salt creek murders
TRANSCRIPT
This script is distributed by The Australian Script Centre 77 Salamanca Place Hobart 7004 Tasmania Australia email [email protected] www.ozscript.org ph +61 3 6223 4675 fax +61 3 6223 4678
Salt Creek Murders
by Melissa Reeves
Ā© 2002 Melissa Reeves
This script is distributed by the Australian Script Centre 77 Salamanca Place Hobart 7004 Tasmania Australia email [email protected]
www.ozscript.org ph +61 3 6223 4675 fax +61 3 6223 4678
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Melissa Reeves
SALT CREEK MURDERS
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CHARACTERS NELLIE MALACHI JANE AND ANNE JOHN AND TROOPER TRACKER This play was first produced by Mainstreet Theatre Company on the third of August, 2002, performed by Cathy Adamek, Lancho Davey, Sally Hildyard, Steve Mouzakis, and Ken Radley, directed by Tom Healey
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SCENE ONE FROM UTTER DARKNESS, A CONFUSINGLY SLOW FADE-UP ON A COUPLE TUSSLING AND WRITHING TOGETHER ON AND OFF THEIR FEET. IT IS NOT APPARENT FOR A WHILE WHETHER THEY ARE ENGAGED IN A STRUGGLE OR AN EMBRACE. AS THE LIGHT SLOWLY LIFTS IT BECOMES CLEAR IT IS THE LATTER. EVENTUALLY THEY PULL APART, LOOKING AT EACH OTHER, A LITTLE PUFFED. THE MAN MOVES TO THE FRONT OF THE STAGE AND LOOKS OUT, AS THOUGH THROUGH A WINDOW NELLIE Get away from the window. MALACHI Why? NELLIE Come away. MALACHI Thereās no-one out there. NELLIE Come away MALACHI Just scrub and salt NELLIE You come away from there MALACHI I love the smell of salt NELLIE You canāt smell salt MALACHI I can NELLIE Youāre wicked SHE PULLS HIM BY THE ARM AWAY FROM THE WINDOW AND TRYS TO CHECK THAT NO ONE IS OUT THERE FROM A SAFE DISTANCE MALACHI Iām telling you thereās not a soul out there
NELLIE CONTINUES TO PEER ANXIOUSLY THROUGH THE WINDOW FROM A FEW FEET AWAY Go on then, if youāre going to, take a proper look HE PUSHES HER RIGHT INTO THE WINDOW. NELLIE FREEZES NELLIE Heās coming MALACHI Where
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NELLIE By the Woods Well road MALACHI Where NELLIE Look MALACHI Thatās not him NELLIE It is him MALACHI Thatās Devaneyās black-fella NELLIE No itās him. Heās got the girls cases with him MALACHI Whereās the girl... NELLIE You know itās him MALACHI Heās miles away NELLIE He can see us MALACHI He canāt see a thing from there NELLIE Thereās the girl. Look, thereās the girl MALACHI Where? NELLIE Get out from the window HE WRAPS HIS ARMS ROUND HER INSTEAD ...Malachi MALACHI Come here NELLIE No....Heās seen me. Heās seen the white of me. Get away SHE TRIES TO PUSH HIM AWAY Malachi.. MALACHI SLIDES DOWN HER BODY AND EMBRACES HER ROUND THE WAIST FROM THE FRONT. NELLIE STARES OUT THE WINDOW LIKE A RABBIT CAUGHT IN THE HEAD LIGHTS NELLIE Heās seen me... MALACHI IS NUZZLING INTO HER BELLY
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Heās seen me... MALACHI Smile at him NELLIE I canāt MALACHI Go on smile at him HE BITES INTO HER STOMACH NELLIE Heās reached the gate. Malachi, heās reached the gate MALACHI Wave to him.. NELLIE I canāt MALACHI Wave to him NELLIE SMILES AND WAVES OUT THE WINDOW. MALACHI CARRIES HER BACKWARDS ON HIS KNEES NELLIE Oh that was stupid...that was stupid. Why would I wave to him...I never wave to him MALACHI sshh NELLIE Waving like a queen out her carriage
window..Iād never do that, not if I didnāt have something to hide, not if I didnāt have a black haired succubus clinging on to me like a crab...
MALACHI shh NELLIE He knows about us. He looks at me daggers. MALACHI STARTS UNDOING HER SKIRT What are you doing. What are you doing SHE DOES IT BACK UP AGAIN. HE STARTS UNBUTTONING HER BLOUSE Iāve got to go MALACHI Heās got the horse to put away
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NELLIE No Malachi MALACHI Heāll be ages yet NELLIE Iāve got to go SHE SUCCUMBS TO HIS EMBRACE. JANE, THE NEW DOMESTIC HELP, WALKS INTO THE ROOM, DRESSED IN HER TRAVELLING CLOTHES. SHE STOPS AND STARES WHEN SHE SEES THEM. THEY STARE BACK AT HER. SHE TURNS AND GOES STRAIGHT OUT AGAIN
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SCENE TWO NELLIE IS INSTRUCTING JANE IN THE RUNNING OF THE HOTEL. NELLIE, AN EX DOMESTIC HERSELF, HAS NEVER EMPLOYED A DOMESTIC BEFORE. THEY ARE ABOUT THE SAME AGE, IN THEIR LATE TWENTIES. JOHN IS SITTING AT THE TABLE. NELLIE I expect of course the highest
possible standard. You come highly recommended, but I assure you youāll find a very different set of circumstances here than your soft town job. This is the end of the earth.
JANE SAYS NOTHING
We spent hours choosing between the all the young women leaping at the chance to take this position, didnāt we John? There is a glut of girls at the present moment, a world wide glut and one can take oneās pick. I hope you wonāt take it in the wrong way if I tell you I personally was in favor of a Miss Beatrix Zwager who was younger than you, and fresh off the boat and very eager to please.
JANE Iām eager to please. NELLIE She played the piano accordion and
the banjo mandolin. Do you play an instrument?
JANE No. NELLIE But John was impressed by the glowing creature painted by Mr. Macbride in his letter. Letās hope you can live up to it. JANE Iāll do my best maāam. NELLIE People often turn up at two or three
oāclock in the morning, wanting a bed and something to eat, so your nights are not your own, your nights belong to the hotel just like your days do. I hope Mr. Macbride communicated that to you.
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JANE He said it would be hard work. NELLIE At meal-times you will sit in the
green chair nearest the stove and be careful not to over-indulge in small talk.
JANE LOOKS AT THE GREEN CHAIR NEAREST THE STOVE. JOHN IS SITTING ON IT ...Are you overly fond of talking? JANE I wouldnāt say so. NELLIE My husband doesnāt like idle gossip. JANE Iām sure Iām no gossip Mrs. Robinson. I have a strong devotion to the church. NELLIE A cardinal sin in domestics is their
constant chitter chatter. JANE I rarely feel the need to chat. NELLIE You can bring your luggage in through the kitchen. JANE EXITS. JOHN AND NELLIE SIT FOR A MOMENT IN SILENCE.
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SCENE THREE JANE ENTERS CARRYING AN ENORMOUS LOAD OF BAGGAGE IN BOTH HANDS AND SHAKING HER HEAD TO AND FRO TRYING TO ESCAPE A FLY BUZZING ROUND HER FACE. MALACHI EMERGES AS IF FROM NOWHERE AND CATCHES THE FLY IN HIS HANDS JANE Thank-you MALACHI SHAKES HIS CUPPED HANDS MALACHI Itās angry now. JANE MAKES TO GO ON HER WAY Shall I kill it for you or shall I let it go? JANE Kill it please. The fewer flies there are the better. MALACHI How shall I kill it? JANE I donāt mind. MALACHI What sort of death is the most appropriate for a fly? I donāt much want to squash it...I
donāt like to get my hands mucky... perhaps if I cut off all its air, it
might suffocate... JANE Perhaps. MALACHI But I wouldnāt be much use to anyone
for a couple of hours, would I, sitting with my hands cupped.
JANE Just let it go if youād prefer. MALACHI And if I kill it we shall have to
have a burial service and the burial services in these parts are very elaborate.
JANE oh? MALACHI Youāve not heard of them? JANE No.
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MALACHI The natives set great store by their burial practices.
JANE I should get these cases- MALACHI They put it up a tree. JANE Put what up a tree? MALACHI The body. First they smoke it, then
they take off itās skin like it was pants and a cardigan, and they prop the poor remains in a tree, looking out to the ocean......
HE PAUSES FOR EFFECT
Itās not wise to go bird-watching in the Coorong.
JANE Why do they do that? MALACHI Why? I donāt know Missā¦ JANE Macmanamin. Jane Macmanamin. I should
very much like to see one of those burial trees Mr.Martin.
JANE EXITS WITH THE CASES. MALACHI ABSENT-MINDEDLY SQUASHES THE FLY.
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SCENE FOUR A FEW DAYS LATER, IN THE EVENING. NELLIE IS PEELING APPLES TO PUT IN A PIE. JANE IS SEWING. JOHN IS DRINKING STEADILY. NELLIE You should have seen them John. Last
night in the bar. Janeā¦ and Malachi. JANE LOOKS UP FROM HER SEWING
His arm brushed against hers as she was pouring the beer and she dropped the whole jugā¦
JANE No.. NELLIE I saw you. JANE He bumped me. NELLIE You blushed. JANE I was embarrassed. NELLIE Thereās no need to be embarrassed. JANE ..About the jug, I was embarrassed
about dropping the jug. NELLIE You could do worse than him Jane.
Itās not like men are crawling out of the wood-work are they?
JANE No. NELLIE What do you think of him? JANE Heās alright. NELLIE Go on JANE Heāsā¦ quite entertaining NELLIE Do you like his physique? JANE aahh.. NELLIE Heās short, but heās very powerful. JANE I suppose so
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NELLIE Not much neck, but big strong arms and shoulders. Wouldnāt you say? JANE ā¦Like a bull NELLIE Yes like a bull. Do you like bulls? JANE Oh I donāt mind them NELLIE The very first time we met him, I saw
him lift the back of a box-cart all by himself, remember that John.
JOHN No not really. NELLIE Oh you remember. We got stuck coming
round the coast road. JOHN DOESNāT RESPOND
The waves were pounding into us, I almost had the sea in my lap, when Malachi appeared out of nowhere. He stood knee deep in the sand and heaved and you could see the chords in his neck, stretched like piano wire, and the cart began to rise into the air, Iāve never seen a man so strongā¦
PAUSE. JOHN IS STARING AT HER. NELLIE SEEMS OBLIVIOUS
I fitted a waist-coat for him, and his chest is like a wine barrel, and so broad, and the muscles in his shoulders and his arms are so big that he canāt touch his hands behind his back. They just donāt reach, try as he might they remain at least a foot apart. If he ever did anything bad, and the law came for him, theyād never get hand-cuffs on him, not behind his back, theyād have to use two pairs to cover the span. ...And youād be a match for him Jane, more than a match
THEY SIT IN SILENCE. NELLIE KEEPS PEELING AND SLICING THE APPLES FOR THE PIE. JOHN KEEPS DRINKING STEADILY MALACHI ENTERS. THEY SIT FOR A MOMENT THEN JANE GETS UP.
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JANE Good-night MALACHI OFFERS A STRING OF APPLE PEEL TO JANE. MALACHI Here JANE Whatās that for? MALACHI You hang it on your bed-post JANE Ohā¦Thank you. MALACHI Youāll dream of the man youāll marry. SHE EXITS. MALACHI, NELLIE AND JOHN SIT IN SILENCE.
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SCENE FIVE JANE IS ASLEEP IN BED VERY LATE IN THE NIGHT. THERE IS A HUGE THUMPING AT THE DOOR. JANE WAKES UP. MORE THUMPING JOHN Open up, Open up. JANE OPENS THE DOOR. IT IS JOHN WITH AN AXE IN HIS HAND Whoās that? JANE Jane. Itās Jane JOHN Who? JOHN The new help. Iām the help JOHN What are you doing in here JANE Mrs. Robinson put me in here JOHN She locked you in? JANE No, no to sleep, I was asleep JOHN Have you got him in here? JANE Who JOHN Malachi Martin. JANE No, why would he be in here? JOHN Where is he. Whereās he hiding? HE TOSSES THE COVERS AND LOOKS UNDER THE BED JANE Heās not in here Mr. Robinson. I havenāt had anything to do with him. JOHN What did she say to you? JANE Nothing. She hasnāt said anything to
me. JOHN About what? JANE About anything. JOHN Why are you in here? JANE She put me in here. She said Iād have
to sleep in Mr. Martins occasional
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room because my room was closer to the double bedroom and the Hentyās boy needed a bed
JOHN Where did she put him. Where did she
put Martin? JANE I donāt know. She swapped us all around. PAUSE. Can I get you anything Mr. Robinson JOHN Youāre a good girl Jane.I shouldāve turned you round and put you back on your cart... HE LEAVES JANE But I like it here... JANE SHUTS HER DOOR AND LOCKS IT AGAIN. SHE IS VERY SHAKEN. SHE LIGHTS A LAMP AND IS JUST ABOUT TO GET INTO BED WHEN A HAND REACHES OUT AND GRABS HER ANKLE. JANE SCREAMS. MALACHI PULLS HIMSELF OUT FROM UNDER THE BED MALACHI Sshā¦ Sshhhā¦ JANE Oh Mr. Martin. MALACHI Stop trembling. JANE Iām alright. MALACHI MOVES CLOSER TO HER. MALACHI Youāre sure youāre alright? JANE Yes Iām sure. MALACHI UNSCREWS A HIP FLASK. MALACHI Have a drink. JANE No thank-you. MALACHI Go on. JANE I donāt drink. MALACHI A glass of water then?
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JANE Yesā¦a glass of water. MALACHI POURS HER A GLASS OF WATER. SHE DRINKS IT. MALACHI Better now? JANE Yes I feel much better. SHE GOES TO UNLOCK THE DOOR FOR HIM. MALACHI Donāt touch the door. JANE STOPS IN HER TRACKS. MALACHI HAS A DRINK FROM HIS FLASK. HE SITS ON THE BED. HE TOUCHES THE APPLE PEEL SHE HAS BROUGHT FROM HER OWN ROOM AND HUNG ON THE BED HEAD, THEN HE PICKS ONE OF THE BOOKS LYING ON HER BEDSIDE TABLE MALACHI Whatās this? JANE My bible. MALACHI You read it do you? JANE sometimes. MALACHI sitting up in bedā¦ HE SMILES AT HER. HE PICKS THE OTHER BOOK. JANE Sometimes. MALACHI Whatās this one? JANE Itās a novel. MALACHI Whatās it called? JANE ā¦The quill. MALACHI Whyās it called that? JANE Itās about a man who writes a letter. MALACHI With a quill? JANE Yes. MALACHI What happens to him? JANE ā¦He writes a letter, and then heā¦
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MALACHI Go on. JANE And then heā¦ receives a replyā¦ MALACHI Sounds a dull sort of book. Are you
allowed both of them? JANE What? MALACHI The bible and the novel. JANE Yes MALACHI Seems to me one would cancel the other out.. JANE SAYS NOTHING So you like it here? JANE So far I like it. MALACHI What do you like? JANE ā¦I like walking across the salt-pans
to the ocean beach. MALACHI Itās very windy down at the ocean
beach.. You donāt find it unpleasant? JANE No I like it. MALACHI This place youāve come to, itās
different to any place youāve ever been.Itās the frontier. A piece of paper with nothing written on it, not a word written on it.
HE COMES UP VERY CLOSE TO JANE. And you can become something quite
different than what you were before, if you have a mind to.
THERE IS A GENTLE TAPPING ON THE DOOR.
You can take what you want,take whatever you want, and feel no guilt, feel nothingā¦ does that shock you?
JANE CANāT TALK. HE EXITS.
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SCENE SIX NELLIE IS SITTING BY HERSELF, STARING OFF INTO SPACE. IT IS AROUND DUSK THE NEXT NIGHT. JANE ENTERS JANE What shall I do about his dinner Mrs. Robinson? NELLIE Just keep it warm. JANE It doesnāt look very appetizingā¦ NELLIE SAYS NOTHING Itās gone completely black. NELLIE DOESNāT RESPOND. JANE EXITS. SCENE SEVEN IT IS VERY LATE THE SAME NIGHT. JANE AND NELLIE ARE SITTING TOGETHER ALMOST IN THE DARK. HER HUSBAND HAS BEEN MISSING FOR FOURTEEN HOURS. NELLIE I never liked this house. As soon as
I saw it I hated it, but I wanted to please John so I smiled and ran down to the creek and took a huge gulp of water, and that was when he laughed and told me I shouldāve paid attention to the name, that it was called Salt Creek for a reason, the water was foul, and I wondered again for the twentieth time if I had done the right thing marrying a man who would wait until after I had half poisoned myself, without warning me first. Thereās something wrong in that. Thereās something cruel in that...
SHE PAUSES Whatās the time now? JANE Quarter past two NELLIE This isnāt the first time heās gone
and lost himself, heās useless in that bush, wasnāt brought up for it, rides a horse like a stick, not like
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Malachi, Malachiās like he grows out of the horseās back like one of those half man, half horse people...
Heās probably gone and hurt himself, stumbled into some disaster, and whoās to know if he dies that some sister or cousin wonāt crawl out of the wood-work and claim she should inherit everything, cause heās left no will. I know that much, heās left no will. Who knows what happens when youāve left no will?
JANE The wife inherits everything. NELLIE Does she? JANE Oh yes the wife gets everything. PAUSE NELLIE I didnāt mean to marry him. He asked
and asked, and I told him, youāre not my type John, slow and wooden and no sense of humour, but he wouldnāt take no for an answer and when my friend Alice got married in Meningie, John was there, because heād known Alice from somewhere or other, and the priest started talking about the divine state of marriage, about taking your rightful place in the world like the very first couple, like Adam and Eve in their paradise. Hand in hand we would be the first ones, the special ones, and I could see what he was saying, I could see all the big couples hand in hand, with the gum-trees and the tree ferns, and I could feel John looking at me with a peculiarly intent gaze, and I tried to not look back but I couldnāt not look, he was staring at me and normally I wouldāve laughed at his serious face, but a shaft of light had caught his hair and he was all lit up and looked noble and important, and I was full of what this priest was saying, and I was hot in my frock and my heart was beating and I said āLets get married. Lets get married right now.ā And John
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strode over to me and grabbed my hand and we walked up to the priest, and the priest said weād have to wait until heād married Alice and Ryan Leckie cause they were first in line, so we waited, and already I started feeling like it was maybe a mistake, Johnās hand was unpleasantly damp and his slight stoop was irritating me, but I couldnāt get out of it then, I couldnāt run out the church, so we got married and everyone was excited because it was such a surprise, but as soon as I got back to where I worked for Mrs. Packham, I told her I wanted to be out of it, that I didnāt want to be married, not to John Robinson, and she said that I couldnāt get out of it, that marriage is like an iron weld, once itās done, itās done for ever.
THEY SIT IN SILENCE FOR A FEW MOMENTS
...and to bring me here..to this place.. the plants are all grey and black, like dead things growingā¦ No wonder with all that salt feeding poison into the roots. Bleaching any colour from the landā¦except for the pig-face.. creeping over everything.. spreading like a blood-stain...and the strange pink glow of the salt just before it gets dark...
SHE SHIVERS. JANE IS CAUGHT UP IN THE MOOD JANE Yes. The salt. I was told to expect
it, but I was still amazed....itās like snowā¦
LONG PAUSE NELLIE Itās lateā¦.Why dot you go to bed...I
can wait up by myself.... JANE SHAKES HER HEAD. THERE IS A LOUD KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. MALACHI ENTERS MALACHI Thereās no sign of him. NELLIE STARES AT HIM
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Are you alright Nellie? NELLIE NODS Iāll be back in the morning. HE LEAVES. NELLIE LOOKS STUNNED. JANE LOOKS CONCERNED JANE Mrs. Robinson. NELLIE Iāll be alright...Iāll be alright... JANE I was wondering... NELLIE Iāll be alright...Iāll be alright
now. What time is it? JANE Itās nearly three. NELLIE If that beam of light hadnāt lit up
his hair I never wouldāve married him.
JANE Mrs. Robinson. NELLIE Yes. JANE Itās well past Thursday now and itās
not wise to lose the regularity of these things.
NELLIE What? JANE I hate to be a bother but I like to
keep a record and itās easier if itās nice and regular, and once you get even a little way behind, sometimes these things run away from you.
NELLIE REMAINS UNCOMPREHENDING.
My wages Mrs. Robinson. I get paid on Thursdays.
NELLIE STARES AT HER A MOMENT THEN GETS UP IN SILENCE AND GOES AND GETS THE CASH BOX AND GETS OUT THE MONEY AND A BOOK. SHE SILENTLY COUNTS OUT ONE POUND, TWO SHILLINGS AND PUSHES IT OVER THE TABLE TOWARDS JANE WITH THE WAGE BOOK. JANE SIGNS THE BOOK AND PUSHES IT BACK. NELLIE IS SILENT AND QUITE FRIGHTENING AS SHE STANDS BEHIND THE TABLE.
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SCENE EIGHT THE LIGHTS SLOWLY COME UP. A BLACK TRACKER, DRESSED QUITE STYLISHLY, WHEELS IN A BODY ON A BARROW, COVERED IN A BLANKET. MALACHI FOLLOWS. NELLIE RUSHES ON. JANE FOLLOWS. NELLIE STARES AT THE COVERED PRONE FORM OF HER HUSBAND. MALACHI COMFORTS HER. NELLIE Itās him. MALACHI Itās your husband.... PAUSE Heās done away with himself... NELLIE What did he do? MALACHI Cut his own throat. AFTER A MOMENT NELLIE STARTS GASPING HYSTERICALLY, NOT BEING ABLE TO GET HER BREATH. MALACHI HOLDS HER. SHE CALMS DOWN. NELLIE He was a good man He was ... a good man NELLIE AND MALACHI GO INTO THE HOUSE. THE BLACK TRACKER BEGINS TO WHEEL THE BODY AWAY. JANE May I look? THE BLACK TRACKER NODS. JANE WALKS UP TO THE BARROW AND SLOWLY LIFTS UP THE BLANKET, AND DRINKS IN WHAT SHE SEES FOR MANY MOMENTS, OPEN MOUTHED, FASCINATED... JANE Heās very pale. BLACK TRACKER Lost a lot of blood. JANE His eyes are open. BLACK TRACKER Docterāll shut them. JANE Is he cold? BLACK TRACKER Cold as the sea. SHE LIFTS THE SHEET UP FURTHER AND LOOKS CAREFULLY AT WHERE HIS THROAT IS CUT. SHE EXHALES SOFTLY. Look at that...
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He wonāt get into heaven. They donāt let them in, not if they do it to themselves. And theyāre not allowed inside the cemetery proper, heāll get put outside the wall.
BLACK TRACKER This man didnāt kill himself JANE LOOKS AT HIM. The knife was clutched in his right hand... JANE LOOKS AT HIM....
...and this man, Robinson, his right hand couldnāt clutch anything, his right hand was withered away....
JANE STARES AT HIM AS HE WHEELS THE CART AWAY
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SCENE NINE THE TROOPER AND THE TRACKER ARE RELAXING IN COMAPANION CHAIRS. IT IS EVENING. THEY ARE LOOKING AT A LARGE SCALE MAP. TROOPER The water hole seems a curious digression... TRACKER Not if oneās hands are covered in blood. TROOPER ...but with the creek on the way home. TRACKER Martin missed the creek...he came
straight across the salt pan... TROOPER ...aaah... PAUSE So he followed him from the hotel? TRACKER No, they set out together... HE LEANS OVER AND POINTS AT THE MAP, TRACING THE JOURNEY WITH HIS FINGER See. Here. Trit trot, trit trot. They
reach the point of Young Husbands Peninsula and they talk for a bit, not companionably, the horses are edgy, and then they split up, Robinson heading for the inlet, and Martin returning by the Woods Well road.
TROOPER But Martin comes back. TRACKER He rides along the ridge above
Robinson, hidden by the sand-hills. When they get to Caffeys flat, Martin jumps him. Gets him off his horse without dismounting himself, then grabs him from behind and slits his throat.
THE TROOPER WHISTLES. But Robinson doesnāt die, he staggers
about clutching his neck, so Malachi Martin stabs him twice in quick
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succession, then he arranges him, leaning up against a tree, with his knife clutched in his useless right hand...
THE TROOPER NODS. TROOPER Whose knife? TRACKER Martinās knife... Martin says
Robinson borrowed it the week before to kill a pig.
TROOPER Such a clumsy crime. TRACKER Yes, and he canāt resist boasting
about it. I said to him in the morning perhaps we should we take horses and he says oh we wonāt need the horses..itās not far away...
THEY LAUGH.
He took me straight there... didnāt seem to want to waste our time, looking for a dead body in the wrong place.
THEY LAUGH TROOPER ....Could cope with committing the
crime but gets bored by all the tedious covering up one has to do ...
THEY LAUGH What a stupid man. TRACKER No ...I wouldnāt say stupid... a very
dangerous sort of man... A man who kills without compunction.
TROOPER Is there such a man? TRACKER I think so. He kills methodically, as
though he kills an animal that he is going to eat for his supper.
TROOPER Does it excite him? Killing. TRACKER Wellā¦ yes, after the act, heās
excited, yeah, he enjoys the play of
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it, he replaces Robinsonās hat that has fallen off in the scuffle back on his head, and he tries the head in different positions, finally tilting it to the side in the manner of a tragic illustration, the wrong side unfortunately..
THEY SMILE GHOULISHLY. TROOPER Have you met the widow? THE TRACKER NODS. THE TROOPER SMILES TRACKER What? TROOPER Apparently she and Martin are always
embracing, they hardly attempt to keep it secret, behind trees, in door-ways, behind sheds, theyāre in a fever and canāt get enough of each other....So he is a man of some passion.
