Keeper of the Flame Page #2

- Of course, the poor woman is not herself.

- I tried to get in a year ago.

Oh, yes, you're Martin Snow

of the Globe Syndicate.

I remember, your obituary of Mr. Forrest

was a masterpiece.

Your description of him

in the Argonne Offensive.

"That tattered scarecrow youth

standing in a sort of ecstasy of faith...

...against all the blazing powers of hell. "

Do I quote correctly?

Your description

of his men's superstitious belief...

...that as long as Robert Forrest remained

on his feet...

...no harm could come to them.

Your handling of the Forrest legend...

...his simple, homely,

Lincoln-like quality...

Well, gentlemen...

...I think I've known him

perhaps more intimately than most of you.

And I can say ecce homo.

That was Robert Forrest.

Now, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me.

You've been very patient.

We must be charitable and try to realize...

...people don't appreciate

the importance of newspaper men...

...as public servants in a democracy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr. Kerndon.

Oh, Mr. Kerndon.

Mr. O'Malley.

Well, you will telephone, won't you?

I'll see what can be done, especially

for you, but frankly, I haven't much hope.

Goodbye.

Blow harder, Joshua.

Her Ladyship may be a little deaf.

So long. See you at the next meeting.

So long.

Have a nice day.

- Who says there's no taxi?

- How long to the station?

Twenty minutes.

- Lf you walk fast.

- Walk?

This is a taxi, isn't it?

- It's busy.

Busy about what?

Business, I guess.

How far is the station?

A nice brisk walk.

It will do you good, boys.

- What are you staying here for?

- Health. Marvelous place, wonderful walks.

I haven't walked since I was 2 years old.

I didn't like it then.

Hey, Joshua.

Jericho is that way.

Going somewhere?

I don't know. Are you?

Maybe.

Are you a snooper?

I don't stand for snoopers.

No.

Kind of a snooper. War snooper.

Oh, well,

you won't find any war around here.

You can come aboard if you want to.

Did you belong

to that Forward America Association...

...of Mr. Forrest's?

- They asked me to join.

I guess it's a good notion.

But I'm no joiner.

When I march,

I like to march my own pace.

And if I have to have a fight,

I like to pick it.

You said you had no wars.

Not in a manner of speaking...

...but there's always good and evil

up against each other.

A man's gotta take sides sooner or later.

You'll know that one of these days,

young fellow.

Good afternoon, Mr. Rickards.

I phoned you this morning.

It's no use.

Somebody was telling me that you served

under Mr. Forrest in the last war.

Mr. Forrest served under me. At first.

Oh, you were his top sergeant?

I was his captain.

Later, I became his gatekeeper.

Get that wound in the Argonne?

Yes, Mr. Forrest got a medal

for bringing me in.

And you've been with him

ever since, huh?

Yes, Mr. Forrest was very kind.

He believed in charity.

Come back in an hour.

What's the matter, son?

Anything I can do?

No.

Might be able to help you.

I cry sometimes myself.

I've seen a lot to cry about.

Where?

Oh, France. Poland.

Very few places

where you don't wanna cry. We're lucky.

That's what Mr. Forrest used to say

on the radio.

And I killed him. I killed him.

I should've warned him

about that mean old bridge.

But Dad wouldn't let me go out

in the storm.

I should've told him anyway...

...because I was Mr. Forrest's man.

Now I'm...

...nobody's.

Oh, no, that isn't. You're your own man.

And nobody would tell you that any quicker

than Mr. Forrest.

After all, dying isn't very important.

It's the way we live that really counts.

Don't you think that's it?

We've got to carry on for Mr. Forrest.

We don't wanna be slaves, do we?

Slaves?

That's what they're fighting for.

Oh, that was the Civil War.

There aren't any slaves now.

Not here maybe, but Europe's full of them.

It might be our turn next.

How?

Well, there are so many ways.

It would take me the rest of the day

to try to explain it to you.

But the general idea is that they try

to get us all confused and scared...

...and sore at each other...

...and then before you know it,

clamp, the handcuffs are on us.

Hmm.

Would they really put chains on me?

Not on your hands they wouldn't,

because you'd have to work for them.

The chains would be on your mind

and on your tongue.

Well...

...what are we gonna do about it?

We're not gonna let them kick us around,

are we?

You and I are free men today

because centuries ago...

...some guy got the idea in his head...

...he was just as good

as the fellow who was bossing him.

And what a fight that started.

- Who won?

- It's not over yet.

We lost a great fighter

when Mr. Forrest died.

But he's still watching us.

And he's still yelling at us to carry on.

That's what I'm trying to do, you see.

I'm trying to write his story...

...so that people will understand

that he's watching us.

And so that they'll still hear his voice.

Oh, let me read it, will you?

Well, I can't. I need some help on it,

and some people won't help me.

- Who?

- Mrs. Forrest, for instance.

- Who says so?

- She won't see me.

I bet she will when you tell her.

She loved Mr. Forrest.

I don't know. I can't get into the grounds.

And she won't answer the telephone.

I know she's there.

- Do you wanna see her now?

- Yes.

Come on.

This is my secret way.

You won't tell anybody, will you?

- I promise.

- Promise this way:

"On my oath

as a true soldier for America...

...in the Robert Forrest Boys Army,

I promise. "

That's our oath.

On my oath as a true soldier

in the Robert Forrest Boys Army, I promise.

For America.

For America.

Come on.

Hello?

I, uh...

Nobody answered the doorbell.

That's a lie. I didn't ring the doorbell.

I couldn't find it. I just walked in.

I'm sorry. I'm very sorry.

Who are you?

I'm Steven O'Malley. I'm a writer.

Steven O'Malley is in Germany.

I came back

just shortly before Mr. Forrest's death.

I'd written Mrs. Forrest several notes,

and I'd like to see her for...

Not necessarily tonight.

I had visioned an older man.

I am Christine Forrest.

I had visioned...

I'm terribly sorry to do this to you,

Mrs. Forrest, but I, uh...

A friend of your husband's told me

you might be glad to see me.

The gatekeeper's boy.

- Poor little Jeb.

- Yes.

Yes, he seems to think

that he killed, uh...

Because he didn't warn him

about the bridge.

Boys loved Mr. Forrest.

I've had letters, sweet letters,

heartbreaking letters.

He was the light of their eyes.

It seems that the light has gone out.

No, no. It burns brighter than ever.

It must always burn. We must see to that.

- We?

- Yes, all of us.

All of us who were guided by that light,

who drew warmth from the flame.

- And you can protect that flame.

- I tried to.

Well, let us help you. You're not alone.

That's what I've come here to tell you.

I tried.

I had wondered

if you spoke as you wrote.

I speak as I feel,

and I feel very deeply about this.

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