The Frankenstein Chronicles (2015) s01e05 Episode Script

1 Frankenstein? It contains references to galvanism, sir.
Do you know much about it? Not my subject I'm afraid.
What brings you here, Mr Marlott? A crime I'm investigating.
The Little Girl Lost.
In a rose pink dress.
I know that picture.
He's out to catch someone and you're his bait.
For a tup? They don't plan to tup you, Flora.
They plan to kill you.
- How's Flora? - She breathes.
Nothing else.
A family of murderers, they call themselves the Bishops.
They killed in order to sell to the surgery schools, sir.
We now have a potential scandal on our hands which threatens to do exactly what that monstrous object you found was designed to bring about.
God help us when Warburton and the newspapers get hold of this.
Why, on the eve of the Anatomy Act, has the disclosure of this monstrous artefact been suppressed? Denying Londoners the knowledge of a diabolical surgeon in their midst, acting in apparent imitation of Mary Shelley's infamous madman, Victor Frankenstein.
Ah.
You're sure? I won't think any the less of you.
I feel as though I'm standing at the edge of the world.
The household's asleep.
William.
To the unflinching eye of the intellectual soul.
You're the poet, Shelley.
Give us some words.
We're about to take a step that will alter the course of natural philosophy forever.
What words could possibly suffice? James.
Is she to stay? She's as committed as any man.
The honour is yours.
To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death.
Ingrates.
If it wasn't for us, they'd all be wallowing in scrofula.
Mind your tongue, Garnet.
And smile.
When will you learn? At times like this, appearances aren't merely important.
They're everything.
Get the nurses and orderlies to man the gates if need be.
I won't have my hospital overrun.
Yes, sir.
You're on ward round this morning.
I have urgent business to attend to.
Whatever you say, Cousin.
You? Here? How dare you? I told you I never wanted to see you again.
Get out.
Not before you tell me why you went back to Hogg's laboratory.
Pirkis.
- I’ll reveal what you did there.
- What we did.
I have less to lose.
Sir? Yes.
Thank you, Pirkis.
Two glasses and my finest port.
Mrs Shelley and I are going to toast the future of medicine.
Yes, sir.
Straight away.
You ask me why I went back.
Ask yourself instead why you've never left.
Mocking my achievements in your wretched novel.
Dragging my past endlessly into the limelight.
You've seen this, no doubt.
Twelve years it took me to dissociate myself from you.
Now this.
On the eve of the Anatomy Act, my greatest triumph.
The Anatomy Act.
A free supply of corpses to do with as you wish.
It is you.
You literary wretch.
Your wine, sir.
I'm drinking alone, apparently.
Thank you, sister.
There's another patient in here, sir.
Flora.
- Get out.
- Sir.
Mr Marlott.
Sir Robert instructs me to tell you he is occupied at present.
And what about this? The Frankenstein Murders.
It's history, Mr Marlott.
Like yourself.
Pack your bags and get back to Wapping.
Mr Marlott.
Sir Robert has known about this all along, hasn't he? I'm not at liberty to say.
Oh, come, Mr Marlott, the time for coyness is past.
Who would place power into the surgeons' hands after this? Don't berate him, Bentley.
None of this is his doing.
No.
You are right, my dear.
He only answers to his master's voice.
Well then, a gift, from me to him.
An emergency vote to declare the Anatomy Act dead.
What better way to celebrate our engagement? I apologise for Sir Bentley's rudeness.
He doesn't know you as I do.
Come to my house in one hour.
Thank you for coming.
What is it that you wish to talk to me about? When we met earlier, Sir Bentley mentioned our engagement - Congratulations, my lady.
- Please, Mr Marlott.
He is money to us and I am status to him.
Nothing more.
You would pledge yourself in a loveless marriage? For my brother's work.
Yes.
What I've concealed from him is my intention to disappoint him should the Act fail to pass, and my brother allowed to continue his work.
Something I now have reason to hope, thanks to the recent scandals implicating the surgeons.
But I know Sir Robert well.
He will stop at nothing to get his own way.
Therefore, I have asked you here to beg you to help me.
Do not let him succeed.
You should know, my Lady, Sir Robert wants nothing more to do with me.
I've been removed from the case.
Then all hope is truly lost.
I have a confession of my own to make, my Lady.
That thing you read about.
The Frankenstein Murders was the very reason Sir Robert hired me.
My investigations have led me to suspect all who oppose the Anatomy Act.
- Your brother included.
- My brother? Responsible for that Listen to me.
Please listen to me.
If Sir Robert's wrong, then the madman who made it could very well have been a surgeon.
Sir William Chester.
Someone without any regard for human suffering.
But I swear to you, whoever it is, I'll find him.
