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Dr Faustus: Part Four

March 10, 2007 by David Gordon

EXT.  A SUNNY ROAD LEADING FROM THE PALACE

 

FAUSTUS trudges along it.

 

It is a bright, sunny day.

The way is lined with a field of wildflowers.

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS jogs to catch up with FAUSTUS.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

          What, will you go on horseback or on foot?

 

                              FAUSTUS

          Nay, till I am past this fair and pleasant green,

          I’ll walk on foot.

 

FAUSTUS goes on, leaving MEPHISTOPHILIS behind.

A FOG comes up, hiding the PALACE and MEPHISTOPHILIS

from view.

 

FAUSTUS trudges on, carrying his backpack.

 

 

FARTHER ON THE ROAD

 

The road now follows a RIVER.  FAUSTUS continues on.

 

UP AHEAD – THE CLOCK TOWER OF WITTENBERG.

 

It chimes FIVE O’CLOCK.

 

FAUSTUS stops, looks at the CLOCK.

 

                             FAUSTUS

                    (mutters)

          What art thou, Faustus, but a man condemn’d to die?

          Thy fatal time doth draw to final end,

          Despair doth drive distrust into my thoughts.

 

He stretches himself out on the grass by the river.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Confound these passions with a quiet sleep;

          Tush, Christ did call the thief upon the Cross,

          Then rest thee Faustus, quiet in conceit.

 

He closes his eyes, dozes.  The SOUND OF CICADAS fills the air.

And then – the CLOCK OF WITTENBERG STRIKES SIX.

 

CHURCH BELLS call worshippers to chapel.

 

                             FAUSTUS

                    (wakes with a start)

          What?  What!

 

Sitting up, he sees that he is not alone.

The Rector of his College — the OLD MAN — stands there, dressed

for a country walk, staff in hand.

 

He has been watching FAUSTUS sleep.

 

For a moment, they stare at each other.

 

                             OLD MAN

          Ah, Doctor Faustus, that I might prevail

          To guide thy steps unto the way of life,

          By which sweet path thou mayst attain the goal

          That shall conduct thee to celestial rest!

          Break heart, drop blood, and mingle it with tears —

          Tears falling from repentant heaviness

          Of thy most vile and loathsome filthiness,

          The stench whereof corrupts the inward soul

          With such flagitious crimes of heinous sins

          As no commiserations may expel

          But mercy, Faustus, of thy Saviour sweet,

          Whose blood alone must wash away thy guilt.

 

FAUSTUS leaps up, confused.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Where art thou, Faustus?  Wretch, what hast thou done?

          Damned art thou, Faustus, damned!  Despair and die!

 

The SOUND OF ROARING MOTORCYCLES.

 

In the FOREGROUND – the TWO DEVILS ride MOTORCYCLES

past.

 

They ROAR away, revealing, MEPHISTOPHILIS now standing

behind FAUSTUS.  He hands FAUSTUS a KNIFE.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Hell calls for right, and with a roaring voice

          Says, “Faustus, come!  Thine hour is come!”

 

FAUSTUS rushes at the OLD MAN, KNIFE aimed at his chest.

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS disappears.

 

                             FAUSTUS  

          And Faustus will come to do thee right!

 

The OLD MAN wrestles with him.  FAUSTUS slips in the mud of

the bank, falls into the RIVER.

 

Blubbering, he thrashes around in the weeds. 

 

 

The OLD MAN comes to the river’s edge, retrieves the KNIFE from the weeds, tosses it into the river, and helps FAUSTUS from the mud.

 

                             OLD MAN

          Ah, stay, good Faustus, stay thy desperate steps!

          I see an angel hovers o’er thy head

          And with a vial full of precious grace

          Offers to pour the same into thy soul.

          Then call for mercy and avoid despair.

 

FAUSTUS falls on the OLD MAN, sobbing on his shoulder.

 

OVER THE OLD MAN’S SHOULDER – he sees MEPHISTOPHILIS,

in motorcycle leathers, with their MOTORCYCLE and SIDECAR.

