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Reads | 7 |
Language | English |
Exrait
POSSESSION
writtnby
DAVIDHeNRYHWAN
Basdonthbookby
A.S.BYATT
Fbrary6991
earlyProdctionDraft
FOR eDCATIONAL
PRPOSeS ONLY
OPeNONBLACK
OPSSONeSSI
AWOMAN'SVOICespaks,softly,whispring:
CHRISTABeL(V.O).
`Thrwasoncalittltailor,a
goodandnrmarkablman,
jornyingthroghaforst.Andas
hadvancdintothdark...
SLOWFADePTO:
eXT.FAIRYTALeFOReST-DAY/NI HT
Moonlight.Amagicalforstoftrs.Diamondshardsof
bllightonwrinkld,wormyroots.Ovrthmossygors,
stps--
AlittlTAILOR,withscissors,ndlsandthradhanging
fromhisblt.Aglasskyrondhisnck.Andatall,
gryhondbsidhim.Hssahad--
Agiantston,whracrackopnsp.ThTailorprs
insid.Andsqzsdowninsidadarktnnl.Which
ladsotinto--
INT.STONeCHAMBeR-DAY/NI HT
Ashimmringhallofphosphorscntlight.ThTailorss
atallglassdom;andashiningglasscoffin,onavlvt
pall,srronddbymothsandbttrflis.
ThTailorprsinsidthglassdom,ss--
Aminiatrcastl,withwindowsandbattlmnts.
FROMPOV-INSIDe LASSCOFFIN
ThTailorprsin,tos:aslpingPRINCeSS,hr
brathrfflinghrgoldnhair.Inhrhands:abox,lik
agrnicgg.
BACKTOSCeNe
ThTailor--takshisglassky,slipsitintothlock.
(CONTINeD)
CONTINeD:
CHRISTABeL(V.O).
`...Andthlittltailorthoght
tobndandkisshrprfctchk,
bcashknwthiswaswhath
mstdo..'.
AndkisssthPrincss.Shopnshrys,fllof
wondr.
PRINCeSS
YomstbthonIhavbn
waitingfor.Yomstbth
princ.
TAILOR
No,yoarmistakn.Iama
tailor.Insarchofworktokp
maliv.
ThPrincsslaghs.AndthsondofhrlaghtrSHATTeRS
th LASSCOFFINintosplintrs.Andonthbox,CLOSeIN
and--
ReVeReND(V.O.)
`...Iamthrsrrctionandth
lif,'saidJss.`Hthat
blivthinm,thoghhwr
dad,ytshallhliv'...
SLOWFADePTOasilvryBLACKANDWHITe--
eXT.CeMeTeRY(LONDON-)DAY888)(1
Thboxlisinthhandsofawidow,MRS.eLLeNASH,in
frontofamasolm.It'sadrippingNovmbrday,snlow
inthsky.
ellnliftsbackhrviltokissthbox.Whichshplacs
insid--awroghtironvalt.Itsdoorsclos.
ReVeReND
LtthbodyandsolofRandolph
HnryAshliintrnalpac,
morndbyhissorrowingwidow
elln...
PLLBACKtosellnandmornrs,mninblackhatsand
cloaksliksilk-cladravnsrondanegyptian-stylvaltd
tomb.ellnfocssonthboxbhindamtalgrill.HOLD
ON--thbox.
Asbfororys,thboxandtombrapidly--
(CONTINeD)
CONTINeD:
Agahndrdyars.Rosswithranddi.Moss,wds,
lavs,briars,tndrilsofndrgrowthpshandcoil'rond
thgrill.
ReVeReND(V.O).
...honordnotonlybythosofth
yaroforLord,1888btbyallof
tim...
Andasawindblowslavs,FADePTO--
eXT.LONDONSTReeTS(BLOOMSBRY-)DAY(PReSeNT)
Thspinningwhlofabicycl.Thspoksblrin
aconstantmotion,givinganillsionofstillnss.
As--
SddnlyVIVIDCOLORandSHRIeKofCARHORNS--
Ayongmanwavsprilosly'rondawormoftraffic.In
anorakandcyclclips,ROLANDMICHeLL,thirtyish,dodgs
downbackstrts,cttingthroghinto--
eXT.BRITISHMSeM-DAY
Rolandwhlshisbicycltoshds,rmovshisclips.
Obliviostohistrosrssplashdbymd.Hnpackshis
bicyclpannirs.Hadsthroghasidntrancinto --
INT.BRITISHMSeM-DAY
Rolandwalksdownalongcorridor,ladingthroghtoan
eCHOIN domdhall.HbyaapapssTfoytraReHCAend
school-kidsinfrontofastatofanminntVictorian:
RandolphHnryAsh.
