Alternative Millennium Season 3 Episode 3.4 Fin de Sicle By Red Kettle Author's Note This episode is something of a departure for the Alternative Season 3. After the first three episodes, I have decided to do something a little bit different from what you might have been expecting. It is a little bit longer than the average and has an extended fourth act which effectively incorporates two epilogues. As far as I know, it is the first Millennium episode of its kind. This episode has been a tough one to write, which is why it has taken a little longer than usual. There is a lot of period detail which has required lots of research. Despite this, I am sure that there is be some expert out there who will correct me on some of the finer points, but I suppose that's the chance you take. The period that the episode deals with is one of my favourites, so I have had a lot of fun tinkering with it and adding as many real-life people as I can. Anyone familiar with recent fiction set in this era will be familiar with the names of some of the characters. I don't want to spoil any of the surprises at this stage, so I'll shut up for now, but background notes are available at the end of the episode in Rot 13 format. And so to the main event .... Ladies and gentlemen ... Fin de Siecle. OPENING QUOTE "The future has waited long enough; If we do not grasp it, Other hands, grasping hard and bloody, will" Adlai Stevenson TEASER FADE IN FROM BLACK GREY MIST FILLS THE SCREEN OUR VIEW SHIFTS SLOWLY UPWARDS AND THICK MIST ROLLS AWAY BELOW US WE SEE TWO FIGURES WALKING SLOWLY TOGETHER THE MIST MAKES THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE INDISTINCT WE SLOWLY GET CLOSER TO THE TWO FIGURES BOTH WEAR HEAVY COATS. ONE FIGURE IS SHORTER AND STOOPED, THE OTHER IS TALLER. A CAPTION APPEARS : ROMNEY MARSHES ENGLAND NOVEMBER 11, 1918 CUT TO : CLOSE-UP ON THE TWO MEN THE SHORTER MAN FACE'S IS LINED WITH WRINKLES. THE TALLER MAN LOOKS MIDDLE AGED. THEY CONTINUE THEIR CONVERSATION. YOUNGER MAN It's hard to believe it's finally over. OLDER MAN Yes. (pause) The Kaiser has abdicated. The armistice will be signed today. It's finished at last. YOUNGER MAN Thank God. The papers are calling it 'the war to end all wars'. (pause) They're saying we can never let it happen again. That this war must be the last. OLDER MAN (bitterly) Fools. The seeds of the future are already sown. (pause) We knew this war was coming and in the end it made no difference. THE OLDER MAN LOOKS OUT OVER THE MARSHES OLDER MAN (bitterly) Perhaps Furnivall was right. Perhaps we deceived ourselves. Perhaps we were never meant to know. CLOSE-UP ON THE OLDER MAN'S FACE FADE INTO GREY MIST FADE TO BLACK THE CAMERA SLOWLY PULLS AWAY TO REVEAL THAT WE ARE NOW IN A MEDIUM-SIZED ROOM. THERE IS A LARGE CIRCULAR TABLE IN THE CENTRE, WHICH HOLDS AN OIL LAMP BURNING WITH A YELLOW FLAME. AMONG THE OTHER ITEMS OF FURNITURE IN THE ROOM, THERE IS A SIDEBOARD WHICH HOLDS AN ORNATE CLOCK. THE CLOCK IS TICKING LOUDLY. THERE ARE FOUR PEOPLE SEATED AROUND THE TABLE, THREE MEN AND ONE WOMAN, TALKING QUIETLY. CAPTION : SEYMOUR STREET HYDE PARK CORNER LONDON TEN O'CLOCK, 25 NOVEMBER 1899 THE CLOCK BEGINS THE STRIKE THE HOUR THE CORNER DOOR OPENS SLOWLY AND A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN ENTERS. SHE WEARS A DARK PURPLE DRESS. MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Ladies and gentleman, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting. The Lady Athena will be with us in just a moment. SHE GLANCES OVER HER SHOULDER. A SMALL, SLIGHT FIGURE ENTERS BEHIND THE MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN. THE DOOR CLOSES BEHIND HER. SHE IS ROUGHLY FIVE FEET TALL. HER HEAD, FACE AND UPPER BODY ARE HIDDEN BENEATH A HEAVY BLACK LACE SHAWL. HER FEATURES CANNOT BE SEEN. SHE MOVES SLOWLY TO THE TABLE AND TAKES A SEAT AT THE END PLACE. MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Now, ladies and gentlemen, pray silence for a few moments to allow the spirits to descend. THERE IS SILENCE FOR THIRTY SECONDS. THE SLIM FIGURE UNDER THE SHAWL NODS HER HEAD SLIGHTLY. MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Mrs Browning, Sir Charles, Mr Thompson, Dr Randall. Each of you has come here with a question. A question that no-one else can answer. (pause) We have the answer to all of your questions. (pause) Perhaps you might like to start us off, Mrs Browning? THE MIDDLE AGED LADY (MRS BROWNING) SITS FORWARD. MRS BROWNING Yes, thank you, Mrs Gresham. (pause) My husband passed away in the spring. He was always a keen believer in the spirits. Before he passed, he swore that he would send a sign to me from the other side. But no sign has come. SHE DABS AT HER EYES WITH A HANDKERCHIEF. MRS BROWNING Lady Athena, can you reach him for me? WE FOCUS ON THE SLIM FIGURE AT THE END OF THE TABLE. THERE IS SILENCE FOR A FEW SECONDS. THE CLOCK TICKS. THE LADY ATHENA (a whisper of a voice) Yes. He is here. THE LADY ATHENA IS VERY STILL FOR A FEW MOMENTS. THE CLOCK TICKS LOUDLY. SHE PLACES HER HANDS ON THE TABLE. SUDDENLY SHE IS JOLTED HARD BY SOME UNSEEN FORCE. THE OIL LAMP FLICKERS. THE CLOCK IS TICKING LOUDLY. THERE IS A LOUD HUMMING NOISE. MRS GRESHAM IS SAYING SOMETHING BUT WE CANNOT HEAR HER. JUST AS THE OIL LAMP GOES OUT, WE CAN SEE ANOTHER FIGURE IN THE ROOM, STANDING BESIDE THE LADY ATHENA. AS THE ROOM IS FILLED WITH DARKNESS, A WOMAN SCREAMS.... FADE TO BLACK. ACT ONE FADE IN FROM BLACK A STREET AT NIGHT A HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE GOES PAST THE CAMERA PULLS IN ON THE FRONT OF A LARGE ORNATE BUILDING CAPTION : THE LONDON SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY HIGH HOLBORN LONDON THE CAMERA PULLS IN FURTHER ON A BILLBOARD ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WE CAN MAKE OUT SOME OF THE LARGER WORDS : THE LONDON SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY SATURDAY 9th DECEMBER 1899 SEVEN O'CLOCK A SCIENTIFIC ADDRESS ENTITLED 'THE END OF SCIENCE"" BY LONDON'S FOREMOST SCIENTIFIC MIND AND PEER OF THE REALM THE LORD KELVIN CUT TO :THE INSIDE OF A LARGE MEETING HALL. THE LORD KELVIN IS ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE FROM A PLATFORM. THE AUDIENCE IS MADE UP OF WELL-DRESSED MEN OF VARIOUS AGES. THE LORD KELVIN And so I contend that we live at the end of a century of scientific miracles. If a man were somehow to be transported to the heart of our Empire from the London of one hundred years ago, he would not recognise our great city. (pause) We are now masters of the electrical light and the steamship. Our words fly around the globe by telegraph and cable. We understand the motions of our planets and others around our sun. We have unearthed the secrets of ancient civilisations. CUT TO : THE AUDIENCE, LISTENING ATTENTIVELY CUT BACK TO : LORD KELVIN ON THE PLATFORM THE LORD KELVIN As we reach the end of our great scientific century, all that remains for us to do is further refine the measurements of the physical constants that we know to be fundamental. Having come so far and learned so much, this may indeed be the end of science! HE STEPS BACK FROM THE LECTERN AND THERE IS POLITE APPLAUSE. A FEW OF THE AUDIENCE APPROACH THE PLATFORM TO QUESTION KELVIN AND THE MEETING STARTS TO BREAK UP. TWO MEN WHO HAVE BEEN SITTING TOGETHER START TO MOVE TO THE DOOR. ONE IS LARGE AND WELL-BUILT. HIS FACE HAS A RUDDY COMPLEXION. THE OTHER IS MUCH THINNER, WITH SAND-COLOURED HAIR AND HIS FEATURES ARE PINCHED. THE WELL-BUILT MAN Well, what do you say to that, Blaylock? Is he right? Is there nothing more to be learned from science? THE THIN MAN (WILLIAM BLAYLOCK) RESPONDS WILLIAM BLAYLOCK Of course not, Detective Inspector. (he tuts) You should know better than that. There is _always_ more to be learned. THE WELL-BUILT MAN (DETECTIVE INSPECTOR JAMES ABERMARLE) SMILES JAMES ABERMARLE So our quest for knowledge will never end? Surely science must admit some boundaries. Discovery cannot simply proceed forever! BLAYLOCK I cannot see why not. Nature will always outstrip our imperfect powers of understanding. No human knowledge is absolute - there must always be a deeper mystery. In any case - (he pauses) I say, isn't that Frederic Furnivall over there? HE LOOKS ACROSS THE ROOM. CUT TO : BLAYLOCK'S POINT OF VIEW WE SEE AN ELDERLY MAN PUTTING HIS COAT ON BY THE DOOR. HE SEEMS TO BE ALONE. HE TURNS SLOWLY AND LOOKS DIRECTLY AT US. CUT BACK TO ABERMARLE : ABERMARLE Furnivall - The scholar? BLAYLOCK Perhaps the greatest philologist in England. Well, perhaps apart from Murray. Have you read his edition of Harrison's 'Description of England'? Remarkable. Absolutely remarkable. (pause) I wonder what he's doing