The Body Snatcher Page #2

---

Through the consonance of the street singer's song comes the

dissonant beat of a horse's hoofs, the racking clatter of

iron-shod wheels and then between the singer and the CAMERA

there passes, very close, the white horse and the black cab.

As it blocks her out of the scene

WIPE DISSOLVE:

EXT. MACFARLANE'S HOUSE -- LATE AFTERNOON

FULL SHOT -- Before the imposing edifice which houses Dr.

MacFarlane's living quarters as well as his school of

anatomy, the cab, drawn by the white horse, pulls up. The

driver begins to alight from the box. He climbs down, and

starts for the cab door.

CLOSE SHOT -- Gray as he opens the door. Gray is a man of

middle years with keen, darting eyes set in a face lined and

furrowed by an evil life. The quick play of his features as

he talks or smiles can form a moving and deceptive mask. So

that now as he opens the door, smiling, to help his

passengers alight, his face is cringing with good humor and

servility.

From the cab steps a young and lovely woman dressed in

becoming widow's weeds. This is Mrs. Marsh. She reaches the

sidewalk, turns back for the other occupant of the cab. This

is a little girl of about eight, dressed in a flower-sprigged

Kate Greenway gown and a poke bonnet to match. Gray

forestalls her.

GRAY:

I'll get it, ma'am.

He touches his hat respectfully, reaches in and brings out a

tiny wheel-chair, which he sets down. He reaches in again

and takes the child up in his arms.

GRAY (cont'd)

(as he picks her up)

Come, little miss. Cabman Gray'll

carry you safe enough.

With the child in his arms he starts toward his horse's head,

talking as he goes.

GRAY (cont'd)

Give my horse a pat. He knows

every little girl in Edinburgh.

Some day when you're runnin' and

playin' in the street he'll nicker

at ye as we go by.

CLOSE SHOT -- The horse, Gray, and the little girl.

GEORGINA:

I can't run and play.

GRAY:

I'd forgotten that, lassie. All

the more reason for Friend here

bidding you a good-day.

Georgina smiles and pats the horse's nose.

ANOTHER ANGLE -- Featuring Mrs. Marsh as she smiles watching

Gray and the child. He turns back toward her.

MRS. MARSH

Would you mind carrying her up the

steps?

Mrs. Marsh reaches for the wheel-chair.

FULL SHOT -- Mrs. Marsh takes the wheel-chair up the two

steps. Gray follows carrying the child. He sets the child

tenderly in the wheel-chair, smiling as he does so.

GRAY:

Back in your own wee cab.

GEORGINA:

Thank you.

In the meantime, Mrs. Marsh has fumbled through her purse for

change. She hands this to Gray. He takes the money from his

right hand, then removes his hat with his left hand, bobs his

forelock with the right in a series of obsequious gestures.

GRAY:

Thank ye, ma'am. Thank ye.

(to Georgina)

You watch sharp, little miss for my

horse to give you a "hello".

CLOSE SHOT -- Georgina looking at Gray with great pleased

eyes. This has made a definite impression on her.

EXT. MACFARLANE'S HOUSE -- DAY

Mrs. Marsh has used the door knocker. Now in response the

door is opened by a handsome woman of thirty-five, Meg

Cameron.

MRS. MARSH

I would like to see Dr. MacFarlane.

Meg gives Mrs. Marsh a quick look and then turns to look at

Gray. A glance passes between them; a glance which tells of

previous acquaintance, yet neither speaks. He turns and goes

down the steps. Silently, Meg opens the door and allows Mrs.

Marsh to push Georgina's wheel chair through into the hall.

INT. MACFARLANE'S HALLWAY -- AFTERNOON

Georgina's wheel chair is pushed into this gloomy and

forbidding entry. Meg closes the door behind them, then

without further word, strides down the hall. Mrs. Marsh and

the little girl wait and look around.

CLOSE SHOT -- Georgina. With great wide eyes the child looks

around at the antlered stag head, the cruel-looking walking

sticks in the umbrella stand and the light-footed Mercury

with caduceus upraised. The caduceus throws its patterned

shadow across the child's face.

CLOSE TWO SHOT -- Georgina and Mrs. Marsh. Mrs. Marsh sees

the fright in the child's face and reassuringly pats her

shoulder. There is the sound of a door opening and they both

look off in that direction.

MED. FULL SHOT -- The doorway to the sitting room, SHOOTING

PAST Georgina and her mother. Framed in this doorway is the

tall, robust figure of Dr. Douglas MacFarlane, a man in the

prime of life, dressed with almost flamboyant foppishness and

carrying himself with the assurance that the world is not

only his oyster, but that he has it pinned on a fork and can

swallow it and digest it with pleasure.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes