The Oblong Box

Let go of me!

Let go of me!

Edward!

Oh, my God!

Edward!

Edward.

Go back!

Edward, no!

You leave me no choice. Ruddock.

- Edward! - Don't do it!

Edward! Please, control yourself.

Down here, on the bed!

Stop!

Get them.

- I'm asking you. - I don't know.

- Good evening, gentlemen. - Good evening.

I don't know what you and him are up to, but you've got to get him out of here.

- You're being paid. - And paid well.

Barely well enough. If the police come, what's the answer?

You've nothing to fear, Hackett.

You're running a lodging house for drunken thieves and whores.

It's that filthy stench. What's he doing in there?

- That's what I want to know. - That's enough! About your business!

Anyway, he'll be gone soon enough.

The sooner the better, if you ask me.

- It's not ready to be seen as yet. - But it will be by tonight?

Yes. Have you brought the money?

- Gold? - Guineas.

But not till your work is done.

When it is, you can take this back to Africa with you...

on the same boat that brought you here.

You'll be a rich man, N'Galo.

That's what you want.

Do you think it will work?

When he takes this, he will sleep as if dead.

Look...

even if we do get Sir Edward here...

can he really help him?

I have seen what witchcraft can do. Believe me, Norton.

You have seen what another man of my powers has done already.

Have you not?

Yes.

We have knowledge of things you know nothing of.

I've been thinking it over, Julian.

And I've decided that I want to get married at sea on an open boat.

Yes.

In a brilliant scarlet dress to amuse all the sailors and shock my father.

What? I'm sorry Elizabeth. I was miles away.

So I noticed.

Back in Africa?

Why do you think that?

I would have thought it was obvious.

Since you've been home you're a totally different person.

- No, that's nonsense. - No, it isn't.

Look at you.

Always brooding, heavy-spirited.

Half the time you seem to forget you're with me and we're going to get...

Elizabeth, dear, I am sorry, truly.

What happened out there?

What's on your mind all the time? Please tell me.

No. It's not worth your worrying about.

When we're married, Julian, I want to share your life.

Don't let's start out with secrets, please. Let me start sharing now.

I may have things on my mind, but that doesn't mean that I've changed.

Then prove it.

I didn't really mean that.

I meant...

I'd like to see you smiling the way you used to smile.

There!

Yes, it's your usual good report, Trench.

- Thorough and precise. - I'm more than pleased to be back.

- Africa is a heathen place, and no mistake. - Yes.

Thank you.

Yes, we've had a distasteful time of it here, too.

Properly handled, your African plantation could keep you living well...

to the end of your God-given days.

You and your brother. We mustn't forget Sir Edward, must we?

Sir Edward wouldn't eat any of his dinner, sir.

Thank you, Ruddock, I'll try later.

How is Sir Edward now?

How did you expect him to be? Better?

I had hoped more normal.

Yes, he did seem to be more normal...

so we took off the chains.

But the madness only overcame him again.

He tried to break away, to escape.

Ever since then he seems to have grown steadily worse.

Every man wants to be free.

How can he be free, looking the way he does?

Don't you understand his mind is going, too?

Sometimes that sickness strikes him with such ferocity...

he's as dangerous as an insane beast.

Perhaps an asylum?

No.

We mustn't even think about that.

I couldn't bear the thought of my brother screaming his life away...

in Bedlam with the rest of those unfortunate creatures.

And surgery is out of the question?

Do you think those carrion doctors could put his face together again?

Do you think they could even lay hands on him...

without wanting to experiment? No.

I'd like to see him.

I don't allow anyone to see him but myself.

- He's much too dangerous. - I'm not afraid.

He seemed so pleased to see me the last time.

Yes, he did seem to be better for a while after you saw him.

Very well, you may go up.

But please, don't let him see you're shocked...

by how much worse he has become.

And don't get too close.

Remember, if the madness comes over him again...

your only protection are the chains on his feet.

- Thank you, I'll remember. - Ruddock.

Take Mr. Trench to see Sir Edward.

- I'd keep my distance, sir. - It'll be all right, Ruddock.

Sir Edward?

Sir Edward. It's me, Trench.

There isn't much time.

I just want you to know that I've come back from Africa.

- Have you done what I asked? - Yes.

When will it be?

In two days. It'll be ready.

You will be well rewarded. Unless you fail.

I must get out of here, Trench. I'm counting on you. Before it's too late.

It's as I feared. You've upset him.

I'm afraid I can't allow anyone to see him again ever.

Good night.

Look!

What happened?

Body snatchers, Master Julian.

They got away.

The doctors still require their warm guinea pigs.

You're not shocked?

It's better that they practice their barbarities on the dead than on the living.

- They pay a handsome price, I suppose. - Of course.

And for some of our people, that kind of money is the difference...

- between a full belly and an empty one. - You're not shocked?

I can see how important it is for the poor souls.

Better than a good mark in heaven.

It is for God to judge, Parson, and not you.

It's horrifying, Julian.

Far worse things are known to man, Elizabeth.

I'm going to put it all out of my mind. The only thing to think about is us.

- Are we still getting married soon? - Sooner.

Because Father may succeed in driving me off to Italy, away from you.

- But I thought we had his blessing. - That was before.

Before?

Before you returned from the dark continent.

Before you dismissed most of the servants.

Before the town started to talk.

You mean they're talking about me? About the house?

Don't you see what a hermit you're becoming? Of course they talk.

Wild tales of demons and ghosties with rattling chains.

But you don't believe any of that nonsense, do you?

There's nothing to believe, is there?

- What do you think? - I think they're all madmen, fools.

Good.

For the master.

- From Mistress Elizabeth, Master. - Thank you, Ruddock.

Have you taken up Sir Edward's dinner yet?

No, sir, I'll take it up right away.

"Dearest Julian, I am no longer able to fight my father's wishes to send me to Italy."

"He is disturbed by your strange behavior..."

"and wants to be sure that I do not make a mistake."

"You must know that it is not my wish to leave you and end our betrothal."

Master Julian!

Sir! It's Sir Edward!

What is it, Ruddock?

You'd better come, Sir.

Edward, why did they have to take you?

Can your soul ever forgive mine?

Ruddock...

bring Trench to me. And no one else is to know.

Very well, Sir.

There's Trench now.

- My brother Edward has died. - I'm so sorry to hear that.

There's no need for sorrow.

In his case oblivion was a merciful release.

- When is he going to be buried? - As soon as you've found another body.

I don't understand.

It's been so long since there was a funeral in this family, Trench.

You've forgotten.

The Markhams go to their grave with a sense of occasion.

The villagers must pay their respects. We must lie in state for the world to see.

But we wouldn't want the world to see what Edward was really like.

So you want another body for the villagers to look at?

Correct. Edward is already in his coffin.

Once the town has gaped at the proxy corpse, then we can bury the real one.

I won't be involved.

You've been involved with this family most of your life, Trench.

Do you realize the penalty for body snatching is hanging?

- It's the same penalty as for forgery. - What?

I said forgery.

With these papers you have managed...

to extract 1,000 guineas from our plantations, is that not so?

I'm a lawyer, not a businessman.

You're a forger and an embezzler...

and now you're going to become a body snatcher.

Not willingly, Julian.

They say the deeper you get, the easier it becomes.