Should he be the highest in the land, I'll find him.
Then I was right.
You are a man of God.
If it's your position that concerns you No, it's not that.
Forgive me.
Forgive me.
All things might be possible in time.
But time is not with us.
And my adversaries are powerful.
Then I will wait.
And pray for your success.
For bringing them to justice.
Who are you? Joseph Nightingale, sir.
- Bow Street.
- What do you want? The patient is a witness.
I've been told to sit with her until she wakes.
Out of the question.
I won't have you jeopardising her welfare.
Well, will she recover? Out at once.
Go! You have no authority here.
This patient is under my care now.
My Little Girl Lost has been found.
It's about Flora, sir.
I was Close the door, please.
I need a word in private.
I need you to withdraw a pistol for me.
In your name.
- Why? - I'm not employed here any more.
My investigation is beginning to step on a few powerful toes.
So what now? The investigation goes on.
In private.
With me? Yeah, if you agree.
I'll get that pistol.
This newspaper article, Mr Marlott.
This is where your missing girls have gone to.
Is it not? Why did you not tell me? I couldn't.
If I'd known more I might have said more.
Now we have both been defamed.
Then get a lawyer.
I have other business to attend to.
I know who you're looking for, Mr Marlott.
I'm listening.
I was 17 and in love with my husband and with science too.
That much you know.
We were visited in Oxford by Percy's friend, James Hogg.
And he He introduced us to his mentor, William Chester, and his Pursuit.
Again.
Wretches, we four.
We thought we could conquer death.
But we found to our dismay that death had conquered us.
William banished us to our rooms but sleep didn't come easily.
At dawn we were roused by Mrs Hogg's screams.
A scalpel had been placed in James' hand.
His wrists cut.
Expertly.
A verdict of suicide was infinitely better than one of murder.
For all of us.
A young mind driven to distraction by dark science.
Why didn't you tell me this before? How could I be sure? Either someone was tracing our steps.
Or William Chester himself had returned to his Great obsession.
Creating life from death? Like your Victor Frankenstein? He truly thought such a thing was possible? Still does, if my surmise is correct.
Today, I confronted him and he attacked me.
Where was this? The Hospital.
I I called on him first at Greenwich but there was no answer.
Greenwich? Their old family home.
Where we first knew one another.
Years ago.
Do you admit purchasing bodies from this woman? I admit nothing.
Liar.
He knows me well.
Let's try again.
We buy things from many people.
I've told you.
I can't know them all.
Your masters will let you hang to protect themselves.
Does that please you? Even if I did buy goods from them, it don't make me responsible for how they come by them.
Yeah? That's for the law to decide.
Right I'll ask you again.
Did you or did you not buy corpses from that woman? It's possible.
Adults? Children? Adults, maybe.
You know, kids is rare.
I told you.
Then how come your masters came by so many? What makes you think they did? Sir William himself said there were eight children that made up that composite.
All dead within a fortnight of each other.
What, you You think that he created that thing? Well, if he did, it makes you an accessory.
So save yourself.
Tell me everything you know.
I've done so already.
I don't know what more to say.
We'll try this another way.
Does he ever require you to deliver bodies to Greenwich? Why Greenwich? Because that poor creature floated to Bugsby's Marshes from somewhere near Greenwich.
The family home of Sir William Chester.
Sir William lives in Hampstead.
Garnet has the house in Greenwich now, his cousin.
What do you think you are doing? Taking her far away from you.
Where she'll be safe.
On whose authority? The law's.
And God's.
I am her doctor, damn you.
You will leave her be.
Orderlies! Somebody, help! Shall I tell them that you drugged her and raped her? Go ahead.
No one will believe you.
The picture of The Little Girl Lost, it was yours, wasn't it? You gave it to her, to tempt her from Billy.
Is there a law against giving a girl a present? You've proof of nothing.
It's proof that you knew Billy.
And that's enough.
What other business did you do with him? How many other children did you purchase? This is outrageous! Many, I'd wager.
Some for pleasure.
Some for dissection.
Stop him.
It was him.
He's the one who tricked me.
Look, it means nothing.
There's no law against what I did to her.
Do you hear me? - Stop him.
Stop him now! - Get out of my way.
Move! It's all right.
It's all right now.
You're a dead man, do you hear me, damn you! You need to get strong.
I don't deserve to.
Why would you say that? I killed my Child.
I led Alice to her death.
I deserve to die.
All life is precious, Flora.
Yours too.
If you've been brought back, well, there's a reason for it.
You've been given another chance.
Take it.
Stay here and guard her.
With your life, if need be.
Where are you going? It's past midnight.
Garnet knows I'm onto him now.
I need proof of his guilt.
Fast.
