The Limehouse Golem Page #5

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You have done this."

She may as well have placed the

noose around my neck herself.

You must make it plain to the

jury that there was bad blood

between the two of you.

Romantic jealousy.

I never stood between them.

I'm sure my feelings on intimacy

are plain to you by now.

John was free to court

aveline if he wanted to.

But he had his heart set on you.

I did nothing to encourage it.

My stage career had taken off.

I rarely saw him.

And then...

Out of the blue,

he invited me for supper.

Your new show's tremendous.

Fashionable young man:

We feel awful intruding.

We simply adore you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'll treasure this.

Thank you very much.

-I can't believe it.

-What a surprise!

As I was saying, I have reached

the end of the first act

of "misery junction."

But I can't quite decide

what to do with my heroine next,

and, um, I thought

you might advise me.

I'm flattered.

The heroine's name

is Katherine dove.

-Hmm.

-John cree:
When I began,

I had her in the workhouses,

but now I have her

sewing sailcloth on the docks.

Lizzie:

My mother died when I was young.

Her kidneys.

It was so fast.

Orphaned and alone at 14.

Is Katherine dove an orphan?

She could be.

But you've still not told me

what to do with her

by the end of the first act.

Lizzie:
What's your dilemma?

John cree:
At the moment,

she's very close

to salvation and ruin,

and I'm wondering

if I should rescue her.

Lizzie:
Yes.

Have her become successful.

Loved by her audiences.

But she's very much alone.

Living in theatrical digs,

hand to mouth.

It's a life of degradation.

Come on.

People love to see degradation

upon the stage.

It's what they pay for.

Yeah, but they expect

to see a happy ending.

And Katherine deserves

a protector.

She does.

Her manager, perhaps.

Someone kindly, like uncle.

No, an elderly character,

the audience would know

he wouldn't live

to see her into old age.

A friend, then.

A comic, maybe.

I would like to

give her a suitor.

Someone who cares fiercely

for her well-being.

A white knight.

What do you think?

I think Katherine dove can

look out for herself.

Dan:
In the bowl.

Yes, there we go.

Get it out.

That's it.

Gin.

Down here.

There we go.

God.

I think I put my back out

carrying her up the stairs.

I see you decided to dress

as a woman this evening.

Can't wear a costume

out to supper, can I?

Wouldn't be the first time.

Be careful of that one, Lizzie.

Don't lead him up

the garden path

unless you're prepared

to be dragged indoors.

He offered me the lead

in "misery junction."

He'll expect something

in return.

You don't need him, Lizzie.

You did all this on your own.

I could do more.

Could be a real actress.

Show the world what people

like us are really capable of.

I just need a chance.

Here we sit, the two most

famous faces on the stage,

and you suggest the world

conspires to oppress us.

Remember that book you lent me?

Pope?

In the temple of fame,

some people's names are carved

in stone and others in ice.

We're clowns, Dan.

We'll be forgotten.

If you think a man like John

cree is going to change that,

I don't have

the breath to argue.

And you know she's got

a soft spot for him.

And whatever her faults,

she's family.

And we look out

for each other, don't we?

The big finale is the hanging.

We've a life-size gallows.

I'll wear this harness,

concealed,

and then drop right

through the trap just there.

Looks just like a real hanging.

Lizzie, you sure it's safe,

this contraption?

You're not wearing

a real noose, are you?

Oh, the noose is real,

but the fall is broken

by the harness.

Where's Lizzie?

Up above giving John cree

an interview for the era.

Is that what they call it?

I'll go and tell her

to hurry up.

The play's a shocker,

but a spoof shocker,

the way only our marvelous

company can do it.

Dan wrote it.

It's based on the, uh,

the ratcliffe highway murders

of 1811.

-John Williams.

-Pardon?

The killer's name

was John Williams.

Oh, quite.

But much of it is fiction.

It's all great fun,

and terribly gory.

Oh, you must put that

in for your readers.

Dan says everybody thrills

to Gore these days.

Let's have you finished, John.

She's not even ready and

she's on stage in 10 minutes.

We can't have the star late

for the first performance.

Lizzie:
Dan's still the star.

Always will be.

Thought I felt my ears burning.

Did anyone check the safety?

-Of course.

Wouldn't let anything happen

to our Lizzie, would we?

-How's the crowd?

-Excellent.

Great number of Jews.

I believe it's one

of their holidays.

You should speak

to them in yiddish.

They will love it.

Wish them...

"Meesa meschina."

Welcome, brave hearts,

to an evening of horror.

Our play's about to begin,

but first, ladies and gentlemen,

and those not unconnected with a

certain historical chosen race,

may I wish you all

from the bottom of my heart

meesa meschina.

Man:
That is mashugana!

What did you say that for?!

What happened?

Lizzie wished the Jews

a sudden death!

Oh!

Here we are again!

It was only a lark, Lizzie.

I came back at once to see

if you were all right.

Kildare:
And after that,

you began courting?

After a fashion.

I could never love

John enough to give him

what he really wanted.

But you grew to love him?

I wanted to be in his play.

He wanted the gratification

of plucking a poor needy girl

from misery and saving her.

We used one another equally.

Perhaps that's the best that

can be said of any coupling.

That's a very dim view.

If you seek a dim view,

be sure to ask a comedian.

Alice Stanton's dress

finally showed up.

Improperly archived,

like everything else here.

Been at the jail again?

Anything more on cree?

Only that he was

a manipulative ass

who fancied himself

as a white knight.

I meant as relating to our case.

The golem. Remember him?

Cree knew of the murderer

John Williams.

Yet, apparently,

so did Dan leno.

In fact, leno wrote

a whole play about the fellow.

Golem suspect who is alive.

That would be bad news.

-For his next victim, certainly.

-And for you.

Or do you no longer care

what becomes of your career?

I've a job to do

and I'm doing it.

-And which job would that be?

-Watch your tongue, flood.

Do I need to remind you

of your position?

That may be helpful.

Because there are times

when I'm confused

as to whether we're here

to find the golem

or to save Elizabeth.

Perhaps we'll do both!

Who knows...

Dear god, how many pockets

did leno need?

He tosses things into the crowd.

Sweeties. Flowers.

Undergarments.

Sounds hilarious.

Didn't Roberts

empty the contents?

The coroner's office did it.

Why?

Did they miss something?

8 gower place?

Why do I know that?

Perhaps because

we're due a visit.

It's George gissing's address.

Flood:
His wife gave him

an alibi for the night

of the ratcliffe highway

murders,

but she seemed

fond of her drink.

We need to talk to Mr. gissing,

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