The Limehouse Golem Page #6

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madam.

George isn't here.

He just left.

Do you know where he was going?

Limehouse, perhaps?

Kildare:
Not yet.

I'm interested to see

where he goes.

What business a scholar has

in the streets of limehouse.

Madam, we're from Scotland yard.

Den proprietor:

We're just a pharmacy.

You go away!

Check my record!

Our business

is with Mr. gissing,

the man who just entered,

not you.

Den proprietor:
Good customer.

He keep his work here.

Always working.

Writing.

Mr. gissing,

I'm detective inspector kildare

of Scotland yard.

Perhaps you could explain

how this came to be

in the possession

of a murdered woman.

Gissing:
I'm afraid you'll find

my address in the pockets

of a great many women

in this area, sir.

My wife, Nell, is in the habit

of...Going missing.

I give my address so that

they may contact me

if they see her.

Let us just say my wife

used to ply the same trade.

You don't seem in the least

bit surprised.

By what?

That a gentleman like me,

a-a scholar,

should have wed a fallen woman.

Why would anyone be surprised?

The world is full of men

like you, Mr. gissing.

I beg your pardon?

Men who feign generosity

when what they really seek

is congratulation.

Men who play god

by saving lives.

Is it really so different,

i wonder,

from playing god by taking them?

I am not a murderer, sir.

Then perhaps you will

write the words that I dictate?

Let's get this thing done.

"September 10, 1880.

My public debut...

Kildare and gissing:

...Had garnered rave reviews."

I could scarcely

wait to begin work

on my next creation,

but there was time

to pass before dark,

so I paid a visit

to the ratcliffe highway shop.

I bought some cufflinks

from the owner's wife.

I could tell that

when the time came,

she would make a fine player

in my Magnum opus.

You're not

the Jew from the library.

Ah, well.

No matter.

Who are you?

What do you want?

I have come to discourse

with you.

About death

and everlasting life.

Herein...

Lies the secret.

It was here that

i read of the mythical golem,

a homunculus of Clay

given life by man.

How could any londoner

fail to delight

in this piece of theater?

I could even see myself

appearing before

the next unfortunate

with mallet in hand

exclaiming,

"here we are again."

May I go now?

What?

Oh, yes, I'm sorry.

Why would you be

thinking of me still?

My hand doesn't match at all.

You know I'm innocent.

I know.

I was reading what you wrote.

You were in my mind.

I'm sorry.

Something I missed.

Oh, I see. What is it?

A line from the journal.

"I bought some cufflinks

from the owner's wife."

On September the 10th,

the golem made a purchase

from the ratcliffe highway shop.

Dan:
A new

production of "bluebeard"

opens this weekend,

and all of London longs

to see the great Dan leno

performing it.

But I know they yearn

for more potent excitements.

This is pantomime

in its purest form.

I could even see myself

appearing

before the next unfortunate,

with a mallet in my hand,

exclaiming,

"here we are again!"

Dan:
What strange coincidence

and delight to discover,

on the streets of limehouse,

a whore wearing a costume

i remembered well.

She was a player

waiting for a role.

Of course, I obliged her.

The public yearned

for the next installment.

And one should never

keep an audience waiting.

Flood:

We need to forget about cree

and concentrate on leno.

The golem even imagined himself

saying, "here we are again."

I know, but apparently everyone

knows leno's catch-phrase.

There's Alice Stanton's dress

and the fact

he knew Mr. Gerrard.

We're all part

of London's tapestry.

Sometimes threads get crossed.

Good lord!

We should buy tickets.

I'd be intrigued

to see how it ends.

I could recommend many

better shows.

I was making a joke, flood.

As was I.

Obviously.

Who'd wish to see something

in such poor taste?

Apparently London's appetite

for horror knows no bounds.

Our golem was quite

correct about that.

Dan:
Oh, bluey, please!

Have mercy!

It's been days since I've eaten!

Oh, you are a kind man, bluey!

I shall never have it said

you're not good to me.

I thought I might expire

from starvation.

What on earth

are you doing, dear?!

Bluebeard:

I'm taking my medical treatment.

Dan:
You're treatment?!

The doctor told me to take a

daily walk on an empty stomach.

Ah. Brought the receipt, as

you requested in your telegram.

As you will see,

i did not buy cufflinks.

A ladies' hat.

I often shopped for stagewear

at Gerrard's little shop.

God rest him.

I knew him well.

Oh, now, you mentioned needing

a sample of my hand.

Well, i-i-i brought a pile

of my old papers.

Please, take as many

as you see fit.

I'm afraid I'll need you

to produce a sample

in my presence, Mr. leno.

Then you will permit me

to pay you a visit

at Scotland yard

tomorrow afternoon?

Only,

i have supper arrangements.

And I've still to be rid

of all of this.

If you'll...Excuse me?

Kildare:

Perhaps we could continue

to talk while you're...

I've some questions I'd like to

ask you about John cree.

Then I shall try to answer them.

Though one should never

speak ill of the dead.

You didn't care for the man?

I was friendly with his wife.

He made her unhappy.

You may extrapolate the rest.

When did you last see him?

First night of his play,

"misery junction,"

which also happened

to be the closing night.

I know.

Did you see him afterwards?

Dan:
Of course.

This is my theatre.

I took over managing it

last year when...

Uncle joined the great pantomime

in the sky.

The performance was here?

For Lizzie's sake.

Whatever became

of our friendship,

we'll always be family.

Is John cree a suspect?

I'm not at Liberty to say.

Dan:
A posthumous suspect.

What will you do,

dig him up for the trial?

Kildare:

Do you know why Lizzie might be

reluctant to voice

any suspicions?

You think she's protecting him?

Now, that's a novel slant.

Most people believe

she poisoned him.

Do you?

Either way, that man was

the author of his own demise.

He practically destroyed her.

Insisting she give up

the stage...

I mean, he may as well

have ended her life.

Kildare:
Do you think he

was capable of ending a life?

Literally, I mean.

Who knows what any man

is capable of?

We all wear pantomime masks,

do we not?

I'm sorry,

i really must dress now.

First, tell me

about little Victor.

If the injustices of the past

interest you,

you'd do better to look into

the demise of Tommy farr.

Uncle?

Uncle.

They said the jury expects

to reach a verdict

this afternoon.

I know. Lizzie...

It would seem the press

have reached theirs already.

Lizzie, I spoke with Dan.

He urged me to look

into uncle's death.

If you wanted to know

about uncle,

you should simply have asked.

Come into the parlor.

As the spider said to the fly.

Isn't that how it goes?

The rhyme?

It may be, Lizzie.

It may be.

Cucumber sandwich?

No, thanks.

Uncle:
Oh, I forgot.

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