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.