What proof is there? Billy Oates did business with Garnet.
The next link in the chain.
I need Billy's confession.
It's my only chance.
Then God help you.
I know Garnet bartered with you for Flora.
What other business did you do with him? Did you sell Alice to him? Who does this code of silence serve, Billy? Only your masters, who'll gladly watch you, hang to save themselves.
You help me convict them, it'll go well for you with the court.
You may even find your sentence commuted to transportation.
Billy don't peach.
Not for no one.
Death holds no terrors for me.
You know Garnet cheated you of Flora's virginity, don't you? That's right, Billy.
She's no virgin.
After you bilked him on the price he found her in the market and drugged her.
Took her for free.
Laughing at you.
You lie.
It's the truth.
She was with child.
She had it aborted.
The girl you were saving for a price went to that bastard for nothing.
And now you'll hang to save his skin.
How does that make you feel? Transportation, you say? "I Billy Oates, this day of the First of April 1827, "do hereby confess that I provided numerous unwanted children "from the streets of Smithfield to Garnet Chester, "of St Bartholomew's, to do with as he wished, "with no concern for their safety or anything else except my own profit.
" Sign it, Billy.
What's going on? Dawn raid, sir.
- Where? - No idea.
Special order of the Home Secretary.
He's in there now.
- Peel? - His man.
I am assured that Warburton will be there when you arrive.
Why are you still here? To get this.
A written confession describing the supply of children from the streets of Smithfield's to the surgeons at St Bartholomew's.
You were removed from this case yesterday.
Yeah, and today, I have this.
I suggest you take a copy to Sir Robert, immediately.
Unless you want me to take the other to our friend at The Morning Chronicle.
You have your instructions.
You've been very busy, Mr Marlott.
My initial surmise was right, sir.
That corpse child I found was not an act of political sabotage, as you assumed, but the work of a madman.
Garnet Chester.
And those murderers you found in the East End? Ah, the Bishops are murderers, sir, but not the ones we're looking for.
They deny killing children and I believe them.
This is the man who provided them, Billy Oates.
He sold them to Garnet Chester, who stitched them together.
I'd like to have your permission to arrest him, sir.
Thank you, Mr Marlott.
You have done quite enough.
I'll take care of this personally.
But what about Sir William? This doesn't touch him.
His hospital? His cousin? No man is his brother's keeper or his cousin's.
I imagine he'll be every bit as shocked by this as I am.
Go and rest now.
You've earned it.
And when you wake, we'll Talk about your future.
Round 'em up! Hand's off me, you brute.
- Get off me.
- I'm sorry, ladies.
Change of venue.
Richard, Richard.
- I was simply having - I haven't done anything wrong! I beg you.
Please don't tell my wife.
Get up the bloody stairs.
Get out, get out.
Go on.
This has all been a terrible misunderstanding.
I believe you are acquainted with this young man, Bentley.
What scandalous business is this? Scandal is the last thing any of us want, Bentley.
Please.
What's this? It's a calendar.
How can you tell? Twelve pictures.
Twelve months.
And it contains the seasons.
Look, green leaves, red leaves, leaves falling and leaves gone.
Simple.
Sir.
You'd best come quick, sir.
Sir William found him like this, this morning.
Suicide.
As clear an admission of guilt as any confession.
The scalpel had been placed in James' hand.
His wrists cut expertly.
Thank you for coming so quickly.
- Of course.
- We don't have long.
Suicide? That's what I need you to determine.
What do you think? It was murder.
If he'd died from blood loss there would have been less of it.
Much less.
I think he was killed another way.
The wrists were cut afterwards to make it look like suicide.
But why? Garnet murdered, disguised as suicide, makes him look like the guilty one.
Just what is it you think they've been up to? Well, you read that story in the paper.
The body stitched together from different corpses.
Galvanism? Well, it'll play into our hands all the same.
Jemima tells me we're on the eve of victory.
An emergency vote on the Anatomy Act tomorrow.
That means my work can go on.
You still have to answer for Flora.
It's a criminal act to rob an unborn child of life, my Lord.
At the very least, your practise will be closed.
You yourself, subject to prosecution.
Is that what you want? I want to know how you justify it.
I believe her existence would have been blighted by the birth of that child, as did she.
She would have died homeless and starving, and A vagrant or a prostitute, along with her unloved offspring.
You call that life.
I call it suffering.
Does Lady Hervey know? There is much about my work that I keep from her.
Though she would do everything to support you in it.
It is true.
Her heart is filled with love for me.
This however, will surely break it.
I would not be held responsible for that.
Then, you'll forbear from telling her? For the while.
If your God exists, I believe he will cherish you for it.
Your treatment didn't work then.
Too late in this case.
