Silence Page #22

Rodrigues stands over the fumie. The image of Christ stares up

at him.

FERREIRA:

(a voice of quiet command)

Courage.

Ferreira moves aside.

RODRIGUES (V.O.)

“Let this cup pass from me.”

Rodrigues leans down and picks up the fumie, holding it close

to his face.

The fumie is sticky with dirt and blood, the image of Christ

grimy with the marks of many feet. But the picture is familiar.

Rodrigues looks upon it.

He presses the fumie to his face, then places it back on the

floor. From somewhere nearby he HEARS...

112

INTERPRETER:

(gently)

It’s only a formality. Just a

formality.

Rodrigues now has his foot over the fumie.

As Rodrigues looks down, the face of Christ CHANGES TO: his

beloved IMAGE OF CHRIST FROM THE EVORA CHAPEL.

CUT TO:
Rodrigues' face, also CHANGING. Is this a sign? The

sign he has been waiting for? He HEARS JESUS, speaking to him-at

last--with gentle understanding.

VOICE OF JESUS (V.O.)

Come ahead now. It’s all right. Step

on Me. I understand your pain. I was

born into this world to share men’s

pain. I carried this cross for your

pain. Step.

RODRIGUES:

(in a whisper)

Oh Jesus....

VOICE OF JESUS:

Your life is with Me now. Show Me

your love.

And his foot touches the fumie...the beautiful face he loved

from the Evora chapel...the face he loved most in the world.

His foot seems to sink through the picture, into the ground,

pulling Rodrigues down, absorbing him, subsuming him....

...past his ankle...past his leg...until he is on his knees, on

top of the picture of Christ. On the unyielding ground.

He is sobbing. The ground is solid.

Ferreira, the Interpreter and the guards all watch silently.

At the window of the Inquisitor’s office across the courtyard,

Inoue TURNS AWAY, satisfied.

After a moment, the Interpreter SIGNALS and the Guards start to

remove the Five Christians from the pit.

Only the CROWING of a rooster at the approaching dawn breaks

the silence.

FADE TO:

113

123 EXT. NAGASAKI RODRIGUES’ STREET AND HOUSE NIGHT 123

ONE YEAR LATER. It is the festival of URABON again. And, once

again, children dash through the streets, swinging LANTERNS in

the slowly falling darkness, singing the holiday song.

From the window of a small house, Rodrigues watches them play.

He is DRESSED IN A KIMONO. His hair is pulled back and tied.

Some of the children shout to him in Japanese “Apostate Paul”.

He can’t hear it. He smiles. The smile is sad. But all the

tension has gone from his face. The pain has vanished.

FERREIRA (O.S.)

Christian. Not Christian.

RODRIGUES (O.S.)

Christian, obviously.

CUT TO:

124 INT. NAGASAKI INQUISITOR'S OFFICE DAY 124

Rodrigues sits at the end of a long table opposite Ferreira.

They sift through an assortment of objects raided from Japanese

homes. Japanese OFFICIALS supervise closely. *

And passing over each of them is the watchful, sardonic eye

of Inoue.

FERREIRA:

Not Christian.

Rodrigues takes a framed picture from Ferreira and PEELS AWAY *

the fine ink drawing to reveal an ICONIC IMAGE of St. Lawrence. *

Over this we hear the voice of a physician and author, DIETER

ALBRECHT.

DIETER ALBRECHT (V.O.)

TBD:

Rodrigues hands him back the picture without further comment.

DIETER ALBRECHT (V.O.)

TBD:

114

The priests continue to sift through the objects on the table.

DIETER ALBRECHT (V.O.)

TBD:

They look up from their work only occasionally and always avoid

each other's eyes.

DIETER ALBRECHT (V.O.)

“The Inquisitor Inoue’s authorities

would raid homes and seize objects of

possible Christian significance. The

two priests were required to examine

these things and verify their use.”

CUT TO:

125 EXT. DEJIMA DUTCH WAREHOUSE DAY 125

A yard bustling with commercial activity. Clerks scribble in

ledgers as goods are presented for their review. In a corner of

the yard, two burly workers are weighing sugar, pepper and

exotic skins on huge scales. In the midst of all this, Ferreira

and Rodrigues, under the usual close supervision, are seated

like two bureaucrats opposite one another at a long table,

examining more objects for signs of devotional value. Watching

all this himself is a man in his early 30s, almost exactly

Rodrigues’ age, in European dress, making careful notes and

sketches in a diary.

DIETER ALBRECHT (V.O.)

TBD:

This is DIETER ALBRECHT. He has bright, worldly eyes and an

expression of continuous, consuming fascination with

everything around him.

DIETER ALBRECHT (V.O.)

“Our ships were searched to warrant we

were not smuggling religious objects.

Even my surgical knives and bleeding

bowl were closely examined. Neither

foreign coins nor anything bearing the

images of the cross, a saint, or

rosary could pass.

DIETER ALBRECHT continues to watch carefully and makes his

notes as the priests continue their work.

CUT TO:

114A

126 EXT. DEJIMA DUTCH WAREHOUSE DAY 126

Same day. Albrecht hovers watchfully in the background. Under a *

broad blue-striped canopy, Rodrigues turns out the pockets of a

pair of sailor’s trousers, feels something in the pocket

lining:
he removes a cross. Ferreira holds out his hand and

Rodrigues hands it over. Other CLERKS regard them with bemused

contempt. Rodrigues looks away from them as the Japanese

scornfully dispose of the cross.

DIETER ALBRECHT (V.O.)

TBD:

FERREIRA:

We were taught to love those who scorn

us.

RODRIGUES:

I feel nothing for them.

115

FERREIRA:

(shrugs)

Only Our Lord can judge your heart.

Ferreira turns away, a guard staying close behind him.

RODRIGUES:

You said “Our” Lord.

FERREIRA:

I doubt it.

Ferreira walks away, not looking back.

DIETER ALBRECHT (V.O.)

“When Sawano Chuan died, the other

priest assumed his duties and

performed them with distinction.”

Ferreira passes Dieter Albrecht, who catches his eye.

Ferreira’s expression gives nothing away. And then he is gone.

DIETER ALBRECHT (V.O.)

“By this time, I observed he had

acquired considerable skill with the

language, and seemed, I must tell you,

to be at peace with his situation.”

CUT TO:

127 INT. INQUISITOR'S OFFICE DAY 127

LATE AUTUMN. Rodrigues before Inoue, who treats him with

scrupulous politeness as he warms his hands over a brazier.

INOUE:

I have good news. A man has died in

Edo. Okada San'emon. You will take his

name just as it is.

RODRIGUES:

Thank you.

INOUE:

He had a household. And a wife. You

can take her as your wife. A man works

best when he is not alone.

RODRIGUES:

Of course.

116

INOUE:

(beat)

You know, Okada...does that sound

strange to you?

RODRIGUES:

Not as much as I thought.

INOUE:

(faint smile)

On Ikitsuki and Goto there are still

many farmers who think themselves

Kirishitan. Do you like that? They can

continue to do so. You may take some

satisfaction in that.

(Rodrigues bows his head)

The roots are cut.

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes