

ample --

(to Fettes)

Good morning, Dr. Fettes.

FETTES:

Good morning.

INT. ANATOMY ROOM -- DAY

The doctor turns as Fettes comes in.

FETTES:

I just saw Gray. What was he

laughing at?

MACFARLANE:

He has his own idea of a joke.

Perhaps his horse tickled him in

the ribs.

FETTES:

I've just been to see Mrs. Marsh.

Georgina is doing splendidly. The

incision has healed -- clean and

fine -- but she doesn't seem to

have any desire to walk.

MACFARLANE:

When she's ready you bring her to

me -- I'll show her how.

FETTES:

Dr. MacFarlane, I wonder if you

know what happiness you've brought

those people.

MACFARLANE:

That's only our duty, Fettes --

that's the end at which we aim with

all this nasty business.

He makes a gesture to include the anatomy room.

FETTES:

(very sincerely)

I suppose one must pass through

this purgatory to the heaven of

being a good doctor.

MACFARLANE:

(turning to his desk)

That's the way of it, Fettes. You

bring the lassie to me.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

INT. DR. MACFARLANE'S STUDY -- DAY

The doctor, Fettes, Mrs. Marsh and Georgina are all together.

Georgina is seated in her little wheelchair. The doctor

stands before her, looming above her, glowering with ill

concealed rage. Fettes kneels at the side of the wheelchair,

while Mrs. Marsh sits nervously perched on the sofa.

FETTES:

Don't you want to find the white

horse, Georgina? You can't find

him from a wheelchair. You have to

walk and run to find him.

GEORGINA:

I can't.

MACFARLANE:

(thundering)

You can't -- can't!

(to Fettes)

Stop trying to bribe her with

childishness about white horses.

Let the child stand and walk -- her

spine's all right. I know it's all

right.

FETTES:

But she must want to stand. She

must want to walk.

MACFARLANE:

(still in a towering rage)

Confound me, the child's a cripple,

of course she wants to walk.

(to Georgina)

Child, I say to you get up out of

that chair and walk.

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