The Piano Lesson Page #8

FLORA:

What happened? Why didn't you

get married?

ADA continues to sign her hands casting odd animal like shadows on the

newspapered walls.

ADA cont.

After a while he became

frightened and he stopped

listening.

STEWART enters their bedroom. FLORA stops and ADA stands against the

wall. STEWART finds the atmosphere curious yet impenetrate.

STEWART:

Shall I kiss you goodnight?

FLORA looks up at her mother. ADA shrugs.

STEWART nods stiffly, and uncomfortably, he leaves.

Sc 50 EXT BAINES' VERANDAH DAY Sc 50

It's raining heavily, FLORA sits on the small verandah outside BAINES'

hut, her legs stuck straight out into the wet. She is overseeing a

merciless power game with the dog, forcing it out of the verandah with

a stick.

Sc 51 INT BAINE'S HUT DAY Sc 51

ADA's playing can be heard inside. BAINES sits back watching ADA. Her

cape on the hook is dripping a puddle on to the floor and there is a

circle of drips around her skirt hem. She is totally absorbed in her

piano music as she was on the beach.

BAINES watches. Her long white neck, now wet from rain, proves

irresistible. He comes across the room and kisses her. ADA jumps up

and prepares to leave. BAINES stands in front of the door.

BAINES:

Do you know how to bargain, nod

if you do.

She doesn't move,

There's a way you can have your

piano back. Do you want it

back? You want it back?

ADA eyes him suspiciously.

BAINES:

You see I'd like us to make a

deal. There's things I want to

do while you stay. If you let

me you can earn it back.

What do you think, one visit

for every key.

ADA is tense but she is thinking about it. She holds up a finger then

points to the black of her dress.

BAINES:

Your dress?

ADA shakes her head.

Skirt ...?

She walks over to her piano and points to a black key.

For every black one?

ADA turns raising her head, nodding.

That's a lot less, half.

BAINES is counting the keys. ADA starts for the front door.

All right, all right then, the

black keys.

She sits back at the piano. She plays the lowest black key as in

number one

She takes her hands off the piano waiting.

It's better that you play.

Obediently she begins, stopping abruptly, indignantly, as he touches

her neck.

BAINES:

Play... Keep playing.

After a moment she settles back to the piano.

Sc 52 EXT BAINES' VERANDAH DAY Sc 52

Outside FLORA is cradling the poor confused dog, asking him what cruel

miserable person had sent him out into the cold and wet.

Sc 53 EXT RIVERHOLE NEAR BAINES' DAY Sc 53

BAINES bathes in a riverhole. He is watched by a gathering of Maori,

sometimes with great seriousness, at other times with hilarity. They

pass between them his clothes, trying them on and mimicking him. One

of the older women HIRA crouches close to the bank keeping up a steady

line of inquiry. Her manner is relaxed but focused and persistent. She

smokes a pipe-

HIRA:

I got the good wife for you

Peini. She pray good. Clean.

Read Bible. You sleep her

Peini. She chief daughter.

BAINES:

No, no bible readers.

BAINES continues good humouredly washing.

HIRA:

Why? We need you pakeha clever.

You sleep her.

TAHU:

(A big man dressed as a woman)

(Background) I give her plenty

clever. (Gestures sexually)

BAINES:

I have a wife.

TAHU:

(camping it up) I give her

clever eb Peini. Hallelujah!

HIRA:

Don't answer, he low born. Jun

look at him, mongrel. Your wife

where she?

BAINES:

She lives her own life in New

Jersey, America.

HIRA:

You have spare wife here Peini.

You get rnana for that. Our

chief four wives.

BAINES shakes his head amusedly. As he gets out of the river HIRA

slaps him.

I marry white man Peini, he a

whaler like you. He very good

to me. Love me, nurse me.

HIRA touches her own face where BAINES' tattoo is.

HIRA:

Who do that? It not finish,

that no good Peini. You finish!

Several people on the bank are taking turns to comb their hair,

peering into a tiny piece of mirror.

Sc 54 EXT/INT BAINES' HUT DAY Sc 54

BAINES' dog hears ADA and FLORA approach. It takes off under the

house. FLORA calls the dog. It keeps well hidden. ADA has gone on

inside and the door is closed. FLORA stands outside the door left out

and lonely. She knocks. BAINES answers.

FLORA:

(small voice)

I want to speak to my mother

She buries her head in her mother's skirt.

I don't want to be outside, I

want to watch.

ADA signs to FLORA.

I'll be very quiet.

ADA leads her to the door signing to her

I won't look at him!

FLORA is shut out.

Sc 55 INT BAINES' HUT DAY Sc 55

ADA sits at the piano. She is shy and nervous She turns to BAINES who

nods. ADA begins to play. BAINIES keeps his head bowed, but as the

playing becomes more confident he raises his head to watch. He sits

at a far corner of the room apparently enjoying the whole vision or

this woman at her piano.

After some time BAINES, affected by the music, takes his chair to a

closer position and from an opposite angle. ADA glances up as she

feels him passing behind her. He seems satisfied to watch. His

attention finally focuses on her neck as it bends further or closer to

the piano.

Again he shifts his chair, taking it round the back and to the other

side of the piano. As he moves ADA watches warily. From this position

be doesn't try to touch her, but watches, enjoying her fingers moving

on the keys and the small details of motion on her face. Twice he

closes his eyes and breathes deeply BAINES is experiencing an

unpractised sense of appreciation and lust. When his eyes are closed,

ADA glances at him with curiosity and suspicion.

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