The Body Snatcher Page #29

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She opens the door for Fettes and closes it after him.

DISSOLVE OUT:

DISSOLVE IN:

INT. INN OF THE FISHERMAN'S TRYST -- NIGHT

It is a long, low-raftered room with a fire of logs burning

on the hearth. Outside the wind can be heard blowing and

shrilling. A considerable company has gathered for warmth

and food.

MED. CLOSE SHOT -- an amiable rustic, a horse dealer, who

stands, booted with whip in hand, talking to several fellow

bumpkins while the maidservant of the inn serves them ale

from a large wooden tray. Their wet clothes are steaming from

the heat of the fire.

HORSE DEALER:

A sound horse and a closed carriage

-- and after I'd talked with him a

bit I had his price down to four

pounds and then.

He laughs.

HORSE DEALER (CONT'D)

And worth every bit or ten pounds.

He lifts a tankard from the tray.

MAIDSERVANT:

Surely, Angus, a man who had won so

great a victory in a horse deal

would buy the poor loser a drink.

HORSE DEALER:

(taking it big as he

throws a coin onto the

tray)

Very reluctantly Angus takes out the additional money. The

girl starts out of scene and the CAMERA PANS WITH her to show

MacFarlane seated at a small table at the other side of the

hearth. He has just finished dinner and is pushing his plate

away from him. The maidservant comes up to him.

MAIDSERVANT (CONT'D)

The man who bought your horse

would like you to have a glass

of French brandy at his charge.

MACFARLANE:

Now that's very civil of him.

At the other side of the hearth the louts around the horse

dealer strike up the song Bonnie Dundee. Outside there is the sound of a

horse clattering into the courtyard, then the muffled shouts

as the driver reins the horse in and the hostler goes to his

head. Both MacFarlane and the maidservant listen and look

toward the door. The door swings open and Fettes stands

there, his clothes drenched with rain. As he enters, he

shakes the water from his hat. He sees MacFarlane and goes

over to him quickly, excited and smiling.

FETTES:

Doctor -- the little Marsh girl

stood and walked -- really stood

and walked --

MacFarlane makes way for Fettes on the settle -- Fettes sits

down quickly.

MACFARLANE:

What's that you say?

FETTES:

The little girl -- she couldn't

walk far -- the muscles are too

weak -- but she did stand and she

took a step or two.

MACFARLANE:

(very excited)

I know it -- I know it -- The

moment I was rid of him --

FETTES:

What?

MACFARLANE:

Gray -- I'm rid of him --

Fettes looks at him, puzzled.

MACFARLANE (CONT'D)

(guarding his thoughts)

Just that -- just that -- I've

managed to get him to leave

Edinburgh -- he'll bother me no

more.

He rubs his hands together.

The maidservant has returned with a bottle of brandy and two

glasses. MacFarlane pours one for himself and Fettes.

MACFARLANE (CONT'D)

Drink.

Fettes picks up his glass.

MACFARLANE (CONT'D)

Here's to a good riddance.

They both drink.

MACFARLANE (CONT'D)

Now that he's gone I'll be a new

man, Fettes, and a better teacher.

The doctors from my school will

perform miracles --

The door opens and a party of five people dressed in rough

mourning come in out of the weather. The maidservant, with a

show of solicitude, ushers them to a table at the far end of

the inn, then crosses quickly to where the horse dealer is.

MAIDSERVANT:

Sh-h-h! Still your song, lads --

the MacCreadys are here and they've

come from burying the old woman in

Glencorse Kirkyard.

They stop singing and look over with sympathetic glances at

the burial party.

MED. CLOSE SHOT - Fettes and MacFarlane. MacFarlane looks

from the boys around the fire to the burial party.

MACFARLANE:

See that, Fettes?

FETTES:

A burial party -- poor people --

it's hard to bury a loved one on a

rainy day when the churchyard is so

cold and lonely.

MACFARLANE:

Glencorse -- that's a lonely

cemetery, Fettes, not a soul

around for miles.

FETTES:

They'll be thinking of that, too.

MACFARLANE:

Tosh! Fettes! It's not their

grief I'm worrying about -- I'm

talking of our own end --

FETTES:

You've no thought of going there?

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