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A Reflection of Fear (1972)
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Where are you, my little creatures? You think I can't see you? I see you. If only you were a little brighter, Aaron, a little more veill, I might let you look at this. Cat got your tongue? What makes you think I even want to look at whatever it is? It is phylum protozoa, Aaron. Not that that would have the slightest meaning to an intelligence as limited as yours. What would you do if you didn't have me to make fun of? And what would you do for a friend if you didn't have me? Some friend. We don't play anymore. We don't even talk. You and your French, your flowers, your fancy microscope. Honestly, you're such a child. Marguerite, stop it. You're jealous. You know that? Maybe I am. I can get lonely too. You keep me cooped up in here like one of the dead dolls in your trunk. Kevin said he saw you sneaking in the garden last night. How could he? He left at 6. How would you know that if you weren't in the garden? Oh, what does he know? He's just the gardener. I don't like that, Aaron. Sneaking. I was looking for you. I don't like lies, either. What's come over you? Don't be so smart. I think you'd best stay in your room tomorrow. No, I won't. Aaron. It's not fair, hiding me as if I'm something to be ashamed of. Poor, poor dear. You know perfectly well that if anyone caught you here, they'd toss you right out on your bottom. Oh, you'd like that. Well, I've got feelings too. Not that anybody cares. Least of all you. But I do care. No, you don't. Dominating, making fun. I'm sorry. Truly I am. Don't pout. We'll take long walks together. I'll even teach you French. I love you, Aaron. Quickly, hide back to your room. Marguerite. Marguerite. It's 12:00. Had you forgotten? I was studying my samples, Grand-mre. In the dark? On a day like this? There. That's better. Did I hear you talking to someone? My amoebas. Mother. You better change for lunch. And don't forget to fix your hair. It's from Michael. I tell you, I won't have him here. I hardly think he's coming again for you, my dear. She is his daughter after all. We've been so careful, Mother. A glimpse would perhaps satisfy him for another 10 years. A glimpse of Michael would hardly satisfy Marguerite. Would you stir his curiosity? And Marguerite, seeing Michael might temper her absurd idolatry of the man. I shall show him my pinks and my carnations. Oh, and my dahlias and my mums. Here, Mother. This is a marguerite. It's really a rather elegant daisy, don't you think? Did you know that daisy means day's eye? Old English. I think that's lovely, don't you? Chrysanthemum frutescens. That's my true generic name. Marguerite's also called a Paris daisy. Oh, will we see Paris one day? Grand-mreand I were just discussing a trip. After your father's visit. Oh, could we visit Mont-Saint-Michel? Could we? Where the tides rush in and out so extravagantly? My French is so atrocious. Does father speak French? Living abroad, traveling, publishers in foreign lands. I suppose he speaks scads of languages. One was all I remember. Women are the natural linguists. Men just don't have music in their ears. What are those dreadful things? Why, they're not dreadful. Why, it's common goldenrod. Aaron's rod, Mother. I had Kevin put them in. That's right, ma'am. Why on earth spoil a perfect garden? Take them out, Kevin. No! I won't let you. Why, it's nothing but a weed, dear. But all flowers are beautiful. Even the wild ones. It's cousin to mullein, which is sometimes called the velvet plant because its leaves are so soft and wooly. Second cousin to orpine. Mother, did you know that orpine is sometimes called "live forever"? Nothing dreadful about that. Huh. My, aren't we giddy today? I'm so happy father's coming. Thank you, Peggy. I'll serve. Would you, uh--? Would you bring this hot chocolate to Marguerite, please?Yes, ma'am. Some more coffee, Katherine? No, thank you, Mother. Will there be anything else, ma'am? No, thank you, that's all. You may go. Thank you, ma'am. Be sure the gate lock clicks when you leave, Peggy. Kevin forgot the other evening. Some urchins from Georgetown were running around the grounds. Oh, yes, ma'am. I always click the lock. Good night. Good night, Peggy. And now you're even keeping secrets from me. How long have you been there? Anyway, I'm not keeping secrets. I simply hadn't told you yet. Oh, I see. I thought we shared everything. We do. But he is my father. I do have a life of my own. What a horrid little laugh. And what are you doing on my bed? I thought we were always going to be together. Best friends and all that. But just maybe you're saving all that for Father? Oh, there you go being all jealous again. And stop feeling sorry for yourself. I just don't want to get shoved back into a corner because of your precious father.You. If he's all that bloody wonderful, Why doesn't he live here? You. Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out of here! I'm not a child anymore. I can get along on my own. Annie, come on, get out, look at this. It's beautiful. Oh, Mickey, it's fantastic. Mr. and Mrs. Heffernan? Mr. Heffernan, Miss Havord. Heh, heh. Excuse us. Here are the keys. You Caraquet's son, then? Yes. Father died five years ago. Oh, sorry to hear about that. I'm only here summers to help my mom. We gave up the boats. Mother runs the inn now. Do you hear much at all from up at the Headland? Mm, not very much. I'm usually in Montreal. But I'm sure your daughter will be happy to see you. She's a very pretty girl. It is very good to see you again. It's been a long time. Mrs. Caraquet, this is Miss Havord. Enchant. Hello. Come with me, please.Thank you. Will you ask her right out, first thing? There's no reason she should hang onto me. She hates me. Just remember what you've come for. Oh, he just wants to spoil everything. I hate him. Katherine. Michael. Julia. Come in. Yes, thank you. You've hardly changed. I'm not sure how you mean that. I mean, you look beautiful. And you, Michael, look terribly distingu. May I? Now you've done it, you've really done it, destroying my flowers. Maybe now you'll have a little more respect for me. Shh, he's here. And I'm gonna tell on you. I've not come here to agonize over past guilts. What have you come for, Michael? To ask you for a divorce. Well, we have certainly come full circle, haven't we? Julia, if you don't mind, I really think this does concern Katherine and me. Huh, there's nothing, absolutely nothing between you and me. That's precisely why we should end this marriage. Thank you, Peggy. I'll serve. There is a woman, isn't there? Yes, there is. Sugar? Thank you. She's here as a matter of fact. Oh, I don't mean here. She's at the inn. Does she know about you? So now you want a second chance. Katherine, you know I wanted that 10 years ago with you. Now I simply want my freedom. Which is mine to give. Is that all you want? No. I want to see my daughter. Your daughter? She's not your daughter. You weren't even there when she was born. You're nothing in her life. I'm her father. You can cease all communications with her. What do you really want, Michael? A divorce? Marguerite? Or both? Mother. You will see her, and then you will go. Is that what she wants? You still love twisting the knife, don't you, Julia? Marguerite. Marguerite, this is your father. I don't suppose you remember me, do you? I remember. Would you like to sit down? It's very difficult to know what to say to somebody you love so much and whom you haven't seen for so long. Somebody who is so enchanting. Did you get my books? Oh, yes. They're lovely books. I like especially the one on botany. Splendid color plates. Yes, they're lovely. Do you study flowers at school? Marguerite is a very special child. She doesn't require school. She has the best tutors, a library, everything. Share my books with your friends? Oh, yes. Mother and grand-mre read them all as soon as they arrive. I don't mean Mother and Grand-mre.Your friends. You've got friends your own age, haven't you? I told you, Michael, she's a very special child. I show some of them to Aaron. The simpler ones. Now, really, Marguerite. Aaron is one of Marguerite's doll friends. Well, that's no wonder if she doesn't have any human ones. Oh, but he's quite human. In fact, he's been terribly, terribly naughty. You've been crying. He destroyed my garden. I thought we were not going to have a scene. Oh, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I didn't want you to see me this way. Some scamps broke into the place last night. They destroyed the flowers. I tell you, it was Aaron. Marguerite! See that she washes her face. So you insist on upsetting the child the moment you come here. No school, no friends. Does she ever get away from this place? We travel. Last year, Morocco. This year, Europe. Oh, yes, I can imagine all that. Hotel suites, museums, tutors. Very well chaperoned. A bit like those letters I get once a year, pathetic exercises in suppression, beautifully heartbreaking writing, excised of any emotion, dictated by you and censored by Julia. What right have you? Right? I know I've done you great damage. God knows I know that. Now it's your turn, I suppose. Well, what's she doing now? She forgotten her lines? Julia rehearsing the next scene or something? Michael. Michael, Marguerite has something to say to you. It really doesn't matter. Yes, I must. Katherine. Are they gone? Yes. I think so. It's so good having you here. Please... Don't go. Is that you, Mickey? Yes, it's me. We got an invitation to a dinner party. Have to put on a dress. Not one of your sexy ones. What's the verdict? The verdict is, I can have a divorce. Oh, Mickey, how wonderful. It's Marguerite. She's a disturbing child. Enchanting. Bright as a button. And she's their prisoner. I mean that quite literally. They've got her locked up away from the world, like some precocious doll. Talks like a book. Anne, Katherine will give me the divorce if I never again have anything to do with Marguerite. You see, it's what they're doing to her. Anne, I'm gonna need your help. Mickey... ...you do love me, don't you? There's quite enough for the whole family. All, that is, except Aaron. No crackers and milk for Aaron... until he decides to behave himself. We're getting quite cocky, aren't we? Just learning my way around, opening my eyes, figuring a few things out for myself. What things? Your mother, for one. Your grandmother, for another. Oh, they're a couple of dandies, been pulling the wool over your eyes, like you've been doing to me. You're just angry because I told on you. Heh. They didn't believe you anyway. They probably think you're crazy. Your father does. Don't say that. He thinks I'm enchanting. What wool have they been pulling over my eyes? When you were 5, they told you your father was dead. How did you know about that? You told me. I don't forget things like that. And those shots you take every day. I have diabetes. And what's in the bottles? Don't you even know what insulin is? It increases the glycogen storage in the liver and keeps a glucose balance between water and carbon dioxide. If you're so smart, why do they take the labels off the bottles? Well, they could be poisoning my food if I wanted to believe the absolute worst. You have to have a certain amount of faith in people. Blind faith. Like your precious Saint Michael? What about him? You treat him like the Second Coming. He's here to make a deal, never to see you again if Saint Katherine will give him a divorce. That's not true. He'd never agree to such a thing. Oh, no? Are you quite sure? There's a remarkable woman in his life. I heard every word. I have to get dressed. Father will be here-- Where did you get that? My rod and my staff, they comfort me. Oh, Aaron, you're scaring me. There is evidence that hormones furnished by the pollen are transferred to the unfertilized egg cell. The basic parts of the flower are modified leaves. The showy colored petals are the corolla. Inside of that, the stamens bear the pollen sacs around the pistil. The ovaries are underneath that. And the amazing thing is that-- Ma chrie, really, I think we've heard enough. Oh, Marguerite, I'd love to see some of your prints. I've heard so much about them. Oh, might I show them my rooms? Mama gave me this for Christmas. Isn't it lovely? Yes. What do you study with it? Oh, most anything. Leaves, blood, amoebae. I've a whole pond full of friends in the garden. Oh, and here's some others. This is... This is Moses and his family, Hugo, Janet, and, uh, Cinnamon. Oh, which one is Mrs. Moses? Oh, well, she became ill so Cinnamon ate her. And Janet just laid some eggs and Hugo fertilized them. Oh, I know it all sounds terribly childish, but, well, these are modern relics of the most ancient forms of fish, the cyclostomes. We all came out of the sea and all that, but, well, they ride on the backs of the larger fish and eat their flesh. Ahem. It certainly accounts for Mrs. Moses. Sounds utterly revolting, but it's quite natural. For cyclostomes. You're going to be my stepmother, aren't you? Really, I'm not very wicked. No, I don't think you are. Would you like to see my dolls? Oh, how exquisite. Are these her friends? She's had an assortment over the years. Some become outmoded. Some remain. Like Aaron? You know, you're very clever. You're very clever. You're very talented indeed. Who is this? Can't you tell? It's Joan of Arc before Saint Michael. You don't know how often I've-- I've imagined you here, with me, alone, in-- In this room. This is our very special room. Perhaps you can't imagine how often I've wanted to be here with you alone. Each September 29th, I celebrate Michaelmas. And now you're here. It's like a dream. I like her, Father. Really, I do. I... I think she'll make a splendid stepmother. But... you won't spoil my dream, will you? Marguerite, it's late. Prepare for bed. But, Mama, I must show my gardens, the greenhouse. Oh, you shall come, shan't you? Promise. You will never see your father again. Father, would you say my prayers with me? Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. They won't let you come back. No. I must see you. Meet me tonight. Where? Just inside the front gate. At 12. It's quite dark. Will you be there? Yes. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen. Oh, Mickey, my God, how can you? You saw her. I've got to see if there's some way I can help her. What if you get caught? Well, if there's one thing I know, it's my way around that place. I had a feeling from the moment we arrived, something was gonna go wrong. Maybe you still do have a resistance to going through with the marriage. I'm sorry, Mickey. I didn't mean it. Just where do you think you're going? I have a rendezvous with Michael. You what? You heard me. I have a rendezvous with Michael. He's going to take me away from here. From them. Oh, I hate them. He's not taking you anywhere. And I hate you too. Me? Yes. All you ever do is undermine my faith in everything I love. How can you say that? Everything I've told you is true. Oh, you're just like them. You just want me all to yourself. Oh, no, Marguerite. Well, I don't love you anymore. And I don't need any of you. Where are you? Marguerite? Is that you, chrie? Marguerite? Inspector, there's one thing I think you should know. I came back here last night, um, after dinner, about 12:00, to be exact. You see, my daughter knew my wife didn't want me to see her again, and during prayers, she asked me if I'd slip back and meet her later, inside the main gate. She said she had something very important she wanted to tell me. Miss Havord and I, we had quite a row before I decided to come back, because Miss Havord thought it would jeopardize the divorce. Your wife acceded to your request. I'll vouch for that. Yes, of course. Well, you don't need one now. So you decided to come back. Yes. But I... Well, the gates were locked, and Marguerite wasn't there. Somebody else was there, though. A boy, sitting up there on the wall. A boy. Well, I think it was a boy, about 12 or 13. It was dark and he was dressed darkly. Dressed darkly. Tell you one thing, he saw me. Did you speak? Well, I called out Marguerite. I mean, I heard him before I saw him, heard the leaves rustling. Then he jumped down from the wall and he ran away inside. Marguerite simply wasn't there. Got in the car, drove back to the inn. The whole thing couldn't have taken more than 45 minutes. No, I don't suppose it would. He was back at 20 minutes after 12. I was watching the clock the whole time. I can imagine you were. Is it true that the gates were found open this morning? Yes, they were. Father! Father! Father! All right, all right. Promise me you won't go now. You just can't leave now. I won't. I won't. It's all right. Skull's fractured. Some heavy blunt instrument administered with considerable force. Both were sexually mutilated. Some obtuse object. Not lacerated. Kind of punctured. Molested? Can't say yet, but doesn't look like it. The older one had water in the lungs, but not much. She was dead when they dumped her in there. You coming Saturday?Sure. First I heard someone in the garden, then I heard someone near the house. Did you see two people? I don't know. It was dark and foggy. Then I saw someone running. Now, the one you saw, what did he look like? Oh, just a kid running through the woods. Over about there. Had on a sweater, jeans or something. I yelled out to him, "Hey, you," and off he went. The child always kept talking about someone taking her away from here. Maybe you'd like to stay on here. Me? Me, stay here? They were yelling at each other. Then I heard a slap. I think she slapped him. Don't touch that door if you please, Mister Heffernan. The girl was brought up in almost total seclusion. Well, as her father, you should seem to have some say now. Miss Havord and I could look after her at the inn. Yes, you could, couldn't you? Inspector, I do realize I'm in a very vulnerable position. This all happens the night of the day I arrive. Apart from settling your case, we do have the matter of Marguerite's immediate security. I quite agree. Why don't I talk to her and see what she wants? I overheard Peggy telling you about my quarrel with Katherine and that remark about the gate. You did find the gate locked, didn't you? Do you think I lied? No. That doesn't sound very convincing. I'm sorry for what I sound, Mickey. It's all a nightmare. Marguerite tells me she feels most at home right here. One for you and one for you. Delaying your trip to Toronto a few days might be advisable. Inspector, did she tell you why she never turned up last night? No. Did she tell you? Did she tell you that she asked me to meet her? Should I have asked her? You told me that. Is there any reason I should doubt you? Am I to consider this some subtle form of house arrest? Hello. I brought your father's bags. Oh, yes, well, won't you come in, please? Thank you. Where shall I put these? Come in, dear. This is one of the guest rooms. Never seen a guest. I always called it the ghost room. But Grand-mrealways had Peggy keep it spotless just the same. Do you like it? Oh, it's a lovely room. Are both of you staying in here? Yes. Well, not that I mind. I mean, I'm not exactly a child anymore. And you're as good as married now. But I'm right next door, you know. Does that bother you? Good night. Good night, dear. Good night. Now you've really done it, with that monstrous stick of yours. What did you do with it? You threw it in the sea, didn't you? I bet you threw it in the sea. Who said I did it? Could just as well have been Saint Michael. He had everything to gain by it. He'd never do such a thing. Maybe not. Maybe I did. What's the difference? Anyway, it's only what you would have done yourself if you had the nerve and half the chance. You are vile saying that. Murder in your heart, the Bible told me so. I want you out of here. Tonight. Otherwise you'll be discovered. Oh, no, Marguerite. No, I'm not about to vanish now that we have the place to ourselves. The way you pretend with your dolls. They still think Aaron's a doll. I'm afraid of you after what you've done. Now that you have what you want, our problem is your father. He discarded Katherine, now Anne. No, Marguerite, he has what he's come for. Your daughter stands to inherit the entire Sterling estate. You're her legal guardian. To the fact of being her father, I plead entirely guilty. Yes. Well, we, uh, picked up a couple of lads over in Georgetown. You know Georgetown? No, we came from Charlottetown. Lovely this time of year. Yes. No, I meant Georgetown. The trees by the church, the cows on the hill overlooking the bay, the water, a pure cerulean blue. Well, the usual troublemakers. Summerhouse looters and the like. Blotter records, assaults, unless someone is using your visit as the proper time for score-settling. Mister Heffernan, we don't get this sort of thing around here. Have a nice day. We were thinking of going for a picnic. Yeah. Lovely day for a picnic. We have your permission to leave the grounds then? Do as you like. You do it. Why? Because it won't hurt so much if you do it. Please. Just this once. Annie, you just can't go on treating her as if she's a normal child. Don't give me any more of your Oedipal crap, Mickey, because I can't stand it. She wants to devour you like one of those evil fishes of hers, and I think you actually like it. Oh, it's not that, Mickey. It's just she's always getting you off by yourself. Like this afternoon or the day at the beach. I'm surprised we found this moment alone. Well, it's hardly surprising, is it, in the circumstances. I mean...she is lost. I know how much she needs you and all that, Mickey, but she's...absolutely carnivorous about it. As if she's considerably more than a daughter. You're jealous. Yes. Yes, I suppose I am. And a little lonely too. You do realize these last few days, she's been trying to make up for 15 years of being without a father. I do realize that's what she'd like you to think, but it's rubbish, because she's aware of every move she makes, like giving your leg a good feel. Annie, that's not fair. What's the matter? I don't know who to believe anymore. I want to believe you. I sometimes wonder why you did come back. You're going to marry my father now, aren't you? We plan to. So you should be more than a stepmother. No, I'm Anne. I like to work on several at once. It's rather like me, keeping 10 books going at once. What's this one? Oh, this is Aaron. Your little friend? Oh, he's not so little. No, this is the Aaron who brought forth water out of rocks. Whose rod made miracles, turned into a serpent, bore almonds and things. I bet you don't believe I have a friend in the world. He used to be my only friend. But Mama just wouldn't have him. She wanted me to believe he was just a doll. But I tell you, Father, he's-- He's not a doll. Anne knows that. Good night. Good night. Well, surely you don't believe there is such a friend, apart from the friend she imagines? I'm sure there's an Aaron, but I don't know who he is. Did your mother tell you not to meet me? No. Was it somebody else who told you not to meet me? No. I just decided that I was being terribly foolish and terribly unfair. Are you aware that McKenna thinks I may have lied to him? Oh, yes. I-- I do realize what... What an unfortunate position it put you in. And that someone else needs me very much. Yes, I know that. You see, I-- I was going to ask you to take me away. And I-- I know that