Winter's Tale Page #3

intentions and desires?

Tell the absolute truth.

Don't elaborate.

Stop if a neighbor, child or

servant comes in. And be brief.

Be brief?

These are complicated questions.

If you were one of my journalists,

you'd be finished by now.

God created the world in six days.

Ape him.

- Heh. I'll try.

- It's unnecessary.

- All right.

- Unnecessary.

My name is Peter Lake.

You're right, I'm a thief,

and I'm a damn good one.

I love Beverly.

Our relationship goes by no name.

I have no intentions.

I desire her, and I

am moved by love.

Do you understand?

How do I know that you're not

moved by vanity or curiosity?

How do I know you're not here

for the money in this family?

I was an orphan.

Orphans don't have vanity.

I'm not sure why,

but one needs parents to be vain.

And the money?

I wouldn't take a penny from you,

for a start.

I would accept no favors, not even

a kind word said on my behalf.

And of her condition?

I've never loved much before.

So death...

hasn't been something

to be avoided.

But now when I think

of losing her...

Is it possible to love someone so

completely they simply can't die?

No.

But I'm a thief...

as you so keenly observed.

Can't I steal just one life?

Well, we'll see about you.

Does that mean I might try

some of that claret now?

Let's both, shall we?

One more thing:

She sleeps in her tent on the roof.

And you do not.

Some locals found me

while they were digging up clams.

I spent a few years on the bounce

from orphanage to orphanage.

Just got on better on

the streets, I suppose.

What did you do?

To live, I mean.

I danced and sang in

the streets for coins.

Picked pockets.

I lived with two girls for a while.

- Two?

- Two.

Aren't you the playboy.

Ah, it wasn't like that.

Mostly.

I was young.

And then Pearly scooped me up.

He said I had talent.

I take it it wasn't

for your singing.

It's not working, is it?

You're not getting any cooler.

No.

Here, let me try something.

Come here.

Actually, this isn't helping.

Can you hear your heart?

When the fever comes, it's about

the only thing I can hear.

When you crack your first safe, your heart

beats so loud you can't hear the tumblers.

You have to learn to quieten it, slow it

down, so you can work between the beats.

The trick to it is lists.

Meaningless words...

you say, as you exhale

to slow down the breath.

Inhale quietly...

exhale and say the words

until the breath is gone.

- Got it?

- I think so.

Do you need a list?

Animals are good. Colors. Saints.

Castor.

Pollux.

Capella.

Ursa Major.

Ursa Minor.

Polaris.

Peter..

- Heh.

- ... It's working.

Go on.

Pleiades.

Perseus.

Cassiopeia.

Hello.

Those are mine.

The paper too.

Yeah, I figured as much.

I couldn't sleep.

I like to draw by the moon.

See, I'm not very good

and the light helps hide it.

Is it Beverly?

I don't know anyone

else with red hair.

Do you love her?

With all my heart.

Do you swear?

I swear.

Okay.

Come with me.

It's a princess bed.

I made the neighbor

boys make it for her.

They listen to me.

Daddy told me a story

about a princess who died...

and a kiss that made her

not dead anymore.

If you kiss her here...

she won't die.

I know it.

Okay?

Say okay.

Okay.

Okay.

You can put me to bed now.

Pearly Soames.

I have an appointment.

Hello, Pearly.

Ah. Hello, Your Honor. Sir.

Oh, of course.

Eh...

I'm here to request special dispensation

regarding the boundaries of jurisdiction.

Proceed.

I'd like permission to travel

north of the city, Your Honor.

Wow, that is quite a request, Pearly,

considering what happened last time.

Well, you know,

it was a misunderstanding.

Yeah.

Well, demon, let's

get this over with.

Pearly Soames, Warden of Manhattan

and the Five Boroughs...

on what grounds

do you make this request?

I've come to believe that a human is

on the verge of using his miracle...

which would be a formidable

advancement for the other side.

- Evidence?

- Presence of guardian angels, Your Honor.

Both the White Dog of the East

and Cecil Mature.

- What else?

- Well, I've had a vision.

A red-haired girl I've drawn in a

fugue with the blood of a virgin.

Pearly, that could be anyone.

Okay, Lu, I mean, he's already been seen

with a girl matching that exact description.

Uh...

She's dying.

And he loves her?

Purely, entirely, and

with all his heart.

So you believe it is his

miracle to save her.

I do, sir. Yes, Your Honor. I do.

A man's destiny is often

not what it seems.

I understand that, sir, I do.

I do. I understand that.

But I... Heh. I, uh...

I have a feeling about this one,

you know?

You trained him.

Picked him up off the street.

The son you never had.

Embarrassing, no?

Sh*t happens.

Your Honor...

I just need the

permission to go north.

Denied.

This one is too personal.

Your prohibition from the

northern territories is upheld.

Lucifer!

I need to stop this one, now!

N aw?

You have no idea what "now" is.

Now, I was flying.

Now, I breathed fire

and I ate them as they fled.

Now, I whipped my tail

and the winds trembled.

Now, I am hidden in this pale

shade of flesh and bone.

Now, I am witness

to man's eternal salvation.

Now, I am witness to his demise.

Do not speak to me of time, demon.

Its simplest ebbs and turns

elude your meager understanding.

Find another way! Now!

Let me take you dancing.

How about New Year's Eve?

Can you? Dance, I mean.

I have done. A bit.

Some.

Well, I know them all.

From books, anyway.

It seems wonderful.

So it's sorted, then.

I can't, Peter.

Is it me? Because I'm not a gentleman

with a driver and the right clothes?

You know it's not that.

What, then?

Well, my father says

that dancing will kill me.

Ah.

Fathers are overprotective.

Coat stays on.

We're all to go next door

for an afternoon peppermint.

What is it? What's wrong?

It's been happening all afternoon.

Has something to do

with the furnace.

Your father's been down there

for an hour with the mechanic.

He sent the rest of the staff to the

Gamelys' and asked that you join them.

Now, Willa, please.

Go on next door, Bev. I'll, uh, see

if I can help them out downstairs.

Miss. The little one.

Miss.

She's jammed up.

Let me take a look.

We're in the red already.

You should go next door.

What about you? This sounds like

it's about to blow sky-high.

Go down with the ship, as it were.

Yeah, it's a house, not a ship.

My wife made this place.

She picked every

stitch of furniture.

Every pillow,

every sconce and window frame.

Wouldn't do to leave it.

Listen, you should go now.

Winston, go, go.

Now, you.

The steam can't come.

- Are you mad?

- Wait.

I have a sympathy for

complex systems.

How things go together

and come apart.

Like locks.

Aah!

Just need to feel

for the connection.

That pipe's too hot,

avoid it, avoid it.

This one's blocked.

Means the problem's before it.

It's stuck.

- Uh-oh.

- Uh-oh?

- Oops.

- Oops?

Am I light or heavy?

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