The Beguiled Page #6

in what happens to you.

Young ladies, come

get ready to eat.

Johnny.

Johnny?

Who is it?

Carol. I'm sorry

about what happened.

I want you to know that.

Think nothing of it.

I've just been thinking

about all the advantages...

a one-legged man has.

He saves on socks.

He doesn't have to worry about

trimming as many toenails.

Fewer corns and bunions.

I've even been contemplating asking

her to cut off the other leg.

What happened makes

no difference to me.

I know it won't hinder

you romantically.

I'm sure a one-legged man,

or even a no-legged man,

can enjoy himself that

way, same as any man.

I'll do anything for you.

Unlock this door.

I got some things I

want to do around here.

But somebody might see me.

Do it while everyone

else is eating.

- But they'd know it was me.

- No, they won't.

They'll just think somebody

forgot to lock it. That's all.

All right, I'll try.

How long are you

gonna keep him here?

As long as Union troops

are in the area.

If he's here, he can't

give information about us.

But sooner or later they'll find out

about the school anyway, won't they?

Not if our troops drive them back.

I'm praying for that, and I assure you,

when it happens the Corporal will...

Sit right where

you are. All of you.

Well, hello, Miss Farnsworth.

I seem to have gotten

most of my strength back.

I think with a little wine from

your cellar, I'll get the rest.

According to the new

rules around here

I'm gonna have the

run of this place.

One is that I'm gonna be with any

young lady that desires my company.

If you have any objections then I'm

gonna locate the nearest Union cavalry

and tell them about

some of the goodies,

especially the bedding

down variety.

Now, don't get any ideas about

closing the door on me.

I'll just blow one

of your ears off.

Unless I miss and hit one

of your pretty eyes.

You're wrong to blame her, Mr. Johnny.

Your leg was busted bad.

You don't have to be afraid

of being sent to prison now.

Why don't you just

leave this place?

Not till I've had my fill.

You're a damn handsome woman, Hallie.

Maybe I'll just start with you.

Go on down the cellar. I've been

having a run of bad luck lately.

I understand the way to fix

this is to have a black woman.

Then, white boy,

you better like it with

a dead black woman.

Because that's the only way

you'll get it from this one.

Almighty God...

I ask that this school and its

occupants escape thy total wrath.

Be quiet and sit down.

Hallie, Janie's still on watch.

I want her here.

And close the door behind you.

What can we do, Miss Martha?

Miss Martha, I'm so scared.

I know, dear.

He told me he was gonna kill

me if I made any noise.

And he forced me to

do what he wanted.

We understand.

He made me do the

most terrible things.

Where the hell is everybody?

Go sit in my chair. Quickly.

Hallie, stay by me.

You must give him no provocation.

Well, well, well.

All the little seminar darlings.

What is the good lady

seminaring you in now?

Mr. Johnny, please. Why

don't you just leave?

Yes, leave. You can take

your possessions with you.

And my leg. Can I

take that with me?

You girls know why Miss Dabney

there knocked me down the stairs?

That's because I went to

Carol's room instead of hers.

And do you know how I got out

of my room in the first place?

It's because this fine lady, Miss

Farnsworth, unlocked my door

so I could go to her room.

And do you know why Miss Farnsworth

chopped off my leg and left me a cripple?

So I could stay on here and

be at her beck and call.

The picture in this locket...

is that your sweetheart?

It's my brother.

That wasn't the question.

You stole that from my room.

Give it back to me, please.

I stole it. Why would

I wanna give it back?

It's of no value to you. And

it belonged to my mother.

I just found it in a drawer

along with a stack of letters with a

nice, blue ribbon tied around it.

You read his letters?

Enough.

You beast!

That's right! But I don't run

a school for young girls.

And I just thought these girls might like

to know what kind of woman runs this place.

- Look, Mr. McB!

- One whose own brother ran off...

Randolph hasn't eaten in days.

I bet you could get him to...

- Have you tried to...

- Randolph!

Randolph!

God in heaven, child,

I didn't mean to do that.

Stay away from me! I hate you!

Condemned me, that's

what you've done.

To bitterness and drink

and doing mean things.

Why the hell didn't

you just castrate me?

- Where are you going? No.

- To him. He needs help.

Not from you! I will not let

you make a fool of yourself.

What do you want?

I love you.

I love you.

Perhaps when he's sober again,

he'll be more reasonable.

And perhaps together we can

persuade him to leave.

Miss Martha, you said that he

might send Yankee soldiers here.

Yes, you're quite right, Janie.

Yes, we can't take that risk.

No one in this house is safe

as long as he remains here.

The only question now is how

to rid ourselves of him.

Enemy soldiers are always shot.

With what? He's got the only gun.

We can tie him up when he's asleep

and take him into the woods.

You mean just leave him there?

Die of thirst and hunger.

I think that would be

too cruel, Miss Martha.

If he were tied up, why

couldn't we just hang him?

Any such action would

be too drastic.

I'm sure none of us would want

to be responsible for his death.

Or even be capable of it.

Maybe...

if we were to prepare him

an excellent supper...

and said that we wanted

to make it up to him.

Hallie, you could prepare

your savory chicken.

And Amy...

could pick some mushrooms.

They're his favorite dish

and we could prepare them

especially for him.

Do you think you

could do that, Amy?

I know just where to find them.

I was surprised at your supper

invitation, Miss Farnsworth.

To be honest, I didn't know

whether to accept or not.

I said and did some

ugly things today.

I'm sober now and...

I've told Edwina and I want to

tell you and rest of the girls

how much I apologize.

We accept your apology, Corporal,

but I think now that it's best

if we don't speak about it.

Now, would you care to

say grace, Corporal?

Good bread, good meat,

good God, let's eat.

God, we thank you for what

we're about to receive

and we hope that the drums that

divide us will soon be silent.

Now, everybody eat before

Hallie's chicken gets cold.

Doris, pass the biscuits to Corporal

McBurney and pass the mushrooms.

Amy picked them especially for you.

Thank you, Amy.

You know, Amy, I feel miserable

about what happened.

Anything I can do to bring back

your turtle, I sure would.

But you must understand, it was the wine

that turned loose the devils in me.

I do understand.

That's why I picked the mushrooms.

And are they good, Amy.

They taste of the

woods and clean air

and mysterious shadows

where pretty little

elves dance together.

A romantic way to

speak of mushrooms.

Miss Farnsworth, the first Union

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