(A railway cutting. A wild, stormy Summer night. The Signal Man is in his signalbox. He recieves a message from down the line. He wires back a message. We hear the strange, eerie singing of the wires. From the gloom we see the figure of a man - Walter Hartright. He is about 30 years of age, attractive, dark, open. He carries a bag and an easel. He sees the Signal Man checking the tracks with his lantern below him.)
Walter Hartright: Hallo! Below there! Hallo!
(A lightning flash)
Walter Hartright: Signal Man? Down there...Hallo!
(Pause)
Signal Man: Who calls to me in the dead of the night?
(Walter steps out of the shadows into the light of the Signal Man's lantern.)
Walter Hartright: Hartright. My name is Walter Hartright.
(He climbs down to the Signal Man's level.)
Signal Man: What are you doing here, on a night like this?
Walter Hartright: I'm lost sir. I'm trying to find my way to Limm'ridge House- The train broke down and I'm forced to walk.
Signal Man: Branch train broke down - what you say is true.
Walter Hartright: Yes, I heard the wires singing in the wind - The noise of them led me to you.
Signal Man: Why are you going to Limm'ridge House?
Walter Hartright: I have the post of drawing master - I must arrive tonight for I start tomorrow... Sir, you look upon me with such dread.
(Pause)
Signal Man: Last night I had a vision That a stranger would appear He stood right where you are - A man such as yourself. "Alarm on the line!" he said Alarm on the line!
So I tapped out the message. And the answer came back "All well both ways"
But he said "You'll mark my words When a year to the day The dead lie on the tracks! The dead lie on the tracks!"
Walter Hartright: I can assure you sir, I know of no imminent danger!
Signal Man: A man such as yourself!
(Suddenly there is a strange soung in the air. The telegraph wires sound again in the signal box)
Signal Man: They are calling me from down the line. There's danger somewhere along the line.
(The sound of the wires grows to a terrible pitch. From behind Hartright, from the depths of the tunnel, a hand reaches out and touches him on the shoulder. It is a woman dressed in white (Anne Catherick). She is in her early 20's, fair, attractive, but her face is drawn and sorrowful. Her manner is wild and insistent.)
Walter Hartright: (startled) Oh, my God!
Anne: You've got to help me! There's someone after me!
Walter Hartright: How can I help you?
Anne: I'm being followed And I've done nothing wrong!
Walter Hartright: It's very late for you to be out here alone -
Anne: You must believe me That I am free from blame.
Walter Hartright: Who do you run from?
Anne: I dare not say his name!
Walter Hartright: Where do you live? I'll try to help you if I can.
Anne: I have my secret My precious secret But can I trust you? But can I trust you?
(Her tone changes. She reaches out to him.)
Anne: They cannot take way my secret - Though it's something I can't share with you. It's locked inside my heart, my secret - But there's someone I must tell it to.
Secrets kept inside can hurt you Mine is sharper than a knife If I tell the one I seek I may save her life.
(She is in distress.)
Walter Hartright: Please you needn't fear me Truly you can trust me I would never harm you.
I'm no threat - I'm Walter... Walter Hartright. I'll help you to get home.
Anne: I have no home at all Nothing but my secret. I have just my secret.
(Hartright reaches out and gently takes her hand. The noise of a pony and chaise approaching. She breaks away.)
Anne: There's someone coming! And I must get away - I have to get away! But can I trust you?
(She moves off towards the tunnel)
Walter Hartright: Don't go in there! He said there's danger on the line.
Anne: (echoing) I'll tell my secret For secrets must be told.
(She disappears back into the tunnel. A servant enters.)
Servant: You must be Mister Hartright?
Walter Hartright: Yes
Servant: I'm sent to bring you straight to Limm'ridge House.
Walter Hartright: Did you see her? A woman, dressed in white.
Servant: I saw no one.
Walter Hartright: A woman all in white?
Servant: Sir, I saw no one I saw no one
(The servant picks up Hartight's bags and exits with them. Hartright looks around then exits after him. The light is beginning to dawn on a new day.)
@smartbot_tg_bot
