A Place in the Sun Page #7

Very likely!

After this accidental blow, how far

apart were you when you came up?

I don't know exactly.

You couldn't have been

more than a yard apart!

It was further.

From there to the jury box

or halfway or what?

From here to the jury box.

Not really. When you and she

came up, you're nearly 20 feet apart!

- Why couldn't you swim toward her?

- I don't know.

Step over here.

Was the boat as far as from here

to the bailiff?

Yes.

You're telling me

you couldn't swim to this weak girl

and buoy her up

till you could reach this boat?

You're lying! She was drowning,

and you just let her drown!

She was defenceless, you picked up

this oar and crashed it on her head!

You pushed that poor girl into

the lake. You watched her drown.

- Isn't that the truth?

- No.

That's all, your honour.

By the premature adoption

of an extreme belief and creed,

it is well to understand this in

looking to the duties of adult life,

in particular, the married state,

when you will emerge into a world of

grown-up problems for the first time.

Then he or she will view

the enthusiasms of youth...

...problems which are the frequent

products of a sheltered immaturity.

It is when the hastily adopted

beliefs of youth are insufficient...

- Has the jury reached a verdict?

- We have, your honour.

The defendant will rise.

The clerk will read the verdict.

We find the defendant,

George Eastman,

guilty of murder in the first degree.

Order in the court!

- Hello, Mrs Eastman.

- Mama.

- My boy.

- Did you see the governor?

It's no use.

The governor couldn't be moved.

Your mother's done everything

a mother could do. That I know.

Death is a little thing.

You mustn't be afraid of it.

You must fear now

only for your immortal soul.

If that sin is on your soul, my son,

you must make your peace with God.

I don't believe

I'm guilty of all this.

They don't know. I wish I knew!

If you are guilty, then I am guilty.

I must share your guilt.

Mama, don't blame yourself.

They say only God and ourselves

know what our sins and sorrows are.

Perhaps in this case, only God knows.

George, perhaps you've hidden

the full truth even from yourself.

I don't wanna hide anything.

I wanna know.

There's one thing you've never told

anyone, even yourself.

There's one point in your story that

holds the answer you're looking for.

Yes...

When you were on the lake with that

poor girl, and the boat capsized...

...and there was a moment

when you might have saved her.

I wanted to save her.

But I just couldn't.

Whom were you thinking of?

Whom were you thinking of

just at that moment?

Were you thinking of Alice?

Were you thinking of the other girl?

Then...in your heart was murder,

George.

God bless you, my boy.

God forgive me if I've failed you.

I came to see you.

I've thought lots about you, George.

All the time.

I went away to school...to learn.

I don't think I learned very much.

I love you, George.

I wanted you to know that.

I guess there's nothing more to say.

I know something now

that I didn't know before.

I am guilty of a lot of things,

most of what they say of me.

All the same,

I'll go on loving you...

...for as long as I live.

Love me for the time I have left,

then forget me.

Goodbye, George.

It seems like we always spend the

best part of our time saying goodbye.

"In my Father's house

of many mansions,"

"I go to prepare a place for you."

"And I will receive you unto myself

that where I am ye may be also."

You'll have to go now.

"I am the resurrection and the life.

He who believeth in me..."

Come on, son.

"And whosoever liveth and

believeth in me...shall never die."

So long, kid.

You're going to a better world

than this.

Goodbye, George. I'll be seein' you.

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