Johnny Belinda Page #6

and couldn't hogtie him for yourself.

I loathe him.

A man that would do a thing like that.

All right,

then don't think to pamper the boy.

He'll work as soon as he's able.

Giddap there. Giddap.

I'll go by myself. Give me the letter.

What for?

She won't understand it anyhow.

Give me that letter.

Can't hear, can't read.

And don't be all day about it.

My coat?

May I see the baby?

May I hold him?

May I hold him?

Belinda.

Would you let me take care of him?

I mean, take him home just for a while.

He'd be very happy,

he'd have everything he wants.

You could see him whenever you like.

Please let me, just for a little while.

You have all this work.

Why not, Belinda? I only want to help you,

can't you understand?

Just sign here. Just make a cross.

If you don't give him to me,

they'll come and take him.

Belinda, listen, please! Let me take him.

I won't...

- What's happened?

- Locky, I can't do it.

What are you talking about?

He's ours, been given to us,

all legal and proper.

We must give him up.

We're being mean, Locky,

mean to the Dummy.

You think she had no feeling,

you should see her with the baby.

We just can't take him, she's his mother.

His mother.

Well, let me tell you something.

I'm his father.

What?

His father, I'm telling you!

He's as much mine as hers.

Locky, I told you to keep away from her.

It's all over and in the past.

Unfortunate it is, it happened.

A man wants children and I want him.

Something in here wants him.

By the Godfrey, I'll have him!

Where's the kid?

Get out of the way.

It is the duty of the Crown Prosecutor...

to present the facts

which will prove to you...

that beyond a doubt,

Belinda MacDonald is guilty of murder.

This is a difficult case...

due to the unfortunate circumstances

of the accused.

But you and I, gentlemen,

must not allow these circumstances...

to bring about an undue amount

of sympathy for the accused.

A murder has been committed

and the full penalty must be paid.

Is there any reason you know of,

Mrs. McCormick...

why she should have killed your husband?

No.

- Your witness.

- No questions.

Miss MacDonald.

When the McCormicks...

arrived that afternoon...

is it true that you were

in the house alone?

Does she understand?

Well, what did she answer?

She's not answering my question.

She hasn't answered any of my questions.

All she says is,

"I want my baby, I want my baby."

There, "Tell them

to give me my baby, please."

The defendant obviously

doesn't want to answer the question.

My Lord...

under the circumstances,

the defendant is naturally confused.

Apparently she does not understand

the interpreter.

Since she was trained in the sign language

by one of the witnesses...

Dr. Richardson...

would it be permissible

for him to translate for her?

- Permission granted.

- Dr. Robert Richardson.

Would you mind facing her directly

so that she can read your lips?

Were you alone in the house...

when the McCormicks came to see you?

Did you understand?

"I was with my baby."

After you attacked Mrs. McCormick

and she ran out...

I object, My Lord.

The defendant has not admitted

attacking Mrs. McCormick.

Objection sustained.

I'll phrase the question differently.

After Mrs. McCormick left,

what did you do?

Isn't it true that as soon as she left

you went to get the gun?

"I was very much afraid."

So you did take the gun deliberately?

Objection!

The defendant has made

no such admission.

My Lord...

If the Prosecution will be patient,

I might be able to help.

Please try to understand

what it means to be as she is...

living in a world apart,

shut off from everyone...

never hearing the warmth

of a human voice.

Think of the loneliness and the fear.

These people, although tutored,

are governed almost solely by intuition.

Belinda's been instructed

in certain fundamentals.

- She knows right from wrong...

- My Lord...

...but something in her was stronger than

the precept, "Thou shalt not kill."

My Lord, I object.

Dr. Richardson is completely out of order.

He's not the counsel for the accused.

Your Lordship, I insist this girl obeyed

an impulse older than the laws of man:

The instinct of a mother

to protect her child.

Any further breach of your capacity

as interpreter...

I shall hold as in contempt of this court.

Objection sustained.

Now please proceed.

When did you get the gun?

After Locky McCormick came in?

"Yes." Why?

"I was afraid he would hurt my baby."

And that was your only motive?

Was there any other reason

why you were afraid of him?

Your Lordship! The interpreter,

in rephrasing my question...

is trying to coach the defendant.

This man is totally unqualified.

He's deeply involved in the case himself

and I can prove it.

May I present new evidence?

- Has it any bearing on this testimony?

- It has.

Permission granted.

Dr. Richardson, in your earlier testimony...

didn't you deny being the father

of Belinda MacDonald's child?

- I did.

- Did you write this?

I did.

I should like to read a passage

from this letter.

"...physician takes a lot more time...

"Work is hard. Be here soon.

"I have found a house for us.

"It is small but it has

a beautifully sunny room...

"for our little son."

I challenge this man's integrity

as a witness and as an individual.

His actions speak for themselves.

Betraying this girl, ignobly fleeing scandal.

He's laid himself open

to a charge of perjury.

His very appearance here is an affront

to the dignity of this court.

He has violated the ethics

of an honorable profession.

He should be stricken

from the medical register...

expelled from decent society.

No! No!

It was Locky's fault!

It was him, Locky. He's the baby's father.

It was his fault!

He told me

the day we went to get the baby.

I wanted the baby but...

somehow when I saw her with him

I couldn't.

I said, "We shouldn't, it's mean,

she's his mother."

And he said... He said:

"I'm his father."

In this court's opinion,

the evidence is incontrovertible.

That she acted in defense of her home...

against a man

whose guilt has been proven.

The court expresses the hope

that the jury's verdict...

will stand as a reminder

that justice in this Dominion...

will always protect the private citizen...

against those who would interfere

with his rights...

and his dignity as a human being.

I'm glad that it turned out the way it did.

I know, Belinda.

You don't have to say anything.

English

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