On the Black Hill Page #3

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I For they are jolly good fellows

J And so say all of us

I And so say all of us...

Ah, good morning, Mr Jones.

A serious matter, I'm afraid.

I'm here as a representative

of the Military Service Tribunal.

Why in the name of God

haven't Lewis and Benjamin registered

for their National Identity Cards?

Do you or do you not realise

that they have broken the law?

- Exemption...

- Exemption?

Exemption! The Vision is far too small to

warrant the exemption of both of them.

None of us likes taking lads off the land,

food shortages and all that,

but the law's the law.

- Them be twins.

- I know they're twins.

My dear good man,

you can't start making exceptions.

Them'll die apart.

If you please.

Healthy boys like them.

I've never heard such nonsense!

Tinpot tyrant!

- Are you looking for men, Mr Griffiths?

- We might.

Half the men gone to France.

With the ploughing,

we'll need extra hands.

My boy Lewis, here, can't stay at home.

The farm's too small, you see.

Looks a likely lad.

Any good with the plough?

The best.

He have ploughed since he were so big.

Wages, five shillings a week, all found.

Start next Monday.

You'll speak for him

when he comes up before the tribunal?

If he's any good.

- Thank you very much.

- See you Monday.

- Goodbye, Mother.

- Be good now.

Bye, Becky.

So you'll miss me then?

Coming or not?

Coming.

Walk on.

Don't worry.

He'll be back when the war's over.

It's only ten miles away.

He's bound to come back on Sundays.

You don't understand.

Put your book down, Lewis.

I've got to get on.

They've captured Passchendaele, Liz.

Listen.

"The Canadian advance, on Tuesday,

was over a front of 2,000 yards..."

Sam, come on.

What takes your fancy, then,

my boy'?

Er...l was looking at the cap.

What size?

Average.

Try that one.

Suits you very well.

That'll be five shillings and sixpence.

I'll, er...knock off the sixpence.

- I'll have two. One for my brother.

- Oh. Good for you.

What about this one?

No. They must be two the same.

Er...this one, then.

It's practically identical.

No. It must be the same.

Lewis Jones.

My brother's freezing.

Lewis! Benjamin's lost!

- I know.

- They've gone out looking for him.

I know where he is.

How do you feel?

You left me.

Them's not two persons, see.

Them's one.

If Lewis be away, then Benjamin do pine.

He's not easy in himself,

if Lewis be gone.

And when we had the big snowstorm,

Lewis was over to Rhydspence.

And him did know his brother

was lost on the hill.

And he did find him.

I could not.

But he knew where to look.

Benjamin would be dead now, otherwise.

And they will not have Lewis back at

Rhydspence, for he was gone a week.

No fault of his, mind.

He would not leave his brother, see.

Quite so.

They're one.

It would kill Benjamin,

if Lewis be taken for the army.

Don't give it another thought.

Simple matter.

I'll arrange it with my colleagues.

We're not ogres, you know.

This tribunal must be fair.

The agricultural needs of the community

must be taken into account, but...

there is a great and barbarous enemy

that must be destroyed.

And to destroy it,

the army needs men.

- I'd second that.

- Name and address?

Thomas Phillips. Talwrn Uchaf.

Reason for exemption?

I'm a socialist, sir.

And a Quaker.

Nothing could force me to reconcile

military discipline with my conscience.

In which case, I strongly advise you

to go to bed early, and to get up early,

and then your conscience

will soon cease to trouble you.

Case dismissed.

Report to Hereford Barracks

within five days. Next...

One at a time, gentleman. One at a time.

You on the left,

kindly step forward, please.

The other gentleman should retire.

- Name and address?

- Lewis Jones. The Vision.

What?

Ah.

- Exemption granted.

- Thank you very much.

Next, please.

- Name?

- Benjamin Jones. The Vision, sir.

We need this man.

Have you anything to say, Jones?

Sir, I'm not to go, sir.

I'm with my brother.

Stuff and nonsense, man!

Do you not believe

in the sanctity of the allied cause?

Do you believe in God?

Gross impertinence!

Well, do you believe in

the Sixth Commandment?

- The Sixth Commandment?

- "Thou shalt not kill."

- Damned cheek, what!

- Damnable cheek.

This tribunal,

having carefully considered your case,

finds itself unable to grant exemption from

service in His Majesty's Armed Forces.

Report to Hereford Barracks

within five days.

I shall go, Mam.

War's as good as over now.

I don't believe it.

He promised me.

That Arkwright, he promised

the two of them would be exempt.

- What could I do?

- Don't lie to me!

You brute!

You knew!

Don't be too hard on Dad.

It wasn't his fault.

You know nothing about it.

Look, I'll go instead.

- They won't know the difference.

- No. I'll go.

But they're gonna have to come for me.

"Make us glad, according to the days

wherein Thou has afflicted us,

"and the years wherein we have seen evil.

"Remember the sorrows of Moses

"who saw a whole generation

die in the wilderness,

"and was himself denied admission

to the Promised Land..."

"...for he lived amidst 4O years..."

"...who has filled

one scale with grief,

"will surely fill the other with gladness..."

Ah, Benjamin.

I'd like a word with you.

Benjamin.

From what they tell me,

you're a very brave young man.

An example to us all.

But you have to forgive them now.

They'd no idea what they were doing.

Benjamin...

Tell me.

Tell me what's the matter.

You can tell your mother everything.

It's nothing.

Nothing?

You don't have to come.

I'm coming.

Well...

Fancy you showing up.

- I've...a little present for you, Lewis.

- Thank you very much.

- Shirkers...

- Had it easy in Hereford, didn't you, mate?

I'm sorry, Lewis.

But we will be together. Always.

Mary! Mary!

- Are you sure?

- Yes!

You...harlot! You...hussy!

- What's this, then?

- Shouting won't help!

Shout'? Oh, I'll shout, all right.

My own daughter with a baby!

Who is he? I'll kill him!

- Who is he?

- He's a railwayman!

- John Moynihan.

- Moynihan?

Moynihan'? Irish is he?

A bloody Irishman!

I suppose he's a Catholic, is he?

So what if he is?

Don't you hit her!

Amos!

Get out!

Get away from here, you Jezebel!

Out! Out! Out!

Did you hear, Amos?

The estate be selling off their farms

to pay death duties.

I thought as much. Been six months

since the old colonel died, isn't it?

Arkwright was saying

all the tenants would be offered the farms,

at a fair valuation.

No, indeed. It is a public auction.

Right. If anyone bids against a tenant,

I shall kick him from this room,

with my own boot.

By order of

the trustees of Lurkenhope Estates,

the sale of 15 farms,

five parcels of accommodation land,

and 200 acres of mature forest.

Shall I not die on the farm

I were born in'?

Of course you shall.

By making the appropriate bid.

I do assure you, sir, the reserves are low.

Are we ready to begin, then?

No, sir. We are not ready to begin!

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