(A railway cutting. A wild, stormy Summer night. The Signal Man is in his signalbox. He recieves a message from down the line. He wires back a message. We hear the strange, eerie singing of the wires. From the gloom we see the figure of a man - Walter Hartright. He is about 30 years of age, attractive, dark, open. He carries a bag and an easel. He sees the Signal Man checking the tracks with his lantern below him.)
Walter Hartright:
Hallo! Below there! Hallo!
(A lightning flash)
Walter Hartright:
Signal Man? Down there...Hallo!
(Pause)
Signal Man:
Who calls to me in the dead of the night?
(Walter steps out of the shadows into the light of the Signal Man's lantern.)
Walter Hartright:
Hartright. My name is Walter Hartright.
(He climbs down to the Signal Man's level.)
Signal Man:
What are you doing here, on a night like this?
Walter Hartright:
I'm lost sir. I'm trying to find my way to Limm'ridge House-
The train broke down and I'm forced to walk.
Signal Man:
Branch train broke down - what you say is true.
Walter Hartright:
Yes, I heard the wires singing in the wind -
The noise of them led me to you.
Signal Man:
Why are you going to Limm'ridge House?
Walter Hartright:
I have the post of drawing master -
I must arrive tonight for I start tomorrow...
Sir, you look upon me with such dread.
(Pause)
Signal Man:
Last night I had a vision
That a stranger would appear
He stood right where you are -
A man such as yourself.
"Alarm on the line!" he said
Alarm on the line!
So I tapped out the message.
And the answer came back
"All well both ways"
But he said "You'll mark my words
When a year to the day
The dead lie on the tracks!
The dead lie on the tracks!"
Walter Hartright:
I can assure you sir, I know of no imminent danger!
Signal Man:
A man such as yourself!
(Suddenly there is a strange soung in the air. The telegraph wires sound again in the signal box)
Signal Man:
They are calling me from down the line.
There's danger somewhere along the line.
(The sound of the wires grows to a terrible pitch. From behind Hartright, from the depths of the tunnel, a hand reaches out and touches him on the shoulder. It is a woman dressed in white (Anne Catherick). She is in her early 20's, fair, attractive, but her face is drawn and sorrowful. Her manner is wild and insistent.)
Walter Hartright:
(startled) Oh, my God!
Anne:
You've got to help me!
There's someone after me!
Walter Hartright:
How can I help you?
Anne:
I'm being followed
And I've done nothing wrong!
Walter Hartright:
It's very late for you to be out here alone -
Anne:
You must believe me
That I am free from blame.
Walter Hartright:
Who do you run from?
Anne:
I dare not say his name!
Walter Hartright:
Where do you live?
I'll try to help you if I can.
Anne:
I have my secret
My precious secret
But can I trust you?
But can I trust you?
(Her tone changes. She reaches out to him.)
Anne:
They cannot take way my secret -
Though it's something I can't share with you.
It's locked inside my heart, my secret -
But there's someone I must tell it to.
Secrets kept inside can hurt you
Mine is sharper than a knife
If I tell the one I seek
I may save her life.
(She is in distress.)
Walter Hartright:
Please you needn't fear me
Truly you can trust me
I would never harm you.
I'm no threat - I'm Walter...
Walter Hartright.
I'll help you to get home.
Anne:
I have no home at all
Nothing but my secret.
I have just my secret.
(Hartright reaches out and gently takes her hand. The noise of a pony and chaise approaching. She breaks away.)
Anne:
There's someone coming!
And I must get away -
I have to get away!
But can I trust you?
(She moves off towards the tunnel)
Walter Hartright:
Don't go in there!
He said there's danger on the line.
Anne:
(echoing) I'll tell my secret
For secrets must be told.
(She disappears back into the tunnel. A servant enters.)
Servant:
You must be Mister Hartright?
Walter Hartright:
Yes
Servant:
I'm sent to bring you straight to Limm'ridge House.
Walter Hartright:
Did you see her?
A woman, dressed in white.
Servant:
I saw no one.
Walter Hartright:
A woman all in white?
Servant:
Sir, I saw no one
I saw no one
(The servant picks up Hartight's bags and exits with them. Hartright looks around then exits after him. The light is beginning to dawn on a new day.)
The Prologue Lyrics performed by Andrew Lloyd Webber are property and copyright of the authors, artists and labels. You should note that The Prologue Lyrics performed by Andrew Lloyd Webber is only provided for educational purposes only and if you like the song you should buy the CD