And in mine? Maybe not.
Though you might want to act quickly, Mr Marlott.
Honourable members! Honourable members.
Let us bring this emergency meeting to order.
The motion before us is that, "This House would forbear the passing of any Act "which would licence the surgeons with greater power.
" Pray silence for the Honourable member, Sir Bentley Warburton, proposing.
Hear! Mr Speaker.
Honourable members.
After much consideration, and in the light of recent developments, I regret to inform the House, I am withdrawing this motion.
Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker.
The events of the last week have shocked us all.
Firstly, the discovery of a gang of body snatchers rumoured to have been engaged in the business of procuring corpses by acts of murder.
Secondly, the emergence in the press of a story of dubious origin, implicating the surgeons in a grotesque act of defilement lifted straight from the pages of popular fiction.
And most recently, the suicide of Mr Garnet Chester, surgeon of St Bartholomew's, in what appears to be a gesture of despair, after being uncovered as the source and culprit of one or more of these terrible crimes.
Never has the need for reform in the realm of public medicine been more pressing.
Hear, hear! I, therefore, commend Sir Bentley on his stoical rejection of partisan interests in the name of the common good.
Hear, hear.
I would also like to commend the fearless work and daring of Mr John Marlott, of Bow Street.
Mr John Marlott of Bow Street, whom I will be recommending as advisor to my special committee on the formation of the new Metropolitan Police.
In light of these tragic events, it is our conviction that no further delay should be brooked in the passage of the Anatomy Act.
Let us once and for all banish this trade in bodies.
Let reason and regulation banish fear and scandal from our streets and hospitals.
To which end, I propose an immediate vote on the Anatomy Act as an alternative motion for this House today.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
The motion before the House is the immediate passage of the Anatomy Act.
John Marlott for Lord and Lady Hervey.
My Lord and Lady are not in residence.
Come along, my dear Your office.
Sir Robert would like your proposal at the end of the week.
This city, Mr Marlott, dragged kicking and screaming like a raucous infant, towards a better future.
Do well by me, and you will be assured a part in it.
Whoso beset him round With dismal stories Do but themselves confound His strength the more is No lion can him fright No foes shall stay his might He'll with a giant fight Shall be a pilgrim Sir? I would like it if Flora Flora and I would like it, if she would move in with me.
As your maid? No, sir.
We wish to be married.
We're both of us without family and we feel that we belong together.
We very much like your blessing, sir.
Well, you have it.
Thank you, sir.
But properly.
With church and marriage bands.
Until then, she stays here.
You agree? Thank you, sir.
I'd like to buy us all a drink.
You two go.
I can't.
It's a big occasion, sir.
We'd appreciate it.
- I have work to do.
- Tonight? Come on now, sir.
You can put your work off for once.
I can't.
In fact, I have to leave now.
Where to at this time, sir? Greenwich.
Why Greenwich? Garnet Chester's house.
I missed something last time.
But the case is closed.
He was guilty.
What are you looking for? Alice.
Proof she was there.
And what makes you think you missed it last time? Either that creature was made there or it was kept there.
It found its way to the river by accident, through a sluice or a sewer I'd wager.
A cellar perhaps? Probably.
Look, I'm coming with you.
No sluice.
No sewer.
Nothing.
Perhaps you were wrong, sir.
Perhaps it came into the water from somewhere else.
I measured the tides.
It came from here, in Greenwich.
I'm sure of it.
So, someone disposed of it.
But why take the risk of it being discovered? I don't believe they did.
Sir.
Look at the distance from here to the river.
Do you really think it just fell out of a cart and rolled down there by accident? It did get there by accident.
But not that way.
I don't follow, sir.
It moved, Nightingale.
Sir William and Garnet were working together to resurrect the dead.
And they succeeded.
It crawled there.
And I know who can help me prove it.
- Dover Stage? - Yes.
You're leaving London? I asked you a question, Mrs Shelley.
I'm leaving England, not that it's any of your affair.
But you have unfinished business here.
Go inside.
Do as I say please, Percy.
I have told you everything I know.
What more do you want? Sir William Chester walks free.
A murderer twice over.
Twice? His own cousin now.
Garnet.
Killed him, made it to look like suicide.
- Just like Hogg.
- So what do you expect me to do about it? You tell the world what you told me.
Sir William Chester has returned to galvanism.
He thinks he can conquer death.
He'll sacrifice anyone.
His madness is no longer my concern.
You have a duty to say what you know.
Let the dead bury the dead.
What if they won't stay buried? What do you mean? Where you once failed, he now succeeds.
The dead live, Mrs Shelley.
I don't believe you.
You must.
This nightmare is your creation.
It's not mine any more.
It's yours.