here? CUT BACK TO FURNIVALL AS HE LEAVES THE HALL. CUT BACK TO BLAYLOCK AGAIN AS HE CONSIDERS FOR A MOMENT. BLAYLOCK Well, shall we go then? THEY MOVE TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE MEETING HALL CUT TO : THE STREET OUTSIDE. IT IS A DARK, MOONLESS NIGHT. THE GAS STREETLAMPS GIVE OFF A COLD WHITE LIGHT. BLAYLOCK AND ABERMARLE ARE WALKING TOGETHER. THEY BOTH WEAR HEAVY OVERCOATS. ABERMARLE Surely Kelvin has a point. A man from seventeen ninety-nine would be astounded if he were here today. So much has changed that he would find our world almost unrecognisable. BLAYLOCK We're at the fag-end of the nineteenth century, James. At the end of one cycle and the start of another. Imagine how much further we will go in the next hundred years. Imagine if you were that man out of time, but thrown forward to nineteen and ninety nine. Imagine what strange wonders you would see there, a hundred years from now! I'll wager that the advances we've made in the last hundred years will be as nothing compared to those of the next hundred! ABERMARLE So the nineteen hundreds will be a utopia, then? No more war, no more disease, the end of poverty, the triumph of science? BLAYLOCK Who can say? The future will be nothing that anyone has expected. ABERMARLE PAUSES AND THEN SIGHS. HE LOOKS AT HIS WATCH. ABERMARLE Well, it's getting on. Emma will be wondering where I've got to. BLAYLOCK We can get you a hansom at my club. It's not far. THEY SET OFF ALONG HIGH HOLBORN. CUT TO : HIGH HOLBORN AT NIGHT. THE STREETS ARE QUIET AS THE TWO MEN HURRY HOMEWARDS. FADE TO BLACK FADE IN TO A ROOM. A GAS LAMP SUSPENDED FROM THE CEILING GIVES OFF A WEAK YELLOW LIGHT SEVERAL MEN SIT AROUND A TABLE. ONE OF THEM IS FREDERIC FURNIVALL. FURNIVALL Are you sure that you know what you're doing? DARK-HAIRED MAN (coldly) We have no choice. Our adversaries will already be aware of the event. And of its significance. They will not think twice about exploiting this opportunity. (pause) We have to take action now before they gain the advantage. (pause) In any case, there have been times in the past when Mr Bishop has refused our requests for help. We will deal with him once the matter has been resolved in our favour. HE LOOKS AROUND THE ROOM BUT NO-ONE SPEAKS DARK-HAIRED MAN So what about the woman? RED-FACED MAN Mrs Browning. (pause) Quite insane, I'm afraid. Some of our people in the Marsden are keeping an eye on her, but she's not expected to recover. They haven't been able to get much more out of her. She just babbles about 'the virgin'. DARK-HAIRED MAN And the others? RED-FACED MAN Wallace is en route to Cape Town. The other two disappeared a week ago. I think we have to assume that the others have them. THERE IS A MOMENT'S SILENCE BEFORE THE DARK-HAIRED MAN SPEAKS AGAIN. DARK-HAIRED MAN It seems that they may already have the advantage over us. They may know where to look, even now. RED-FACED MAN Perhaps if we cannot overtake them, sir, We can use them to lead us to our goal. If we allow them to make the running, as it were, We may be able to intervene before they reach the prize. DARK-HAIRED MAN Yes. We will allow them to make the next move. (pause) I think we have a man in the Met who can help us. FADE IN TO A VIEW OF THE FRONT OF A MODEST TOWNHOUSE ABERMARLE IS ALIGHTING FROM A HANSOM CAB HE PAUSES TO PAY THE DRIVER AND THEN PROCEEDS TO THE FRONT DOOR. HE PUTS HIS KEY IN THE LOCK CUT TO : INTERNAL HALLWAY ABERMARLE OPENS HIS FRONT DOOR AND ENTERS HE PULLS THE DOOR CLOSED BEHIND HIM. THE HALL IS DARK. ABERMARLE (calling out) Emma? HE MOVES FORWARDS INTO THE HALLWAY, TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS ABERMARLE (calling more loudly now) Emma? A SMALL FIGURE WITH BLONDE HAIR APPEARS AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS EMMA (she hisses) Shush! (pause) You'll wake the babies! SHE PUTS A FINGER TO HER LIPS FOR QUIET AND THEN INDICATES FOR HIM TO COME UPSTAIRS. HE CLIMBS THE STAIRS AND ENTERS THE FRONT BEDROOM WITH HIS WIFE. THE COUPLE LOOK DOWN ON TWO BABIES LYING ASLEEP IN A COT DRAPED WITH FINE LACE AND WHITE LINEN. EMMA (whispering) I've only just got them to sleep. So be quiet! ABERMARLE STANDS BEHIND HIS WIFE AND ENCIRCLES HER WAIST WITH HIS ARMS. HE NUZZLES HER EAR GENTLY. ABERMARLE You know, these two are going to grow up right along with the twentieth century. (pause) When 1901 comes, they'll be one year old, just like the new century. And in 1920, they'll already be twenty. (he sighs) Who knows where we'll be then, ay? EMMA You are a fool, my husband. But I do love you. Now come on into the parlour before we wake our two little soldiers. THEY DESCEND THE STAIRS AND ENTER THE PARLOUR, A COMFORTABLE ROOM AT THE BACK OF THE HOUSE. THERE IS A LARGE TABLE WITH A WHITE LINEN TABLECLOTH AND A NUMBER OF HIGH-BACKED CHAIRS. A COUPLE OF EASY CHAIRS SIT BESIDE THE HEARTH. THERE IS A FIRE IN THE GRATE, GLOWING A COZY RED COLOUR. JAMES AND EMMA SIT IN THE EASY CHAIRS EMMA Where have you been anyway? I expected you an hour ago. JAMES Oh, you know what Blaylock's like. Lord Kelvin's lecture ran on a bit and I couldn't get William to stop going on about all the wonders of science that we're going to see in the new century. We ended up going to his club for a drink and then I got a cab home. EMMA SIGHS EMMA Did you have any supper yet? JAMES (smiling) Not yet, I'm afraid. EMMA SIGHS AGAIN AND THEN GOES INTO THE KITCHEN QUIETLY MUTTERING JAMES ABERMARLE TAKES HIS SHOES OFF IN FRONT OF THE FIRE AND RELAXES. FADE TO BLACK END OF ACT ONE. ACT TWO. EXT. DAY. SCOTLAND YARD. CAPTION : 20TH DECEMBER 1899 CROWDS OF PEOPLE ARE WALKING THIS WAY AND THAT, GOING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS. CUT TO : INT. DAY. AN OFFICE INSIDE SCOTLAND YARD. JAMES ABERMARLE SITS AT A DESK. THE DESK IS IN SOME DISARRAY, WITH FILES AND PAPER SCATTERED EVERYWHERE. A YOUNG MAN ENTERS HE COUGHS. YOUNG MAN I'm sorry to disturb you, sir. ABERMARLE LOOKS UP YOUNG MAN I have a message for you from the Assistant Commissioner. (pause) He wants to see you in his office. At once, sir. ABERMARLE SIGHS ABERMARLE Very well then. You can tell him I shall be up presently. YOUNG MAN Right you are, sir. HE LEAVES ABERMARLE SPENDS ANOTHER FEW SECONDS SORTING THE PAPERS ON HIS DESK. THEN HE STANDS AND STRAIGHTENS HIS TIE. HE MOVES TO THE DOOR. CUT TO : ANOTHER OFFICE. THIS ONE IS MUCH LARGER. NO PAPER AND FILES CLUTTER THE LARGE DESK BEHIND WHICH THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER SITS. HE IS A LARGE MAN WITH WHITE HAIR AND A WHITE BEARD. A YOUNG MAN IS SITTING OPPOSITE HIM. THERE IS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND ABERMARLE ENTERS. AS HE ENTERS, THE YOUNG MAN STANDS. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER BERESFORD Thank you for coming up, James. This is Detective Constable Brendan Doyle. I don't think you've met. ABERMARLE No, sir. HE SHAKES HANDS WITH DOYLE DOYLE Pleased to meet you, sir. BERESFORD Have a seat, James. HE INDICATES A SEAT BESIDE DOYLE'S. BOTH MEN SIT DOWN. BERESFORD I've asked you here because I want you to take on a difficult case for me. It's a strange one, James, make no mistake about it. Doyle's been looking into it for me, but it's time for a senior officer to take it over. (pause) To be brief, then... There have been a number of rather curious murders over the last few days. You won't have heard anything yet - we're trying to keep it quiet. We can't afford to have another fiasco like we had with the Ripper business. (pause) Six victims so far. All killed in a similar manner. And all in the same line of work. (pause) You can appreciate why we want to get this sorted out quickly. ABERMARLE Sir - you said they were all the same profession? Were they prostitutes, then, sir? Street-walkers? BERESFORD No, Abermarle. That's what's so curious about the case. All of them were spiritualists. (pause) You know, mediums, clairvoyants, palm-readers, that sort of thing. Bunkum, if you ask me. But someone seems to be bumping them off. (pause) You'll have fifteen men at your disposal. I want this dealt with as soon as possible. The longer it goes on, the more chance there is of starting a panic. And I must emphasise - not a word of this to anyone. (pause) The bodies are downstairs in the mortuary. You might wish to start there. ABERMARLE Yes, sir. CUT TO : THE MORTUARY A LARGE ROOM, COLD AND ECHOING. WHITE TILES ARE ON THE WALLS AND FLOOR. ABERMARLE AND DOYLE ENTER. A YOUNG MAN IN A SPATTERED APRON APPROACHES THEM. YOUNG MAN Inspector Abermarle. It's good to see you, sir. ABERMARLE Hello, Sandy. I'm afraid we're down to see six of your best. SANDY Ah, yes, the ones that Beresford