CLOSeP-STATe
RolandstarsfondlypatthstrnfatrsofAshgazing
liflsslyotovrthkids'bordfacs.
BACKTOSCeNe
TeACHeR
...Pot,philosophr,natralist,
statsman,RandolphHnryAshwas
onoformostminntlitrary
hros...
(MORe)
(CONTINeD)
CONTINeD:
TeACHeR(CONT'D)
...whosfamoslovpomstohis
wifellnaramongthmost
gloriosjwlsoforlitrary
hritag.FromthVictorianag,
onlyBrowningandTnnyson--
(tonrlykids)
Payattntion,Kyli--
WhostaramsdlyatRoland'snrdyapparanc,cycling
hlmtstillon.Hslipsnnoticddownasidstair-wll,
ntring--
INT.BRITISHMSeMBASeMeNT-ASHFACTORY-DAY
Throghadoormarkd,"AshInstitt:DirctorProfssor
JamsBlackaddr."ThisistnmsabA":rytoacFsh"Ath
ofcorridors,ininstittionalgrot.Striplighting,
plingpaint-work.
PAOLA,afifty-somthingscrtarywithmoth-likglasss,
glancspatRoland.
PAOLA
'Morning,Roland.Blackaddr'sina
panic.MortimrCropprhaslandd.
ROLAND
Oh, od.DidBlackaddrfinishmy
rfrnc?Iaskdhimwksago.
PAOLA
Irminddhim.Btyoknowwhat
h'slikwhnCroppr'sintown.
ROLAND
ImsttalktoBlackaddr.Hknows
sinchgavthatjobtoFrgs...
Accidnt?
PAOLA
Noticshisrindtrosrs,onhrwaytothphotocopir.
ROLAND
(hadn'tnoticdbfor)
Oh...mybicycl,Isppos.
(CONTINeD)
CONTINeD:
Rolandptsdownhispannirs,sqzspastPaolaintoth
pantry.Hflicksonthkttl.Looksforhiscoffmg.
ROLAND
...Who'sbnsingmymg?
Ashnscrwsthcoffjar,waitingforthkttlto
boil,htrnstosatthdoor,agry-hairdwoman,
staringathim.
BeATRICe
Ifyohavamint,Roland...
ThisisDr.BeATRICeNeST,doynnofellnAshstdisand
KprofthAshMsm,anccntricspinstrishscholar.
ROLAND
Actally,Batric,Iwasabotto
gtstartdonthosAsh
footnots --
BeATRICe
It'simportant.It'sabotelln...
Ominossilnc.RolandrgistrsBatric'sinsistnc.
Shdisapparsdownthhall.Rolandhastofollowhrinto
--
INT.MSeM-ASHFACTORY-BeATRICe'SROOM-DAY
Amstycavrnofcardboardboxsandyllowingpaprs.
Bhindthm,almostbrickdin,sitsBatric.Whoflingsa
lttrovrtoRoland.
BeATRICe
Ican'tbarit.Anothrlttr
fromthatimpossiblwoman,Lonora
Strn.Shwantsapicfromm
forsomghastlynwjornalabot
ellnAsh'ssxalrlations--
ROLAND
With...Ash?
BeATRICe
Withanyon.Thiswoman'sobsssd
withsx.
(CONTINeD)
CONTINeD:
ROLAND
Yoprotctellnfromqstionabl
sitors,Batric.I'valways
admirdthat.
BeATRICe
ellnwasafaithflwif.AndI'm
faithfltohr.Shnds
protction.I'mthonlyonnow
whocars...
NOISeSinthcorridor.Twoacadmicspokthirnossin.
On,hisrival,atrndyyonglctrr,FeR SWOLF;th
othr,ablffldrlyScottishprofssor,JAMeSBLACKADDeR,
Roland'sboss.
FeR S
Hi,Roland.Stillhr?
ROLAND
Frgs...
(bat)
Congratlationsonyor
appointmnt...
Downcast,Rolandshrinksbackindfat.Blackaddr
blstrsin.
BLACKADDeR
Ah,Roland...Iwantyoatth
LondonLibrary.Comalong,
Croppr'sintownforthaction...
BlackaddrwhisksRolandotfromthroom.
INT.MSeM-ASHFACTORYCORRIDORS-DAY
ThywalkdownthcorridorwithFrgs,Blackaddrptting
onhiscoat.
ROLAND
IflsorryforpoorBatric.
evnthfministshathrnowfor
championingadllwif--
BLACKADDeR
(xaspratd)
BatricNstandhrbloodylttrs
ofellnAsharcompltly
irrlvanttomodrnscholarship.