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS, grim, beckons to FAUSTUS.

 

                             FAUSTUS

                    (nervously)

          Ah, my sweet friend, I feel thy words

          To comfort my distressed soul.

          Leave me awhile to ponder on my sins.

 

FAUSTUS goes to MEPHISTOPHILIS, gets in the sidecar.

 

OLD MAN watches this.  FAUSTUS avoids the OLD MAN’S eye. 

He takes a helmet from MEPHISTOPHILIS.

 

                             OLD MAN

          I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer,

          Fearing the ruin of thy hopeless soul.

 

He turns and walks back toward the CHURCH BELLS of Wittenberg.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Accursed Faustus, where is mercy now?

          I do repent, and yet I do despair.

          Hell strives with grace for conquest in my breast.

          What shall I do to shun the snares of death?

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS guns the motorcycle.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

          Thou traitor, Faustus, I arrest thy soul

          For disobedience to my sovereign lord!

 

They vanish.

 

 

EXT.  ON THE MOTORCYCLE

 

It goes so fast, the landscape is a blur.

 

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS and FAUSTUS shout over the roar of the engine.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

          Revolt, or I’ll piecemeal tear thy flesh.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Sweet Mephistophilis, entreat thy lord

          To pardon my unjust presumption,

          And with my blood again I will confirm

          My former vow I made to Lucifer.

 

The motorcycle screeches to a halt in front of —

 

 

EXT.  WITTENBERG CHURCH

 

PARISHIONERS and SCHOLARS, etc. going in to the service.

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS

          Do it, then, quickly, with unfeigned heart,

          Lest greater danger do attend thy drift.

 

The OLD MAN appears, prayer book in hand.

 

                             FAUSTUS

                    (points at him)

          Torment, sweet friend, that base and crooked age,

          That durst dissuade me from thy Lucifer,

          With greatest torments that our hell affords.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

          His faith is great; I cannot touch his soul;

          But what I may afflict his body with

          I will attempt, which is but little worth.

 

The TWO LEATHER CLAD DEVILS appear, advance on the OLD MAN.

         

                             OLD MAN

          Accursed Faustus, miserable man,

          That from thy soul excludest the grace of heaven

          And flies the throne of his tribunal seat.

 

The DEVILS produce SWITCHBLADES, which they flip open in unison.

 

The CHURCH BELLS sound.  The DEVILS fall back, confused.

 

                             OLD MAN

                    (with contempt)

          Ambitious fiends, see how the heavens smile

          At your repulse, and laughs your state to scorn.

          Hence, hell!  For hence I fly unto my God.

 

He goes into the church.

 

 

INT.  FAUSTUS’ STUDY

 

FAUSTUS, feverish, once again cuts his wrist, and with the blood, signs a renewed bond.

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS takes it, begins to dematerialise.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          One thing, good servant, let me crave of thee…

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS reappears.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          To glut the longing of my heart’s desire:

          That I might have unto my paramour

          That heavenly Helen which I saw of late,

          Whose sweet embracings may extinguish clean

          These thoughts that I do dissuade me from my vow,

          And keep mine oath I made to Lucifer.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

          Faustus, this, or what else thou shalt desire,

          Shall be performed in twinkling of an eye.

 

THE BACK WALL OF THE STUDY DISSOLVES INTO THE NIGHT TIME SKY.

 

And a NEBULA OF STARS swirls, moves closer and closer, until —

 

HELEN OF TROY steps from it into the room.

 

She is dressed in STARS AND SKY.

 

She walks to FAUSTUS.

 

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Was this the face that launched a thousand ships

          And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?

          Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.

 

They kiss.

 

HELEN draws FAUSTUS’ BREATH into hers.

 

A WHITE MOTH flies from FAUSTUS’ MOUTH, which she catches in one hand.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Her lips suck forth my soul — see where it flies!

          Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again.

