Jasper’s Confession Original Broadway Cast of The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Ft. Howard McGillin)

[JASPER]
I will not lie:
I wished Ned to die
Twice dead am I

A man could split in twain
Yet to all eyes remain
A soul genteel who can conceal the venom in his brain
And if he draws upon the pause in madness
Opium smoke supplies
Why this great surprise?

There are two men in me
And cunning bright is he
Who hides himself, resides himself where I've no eyes to see!
But now I think he's at the brink of breaking through the door?
I'm in! He's out!
I'm out! He's free!
I'm free! I'm free once more!

How many times I've killed that Drood upon my flights?
My flights that burst the smug presumption of his rights
His rights as heir, his rights to share my Rosa's bed;
It took no smoke for me to picture Edwin dead!
That night I poured them both deep cups of laudanum
And then to toast my Ned and Neville I drank some
That's when my greatest flight of fancy did take place
I watched my hand outstretched towards Edwin's pale white face