Doubt Page #6

My son needs some man to care about him

and to see him through the way

he wants to go.

I thank God, this educated man with some

kindness in him wants to do just that.

- This will not do.

- It's just till June.

I'll throw your son out of this school.

And why would you do that

if it didn't start with him?

Because I will stop this.

- You'd hurt my son to get your way?

- It won't end with your son.

- Throw the priest out then.

- I am trying to do just that.

Then what do you want from me?

Nothing.

As it turns out.

Please leave my son out of this.

My husband will kill that child

over a thing like this.

I will try.

I'm late.

Sister,

I don't know if you and me

on the same side.

I'll be standing with my son and those

who are good with my son.

It'd be nice to see you there.

Good morning.

May I come in?

A third party would be required.

Yeah. What was Donald's mother

doing here?

- We were having a chat.

- About what?

A third party would truly be

required, Father. Why---

No, Sister. No third party.

You and me are due for a talk.

You have to stop this

campaign against me!

You can stop it at any time.

- How?

- Confess and resign.

You are attempting to destroy my reputation!

Who keeps opening my window?!

- What are you doing in this school?

- I'm trying to do good!

Even more to the point,

what are you doing in the priesthood?

You are single-handedly holding

this school and this parish back!

- From what? - Progressive education

and a welcoming Church.

You can't distract me, Father. This is

not about my behavior, it's about yours.

No, this is about your

unfounded suspicions.

- That's right. I have suspicions.

- Just leave that. It's not important.

I will decide what's important.

WHY do you suspect me? What have I done?

You gave that boy wine,

and you let him take the blame.

That's completely untrue!

Did you talk to Mr. McGuinn?

All McGuinn knows is

that the boy drank wine.

He doesn't know how he came to drink it.

Did his mother have something

to add to that?

No.

- So that's it.

- I am not satisfied.

- Ask the boy then!

- Oh, he'd protect you.

- Why would he do that?

- Because you have seduced him.

You're insane! You've got it in

your head that I've corrupted

this child after giving him wine,

and nothing I say will change that.

- That's right. - But this has

nothing to do with the wine.

Not really. You had a fundamental

mistrust of me before this incident!

It was you that warned Sister James

to be on the lookout, wasn't it?

That's true.

- So you admit it!

- Certainly.

Why?

I know people.

- That's not good enough!

- It won't have to be.

- How's that?

- You will tell me what you have done!

Oh I will?

Out again!

Sister James is convinced I'm innocent.

Oh, so you talked to Sister James?

Well, of course you talked to

Sister James.

- Did you know that Donald's

father beats him? - Yes.

And might that not account for the odd

behavior Sister James noticed in the boy?

It might.

Then what is it? What?

What did you hear, what did you see

that convinced you so thoroughly?

- What does it matter?

- It matters! What does it matter?

I want to know.

Out this window I saw

you grab William London's wrist and...

I saw him pull away.

- Are you serious?

- I am.

- That's all?

- Yeah. That was all.

That's nothing!

- What are you doing now?

- I'm writing down what you say.

It might be important when I have to

explain why you have to be removed.

This morning, before I spoke

with Mrs. Miller,

I took the precaution of calling

your last parish.

What'd he say?

- Who?

- The Pastor.

I did not speak to the Pastor.

I spoke to a nun.

- You should have spoken to the Pastor.

- I spoke to a nun.

You know that's not the proper route

for you to have taken, Sister!

The Church is very clear.

You're supposed to go through the Pastor.

Why? You have an understanding,

you and he?

No, you have no right to go rummaging

through my past!

You have a history. This is your

third parish in five years.

- Call the Pastor.

- Why?

Ask him why I left!

It's perfectly innocent.

- I'm not calling the Pastor.

- I'm a good priest!

You will go after another child and

another child, until you are stopped.

- What nun did you speak to?

- I won't say.

- I've not touched a child.

- You have.

You haven't the slightest proof

of anything.

But I have my certainty, and armed

with that, I will go to your last parish,

and the one before that if necessary.

I'll find a parent.

Trust me, Father Flynn, I will.

You have no right to act on your own!

You have taken vows, obedience being one!

You answer to us! You have no right

to step outside the church!

I will step outside the church

if that's what needs to be done,

till the door should shut behind me!

I will do what needs to be done,

though I'm damned to Hell!

You should understand that,

or you will mistake me.

Now, did you give Donald Miller

wine to drink?

- Have you never done anything wrong?

- I have.

A mortal sin?

Yes.

And?

I confessed it, Father!

Then whatever I have done, I have left

in the healing hands of my confessor.

As have you! We are the same!

No, we are not, we are not the same!

A dog that bites is a dog that bites!

Did you give Donald Miller wine to drink?

No.

Mental reservation?

No.

You lie.

Very well then.

If you will not leave my office, I will.

And once I go, I will not stop.

Wait.

I can't say everything, you understand?

There's things I can't say.

Even if you can't imagine

the explanation, Sister,

remember there are things

beyond your knowledge.

Even if you feel certainty,

it is an emotion, not a fact.

You will request a transfer, and take

a leave of absence until it's granted.

You'd leave me nothing.

It's Donald Miller who has nothing,

and you took full advantage of that.

I've done nothing wrong.

I care about that boy.

Why?

'Cause you smile at him

and you sympathize with him

and you talk to him

as if you were the same?

You are a cheat.

And that warm feeling you experienced,

when that boy looked at you with trust,

was not the sensation of virtue.

That could be got by any drunkard

with his tot of rum.

- I can fight you.

- You will lose.

- Where's your compassion?

- Nowhere you can get at it.

Stay here. Compose yourself.

You can use the phone if you like.

Good day, Father.

I have no sympathy for you. I know

you are invulnerable to true regret.

And cut your nails.

I never like to say goodbye.

But there is a wind behind every one

of us that takes us through our lives.

We never see it, we can't command it,

we don't even know its purpose.

I would have stayed among you longer,

but that wind is taking me away.

I will miss it here.

And I will miss you.

But I'm content

that the power that propels me

does so with superior knowledge

as to what is for the best, and that is my faith.

I would like to come down now

among you and say goodbye,

and wish you peaceful hearts

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