From Hell
Sir William Who is your patient?
Dr. Ferral Ann Crook. An unfortunate, Sir William, who’s hysterical and violent. And has severe delusions of persecution.
Sir William Poor girl, er, do please proceed Dr. Ferral. Gentlemen. We have one tap above, and one into the left lobe. And, one on the right, and this unlucky patient’s dementia will no longer take a violent form. Thanks to this simple procedure, we can now permanently alleviate the poor girl’s suffering.
Mary God forgive me. What could I do? I had to leave the baby with Ann’s parents.
Annie Rich man. Thought he was gonna take care of Ann. Knew that was too bloody good to be true.
Kate They’re gonna kill us. They’re gonna kill every one of us.
Liz Who is this Albert then anyway? Who is he?
Polly Oh for God’s sake! Who cares about Albert and Ann’s troubles? What are we gonna do? We can’t stay clear of the Nichols boys for ever.
Liz You know they say they held poor Martha down, and watched her bleed until she passed out. Then they cut her throat.
Mary McQueen is mad. He enjoys hurting women, that’s what I think.
Polly That’s insane that they want four pound. How’re we gonna get four pound?
Kate Not with my old cunny. I’d be lucky to get four-pence.
Barkeeper Oy, oy, oy. Behave yourselves, or bugger off.
Liz Yeah, and you can bugger off ‘anorl.
Kate We work girls. We work the streets harder than ever, right? Right?
Polly All right. We can do it here, but hurry up. The bobbies are tracking us tonight.
Man All right. Gotta get the old man hard first, haven’t I?
Polly Give it here. I’ll put it in meself.
Man Oh, oh, that’s nice. Is that in?
Polly Of course it is. Come on.
Man No it’s not. You got it stuck between your bleedin’ legs.
Polly No I haven’t. Come on. Get a move on.
Man I knows it when I feels it.
McQueen That’s mine, Polly. That’s my money. I could pop your eye out. The customers wouldn’t mind. They don’t mind if a whore can see.
Police Officer Ere, what’s that you got there?
McQueen What’ve I got ‘ere? What have I got here, Constable? Only a little thing. Only a little thing to you, but a great thing to me.
Police Officer Move! Or I’ll bash that smart mouth.
McQueen You’re a dead woman.
Liz Ah, lovey. He won’t bother you again tonight.
Annie Yeah, that’s right, look. One for the Nichols, yeah? And one for me.
Liz Aah, come here. Come here. Ssshh. Hey, we’ll work the streets together. I’ll keep my eye on you love, eh?
Polly Oh, you pig! You disgusting pig!
Liz Yeah, I’m a pig. I’m what’s wrong with the world. Be on your own then.
Polly Oh! No!
Liz You don’t want the company of a pig! What the fuck are you looking at?
Ripper Thirsty?
Polly That was the thing that was in my dream. What’s it called again?
Ripper Cleopatra’s needle.
Polly Cleopatra. She was a beauty wasn’t she?
Ripper It was carved fifteen hundred years before the son of God was born. Six men died to bring it here, from Egypt.
Police Officer May the good Lord have mercy.
Old Man She was like that when I found her. All murdered.
Woman What kind of monster did this?
Godley The boys have made their rounds of the taverns and the delightful domiciles that make up this charming little street. Will it surprise you to learn that nobody heard a sound?
Abberline Her throat was cut, but there’s no arterial spray on the wall. She was killed somewhere else. It rained last night, didn’t it?
Godley Hu-hu.
Abberline She’s dry. She was brought here in a carriage or something. Her throat must have been cut in the carriage. I imagine they stopped it just over there.
Godley They? There’s more than one then?
Abberline Most definitely.
Godley This was all in your vision? Jesus! So, definitely more than one person. It has to be a message from the Nichols boys. Am I right? What the hell? That’s grapes, isn’t it? What the hell would a bangtail be doing with grapes? I’d like to give them an answer.
Abberline What are you talking about?
Godley The Nichols boys. I would welcome the opportunity to give them an answer to their bloody message.
Abberline There is most definitely a message here. You’re right about that.
Godley What am I wrong about?
Abberline Martha Tabram was raped, tortured and killed. That’s cruel. But I’ve seen that sort of cruelty in the East End before. This is methodical. The butchery is irrational, yet, meticulous and deliberate. Altogether a different breed of killer. As soon as possible, I’d like to know what he took.
Police Surgeon What? What do you mean ‘what he took’?
Abberline Didn’t you notice?
Police Surgeon What?
Abberline He’s taken at least one of her organs.
Police Surgeon Oh, no.
Abberline I want every vetinarian, butcher, furrier in the district interviewed.
Withers Furrier, what did he do, sir? Skin her?
Godley Pipe down, Withers. When the Inspector is talking, you are listening, do you understand?
Withers Yes, sergeant.
Abberline He disembowled her. After he cut her throat, stabbed her in the chest. . . cut open her stomach, and er, took out her intestines. At least one of her organs was removed. I’m waiting for the police surgeon’s report for more details.
Sir Charles I see. Well, one thing’s for certain, an Englishman didn’t do it. Maybe one of these, Red Indians, wandered into Whitechapel and indulged his natural inclinations.
Abberline With all due respect, sir, I believe this was done by someone with at least a working knowledge of dissection. Either an educated man, such as a doctor. . .
Sir Charles An educated man? That’s preposterous. No well-bred man would do this. Probably a tradesman, or a butcher.
Abberline A tradesman is a possibility, sir. But, there’s a strong indication against it. There was a sprig of grapes found under her body.
Sir Charles What are you driving at?
Abberline No one, in Whitechapel, no matter what their trade, could afford grapes. Obviously, they were given to her by the killer. And it follows that he must be someone with money.
Sir Charles What about the Jews? A Jew butcher? Or a Jew tailor might have money. There are plenty of them in Whitechapel.
Abberline Well, sir, for the state of public safety in general, I’d like to be careful about spreading the rumours that it might be a Jew.
Sir Charles Inspector, I know your reputation for making brilliant guesses that turn out to be right. Someone told me you claim to dream the answers. Frankly, it doesn’t matter to me what your methods are. But be certain you don’t proceed without proof. Is that clear?
Abberline Of course, sir.
Sir Charles Personally I don’t care. The fewer pinch-pricks on the streets, the better. But the sooner you find this butcher or tailor. . . the sooner we can all celebrate your promotion. Keep me informed.
Man 1 Every cellar, every stable. We’ll find him out.
Man 2 It’s the bleeding Jews. Let’s kill them.
Victoria I have wonderful news.
Abberline Tell me.
Victoria Surely you of all people, can guess.
Abberline I don’t want to guess with you.
Victoria Dr. Marbury says. . .
Abberline Dr.Marbury says?
Victoria Dr. Marbury, says I’m going to have your child.
Godley Aye, to die, and go we know not where. To lie in cold obstruction and rot.
Abberline A simple ‘rest in peace’ would suffice.
Godley Yes, sir.
Vicar In the midst of life we are in death, of whom may we seek for succour but of Thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty.
Abberline Good afternoon, ladies. I’m Inspector Abberline. This is Sergeant Godley. We’re investigating the murders of Polly Nichols and Martha Tabram.