 

She teases him, holding his soul away in her hand, nuzzling his neck.

 

He laughs, delighted with her pretty ways.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Here will I dwell, for heaven is in these lips,

          And all is dross that is not Helena.

 

He takes her in his arms again. 

 

                             FAUSTUS

          I will be Paris, and for love of thee

          Instead of Troy shall Wittenberg be sacked,

          And I will combat with weak Menelaus

          And wear thy colours on my plumed crest;

          Yea, I will wound Achilles in the heel

          And then return to Helen for a kiss.

          O, thou art fairer than the evening air,

          Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars!

          Brighter art thou than flaming Jupiter

          When he appeared to hapless Semele;

          More lovely than the monarch of the sky

          In wanton Arethusa’s azured arms,

          And none but thou shalt be my paramour!

 

He sweeps her up in his arms, and carries her through to what is now a PALATIAL BEDROOM.

 

As they disappear, she opens her hand. 

 

The WHITE MOTH flutters back into the room.

 

 

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS holds an open jar, and catches the MOTH.

 

He screws down the lid, and observes it fluttering.

 

 

INT.  FAUSTUS’ STUDY – LATER – DAY

 

The room is empty.  The windows open.  The curtains flutter.  A low rumble of thunder.

 

MRS. WAGNER enters, from the bedroom.  She carries a load of dirty sheets.  As she goes out, she notices the GLOW OF THE COMPUTER SCREEN.

 

She stops and reads what’s there.

 

It is THE LAST WILL OF JOHN FAUSTUS.

 

She gives a little shriek, hurries out of the room.

 

 

INT.  COLLEGE CLOISTERS

 

MRS. WAGNER hurries down them, agitated.  THUNDER AND LIGHTNING from outside.

 

She runs into SCHOLAR #1, SCHOLAR #2, and SCHOLAR #3.

 

                             MRS. WAGNER

                    (breathless)

          I think my master means to die shortly.

          He has made his will and given me his wealth:

          His house, his goods, and stores of golden plate,

          Besides two thousand ducats ready coined.

          I wonder what he means.

 

The SCHOLARS, concerned, question MRS. WAGNER.

The THUNDER drowns out their words.

 

CUT TO —

 

 

INT.  A LIFT

 

LUCIFER, BEELZEBUB, and MEPHISTOPHILIS ascend in the lift.

 

BEELZEBUB adjusts his tie in the lift door reflection.

 

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS clears his throat.

 

LUCIFER

          Thus from infernal Dis do we ascend

          To view the subjects of our monarchy.

 

Ding!  The doors open.

 

 

INT.  FAUSTUS’ STUDY

 

The THREE emerge into the room.

 

                             LUCIFER

          Those souls which sin seals the black sons of hell,

          ‘Mongst which as chief, Faustus, we come to thee,

          Bringing with us lasting damnation.

          To wait upon thy soul.  The time is come

          Which makes it forfeit.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

                    (turns on a light)

          And this gloomy night

          Here in this room will wretched Faustus be.

 

He looks at the computer terminal, reads what’s there.  Shakes his head, closes the file. 

 

                             BEELZEBUB

          And here we’ll stay

          To mark him how he doth demean himself.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

          How should he, but in desperate lunacy?

          Fond worldling, now his heart-blood dries with grief;

          His conscience kills it, and his labouring brain

          Begets a world of idle fantasies

          To overreach the devil.  But all in vain.

          His store of pleasures must be sauced in pain.

 

VOICES approach.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

          He and his servant Wagner are at hand.

          See where they come.

 

LUCIFER makes a sign.  The THREE DEVILS disappear.

 

 

FAUSTUS and MRS. WAGNER enter.

                            

FAUSTUS

          Say, Wagner, thou has perused my will;

          How dost thou like it?

 

                             MRS. WAGNER

                    (nervously)

          Sir, so wondrous well

          As in all humble duty I do yield

          My life and lasting service for your love.

 

The SCHOLARS enter.