TRACKER He likes fucking. TROOPER I beg your pardon. TRACKER I said he likes fucking. THEY SMILE AT EACH OTHER TROOPER Heās an ugly looking brute donāt you think? TRACKER I suppose so. TROOPER Savage face, big cranium, physiologically the type to do evil.. TRACKER All you migloo look ugly to me. TROOPER I look ugly? TRACKER oh yes..Like a man whoās been peeled..
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SCENE TEN NELLIE IS SITTING AT THE KITCHEN TABLE IN HER WIDOWS BLACK. JANE ENTERS WITH THE TROOPER TROOPER Good afternoon Mrs. Robinson NELLIE Good afternoon TROOPER Iām very sorry about your husband
You wonāt mind if I ask you some questions
NELLIE Not at all TROOPER Theyāre just the usual run of
questions...when a man dies in these circumstances.
NELLIE I understand. TROOPER You are Catherine Margaret Robinson,
born Catherine Margaret Bracken, known as Nellie?
NELLIE Yes TROOPER And youāve been married for how long? NELLIE For eight years... TROOPER Had your husband been acting at all
differently of late? NELLIE SHAKES HER HEAD. Was he having black moods. Was he low
in spirits? NELLIE Not really. TROOPER Did he have any enemies to speak of. NELLIE No, he was loved by everybody. TROOPER And forgive me for being presumptuous
Mrs.Robinson, but your relationship with the deceased. Were you .....
NELLIE If ever two people were soul mates,
if ever two people were intended for each other and would have pined away alone and loveless if they had not
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found each other John and I were that couple. Fetch us some fruit-cake Jane. Iām sure the Superintendent is hungry.
JANE CUTS A SLICE OF FRUIT CAKE. THE TROOPER HOES INTO IT TROOPER I understand Mr. Robinson had some
sort of malformation of the right hand
NELLIE Yes he did. His spine was also
slightly twisted. An accident of birth.. or that was what he told me...
TROOPER Did he have any use of the hand? NELLIE He could do some things with it. TROOPER Such as... NELLIE SMILES SLIGHTLY COYLY NELLIE He could... turn a door handle. He
could lift a bucket. TROOPER The doctor is of the opinion the
sinews were frozen in position and he could grasp nothing tightly.
NELLIE He had limited movement, but he had some. TROOPER Did you recently have a pig killed Maāam. NELLIE Yes we did....the bacon is hanging in
the cool store. TROOPER How long ago would this be? NELLIE Perhaps two or three weeks ago. TROOPER Who killed the pig Mrs. Robinson? NELLIE I killed the pig. TROOPER And what knife did you use?
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NELLIE I used Mr. Martins knife. Mr. Malachi Martin, a man who occasionally offers assistance around the Hotel.
TROOPER What did you do with the knife Mrs.
Robinson, after you had finished killing the pig...
NELLIE HESITATES Did you return it to Mr. Martin? NELLIE ..no ...I kept it...I put it in the drawer... SHE GOES CONFIDENTLY TO LOOK FOR THE KNIFE. It should be in here... THE KNIFE IS NOT THERE. ...it should be here... SHE LOOKS IN AWE AT THE TROOPER AS THE REALISATION THAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE INSTRUMENT OF DEATH DAWNS. SHE IS EITHER TRULY AMAZED OR A FABULOUS ACTOR. THE TROOPER HOLDS UP A KNIFE TROOPER Is this the knife? NELLIE IS UPSET NOW NELLIE Yes thatās the knifeā¦ TROOPER You are aware Mr. Malachi Martin is
under arrest charged with the murder of your husband.
NELLIE Mr. Martin is almost a stranger to
me. He works mostly with John and they seemed to get on alright although I would say Mr. Martin as a man is a good deal courser than my husband...
TROOPER In what way courser? NELLIE HESITATES. May I speak to you in private sir
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THEY BOTH LOOK AT JANE WHO EXITS NELLIE Mr. Martin did once try to ... TROOPER Go on NELLIE He stopped me in the yard when John
was away from home. He had been drinking, and he tried to ...
TROOPER I think I understand... NELLIE He touched me... THE TROOPER IS UNSETTLED BY NELLIES FRANKNESS. TROOPER yes... NELLIE I have never spoken of this to anyone. TROOPER I understand. NELLIE I pushed him away. TROOPER Yes. NELLIE It was over a year ago. The very next
day Martin came to me in absolute distraction, crying and hitting his hand to his head, hurting himself. He was making such a noise and we had an important man from Adelaide staying so I took him down to the laundry shed where no-one could hear him, and I shut the door and he kneeled down before me and he kissed my hands and he cried real tears and he said he couldnāt live with himself for what he had tried to do, to me a respectable married woman with a husband held in such high esteem as Mr. Robinson... and he made me swear not to tell Mr. Robinson, that he regarded Mr. Robinson as a friend and a benefactor and he could not bear him to think ill of him. And he pushed his wet brow against my skirt and he prayed to god, there in front of me....for a whole fifteen minutes...he prayed to god.
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TROOPER I see...well....I see.... NELLIE It was very moving and I forgave him. TROOPER I see... NELLIE And never since have I had a hint of trouble from him TROOPER ....Well...I had better get going... NELLIE Of course...Jane.... JANE ENTERS AND FETCHES THE TROOPERS HAT AND COAT TROOPER I should tell you Mrs. Robinson, that
with-out a doubt it was Malachi Martin that killed your husband with a pig-knife, and he should swing for it, but the only hard evidence we have is the word of a black-fella, and for some asinine reason that makes sense to the bankers and clerics that run this place, he canāt take the oath and his word wonāt stand up in court, so Martin was released last night on a technicality. I told him to get out of the district or I wouldnāt answer for the consequences.
NELLIE Heās gone then... TROOPER So far as I know. Heās scuttled off
to the gold-fields or some such place...Iād steer clear of him Mrs. Robinson
HE PUTS THE KNIFE ON THE TABLE AND LEAVES ABRUPTLY NELLIE SAYS NOTHING. NOR DOES JANE. NELLIE LOOKS COMPLETELY BEREFT. NELLIE Stay with me...Youāll stay with me? THE LIGHT FADES VERY SLOWLY ON THEM.
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IT IS EARLY IN THE MORNING A YEAR OR SO LATER. JANE HAS COLLECTED SOME FLOWERS FROM THE GARDEN ON THE TABLE AND IS ARRANGING THEM INTO A POSY. NELLIE ENTERS. JANE HURRIEDLY TRYS TO HIDE THE BUNCH OF FLOWERS. NELLIE Are they for me? JANE SHAKES HER HEAD. Youāre blushingā¦ JANE STARTS TO LEAVE. Youāve got a fancy-man. JANE No. NELLIE I donāt believe you. JANE I havenāt... NELLIE Itās not that german cabinet maker.
Youāre not in love with him. JANE no... NELLIE Heās too old for you. JANE Itās not him. NELLIE Who is it then? JANE Itās no-one. NELLIE sly fox... JANE I havenāt anybody. NELLIE Then who are the flowers for? JANE Just a friend. NELLIE You havenāt got any friends. JANE Iāve made a few. NELLIE Who? JANE SAYS NOTHING. NELLIE LAUGHS. You dont have to tell me if you donāt want to...If itās embarrassing....
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JANE Itās not embarassing. NELLIE Well then? JANE The flowers arenāt for anybody thatās
living... NELLIE oh. JANE Theyāre to put on a grave. NELLIE Oh. Whose grave? JANE ALMOST WHISPERS. JANE Your husbands..... NELLIE Where did you get them from? JANE I picked them. NELLIE Where did you pick them? JANE I picked them from the garden. NELLIE You stole them. JANE I grew the garden. NELLIE With my money. JANE I wanted to use proper flowers. Iām sorry. NELLIE I didnāt know you were so fond of him. JANE I hardly knew him. NELLIE He must have made quite an impression
on you. JANE No.I just felt sorry for him. I was
walking in the bush and I stumbled over it, his grave. And it was all neglected.I mean it was overgrown,so Iā¦
NELLIE So you whatā¦ JANE I tidied it upā¦
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NELLIE Give me the flowers. JANE DOESNāT MOVE. Give me them. JANE I canāt see any harm... NELLIE HOLDS OUT HER HAND. JANE GIVES NELLIE THE FLOWERS. NELLIE RIPS THEIR HEADS OFF AND DROPS THEM ON THE FLOOR. NELLIE Now clean that up! JANE I havenāt been paid for a whole year.
I havenāt had a penny from you in a whole year.
NELLIE Why donāt you leave then? JANE I would like to be paid. NELLIE We havenāt got any money. JANE You bought new sheets from the pedlar. NELLIE Do you think I put them on my bed. Do you think Iām sleeping in them! JANE Iāve written to Mr. Macbride. NELLIE I havenāt got anything more than what
youāve got. Do I give myself any little treats. I havenāt bought myself anything new in months. What have you got to complain about?
JANE But I work for you. NELLIE I work just as hard. JANE But itās your hotel. NELLIE The bank owns most of it. JANE You owe me a hundred and four pounds,
twelve shillings and sixpence... NELLIE I havenāt got it. I canāt give you any of it.
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JANE You used to work for your living. NELLIE yeah and I got out of it. JANE But you wanted to be paid..when you
did work, you wanted to be paid. NELLIE Of course I did. JANE Well I want to be paid. Iāve waited.
You said to wait and Iāve waited. NELLIE Youāll be paid when business picks
up. JANE Business wonāt pick up. NELLIE Why not. JANE SAYS NOTHING. Why wonāt business pick up? JANE SAYS NOTHING. NELLIE TALKS SOFTLY AND INTENSELY NELLIE I donāt know the truth of those
events that have given us such a sinister reputation, so that even if some ignorant traveler stops for the night and enjoys his food and sleeps soundly in his bed, heāll quickly be told on his departure the odious nature of the place he just quitted, and thank his god that he didnāt lose his head in the night. Do you think I havenāt thought about it, that I havenāt racked my brain time and time again over whether Malachi could have done such a thing?
JANE SOFTENS A LITTLE
Weāre the same you and me. Set off halfway across the world all by ourselves, thatās no small undertakingā¦
SHE SOFTENS A LITTLE MORE
The sourness will leave this place. People will come back. Youāll see. Weāll build a second floor, and dig a
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cellar, and buy a piano and install a front verandah for young ladies wanting a taste of the wilderness.
Iāll be the mistress of a grand establishment, and youāll get paid everything youāre owed and more I promise...
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SCENE TWELVE THE TROOPER AND THE BLACK TRACKER . THE TRACKER IS PEELING POTATOES AND THE TROOPER IS CUTTING THEM INTO CHIPS TROOPER I didnāt think armed guards were
necessary. Not for Meningie. But Adelaide is insisting
TRACKER Why? TROOPER Apparently some women are very
affected and throw themselves onto the coffin wailing, like they had been secret lovers...
TRACKER Perhaps they had. Perhaps thereās a
string of fatherless babies stretching all the way to Melbourne
TROOPER All called Robert or William TRACKER Or Roberta TROOPER Or Wilhemina. Thick or Thin TRACKER I like them thick TROOPER Well, even if the poor women brave
the armed guard, open up the coffin and rip apart the human packets inside, they wonāt get much satisfaction. Iāve heard the bones bear as much resemblance to human remains as fish to chicken
TRACKER really TROOPER Dingoes had dug up most everything,
so the poor Victorians collected any old bones they could find, wrapped them up in white canvas, called one Burke and one Wills, and are bringing them down, town by town, flanked by six black plumed horses...
TRACKER Burke and Wills...arenāt they the ones that drowned? TROOPER What ones that drowned?
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TRACKER ..some boat-load of explorers that drowned
TROOPER I donāt know of any boat-load of
explorers that drowned TRACKER Trying to find the great inland sea... THE TRACKER LAUGHS TROOPER That wasnāt such a far fetched idea surely TRACKER They took their boat with them... TROOPER Burke and Wills arenāt the ones that
drowned. Burke and Wills are the ones that starved.
TRACKER Oh thatās right...they buried their
food and water underneath a tree and then they couldnāt find the tree...
TROOPER They found the treeā¦ It had an arrow
carved in it pointing to where the provisions were buried, they found the tree and they ate the food and drank the waterā¦ but then they couldnāt find any more and they starved ...
TRACKER I love that story TROOPER I donāt quite see what there is to love about it... TRACKER I like to think about them sitting under their tree. TROOPER Why TRACKER I donāt know. Two men, sitting under
a tree, waiting for rescue, waiting for death. There is something quite evocative about it.
TROOPER You find nothing poignant about it? TRACKER It has always struck me more as a comic situation.
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ā¦.You donāt find it funny? TROOPER No. TRACKER But you were laughing before. TROOPER I was laughing at manās need for a
keep-sake overwhelming his love for the truth and I was laughing at the silly women who grieve for a stranger as though he were an intimate acquaintance, but the essential story of two men who set out to find what lies at the heart of their land and die in the attempt, that I donāt find funny...
