stewart takes out a comb and drags it dazed and zombie like through his wet hair. inside the darkness of his pocket, he turns over and over a small, worn edged photograph, a smudge of green light allows us to see ada's tumbling face. taking it in the heel of his hand he secretly looks at it. just as the party return and settle he stares on ahead possessed and determined.
sc 16 ext beach morningsc 16
a man points at flora's feet and gestures as if holding one of the little shoes in his hand.
flora is struck by shyness and hides under her mother's skirt. ada cannot look straight at stewart and stewart also cannot look at her.
stewart nods suspiciously towards the maori speaker not understanding him, the speaker smiles and nods back.
e nilie, e nihe he kohuru, he kohurn?
nihe waves them down, but they are shaken up and only crouch above their seats. the others stare anxiously between nihe and the stage.
bluebeard moves closer, the young wife drops to her knees her hands held up in prayer.
only nihe and his top-hatted daughter remain calmly in their seats. the warriors have bluebeard cornered and whimpering an umbrella held spear-like above him. nihe stomps his stick, his great voice booming out.
sc 70 int school hall back stage night sc 70
he messes up the pattern of twigs as he speaks.
the maori negotiator gets up to leave as do the others, stewart snatches back his blankets and sulkily shakes them out to fold.
i konei tonu, ka moe te koroua nei.
background dialogue for end of scene