 

WAGNER welcomes them with relief.

 

SCHOLAR #1 gestures to her not to worry.  She goes out.

 

FAUSTUS goes to the window, shuts it against the rain.

 

OUT THE WINDOW – THE CLOCK TOWER

 

The HANDS OF THE CLOCK are at 10:45.

 

AT FAUSTUS – he freezes at this sight.  Then, recovering,

turns back to the SCHOLARS.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Welcome, welcome…

 

                             SCHOLAR #1

                    (concerned)

          Now, worthy Faustus, methinks your looks are

          changed!

 

                             FAUSTUS

                    (groans)

          Oh!

 

                             SCHOLAR #2

          What ails Faustus?

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Ah, my sweet friends!  Had I lived with thee,

          then had I lived still, but now must die

          eternally.

 

 

In the corner of the room, the dim outline of LUCIFER, BEELZEBUB, and MEPHISTOPHILIS shimmers. 

 

Only FAUSTUS sees.

 

                             FAUSTUS

                    (points)

          Look, there, comes he not?  Comes he not?

 

                             SCHOLAR #1

          Oh, my dear Faustus, what imports this fear?

 

                             SCHOLAR #2

          Is all our pleasure turned to melancholy?

 

                             SCHOLAR #3

                    (to other SCHOLARS)

          He is not well with being over-solitary.

 

                             SCHOLAR #2

          If it be so, we’ll have physicians, and Faustus

          shall be cured

 

                             SCHOLAR #3

                    (to FAUSTUS)

          ‘Tis but a surfeit, sir.  Fear nothing.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          A surfeit of deadly sin that hath damned

          both body and soul.

 

                             SCHOLAR #2

          Yet, Faustus, look up to heaven, and remember

          God’s mercy is infinite.

 

BEHIND THEM – THE REPORTER and CREW sneak into the room.  WAGNER lets them in, pocketing a tenner.

 

FAUSTUS notes them.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          But FAUSTUS’ offence can ne’er be pardoned.

          The serpent that tempted Eve may be saved,

          but not Faustus.  Oh, friends, hear with patience,

          and tremble not at my speeches.  Though my

          heart pant and quiver to remember that I have

          been a student here these thirty years.

 

 

 

The SCHOLARS see the TV CREW, and arrange their EXPRESSIONS accordingly.                            

 

FAUSTUS

          Oh, would that I had never seen Wittenberg,

          never read book!  And what wonders I have done,

          all Germany can witness, yea, all the world, yea,

          heaven itself — heaven, the seat of God, the throne

          of the blessed, the kingdom of joy — and must   

remain in hell forever.  Hell, oh, hell forever! 

Sweet friends, what shall become of Faustus,

being in hell forever?

 

ANGLE ON THE DEVILS

 

LUCIFER nods, smiling.  BEELZEBUB checks the messages on his mobile.  MEPHISTOPHILIS smokes.

 

                             SCHOLAR #2

          Yet, Faustus, call on God.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          On God, whom Faustus hath abjured?

          On God, whom Faustus hath blasphemed?

          Oh my God, I would weep, but the devil

          draws in my tears.

 

He points accusingly at MEPHISTOPHILIS, who, bored, takes another drag on his cigarette.

 

The SCHOLARS look wonderingly at what seems to them to be an empty corner of the room.

 

The TV CREW’S MONITOR shows nothing there.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Gush forth blood instead of tears,

          yea, life and soul.  Oh, he stays my

          tongue!  I would lift up my hands,

          but see, they hold ‘em, they hold ‘em!

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS is disgusted by this obvious lie. 

 

He flicks his cigarette at FAUSTUS.

 

FAUSTUS ducks to avoid it.  The SCHOLARS are startled.

 

 

                             SCHOLAR #3

          Who, Faustus?

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Why, Lucifer and Mephistophilis.  Oh, friends,

          I gave them my soul for my cunning!

 

                             SCHOLAR #2

          Oh, God forbid!

