The Tell-Tale Heart Adaptation

THE TELL-TALE HEART.
by EDGAR ALLAN POE

SCENE 1

Narrator: Why will you say that he was mad?

He loved the old man. He had never hurt him He had never given him insult. He thought of him as a friend and son. They had always treated each other with the sincerest kindness.  

It was his eye. He had a pail black eye, the eye of a raven. Whenever he looked at it, his blood become cold and he could feel it until his bones. And so slowly, he have decided to kill the old man and escape from that eye forever.  It has been haunting him for days and nights.

Butler: Listen (he says it loudly) You are thinking, I know I am a mad man, but mad men are not totally clever. And see how thoroughly I prepared my plan!  I had been so kind to the old man for many weeks.

Narrator: That week in that night he opened his door very quietly. (Sound of the door)
When his head was inside the room, he opened carefully the lantern and its light fell onto the eye, but the eye was closed.

Butler: I cannot do the work, I don’t hate this man! It is only that eye what I really hate.  (The butler goes into the living room where the old man is sitting on his chair) Good morning Mr. Robertson, what would you like to have for breakfast?

Old man:  The same dear boy, this dying body doesn’t need to be fed! Look at the garden! It is my treasure although today the sun doesn’t bright as usual; the grass was greener and the flowers more colorful.

Butler: I think, some clouds are coming to bring water to your garden, let me go out and check your flowers don’t get any damage.

Old man: Don’t worry my dear Alfred, anything can’t stop the rain! And I feel that my eyes won’t see my flowers again.

Narrator: On the eighth night he started opening the door even more carefully, now he was calm and strong.

Butler: I know that he doesn’t even know that I’m here; I almost laugh at this idea. 

Old Man: (He mumbles) don’t take my hands; yours are cold, get away from here!

At that moment he heard him, but he doesn’t move away.
He knows that he can’t see the opening of the door, so he continued pushing until opening it. The butler pushed the door when his head was into the room, he tried to open the lantern but his thumb made a noise.

Butler: I screw it up again! I screw it up again!   (He says these words furiously)

Old Man: Who is there? Who is there? Are you my little boy, why do you disturb my dreams? Do you need something? 

Narrator: He just stood there, no words came out from his mouth, and the owner sat on his bed. That night he heard the noise of terror, the terror of death.  Since that night his fear spread rapidly.

Butler: I open the lantern again, and I can see his horrible eye, a pail, black eye that turn my blood cold.  I feel sorry about the old man because of the shadow of death around him now.

Narrator: Suddenly, he heard a sound, he had an excellent hearing. (sound of heart beating)

Butler:  That is the sound of his heart beating, louder and quicker!  The old man’s time has already come.

Narrator: He opened fully the lantern and ran into the room. (The old man shouts) He could only shout once because he pulled him to the floor. (The butler tries to kill him by pushing on his chest).
For minutes the heart continued beating, but then it stopped. The old man was dead.

Butler: Now his eye would not trouble me again. (He cuts the body into pieces; he puts the body parts into some bags and hide them somewhere)

SCENE 2

Neighbor: Good morning, is that the police station?

Captain Mooney:  Yes, who am I talking to? Can I help you?

Neighbor: Sorry for calling so early, my name is Elizabeth Lance, I am calling because I heard a loud shout coming from the next door.

Captain Mooney: Can you tell me what the address is?

Neighbor:  375 SW 8^th avenue. Please, come as soon as you can.

Captain Mooney: Ok, keep calm. Detective, I had just received a call from the eighth avenue, someone heard a loud shout. (Talk to detective Morgan)

Detective Morgan: So, are we going there?

Captain Mooney: Yes, let’s go. It might be serious.

Narrator: They arrive to the old man’s house. The butler opened the door, and he seemed clam and quiet.

Detective Morgan: Good morning sir (she shows her police badge) someone called to report a loud shout coming from here.

Butler: Good morning, yes, I am sorry, I had a terrible dream and it was me who shouted. Do you want to come in?

Captain Mooney: Yes sir, thank you. 

Butler:  Would you like to sit down? (He moves the chairs)

Detective Morgan: No, can we go around the house?

Butler:  Sure, no problem, look wherever you like.

Narrator: The detective and the captain walked around the house looking for any sign or clue.  They also examined the old man’s bedroom.

(They use lanterns to search in every corner of the house. Then, they move to the living room to sit down)

Butler:  (He puts the chair on the same place where he had put the dead body)
May I offer you a glass of whiskey?

Captain Mooney:  Well, a little drink on the job never hurts! But after that, could you answer us some questions related to your residence in this house? As you know, we have to comply police regulation.

Butler: off course, everything you need…

Narrator: The butler:  is quiet and he goes to the kitchen for the drink.  (He arrives with the glasses of whiskey, he gives them to the detective and the captain).

Detective Morgan:  Do you live alone or with someone else?

Butler: I live with an old man, the owner of this magnificent house.

Captain Mooney:  How many years have you been living here?

Butler:    I think about eight or ten years, I don’t remember exactly, it has been so much time.

Detective Morgan: Where is the old man you live with?

Butler:  He is away in the country.  

Captain Mooney:  Do you know the reason why the house’s owner is away in the country?

Butler:    I don’t know anything; he just told me he had to travel to solve some business.

Detective Morgan: Mmm, and do you receive any wages?

Butler:    Yes, he pays me $500 each month.

Captain Mooney:  And, do you have idea when will the house’s owner come back?

Butler: He will be here probably within a week… (He stands up, takes the glasses and goes to the kitchen to wash them)

Detective Morgan: Well, apparently everything is ok. Don’t you think? 

Captain Mooney: Yes, I saw nothing out of the usual.

 (The butler comes back and sits down, all the characters remain silent for a few minutes while the dead old man talks to the butler)

Death old man: I’m not away my dear boy! Now I will become one of your nightmares (he hits his stick against the floor many times) look at me, my little boy! My blood is flooding on your hands.  It is time to realize how cruel you are. 

Butler: oh no! No! I can’t believe to my eyes that you are still here running in my head. Get out of here, you, hideous spirit! (Loudly) Leave my sacred place alone.

Death old man: I’m still here, and I will be here until you confess my murder. Confess! (The old man says it loudly).

Butler: Take for granted that will never happen!

Death old man:  My heart beating will disturb your dreams until you confess, confess!

Butler: Shut up!

(The detective and the captain are surprised for the butler’s behavior)

Detective Morgan: Can you tell me what you were doing last night?

Butler: I had dinner, I washed the dishes, and I had a relaxing bath and I went to bed very early.

Captain Mooney and Detective Morgan:  Well sir, it seems like everything is ok, if you got in trouble, don’t forget to call the police station, right?

Butler:   Don’t you hear that noise?

Detective Morgan:  Which sound, I hear nothing sir.

Butler: It’s becoming louder and louder!

Captain Mooney:  Calm down sir! Have a sit!

(The butler becomes angry, and he throws the chair onto the floor)

Butler:   I don’t hate this man! It is only that eye what I hate. Here, here, here! (Pointing the place where the dead man rests) It’s from where the beating is coming, from his horrible heart!  I confess!

Narrator: The policewomen uncovered the floor where there was the old man’s body cut into pieces, they took out the bags and checked what were inside them, they got shocked and called for reinforcements. Alfred, the murderer was arrested and sentenced for life imprisonment. 

(The detective handcuffs his hands and takes him out of the house)