[clock ticking]
[match strikes]
Nothing enrages a scientific mind
more than an opinion that is slightly
different from its own.
Professor Matthew Pawkins,a respected entomologist--
[pen scratching]
-- Professor Paul Hapley, alsoa respected entomologist.
MATTHEW PAWKINS: In the, um,specific grouping of leaf miner
moths, a grouping of microlepidoptera,
which I believe should be expanded to include
the Nepticuloidea or--
or pygmy eyecap moth.
And--
HG WELLS: Many would expectthe world of research
to be some happy family in which all men
work together peacefully.
It is just not.
It had started as a seriesof minor disagreements.
And the more one reads of Professor
Pawkins' ill-conceiveddocument, the more one is led
to the conclusion that hismicroscope is as defective
as his powers of observation.
[laughter]
Whilst his cataloging system would appear
to be a miracle of ineptitude.
HG WELLS: With Pawkins andHapley, it was all out war.
MATTHEW PAWKINS: Gentlemen.
Professor Pawkins.
May I compliment you on youraddress, Professor Hapley,
so refreshing to hear a man completely
unconstrained by the facts.
As I was talking about your work, Sir,
an element of fantasy is perhaps inevitable.
Well, much as I'd happily stayhere and correct you all day,
I--
I must return to working on my next paper.
Good day.
I look forward to reading it.
Nothing so invigorates a man as laughter.
[laughter]
[pen scratching]
HG WELLS: When in 1891Pawkins published a study
on the mesoblast of thedeath's-head moth, his health
had been bad for some time.
Consequently, the work was farbelow his usual high standards.
Ah.
Yeah.
[laughs]
[sinister music playing]
[laughs]
[laughter]
PAUL HAPLEY: He also said the next dimension
that the caterpillar willmolt a total of four times
before it is able to pupate.
And it would seem thisblundering... would
have us believe that whenthe death's-head hawkmoth
covered himself with this slime-like secretions--
HG WELLS: Hapleypublished a truly damning
indictment of Pawkins' study.
[thumping]
Hapley left no loophole, rather he
left Pawkins covered in shame.
There was naturally a great curiosity
at the Royal EntomologicalSociety as to how
Pawkins would respond.
[murmuring]
[glass clinking]
[clears throat] [clears throat]
[gasps] [moaning]
[sinister music playing]
[footsteps]
[liquid pouring]
[clock ticking]
[music playing]
[metal clanking]
[crinkling]
HG WELLS: With Pawkins dead, Hapley
was now the unquestioned authority in his field.
There was no one of equal stature.
He could research and publish his work
completely uncontested.
[footsteps]
Privately, he simply couldnot forgive Pawkins for dying.
His work would not flow easily.
Reading or walking would not engage him.
[thumping]
[exhales] [exhales sharply]
[horse clomping in distance]
Check.
I don't mind admitting thatthe whole affair has thrown
me out of gear, so to speak.
Naturally.
PAUL HAPLEY: Not that I feel guilt.
Guilt?
About Pawkins, I don't feel guilt.
Why would you feel guilt?
Exactly.
I, uh-- I don't.
But I do feel--
[exhales sharply] I feel unableto apply myself to my work.
Surely, there have beenperiods like this before.
PAUL HAPLEY: Never.
For 20 years, I've worked seven days
a week with microscope, scalpel,collecting net, and pen.
FATHER MORTON: I know withyou, it is a vocation.
PAUL HAPLEY: Quite.
But I've begun to entertainthe thought that it wasn't
entomology which drove me but the desire
to prove Pawkins wrong.
FATHER MORTON: Oh.
And now, Pawkins is gone.
I see.
Well, properly managed, rivalry can spurn
men on to achieve great things.
Yes, well--
My worry is that I'm no longercapable of great things.
FATHER MORTON: One must rest on occasion--
both the body and the mind.
PAUL HAPLEY: What about you, Morton?
Are you-- do you everconsider yourself off duty?
Oh, yes, yes.
Now, for instance.
Checkmate.
There's time for another game, if you'd like.
[exhales]
[sinister music playing]
[murmurs]
HG WELLS: To keep his mind occupied,
Hapley decided he would catalog some old slides.
[fire crackling]
New genus.
Oh!
[footsteps]
[crash]
[match strikes]
Ah!
Oh!
HOUSEKEEPER: Professor, may I be of assistance?
Close the door, damn you!
Oh!
[door slams]
[footsteps]
[sinister music grows]
HG WELLS: Hapley searchedthe entire house,
but he could not relocate the moth.
PAUL HAPLEY: New genus, byheaven, and in England too,
within this very house.
If anything could reignitemy passion for my subject,
it's this.
Well, you do seem more your old self.
It's only a pity you weren'table to apprehend it.
True, true.
But I've seen one example.
Therefore, I'm reasonablyconfident I shall see another.
If only Pawkins were alive to see my triumph.
Check.
[wings fluttering]
Whoa.
I'll have you this time.
[footsteps]
[door squeaks closed]
Ugh, ah!
[wings fluttering]
Blast!
[sinister music playing]
[sinister music grows]
Pawkins?
Within one week, Professor Hapley
saw the strange grey mothon five separate occasions.