would be very unfair of me to ask because you have your own life to lead with Anne. The mother cells divide to form the pollen grains, whose nuclei contain half the normal number of chromosomes characteristic in the parent plant. You know about meiosis, but not about popsicles. But I do now. And sundaes and drumsticks. I know an ice cream parlor. Maybe, uh, someday I could treat you. Would you like to see my power microscope? They move by pseudopods. False feet. That's right. And they reproduce by splitting, or binary fission. Then the nucleus divides by mitosis. Something like the pollen in your flowers. Oh, I can divide them myself, by heat or light. Well, yes, but when you divide an amoeba artificially, the portion containing the nucleus forms a new membrane and then continues as a whole animal. But the other portion without the nucleus, lives on whatever food it can scrounge up, but can't digest it... and can't reproduce and soon dies. It doesn't really die. Well, of course it does, heh. That's not true. Marguerite, is anything wrong? Don't touch me. And don't say that! You're getting pretty bold, aren't you? Parading your boyfriends past my door. What's happening to us, Marguerite? Friends just grow apart, I guess. I've waited too long to let you get away from me now. You don't possess me. But I do. Never quite as much as I do now. And you'll do as I say, exactly. Or I'll have to do it for you. As usual. I don't know what you mean. Listen. Listen. Yes, I need you. That's the trouble. You don't seem to need me quite the way you did before. I don't mean that. You wish you were in there, don't you? Don't you? You wish your boyfriend were here, don't you? Well, I'm here. Father, Father. Oh, Father, father. Father, don't leave me. Oh, God, why doesn't she just ask you to live with us? It's a sickness, Mickey, all of you. This, this house. I can't stand it anymore. I'm going back to the inn. Don't leave me. Don't, don't, don't. Don't leave me. Anne! Hector. Hector? Hector? I want to talk to you. Hector? No! Honey? Oh, Mickey. Mickey, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. McKenna's on his way over. Well, there were two sets of footprints. One matches yours, Mr. Heffernan. The other set we'll know tomorrow. Beer. - You ever had a beer? - No. How do you like it? Better than popsicles. Would you like to live there when you're a doctor? Well, I would like to intern there, yes. It's a beautiful city. But I love the sea. Ah, who knows? Life is so full of changes. Would you like to see Montreal one day? Yes. Aren't you warm in your things? No. You really should have worn a swimsuit. Well, I can't swim. I could teach you. The motor went berserk. The boat hit the reef. The body was catapulted on the rocks. You'll be all right. Where are you taking me? Where's her father? Why isn't he here? I want to go home. No. No. You know my trouble? I drink too much. Please. The doctor will-- No! Don't! Let go of me! I've gotta go home! I gotta go home! Please! I need to go home! Don't! Don't make me. Please, take me home. Don't ever let a man touch you. Their touch is death. Now, where's her father? Why isn't he here? You can't treat me like that, Marguerite. I'm not a child anymore. I can get along on my own. I don't suppose you remember me, do you? I remember. The way you pretend with your dolls, they still think Aaron's a doll. I made a phone call to Boston. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Because you're a very special child, my sweet. And Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. And when you are a young lady, we shall travel together everywhere, mother and daughter. Another book from her father. Father. Father, father, father, father. Father. They're going to take me away, aren't they? Yes, my love. But I'm not the one, you know. I can't protect him anymore, even if he was my friend. He hurt me. He hurt us all, dreadfully. Will you let me show you? Yes. Mickey, what is it? Mickey, don't go up there. You stay down here. Father! Wait. Boston Hall of Records. Oh, yes. Uh, I want to check on the birth of a girl, please. Born about 16 years ago. I'll connect you with Vital Statistics. Vital Statistics. Yes. I'd like some information on the birth of a young girl. Born about 16 years ago. The mother's name was Katherine Sterling. The girl's name was Marguerite. One second, please. Yes. I have the record. I'm sorry, sir, there was a child born to a Katherine Sterling on the date you mentioned. But there seems to be some mistake. Our records do not show the birth of a girl, but we do show born to a Katherine Sterling in September of that year, a 7-pound, 6-ounce... boy. |
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