Scene: "The Railway Cutting"

(Sir Percival Glyde is at the station. He has the papers with him. His manner is wild. He is euphoric—but on a short fuse, on the edge, he has drunk too much. He sees the Signal Man)

[GLYDE]
Hallo!
You there!
Signal Man!
Where in hell is the damn London train?

[SIGNAL MAN]
I've heard reports there is trouble on the line!

[GLYDE]
But is it expected? My business here is over. I must make my connection!

(The Signal Man looks at him strangely)

[GLYDE]
Man, why
Do you
Look at me
In that way?
I've done nothing wrong!

(The wires begin to sound)
[GLYDE]
What is this infernal noise?

[SIGNAL MAN]
The wires singing in the wind

(Glyde reacts strangely. The noise jangles his nerves)

[SIGNAL MAN]
They're calling me with news, sir
There's danger on the line!

[GLYDE]
This terrible noise in my head!!

(The Signal Man runs off to his signal box)


Scene: "Laura Makes Glyde Confess"

(The noise of the wires reaches a terrible pitch.)

(Laura, dressed as “The Woman in White”, appears. She reaches her hand out to Glyde. He swings round in surprise)

[GLYDE]
Oh, God... Anne Catherick!
(He tries to regain his composure)

[GLYDE]
This isn't real!
This cannot be!
You do not exist!
Get away from me!

[LAURA]
You know why I'm here
And what you must say
Sir, you must confess

[GLYDE]
Woman, stay away!

[LAURA]
Tell the truth
Percival Glyde!

You'll hear my voice
Inside your head
For all your life
And when you're dead
You won't be free
Till you express
What you have done
Till you confess
(He backs away from her; she persists)

You cannot hide
You can't go far
Everywhere you go
I'll be where you are
I know what you've done
We both know what's true
Secrets must be told

[GLYDE]
I'm not afraid of you!

[LAURA]
Everything you did
Everyone will know

[GLYDE]
That's all in the past
Buried long ago!

[LAURA]
Tell the truth
Percival Glyde
Didn't you use me and hurt me?

[GLYDE]
You were a beautiful girl
Like none I'd ever seen
You were just fifteen

[LAURA]
You and I both know the secret

[GLYDE]
Something that no one could prove
And who'd believe it's true
From the likes of you?

You told me you were pregnant!
You told me it was mine!
It could have been a lie
It deserved to die

I had to drown your bastard!
I had no other choice
Before the child was due
I'd had enough of you

All that remains of your secret
Is buried in Blackwater Lake!
I watched while your disgrace
Sank without a trace

[LAURA]
You beat me and you raped me!
And then you drowned my child!
When I was mad from grief
You imprisoned me
My precious little baby
The heart within my heart
The child I never knew
All because of you
And then you threw away
My life!

[GLYDE]
Your precious secret's meaningless
No one alive remembers you
And you could save your prayers
For no one truly cares

It's just like you were never born!
And no one ever mourned for you!

(Laura reveals herself)

[LAURA]
You're wrong
I mourn for Anne
Anne Catherick!
And the child of yours
That you destroyed!

[GLYDE]
Laura!

[LAURA]
Her secret seals your fate forever
And the judgement that you can't avoid
You have kept us both a prisoner
But the truth has set us free
It will lock you up
And damn your soul
For all of eternity!

[GLYDE]
You little witch!
You think you can trick me!
Come here!
I killed her
And I can kill you, too!
And the beauty of it is
No one will ever know
Because you're dead! You're already dead!

(He lunges at Laura, grabs her by the throat. She falls to the tracks)

[LAURA]
No!

(Hartright appears on the top of the cutting. He races down to help Laura)

[HARTRIGHT]
Let go of her!

(He gets Laura free of Glyde. Glyde attacks Hartright. Marian enters)

[GLYDE]
The drawing master, I might have known!

[HARTRIGHT]
Just give yourself up!

(The men fight. Hartright is gaining the upper hand but then he is knocked to the ground.)

(The villagers are assembling. Their voices overlap)

[VILLAGERS]
He's over there!
Don't let him get away!
We know the truth!
We know exactly what you've done!

[HARTRIGHT]
You see, Glyde?! We all know what you've done! You've signed your own confession! The game is over!

[GLYDE]
The game is never over!

(Glyde runs towards the tunnel)

[HARTRIGHT]
Don't go in there!
He said there's danger on the line!!

(Glyde runs into the tunnel. Hartright runs after Glyde. A huge vibration on the tracks. The sound of a train approaching. Marian and Laura scream. Steam everywhere. Wires sounding, the train’s horn blowing. A crash.)

(The Signal Man comes forward with his lantern. Other men run into the tunnel. Marian is holding Laura back. They are both crying. There is a pause. Then slowly Hartright appears from the tunnel, followed by men carrying the lifeless form of Sir Percival Glyde)

[SIGNAL MAN]
And a year to the day...
The dead lie on the tracks...
The dead lie on the tracks...

(Police come forward. The crowd starts to dissipate)


Scene: "The Sisters Are Free"

(Marian and Laura cling to each other. Laura is crying with relief)

[MARIAN]
You were so brave
And now we're free

[LAURA]
It seemed like Anne was there with me
Her spirit was my guide
My sister by my side

[LAURA AND MARIAN]
With Anne I know we'll never part
Her heart beats on within my heart

(They embrace and then Laura looks to where Hartright is. Marian sees this. She goes to Hartright)

[MARIAN]
Go to her
Right away
That is where you belong!

[HARTRIGHT]
How can I ask your blessing
With all that we've been through?
Our world has changed

[MARIAN]
You must find it in your heart
To overlook what we've done
And make another start
Once again
As we were
If not for me, for her

(Walter goes to Laura)

[HARTRIGHT]
Every part of every thought
Leads me straight to you

[HARTRIGHT AND LAURA]
And with all my soul
I believe my heart
The portrait that it paints of you
Is a perfect work of art

(Laura and Hartright embrace. They go to Marian. Laura takes off her shawl, the shawl she wore as Anne Catherick, and places it around Marian. Laura and Walter leave. Marian is suddenly alone. She is overcome with grief)

[MARIAN]
I close my eyes
And I still see his face!

(The sun starts to rise. Marian walks to the graveyard. The stonemason is chipping out the name Anne Catherick and her dates 1839-1860 on Laura’s grave. Marian watches. As the day dawns, she is alone. The stonemason continues to tap. Tap, tap, tap)


THE END