TRACKER Not when you close your eyes and picture them sitting under the tree in the hot sun. TROOPER No TRACKER It tickles my funny bone TROOPER ā¦And is your funny bone tickled at
all by a story a little closer to hand and not so long ago when an entire boat-load of people were murdered in cold blood by your country men.
TRACKER Remind me of the story TROOPER You know the story TRACKER I have forgotten it TROOPER Very well. The ship Maria runs
aground off the Coorong and all twenty six souls aboard are set apon and killed...and all their money and possessions stolen...and when the troopers go to investigate they find the entire tribe decked out in dead menās shirts and dead womenās dresses....is that amusing...
TRACKER The costumery is mildly amusing. TROOPER Or do you just find death amusing
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TRACKER Depends whoās dying TROOPER When white people die itās funny TRACKER Sometimes PAUSE TROOPER Malachi Martinās back TRACKER Is he. Is he at the widows? TROOPER Heās camped out by the wash-pool, by
his own bloody memorial.... I want you to keep an eye on him.
TRACKER Sure Iāll follow him round. TROOPER More than that. Ask him for work. TRACKER Work? TROOPER You can go under-cover for a bit... THE TRACKER SMILES. PAUSE TROOPER Damn it. Why is it that I can feel
massive sympathy for the treatment of your fellow countrymen, can mourn the hundreds dead from small pox and flu, can cry with you when the Robe River people were heinously murdered with poisoned flourā¦ and yet you canāt find it in your heart to sympathize with two men dying hungry under a tree.
TRACKER Oh come on Jack. Would you ask a
Carthaginian to toast the health of his Roman overseer?
TROOPER I should never have let you in my
libraryā¦
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SCENE ELEVEN NELLIE IS WAITING IN THE KITCHEN. SHE IS DRESSED UP FOR SOME OCCASION. SHE HAS ON A BLACK ARM-BAND. NELLIE Are you nearly ready...Come on Jane,
weāll be late. SHE CUTS A PIECE OF BLACK VELVET.
What are you doing in there, come on. Doesnāt it fit you? I can alter it if it doesnāt fit you...
THEREāS NO RESPONSE.
Iām coming in.
JANE (off) No. Go without me. NELLIE It canāt be that bad. Come on. Weāll
miss everything... JANE EMERGES SLOWLY. SHE HAS ON A NEW DRESS THAT NELLIE HAS MADE FOR HER. IT IS SIMPLE AND WELL MADE AND SHE LOOKS QUITE LOVELY. NELLIE SHRIEKS WITH PLEASURE. JANE I donāt think I want to wear it. NELLIE Why not? JANE Itās very pretty, but... NELLIE Whatās wrong with it? JANE Thanks for making it for me but... NELLIE Jane..You have to wear it. JANE I feel stupid. NELLIE You look like a lady in a shop. JANE Do I? NELLIE Better than that. You look...French. PAUSE JANE Iām too tall. NELLIE Youāre not too tall.
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JANE My hands and feet are too big. NELLIE Iāve never noticed. JANE They look like they belong to
somebody elseās body. NELLIE They donāt... Show me. JANE LIFTS UP HER SKIRT AND SHOWS HER BIG FEET. NELLIE LOOKS AT THEM IN SILENCE. JANE Theyāre big arenāt they. NELLIE Theyāre not that big. JANE And my handsā¦ JANE LOOKS AT HER BIG HANDS NELLIE Theyāre fine.. JANE Theyāre huge. NELLIE Theyāre not huge. JANE My mother had tiny hands...like your
hands... NELLIE I hate my hands. Theyāre horrible... SHE HOLDS OUT HER HANDS Iāve got stumpy fingers. JANE Theyāre not stumpy. NELLIE Of course theyāre stumpy. SHE HOLDS UP HER HANDS TO JANEāS AND THEY BOTH SMILE. NELLIE SEWS A BLACK VELVET ARM-BAND ON TO JANEāS ARM AS SHE TALKS.
I knew that a fitted bodice would suit you. And the full skirt. And the fine print, see, I was right wasnāt I? Those dreadful roses you liked, they wouldāve been completely wrong, this, look at it, itās like what youād see on a beautiful chair in a rich ladyās dining room, itās elegant and refined.
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SHE BITES THE COTTON THREAD. Nothing flashy about it..And the special pocket! You must like the special pocket? JANE SMILES BASHFULLY. JANE Yes I like the special pocket. NELLIE Have you put anything in it yet? NELLIE FEELS JANES WAIST. You have! Wasnāt it clever how I tucked it in behind? JANE SMILES. Come on.
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SCENE TWELVE LATE THAT NIGHT. NELLIE AND JANE ARE TALKING ON JANEāS BED. JANE Sheād line jobs up for me till
eleven-thirty, twelve oclock at night-
NELLIE Some of them are such bitches. JANE ..meanwhile sheād be snoring in bed
with her dogs, she used to sleep with her dogs, three of them..
THEY LAUGH. NELLIE Shh, not too loud. JANE Washing her sheets was enough to make
you throw up, they were so foul, they were covered in dog hair-
NELLIE Auggh JANE She was the one that accused me of
stealing her comb set, her ivory comb set, I didnāt take her comb set. She sent a letter to Adelaide-
NELLIE sshh.. JANE ..and got me into trouble, and for
three weeks I had to stay in a wayward girls home.
NELLIE You didnāt mention that in your
application letter. JANE No, I.. NELLIE LAUGHS. Donāt! It was awful. My sister came
and vouched for me and got me out, and found me work at Murray Bridge with Mr Macbride.
NELLIE What was he like? JANE He was very nice. NELLIE What was wrong with him?
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JANE There was nothing wrong with him. NELLIE Did he try to kiss you? JANE No. NELLIE He did didnāt he? They all do. JANE He didnāt. THEY LAUGH. SOMEONE BASHES ON THE WALL. THEY WHISPER. NELLIE Which oneās that? JANE The old one. NELLIE The one with the limp? JANE NODS. NELLIE LIES BACK ON THE BED. THEY ARE LOST IN THEIR OWN THOUGHTS FOR A MOMENT. NELLIE Have you ever kissed anyone? JANE ...a man on the boat..coming out... NELLIE Did you like it? JANE It was alright. NELLIE And you only kissed? JANE Yes. NELLIE What else did you do? JANE Thatās all. We just kissed. NELLIE The first time Malachi kissed me, he
bit me, on the mouth, and I thought he must be really inexperienced... but he wasnāt...he liked it... Iām bad arenāt I?
JANE No. No... youāre not bad. NELLIE I am bad. JANE Malachiās bad. Youāre not bad. NELLIE Iām glad heās gone.
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JANE Are you? NELLIE Iām glad itās just you and me.I
missed him, oh, that first year, it was like half of me was gone... what was that?
JANE What? NELLIE I heard something. THEY ARE QUIET. Whoās there? THERE IS NO ANSWER. Is there anyone there?
NELLIE MOVES TO THE DOOR. JANE REACHES UNDER THE BED. DARKNESS HAS FALLEN AND THE DOOR IS IN SHADOW. A FIGURE ENTERS AND GRABS NELLIE FROM BEHIND. SHE SCREAMS. JANE POINTS THE SHOT-GUN. JANE Let her go. MALACHI I will if you ask nicely. NELLIE Malachi....Oh Malachi. THEY EMBRACE. JANE STILL HAS THE GUN RAISED AND POINTED. MALACHI You can put the gun down now. JANE LOWERS THE GUN. JOCKEY ENTERS, CARRYING THE BAGS.
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SCENE FOURTEEN A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. JANE IS WAITING FOR NELLIE TO GET UP. NELLIE IS UP VERY LATE. SHE FINALLY ENTERS IN HER NIGHT-DRESS JANE Nellieā¦ NELLIE What is it? JANE I want to give my two weeks notice. NELLIE Why? JANE My sisters sick. NELLIE Whatās wrong with her? JANE Sheās alright, sheās justā¦ unwell. NELLIE Do you want to visit her, and then come back. JANE No. PAUSE NELLIE When did you find out? JANE ā¦I got a letter from herā¦ on Tuesday. NELLIE You didnāt mention it. JANE I was.. thinking about it.. NELLIE Do you want to go? JANE No I donāt want to go. NELLIE Well why go? JANE SAYS NOTHING. MALACHI ENTERS. HE HAS NO SHIRT ON. HE LEANS LANGUIDLY AGAINST THE DOOR-JAM. NELLIE Jane wants to leave.. Her sisters sick. MALACHI Iām sorry to hear that... HE EXITS BACK INTO THE BED-ROOM. NELLIE WHISPERS. NELLIE I asked him point blank last night.
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JANE What? NELLIE Whether he killed him. Whether he
killed John. Thatās what youāre worried about isnāt it.
JANE I...No...I.. NELLIE Well I asked him. I asked him
straight out. JANE What did he say? MALACHI ENTERS. HE HAS PUT HIS SHIRT ON. NELLIE Ask him. Ask him yourself. JANE What. No. NELLIE Go on. Ask him. MALACHI What do you want to know Jane? JANE I.... NELLIE She wants to know if you murdered my
husband. She doesnāt want to live in a house with a murderer. You have to tell her you didnāt murder him.
PAUSE. MALACHI I didnāt murder him. NELLIE See. PAUSE Please stay Jane. Say youāll stay. JANE Iām sorry.. but I think I have to go to my sister. PAUSE ....Thereās the question of my wages. NELLIE How much is it? JANE A hundred and ninety pounds and twelve shillingsā¦
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NELLIE SAYS NOTHING.
Perhaps if you gave me half of it.. if you gave me ninety five-poundsā¦six shillings..and thenā¦
NELLIE We canāt afford it. Iāve got your
sisters address. When we have the money we can forward it to you there.
JANE SAYS NOTHING. Do you want to do that? PAUSE JANE ā¦Thereās forty-seven pounds in the
sewing box. If you gave me that, we could say that we were settled. That would be sufficient. If you gave me thatā¦
SHE LOOKS AT NELLIE PLEADINGLY. NELLIE CONSIDERS. NELLIE Iām afraid weāre going to need
thatā¦for running costsā¦
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SCENE FIFTEEN JANE IS IN HER BED-ROOM, FURIOUSLY FOLDING THINGS UP AND THROWING THEM INTO HER SUIT-CASE. ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE STOPS PACKING AND BURSTS INTO TEARS. SHE STIFLES THEM AND WHISPERS FIERCELY. JANE I wonāt go without my money. SHE PUSHES THE SUIT-CASE OFF THE BED Make them give me my money. SHE KICKS THE SUIT-CASE They should give me my money. SHE IS REALISES SHE IS MAKING A BIT OF NOISE AND COVERS HER MOUTH AND IS QUIET FOR A MOMENT. FOR COMFORT SHE TAKES OUT A SMALL BUNDLE HIDDEN IN THE WAIST SEAM OF HER NEW DRESS. IT IS A ROLL OF MONEY. THERE APPEARS TO BE QUITE A LOT OF IT. SHE SITS DOWN ON THE BED AND SHE STARTS COUNTING HER MONEY SOFTLY. one, two, three, four, nine,
fourteen, nineteen, twenty four, twenty-five
SHE REPLACES THE ERRANT ONE POUND NOTE LOVINGLY BACK IN ITāS SPOT. thirty, thirty-five, forty, forty-
five, fifty, fifty-fiveā¦ SHE BREATHES DEEPLY. SHE IS CALMING DOWN. sixty-five, seventy-five, eighty-
five... THE VOICE AND THE PICTURE FADE.
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SCENE SIXTEEN NELLIE PULLS HER HANDS AWAY FROM HER EYES. A BEAUTIFUL BOX SITS ON THE TABLE. MALACHI WATCHES HER. āJOCKEYā STANDS SILENTLY BY. NELLIE What is it? MALACHI A box. NELLIE Whatās in it? MALACHI Open it and see... NELLIE GOES CAUTIOUSLY TOWARDS THE BOX. NELLIE Itās not snakes is it. Thereās
pictures of snakes on it. MALACHI ...might be snakes. NELLIE and ladies heads with fancy hair-doās. MALACHI Maybe thereās a ladies head inside. NELLIE augh.... Havenāt you looked? MALACHI No... NELLIE Where did you get it from? MALACHI I found it. NELLIE Where? MALACHI It was sitting out in the salt, in
the middle of nowhere. NELLIE Is that true Jockey? It was just
sitting out in the salt? JOCKEY SHRUGS. But who does it belong to? Whatās in it? MALACHI It probably belongs to a hair-dresser. Itāll be full of scissors and Chinamenās plaits.
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JANE ENTERS THE KITCHEN. SHE HAS TAKEN OFF THE PRETTY DRESS THAT NELLIE MADE HER, AND HAS HER OLD CLOTHES BACK ON. NELLIE It wouldnāt be Chinamenās plaits. Chinamen donāt get their hair cut. They need it, itās to pull them home or something like that. MALACHI Open the box Nellie. NELLIE Iām not opening it until I know whose box it is... MALACHI I canāt tell you. NELLIE Well then Iām not opening it! MALACHI I donāt know whose box it is! JANE Itās the pedlars box. THEY LOOK AT HER. THERE IS A PAUSE. NELLIE His box isnāt painted all gaudy. His
box is plain red... JANE He had it painted. It was covered all
over like that last time he came. A man in Tailem Bend did it for him, rather than pay for his paints...