(MORe)
(CONTINeD)
CONTINeD:
BLACKADDeR(CONT'D)
Sh'swastdtwnty-fivyars
lookingpvryrcipfor
goosbrryjamandjantto
Broadstairs.That'swhatIgtfor
hiringaPh.Dfrom...
(canbarlysayit)
...Nw aland.
FeR S
Tholdwitch.Sh'sthbst
kprofthAshMsmyo'llfind
-
BLACKADDeR
Ys.Likelln,Batricisbst
bhindclosddoors...
BlackaddrandFrgsswoopoff.Rolandwatchsthmgo,
trns'rondtos--Batricscrrybackintohrroom
likacrab.Obvioslyovrhardthircommnts.Roland
sighs--
eXT.LONDONSTReeTS(PICCADILLY)-DAY
CTTO:
Thspinningwhl.Onhisbicycl,withhispannirsand
clips,Rolandswrvsthroghnoisytraffic,hadingfor--
eXT.LONDONLIBRARY(ST.JAMeS'SSQARe-)DAY(PReSeNT)
AnlgantLondonsqar.Rolandcyclsinaslavsblow
fromatalltrtowardsavastVictorianlibrary,whr
popllavbystonstps,armflsofbooks.AsRoland
parkshisbik--
SomLeAVeSfloataway,tmbltowardsaskylightonth
libraryroofTAPPIN likbirdstryingtontr,as--
INT.LONDONLIBRARY-HALL-DAY
Rolandntrsthshabbyhall.Bspctacldscholars
shfflarondinasilnthm.Rolandsmssddnly"at
hom".Allarondhim,wastdliftimsdvotdtobooks...
INT.LONDONLIBRARY-STACKS-DAY
Rolandnavigatslikamolaccstomdtothdarkthrogh
amazofmtalshlvs.Hiddnstairsandtinycorridors
likaPiransiprison,bookspildhigh:dark,dsty,
infinit...
Rolandsmstoknowhisway,vninthdark...
INT.LONDONLIBRARY-BASeMeNT-RAReBOOKSDePARTMeNT-
DAY
ig-zaggingthroghalabyrinthofbooks,Rolandmrgs
downinthbasmnt.Hknocksatadoormarkd"Rar
Books."5Norply,sohntrs--
Amstyroomlikapharaoh'stomb,ahighwindowcasting
lightintoacllofvllmandlathr.Rolandptsfils
down.
ROLAND
Mynam'sDr.Michll,Roland
Michll.YohavacopyofDonn's
potryform.An5881dition.
Apbbl-glassdLIBRARIANmrgs,crookdashistottring
pilsofbooks.Slightlydaf,htakshistim.
LIBRARIAN
YoordrditthroghProfssor
BlackaddrovratthAsh
Institt?
ROLAND
Corrct.I'mworkingonth
CompltWorksditionwithhim.
LIBRARIAN
Ididn'tknowAshwasanadmirrof
Donn?
ROLAND
HqotdonofDonn'spomson
hisdathbd.I'mchcking
rfrncsinthNintnthCntry
ditions...jsttobsr.
ThLibrarianfindsRoland'sbook,bondwithtap.H
wipsawayblackdst,handsitovr.Rolandsitsdown,
crackspagsapart.
(CONTINeD)
CONTINeD:
LIBRARIAN
Dosn'tlooklikit'sbntochd
forawhil.I'llchck...
Flickingthrogh,Rolandssnotsscrawldinthmargins.
CLOSeP-HANDWRITIN
BACKTOSCeNe
Itintrigshim.
ROLAND
Somon'sscrawldnotsallovr
thmargins.
LIBRARIAN
Hm...?Wll...it'snvrbn
calldfor,asfarasIknow...
(chcksfilcards,as
Rolandrads)
Odd...Accordingtoorrcords,
thisditionwasbqathdtosby
Ash'swidow,elln.
ROLAND
YomanthiscopyblongdtoAsh
himslf?Somonmsthav
consltditbfornow.
LIBRARIAN
Smsitwaslostinorfiling
systm...
Intrigd,Rolandgosbacktocttinglavs.Withgrat
dlicacyhctsopnastofpags,sddnlytwoold
lttrsfalltothfloor.Rolandbndsdowntopickthm
p--
LIBRARIAN
(ramblingon)
`...DvilandDmonology,Dogs,
DomsticSrvantsand...Donn'...
(bat)
Yocanlosanythinginhr.I
fondastoffalstthonc...
Rolandisn'tlistning.Dazzldbyathinshaftof
snlight,Rolandstartstorad.OnyllowingPAPeR,a
sondofaPeNSCRATCHIN .
(CONTINeD)
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