The Possession Page #9

ROLAND:

(reading the

letter)

'... Dear Miss La Motte, Excuse this

letter to a stranger. It was a

great pleasure to talk to you at

dear Crabbe's breakfast party. May

I hope you too enjoyed our talk -and

may I have the pleasure of

calling on you...?'

(to Maud)

.. And the answer? Did she answer?

Maud takes a letter, carefully unfolds it.

MAUD:

(reading the

letter)

The next day. '... Dear Mr. Ash, I

am a creature of my Pen, my Pen is

the best of me, and I enclose a

Poem, in earnest of my great

goodwill towards you...'

ROLAND:

Go on. Please...

Maud holds up the letter. About to read, then -

MAUD:

No. It wouldn't be right.

ROLAND:

Excuse me?

MAUD:

You should read Ash's letters. I'll

read Christabel's.

ROLAND:

But why?

MAUD:

Those are the poets that interest

each of us -

ROLAND:

But they're writing to one

another!-

(CONTINUED)

48.

CONTINUED:

MAUD:

That's not the point. How can I be

expected to remember Christabel's

words -- ?

ROLAND:

But if they're love letters, don't

you want to hear what he wrote to

her?

MAUD:

Roland, please. This is not the

time for your theories --

Maud freezes him with a glance. They settle on the floor,

both take their respective piles. And sit there, opening

letters in silence. Roland opens his, reads a little -then

stares at Maud. Who produces from her pockets a pencil

and some index cards.

ROLAND:

What are you doing?

MAUD:

I have some cards. I need to record

her observations. It's a system I

use at the center -

ROLAND:

This is ridiculous -

MAUD:

I have to be methodical. We can

cross-refer later. Just because

you're unprepared -

ROLAND:

Unprepared -- ? It's the middle of

the night. I want to get a sense of

what happened to them, how they felt

MAUD:

Roland, you're a scholar. There's

no need to get carried away.

Maud goes back to reading. Coldly hostile, she doesn't look

up. Roland picks up his letters, starts reading. Silence.

Their senses are drawn into the words, until -

(CONTINUED)

49.

CONTINUED:

ROLAND (V.O.)

(from the letter)

'... Dear Miss La Motte, You

encourage me more by your permission

to write again, than by your wish

not to be seen. Perhaps you will

tell me about your Fairy Melusina

poem...'

Roland stops reading. He looks across at Maud. Who frowns

with concentration, making neat notes.

ROLAND:

Sorry to interrupt...

(as Maud looks up)

Was Christabel still living in

Richmond when she wrote The Fairy

Melusina?

MAUD:

Yes.

ROLAND:

With Blanche...?

(as Maud nods)

Hmmm...

MAUD:

Why do you ask?

ROLAND:

Ash seems to have written to

Christabel about her poem. At some

length...

MAUD:

Oh...?

ROLAND:

Yes. Quite interesting...

Roland lets it drop. But Maud's curiosity is piqued.

MAUD:

May I look?

ROLAND:

A quick glance.

Maud peers over, sees the reference. Looks up.

MAUD:

What did he say?

(CONTINUED)

50.

CONTINUED:

ROLAND:

I don't know. I'm just in the

middle...

MAUD:

Of course. Maybe you could...

ROLAND:

Read it aloud?

MAUD:

Just the reference to her poem -

ROLAND:

Of course. If you insist...

As Roland starts to read aloud:

FLASHBACK - EXT. BLANCHE AND CHRISTABEL'S HOUSE

(RICHMOND) - DAY (1858)

The postman walking up to their door, carrying the letter

clearly in view. He pops it through the letter box,!as!-

ROLAND (V.O.)

'... Perhaps you will tell me about

your own Fairy Melusina poem...'

From the front window, Christabel watches him go. She -

INT. BLANCHE AND CHRISTABEL'S HOUSE (RICHMOND) - DAY

(1858)

-- runs 'round to the hall, to pick up the letter. She runs

upstairs, unaware of Blanche emerging from downstairs.

ASH (V.O.)

'... By your writing may I come to

know your most secret self, though

my eyes never see your person. When

I write, then I know... Your friend,

Randolph Ash...'

END OF FLASHBACK.

CUT BACK TO:

51.

ROLAND AND MAUD:

caught in a spell, in each other's eyes.

ROLAND:

How did she reply?

Maud goes for the next letter. Then pauses,

electrified -

MAUD:

I can't go on. My hands are

trembling.

ROLAND:

Let me find it for you.

(fiddles among

the letters)

It's the next day. They were

writing every day.

Roland selects the right datemark, pulls out the faded

letter, hands it to Maud.

ROLAND:

Do you want to read it?

MAUD:

Just this one...

Who trembles as she opens it up. She looks up at Roland, as

she reads -

MAUD:

'... My dear friend, how shall I

answer? Your inspiration means so

much to me. Yet I feel I cannot

continue our correspondence.

Blanche and I have made a pact,

chosen a way of life. I cannot

choose to break it...'

Roland watches Maud reading, his eyes over her face in the

candlelight. Sensing their deep immersion in this love

story.

DISSOLVE THROUGH TO:

FLASHBACK (BLACK AND WHITE) - EXT. RICHMOND STREETS -

NIGHT:

A rainstorm. Up the hill, Christabel and Blanche walk,

followed at a distance by FOOTSTEPS. Outside their house,

Blanche pauses, turns suspiciously. She sees nobody. They

enter their house -

(CONTINUED)

52.

CONTINUED:

CHRISTABEL (V.O.)

'... You will say you are no threat

to that. I know the threat is

there. Perhaps it would be better

if we ceased to correspond...'

INT. BLANCHE AND CHRISTABEL'S HOUSE - NIGHT

The WIND HOWLS. A storm blows. From inside, Blanche looks

out from behind shutters. The night of "the Prowler"...

CHRISTABEL (V.O.)

'... The world would not look well

upon such letters between a woman

and a married man -- even if that

man were a great and wise poet.

Your friend, Christabel La Motte...'

Down the street, stands a man in black cloak and umbrella,

next to a hansom cab. Windswept, lashed by rain, reveal -Ash,

eyes fixed upon the house. Through trees on the

window:
Blanche.

CRASH -- !! The WINDOW SMASHES, SPLINTERS -

ASH (V.O.)

'... I cannot forgive myself.

I have no designs on your freedom.

I know too well the unhappiness a

lack of freedom can bring. This

must be your choice. And yet...'

EXT. RICHMOND HOUSE - DAY

A postman arrives, puts the letter into the letterbox.

ASH (V.O.)

'... Our inspiration is so rare, so

special, I cannot think it better if

we ceased to correspond...'

INT. RICHMOND HOUSE - DAY

THROUGH the letterbox, the postman's letter falls to the

floor. It lies on the hallway, like an evil omen.

(CONTINUED)

53.

CONTINUED:

ASH (V.O.)

'... I shall send you the manuscript

of my new poem, with the ink barely

dry, inspired by the thought of

you... Ever yours most truly...'

Christabel picks up the letter, only to reveal -- Blanche

upstairs behind her. She swoops down, snatches the letter,

takes out pages of handwritten poetry. Christabel tries to

retrieve -

A struggle. Blanche throws off Christabel's hand, who

recoils. Blanche takes the poem, holds it up in front of

her -

CHRISTABEL (V.O.)

'... I dare not write more. Your

poem is lost. I cannot be sure any

further letter of yours will reach

me...'

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