The Leopard Man Page #21

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Jerry studies Galbraith. A new note has crept into the man's

voice -- an odd note of irrationality and self�pity.

GALBRAITH:

(miserably)

In the whole world there isn't a

single human being who knows what

it is to be tormented this way --

The procession has reached the crest of the hill. As the head

of the column begins to make its way around the cross the

whole file slows from a march to a shuffling half step. Jerry

and Belmonte seize the opportunity to edge Galbraith out of

the column toward a Joshua tree. They stand in its deep

shadow while the procession goes on and off.

CLOSE SHOT of Jerry and Galbraith, with Belmonte close to

Galbraith in the b.g.

JERRY:

(prompting Galbraith)

Tormented -- ? Why?

GALBRAITH:

I couldn't rest �- I couldn't

sleep.

All I could see was Teresa

Delgado's body -- broken --mangled.

I saw it day and night. It was

waiting everywhere I turned.

JERRY:

Then you found the leopard --

GALBRAITH:

I didn't want to kill, but I had

to. I heard her in the cemetery -

talking to the man in the auto --

Belmonte stirs in the shadow of the Joshua tree.

GALBRAITH:

When he went away -- I thought

maybe I was going to help her get

over the wall -- I can't remember.

�-

CLOSE SHOT of Belmonte. His face is motionless �- his eyes

are burning.

GALBRAITH:

(with mounting hysteria)

I looked down -- in the darkness

I saw her white face turned up to

me -- the eyes dark and wide with

fear -- the fear -- that was it --

the little frail body -- the soft

skin �-

Slowly, Galbraith's two hands lift, the fingers curved

slightly inwards. He looks at them as if he, too, were

terrified by their deadly potentiality.

GALBRAITH:

And then --

(smiles, strangely and

appallingly)

��she screamed --

Behind him, Belmonte comes up close. Agony passes over

Belmonte's face and contorts it... His hand squeezes down on

the gun. A shot roars out. Galbraith falls, silently

crumpling down at the base of the Joshua tree. Belmonte

throws the gun away and stands looking at him.

BELMONTE:

(softly)

Consuelo,

DISSOLVE:

EXT UNDERTAKER'S PARLOUR - NIGHT

T. C. Johnson' s undertaking parlour is lighted and the

light falls out of the window in. a great broad path onto the

dark sidewalk. Jerry and Kiki come out of thebuilding. They

pause and stand in the broad glow of light from the window.

For a moment they are silent. Behind them, in the shop, we

see Raoul Hobbs and two policemen.

KIKI:

We stood here once before.

JERRY:

I know -- Teresa -�

KIKI:

I hated you that day �- you and

your flip talk -� with that little

girl lying dead.

JERRY:

I know. What do you think I felt

when you said, "don't be soft?"

KIKI:

Jerry, I want you to be soft. You

are soft -- inside -� where it

matters. I wanted it that day too,

but didn't dare tell you.

JERRY:

We ought to dare to tell each other

everything, Kiki -- you and I.

Re looks up and down the street.

JERRY:

It's a strange town, Kiki. A funny

town. Mexican, American and Indian,

all mixed up in itself, with two

languages. The sign posts written

in Spanish and English. A strange

town.

ANOTHER ANGLE showing the street. Four hooded processionists

go by in single file.

KIKI:

It's a lovely town �- it was until

we came and let the leopard loose

and all this happened.

JERRY:

Kiki, Galbraith said something to

me once, -- something you ought to

know. We were talking and he said

that people were like that ball on

the fountain at the hotel --they

got pushed around by things bigger

than themselves. That's the way it

was with us -- and we were too

small to see it that way.

He puts his arm about her and they begin to walk up the

street.

FADE OUT:

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