wants kept quiet. He said you might be down. The doc has finished with them already. I'll just get them squared up. HE WALKS TO THE BACK OF THE MORTUARY, OUT OF SIGHT. WE HEAR THE SOUND OF METAL ON METAL. THE MORTUARY IS COLD AND QUIET. ABERMARLE So where do you normally work, then? DOYLE Down in Whitechapel. ABERMARLE And how long have you been on the case? DOYLE Just a few days. After they found the third victim. I haven't made much headway, so I'm glad to have a hand. ABERMARLE I'm glad of the change. I've spent the last few months dealing with this damned Fenian business. I don't think I'll ever get through all the papers on my desk. (pause) Damned Irishmen. DOYLE'S EYES NARROW FOR A MOMENT AND THEN HE RELAXES AGAIN. SANDY CALLS OUT OFF-CAMERA I'm ready for you now, Inspector! ABERMARLE AND DOYLE MOVE TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE ROOM. CUT TO : EXT DAY. A RUN-DOWN STREET SOMEWHERE IN LONDON. THE SUN IS GOING DOWN. IN THE GATHERING DARK, PEOPLE ARE HURRYING HOME. WE SEE A WOMAN MOVING QUICKLY DOWN THE STREET. SHE GOES FROM DOORWAY TO DOORWAY. SHE KEEPS TURNING AROUND TO LOOK OVER HER SHOULDER. WE RECOGNISE MRS GRESHAM. SHE REACHES A STREET CORNER AND TURNS OUT OF SIGHT. CUT TO : ABERMARLE'S OFFICE. WE CAN SEE THE SUN GOING DOWN OUT OF A WINDOW. ABERMARLE AND DOYLE ARE SITTING, LOOKING AT SOME PAPERS. ABERMARLE So what do we have then, Doyle? DOYLE Six spiritualists dead in the last ten days. All female. All were clairvoyants. The first in Lambeth on the 11th Then another in Spitalfields on the 13th. Two more on the 15th in Lambeth and Whitechapel. Then the last two on the 18th in Whitechapel and ... (he looks through his papers) .... Stepney. All of them dumped on the streets and found in the early morning. All of them tortured before death. Badly cut up. And all killed in the same way. A single stab wound to the left of the breastbone, puncturing the heart. Using some kind of long, thin blade - perhaps a boning knife. ABERMARLE So our man knows what he's doing. DOYLE Yes. (pause) Maybe the Ripper's come back to haunt us again. ABERMARLE That was ten years ago, man. No, wherever that monster is, it's not him. This is something different... (pause) He's not just killing them, he's torturing them first. He's after something. (pause) They must have had something in common. Do we know if they knew each other? DOYLE We're not sure yet. From what I can tell, there's a number of spiritualist 'circles' in London. And they all seem to know each other. ABERMARLE There are going to be more. (pause) We'll need to get to the next one before he does. I need to get a list of as many of the spiritualists in London as possible. DOYLE I'll see what I can do. CUT TO: EXT. DUSK. TOWER WHARF, NEAR THE RIVER THAMES. TOWER BRIDGE IS VISIBLE IN THE BACKGROUND. TWO MEN ARE WALKING ALONG THE RIVER BANK. THEIR BACKS ARE TO US AND THEIR FACES HIDDEN. THE FIRST MAN IS TALL WITH STRAW-COLOURED HAIR. THE OTHER IS THINNER WITH SANDY HAIR. FIRST MAN Still no luck, then? SECOND MAN No. Our ... (he hesitates) ... enquiries ... to date have not yielded anything new. THE FIRST MAN NODS FIRST MAN Hmmm. Indeed. (pause) It seems that you may have been a little careless. Your ... enquiries ... have begun to attract official attention. SECOND MAN It was only a matter of time, I suppose. We'll have to be more careful from now on. FIRST MAN An associate of yours is in charge of the investigation. Perhaps you could have a word with him. See if he has anything we can make use of. SECOND MAN I'll see what I can do. FIRST MAN Good. The future depends on it. THEY CONTINUE THEIR WALK. CUT TO: EXT. DAY THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER. BIG BEN SHOWS THE TIME TO BE FIVE O'CLOCK. IT IS STARTING TO SNOW AS THE SUN SETS. CUT TO: INT. DAY. AN ELEGANT OFFICE. THE DARK-HAIRED MAN WE SAW EARLIER SITS WRITING AT A DESK. HE IS VERY WELL DRESSED. A YOUNGER MAN ENTERS. YOUNGER MAN I'm sorry to disturb you, sir Lord Salisbury is asking for you in the Commons. DARK-HAIRED MAN I'll be along momentarily. YOUNGER MAN Very good, sir. HE WITHDRAWS, CLOSING THE DOOR BEHIND HIM. THE DARK-HAIRED MAN CONTINUES TO WRITE AT HIS DESK FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN USES A BLOTTER TO DRY WHAT HE HAS WRITTEN. HE GETS UP TO GO. THE DOOR SUDDENLY BURSTS OPEN AND A LARGE, FAT MAN SHOVES HIS WAY INTO THE ROOM. THE YOUNGER MAN IS RIGHT BEHIND HIM. FAT MAN I _must_ speak with you, sir! YOUNGER MAN I'm sorry sir, I tried to stop him. DARK-HAIRED MAN (POWERS) SIGHS. POWERS That's fine, lad. I'll deal with this. THE YOUNGER MAN WITHDRAWS AGAIN AND CLOSES THE DOOR. POWERS (icy) I'm terribly sorry, Mr Bishop, but I can't possibly spare the time to see you at the moment. I'm afraid they're waiting for me in the Commons. Perhaps you could make an appointment with my secretary. Would the New Year be suitable? THE FAT MAN (BISHOP) BRISTLES WITH ANGER BISHOP I've been trying to see you for the last week and more! I simply demand to speak with you now! POWERS PAUSES AND SIGHS POWERS Very well, then, if you must. But make it quick. BISHOP I demand your assistance in this matter, sir. I insist upon it. POWERS Come sir, you cannot command _me_. When we spoke of this matter before, I suspect you were not entirely frank with me. Until you can deal honestly with us, I'm afraid I cannot help you. We are not a missing persons bureau. BISHOP I have told you all that I may. POWERS IS SILENT FOR A MOMENT. POWERS Then it seems our discussion is at an end. There is nothing I can do. (pause) I really must be going. The Prime Minister will be wondering where I am. HE BRUSHES PAST BISHOP AND OUT OF THE OFFICE. BISHOP IS LEFT STANDING ALONE IN THE OFFICE. CUT TO: INT. LATE AFTERNOON THE SKY IS OVERCAST AND GRAY AND THE LIGHT IS GLOOMY. ABERMARLE'S OFFICE CAPTION : 22ND DECEMBER 1899 ABERMARLE AND DOYLE ARE SITTING IN THE OFFICE. DOYLE Any spiritualist worth their salt should be on this list, sir. Would you have thought there would be so many table-knockers in London? There must be a lot of bloody fools out there to keep them in business (pause) Clairvoyants, soothsayers, spiritualists... You name it, we've got it. And a right strange crowd they are too. The lads have been all over the city banging on doors, sir. ABERMARLE Are there any still left to visit on the list? DOYLE We've been round to most of them. Seems that quite a few of them left the city in the last week. There were a few who weren't in when we tried, sir. We were going to try again tomorrow. (pause) The ones that are still in town have the fear of God in them. Something's got them frightened. Like they can sense something coming. (pause) Maybe they _can_ see the future, sir... ABERMARLE Balderdash, Doyle. (pause) There has to be a connection between our six victims. We'll just have to keep at it until we can see it. HE GESTURES AT THE PAPERS STREWN ACROSS THE DESK. THERE IS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR. ABERMARLE LOOKS UP TO SEE BLAYLOCK AT THE DOOR. HE GETS UP AND LETS HIM IN TO THE OFFICE. BLAYLOCK Hello, James. Have I come at a bad time? I can come back again... ABERMARLE No, not at all. Come on in. (pause) William Blaylock, meet Brendan Doyle. Doyle's working with me at the moment. DOYLE AND BLAYLOCK SHAKE HANDS THERE IS A CURIOUS LOOK IN DOYLE'S EYE. DOYLE You know, I could swear we've met before... BLAYLOCK I don't think so. I'm sure I would remember... (pause) So, anyway, how is life, James? Are you working on anything interesting? HE LEAFS IDLY THROUGH SOME OF THE PAPERS ON THE DESK. ABERMARLE No, nothing much. Just this and that. HE GLANCES QUICKLY OVER AT DOYLE. BLAYLOCK I was wondering if I could interest you in another lecture. It's on the third of January. One of the bright young things from the continent. I have his name here somewhere... HE RUMMAGES IN HIS POCKETS AND EXTRACTS A CRUMPLED SHEET OF PAPER. BLAYLOCK Ah yes, here it is ... one Albert Einstein. They say he's only twenty-one but he's quite brilliant. (pause) So, might you be free? ABERMARLE I'm afraid that I'm snowed under with work at the moment, William. I doubt if I'll have much spare time for the next few weeks. (pause) Maybe next time? BLAYLOCK LOOKS DISAPPOINTED HE CRUMPLES THE SHEET OF PAPER BACK INTO HIS POCKET BLAYLOCK Oh, well. Never mind, I suppose. (pause) Anyway, I'd better be going. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr Doyle. I hope we meet again. Oh, and James - give my regards to Emma. Cheerio. HE LEAVES DOYLE LOOKS AT ABERMARLE WITH AN ODD EXPRESSION DOYLE A friend of yours? ABERMARLE Yes. (pause) I'm afraid he's more than a little eccentric. He's very bright, though. Has his eyes on the future, you might say. DOYLE SMILES AND RETURNS TO WORKING THROUGH THE PAPERS ON THE DESK CUT TO : EXT. DAY. SCOTLAND YARD BLAYLOCK IS WALKING AWAY. HE REACHES INTO HIS COAT POCKET AND TAKES OUT A CRUMPLED PIECE OF PAPER. HE SMOOTHS IT OUT AND BEGINS READING. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT. A LONDON STREET IN SPITALFIELDS IT IS A MOONLESS NIGHT. A YOUNG MADY IS AT THE FRONT DOOR OF A HOUSE. SHE WEARS A BONNET AND A HEAVY WOOLLEN DRESS. SHE TURNS A KEY IN THE DOOR AND ENTERS. SHE CLOSES THE DOOR BEHIND HER. THE YOUNG LADY Andrew? Are you home? THE HOUSE IS QUIET. SHE TAKES OFF HER BONNET AND SETS IT ON THE HALL TABLE. SHE WALKS UP THE HALL AND ENTERS THE KITCHEN. THERE IS A RED GLOW OF BURNING COAL IN THE RANGE. AS SHE WALKS FORWARD, SOMETHING MOVES IN THE SHADOWS BEHIND HER. A MAN STEPS OUT OF THE DARKNESS AND CLAMPS HIS LEFT HAND AROUND HER MOUTH. HIS RIGHT HAND PRESSES A LONG THIN KNIFE TO HER THROAT. WE CAN SEE A LONG SCAR RUNNING UP THE MAN'S FACE. THE YOUNG LADY'S EYES WIDEN WITH FEAR AND TERROR. END OF ACT TWO. ACT THREE. OPEN IN : ABERMARLE'S OFFICE IT IS NOW NIGHT. ABERMARLE AND DOYLE ARE STILL PORING OVER THE FILES. DOYLE It's getting late, sir. We should probably call it a night. ABERMARLE You're right, Doyle. There must be a connection here somewhere - I just can't see it yet. If we could get more of them to talk to us, we might get somewhere. They're frightened of something, that much is obvious. HE PONDERS FOR A MOMENT ABERMARLE Can I see that list again? DOYLE Don't you have the original? I copied this one out this morning, but it's not very neat, sir. ABERMARLE LOOKS AROUND HIS DESK. ABERMARLE No, I can't seem to find it. Give it here. DOYLE HANDS HIM THE LIST AND ABERMARLE READS FROM IT. ABERMARLE Maybe there's something in these ones we haven't seen yet. You go on home. I'll keep at it for another while yet. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT. A MAN IS RUNNING IN THE STREET. AS HE APPROACHES, WE RECOGNISE HIM AS THE SCARRED MAN. THERE IS A HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE STOPPED AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE RUNS TO IT AND GESTURES TO THE DRIVER. HE SEEMS TO SAY SOMETHING TO THE DRIVER FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEM CLIMBS INSIDE. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, THE DRIVER WHIPS THE HORSES AND THE CARRIAGE PULLS AWAY FROM THE ROADSIDE. IN THE DISTANCE WE HEAR A HIGH-PITCHED POLICE WHISTLE. CUT TO : INT CARRIAGE THE SCARRED MAN TAKES A SEAT OPPOSITE BLAYLOCK. BLAYLOCK Well? Did you get it? Do you know where they are? THE SCARRED MAN Yes. A place in Wapping. The driver is taking us there now. BLAYLOCK Excellent. THE SCARRED MAN There was a problem, though. I wasn't able to finish the job. BLAYLOCK GLARES AT HIM. CUT TO : ABERMARLE'S OFFICE. NIGHT. ABERMARLE IS STILL PORING OVER THE FILES. A CONSTABLE RUNS INTO THE OFFICE, OUT OF BREATH. CONSTABLE (panting) There's been another one in Spitalfields, sir And they say she's alive. ABERMARLE STANDS AND REACHES FOR HIS COAT ABERMARLE Don't just stand there man, get the lads together. And see if you can find Doyle! The game's afoot, man! THEY HURRY FROM THE OFFICE. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT. THE SPITALFIELDS HOUSE. BRENDAN DOYLE IS STANDING OUTSIDE. A HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE IS APPROACHING. AS IT APPROACHES, WE CAN SEE THAT DOYLE IS WRITING ON A PIECE OF PAPER. HE BECKONS TO A YOUNG BOY AND HANDS HIM SOMETHING. AS THE CARRIAGE STOPS, THE BOY RUNS OFF. ABERMARLE STRIDES FROM THE CARRIAGE. HE IS SURPRISED TO SEE DOYLE ALREADY THERE. DOYLE I was on the way home when I heard, sir. I came straight here. (pause) The girl's name is Claire Nicholson. She lives here with her brother. ABERMARLE One of the names on our list. DOYLE Yes. She's apparently been away for a couple of days, visiting an aunt in the country. She just got home tonight. It seems that our man was waiting for her. ABERMARLE And she's still alive? DOYLE Yes. Her brother came home from work early and disturbed the fiend before he could finish what he started. (pause) She's in a bad way. But she thinks she knows where our man has gone. ABERMARLE Where is she, then? THEY ENTER THE HOUSE. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT. A STREET NEAR EXECUTION DOCK, WAPPING. THE STREET IS RUN-DOWN AND SEEDY-LOOKING. BLAYLOCK'S HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE PULLS UP IN FRONT OF A ROW OF TERRACED HOUSES. CUT TO : INT. CARRIAGE BLAYLOCK SITS OPPOSITE FROM THE SCARRED MAN HE HAS A GLEAM IN HIS EYE. BLAYLOCK This is the place, then? THE SCARRED MAN Yes. BLAYLOCK Come on. They won't be far behind us. THEY CLIMB FROM THE CARRIAGE. CUT TO : EXT NIGHT. BLAYLOCK AND THE SCARRED MAN APPROACH THE FRONT DOOR OF ONE OF THE TERRACED HOUSES. CUT TO : INT. THE SPITALFIELDS HOUSE. THE YOUNG LADY (CLAIRE NICHOLSON) IS SITTING ON A SETTEE IN THE PARLOUR. HER BROTHER IS COMFORTING HER. MISS NICHOLSON HOLDS A LARGE WHITE LINEN BANDAGE TO ONE SIDE OF HER FACE. ABERMARLE IS SITTING OPPOSITE HER. DOYLE IS STANDING. ABERMARLE So he was here when you arrived home, then, Miss Nicholson. MISS NICHOLSON Yes. ABERMARLE What happened then? MR NICHOLSON He wanted to know about Kathleen Gresham. Where she was. ABERMARLE And Kathleen was a friend of yours? MISS NICHOLSON Yes. She and I were part of the same circle. She stayed here a few nights ago. With her niece. ABERMARLE And this man wanted to know where they had gone? MISS NICHOLSON Yes. ABERMARLE Do you know why? MISS NICHOLSON I'm not sure. When she was here, Kathleen said that something had happened at their house in Seymour Street. That they had to leave. They thought someone might be looking for them. I let them stay here for a few days. (pause) When I had to go up to see my aunt, they went somewhere else. ABERMARLE Do you know where? MISS NICHOLSON (sobbing) That's what he wanted to know. (pause) That's why he cut me like this. (pause) Kathleen said she had found a little house near Execution Dock. In Wapping. ABERMARLE We think the man who was here has killed another six people in the last few days. You were very nearly number seven. This man obviously wants to find Kathleen Gresham very badly indeed. MISS NICHOLSON TREMBLES VISIBLY. MISS NICHOLSON (sobbing) I told him where she had gone, Inspector. I couldn't stop myself. (pause) May God forgive me! SHE SOBS HYSTERICALLY DOYLE We should go now, sir, if we're to have a chance of catching him. ABERMARLE AND DOYLE LEAVE THE ROOM AS MISS NICHOLSON SOBS LOUDLY. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT. THE HOUSE AT WAPPING. BLAYLOCK AND THE SCARRED MAN ARE AT THE FRONT DOOR. THE SCARRED MAN IS WORKING AT THE DOOR WITH A LONG CROWBAR. HE HEAVES ON IT AND THE WOODEN DOOR FRAME SPLINTERS. THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN BLAYLOCK AND THE SCARRED MAN EXCHANGE A LOOK BLAYLOCK LICKS HIS LIPS. THEY ENTER THE HOUSE. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT. ABERMARLE'S CARRIAGE IS HURTLING ALONG A ROAD. SEVERAL OTHER CARRIAGES ARE ON THE ROAD SOME WAY BEHIND. CUT TO : INTERIOR OF ABERMARLE'S CARRIAGE. DOYLE IS SITTING OPPOSITE FROM ABERMARLE. ABERMARLE This is a nasty business. That girl is scarred for life. No man will have her now. DOYLE It's gruesome, sir. ABERMARLE It sounds insane. It looks as if our man has killed six women and mutilated another one just to find Kathleen Gresham. (pause) And now he knows where she is. DOYLE That's what they said about the Ripper, sir. Completely insane. ABERMARLE Quite. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT. THE BELMONT CLUB IN PALL MALL. AN IMPOSING BUILDING. THE LIGHTS WITHIN BURN BRIGHTLY. THE YOUNG BOY THAT WE SAW WITH DOYLE EARLIER STANDS AT THE FRONT DOOR. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, THE DOOR OPENS. THE BOY APPEARS TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE WITHIN. ANOTHER FEW SECONDS PASS BEFORE HE IS ADMITTED. THE DOOR CLOSES. CUT TO : INT. THE HOUSE AT WAPPING. BLAYLOCK AND THE SCARRED MAN ARE IN THE HALLWAY. THE SCARRED MAN DRAWS HIS KNIFE. BLAYLOCK OPENS A DOOR OFF THE HALL. CUT TO : THE FRONT ROOM BLAYLOCK STEPS IN TO THE ROOM. THE CAMERA PANS TO SHOW KATHLEEN GRESHAM AND THE LADY ATHENA SITTING AT A TABLE. THE LADY ATHENA'S FACE IS COVERED BY A SHAWL. KATHLEEN GRESHAM (frightened) You must be Mr Blaylock. She said it would be you. (pause) You've already taken the others, haven't you? The others from the circle. All six of them. I felt them go. THE SCARRED MAN STEPS INTO THE ROOM. FIRELIGHT GLINTS OFF HIS KNIFE. BLAYLOCK For what it's worth, Mrs Gresham, I am truly sorry. Certain things must be sacrificed for the future. HE TURNS TO THE SCARRED MAN BLAYLOCK Would you be so kind as to take Mrs Gresham outside for a moment? GRESHAM DOES NOT STRUGGLE AS THE SCARRED MAN TAKES HER ARM. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE SCARRED MAN RETURNS ALONE. BLAYLOCK TURNS TO THE LADY ATHENA BLAYLOCK Now, my dear. There's no need to be afraid. You have led us a merry dance. Dr Randall and Mr Thompson told us all about what happened at Seymour Street, But none of Kathleen's friends would tell us where you had gone. Until tonight. (pause) You have a very special gift, my dear What is your name? ATHENA (quietly) My name is Mary. SHE REACHES UP AND REMOVES THE VEIL. SHE IS REVEALED AS A SLIM YOUNG GIRL, WITH DARK HAIR. SHE IS PERHAPS SIXTEEN YEARS OLD. BLAYLOCK All right, then Mary. You're very important to us, so no harm will come to you. We need you to come with us for a special sort of reading. MARY I'm not a child, Mr Blaylock. And I know who you are. (pause) I won't be coming with you. You must realise that by now. Even if you take me from here now, they will never allow you to leave England alive. BLAYLOCK You _will_ come with us. (pause) You are important to us. We know who you are. And we know what you are. MARY Then you also know what I will become. And you know that what I say is true. I will _not_ be coming with you. (pause) Time is short, sir. You wish to know of the future. If you have something to ask me, you had better proceed. BLAYLOCK AND THE SCARRED MAN EXCHANGE A NERVOUS GLANCE. THE SCARRED MAN GOES TO THE FRONT WINDOW AND LOOKS OUT OF THE CURTAINS. BLAYLOCK (to Mary) Very well, then. HE TAKES A SMALL BOOK FROM HIS POCKET. MARY CLOSES HER EYES AND LAYS BOTH HANDS PALMS DOWN ON THE TABLE. CUT TO: THE SMOKING ROOM OF THE BELMONT CLUB. A NUMBER OF MEN ARE STANDING CHATTING AND SMOKING. WE RECOGNISE ONE OF THEM AS MR POWERS. THE DOOR TO THE ROOM OPENS AND FREDERIC FURNIVAL ENTERS. HE BECKONS AND POWERS COMES OVER TO THE DOOR. THEY TALK INTENTLY FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN THEY LEAVE THE ROOM TOGETHER. CUT TO : INT NIGHT. THE HOUSE AT WAPPING BLAYLOCK IS SEATED AT A TABLE, FACING MARY THE SCARRED MAN IS BY THE WINDOW. MARY IS SPEAKING SOFTLY MARY A king will lose his throne. An army will be subjugated. The victors will demand the blood debt. The people will be reduced to abject poverty. (pause) A loaf of bread will cost a thousand marks and more. BLAYLOCK LOOKS SHAKEN, HIS FACE PALE. HE IS SCRIBBLING FURIOUSLY INTO A SMALL BOOK. MARY But from the ashes of defeat, another will come. Blood will be spilled in Munich. His struggle will be long. (pause) He will rule from the banks of the Volga to the shores of the Atlantic. From Trondheim in the north to Cairo in the south. He will purify and unite the peoples. THE SCARRED MAN Come on, let's just take her and go! You can talk to her all day once we have her back in Hamburg. BLAYLOCK (as if in a trance) I don't think she's coming with us. (pause) What will happen then? MARY (slowly) After that, it will just be a matter of time. What started in a Munich beer hall will end in a Berlin basement. A fire will start in the east. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT THE STREET OUTSIDE. AS ABERMARLE'S CARRIAGE APPROACHES, BLAYLOCK'S CARRIAGE MOVES OFF. SEVERAL OTHER POLICE CARRIAGES ARE ALSO APPROACHING. CUT TO : INT. THE LOCATION IN WAPPING THE SCARRED MAN PULLS BACK FROM THE WINDOW MARY (continuing) It will begin at Voroponovo. (pause) (to Blaylock) Do you know what that means? THE SCARRED MAN (interrupting) They're here, Blaylock! We have to go, for God's sake! HE GRABS MARY'S ARM ROUGHLY AND PULLS HER TO HER FEET. THE SCARRED MAN Come on, out the back! MARY LOOKS UP AT HIM BEATIFICALLY. THERE IS A LOUD HUMMING NOISE. A BRIGHT LIGHT APPEARS IN THE CORNER OF THE ROOM. BLAYLOCK JUMPS TO HIS FEET. HE GRABS HIS NOTEBOOK AND RUNS FOR THE DOOR. THE SCARRED MAN IS STANDING STILL, WATCHING THE CORNER. BEHIND MARY, A FIGURE APPEARS IN THE LIGHT. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT. THE STREET OUTSIDE ABERMARLE AND DOYLE ARE APPROACHING THE FRONT DOOR WHICH HAS BEEN BROKEN OPEN. ABERMARLE This is the place, isn't it? DOYLE NODS ABERMARLE Right. Our man's in there, then. Get someone after that carriage too, in case he's made off in it. AS THEY APPROACH THE FRONT DOOR, THE FRONT WINDOW OF THE HOUSE IS FILLED WITH A BRILLIANT LIGHT. CUT TO : INT. NIGHT THE ROOM IS FILLED WITH LIGHT. AS IT FADES A LITTLE, WE CAN SEE A FIGURE IN THE CORNER. STANDING BEHIND MARY IS A WOMAN WEARING A GOLDEN SHAWL WHICH IS DRAPED OVER HER HEAD AND SHOULDERS. SHE SMILES SLIGHTLY. CUT TO : THE HALL. THE SCARRED MAN RUNS SCREAMING FROM THE ROOM JUST AS THE CONSTABLES ENTER THE HALLWAY. THE LIGHT FROM THE FRONT ROOM IS FADING FAST. CUT TO : THE REAR OF THE HOUSE. WE SEE BLAYLOCK RUNNING DOWN AN ALLEYWAY AT THE REAR OF THE HOUSE. HE CLUTCHES HIS NOTEBOOK CAREFULLY TO HIS CHEST. CUT TO : THE HALLWAY THE SCARRED MAN HAS BEEN GRABBED BY SEVERAL OF THE CONSTABLES AND IS BEING DRAGGED OUTSIDE. ABERMARLE IS IN THE HALLWAY. DOYLE They found this on him, sir HE HOLDS UP THE SCARRED MAN'S KNIFE. ABERMARLE This is our man, then. (to the scarred man) Are you pleased with your work, you devil? THE SCARRED MAN MUMBLES INCOHERENTLY ABERMARLE Get him out of my sight. DOYLE COMES OUT OF THE KITCHEN INTO THE HALLWAY ABERMARLE You were right, Doyle. Quite insane. (pause) Now, where's this woman Gresham? DOYLE We found her in the kitchen, sir. Stabbed like the others. Her niece is here, though. Still alive. THEY ENTER THE FRONT ROOM. MARY IS SITTING QUIETLY AT THE TABLE. SHE LOOKS UP. MARY Detective Inspector Abermarle. I've been looking forward to meeting you. ABERMARLE (confused) I'm sorry, my dear, have we met? MARY No, we have not. (pause) But you have been searching for me, after a fashion. DOYLE LEAVES THE ROOM ABERMARLE I'm afraid that Mrs Gresham is dead. MARY Yes, I know. (pause) She was always kind to me. ABERMARLE Can you tell me what all of this is about? MARY (absently) Eventually you will understand. You will know what has come to pass here. But not yet. (pause) Kathleen found me and took me in. When she discovered my gift, she made use of it. And it all started to fall apart. As it had to. In the end. (pause) It has to be this way, Inspector. I know what happens next. ABERMARLE (confused) I'm sorry, madam, you must have had a terrible shock. You must let your mind rest. DOYLE ENTERS THE ROOM AGAIN. DOYLE I think there was someone else here too, sir. The back window was broken from the inside. Our lads are looking for him in the alleyways, but it's like a maze. (pause) She'll not be safe here, sir. There's a mob starting to gather in the street. I think we should take her to back to the Yard. At least until we get this mess sorted out. ABERMARLE (absently) Agreed. (to Mary) Madam, you may travel in my carriage with Sergeant Doyle. (to Doyle) I'll go back with our man and the others. MARY Goodbye, Detective Inspector. We will meet again. ABERMARLE (confused) Yes, quite. CUT TO : EXT NIGHT THE STREET THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE STANDING IN THE STREET WATCHING EVENTS WITH A MENACING AIR. DOYLE AND MARY CLIMB INTO ABERMARLE'S CARRIAGE WHILE ABERMARLE GETS INTO ONE OF THE OTHERS. THE CARRIAGES SET OFF TOGETHER. CUT TO : A LONDON STREET THE TWO CARRIAGES ARE DRIVING ONWARDS TOGETHER. DOYLE'S CARRIAGE IS ALREADY WELL AHEAD. ITS DRIVER BEATS THE HORSES HARD AND IT TAKES ANOTHER TURN OF SPEED IT MOVES FURTHER AHEAD AS IT APPROACHES A CORNER. ABERMARLE'S CARRIAGE LAGS BEHIND FOR A FEW LONG SECONDS BEFORE IT TOO BEGINS TO PICK UP SPEED. CUT TO : EXT. NIGHT. THE BELMONT CLUB. FURNIVALL AND POWERS ARE COMING DOWN THE STEPS. THEY STOP AT THE BOTTOM AND GET INTO A WAITING HANSOM CAB. CUT TO: EXT. NIGHT. THE STRAND POLICE STATION. THE TWO CARRIAGES SLOW AND STOP OUTSIDE THE POLICE STATION. ABERMARLE ALIGHTS FROM HIS CARRIAGE ALONG WITH TWO POLICE CONSTABLES HANDCUFFED TO THE SCARRED MAN. ABERMARLE WAITS ON THE PAVEMENT FOR A MOMENT, BUT DOYLE DOES NOT LEAVE HIS CARRIAGE. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, HE STRIDES UP TO THE CARRIAGE AND OPENS THE DOOR HIMSELF. SHOCK SPREADS ACROSS HIS FACE. CUT TO : THE INTERIOR OF THE CARRIAGE. IT IS EMPTY. THERE IS NO SIGN OF DOYLE OR MARY. CUT BACK TO : THE SHOCKED FACE OF JAMES ABERMARLE END OF ACT THREE. ACT FOUR. CUT TO : EXT. DAY. MORNING THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER CAPTION: 23RD DECEMBER 1899 CUT TO : INT. DAY POWERS' OFFICE POWERS IS SITTING BEHIND HIS DESK BISHOP IS SITTING OPPOSITE HIM, LEANING FORWARDS AS HE SPEAKS. BISHOP The time for prevarication is over, sir. You _have to_ help us. POWERS I am afraid that I remain powerless in this matter, Mr Bishop. While you refuse to put your cards on the table, there is nothing I can do. HE PAUSES AND THEN CONTINUES ABSENTLY POWERS This business in the Cape is occupying much of my time. Nothing but dreadful news from Ladysmith and Mafeking. Don't you think? HE SIGHS BISHOP SHIFTS UNCOMFORTABLY IN HIS SEAT. BISHOP (reluctantly) Very well then. (pause) She is one of us, Powers. One of the Family. POWERS I suspected as much. (pause) Please continue. BISHOP PAUSES AND GRIMACES. BISHOP Her name is Mary McKenna. She is only sixteen. She ran away from us in Arles last year. We _know_ that she came to London. We _know_ that she worked as a common prostitute For God's sake, man, a member of the family working as a street-walker! POWERS (acidly) Isn't it something of a family tradition? BISHOP Have you no pity, sir? One of the descendants of Christ, selling herself on the streets of London? POWERS She is descended from both Christ and Mary Magdalene, as I recall. BISHOP GRUNTS AFTER A FEW SECONDS, HE CONTINUES BISHOP We _have_ to find her, man. We know that someone took her off the streets a few months ago. We have been scouring London ourselves for months but the trail has gone cold. Our organisations have shared a common purpose for centuries. Surely you will help us to find her now. POWERS So she is simply a wayward girl, then. The sheep who has strayed. (pause) Surely there are others who can take her place? I have never known the Family to put all of its eggs in the one basket before. BISHOP FURROWS HIS BROW FOR A FEW SECONDS BISHOP You are correct. There are others of the line. (pause) But she is important to us. She is ... She has ... POWERS (more interested) Yes? BISHOP It is hard to describe. She contains .... that may be the best word ... Yes, she may contain a ... fragment ... of the Magdalene. It is powerful but ... unstable ... immature. Dangerous. She is ... flawed ... but she has the potential to become a powerful visionary. To ... change the future. THERE IS SILENCE IN THE ROOM FOR A FEW SECONDS POWERS SITS BACK IN HIS SEAT. POWERS Thank you for confiding in me at last. I am sure we can help you find your lost sheep. Although I'm afraid it's quite impossible at the moment. As I have said, this is a difficult time for us. The war with the Boer Republics is consuming much of our attention. Perhaps once it is settled we can be of assistance to you. BISHOP GLARES AT POWERS BUT DOES NOT REPLY. CUT TO : INT. DAY ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER BERESFORD'S OFFICE BERESFORD IS WORKING AT HIS DESK. A FEW SECONDS PASS. THE OFFICE DOOR FLIES OPEN AND ABERMARLE STRIDES IN. ABERMARLE Assistant Commissioner. I have to speak with you - now. BERESFORD Calm down, James, calm down. HE GETS UP AND CLOSES THE DOOR. BERESFORD Now, have a seat and compose yourself. ABERMARLE SITS DOWN BERESFORD So, what can I do for you? ABERMARLE You can tell me where Doyle is. And what he's done with the girl. BERESFORD Ah. I see. (pause) Doyle's taken a leave of absence. Effective from this morning. And the girl is officially missing. I'm sure she'll turn up. ABERMARLE Doyle's desk here has been cleared out and all of our case notes have gone. I checked with the station in Whitechapel. They had never heard of a Brendan Doyle. BERESFORD Look, James. (pause) You've done very well. You apprehended a madman who murdered seven people. You'll be in line for promotion in the New Year. It would be unwise to rock the boat at this point. ABERMARLE We had the girl. We were bringing her here. She's the only one who knows what this mess has really been about. BERESFORD Surely it's quite simple, James. The man was quite insane. We'll never know why he killed those people. Maybe there was no reason. (pause) Look. You've been under a lot of pressure. And it's almost Christmas. You should forget this case. Perhaps you should take a few weeks off. Spend some time with your wife - Emma, isn't it? And the twins. ABERMARLE I'll find Doyle and the girl. I'll find them if I have to bring this place down around your ears. HE STORMS OUT. CUT TO : EXT. DAY. EARLY AFTERNOON. A LARGE MANSION IN THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE WISPY CLOUDS DRIFT ACROSS A BLUE SKY. IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT SNOW SOON. CUT TO : A LARGE ROOM INSIDE THE MANSION TWELVE MEN ARE SITTING AROUND A LARGE OVAL TABLE. THEY ARE ALL IN FORMAL DRESS. WE RECOGNISE POWERS, FURNIVALL AND THE RED-FACED MAN. FURNIVALL So we have her at last. POWERS Yes, it was a very near thing. (pause) Our friends in Scotland Yard did a sterling job. RED-FACED MAN Are there any loose ends for us to worry about? POWERS Everyone who saw the manifestation at Seymour Street is accounted for. Our adversaries initially found out about the girl from Thompson and Randall. It's safe to assume they're dead by now. Mrs Browning is safe in Broadmoor. And our man at the Cape will take care of Charles Wallace when he arrives. And, of course, Kathleen Gresham is dead. HE LOOKS AROUND THE ROOM BEFORE CONTINUING POWERS The killer is quite insane. It's unlikely he'll ever be tried. Thanks to his efforts, most of the spiritualists who knew about the girl are either dead or have left London. The Nicholsons are leaving too. The girl was scarred horribly. (pause) And the papers are full of praise for Scotland Yard for catching a deranged multiple murderer. RED-FACED MAN It's like the Ripper fiasco all over again. POWERS Bad memories, my friend. (pause) Anyway, as for our friends at the Yard... James Abermarle is likely to make a few waves but he'll settle down once he gets his promotion. He's very bright. He can probably be useful to us in the future. And Beresford has arranged for Doyle to quietly disappear from sight. (pause) We now know who the other man at the house was. He's back in Germany with his masters by now. (pause) The only outstanding problem is Mr Bishop. He came to see me earlier. He confirmed our suspicions that the girl may be a .... fragment .... of the Magdalene. RED-FACED MAN Is there a risk of a manifestation here? POWERS We've taken steps to prevent it. Mr Lees has been very helpful. FURNIVALL Are you sure we are wise to go against the Family in this way? They will not stop until she is back with them. POWERS They have only themselves to blame. They allowed her to escape from France and come to London. Then they lost track of her. (pause) From what we can tell, she was whoring herself on street corners until Kathleen Gresham took her in. Once Gresham discovered the gift she had, she started making use of it at her seances. She told people that the girl was her niece. It was only a matter of time until the Magdalene manifested at Seymour Street. If we hadn't received word from our people at the Marsden, we might never have found her. She might have been in the hands of our enemies even now. FURNIVALL Consider what you are suggesting. We have been allies for centuries. (pause) It's not too late to hand her over. POWERS I understand your concerns. But this girl has a powerful gift. The Family was careless enough to lose her once. If we hand her back, they might lose her again. (pause) The Thule Society killed nine people to get to her. FURNIVALL Surely you mean we allowed nine innocents to be killed. POWERS We have watched worse things happen for less reason, Frederic. (pause) Think what would happen if they got hold of her. Do you want to be responsible for bringing on Ragnarok? FURNIVALL IS SILENT POWERS As it is, they had at least a few minutes with her in the house before Abermarle arrived. They must have got some information from her in that time. And their man got away. (pause) It's vital for us to know at least as much as they know. FURNIVALL Even if it risks upsetting the balance? And turning the Family against us? If they ever realise that we have her, it will be the end of the alliance. POWERS Then they must never know. (pause) There are one hundred years remaining, Frederic. You've seen the prophecies. You know how fragmentary our knowledge of the coming century is. Think what we can accomplish with detailed knowledge of the future. (pause) Think what we could have achieved if we had been able to avert this war with the Boers. (pause) If we know what the future holds, we can work to lift humanity from the mire. To eliminate war, to reduce disease and poverty. When the millennium arrives, it will be at the end of a century of peace and progress, instead of one of war and death. FURNIVALL You're