The Piano Lesson Page #20

Sc 134EXT STEWARTS NIGHT Sc 134

STEWART carrying a candle in a glass box makes his way through ghostly

tree stumps. In his other arm he has his gun.

Sc 135EXT/INT BAINES' NIGHT Sc 135

At BAINES' hut STEWART steps over the curled figure of HIRA sleeping

on the verandah and walks through the hut towards the bedroom where a

lit candle flickers.

Sc 136INT BAINES' BEDROOMNIGHT Sc 136

In the bed lies FLORA wrapped in a blanket with BAINES beside her, axe

in hand, both fast asleep. STEWART nudges BAINES awake with the butt

of his rifle prodding him under the chin. BAINES wakes rudely with a

start, frozen by the sight of STEWART and his rifle.

STEWART:

Put that away, on the floor.

BAINES obeys, careful not to disturb the sleeping child. STEWART sits

near the bed on a box, resting his gun across his knee, his face is

glowing, he looks closely at BAINES, examining him.

STEWART:

I look at you, at your face. I

have had that face in my head

hating it. But now I am here

seeing it ... it's nothing, you

blink, you have your mark, you

look at me through your eyes,

yes. you are even scared of me

STEWART laughs.

STEWART:

Look at you!

BAINES watches him stiffly, disconcerted, unable to read STEWART'S

strange mood. STEWART stares back at him.

STEWART:

(softly)

Has Ada ever spoken to you?

BAINES:

You mean in signs?

STEWART:

No, words. You have never heard

words?

BAINES:

No, not words.

STEWART nods.

STEWART:

Never thought you heard words?

BAINES shakes his head.

STEWART:

(slowly)

She has spoken to me. I heard

her voice. There was no sound,

but I beard it here (he presses

his forehead with a palm of his

hand). Her voice was there in

my head. I watched her lips,

they did not make the words,

yet the harder I listened the

clearer I heard her, as clear

as I hear you, as dear as I

hear my own voice.

BAINES:

(trying to understand)

Spoken words?

STEWART:

No, but her words are in my

head. (he looks at BAINES and

pauses) I know what you think,

that it's a trick, that I'm

making it up. No, the words I

heard, were her words.

BAINES:

(suspiciously) What are they?

STEWART looks up at the ceiling as if reciting something he has learnt

by heart and means to repeat exactly as he heard it.

STEWART:

She said, "I have to go, let me

go, let Baines take me away,

let him try and save me. I am

frightened of my will, of what

it might do it is so strange

and strong".

BAINES recovering himself eyes STEWART angrily.

BAINES:

You punished her wrongly, it

was me, my fault.

STEWART does not answer. Finally be looks up, his eyes full with

tears.

STEWART:

Understand me. I am here for

her, for her I wonder that I

don't wake, that I am not

asleep to be here talking with

you. I love her. But what is

the use? She doesn't care for

me. I wish her gone. I wish you

gone. I want to wake and find

it was a dream, that is what I

want. I want to believe I am

not this man. I want my self

back; the one I know.

FLORA moves and turns in her sleep. The two men watch. Her brow frowns

then smoothes. Her eyelids roll as her eyes dart back and forth in

dream.

Sc 137EXT STREAM NEAR BAINES'DAY Sc 137

HIRA washes out the mud from FLORA's dress and angel wings in a bush

stream.

Sc 138INT/EXT STEWART'S DAY Sc 138

ADA's trunks are delivered outside STEWART'S hut by AUNT MORAG and her

girls. ADA is led from STEWART'S hut by NESSIE. She wears a black

dress and her arm is tied in a white sling. The light outside makes

her blink. NESSIE smoothes her hair behind her shoulders. FLORA

timidly peeps at her mother from behind BAINES.

Sc 139EXT BUSH ON WAY TO BEACHDAY Sc 139

The piano is carried on ahead while in the secrecy of the bush BAINES

kisses ADA passionately. She looks back at him worried.

Sc 140EXT STEWART'S HTJT DAY Sc 140

STEWART is fencing his new land. Suddenly be looks off in to the far

distance.

Sc 141EXT BEACH DAY Sc 141

On the beach ADA sits looking out to sea while FLORA plaits her hair

in one thick braid behind her back. She places the bonnet carefully on

top At the sea edge in front of them the piano is being loaded on the

canoe.

Sc 142EXT BEACH DAY Sc 142

HIRA and BAINES are next to each other by the canoe. HIRA is looking

at ADA,

HIRA:

I worry for you.

BAINES:

No, I love her, we will be a

family. I have her piano. I

will mend it, she will get

better.

HIRA:

I miss you.

Sc 143EXT AT SEA/BEACH DAY Sc 143

The sea is choppy and the piano is difficult to steady in the canoe.

BAINES helps the rigging of the piano, thick rope ends coil under the

women's feet. HIRA is left on the shore with one child and two other

MAORI people.

Tears run openly down her big sad face as she sings her farewell to

BAINES.

HIRA:

He rimu teretere koc ete. Peini

eeeii,

Tere 'Ci Tawhiti 'ci Paniamao

eeeii

He waka Teretere He waka

teretere.

Ko koe ka tere 'ci tua whakuere

eeeii.

You are like seaweed drifting

in the sea BAINES.

Drift far away, drift far

beyond the horizon

A canoe glides hither, a canoe

glides thither

But you though will journey on

and eventually

be beyond the veil~)

UNSUBTITLED:

(by Selwyn Mum)

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