NELLIE The pedlars box.... SHE GOES TO OPEN IT. Malachi...It wonāt open. Itās locked! MALACHI I forgot....I found a key lying
nearby.... NELLIE Give it...give it here... quickly... HE HOLDS IT UP. NELLIE GRABS IT ooh itās all wet... SHE WIPES IT ON HER WHITE DRESS LEAVING LONG STICKY RED STREAKS....AND EAGERLY OPENS THE BOX. Look...oh look...
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SHE PULLS OUT LENGTH AFTER LENGTH OF MATERIAL.
Silk...purple silk..and ribbons... Look. Look at all the ribbons...
SHE PULLS OUT A HANDFUL OF LOVELY RIBBONS.
Tie my hair Malachi... MALACHI TIES A RIBBON ON TO HER HAIR. NELLIE HOLDS OUT THE HANDFUL OF RIBBONS TO JANE What colour do you want Jane? JANE I have enough ribbons... NELLIE Go on.. JANE TAKES A RIBBON AND HOLDS IT LIMPLY IN HER HAND. NELLIE DIVES BACK IN THE BOX.
Slippers.. We could sell themā¦ and Turkish cigarettesā¦
SHE PULLS OUT TWO BAMBOO SEGMENT āSNAKESā
Ha. Here are the snakes! I told you. I told you thereād be snakes!...oh look.
SHE TOSSES THE SNAKES AND PULLS OUT WHITE SHEETS.
Sheets.. We never have enough sheets. But whereās the pedlar... what if he comes back....What if heād just gone for a walk and he comes back and he finds his box gone and he finds out who has it....
Weāll have to put everything back. MALACHI He wonāt come back. NELLIE Are you sure? MALACHI SAYS NOTHING
How can you be sure he wonāt come back?
MALACHI He wonāt. I can tell.
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NELLIE Shouldnāt we wait a couple of weeks. Just to make sure he doesnāt turn up. He might have been taken ill... shouldnāt we wait a little while...
MALACHI No we donāt have to wait. Itās our
box now. I found it. NELLIE But the pedlar.... MALACHI The pedlarās gone. Heās gone. Do you
understand? Heās gone! He got tired of being a pedlar and having to carry such a big heavy box around with him all the time. He felt a great pain in his head at the high prices he charged, tempting people with his fancy stuff, then fleecing them out of their money. So he thought heād try his hand at something else. He decided to go to sea and be a sailor. And he dumped his box of stuff because he wouldnāt be needing it where he was going. He wonāt be back. As soon as I saw that box sitting there I knew. It wasnāt dropped by mistake, or left temporarily. I could tell just by looking at it. It had a definite air of being left behind on purpose, sitting out in the middle of the white salt, no one for miles around....It might as well have had a sign stuck on it saying whoever wants this box can take it with them because I donāt want it... Iāve decided to go to sea and I wonāt be needing it. The pedlar has gone, heās gone away where no-one will ever find him and heās left his box to whoever might pass by and pick it up and good luck to them.
THEY ARE ALL SILENT FOR A MOMENT. THEN NELLIE THROWS HERSELF INTO DISCOVERING ITS CONTENTS WITH NEW FERVOR. SHE IS A LITTLE BREATHLESS AND FEVERISH. NELLIE Socks... and lanterns, look...and
fans. Itās all so pretty...Candles, theyāll come in useful, and forks and knives...
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SHE PULLS OUT A CARDBOARD BOX AND OPENS IT. INSIDE IS A STEREOSCOPE Whatās this? SHE FINDS THE CARDS THAT GO WITH IT AND PUTS A CARD INTO THE SLOT AND LOOKS THROUGH THE EYE-PIECE. SHE IS ENTRANCED AND CALMS DOWN A LITTLE.
Itās Paris, or Morocco or somewhere. Right before your eyes, and the street runs away from you. Like a real street, like you were standing on the street corner. Look Malachi.
MALACHI LOOKS AND HANDS IT BACK. NELLIE IS LEAFING THROUGH THE CARDS, READING THE TITLES
The great pyramids at Giza...The gardens of Alhambra... The Ziggurat of Ur...
SHE PUTS A NEW CARD IN
Aaaaahhhh. Look Jane...look at all the places youāll never get to see...
JANE No thankyou... NELLIE PUTS A NEW CARD IN THE SLOT. NELLIE Oh look at this one...Itās a
story...a man in a mask behind the door with an axe and a girl on the bed...half naked....half naked... dressed in her shimmy....and then....
SHE PUTS ANOTHER CARD IN THE SLOT
Augh thatās awful... thatās awful. Look Jane.
JANE No thankyou. NELLIE Go on. JANE I donāt want to. MALACHI Look at the picture. Itās just a bit
of fun. Whatās wrong with you?
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NELLIE Donāt be so mean Malachi. Sheās scared... arenāt you Jane
MALACHI Are you? JANE No. NELLIE Of course she is. MALACHI No need to be scared. NELLIE Itās only a picture. Look at it. Go on. MALACHI Look at it.... JANE TAKES THE STEREOSCOPE NELLIE wait wait...this one first... SHE PUTS THE PREVIOUS CARD IN.. JANE LOOKS AT IT and then.... SHE PUTS THE SECOND CARD IN.
This one! Itās horrible isnāt it, the blood all gushing. Itās like youāre really in the room, in the room with all that blood. Itās awful isnāt it...
JANE Yes....itās awful. END OF ACT I
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ACT TWO, SCENE ONE NELLIE AND MALACHI AND JANE ARE SITTING ROUND THE TABLE PLAYING CARDS AND DRINKING WINE. JANE IS TIRED AND WANTS TO GO TO BED. IT IS LATE ON A VERY WINDY NIGHT. JANE Cheat NELLIE I didnāt MALACHI TURNS OVER THE CARDS MALACHI four queens NELLIE Thatās what I said ...four queens MALACHI four jacks ...thatās what you
said...It had to be jacks...or nines...
NELLIE Jacks and Queens ..theyāre exactly the same... MALACHI Theyāre your cards... NELLIE ...and Jane cheatedā¦she didnāt have a ten NELLIE SULKILY SCRAPES UP THE HUGE PILE OF CARDS Look. A four...I told you... SHE STARTS TO SORT THEM Youāre both cheats...look at this.. Not a straight card in there... MALACHI Itās your turn Nellie NELLIE Wait and let me sort them... SHE LABORIOUSLY STARTS SORTING THEM JANE I might go to bed MALACHI ....Come on Nellie SHE CONTINUES TO SORT IRRITATINGLY SLOWLY Jesus .. NELLIE Iām tired of this game anyway. Letās
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play poker. MALACHI We canāt play poker...itās no good with three.. NELLIE Weāll get Mr Pankotis...Heāll play with us MALACHI Heās gone to bed NELLIE Go and ask Mr. Pankotis if he wants to play poker... JANE Isnāt it too late.. NELLIE Go on ... JANE Shouldnāt we let him sleep NELLIE Thereās no harm in asking JANE Itās half past two... NELLIE He wonāt mind JANE He wants to be woken up early... NELLIE Well there you are then... JANE RELUCTANTLY EXITS... A MUFFLED KNOCKING CAN BE HEARD. JANE Mr Pankotis... THERE IS NO RESPONSE. NELLIE Sheās whispering. Sheās bloody whispering THE KNOCKING COMES AGAIN. JANE Mr Pankotis JANE RETURNS Thereās no answer NELLIE Knock louder JANE STARTS TO EXIT
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Wake the fat old bugger up MALACHI Jane...go and get the jockey NELLIE He canāt play MALACHI Weāll teach him NELLIE I donāt want to play with him. I want
to play with Mr Pankotis. MALACHI Go on Jane, get the jockey JANE I think heās gone back to the camp MALACHI No heās not...heās bunked in the shed JANE Iād quite like to go to bed... MALACHI Tell him to bring all his
money...Tell him to bring his millions...Weāre going to play poker ...
JANE EXITS ....Weāll win ourselves some money eh Nellie. And weāll take a trip to town. Weāll go for a ride on the Jockeys millions. NELLIE SNIGGERS. MALACHI GETS A CIGAR OUT OF A BOX. ...last one but one.. HE LIGHTS IT AND PUFFS AWAY AT IT. THE WIND BLOWS AND RATTLES THE WINDOWS. AFTER A PAUSE... NELLIE Janeās got money... MALACHI Jane has? NELLIE pounds and pounds...she keeps it down
her pants. MALACHI Whereād she get money... NELLIE She saved it all up when she worked
for Mr Macbride.. scrimping and saving. She wants to make hats for ladies...
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MALACHI How do you know NELLIE She told me... MALACHI Why didnāt you tell me NELLIE I donāt know THERE IS AN UNCOMFORTABLE PAUSE. Iām sorry MALACHI Donāt you trust me NELLIE Of course I trust you JANE ENTERS WITH JOCKEY WHO HAS JUST WOKEN UP Weāre playing for money. JANE real money? MALACHI What other sort is there? JANE Iām not allowed to play for money. MALACHI Who says? JANE ...Itās a sin MALACHI ...canāt be one of the very bad sins
Itās not one of the ten commandments is it....not like adultery...or murder
JANE Itās called venery NELLIE Whatery? JANE Venery MALACHI Never heard of it JANE Iād really rather not play cards Mr
Martin. Iām very tired. Iād like to go to bed...
MALACHI Youāre in arenāt you Jockey..sit
down...sit down next to me
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NELLIE Get us your shells Jane...we can use them as markers...
JANE FETCHES A CARDBOARD BOX. NELLIE TIPS ITS CONTENTS ON THE TABLE. A HUGE PILE OF SEA SHELLS. SHE STARTS COUNTING OUT TWENTY FOR EACH PERSON... ....arenāt they pretty... MALACHI ADDRESSES JOCKEY MALACHI Each of these sea-shells represents
five shillings. I lend you twenty sea shells. If you win more than twenty sea shells, I give you money, but if you lose any sea-shells you give me money. Understand?
JOCKEY Uhuh NELLIE Thatās stupid. He hasnāt got any money. MALACHI Alright then...for each shell youāll
owe me one years labour NELLIE You watch him Jockey. Thatās only
five shillings a year JANE MUTTERS JANE Itās more than what Iām getting NELLIE SHOOTS HER A DIRTY LOOK. MALACHI SHUFFLES THE DECK IN A FANCY MANNER NELLIE Do that fountain thing MALACHI DOES ANOTHER FANCY TRICK MALACHI Itās one shell to play JANE Could I make a suggestion that each
shell is worth sixpence... MALACHI STARTS DEALING THE CARDS MALACHI Jockey can learn as we go JANE If each shell was worth sixpence, then...
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NELLIE sshh MALACHI Fetch us some more to drink JANE FETCHES A BIG JUG OF COLD WINE. THE WIND BLOWS THE DOOR OPEN WITH A BASH ....and close the door and latch it tight MALACHI POURS A GLASS AND DRINKS IT ALL IN ONE GO. HE POURS HIMSELF ANOTHER ONE. ...weāre going to make a night of it.. NELLIE POURS HERSELF A DRINK. JOCKEY POURS HIMSELF A DRINK. JANE, AFTER A PAUSE, POURS HERSELF A DRINK. NELLIE AND JANE PICK UP THEIR CARDS. JOCKEY FOLLOWS SUIT. NELLIE Whoās bank MALACHI Iām bank NELLIE I want two MALACHI ADDRESSES JOCKEY MALACHI If theyāre the same colour, you keep
them, if theyāre the same number you keep them, if theyāre all in a row you keep them... Whereās everybodyās shellsā¦.
THEY ALL PUT THEIR SHELLS IN. JANE Iād like one please... MALACHI one... HE DEALS HER ONE AND HE DEALS NELLIE TWO CARDS.
Do you want any jockey...do you want to swap any of your cards?
JOCKEY SHAKES HIS HEAD. MALACHI LOOKS AT HIS OWN CARDS Iām having two... HE LOOKS AT HIS NEW CARDS alright...Jane..are you in or out...
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JANE Iām in... SHE PUSHES A HALF SHELL INTO THE BETTING PILE MALACHI Whatās that? JANE Thatās half a shell. Itās worth two
shillings and sixpence NELLIE LAUGHS MALACHI Thatās bull-shit. Do you hear me. Thatās bull-shit. Theyāre all worth the same... Theyāre all worth five shillings...Nellie... NELLIE Iāll see your shell and Iāll raise you three shells... MALACHI ADDRESSES JOCKEY MALACHI If you think your hand is good enough
to beat anyone Jockey, youāve got to put in three shells at least...three at least.
