From Hell
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.