 

                             FAUSTUS

          God forbade it indeed, but Faustus hath

          done it.  For the vain pleasure of four-and-

          twenty years hath Faustus lost eternal joy

          and felicity.  I writ them a bill with mine own

          blood.  The date is expired.  This is the time,

          and he will fetch me.

 

The REPORTER thrusts her microphone at FAUSTUS.

 

                             REPORTER

          Why did not Faustus tell us of this before,

          that the divines might have prayed for thee?

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Oft have I thought to have done so, but the

          devil threatened to tear me to pieces if

          I named God, to fetch me body and soul

          if I once gave ear to divinity.

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS shakes his head at this grandstanding. 

He checks his watch. 

 

LUCIFER puts a soothing hand on his arm.  Soon enough.

 

FAUSTUS watches them with dread.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          And now ‘tis too late.  Friends, away, lest you

          perish with me.

 

The SCHOLARS preen before the TELEVISION CREW.

 

                             SCHOLAR #2

          Oh, what may we do to save Faustus?

 

FAUSTUS

Talk not of me, but save yourselves and depart.

 

                             SCHOLAR #3

                    (to TV CAMERA)

          God will strengthen me.  I will stay with Faustus.

 

                             SCHOLAR #1

                    (also to TV CAMERA)

          Tempt not God, sweet friend, but let us

          into the next room and pray for him.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Ay, pray for me, pray for me!  And what noise

          soever you hear, come not unto me, for nothing

          can rescue me.

 

THE TV CREW packs up, and leaves.

 

SCHOLAR #1 hurries the others away.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Friends, farewell.  If I live till morning,

          I’ll visit you.  If not, Faustus is gone to hell!

 

The SCHOLARS call back as they close the door.

 

                             SCHOLARS

          Faustus, farewell!

 

Pause.

 

The sound of clapping.

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS walks forward, as he, and the other DEVILS completely materialize.

 

He applauds FAUSTUS’ performance.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

          Ay, Faustus, now thou hast no hope of heaven;

          Therefore despair.  Think only upon hell,

          For that must be thy mansion, there to dwell.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Oh, thou bewitching fiend, ‘twas thy temptation

          Hath robbed me of eternal happiness.

 

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

          I do confess it, Faustus, and rejoice.

          ‘Twas I that, when thou wert on the way to heaven,

          Dammed up thy passage.  When thou took’st the book

          To view the Scriptures, then I turned the leaves

          And led thine eye.

 

LUCIFER checks his own watch, indicates that they must be

moving on.

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS joins the other DEVILS.

 

                             MEPHISTOPHILIS

                    (to FAUSTUS)

          What, weep’st thou?  ‘Tis too late.  Despair, farewell!

          Fools that will laugh on earth must weep in hell.

 

Kissing his fingers to FAUSTUS, MEPHISTOPHILIS follows LUCIFER and BEELZEBUB into the back wall of the study.

 

The sound of a lift merges with the roar of motorcycles.

 

They are gone.

 

Pause.

 

FAUSTUS looks around wildly for some way to escape.

 

The GOOD ANGEL and the BAD ANGEL appear at opposite sides

of the room.

 

                             GOOD ANGEL

          Oh, Faustus, if thou hadst given ear to me,

          Innumerable joys had followed thee.

          But thou didst love the world.

 

                             BAD ANGEL

          Gave ear to me,

          And now must taste hell’s pains perpetually.

 

                             GOOD ANGEL

          Oh, what will all thy riches, pleasures, pomps

          Avail thee now?

 

                             BAD ANGEL

          Nothing but vex thee more,

          To want in hell, that had on earth such store.

 

The BACK WALL OF THE STUDY dissolves into a SCENE OF WOODLAND PEACE.  Birds call.  A breeze ruffles the scene.

 

                             GOOD ANGEL

          Oh, thou hast lost celestial happiness,

          Pleasures unspeakable, bliss without end.

          Hadst thou affected sweet divinity,

          Hell or the devil had had no power on thee.