JOCKEY NODS. HE PUTS IN THREE SHELLS. And then you can bet more if you want JOCKEY PUTS IN TEN MORE. EVERYONE LOOKS AT HIM JANE Are you sure you want to put in that
many Jockey..Thatās...fifty shillings MALACHI Let him do what he wants. Iāll see you HE PUTS IN TEN SHELLS And Iāll raise you five. JANE .....I pass... NELLIE Iāll see you... SHE PUTS IN FIVE SHELLS. MALACHI ADDRESSES JOCKEY MALACHI If you want to stay in, you put in five
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JOCKEY PUTS IN FIVE And you can bet more if you want... If you have any JOCKEY PUTS IN HIS LAST REMAINING SHELL. MALACHI LAUGHS Heās cleaned himself out. ....Iāll see your one NELLIE Iāll see it too MALACHI What have we got. NELLIE Iāve got a pair of aces MALACHI Iāve got two pair, a pair of threes
and a pair of jacks. Turn over your cards Jockey.Turn over your cards.
JOCKEY TURNS OVER HIS CARDS Nothing...youāve got nothing MALACHI AND NELLIE AND JANE AND JOCKEY LAUGH not a pair or anything. ...nothing at all... THEY ALL PISS THEMSELVES LAUGHING. MALACHI PULLS HIS WINNINGS OVER TOWARDS HIM. JOCKEY HELPS HIMSELF TO MORE SHELLS FROM THE BANK PILE
Heh. Youāve got to buy them. You canāt just take them. Youāve got to buy them from the bank. You want more..
JOCKEY Uhuh MALACHI Iām the bank. You want to borrow
shells. You ask me. You can have twenty more... Count him twenty more Nellie...
MALACHI IS SHUFFLING THE CARDS NELLIE Donāt we go round the table with the shuffling...doesnāt Jane get to shuffle now...
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MALACHI Youāre thinking of pontoon NELLIE No...poker...itās poker...you take it in turns to deal. MALACHI Shut-up Nellie. HE DEALS OUT FIVE CARDS TO EVERYONE Put your shells in. Itās two shells for round two. EVERYONE PUTS THEIR SHELLS IN JANE Iād like two please MALACHI DEALS HER TWO NELLIE I want four MALACHI DEALS HER FOUR JOCKEY I want one MALACHI DEALS HIM ONE MALACHI Iām staying with what Iāve got Are you inā¦ Come on. JANE Yes Iām in. I bet one NELLIE Iāll see your one and raise you one JOCKEY Iāll see your one and raise you ten NELLIE GIGGLES. MALACHI IS GETTING A LITTLE PISSED OFF. HEāS WORRIED HIS FISH WILL GET AWAY MALACHI Iāll see your ten and raise you ...one JANE HESITATES Jane... JANE LOOKS AT HER CARDS. SHE THINKS. Well... JANE I fold.
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NELLIE So do I MALACHI Itās not going to be much of a game
if neither of you ever bet any fucking money...
HE HAS ANOTHER DRINK JOCKEY Iāll see your ... MALACHI one. You have to put in one. JOCKEY one...and Iāll raise you... JOCKEY COUNTS UP HOW MANY SHELLS HE HAS LEFT ...seven MALACHI ADDRESSES JOCKEY MALACHI Why have you bet all your money again. NELLIE I thought thatās what you wanted us to do MALACHI You donāt have to bet all your money,
exactly twenty, every round... JOCKEY I want to NELLIE He might win... MALACHI ...Iāll see your seven. HE PUTS HIS MONEY IN Iāve got a straight. HE DISPLAYS IT. JOCKEY TURNS OVER HIS CARDS Nothing...Youāve got nothing. Why did you bet. Youāve got nothing. NELLIE AND JANE AND JOCKEY ARE LAUGHING. MALACHI IS VERY PISSED OFF Jesus youāre stupid. Thatās stupid JOCKEY STARTS GETTING ANOTHER TWENTY FROM THE BANK PILE
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MALACHI You canāt borrow any more NELLIE Why not MALACHI Itās stupid NELLIE STARTS COUNTING OUT TWENTY FOR JOCKEY
Put them back. Iām the bank. Put them back.He cant borrow any more
NELLIE PUTS THEM BACK. MALACHI STARTS DEALING OUT THE CARDS. EVERYONE PUTS TWO SHELLS IN Its five..five shells to play this round. JANE I think thatās too much MALACHI Well donāt play... EVERYONE PUTS IN THREE MORE SHELLS. JOCKEY HAS FILCHED A NUMBER OF SHELLS FROM MALACHIāS PILE JANE I want one MALACHI GIVES HER ONE NELLIE I want two MALACHI GIVES HER TWO JOCKEY I want five MALACHI GIVES HIM FIVE JANE I bet two NELLIE Iāll see your two and raise you two JOCKEY Iāll see your two and raise you... ten MALACHI Where did you get those shells? Whereād you get those shells Did you give him shells. NELLIE No MALACHI Did you give him shells
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NELLIE I didnāt MALACHI Whereād you get them from Whereād he get them from ....You little thief Youāve been stealing my shells HE GRABS HIM BY THE SCRUFF OF THE NECK
Iāll kill you and Iāll bury you in a wombat hole....
LONG PAUSE JANE Iād like to borrow ten shells from the bank. MALACHI RECALLS HIS AIM TO WIN ALL JANEāS MONEY OFF HER MALACHI Ten. You sure you only want ten. JANE yes. ten MALACHI Youāll have to pay interest JANE Why MALACHI Thatās the rules. For every two you pay three back... JANE PAUSES JANE Iāll have twenty NELLIE COUNTS HER OUT TWENTY SHELLS. MALACHI TAKES A MOMENT TO RECOLLECT WHERE THEY WERE UP TO. MALACHI Iāll see your ten, and Iāll raise you ten JANE Iāll see your ten and Iāll raise you one NELLIE I want to borrow from the bank MALACHI bankās closed NELLIE I want to borrow from the bank MALACHI take it ...
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NELLIE TAKES A BIG HANDFUL NELLIE Iāll see your one and Iāll raise you five JOCKEY Iāll see your five and raise you ten MALACHI Iāll see your ten and raise you ten JANE HESITATES. SHE IS EXTREMELY NERVOUS BUT CONTAINED JANE .....Iāll see you. Iāll see your ten SHE PUTS HER TEN SHELLS IN MALACHI Three of a kind JANE flush NELLIE pair of sevens JOCKEY TURNS HIS OVER JOCKEY Nothing. JANE SLOWLY PULLS THE HUGE PILE OF SHELLS TO HER PLACE MALACHI Three of a kind beats flush JANE No it doesnāt MALACHI Doesnāt it Nellie. Three of a kind beats flush NELLIE HESITATES. JANE LOOKS AT HER NELLIE .....Iāve always heard it was so JANE Flush beats three of a kind MALACHI Other way round JANE Flush beats three of a kind MALACHI Give me the shells JANE PUTS HER ARMS PROTECTIVELY AROUND HER PILE You better give me the shells JANE DOES NOTHING.
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ā¦You better give me those shells JANE DOES NOTHING. MALACHI GRABS HER ARMS AWAY AND SWEEPS ALL HER SHELLS AWAY. JANE BLUNDERS OUT THE DOOR
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SCENE TWO LATER THAT NIGHT. JANE IS SITTING SOBBING IN HER BED. THERE IS A TAPPING AT THE WINDOW. JANE FREEZES. JOCKEY Jane.. Janeā¦ JANE Who is it? JOCKEY Let me in. JANE Who is it? JANE PEERS OUT THE WINDOW. What do you want? JOCKEY Iāve got something for you. JANE What is it? JOCKEY Let me in JANE HESITATES Iām not gonna hurt you JANE Canāt it wait till morning JOCKEY No JANE STANDS BACK RELUCTANTLY. JOCKEY ENTERS Put out your hands JANE PUTS OUT HER HANDS. JOCKEY TIPS A PILE OF NEWLY COLLECTED SHELLS INTO THEM. THEY SPILL ONTO THE FLOOR. JANE HALF LAUGHS AND HALF CRIES. JOCKEY sshhh JANE I hate him. JOCKEY I know. JANE I know things about him. JOCKEY Do you? JANE SEEMS TO CHANGE HER MIND ABOUT TALKING ABOUT MALACHI. JOCKEY LOOKS AT HER ROOM, THE LITTLE BED, THE BOOKS AT THE SIDE OF IT. HE PICKS ONE UP.
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What are you reading? JANE My bible. HE OPENS THE BOOK. SHE HAS IT CAREFULLY MARKED. JOCKEY āShe wondered if Mr Savage had been
taken captive, but before long, the lap-sang sou-chong had had the desired soporific effect and Miss Willoughby had fallen asleepā
PAUSE Corinthians 5.11? JANE Where did you learn to read? JOCKEY mission. MALACHI (OS) Nellieā¦ JOCKEY Heās bad isnāt he? JANE Very badā¦ MALACHI(OS) Nellie! JOCKEY What do you know about him Jane? JANE He hurt the pedlar, the one that
disappeared. I know he did. Stuck a knife into him like he did John Robinson.
MALACHI (OS) Nellie! NELLIE(OS) Iām coming.. JANE She married the man that murdered her
husband.He says he didnāt, but Iād stake my life he did.
JOCKEY How do you know he hurt the pedlar? JANE I as good as saw him. JOCKEY You saw him? JANE I may as well have. JOCKEY Jane-
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JANE And maybe she was in on it as well...
Maybe she lured him on to the salt and then while she was toying with him, Malachi appeared from behind a bush and held the poor old man round the neck while Nellie stabbed him with the pig knife....or perhaps she pretended distress on the road and the pedlar stopped to help her, offered to find the smelling salts in his box and while his head was deep in his box and his hands busy amongst all the stuff, Malachi grabbed him from behind and slit his throat with the pig-knife... I know it was the pig knife. I checked the drawer after the pedlars box appeared and the knife wasnāt thereā¦ so I looked in Malachiās haversack, the one he always carries, and what do you think was in there all black and bloodied upā¦.
JOCKEY What did you do with it? PAUSE JANE Yes I took itā¦ SHE EXTRACTS A PACKAGE FROM UNDER THE MATTRESS, UNROLLS IT AND REVEALS A KNIFE. THEY BOTH STARE AT ITā¦ THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE IN THE PACKAGE. JOCKEY Whatās that? JANE I found that as well. Itās a little gold nugget. Malachi must have found it when he went fossicking. JOCKEY INSPECTS IT. HE SMILES AT HER I know I shouldnāt have taken it but
they owe me money. They owe me hundreds of pounds. Theyāre wicked. Theyāre wicked and they should get their just deserts...
JOCKEY Are you going to turn them in? JANE Itās not for me to tell.
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SCENE THREE JANE AND NELLIE IN THE KITCHENā¦ JANE My sister is expecting her third baby
in March and I should like to be there at the confinement and to stay on in Murray Bridge after.
NELLIE DOESNāT RESPOND. ...I should like to be paid what I am owed. NELLIE We havenāt any money. JANE I think it would be in your best interests if I was paid what I am owed... NELLIE LOOKS UP. THEY STARE AT EACH OTHER.
If you pay me what you owe me I will be like the three wise monkeys.
NELLIE The what? JANE I will see no evil, I will hear no
evil, and I will speak no evil. NELLIE I donāt know what youāre talking about. JANE Some people might meet their maker on
a swinging trap-door with a rope around their neck.
NELLIE Thatās unfortunate. JANE But they could save them-selves. They
could make reparation to the people they have wronged. They could pay back what they owe.
NELLIE SAYS NOTHING. Cutlery doesnāt always stay where
itās put Nellie. NELLIE Youāve been out in the sun too much. JANE Knifes and forks but particularly
knifes can jump out of drawers and
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into peoples bags and then like the tin soldier they can go on trips to far-off places where people may be very interested in the stories they could tellā¦ I understand that it may take a while to gather the money together, but you must understand that itās very necessary that you find it.
NELLIE SAYS NOTHING FOR A LONG MOMENT. THEN SHE GOES AND GETS THE MONEY BOX. NELLIE Iāll be sad to see you go. JANE Iām sorry... NELLIE I never had a sister..And Malachi...
well I hardly need to tell you.. but sometimes he frightens me.
JANE He does? NELLIE Heās getting such a temper. JANE Yes he has a temper. NELLIE OPENS UP THE CASH BOX. SHE GETS OUT A TEN POUND NOTE. NELLIE Jane, you canāt leave me alone with him. JANE But thatās what you want isnāt it? NELLIE STARTS TO CRY. NELLIE Sometimes I look at him and see such
an ugly contemptible creature...and I can barely stifle my disgust when he touches me. I feel like crying out, he so repulses me...
..I donāt know what I would have done if you hadnāt come..
