The Possession Page #5

CROPPER:

We can rest easy, Lord Ash. The

wedding rings are secured for the

Ash Collection.

LORD ASH:

You beat the Japanese again?

CROPPER:

Of course, sir. We have very ample

funds.

LORD ASH:

(repeating vaguely)

Very ample funds...

Lord Ash smiles. Cropper comments to Hildebrand.

(CONTINUED)

12.

CONTINUED:

CROPPER:

Pleased to see your father so happy.

HILDEBRAND:

Money always excites him.

CROPPER:

Then we should go. No more buried

treasure here. Your father's very

frail.

HILDEBRAND:

But not frail enough.

Envy in his voice, as Cropper collects the rings. He wheels

Lord Ash's chair to the exit. Blackadder and Fergus gossip.

FERGUS:

You have to hand it to Cropper,

repackaging Ash as a New Victorian.

All moral rigor and family values.

Pure opportunism!-

BLACKADDER:

Now Newsweek picked it up, the old

goat thinks he'll get a Pulitzer for

his book. Hideous...

(beat)

But I wouldn't trust anyone, faced

with Cropper's loot...

Blackadder rushes up to Cropper.

BLACKADDER:

Congratulations, Professor Cropper.

CROPPER:

Ah, Professor... Dr. Wolf... Look at

these rings. Wonderful things...

He proudly holds up the rings before them. All look on.

CROPPER:

I remember when my father would

amuse himself by placing the

treasures of his own collection in

my sweaty paw...

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

13.

CONTINUED:

CROPPER (CONT'D)

(stroking his palm;

sensuously)

... `Here, Morty, my boy,' he would

say. `Here is history to hold in

your hand.' Priceless...

BLACKADDER:

Surely a strain even for your

budget.

Effortlessly superior, Cropper smiles condescendingly.

CROPPER:

At the Cropper Foundation, we don't

have a budget. Just a check book.

Blackadder, Fergus watch him wheel Lord Ash out.

EXT. ROLAND'S FLAT (STOKE NEWINGTON) - SPINNING BICYCLE

WHEEL - NIGHT

Roland rides up the lanes of rundown Stoke Newington.

Outside a tall Victorian house, Roland stops, brings his

bicycle up steps. Opens his doors, and enters -

INT. ROLAND'S HOUSE - HALLWAY - NIGHT

Locking his bicycle in the hall, he picks up a pile of mail.

And wearily goes down the stairs into the basement.

INT. ROLAND'S FLAT - KITCHEN - NIGHT

Portraits of Randolph Henry Ash stare down at a kitchen

table. CATS gather, MIAOWING for food, as -

VAL, his long-time girl friend, sets down before Roland a

plate of lamb and ratatouille. It's reheated, and like

their relationship, tepid, and potentially poisonous.

ROLAND:

Shall I get a bottle of wine?

VAL:

You should've thought of that

before.

Roland dutifully picks at the meat. Then -

(CONTINUED)

14.

CONTINUED:

ROLAND:

I made an amazing discovery today!-

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