Rainbow, they’ve hated me. I’m a smart kid and nobody likes smart kids. From now on, if anybody dies they aren’t dead until I say so. Nobody is to tell anyone anything until it’s gone through me. People, we’re in trouble here and we may have to lie our way out of it. I know you think the Ceauşescu regime is fascist but it’s nothing compared to the Coppola regime. You don’t know anything until I confirm it. You don’t do anything until I say so. This is a war, people, and we’re losing.’
19
Marty’s family was with him. His wife didn’t quite know whether to be grateful to Kate or despise her.
He would live. Really live.
She was getting snatches of his past life, mostly from films he had been in. He would be having the same thing, coping with scrambled impressions of her. That must be a nightmare all of its own.
They let her into the room. It was sunny, filled with flowers.
The actor was sitting up, neatly groomed, eyes bright.
‘Now I know,’ he told her. ‘Now I really know. I can use that in the part. Thank you.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, not knowing what for.
20
At a way-station, Swales is picking up fresh horses. The old ones, lathered with foamy sweat, are watered and rested.
Westenra barters with a peasant for a basket of apples. Murray smiles and looks up at the tops of the trees. The moon shines down on his face, making him seem like a child.
Harker quietly smokes a pipe.
HARKER’s Voice: This was where we were to join forces with Van Helsing. This stone-crazy double Dutchman had spent his whole life fighting evil.
VAN HELSING strides out of the mountain mists. He wears a scarlet army tunic and a curly-brimmed top hat, and carries a cavalry sabre. His face is covered with old scars. Crosses of all kinds are pinned to his clothes.
HARKER’s Voice: Van Helsing put the fear of God into the Devil. And he terrified me.
Van Helsing is accompanied by a band of rough-riders. Of all races and in wildly different uniforms, they are his personal army of the righteous. In addition to mounted troops, Van Helsing has command of a couple of man-lifting kites and a supply wagon.
VAN HELSING: You are Harker?
HARKER: Dr Van Helsing of Amsterdam?
VAN HELSING: The same. You wish to go to Borgo Pass, Young Jonathan?
HARKER: That’s the plan.
VAN HELSING: Better you should wish to go to Hades itself, foolish Englishman.
VAN HELSING’s AIDE: I say, Prof, did you know Murray was in Harker’s crew. The stroke of ’84.
VAN HELSING: Hah! Beat Cambridge by three lengths. Masterful.
VAN HELSING’s AIDE: They say the river’s at its most level around Borgo Pass. You know these mountain streams, Prof. Tricky for the oarsman.
VAN HELSING: Why didn’t you say that before, damfool? Harker, we go at once, to take Borgo Pass. Such a stretch of river should be held for the Lord. The Un-Dead, they appreciate it not. Nosferatu don’t scull.
Van Helsing rallies his men into mounting up. Harker dashes back to the coach and climbs in. Westenra looks appalled as Van Helsing waves his sabre, coming close to fetching off his own Aide’s head.
WESTENRA: That man’s completely mad.
HARKER: In Wallachia, that just makes him normal. To fight what we have to face, one has to be a little mad.
Van Helsing’s sabre shines with moonfire.
VAN HELSING: To Borgo Pass, my angels... charge!
Van Helsing leads his troop at a fast gallop. The coach is swept along in the wake of the uphill cavalry advance. Man-lifting box-kites carry observers into the night air.
Wolves howl in the distance.
Between the kites is slung a phonograph horn.
Music pours forth. Swan Lake, Act 2, Scene 10 - Scene: Moderato.
VAN HELSING: Music. Tchaikovsky. It upsets the devils. Stirs in them memories of things that they have lost. Makes them feel dead. Then we kill them good. Kill them forever.
As he charges, Van Helsing waves his sword from side to side. Dark, low shapes dash out of the trees and slip among the horses’
19
Marty’s family was with him. His wife didn’t quite know whether to be grateful to Kate or despise her.
He would live. Really live.
She was getting snatches of his past life, mostly from films he had been in. He would be having the same thing, coping with scrambled impressions of her. That must be a nightmare all of its own.
They let her into the room. It was sunny, filled with flowers.
The actor was sitting up, neatly groomed, eyes bright.
‘Now I know,’ he told her. ‘Now I really know. I can use that in the part. Thank you.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, not knowing what for.
20
At a way-station, Swales is picking up fresh horses. The old ones, lathered with foamy sweat, are watered and rested.
Westenra barters with a peasant for a basket of apples. Murray smiles and looks up at the tops of the trees. The moon shines down on his face, making him seem like a child.
Harker quietly smokes a pipe.
HARKER’s Voice: This was where we were to join forces with Van Helsing. This stone-crazy double Dutchman had spent his whole life fighting evil.
VAN HELSING strides out of the mountain mists. He wears a scarlet army tunic and a curly-brimmed top hat, and carries a cavalry sabre. His face is covered with old scars. Crosses of all kinds are pinned to his clothes.
HARKER’s Voice: Van Helsing put the fear of God into the Devil. And he terrified me.
Van Helsing is accompanied by a band of rough-riders. Of all races and in wildly different uniforms, they are his personal army of the righteous. In addition to mounted troops, Van Helsing has command of a couple of man-lifting kites and a supply wagon.
VAN HELSING: You are Harker?
HARKER: Dr Van Helsing of Amsterdam?
VAN HELSING: The same. You wish to go to Borgo Pass, Young Jonathan?
HARKER: That’s the plan.
VAN HELSING: Better you should wish to go to Hades itself, foolish Englishman.
VAN HELSING’s AIDE: I say, Prof, did you know Murray was in Harker’s crew. The stroke of ’84.
VAN HELSING: Hah! Beat Cambridge by three lengths. Masterful.
VAN HELSING’s AIDE: They say the river’s at its most level around Borgo Pass. You know these mountain streams, Prof. Tricky for the oarsman.
VAN HELSING: Why didn’t you say that before, damfool? Harker, we go at once, to take Borgo Pass. Such a stretch of river should be held for the Lord. The Un-Dead, they appreciate it not. Nosferatu don’t scull.
Van Helsing rallies his men into mounting up. Harker dashes back to the coach and climbs in. Westenra looks appalled as Van Helsing waves his sabre, coming close to fetching off his own Aide’s head.
WESTENRA: That man’s completely mad.
HARKER: In Wallachia, that just makes him normal. To fight what we have to face, one has to be a little mad.
Van Helsing’s sabre shines with moonfire.
VAN HELSING: To Borgo Pass, my angels... charge!
Van Helsing leads his troop at a fast gallop. The coach is swept along in the wake of the uphill cavalry advance. Man-lifting box-kites carry observers into the night air.
Wolves howl in the distance.
Between the kites is slung a phonograph horn.
Music pours forth. Swan Lake, Act 2, Scene 10 - Scene: Moderato.
VAN HELSING: Music. Tchaikovsky. It upsets the devils. Stirs in them memories of things that they have lost. Makes them feel dead. Then we kill them good. Kill them forever.
As he charges, Van Helsing waves his sword from side to side. Dark, low shapes dash out of the trees and slip among the horses’
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