playing with fire. Some things are not meant to be known. You must realise that. THERE IS SILENCE AROUND THE TABLE. CUT TO : ANOTHER LARGE ROOM IN THE MANSION MARY SITS ALONE IN A HIGH-BACKED CHAIR BY THE WINDOW. BRENDAN DOYLE SITS IN ANOTHER CHAIR NEARBY. A SERVANT STANDS BY THE DOOR. A KEY TURNS IN THE LOCK AND THE DOOR OPENS POWERS AND FURNIVALL ENTER. THE DOOR IS CLOSED AND LOCKED BEHIND THEM POWERS Good afternoon, my lady. MARY MCKENNA Hello, Mr Powers. POWERS I hope that you are comfortable here? You will be staying with us for a while, I'm afraid. MARY I know. It will be quite a while, won't it? POWERS LOOKS OVER AT FURNIVALL BUT SAYS NOTHING. POWERS AND FURNIVALL TAKE SEATS OPPOSITE FROM MARY AND DOYLE. POWERS Shall we begin then? MARY If you wish. POWERS (with trepidation) What does the coming century hold for humanity? MARY SIGHS MARY So impatient. (pause) Very well, then. SHE CLOSES HER EYES AND SITS STILL FOR THIRTY SECONDS. MARY (quietly, speaking slowly) An empire in retreat. The death of a queen. Defeat crowds in upon defeat. (pause) The war to end all wars. A generation will die in the trenches. (pause) Money will lose its value. A king will forsake his throne. (pause) War again. Blitzkrieg. Sealion. Voroponovo. Ring. Saturn. Blue. Overlord. Slaughter on the beaches. SHE PAUSES MARY (quietly) Work will make you free. SHE IS SILENT FOR A FEW SECONDS. WHEN SHE SPEAKS, IT IS IN A WHISPER. MARY I am become death. The destroyer of worlds. MARY OPENS HER EYES AGAIN. THE COLOUR HAS DRAINED FROM THE FACES OF POWERS, FURNIVALL AND DOYLE. FURNIVALL STORMS OUT OF THE ROOM. MARY TURNS TO POWERS. MARY There is more. If you wish it. POWERS (hoarsely) Yes. CLOSE-UP ON THE FACE OF MARY AS SHE SLIPS BACK INTO A TRANCE. CUT TO : EXT. DAY SCOTLAND YARD CAPTION : 1 MARCH 1900 CUT TO : INT. DAY. AN OFFICE DOOR IT BEARS A BRONZE PLAQUE WHICH READS : CHIEF INSPECTOR JAMES ABERMARLE. CUT TO : ABERMARLE'S OFFICE HE IS ALONE IN THE OFFICE, READING PAPERS AT HIS DESK. THE DOOR OPENS AND A MAIL BOY COMES IN MAIL BOY Post, sir. ABERMARLE LOOKS UP BUT DOES REPLY THE BOY PUTS A NEWSPAPER AND AN ENVELOPE ON THE DESK. WE CAN SEE THE NEWSPAPER HEADLINE : "LADYSMITH RELIEVED" THE BOY LEAVES QUICKLY AND SHUTS THE DOOR BEHIND HIM. ABERMARLE LOOKS WEARILY AT THE PAPER HEADLINE AND THEN PICKS UP THE ENVELOPE HE OPENS IT. INSIDE IS A PRINTED CARD READING : "ABERMARLE - YOU ARE REQUESTED TO ATTEND THE OFFICE OF SIR THOMAS POWERS, PERMANENT PRIVATE SECRETARY TO THE PRIME MINISTER AT 2 O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON." ABERMARLE STARES AT THE CARD. CUT TO : INT DAY. POWERS' OFFICE. ABERMARLE ARRIVES. HE PRESENTS HIS CARD TO POWERS' SECRETARY AND TAKES A SEAT. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, THE SECRETARY COMES OVER TO HIM. THE SECRETARY Mr Powers will see you now, sir. ABERMARLE ENTERS THE OFFICE. MR POWERS IS SITTING BEHIND HIS DESK. MR POWERS Mr Abermarle, it's good to meet you at last. Please take a seat. ABERMARLE SITS, BUT DOES NOT TAKE HIS EYES OFF POWERS. MR POWERS Congratulations on your recent promotion, Chief Inspector. That was a nasty business before Christmas, wasn't it? May I call you James? ABERMARLE DOES NOT REPLY MR POWERS I thought it was time that you and I had a little chat. Commissioner Beresford tells me that you have been causing something of a stir down at the Yard. That you're not content to let sleeping dogs lie, as it were. Asking awkward questions about Brendan Doyle. Hmmmm? ABERMARLE IS SILENT MR POWERS I can give you the answers you need. I can tell you about Doyle. About who he really was. (pause) Once you appreciate the facts of the case, you might see things differently. (pause) So what do you say, then? ABERMARLE HESITATES FOR A FEW SECONDS ABERMARLE I'm listening. MR POWERS I will, of course, need certain assurances from you before we go any further. What we discuss must go no further than this room. And you must agree to drop your pointless crusade. ABERMARLE HESITATES FOR A MOMENT BEFORE REPLYING. ABERMARLE Agreed. (pause) Who was he, then? Who was Brendan Doyle? MR POWERS He was a member of a group. A sort of association of like minds, if you will. A group that was involved in assuring a satisfactory conclusion to events at Christmas. (pause) I'm afraid that I cannot tell you the reasons why. Not at this stage. ABERMARLE He was with the government then. Some sort of secret agent. MR POWERS SMILES MR POWERS No. I'm afraid not. We are not the government, although some of our members do hold high office. We do not serve Victoria. (pause) No. It is sufficient to say that our group acts in the best interests of the Empire. The situation at Christmas posed a threat to the Empire. That threat has now been removed, thanks to the efforts of Mr Doyle and yourself. ABERMARLE Is Beresford a member of this group? POWERS SMILES AGAIN POWERS Oh, no. He has proven useful to us in the past, but that is all. AN ODD EXPRESSION CROSSES ABERMARLE'S FACE. PERHAPS SATISFACTION. POWERS Come over here a moment. HE GESTURES AT THE WINDOW. THE TWO MEN RISE AND WALK TO LOOK OUT OF THE WINDOW. CUT TO : EXT. DAY. IT IS AFTERNOON. THE SKY IS POWDER BLUE. WE CAN SEE THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. BIG BEN AND THE THAMES ARE IN THE BACKGROUND. THE CITY IS ALIVE WITH ACTIVITY. THE ROADS ARE FULL OF CARTS AND CARRIAGES. BARGES MAKE THEIR WAY UP AND DOWN THE THAMES. THE PAVEMENTS ARE THRONGED WITH PEOPLE POWERS (VOICEOVER) There is more work for us to do, James. Protecting the Empire. Protecting the world. (pause) We want you to consider joining us. Helping our work. ABERMARLE (VOICEOVER) You told me that you're not the government. But you protect the Empire. (pause) Who do you really work for? Who do you serve? THERE IS A LONG PAUSE BEFORE POWERS ANSWERS POWERS (VOICEOVER) We serve humanity, James. We serve the future. ABERMARLE (VOICEOVER) Who are you? ANOTHER LONG PAUSE POWERS (VOICEOVER) We are the heart of the empire, James. We are the shadow behind the throne. We are the hands on the reins of power. We are the sons of Adam. (pause) _This_ is who we are. THE CAMERA HOLDS ON THE VIEW OF LONDON FOR A FEW SECONDS MORE. FADE TO WHITE. CUT TO: ROMNEY MARSHES 1918 THE TWO FIGURES WE SAW BEFORE ARE STANDING AT A CARRIAGE IN THE MIST. WE NOW RECOGNISE THE OLDER MAN AS MR POWERS, MUCH OLDER THAN HE WAS IN 1899. POWERS It was amazing, Templeton. An oracle of the next hundred years. Amazing and horrifying. The things that this century will bear witness to. (pause) Earthquakes. Great plagues. New inventions. New frontiers for science. She told us where to look. (pause) We shall scale the heights and plumb the depths of our humanity. Wonders of science, marvels of technology. But we shall pay for it in blood (pause) With the knowledge she gave us, we've been able to alter some things. Attempting to change the future for the better. (pause) This war, for instance. She said it would start in nineteen eleven. We worked for years to avoid it. In the end, we only managed to postpone it. THE TWO MEN ARE SILENT FOR A FEW SECONDS. TEMPLETON The war did come to pass in the end, just as she said it would. What did she say would come after? POWERS A period of calm. And then a gathering of forces once again. Preparing for a second 'world war' which will start in nineteen thirty-seven. Which will be worse than the first. We're still trying to work out some of the details of what she said. Ring. Saturn. Blue. Voroponovo. Uranus. Strange words. (pause) And after that ... It's been twenty years, and we still don't understand everything she told us. TEMPLETON So where is she now? POWERS Some of us wanted to keep her for a short while and then hand her back to the Family. But when we realised how important she was, .. how powerful ... We decided that it would never be safe for her to go back to them. If she had fallen into the wrong hands again, All our efforts to control the future would be ruined. So we kept her. We never told the Family that she had been found. (pause) After a few years, we moved her to a secure part of the Broadmoor asylum. One of us would visit her every month. (pause) And then, one day in nineteen eleven, she just vanished. From a locked room. (pause) It seems that we underestimated the Family after all. After that, they split from us. Severed all the links. TEMPLETON So we lost our oracle. POWERS Yes. (pause) And now we must work to prevent, or at least forestall, the next war. If she was right, we have less than twenty years. HE SIGHS POWERS Perhaps the events that lie ahead were decided long ago. Perhaps they will come to pass despite our efforts. (pause) It may be that Furnivall