From Hell
Mason 2 You don’t think Gull has confided in him, do you? The old fellow isn’t as far gone as all that, is he?
Kidney No. He’s not that foolish.
Mason Let the brother receive the light.
Man 1 I keep on hearing. . .
Woman No time to scream. . .
Man 2 Another beautiful murder.
Man 3 Fear me. Jack the Ripper.
Abberline They’re rubbish. You know that?
Godley Yes, I agree. They’re rubbish. But why you persist in believing that red-head jezebel, I’ll never know. Has it never occurred to you that she’s the sort of woman who likes to make up stories. Particularly about men. She is, after all, a whore. She’s a woman who pre. . . A rose by any other name? Is that it? Frederick, my dear chum, no one is more delighted than I am that you’ve decided to resume your interest in the fairer sex, but please remember, a woman like that can make a man feel whatever the hell she wants him to feel.
Abberline Sergeant Godley.
Godley Yes, sir?
Abberline Arrest the Nichol Street gang.
Godley Right away, Inspector.
Police Officer I tried to stop them, Inspector.
Man This arrived in this afternoon’s post. ‘I send you half the kidney I took from one woman preserved for you, the other piece I fried and ate. It was very nice.’ We demand that something be done, and done tonight.
Godley From Hell. Well, at least they got the address right.
Kate It can’t be. Are you sure he was the same?
Mary I know him, Kate. I posed for him twice meself. I stood there naked as a babe, watching him paint me for hours.
Kate And he was with Ann for what, over a year?
Mary Nearly two.
Liz Oh, here you are. Hello girls.
Mary Where you been? I told you to wait for me.
Liz I can’t stay in a pub and not have a drink. It’s cruel. But look who I bumped into. Remember Ada? She’s from France.
Ada Bruxelles.
Liz Bruxelles.
Ada Yes.
Liz Oh, she is pretty, isn’t she?
Kate Not in public, love, not in public.
Mary Would you be a dear, Ada, and give us a minute alone? We need to speak with Liz.
Liz No, Ada, you stay where you are. Come on, Mary, get the drinks in.
Kate Mary.
Abberline You don’t have to worry about Nichols Street for at least a week. I can keep ’em that long.
Mary Well, that’s something anyway. Thank you. What about baby Alice? Are you sure she’s all right?
Abberline Yeah. She’s all right. We’ll get her out after this is all over.
Mary We’ll get her?
Abberline Listen, I want you and your friends off the streets until I can sort this thing out.
Mary Off the streets for how long?
Abberline A few days at least.
Mary Well. You’d better throw us in jail then ‘cos we have no money for food and no money for a doss.
Abberline All right then, you take this. Buy some food, get a room, stay there. Don’t tell anyone where you’re going. I don’t want to know. In three days, come to the Ten Bells, I’ll leave a message with the Barkeep. What? It’s not enough?
Mary I wish I could show you the little village where I was born. It’s so lovely there. It’s by the sea, where you said you saw me. I used to think it too small to spend a life in but, now I’m not so sure.
Abberline Don’t. Don’t.
Mary What? Do you think I’m paying you back? I didn’t mean it as business. I’m still a woman. They haven’t taken that away from me, not yet anyways.
Police Officer Enough of that. Now, lad, at least take. . . Sorry, sir.
Liz There, me lady. One more turn. And curtsey. And we’re done. Ah, don’t be modest girl. They don’t care what we do. I paid for your supper, remember. Stop shaking your head at me, you slag.
Mary Leave her alone!
Liz She is my business, she’s not yours!
Mary Liz, just be quiet for one bloody night.
Liz No, I fucking won’t keep my voice down.
Kate Don’t go out tonight, it’s not safe.
Liz I’ll just get something to sustain myself. I’ll be right back.
Kate Liz don’t be so fucking stupid.
Mary Do without for a night.
Liz No. I want a fucking drink.
Mary Liz.
Official Here we are. Service records. Grenadier Guards. Lieutenant Benjamin Kidney. There. Just as I suspected.
Abberline Before eh joined Special Branch, Ben Kidney served in the Grenadier Guards. Part of his duties included assisting a field surgeon.
Godley Well, let me tell you something, Inspector, of which I am absolutely certain. Assisting an expert is a different thing, a very, very different thing from doing it oneself.
Abberline Think about it. Someone’s got to clean up after the Prince. And who’s job is it to take care of the widow’s messes?
Godley You’ve turned into Othello, do you know that? Everything is a suspicion. And like that tragic Moor, all your suspicions will end up in your own demise. Heaven’s sake, man. These women aren’t just being silenced. They’re being murdered most brutally. Why would Ben Kidney do that?
Abberline To scare people. To keep their mind off the real point.
Godley Which is?
Abberline Think what’s at stake for Special Branch. Prince Edward married Ann Crook, a commoner and a Catholic. Married her in a Catholic church, they had a baby, a legitimate baby, who is in fact, heir to the throne of England. All these women were there. All these women were eyewitnesses to an event, that could rip the Empire to pieces.
Kate Once she starts drinking, she’ll go all night, you know that.
Mary She knows how dangerous it is.
Kate She don’t believe you about the Prince. She thinks you’re feeding that copper candies to keep him interested.
Liz Hello, sir.
Ripper Is anything wrong, my dear?
Liz No, sir, for a moment I thought you were someone else.
Ripper Oh. Thirst?
Liz Always parched, sir.
Ripper Perhaps there is somewhere nearby that we might go, while ,y coachman keeps watch.
Liz Oh yeah. Yeah. This way. Follow me. ‘Ere, it’s this way. Follow me. I dropped my grapes. No!
Netley The fuck are you looking at? Shut up! Shut up! I hear someone coming, sir. Sir!
Man All right, George.
Godley It’s one of them, isn’t it? Throat’s cut the same way.
Abberline Yeah. He didn’t finish.
Godley She’s no less dead for that.
Abberline He won’t be satisfied by this.
Godley Wilkins. Fetch the ambulance. Go on, run along.
Ripper Excuse me, miss.
Belt You could be dead, right now. But then there would be too many bloody questions. Ignore the old man’s blathering. Find a scapegoat, or next time we won’t care who asks: ‘Whatever happened to Inspector Abberline.’
Netley We should hurry up, sir. It’s clearing up.
Ripper Do you have a piece of chalk, Netley?
Netley Chalk, sir?
Man They found another one, in Mitre Square!
Belt Nice work, Inspector. You’ve encouraged him to do two in a night now.
Abberline Get out of the fucking way, cunt. Catherine Eddowes.
Godley There’s some writing on a wall, just down the road there. You should have a look at it. ‘The Jews are the men that will not be blamed for nothing.’ It’s hardly Shakespeare but it’ll do.
Woman I was busy with the children. . .
Police Officer Madam, slow down, slow down.
Abberline Make sure you get the apron as well, yeah?
Police Officer Did you not hear a scream?
Abberline It was written by the killer, sir.
Sir Charles And how do you know that?
Abberline I was here three quarters of an hour ago.
Sir Charles This building, mostly Jews live here? Is that right?
Abberline Yeah, that’s right.
Photographer Ready now, sir.
Sir Charles Put that away, and get out of here immediately. Abberline?
Abberline Yeah.
Sir Charles Wash that off.
Abberline What?
Sir Charles You heard me.
Abberline It’s evidence, sir.
Sir Charles Listen to me. In another hour, there will be about a thousand people poking about in here. If those words are seen, not a Jew in London will be safe. We’ll have mayhem on the streets, so wash it off.
Abberline That’s an educated hand, sir. An educated man wrote that. Look for yourself.
Sir Charles I don’t have to look, I’ve seen it.
Abberline An educated man knows how to spell ‘Jews’, sir. I don’t know what this refers to, but I’m sure it’s got nothing to do with the people who live round here.
Sir Charles Sergeant, I want two constables to wash that off. What are you looking to him for? Wash it off!
Godley Yes, sir.
Abberline Half a dozen men have seen it already. . .
Godley Wilkins.
Abberline . . . the sergeant has copied it down. I’ll remember those words for as long as I live. So all you’re doing, is destroying it’s value as evidence.
Sir Charles No, all I’m doing is taking charge of an investigation that you have bungled to the point of gross inefficiency, and I’ve had enough. You are suspended from duty, Abberline. Inspector Abberline is suspended. All his privileges are cancelled.
Godley Sir.
Abberline You’ve not seen her then? Well, if she comes round, give her this.
Barkeeper Long letter, eh?
Abberline This is for your trouble. The letter’s private, you understand?
Barkeeper I understand.
Abberline Great.
Man (voice) Who is this?
Mason (voice) Recite the solemn oath.
Dr. Ferral (voice) Never to reveal our secrets.
Godley (voice) Grapes again. Why grapes?
Abberline (voice) This ain’t killing for profit.
Kidney (voice) He’s not that foolish.
Sir Charles (voice) Are you questioning my decision?
Man (voice) Find a scapegoat.
Dr Ferral (voice) My throat to be cut across.
Abberline (voice) This is ritual.
Abberline Jebela, Jubelo, Jubelum. Jews.
Ada It’s me, Ada, me, only me. I bring everything for supper.
Mary You little thief. I need this money.
Ada I just take some money any buy food, for me and for you. Is that bad, Mary?
Mary It’s fine, dear. You’re a good person, but listen, until I go away from London, it’s not safe for you to go out. Understand?
Ada I stay with Mary. Beautiful Mary.
Mary It’s all right, darling. You don’t have to pay for your food.
Ada Pardon?
Mary Here’s to our feast.
Sir William I’m so sorry to greet you like this, Inspector, but I’m rather late for an appointment. Will you excuse me if I finish dressing while we talk?
Abberline No, no. Please go on.
Sir William Thank you.
Abberline I’d like to speak to you about the freemasons, if I might, sir?
Sir William Oh yes.
Abberline The arrangement of the coins at Dark Annie’s feet, and also the locations of the bodies, form a pentacle star. A pentacle star is the symbol of the freemasons, is it not, sir?
Sir William Yes
Abberline Ans the way that all these women were killed, throats cut left to right, organs removed. They’re re-enactments, aren’t they, sir?
Sir William Re-enactments of what?
Abberline The Jews. The traitors who killed Hiram Abiff, founder of the Masons. That’s how they were executed.
Sir William Ah, yes. So the great book tells us.
Abberline So Jack the Ripper isn’t just merely killing whores. He’s executing traitors. He’s a Mason fulfilling a duty.
Sir William Yes, I’m afraid, Inspector, that you won’t be permitted to arrest him.
Abberline I don’t want to arrest him. The Ripper has one more traitor yet to kill, and I will stop him. Did they come to you, sir, as a loyal Mason? Did they ask you to help them cover up the Prince’s secret marriage?
Sir William That’s how it started, yes.
Abberline And then you discovered the Prince had syphilis.
Sir William He’s going to die of it, Inspector. Would you like a tour of the syphilis wards?
Abberline You’re physician in ordinary to the Queen, entrusted with the well-being of the heir to the throne. Only you had reason to believe that these unfortunates, these whores, thses traitors, destroyed your life’s work.
Sir William Below the skin of history, are London’s veins. These symbols, the mitre, the pentacle star, even someone as ignorant and degenerate as you, can sense that they course with energy and meaning. I am that meaning. I am that energy. One day, men will look back, and say I gave birth to the 20th Century.
Abberline You’re not going to see the 20th Century.
Dr Ferral Roll up his sleeve. Don’t struggle. You’ll only make this more painful.
Man 1 Are you all right, mate?
Man 2 There’s someone under there.
Man (voice) Dr Gull? Dr. Gull.
Ripper Yes.
Man (voice) You were describing the human heart.
Ripper Yes. Yes.
Sir William The human heart, is a dense and powerful muscle, much like the organic equivalent of mahogany, and notoriously difficult to burn. It’s about the size of a fist. It provides the motor power. . .
Sir William (voice) . . . for the circulatory system. The heart contains two aorta, two ventricles and four valves. It is, in effect a single pump, powering a double circuit. In the adult, the heart rate averages seventy to eighty beats a minute. Such is the force of the heart beat, that if the body’s largest artery, the aorta, is severed, a six-foot jet of blood, is released.
Mason (voice) May the brother receive the light. . . fear no God. Arise. Your faith is well-founded.
Man Another murder.
Godley Don’t. Don’t go in there. There’s no need.
Sir Charles How bad is it?
Police Officer She, she’s in pieces, sir.
Sir Charles Sergeant, he can go in.
Abberline Give him to me.
Sir Charles He’ll be taken care of. I swear to it.
Abberline I want him.
Sir Charles It’s over. He’s done. I give you my word.
Abberline Fuck your word! I’ll bring every last one of you fucking cunts down. You and your fucking brothers.
Sir Charles Now, listen to me, Abberline. Your situation, your difficult situation has been thoroughly discussed. You are re-instated. Indeed, you are promoted.
Godley No! No! Come on, this is not helping anything, come on.
Sir Charles Don’r be a fool, Inspector. You will be very closely watched.
Man You’re all there now, ain’t you. Where were you when this was happening?
Woman It’s all right for you, standing round chatting. What about us?
Sir Charles Inspector Abberline is in charge. Give him all the assistance he requires.
Godley No! Remember, you’re being watched. Right, come on you men, clear this passage. Come on. Move them away.
Police Officer Move back. Make way. Back, all of you.
Coroner Shall we proceed, Inspector? Body lies in middle of bed. Shoulders flat, but axis of body inclined toward right. The left arm is close to the body. The forearm flexed at a right angle, resting across the abdomen. The right arm is slightly abducted from the body. It rests on the mattress, with the elbow bent and the forearm supine. The fingers are clenched, indicating a struggle as she died. Notice something, Inspector?
Abberline No. No, go on.
Barkeeper Came in not long before dawn, bit of a rush. Left this for you.
Mary (voice) I know you asked me to wait. But if I’m to be murdered, I’d like at least to die in my village. I’m going to the orphanage to collect baby Alice. Here’s an address where you can find us. We’ll wait for you eagerly. I know, I know in my heart, we can be happy living by the sea. Just as you saw. I hope to be with you soon, dearest. All my love, Mary.
Queen Victoria We are deeply distressed, Lord Hallsham. We asked Sir William to remove a threat to our family, and to our throne. Not to engage in these ghastly rituals.
Lord Hallsham Oh, no, of course not, Your Majesty. That was unexpected. On the other hand, he has fulfilled his duties. The threat is past, Your Majesty.
Queen Victoria In his way, Sir William has been loyal. And we are grateful for that. The rest is in your hands, Lord Hallsham. We wish to hear nothing further of this.
Mason Knight of the East. We are gathered here beneath the God of love, and before the sight of the great architect, to judge this case. You stand accused of mayhems that have placed our brotherhood in jeopardy. You stand before your peers, Masons and doctors both.
Sir William I have no peers present here.
Mason What?
Sir William No man amongst you is fit to judge, the mighty art that I have wrought. Your rituals are empty oaths you neither understand nor live by. The Great Architect speaks to me. He is the balance, where my deeds are weighed and judged. Not you.
Mason Knight of the East, hear our judgement.
Godley Well, they’re not watching you any more. I’m telling you, it’s safe to go to her.
Abberline They think she’s dead. If I disappear, or change my routine suddenly, they might wonder why.
Godley You know who you’re gonna turn into, don’t you? That boring old bugger in the pub that nobody wants to sit beside, ‘cos as soon as he’s had a few drinks he goes on and on about the girl that got away. Is that what you want? Do you want to live the rest of your life like a ghost? Is that it?
Abberline No. What I want, is to go to her. But at the slightest hint that she’s alive, they will spare no expense, no expense and no trouble. So I’ll stay. And watch them.
Mary Alice! Alice! Come in, darling.
Alice Coming, mother.
Godley Get up. Get up! Come on. Good night, sweet prince.