JANE HUGS HER
And I know we owe you money, far too much moneyā¦ Perhaps if we started paying it off at five pounds a fortnightā¦
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JANE five pounds a fortnight.... JANE IS NOT SURE WHATāS GOING ON. NELLIE Would that be agreeable to you? JANE ...Would that include my wages? NELLIE Iām not sure what you mean. JANE ā¦Would that be five pounds a
fortnight on top of my wages, or would that be five pounds a fortnight including my wagesā¦
NELLIE ....The first one... JANE ...But... NELLIE The first oneās better isnāt it? JANE Yes..but... NELLIE What.. JANE IS CONFUSED BUT CANāT TAKE HER EYES OFF THE MONEY. JANE ...nothing... NELLIE GIVES JANE THE TEN POUND NOTE. NELLIE Tuck it away somewhere safe. This is just between you and me....
Do you remember the pedlar, the one who went off to sea and left all his things in a box on the beach...
JANE yes I remember... NELLIE It seems heās turned up again, the
sea made him sea-sick, it didnāt agree with him at all. He wants to be a pedlar again. Heās been asking around for his box..
JANE Has he? NELLIE He asked at the Dunmoresā¦and the
Devaneys....
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JANE Did he really NELLIE They knew nothing of any box...Heāll
have to start up all over again, poor old man...
JANE LAUGHS WITH RELIEF. JANE Poor old man. Who told you? NELLIE Malachi. Malachi saw him in Meningie
and had a drink with him, all the while wearing his collar and his gold plate cuff-links.
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SCENE FOUR NELLIE, JANE AND MALACHI ARE SITTING ROUND THE TABLE. IT IS EVENING. THEY SEEM SLOW AND HEAVY. MALACHI Why the long face Nellie? NELLIE Is my face long? PAUSE MALACHI Weāll play cards. Fetch the Jockey. JANE STARTS TO EXIT. Not you. You stay here. JANE STAYS. NELLIE EXITS. JANE GETS HER BOX OF SHELLS AND SITS DOWN AND STARTS SORTING THEM. What have you done to Nellie? JANE Nothing. MALACHI What have you been saying to her? JANE Nothing. MALACHI Bull-shit nothing. Youāre a nasty piece of work. JANE Iām not nasty. MALACHI yes you are. JANE Iām not. MALACHI Donāt you go upsetting her. JANE Itās you who should worry about upsetting her. MALACHI Me, how would I upset her. JANE SAYS NOTHING What are you trying to say Jane? JANE Nothing. MALACHI Weāre alike, you know that? JANE Weāre not alike.
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MALACHI Oh yeah we are. JANE Weāre not at all alike. MALACHI Nellie, sheās one of lifeās
innocents, she needs looking after, but you and me, we know, donāt we?
JANE Know what? MALACHI We know what really goes on, donāt we. JANE SHAKES HER HEAD MALACHI Come here Jane. JANE DOESNāT MOVE Come here. HE REACHES FOR HER HAND WHERE ITāS LYING ON THE TABLE. SHE PULLS IT AWAY JANE Sheās frightened of you. MALACHI Bull-shit. JANE Sheād leave you if she could. MALACHI Bull-shit. JANE Youāve got her trapped here, like an animal. MALACHI Youāre the one thatās trapped Jane. NELLIE RETURNS. NELLIE The jockeys not there. MALACHI Oh well, he canāt play cards anyhowā¦ PAUSE JANE Whereās he gone? MALACHI I dunno. Back to the camp I sāpose. JANE But he always says good-bye.
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MALACHI Doesnāt say good-bye to me. JANE He always says good-bye. Doesnāt he Nellie? NELLIE Mostly. JANE No always. He always does. MALACHI Well he didnāt this time, did he.. Jesus. PAUSE. NELLIE SITS DOWN Sing something Nellie. NELLIE Whatāll I sing? MALACHI Sing a song. NELLIE ā¦I canāt think of one. MALACHI Jane, you sing something. JANE I only know hymns. MALACHI Sing a fucking hymn then. JANE ā¦I canāt think of one.
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SCENE FIVE THE TROOPER IS LOOKING THROUGH A MICROSCOPE. āJOCKEYā IS WATCHING HIM TROOPER Yes itās a toothā¦a gold toothā¦ THEY SMILE GHOULISHLY AT EACH OTHER AT EACH OTHER
...mustāve ripped it out of the pedlars mouth...god heās a piece of work.
TRACKER Sheās got the knife as well, covered
in blood... TROOPER Weāve got him. TRACKER Yeah...weāve got him...weāve got the
bastard. TROOPER Weāll pick him up tomorrow. And this time heāll go all the way to the gallows... Will you get those ridiculous clothes off. And have a wash for godās sake.Youāre almost too convincingā¦ TRACKER too convincing? TROOPER ā¦as the native lout TRACKER Am I? TROOPER I saw you lumbering across the yard
and I really thought you were some young jacky-boy from the camps, come to complain about his wife and sneak some rum
A PAUSE TRACKER What are we? TROOPER What do you mean? TRACKER To each other TROOPER Friends of course TRACKER well of course...friends TROOPER What else but friends
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TRACKER ā¦nothing... TROOPER spit it out TRACKER It has occurred to me that there are
certain overtones of a man and his pet
TROOPER Who is the man and who is the pet? TRACKER I am the pet of course. TROOPER I donāt regard you as a petā¦.I am most offended... TRACKER ā¦.Itās merely that I feel sometimes you value me for my exotic quality TROOPER That is simply not true. I value you
for your comradeship and acumen. TRACKER ...I donāt want to imply I didnāt
enjoy it.. well found it oddly fascinatingā¦but last friday, when you took me to the American all-black minstrel revueā¦what was it called?
TROOPER I donāt remember TRACKER The singing sambos TROOPER I didnāt take you... TRACKER Yes you did TROOPER ātakeā implies some sort of
coercion...you werenāt on a lead... TRACKER You enjoyed having me there TROOPER yes, of course I did TRACKER because of my color TROOPER no... TRACKER and the funny coincidence of the show
we were attending.
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TROOPER I would have got just as much pleasure taking you to see the Opera or to a Shakespeare play...to Othello TRACKER Oh Othello...isnāt that the play
about the black man who kills his pretty white girl-friend
TROOPER Oh donāt be stupid. Youāre reading
things into things...I just said Othello because Othello happens to be playing at the moment
TRACKER I should quite like to see Othello TROOPER We might find time... UNCOMFORTABLE PAUSE If I had any consciousness of your color, Alex, it was one of black and white brotherhood TRACKER Well thatāll never happen TROOPER Surely youāre being too cynical TRACKER Itās the simple truth...itāll never happen TROOPER If the world can abolish slavery... TRACKER The world abolished slavery because
it made good business sense TROOPER The abolition of slavery was a great liberal victory...Youāre much too pessimistic. TRACKER Youāre much too optimistic. TROOPER Oh come on, you canāt deny progress, and the thinking of great men. Century by century, the world gets better and better. TRACKER Oh does it? TRACKER Iām not denying that thereās pain and suffering, but-
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TRACKER Bad things happen... PAUSE TROOPER Thatās all youāve got to say. Bad
things happen. What a massive break-through for man-kind. Bad things happen.
A PAUSE TRACKER Letās go to bedā¦ PAUSE That house is full of horrors.. TROOPER Well youāre out of there nowā¦Youāll feel better in the morning TRACKER I sāpose so SCENE SIX MALACHI IS SITTING IN THE KITCHEN. JANE ENTERS. SHE IS WEARING THE DRESS THAT NELLIE MADE FOR HER, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ACT ONE, SCENE FIFTEEN. JANE Whereās Nellie? MALACHI SAYS NOTHING Nellie! Nellie! MALACHI Sheās not here JANE Where is she? MALACHI Sheās gone away for a few days. JANE Nellie! MALACHI Sheās visiting her sister. JANE She doesnāt have a sister. MALACHI Oh thatās right. Sheās visiting your
sister. JANE My sister. Why is she visiting my
sister. MALACHI To tell her the bad news.
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JANE What bad news? NELLIE ENTERS. Nellie! JANE RUNS AND EMBRACES HER. NELLIE Whatās happened? Whatās wrong? JANE Nothing. Nothing. NELLIE You silly girl. JANE Oh Nellie.. NELLIE Fetch my cases Malachi. MALACHI EXITS JANE Where are you going? NELLIE Jane, last night- JANE What... NELLIE He grabbed my wrist, and pushed me
hard against the wall, He found out I was giving you money.He was so angry..
JANE Oooh. NELLIE I think he wants to hurt me.. MALACHI ENTERS WITH TWO CASES AND PUTS THEM DOWN MALACHI Whyāre you taking so much crap? HE EXITS AGAIN. NELLIE Iām going to Mrs Packhams. Iāve told him Iām going to my cousins, that I need a rest, but Iām really going to Mrs Packhams, now you stay here tonight, and in the morning take one of the horses- JANE No... MALACHI ENTERS WITH TWO MORE CASES.
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MALACHI Are you ready? NELLIE I need my coat, the warm one. MALACHI EXITS. JANE Please. Please Nellie. Let me come with you. NELLIE You canāt... JANE But why. Why canāt I come? NELLIE Heāll suspect something. We canāt both leave at once. JANE Iām scared. NELLIE Jane, calm down. Calm down. JANE Iām sorry. Iām sorry Nellie, if I ever did anything to hurt you... NELLIE sshhh. JANE I only ever wanted to be your friend.. Iām sorry if I.. NELLIE shh..ssshh JANE Please...Nellie, please...let me come. MALACHI ENTERS. MALACHI Come on Nellie. NELLIE HESITATES MALACHI What is it now? PAUSE. NELLIE Iāve changed my mind. MALACHI What. NELLIE I donāt think I want to go.
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MALACHI Bullshit. NELLIE Maybe Iāll- MALACHI Look at you. Youāre like a ghost. You need a rest Nellie. NELLIE Iām fine really. I feel fine. MALACHI Youāre sick. You told me you felt sick. NELLIE I feel better this morning. MALACHI Youāre going to your cousins. PAUSE.HE TAKES HER SHOULDER AND STEERS HER AWAY. Bring the cases Jane. JANE PICKS UP THE CASES.
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JANE AND MALACHI ARE SITTING IN THE KITCHEN. JANE STARTS TO WALK OUT THE DOOR. MALACHI Where are you going? JANE To feed the pig. MALACHI What pig? JANE Havenāt we got a pig? MALACHI We used to have a pig. We killed it and ate it. JANE I forgot. PAUSE. JANE STARTS TO LEAVE AGAIN. MALACHI Where are you going? JANE To check the mail. MALACHI The mail comes on Fridays. JANE I thought it was Thursdays. MALACHI Todayās Tuesday. JANE Is it? SHE SITS DOWN AGAIN. MALACHI Itās Nellies birthday in a couple of weeks. JANE yes I remember. MALACHI Iām making her a present. JANE Thatās nice. MALACHI I wondered if you would be so kind as
to give me a hand with it. JANE Of course MALACHI FETCHES A WOODEN FRAME. IT LOOKS LIKE A COFFIN. What is it? MALACHI Itās a cupboard.
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JANE oh yes. MALACHI Where do you think it should go? JANE LOOKS ROUND THE ROOM IN A HAZE. JANE Iām not sure. MALACHI I thought perhaps in the corner by the door. JANE STARTS TO LEAVE THE ROOM Where are you going? JANE Iām not sure... JANE HOVERS BY THE DOOR. MALACHI Nellieās always complaining how she
doesnāt have enough space for things. Away from the sand getting into everything. Itās been a piece of work keeping it from her, sheās such a nosy thing. Thereās nothing you can keep from Nellie. Sheās got a mind like a ferret. She notices everything. I hid the wood in the shed under a couple of blankets but somehow she sniffed it out... whatās that wood in the shed for...I told her I was making a new bed for the guests before the spring comes and maybe that satisfied her but she still had a gleam in her eye..she can spot a lie from a mile off... Hold this steady for me.....
JANE HOLDS IT STEADY. SHE IS TERRIFIED. She can smell fear like it was rotting fish. MALACHI METHODICALLY HAMMERS THREE NAILS IN. Thatās it...Thatās it for the moment. JANE GOES INTO HER ROOM, AND TRYS TO THINK CALMLY ABOUT HOW TO ESCAPE, WHAT TO TAKE WITH HER.SHE PUTS HER COAT ON. MALACHI ENTERS.
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MALACHI Whereās your money Jane? JANE I donāt have any money. MALACHI Thatās not what Iāve heard. PAUSE Iād like to borrow some money. JANE Why would I have money? You never pay me any money. MALACHI You count it at night. one, two
three.. JANE I count sheep. MALACHI Oh itās sheep is it? JANE To put myself to sleep. MALACHI But you always count up to the same number. You always count exactly two hundred and twelve sheep. JANE SAYS NOTHING. Where is it? JANE Malachi. MALACHI Youāve got it with you now havenāt you? You keep it with you all the time donāt you? Is it next to your heart? Is that where you hide your money? JANE SAYS NOTHING. HIS EYES RAKE OVER HER BODY. Or is it down further, down near your belly like a baby.Or down even further, round your hips,wrapped round your thigh like a lover. I canāt see it. I canāt see it anywhere. Where do you keep it Jane. What little hole have you found to stash it in.