was right. Perhaps we are playing with fire. THE MISTS SWIRL AROUND THE TWO FIGURES. GRADUALLY THEY ARE LOST FROM VIEW. GREY MIST FILLS THE SCREEN. THE END. Background Notes to 'Fin de Siecle' These are encoded in 'Rot 13' which can be decoded by any good e-mail client or newsreader. Alternatively, they are available through the Fin de Siecle HTML page. Nhgube'f Abgrf ba Sva qr Fvpyr Ol Erq Xrggyr Guvf rcvfbqr unf trarengrq n ybg bs vagrerfg, fb V unir chg gbtrgure n srj sbbgabgrf jvgu gur vagragvba bs cebivqvat n yvggyr zber onpxtebhaq qrgnvy naq vyyhzvangvat juvpu cnegf ner erny naq juvpu svpgvba. V ubcr lbh yvxr gurz. GVGYR Sva qr Fvpyr pna or ebhtuyl genafyngrq nf 'raq bs gur plpyr' naq vf n grez bsgra hfrq gb qrfpevor gur pybfvat lrnef bs gur 19gu praghel. BCRAVAT DHBGR Nf fbba nf V pnzr npebff vg, V gubhtug Nqynv Fgrirafba'f erznex nobhg pbageby bs gur shgher jnf whfg evtug sbe guvf rcvfbqr. Nf Crgre Jnggf fnlf va 'Gur Gvzr vf Abj' : "vg jnf nyjnlf nobhg pbageby". GRNFRE Gur Ebzarl Znefurf ner n erny cynpr, naq gur zrrgvat orgjrra Cbjref naq Grzcyrgba vf frg ba gur qnl va 1918 jura gur nezvfgvpr jnf fvtarq ng gur raq bs Jbeyq Jne Bar. Frlzbhe Fgerrg vf n erny fgerrg, nqwnprag gb Ulqr Cnex Pbeare va Ybaqba. Gurer jrer n ahzore bs fcvevghnyvfg pvepyrf va rkvfgrapr va ghea-bs-gur-praghel Ybaqba, naq gurl cenpgvfrq inevbhf sbezf bs fcvevghnyvfz, fŽnapr naq 'gnoyr-xabpxvat'. Gurer jnf n xrra vagrerfg ng gur gvzr va fcrnxvat gb gur fcvevgf bs gur erpragyl-qrprnfrq. Nobhg 2 jrrxf cnff orgjrra gur grnfre naq gur fgneg bs Npg Bar. NPG BAR Gur Ybaqba Fpvragvsvp Fbpvrgl vf svpgvbany (nf sne nf V xabj), ohg Ybeq Xryiva qvq tvir na nqqerff ng guvf gvzr nobhg gur 'raq bs fpvrapr'. Uvf erznexf ner cnencuenfrq, ohg ner va xrrcvat jvgu uvf birenyy nethzrag. Norezneyr vf anzrq nsgre Wnzrf Nooreyvar, gur qrgrpgvir va 'Sebz Uryy', juvyr Oynlybpx vf anzrq sbe Wnzrf Oynlybpx, gur nhgube bs 'Ubzhaphyhf'. Gurve pbairefngvba vf onfrq ba arjfcncre cvrprf sebz gur lrnef 1899 naq 1900 juvpu qvfphffrq gur vffhrf bs gur gvzr. Vg frrzf nccnerag gung znal crbcyr ernyyl qvq guvax gung gur 1900f jbhyq or n tbyqra ntr('yn oryyr rcbdhr'), jvgubhg jne be qvfrnfr. Gur gjb zra qvfphff Serqrevp Sheavinyy naq Wnzrf Zheenl jub jrer obgu erny crbcyr vaibyirq va gur perngvba bs gur Bksbeq Ratyvfu Qvpgvbanel (frr 'Gur Fhetrba bs Pebjgubear'). Gur hasbeghangr Zef Oebjavat raqf hc va gur Eblny Znefqra, juvpu vf n erny zragny ubfcvgny. Ze Jnyynpr gnxrf fuvc gb Pncr Gbja, juvpu jnf n Oevgvfu pbybal ng gur gvzr. 'Gur Zrg' vf n pbzzba nooerivngvba sbe 'Gur Zrgebcbyvgna Cbyvpr', juvpu jnf Ybaqba'f cbyvpr sbepr. Wnzrf naq Rzzn'f gjvaf jrer obea fubegyl nsgre zvqavtug ba gur 22aq bs Abirzore 1899. Jura jr frr gurz urer, gurl ner nobhg 18 qnlf byq. NPG GJB. Nabgure 11 qnlf cnff orgjrra Npgf Bar naq Gjb. Va gung gvzr, Orerfsbeq naq Qblyr unir orra vairfgvtngvat riragf sbyybjvat gur vapvqrag ng Frlzbhe Fgerrg, jvgubhg zhpu yhpx. Orerfsbeq qrpvqrf gb rkcnaq gur vairfgvtngvba, ohg arrqf n Qrgrpgvir Vafcrpgbe gb gnxr 'bssvpvny' punetr bs vg. Oeraqna Qblyr vf anzrq nsgre gjb crbcyr : Neguhe Pbana Qblyr, gur perngbe bs Fureybpx Ubyzrf naq nyfb uvf anzrfnxr, gur gvzr-geniryyvat ureb bs Gvz Cbjref' abiry 'Gur Nahovf Tngrf'. Norezneyr erznexf gb Qblyr gung ur'f orra 'qrnyvat jvgu guvf qnzarq Sravna ohfvarff', juvpu vf n ersrerapr gb n pnzcnvta bs obzovat naq vafheerpgvba pneevrq bhg ol gur Sravna Fbpvrgl va gur yngr 1890f gb gel naq rafher Ubzr Ehyr sbe Verynaq. Qblyr vf na Vevfuzna naq ernpgf nppbeqvatyl. Nyy gur nernf jurer gur ivpgvzf ner sbhaq ner erny cynprf va Ybaqba naq jrer engure eha-qbja, ybj-erag cynprf va 1899. Gurl'er zhpu avpre abj, V'z gbyq. Gur svaqvat bs n zhgvyngrq obql va Fcvgnysvryqf, Juvgrpuncry be Fgrcarl va 1899 jbhyq abg unir orra gbb sne bhg bs gur beqvanel, juvyr qvfpbirel bs gur fnzr va Juvgrunyy, Xavtugfoevqtr be Xrafvatgba jbhyq unir orra sebag-cntr arjf. Gurer ner frireny ersreraprf gb Wnpx gur Evccre guebhtubhg gur fpevcg - gur riragf bs gra lrnef ntb ner fgvyy serfu va znal Ybaqbare'f zvaqf, rfcrpvnyyl nf gur xvyyre jnf arire oebhtug gb whfgvpr... Gubznf Cbjref vf svpgvbany, ohg vf anzrq nsgre Gvzbgul Cbjref, nhgube bs 'Gur Nahovf Tngrf' (frr nobir). Ybeq Fnyvfohel vf erny, ubjrire, naq jnf Cevzr Zvavfgre sebz 1895-1902. Creznarag Cevingr Frpergnel gb gur Cevzr Zvavfgre vf n erny pvivy freivpr cbfg juvpu bsgra vaibyirq gevcf sebz Juvgrunyy gb gur (Ubhfr bs) Pbzzbaf. Ze Ovfubc vf anzrq nsgre Ynapr Uraevxfra'f punenpgre sebz 'Nyvraf'. Qblyr naq Oynlybpx unir zrg orsber, ohg Qblyr snvyf gb ernyvfr guvf hagvy vg'f gbb yngr. Oynlybpx trgf gur yvfg ol fyrvtug bs unaq. Gur lbhat Nyoreg Rvafgrva znl jryy unir orra vaivgrq gb nqqerff bar bs Ybaqba'f znal fpvragvsvp fbpvrgvrf va 1900, ohg ur qvq abg va snpg tvir n choyvp yrpgher va Terng Oevgnva hagvy 1927. NPG GUERR. Jura Norezneyr fnlf 'Gur tnzr'f nsbbg, zna!', guvf vf na boivbhf ersrerapr gb Fureybpx Ubyzrf. Rkrphgvba Qbpx jnf n erny cynpr ng Jnccvat, ba gur onaxf bs gur Gunzrf naq jnf anzrq sbe gur rkrphgvbaf pneevrq bhg gurer va gur cnfg. Gur cerqvpgvbaf gung Znel znxrf sbe Oynlybpx ner onfrq ba erny riragf va Treznal sbyybjvat gur Svefg Jbeyq Jne. V jba'g rkcynva gurz va qrgnvy, ohg gung jbeq 'Ibebcbabib' qbrf nccrne ntnva. Whfg orsber fur qvfnccrnef, Znel cebzvfrf Norezneyr gung gurl jvyy zrrg ntnva. Gur Oryzbag Pyho vf svpgvbany, ohg ercerfragf n snveyl glcvpny Ybaqba tragyrzna'f pyho bs gur gvzr. Gur Fgenaq cbyvpr fgngvba vf erny. NPG SBHE. Cbjref' yvar nobhg 'qernqshy arjf sebz Ynqlfzvgu naq Znsrxvat' ersref gb gur gjb Oevgvfu frggyrzragf juvpu jrer phg bss naq orfvrtrq va gur jne jvgu gur Obre Erchoyvpf. Gurl jrer riraghnyyl eryvrirq va rneyl 1900. Gur nhghza bs 1899 unq vapyhqrq n crevbq pnyyrq 'Gur Oynpx Jrrx', va juvpu gur frrzvatyl-vaivapvoyr Oevgvfu Nezl unq orra qrsrngrq ba guerr bppnfvbaf. Znel vf erirnyrq nf bar bs gur Snzvyl, jub ena njnl sebz gurve frggyrzrag va Neyrf, Senapr. Ovfubc vf nfxvat sbe Cbjref' uryc nf 'bhe betnavfngvbaf unir funerq n pbzzba checbfr sbe praghevrf', nf ersreerq gb va 'Nznarfvf'. Znel ZpXraan vf va snpg Pynver ZpXraan'f terng-terng-tenaqzbgure. Va gur zrrgvat ng gur znafvba, Cbjref vagvzngrf gung ur zvtug xabj fbzrguvat nobhg 'gur Evccre svnfpb' sebz 10 lrnef ntb. Jura Cbjref fnlf 'Ze Yrrf unf orra irel urycshy', ur'f ersreevat gb bar bs Ybaqba'f orggre-xabja cflpuvpf, jub jnf nyfb vaibyirq va gur Evccre pnfr. Cbjref' qrpvfvba abg gb erghea Znel gb gur Snzvyl, va gur vagrerfgf bs znvagnvavat gur onynapr, jvyy riraghnyyl yrnq qverpgyl gb n fcyvg jvgu gurz va 1911. Nf Ynen Zrnaf gryyf hf va 'Nznarfvf', gur gjb tebhcf unir funerq n pbzzba checbfr sbe nyzbfg n gubhfnaq lrnef. Nsgre gur fcyvg, vg jvyy or nyzbfg 90 lrnef orsber zrzoref sebz gur gjb tebhcf zrrg ntnva (Ynen Zrnaf naq Ora Svfure va 'Nznarfvf'). Gur Guhyr Fbpvrgl jnf n erny betnavfngvba va Treznal, sbhaqrq va 1912 sebz gur 'Treznarabeqra' zbirzrag. Vg'f cbffvoyr gung vgf cuvybfbcul znl unir vasbezrq fbzr bs Uvgyre'f oryvrsf. Sberehaaref gb guvf fbpvrgl jrer va rkvfgrapr va gur yngr 19gu praghel, nygubhtu abg haqre guvf anzr. Cbjref pyrneyl oryvrirf gung vg vf gur vagragvba bs guvf fbpvrgl gb oevat ba Entanebx (gur raq bs gur jbeyq) naq gung vg vf bofrffrq jvgu bognvavat xabjyrqtr (naq urapr pbageby) bs gur shgher. Ntnva, nyy bs gur cerqvpgvbaf gung Znel znxrf sbe Cbjref ner onfrq ba erny riragf bs gur svefg fvk qrpnqrf bs gur 20gu praghel, guvf gvzr sebz Oevgnva'f cbvag bs ivrj. Gur arjf bs gur eryvrs bs Ynqlfzvgu jnf erprvirq va Ybaqba ba 1fg Znepu 1900, naq fcnexrq pryroengvbaf npebff gur pbhagel. Norezneyr unf orra cebzbgrq gb Puvrs Vafcrpgbe ol gur fgneg bs 1900, ohg vf fgvyy znxvat jnirf, juvpu sbeprf Cbjref gb gnxr npgvba. Ur erirnyf gung Oeraqna Qblyr vf cneg bs n Tebhc cyrqtrq gb cebgrpg gur Oevgvfu Rzcver naq gur jbeyq, naq bssref gb znxr Norezneyr n zrzore. Cbjref' svany nqzvffvba gung 'guvf vf jub jr ner' fgebatyl vzcyvrf gung guvf unf nyy orra cneg bs n ybat-ehaavat fgehttyr orgjrra gur Tebhc naq gur Guhyr Fbpvrgl sbe pbageby bs gur 20gu praghel. Nabgure 18 lrnef ryncfr orsber gur svany fprar va juvpu jr erghea gb gur Ebzarl Znefurf. Vg orpbzrf pyrne gung sberxabjyrqtr bs gur shgher qbrf abg nyjnlf rdhngr jvgu pbageby. Cbjref gryyf hf gung gur Terng Jne fubhyq bevtvanyyl unir bppheerq va 1911, naq gung gur Tebhc zreryl znantrq gb cbfgcbar vg sbe guerr lrnef. Gur cebcurpl vaqvpngrf gung n shegure jne jvyy oernx bhg va 1937, naq gur Tebhc vf qrgrezvarq gb cerirag guvf pbasyvpg. Cbjref erirnyf gung gur snzvyl fcyvg sebz gur Tebhc va 1911 nsgre Znel'f svany qvfnccrnenapr. V ubcr gung gurfr abgrf ner urycshy va cebivqvat n yvggyr zber onpxtebhaq ba guvf rcvfbqr sbe gubfr jub ner vagrerfgrq. Ertneqf Erq