The Beguiled Page #2

and maintain my standards.

I don't know what to...

That's wonderful.

You know, you should pray

for the North to win.

Why?

Well, you don't like

being a slave do you?

No. Do you?

Me?

I'm nobody's slave.

You mean you just went out

and got yourself shot up

because you like being shot up?

Sometimes a man's got to do things

he doesn't particularly like.

Not if you're free you don't.

And you white folks ain't killing each

other because you care about us n*ggers.

White man's the same

everywhere in this world.

You should say that men are the same

everywhere, no matter what color.

Same as a beautiful...

What's going on?

Sound like maybe they're

making you a coffin.

How come you're not

turning our Yankee in?

In his condition he'd die

in that Fayette Prison.

This'll hold him till he's better.

I could probably kick those

shutters open even with my bad leg.

Perhaps, Corporal, but

not without being heard.

Girls.

- Good night.

- Back to your beds, instantly.

At least it gives

her an opportunity

to learn what a man's

body feels like.

Go back to your room.

How is he?

He has a fever.

You must be tired, wouldn't you

like a chance to go to your closet?

I might sponge parts

of him you wouldn't.

I knew what you were the minute

you came to this school.

A hussy is a hussy.

You come in here again and you'll

find your face in a bucket of water.

Do I smell eggs for breakfast?

Yes, Miss Edwina.

Hallie says Mr. McB

brought us luck.

Those hens finally laid some eggs.

Very pretty, Edwina.

The corporal seems to be

having an effect on all of us.

How is the corporal this morning?

Hungry.

How long is he gonna stay in

the music room, Miss Martha?

Till he is well enough to

turn over to the patrollers.

I wanna practice my harp.

But I can't with a dangerous

enemy in the same room.

So, that's the answer!

I always wondered what it would

take to make you want to practice.

Hello.

What's your name?

Edwina.

Mine is...

Corporal John McBurney.

Now, how'd you know that?

You said so when you came here.

I must've forgotten all about that.

You know, Edwina, I...

get the strangest feeling that I'm a

prisoner in some sort of girls' school.

It is a girls' school.

Well, you are an enemy soldier.

Are you the head of the school?

The lady in the portrait there.

Miss Martha Farnsworth.

Who's the man with her?

Her brother, Miles.

Where's he?

He disappeared.

He's presumed dead.

There's no man around here at all?

Well, I sure thank providence

for sending me here.

Rather than to one of your prisons.

I wish it were up to me what

happens to you, but it isn't.

Miss Martha will decide.

Bye.

Well, there's the little

darling that saved my life.

Come on in. Sit down.

I can't.

Your room is out of bounds.

Oh. I told Randolph all about you.

The patrol.

But even if I sounded the alarm,

Miss Martha wouldn't stop them.

It's treason.

Not tying on the blue rag to signal

the patrol is out and out treason.

Damn!

Damn! Damn!

That was very nice.

You said there were no men

around here. Who's Randolph?

I forgot about Randolph.

I'm sure you'll meet him.

Who is he?

Randolph is a turtle.

He's a pet of Amy's.

Oh.

Don't go. You may leave now and...

your soldiers might come or something.

I may never see you again.

I don't even know your last name.

Dabney.

- Why are you afraid of me, Edwina?

- I'm not.

Not really.

I mean, it has nothing

to do with you.

It's just that I'm

a Yankee, though.

I don't suppose Yankees are

any different than other men.

I see. So, you're just

afraid of men in general.

Not afraid. I just

don't trust them.

Any of them.

It sounds like some man

didn't treat you too kindly.

Only I would've bet that

you'd never been in love.

Too bad you couldn't have bet.

You'd have won.

How'd you get your

unfair opinion of men?

I'd rather not talk about it.

We won't, then. How long have

you been at this school?

Since I was 15.

Seven years.

Except for Sunday church,

I've rarely been away

from the school grounds

for all those years.

I wonder if sometimes you

don't think of yourself

as a sleeping beauty in the castle

waiting for a prince to free you...

with a kiss.

I wish we didn't have

to send him to prison.

We've no choice.

Harboring the enemy is a crime.

A very serious crime.

You must be Miss Farnsworth.

I am.

I was beginning to think

you were avoiding me.

I want to thank you for

all you've done, ma'am.

I don't want your thanks. I just want you

well enough to turn over to the authorities.

You certainly don't

mince words. I like that.

Do you indeed?

You think it makes any difference

to me whether you like it or not?

No, I guess it doesn't. But I

still can't help being grateful.

Well, don't be. It's

simply a matter of ethics.

Something you probably

wouldn't understand.

Well, you might be

surprised, ma'am.

It was ethics that got me

wounded in the first place.

How so?

Well, you see, ma'am,

I'm a Quaker and I don't...

carry weapons into battle,

I carry bandages.

My company, we were

fighting in this thicket,

there was this wounded

rebel officer,

who was trying to crawl

away from the fire

which was gaining on him.

My duty was to stay with my men

but my ethics wouldn't let me.

I carried that Reb to safety.

That's why I got shot.

Now, of course, my

conscience does bother me

because I should've stayed

with my own troops.

I feel like I deserted

them, you might say.

Do your hands hurt you terribly?

Well, there's nothing more

painful than burns, ma'am.

A few bottles left in my

father's wine cellar.

If the pain gets too great, I'll

ask Hallie to bring you some.

Does seem like a good occasion

and I would love some wine.

It was offered for your pain,

not for your pleasure!

To be sure, ma'am, it's just that

sometimes the two do go together.

Corporal McBurney,

you are not our guest,

but a somewhat

unwelcome visitor.

I don't propose to

entertain you here.

I don't expect it, ma'am.

It's just that I've been

at war a long time.

It's been months since

I've seen a woman's face.

You'll find I'm easily amused.

Get any ideas of trying to amuse yourself

with any of the ladies in this house...

Wait a minute...

you'll be out on that road so fast

you won't know what happened to you.

I'm not that kind of

man, you know that.

I know nothing of the kind.

How long does it take you

to get to know someone?

To get to know me?

You'll never find out. You

won't be here that long.

continue our study of the

gospel according to St. Luke.

Chapter 11. "And it..."

Can't you wait until

after Bible reading?

I really can't, Miss Martha.

All right, hurry back.

Chapter 11.

"And it came to pass, that,

as he was praying..."

Well, well.

I just thought I'd

introduce myself proper.

I'm Carol.

Well, Carol, that's about the

nicest introduction I've ever had.

And to the prettiest girl.

How old are you?

Seventeen,

but I know a lot more

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