[wings fluttering]
[sinister music playing]
Yet, he was unable to catch it.
He gave up trying.
He knew it would not be caught.
All Hapley wanted now wasfor it to leave him in peace.
[sinister music playing]
[door slams]
What happened to your head?
Oh, [mumbles] accident.
I, um, eh, tripped.
Rug, was it?
The rug, yet.
FATHER MORTON: [inhales sharply]We must be careful.
We only have one body.
Unlike your butterflies an moths,
we cannot shuffle out of a chrysalis
and begin life afresh.
[inhales sharply] Speakinga fresh life, I wonder,
have you ever given much thoughtto the topic of reincarnation?
No, I haven't.
But might it be possiblethat a man might live his life,
pass away, and then returnas a different being?
FATHER MORTON: No, I think not.
I think it most unlikely.
More unlikely than Christ's resurrection?
FATHER MORTON: Yes, far more unlikely.
Oh!
FATHER MORTON: What's the matter?
That damn moth.
Where?
There?
Where?
[scoffs] Don't you see the moth?
On the edge of the table there.
FATHER MORTON: Certainly not.
[sinister music playing]
The eye of faith is nobetter than the eye of sex.
I don't understand.
[wings fluttering]
[gasps]
HG WELLS: Hapley came to welcomethe idea that the moth was
simply an hallucination resulting
from temporary mental stress.
[wings fluttering]
This was something he could understand,
something he could fight.
And so he resolutely determined to erase
the moth from his mind.
[sinister music playing]
[inhales sharply] You arean insubstantial phantom that
brought about a chemical imbalance in the brain,
or the side effect of someperverse kind of grief,
but you are not real.
HG WELLS: Hapley was wholly successful
with expunging thecreature, until, that is,
he felt the moth's touch--
a touch that was cold, clammy, tainted.
PAUL HAPLEY: Oh, oh, ah!
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.
[crash]
Oh!
Ah!
[knock]
[door opens]
HOUSEKEEPER: Father Mortonto see you, Professor.
Would you like me to bring some tea?
Eh, do as you wish.
Sir?
PAUL HAPLEY: [mumbles]
[door closes]
FATHER MORTON: My dear fellow, Ihope you'll forgive my arriving
without an appointment,but I couldn't believe it
when I heard of your misfortune, and so soon
after your previous accident.
Quite.
FATHER MORTON: Sounds like youtook quite a serious tumble.
PAUL HAPLEY: Hm, yes, infuriating.
FATHER MORTON: How did it happen?
It was-- that-- that rug.
Rug?
PAUL HAPLEY: Rug.
FATHER MORTON: You could have been killed.
[inhales sharply] That's what he wanted.
Pardon?
PAUL HAPLEY: Look, I'm fine.
My-- my-- my leg will heal soon enough.
Please don't let me takeup any more of your time.
Could easily have been the end of your.
Perhaps that would have been preferable.
Eh, preferable to what?
To being haunted.
Haunted?
PAUL HAPLEY: Haunted, taunted, played with.
I don't follow you.
PAUL HAPLEY: It's him.
He's here.
Who?
Professor Pawkins.
FATHER MORTON: Pawkins?!
But surely you said he died.
He wants to punish me.
He won't rest until he has destroyed me.
Listen, uh, I--
I have no idea what you're alluding to.
But it sounds to me like a matter for the police.
Would you like me to call--
PAUL HAPLEY: No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Just please go!
Oh, well.
I hope you feel better soon.
If there's anything that I can--
Go!
[footsteps]
[door closes]
Uh!
[exhales sharply]
[wings fluttering]
[mumbles] Dame thing.
You're not there.
You don't exist.
You're not real.
[SOBS] No!
No!
You're dead!
Ah!
[chokes]
[sinister music playing]
Gaw, gaw [yells] [yells] Leave me alone!
[yells] Ugh!
[startled scream]
[crash]
Maid, please, please, no, no.
This is unnecessary.
HOUSEKEEPER: We need you to be safe, Professor.
DOCTOR: Open your eyes!
PAUL HAPLEY: No, no!
No!
No, you can't do this!
Can't do this?
HG WELLS: The doctor was a blockhead, a recently
qualified general practitioner, quite
ignorant of mental science.
He simply told Hapley there wasno moth and left it at that.
Oh!
[wings fluttering]
It's Pawkins' ghost, but only a specimen.
You ought to catch him.
Hello.
HOUSEKEEPER: Professor.
[whimpers]
HOUSEKEEPER: What is is, Professor?
[mumbles]
HOUSEKEEPER: Is there anything I can do?
Moth, get away from me!
Please, Professor-- PAUL HAPLEY: Ah!
-- tell me what I can do for you.
[yells]
HOUSEKEEPER: Professor, no, please.
[yells]
HOUSEKEEPER: Please--
[yells]
HG WELLS: Dr. Paul Hapley graduated
from Oxford with a first.
He was a member of theRoyal Entomological Society,
enjoyed an international reputation
as a pioneer inresearcher, and published
three highly regarded volumes.
But in the end, the asylum director
classified him aspotentially dangerous to both
himself and others.
[sinister music playing]
It was a very small room, certainly
not big enough for two.
[screams]
[wings fluttering]
[sinister music playing]