The Piano Lesson Page #17

Why? Why not?!

Sc 108INT STEWART'S KITCHEN DAY Sc 108

The next morning, ADA, FLORA and STEWART sit together in the small

dark hut. FLORA preens a miniature landscape of moss and tiny branches

all piled on a dinner plate. A slit of sunlight falling across the top

small branches gives it a magical glow. FLORA's small dirty fingers

push in another 'tree', she looks up happily

FLORA:

This is going to be Adam's tree

and then I'm going to make a

serpent to live here, with a

very long tongue. (She pokes

her tongue out and waggles it).

STEWART reads, he glances at ADA who is glum and lifeless.

Sc 109INT STEWART'S HUT DAY Sc 109

ADA and FLORA wake to sunlight streaming in on their faces, more and

more of it as STEWART rips the boards from the windows FLORA runs

about in nightgown and boots happy to be in the sunlight. ADA winds

her hair into a bun. STEWART walks inside, he packs food and fencing

equipment

STEWART:

(Clears his throat) We must

both get on. I have decided to

trust you to stay here. You

will not see Baines?

(ADA nods) Good, good. Perhaps

with more trying you will come

to like me?

Sc 110EXT STEWART'S DAY Sc 110

ADA hangs out washing restlessly scanning the bushline. A tiny STEWART

walks along the crest of the hill, eventually dropping out of sight.

Sc 111INT STEWART'S HUT DAY Sc 111

Inside the hut ADA is pacing, anguished and frustrated. Impulsively

she picks up a knife from the kitchen table, opens the back of the

piano and cuts one of the keys loose. Carefully she engraves on the

side in Victorian handscript.

DEAR GEORGE, YOU HAVE MY HEART. ADA McGRATH.

Sc 112EXT STEWART'S DAY Sc 112

Under the sheets FLORA has constructed a dolls' clothes line on which

she hangs small strips of cloth ADA hands her the key wrapped and tied

in white cotton. ADA signs. Her black shadow behind the sheet recalls

the macabre play.

No!

The little girl continues defiantly with her miniature washing. ADA

rips the washing line up and flings it aside. FLORA is shocked,

stunned. She takes the key and walking off she turns and shouts.

FLORA:

We're not supposed to visit

him'.

ADA signals GO!

Sc 113EXT PATH TO BAINES' AT FENCEDAYSc 113

At the junction of the path to BAINES' hut is the beginning of

STEWART'S boundary fence. At this place FLORA has paused. She looks

back to see if her mother is watching; she's not- FLORA turns sharply

right so that she now follows alongside STEWART'S boundary fence and-

away from BAINES' hut.

Sc 114EXT HILLS WITH FENCE DAY Sc 114

The fence appears and disappears behind hills. Flora too dips behind

the hills to reappear on the other side. She sings a brisk song to

herself.

FLORA:

The grand old Duke of York. He

had ten thousand men etc.

Sc 115EXT VALLEY WITH FOXGLOVE & FENCEDAYSc 115

She pauses in one of the valleys, stifled by clumps or tall, mauve

foxglove.

Sc 116EXT COMPLETE FENCE ON HILLDAY Sc 116

The fence line seems endless as the tired FLOW4 trudges up yet another

hill but from there, she can see where the fence finishes, half way up

the crest of the next hill and at this point is STEWART, driving in a

new fence post. He is watched by MANA and his friend who squat passing

a pipe between themselves. MANA strums tirelessly on his buttons.

FLORA:

Mumma wanted me to give this to

Mr. Baines.

She holds out the cotton covered piano key. STEWART looks up.

I thought maybe it was not a

proper thing to do.

STEWART keeps working, hammering the post into the earth.

Shall I open it?

STEWART:

No!!

He stops and takes the key, suspicious and uncomfortable. He slowly

unwraps it and turning it over reads it. Squeezing the key in his

fist, STEWART staggers off in a daze, He returns, picks up his open

pack spilling the nails. Finally he drops the pack and the key) and

leaves with only his axe. FLORA follows confused. The MAORIS waste no

time investigating the booty. MANA presses the piano key repeatedly.

MANA:

Knare e Wainta! Kaare e Wajata!

(no sing, no sing)

Sc 117EXT STEWART'S DAY Sc 117

The sky is dark and rain is falling heavily as STEWART strides fast

towards the hut, his axe swinging in his hand. FLORA is far behind

him, her angelwings sodden.

Sc 118INT STEWART'S HUT DAY Sc 118

STEWART bursts into the hut, his wet hair is splattered against his

forehead. his face is white. ADA looks up from her book, moving her

hands from the table. STEWART swings his axe hard. It slices into the

table, splitting a section off her book. ADA pushes her chair back.

STEWART:

(exasperated) why? WHY? I

trusted you!

He pulls the axe out of the table and swings it at the piano.

WHY?

ADA runs forward to restrain him, but it sinks deep into the wood. The

struck piano lets ont a strange resonant moan.

I trusted you, do you hear? I

trusted you. I could love you.

He takes her by the wrist.

Why do you do this? Why do you

make me hurt you? Do you bear?

Why have you done it? We could

be happy

STEWART shakes her violently.

You have made me angry. SPEAK!!

Sc 119EXT STEWART'S HUT & WOODCHOPDAY Sc 119

He pulls her out of the hut, past the now terrified FLORA.

You shall answer for this.

Speak or not you shall answer for

it!

He drags her out through the mud, towards the wood chop. It is raining

hard.

ADA sees where they are headed and suddenly she is very scared. She

bucks and struggles, but STEWART is infinitely stronger. At the wood

chop she breaks free and crawls away through the woodchips and mud.

But axe in hand he grasps her by the neck of her dregs, then her hair,

and pulls her backwards towards the cutting block. There, he takes her

right hand and holds it in place with his boot, so that only ADA's

index finger shows, ADA's head is held twisted between the wood chop

and STEWART'S leg.

STEWART:

(anguished) Do you love him? Do

you?! Is it him you love?

ADA blinks rigid with fear. The rain is driving down.

FLORA:

No, she says NOOOOOO!!!

The axe falls. ADA's face buckles in pain. Blood squirts onto FLORA's

white pinafore, her angel wings are splattered in mud.

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes