The Bells of St. Mary's Page #8

it would delay her recovery.

She'll have to know.

We can't send her away without...

Don't you people more or less

go where you're told without question?

Yes. We're supposed

to have the stamina to take it.

She has plenty of that.

You don't quite understand, Doctor.

Sister and I haven't always agreed

on how to run a school.

Had one

rather serious difference of opinion.

Now if she's sent away without

any explanation, she's bound to think...

Up to here we were discussing

her health. What's best for her.

And now we're discussing your feelings.

- That's a heck of a way to put it.

- I only want to see her get well.

I guess I can see to it

that she's transferred.

But not to tell her why...

Send her away without any explanation.

You would put it that way.

Her opinion of me or her health.

Right down here, men. There.

Right. See that it's straight. There.

Yes, that's right. Thank you.

Up there...

There.

Leave room for their knees.

You know how they go. You remember.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

- Look out, Father. You're in the way.

- Let me help with that.

There. Put it down there.

That'll do for now.

- I'm glad you came over.

- I want to talk to you.

When you bring the desk,

will you put it over here?

Let's go where there's less noise.

We can tear down our old school

and that can be our playground.

I'm tired. I'll sit down.

You're working too hard.

You shouldn't be lifting things.

Now, about commencement.

Did you ask Mr Bogardus?

- Yes, and the doctor.

- He's a nice man.

He telephoned

and told me I had nothing to worry about.

He said there's nothing wrong with me.

I'm perfect.

- That is good news.

- Yes, isn't it?

- Shall I thank Bogardus publicly?

- Yes, by all means.

Convey our sincere gratitude

for his generosity.

- Don't make a long speech.

- I'm the soul of brevity.

- The children will be restless.

- Yes.

But you'll impress upon them

that they must never give up learning,

and at all times carry uppermost

in their minds the ideals of St Mary's.

I think that'll take care of everything.

If you think I'm gonna be long-winded,

why don't you write the speech?

I have, Father. I have it here.

And I have one more wish.

That next year

will be joyous and successful.

And that we will never have

any more serious misunderstandings.

I know how you feel about Patsy.

You still disagree with me, don't you?

Father, sometimes we have to do things

that aren't easy.

No matter how much they hurt,

we have to do what we believe is right.

I have something to tell you

that isn't going to be easy.

What is that, Father?

You'll be notified shortly

that Sister Michael is going to be

in charge here next year.

She'll be so happy.

And I?

Will I be her assistant?

It's only fair to tell you, Sister,

that you're being transferred.

It's going to be difficult

to leave St Mary's,

but we shouldn't become too attached

to any one place.

Any other school

may seem strange at first,

but as long as I am around children,

I'll be happy.

How do you know all this?

Have you been

writing Mother General again?

- Will I be here for graduation?

- Yes, Sister, of course.

Is this the desk that goes in your office,

Sister?

Yes. Yes.

Was there anything else you had to say?

- That was all?

- Yes.

I'll go with you.

- Sorry you couldn't be with us, Pat.

- Thanks, Del.

- What happened to my dress?

- It didn't fit me.

- Too many milkshakes!

- Yeah.

Better luck next year.

I'll be rooting for you.

Thanks.

Where is she? Which one's Patsy?

Why, I don't see her.

I'll look for her, Joe.

You go find Father O'Malley.

Who is that?

My mother, Sister.

Is she here for the exercises?

I guess so.

You didn't tell her you're not graduating?

No, Sister.

My dear child, why not?

She's been out of town.

It's embarrassing, I know.

But you mustn't feel so bad

about not graduating.

If we don't fail sometimes,

our successes won't mean anything.

You must have courage. Don't give up.

I'll explain to your mother.

I know you love each other. Where

there's love, there's understanding.

If you ask me,

nobody understands anything.

You don't,

Father O'Malley doesn't, my mama...

Sister, I'm sorry.

- What is troubling you, Patsy?

- Sister, help me.

- Please help me.

- Yes, of course.

- Of course I want to help you.

- I want to be a nun, Sister.

How can I become a nun like you?

- Something is troubling you.

- No.

I just want to be a nun.

You don't say it that way, my dear.

"I want to be a nun."

You don't become a nun

to run away from life, Patsy.

It's not because you've lost something.

It's because you've found something.

You're still a little girl.

- You don't know yet.

- But I do.

I just want to be like you.

You don't know

what the years at high school will bring.

You'll always treasure them.

New companions, new interests,

lots of fun as well as study.

Going to parties, football games.

Your first prom.

Your first party dress. Your first waltz.

You can't give up these things

if you know nothing about them.

Not until you have known

all this and more...

...can you say

with complete understanding,

"I want to be a nun."

But I can. I know them all now.

There's another thing.

Your marks aren't good enough.

You have to pass your exams.

But I could have. I could have passed.

I didn't want to.

You mean you failed on purpose?

I thought I could stay here another year.

Everything's so nice here.

You don't know.

Everything's so clean and so good.

Even if I am in the same grade,

I don't care.

I'd be with you.

Oh, Patsy.

I'm beginning to see what's wrong.

- Did Father O'Malley know about this?

- Nobody knew.

- Nobody but me.

- I.

You're wrong. "But" can be used as a

preposition and takes the objective case.

Dear me! That was in the examination,

wasn't it?

Uh-huh, and I missed it.

I'm brighter than you think.

Ask me some more questions.

I wouldn't be a dumb nun.

Oh, Patsy.

This is Mr and Mrs Joe Gallagher,

Patsy's mother and father.

How do you do?

Patsy, your father.

Hello, Patsy.

Don't look at me like that.

Give me time. I may grow on you.

Darling, don't cry.

Everything's going to be different

from now on.

Mommy and Daddy are going to see

that you have a real home.

You'll have a room all your own

and you can have children over

as often as you like.

You...

Well, you won't be lonely any more.

Oh, Mama! Oh, Mommy!

Is this my real daddy?

Yes, darling.

- Yes.

- We came to see you graduate, Patsy.

Isn't it time you were getting ready?

We were just about to get ready,

weren't we, Patsy?

Yes, Sister.

How were her marks, Father?

I didn't see her report card.

Her marks? Exceptional.

There wasn't a child anywhere near her.

This is a great day for St Mary's.

I might call it the first birthday

of the new St Mary's.

There's the old and here's the new.

We owe it all to the generosity

and benevolence of one man,

a man whose name will be graven

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