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JANE MAKES A RUN FOR IT. MALACHI LEAPS ON HER. JANE IS STRONG AND USED TO PHYSICAL LABOUR BUT SO IS HE. THEY GRAPPLE WITH EACH OTHER. IT IS A DESPERATE FIGHT. THE TEMPO OF THEIR STRUGGLE CHANGES AND TAKES ON A STRANGE TIMELESS QUALITY REMINISCENT OF THE GRAPPLING THAT OPENS THE PLAY. FINALLY JANE FINDS THE PIG-KNIFE SHE HAS SECRETED UNDER HER MATTRESS AND TRYS TO STAB HIM BUT MALACHI MANAGES TO GET IT OFF HER AND KILLS HER. JANE LIES DEAD ON THE FLOOR. HE STARTS LOOKING FOR HER MONEY. HE CANāT FIND IT. HE RIPS HER CLOTHES IN FRUSTRATION.
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SCENE EIGHT, A FEW HOURS LATER. THE TROOPER AND THE TRACKER APPROACH THE HOUSE. TROOPER Malachi! Malachi Martin! MALACHI EMERGES FROM HIS HOUSE. MALACHI What do you want? TROOPER Iām arresting you for the murder of Johanne Barbero, travelling haberdasher. Cuff him. THE TRACKER CUFFS HIM. MALACHI I donāt know anything about it. TROOPER Iāll need to talk to your wife, and your domestic servant, Jane Macmanamin MALACHI My wifeās staying with her cousins for a few days. TROOPER And Jane Macmanamin, whereās she? MALACHI She left. TROOPER What do you mean, she left. MALACHI She just left. Said she didnāt want
to work here anymore. Got a lift on a passing buggy, and pissed off. Good riddance to her, I reckon...
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SCENE NINE THE TRACKER AND TROOPER ARE SITTING IN THEIR ROOM AT NIGHT. THE TROOPER IS READING A LETTER. HE FOLDS IT UP AND PUTS IT BACK IN ITS ENVELOPE. TROOPER The sister hasnāt seen her... TRACKER Of course she hasnāt seen her. Sheās buried in a wombat hole. TROOPER Well why canāt we find her? PAUSE I had to let him go Alex. TRACKER His house is full of the pedlarās stuff. TROOPER Doesnāt mean he murdered him. TRACKER He had the dead manās gold tooth in his haversack. TROOPER Who says? Iām sorry.. but without the girlās evidence weāve got nothing. TRACKER Canāt you stand up in court and say that I brought you the tooth, and that... TROOPER It doesnāt work like that. TRACKER Why donāt you say you found the tooth? THE TROOPER LOOKS UNCOMFORTABLE ...or say Jane brought you the tooth, told you the whole story, and then went back to the house.. TROOPER I donāt think the police force is going to get very far in this country if we begin by fabricating evidence...
Besides we donāt know for sure sheās dead. She might turn up.
TRACKER She wonāt turn up...
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PAUSE Itās a farce...heās free to kill who- ever he likes... TROOPER I think perhaps Alex...I know itās
partly my fault... but I think youāve become a little too involved with this case...
TRACKER What do you mean? TROOPER Just that...I think, well, the
Commissioner has pointed out to me that your talents might be better employed elsewhere.
TRACKER What particular talents did you have in mind? THE TROOPER LAUGHS UNCOMFORTABLY TROOPER The stock losses are becoming quite phenomenal...I mean its almost laughable. Sixty or so head of cattle a week... TRACKER That many? TROOPER Donāt go all cold on me. THE TRACKER SAYS NOTHING
Oh come on, you know you have my complete sympathy and support, but some of the black-fellas, just a disreputable few, theyāre running riot out there...
THE TRACKER SAYS NOTHING. None of us can catch them... Is it
such a bad idea...I mean couldnāt it be in your own best interests...if it were the police doing it, and black police at that, rather than the settlers taking matters into their own hands and sending out lynching parties...
...Alex
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THE TRACKER GETS UP TO LEAVE Where are you going? TRACKER I going to find her. Jane Macmanamin. Iām going to find her body.
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SCENE NINE THERE ARE NOW TWO CUPBOARDS IN THE ROOM, SIDE BY SIDE. NELLIE AND MALACHI ARE SITTING SILENTLY IN THE KITCHEN TROOPER Tell me again what happened the morning she left MALACHI She said Iām sick of this place, she said thereās a man with a dray willing
to take me as far as Tailem Bend, gimme my money. Iām going.
TROOPER And did you give her her money MALACHI yeah I did. TROOPER How much was it MALACHI Hundred and fifty pounds TROOPER Whereād you get it MALACHI I had it saved up TROOPER Why didnāt you pay her before MALACHI I didnāt want to TROOPER So why did you pay her this time MALACHI I dunno. I thought she deserved it. TROOPER A man with a dray MALACHI Yeah TROOPER I thought it was a buggyā¦a family in a buggy MALACHI Nup TROOPER Last time you said a buggy MALACHI Did I TROOPER And you told Mrs. Devaney it was a buggy MALACHI Did I
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TROOPER So which was it Martin, was it a dray or a buggy MALACHI I donāt remember TROOPER Oh come on..a dray or a buggy MALACHI Get off my back TROOPER Mrs Martin... NELLIE I wasnāt here. I donāt know anything TROOPER What did he tell you NELLIE He said she left... I donāt remember
what he said she left in. He said that he paid her and she left...
THE TROOPER HOLDS UP A PAIR OF BOOTS TROOPER Do you recognise these? NELLIE SHAKES HER HEAD Are they Janeās boots? NELLIE They might be. I donāt know. TROOPER Take a closer look NELLIE TAKES THE BOOTS AND LOOKS AT THEM. NELLIE They could be. MALACHI Theyāre big enough. TROOPER A native woman at the camps..Mabel.
She says you gave them to her two weeks ago
NELLIE I mightāve. I often give them stuff TROOPER She said you gave her a dress too, and a woollen shawl NELLIE I mightāve... I didnāt know they were Janeās TROOPER Are they Janeās?
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NELLIE They could be. TROOPER Why wouldnāt she take them with her? NELLIE I donāt know. TROOPER Her sister is of the opinion that Jane had saved up quite a deal of money.Did you ever see any sign of that? NELLIE SHAKES HER HEAD More than a two hundred pounds, thatās what her sister said..Moneyās been tight around here, hasnāt it? Could it be that Malachi murdered her so he didnāt have to pay her wages.
NELLIE No TROOPER And you left the district on purpose
to be away from the house when he did it
NELLIE No TROOPER Could it be you conspired with your
lover to murder your husband and since then have aided and abetted him in two more murdersā¦ an itinerant pedlar and Jane Macminimin
NELLIE Iād never wish Jane harm..never. MALACHI Leave her alone. She had nothing to do with it. TROOPER Where is she Malachi? MALACHI I told you. She pissed off. TROOPER Where did you put her? MALACHI Get off my back. TROOPER Where did you put her?
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MALACHI I didnāt put her anywhere. She left. Thatās why you havenāt been able to find her. You or your sable off-sider.
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SCENE TEN THE TRACKER STANDS BEHIND A BODY IN A DIRTY FLOUR SACK ON THE TABLE. THE BLACK TRACKER CAREFULLY CUTS THE FLOUR SACK DOWN FROM THE FACE. THE TROOPER ENTERS WITH HIS NOTE-BOOK.. TRACKER Not much left of her face TROOPER No THE TRACKER SCOOPS SAND FROM HER MOUTH TRACKER tooth missing from lower jaw, fourth molar...itās not recent...itās been
missing for a while...some sort of ribbon around her neck...some bruising....but hard to tell..
HE LIFTS UP THE HEAD FROM BELOW THE NECK. IT FALLS BACK. no rigormortis...obviously...
cuts to upper arm...shoulderā¦deep wound to the torsoā¦
Pale blue patterned dress...home-made
....Her dress has been torn from the neck to the waist.
TROOPER Perhaps he molested her... TRACKER ...her drawers seem intact... THEY LOOK AT THE BODY IN SILENCE FOR A MOMENT We need a doctor to verify death TROOPER Thereās one coming THE TRACKER WASHES HIS HANDS AND DRIES THEM Iāve decided to go awayā¦after all this TROOPER Oh TRACKER The police force has begun to pall on
me TROOPER Itās funny you say that. Iām thinking
I might leave sometime soon
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TRACKER What would you do TROOPER I thought I might enter politics.
Thought I might be able to do some goodā¦
THE TRACKER LAUGHS GENTLY Is that funny? TRACKER No..no thatās grand. TROOPER What will you do? TRACKER Gentleman farmer, bush-ranger.. might
sit under a tree, might write a book. ..havenāt really decidedā¦
THE TRACKER EXITS. NELLIE ENTERS. TROOPER Mrs Martin. We need you to identify
this body as that of Jane Macmanamin, twenty nine years old, domestic servant, late of your employmentā¦
NELLIE WALKS OVER TO THE BODY. NELLIE Yes thatās her NELLIE STARES DOWN AT THE BODY. TROOPER ā¦take your timeā¦ THE TROOPER EXITS. NELLIE CONTINUES TO STARE DOWN AT JANE. AFTER A MOMENT, THE TRACKER AND TROOPER RETURN WITH
MALACHI CHAINED UP.THEY CHAIN HIM TO THE TABLE ON WHICH JANE
LIES. MALACHI What are you doing? What are you
fucking doing! TRACKER You can spend the night with your handiwork Malachi. MALACHI What the fuck is this.Get me out of here.
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TRACKER And at two in the morning, when itās pitch black, her ghostāll put her hand on your shoulder and ask you why you did it and youāll have all night to explain it to her.
JANES HEAD ROLLS SIDEWAYS AND STARES AT MALACHI. MALACHI Oh sheās foulā¦Sheās foul. Get her
away from me.. TRACKER Sheāll never leave you alone now
Malachi. Sheās part of you now. And all those other ones, theyāll cling to you for the rest of your life. Theyāre inside of you, like maggots in a rotting carcass. Theyāll make a nest in your heart, for cold as ice as it may be, itās still the warmest place in your body. Youāre a glacier, a river of ice and I donāt think youāre ever going to thaw, I donāt think youāre ever going to melt, thereās not even enough sun in this blistering hot country to melt a man such as youā¦.
HE EXITS. MALACHI YELLS AFTER HIM MALACHI I didnāt kill her. She left on a
cart. I didnāt kill her. If sheās killed someone else mustāve killed her...I tell you I didnāt kill her.
TROOPER You can have five minutes with him. HE EXITS. MALACHI NOTICES NELLIE FOR THE FIRST TIME. MALACHI Nellie SHE SAYS NOTHING. ā¦Nellie..Come here Nellie. NELLIE DOESNāT MOVE Nellie... NELLIE GOES OVER CLOSER TO THE BODY.SHE LOOKS AT MALACHI.THEN SHE LOOKS BACK DOWN AT JANE.SHE OPENS THE FLOUR SACK.
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What are you doing.. Leave that thing alone.Come here. Come and hold me. Iām scared Nellie.. NELLIE LOOKS DOWN AT JANE INTENTLY, PERHAPS SHE IS BLAMING HERSELF FOR JANEāS DEATH, AND CANāT TAKE HER EYES AWAY FROM HER CRIME..BUT THEN SHE CAREFULLY BUT NERVOUSLY STARTS TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING, BURYING HER HANDS IN JANEāS DRESS. Nellie...no Nellie... NELLIE FINDS WHAT SHE IS LOOKING FOR. BUT JANE HAS SEWED IT UP.THE BODY STINKS.NELLIE STEPS BACK AND TAKES A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. NELLIE Have you got a knife? MALACHI No, they took it off me. NELLIE PULLS A HAT PIN FROM HER HAT. SHE FEELS TERRIBLE PERHAPS, BUT CANāT STOP HERSELF. SHE STARTS TO UNPICK AT SOMETHING NEAR JANEāS WAIST. What are you doing? Leave it now. Jesus, Nellie, leave it now. Theyāll be back any minute. Itās not there. I looked everywhere. NELLIE No you didnāt.. MALACHI Jesus Christ Nellie, leave it now. Sheās foul. Forget about the money. NELLIE Youāll be gone Malachi. One way or another youāll be gone, and Iāll have to fend for myself. Sheās got no use for it. SHE PULLS OUT A WAD OF NOTES. SHE LOOKS AT MALACHI.SHE IS FLUSHED AND EXCITED. MALACHI Oh Nellie... SHE POCKETS THE NOTES AND PUTS THE HAT-PIN BACK IN HER HAT. Oh Nellie.. SHE GOES OVER TO WHERE HE IS CHAINED TO THE TABLE AND HE PUSHES HIS HEAD AGAINST HER.NELLIE KNEELS DOWN NEXT TO
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HIM.THEY EMBRACE. FOR A MOMENT THE THREE OF THEM ARE STILL, A TABLEAU. THEN THE TROOPER ENTERS. TROOPER Thatās five minutes Mrs Martin. NELLIE STANDS UP.SHE SMILES BRAVELY AT THE TROOPER. THE END
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