ghost in your wife's mind

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In Gaslight, after the CAMERA drifts over to reveal Brian Cameron in the doorway and he says, "Was I any part of this curious dream of yours, Mrs. Anton?"  Gregory Anton freezes in place for a moment, then turns to look; as he recognizes and recalls Cameron, his expression turns baleful:  "You!"




CAMERON (to Paula) -- Perhaps my presence here might help you to recall it.




GREGORY ANTON (his eyes bright and indignant) -- Who the devil are you?




CAMERON:  Apparently a mere figment of your wife's imagination.


GREGORY:  How did you get into this house?


CAMERON:  Through the skylight, like you... (he holds up the jeweled stage gown a moment, then drops it in the hall and walks into the room as he continues speaking) -- "and down these stairs.  You made it very easy."


Cameron stands before Gregory Anton, so they are face-to-face.


GREGORY:  Will you tell me what you're doing here?


CAMERON:  Mrs. Anton, don't you think you'd better go to bed?  You must be very tired.


GREGORY:  Don't you think you'd better explain your business, sir?




CAMERON:  As a mere figment, as a mere ghost existing in your wife's mind...I could hardly be said to have any business.


GREGORY:  Paula, go to your room -- please, Paula.




Anton takes Paula's hand and walks with her out the door of the study, down the hall.  She goes into her room, and as he's closing the door behind her, a moving shadow on the wall shows him (and the audience) that Cameron is following behind him.


Outside Paula's door, Anton turns around to face Cameron, in the semi-dark.




CAMERON:  So you found them after all.


GREGORY:  I was right about you.  I knew from the moment I saw you that you were dangerous to me.


CAMERON:  I knew from the first moment I saw you that you were dangerous to her.


GREGORY:  I should have followed my instinct about you, as you followed yours.




CAMERON:  I thought she was Alice Alquist come back to life.  I didn't know, then, that she was walking with -- (he steps forward, closer to Anton) -- Sergis Bauer.


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