          That thou hast lost.

 

The SOUND OF CRACKLING FLAMES.

 

                             GOOD ANGEL

          And now, poor soul, must thy good angel leave thee.

          The jaws of hell are open to receive thee.

 

The GOOD ANGEL vanishes.

 

FLAMES LICK UP, COVERING THE WOODLAND SCENE.

 

The SCREAMS OF THE DAMNED come from the FIRE.

 

                             BAD ANGEL

          Now, Faustus, let thine eyes with horror stare

          Into that vast perpetual torture-house.

          There are the Furies tossing damned souls

          On burning forks; their bodies boil in lead.

          There are live quarters broiling on the coals,

          That ne’er can die.  This ever-burning chair

          Is for o’er tortured souls to rest them in.

          These that are fed with sops of flaming fire

          Were gluttons, and loved only delicates,

          And laughed to see the poor starve at their gates.

          But yet all these are nothing.  Thou shalt see

          Ten thousand tortures that more horrid be.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Oh, I have seen enough to torture me!

 

                             BAD ANGEL

          Nay, thou must feel them, taste the smart of all.

          He that loves pleasure must for pleasure fall.

 

FAUSTUS rushes at the SPIDER, and tries to crush it. 

The BAD ANGEL scuttles away.

 

                             BAD ANGEL

          And so I leave thee, Faustus, till anon;

          Then wilt thou tumble into confusion.

 

It vanishes.

 

The FLAMES and TORTURES OF THE DAMNED fade away,

leaving the study as before.

 

FAUSTUS is alone.

 

Pause.

 

The CLOCK STRIKES ELEVEN.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Oh, Faustus.

 

He closes his eyes.  He can’t go on.  He sits, then, unable to settle, gets up and moves aimlessly around.

 

The room seems smaller than before.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Now hast thou but one bare hour to live,        

          And then thou must be damned perpetually.

          Stand still, you ever-moving spheres of heaven,

          That time may cease and midnight never come!

          Fair nature’s eye, rise, rise again, and make

          Perpetual day; or let this hour be but

          A year, a month, a week, a natural day,

          That Faustus may repent and save his soul!

          Oh, run slowly, slowly, horses of the night!

 

Pause.  He shudders.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          The stars move still; time runs; the clock will strike;

          The devil will come, and Faustus must be damned.

          Oh, I’ll leap up to heaven!  Who pulls me down?

          See, see where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament!

          One drop would save my soul, half a drop. 

Ah, my Christ!

 

He looks around, afraid of being overheard.

 

                             FAUSTUS

                    (whispers)

          Rend not my heart for naming of my Christ!

          Yet will I call on him.

                    (full voice)

                                     Oh, spare me, Lucifer!        (CONT.)


 

                             FAUSTUS     (CONT.)

          Where is it now?  ‘Tis gone;

          And see, a threat’ning arm, an angry brow.

          Mountains and hills, come, come and fall on me,

          And hide me from the heavy wrath of God!  No?

          No!  Then will I headlong run into the earth.

          Gape, earth!  Oh, no, it will not harbour me.

          You stars that reigned at my nativity,

          Whose influence hath allotted death and hell,

          Now draw up Faustus like a foggy mist

          Into the entrails of yon labouring cloud,

          That when you vomit forth into the air,

          My limbs may issue from your smoky mouths.

          But let my soul mount and ascend to heaven.

 

THE CLOCK STRIKES THE HALF HOUR.

 

The ROOM shrinks smaller still.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Oh, half the hour is past!  ‘Twill all be past anon.

          Oh, if my soul must suffer for my sin,

          Impose some end to my incessant pain.

          Let Faustus live in hell a thousand years,

          A hundred thousand, and at last be saved.

          No end is limited to damned souls.

          Why wert thou not a creature wanting soul?

          Or why is this immortal that thou hast?

          This soul should fly from me and I be changed

          Into some brutish beast.

