The Elephant Man Page #9

Treves immediately goes to the E.M.

BYTES:

What did you do to him? He's been

like this all night!

TREVES:

What do you mean?

BYTES:

He was fine when he left here, and

now look at him.

TREVES:

I intend to.

Treves pulls the blanket away from the E.M. exposing several

bruises and bloody cuts. Treves freezes at the sight and

slowly turns to look at Bytes.

TREVES:

What happened?

BYTES:

He fell.

(guardedly)

He falls.

TREVES:

He must have taken quite a fall.

He looks up at the riding crop in the hand of Bytes, then to

the strangely nervous and silent Boy.

BYTES:

He's a clumsy git. Never watches

where he is going.

TREVES:

Why is he sitting up like this? He

needs rest.

BYTES:

That's the way he sleeps. If he lays

down, he'll die.

(he points to his

neck and leans his

head back)

Head's too heavy.

Treves turns his attention to the E.M. He lifts his head

higher and examines the E.M.'s eyes. The E.M., who had been

oblivious up until this point, looks into Treves' eyes and

recognizes him. With his good hand, he reaches up and touches

Treves' arm almost as if appealing to him. Treves' eyes lock

on his.

TREVES:

This man belongs in hospital.

BYTES:

(apprehensively)

Can't you fix him up here? ...He's

my livelihood. Listen.

TREVES:

You listen, you're not going to have

much of a livelihood if this man

dies. He's got the rale, he's very

weak, and I don't know how much damage

has been done by his "fall". Now

stop wasting time and fetch a cab.

Bytes considers and then snaps his fingers at the Boy who

runs out. He then breaks into an ingratiating grin and leans

down over Treves who busily examines the wheezing E.M.

BYTES:

I really appreciate this, guv. You

know, there's lot of things that I

can do for you. I move in the proper

circles, for this type of thing...

(motioning toward the

E.M.)

In fact, anything at all, if you

take my meaning.

Treves, uncomfortable, rises. Bytes grips his hand and with

the other gathers the material of his sleeve in a slow

deliberate squeeze.

BYTES:

I like doing business with you. You

and I understand each other,

completely. I know I can trust you.

Can't I?

TREVES:

(gazing at him levelly)

Everything will be seen to.

MORNING - AERIAL SHOT LOOKING DOWN ON HOSPITAL SQUARE

Through a window we see Treves and the E.M. walking through

a back gate and across the square. MR. CARR GOMM, Hospital

Chairman, turns and moves away from the window.

HALLWAY:

NURSE NORA IRELAND is pushing a cart filled of empty breakfast

trays down the hall. She glances into the stairwell and sees

Treves and the E.M. coming through the door. She continues

on, startled by the sight of the mysterious hooded figure.

At the end of the hall, she goes into the kitchen.

STAIRWAY:

Treves and the E.M. are laboriously climbing a flight of

stairs. The E.M. is puffing and wheezing with the effort.

Treves supports him under his right arm.

KITCHEN:

Nora enters with the cart and waits for it to be restocked.

She leans out the door for another look, but the hall is

empty. A Nurse ladles mush into bowls.

There is a lot of activity in the kitchen. Nora takes the

cart stacked with full trays and pushes it out the door and

down the hallway.

HALLWAY:

Treves and the E.M. cross the hallway and head up a narrow

stairway towards the attic. There is a sign reading

"Isolation".

Carr Gomm is leaning out the door to his office, unseen by

Treves. He closes the door.

GENERAL WARD - LONDON HOSPITAL - MORNING

It is a long, high ceilinged room with large windows along

one wall. Beds run the length of both sides of the room. It

is a woman's ward and nurses are serving the patients

breakfast. Nora enters and nurses take trays from her cart.

Nora's mind is on what she has just seen. We see Mothershead

come in the door behind her.

MOTHERSHEAD:

(startling Nora)

Nora! Mind your duties... if you

don't concentrate dear, you'll only

make more work for the rest of us.

Now, get about your business.

(pauses, seeing Nora's

collar)

...and do get your collar straight,

dear.

NORA:

(fumbling with her

collar)

I'm so sorry, Mrs. Mothershead.

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