          All beasts are happy, for, when they die,

          Their souls are soon dissolved in the elements;

          But mine must live still to be plagued in hell.

          Curst be the parents that engendered me!

          No, Faustus, curse thyself!  Curse Lucifer,

          That hath deprived thee of the joys of heaven.

 

THE FLAMES CRACKLE UP THE BACK WALL OF THE STUDY.

 

THE CLOCK STRIKES TWELVE. 

 

The room is now claustrophobically small.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          It strikes, it strikes!  Now, body, turn to air,

          Or Lucifer will bear thee quick to hell.

          Oh, soul, be changed into little water drops,

          And fall into the ocean, ne’er be found.

 

HELL ENTERS THE ROOM.

 

They surround FAUSTUS with a RING OF BLACK CLOTH.

 

                             FAUSTUS

          Oh, mercy, heaven, look not so fierce on me!

          Adders and serpents, let me breathe awhile!

 

The DEVILS wrap him tightly in the BLACK CLOTH.

FAUSTUS claws at it, as it covers his face.

 

Lifting him, as if he were a coffin, the DEVILS carry FAUSTUS into HELL.

 

FAUSTUS twitches and smothers in the black cloth.

         

                             FAUSTUS

                    (frees his mouth; gasping)

          Ugly hell, gape not!  Come not, Lucifer!

          I’ll burn my books!  Oh, Mephistophilis…!

 

MEPHISTOPHILIS pulls the cloth back tight over his mouth,

cutting him off.

 

The room goes up in flames.

 

And dissolves.  And disappears.

 

 

CHURCH BELLS RING.

 

 

EXT.  COLLEGE QUADRANGLE – DAY

 

FUNERAL PROCESSION.  The SCHOLARS walk the COFFIN to

a waiting HEARSE.

 

 

INT.  FAUSTUS’ STUDY

 

The room is empty.

 

The COMPUTER TERMINAL glows.

 

CHURCH BELLS continue.

 

The DOOR opens.  The REPORTER and TV CREW enter, to film

one last segment.

 

                             REPORTER

                    (with microphone; to CAMERA)

          Oh, such a dreadful night was never seen

          Since first the world’s creation did begin.

          Such fearful shrieks and cries were never heard!

         

The TV PRODUCER gestures to the REPORTER, points to a corner

of the room.

 

                             REPORTER

                    (looking around)

          The devils whom Faustus served had torn him thus…

 

Sees the OLD MAN, who stands at the FIREPLACE in the corner, burning FAUSTUS’ MAGIC PAPERS and BOOKS.

 

The REPORTER and TV CREW creep out the same way they came.

 

PAUSE. 

 

The fire crackles.

 

Finished, the OLD MAN goes to the COMPUTER.

 

ON THE SCREEN – a SMALL FIGURE runs back and forth, shouting silently.

 

It is FAUSTUS, trapped in the computer.  He shouts and shouts,

but no one hears.

 

                             OLD MAN

          Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight,

          And burned is Apollo’s laurel bough

          That sometime grew within this learned man.

 

FAUSTUS howls, his face contorted.

 

ON THE SCREEN – A COMPUTER ERROR MESSAGE:

 

“YOU HAVE PERFORMED AN ILLEGAL FUNCTION. 

THIS PROGRAM WILL NOW BE SHUT DOWN.”

 

The OLD MAN shuts the computer off.

 

FAUSTUS disappears in mid-scream.

 

The CHURCH BELLS ring.   Wind blows through the open window.

 

 

 

The OLD MAN turns to address us.

 

                             OLD MAN

          Faustus is gone.  Regard his hellish fall,

          Whose fiendish fortune may exhort the wise

          Only to wonder at unlawful things,

          Whose deepness doth entice such forward wits

          To practice more than heavenly power permits.

 

He takes a DVD from the COMPUTER, and pockets it.

 

He goes out the door, closing it behind him.

 

 

                                 THE END

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                             

 

 

         

 

 

Filed Under: Screenplays.

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