The Devil's Disciple Page #6

But of course, Mr. Anderson,

if you are determined to be hanged

there's nothing more to be said.

- An unusual taste!

- Shall we call witnesses?

Eh, what's the need for witnesses?

If the villagers had listened to me,

you would have found the place barricaded,

the houses loopholed, people in arms ...

- Very well, sir, we shall teach you and

your villagers a lesson they won't forget.

- Do you have anything more to say?

- I think you might have the decency

to treat me as a prisoner of war,

shoot me like a man instead of

hanging me like a dog.

Now there, Mr. Anderson,

you talk like a civilian,

if you will excuse my saying so.

Have you any idea of the average

marksmanship of the army of

His Majesty King George the Third?

If we make up a firing

party, what will happen?

Half of them will miss you: and the rest

will make a mess of the business and

leave you to the provomarshal's pistol.

Whereas we can hang you in a perfectly

workmanlike and agreeable way.

Let me persuade you ...

to be hanged, Mr. Anderson.

I thank you, General: that view of

the matter had not occur to me.

I withdraw my objections.

Hang me, by all means.

- Will 12 o'clock suit you, Mr. Anderson?

- I shall be at your disposal.

Nothing more to be said, gentlemen.

- You can't do this without proper trial for him!

- My good lady, our only desire

is to save unpleasantness.

You don't care what you do.

You think you can murder a man

as long as you do it in uniform.

- Tell them the truth! Tell them!

- You promised!

- He's not my husband!

- Gentlemen! I assure you she will not

believe that she cannot save me.

One moment, gentlemen.

One moment, Mr. Anderson.

Let me understand you clearly, madam.

Do you mean that this gentleman

is not your husband or merely -

I wish to put this with all delicacy -

that you are not his wife?

I don't know what you mean, but you

can ask anybody in the village, they'll

tell you that he is not my husband -

my husband has escaped and

this man took his place to save him.

- Escaped! Where?

- I don't know, I don't know,

and I even if I knew, I don't care!

Swindon,

might I suggest that a brief recess

might be in order.

The lady will then have a chance

to regain her composure.

And you might even find the time

to discover with a little more accuracy

who it is we have been trying half a morning.

May I beg your pardon, sir.

Should I release the gentleman?

What? Certainly not!

He's condemned himself out of

his own mouth, where he is.

The sentence remains unchanged.

The hang's at twelve.

Give a Major Swindon enough rope ...

and he will always hang somebody.

Give a Hawkins the choice and

he will always like any other patriot

prefer killing orders to

saving a fellow countryman.

Cannon! What can we do?

Back, all of you.

Out!

- Mr. Hawkins, woudn't it be better ...

- Oh, get out!

Turn to the right!

Fire!

Come on! Come on, hey you!

Minister, you best get inside.

Yes.

Mr. Anderson,

This is most fortunatous!

The church needs more than

one poor pair of hands today.

Where do you go?

- There's no one there.

- Good.

Winnigh, get the wounded inside.

Take that bloody gunpowder.

More powder ...

Mr. Anderson!

Don't come near -

there is ammunition outside,

gunpowder, it's highly inflammable.

Exactly.

Mr. Anderson!

You will be reminded on a pyrissication.

This kind of thing unknownly ...

Return to the line!

Corporal should always set an example!

Attending in company at once!

Help!

Open the door!

Quick, quick!

I call you to an action.

Hold there!

He's a rebel!

Get him!

No! Not him! Him!

Don't you fire! You'll hit me!

Masquerading for minister in time of war!

Treason!

Hold your tongue!

It will be my pleasure to have you taken outside,

put up against a nearest wall and shot!

Silence!

Quick!

General Burgoyne headquarters?

- And who're you?

- A loyal subject of King George,

giving assistance to his troops.

Look, I have important message from

General Howe for General Burgoyne.

This way, sir.

Come on! Come on!

Come on!

- Anderson!?

- After the men! Go with the rally.

- What are you waiting for?

- Yeah, go, come on.

Everything is ready, sir for the, ... Ah ...

- Oh ... the ...

- It likes but two minutes ... to twelve, sir.

Thank you, time's up.

I am punctual.

I should never dream of hanging any

gentleman ... by an American clock.

I really must congratulate you, Swindon.

Despite your deplorable error

and the prisoner's undoubted innocence

at the start of the proceedings,

you managed to provoke him

into guilts by the end of them.

A forensic triumph.

I am sure our country is indebted to you.

This is not a place for a man of your profession.

Try to control yourself and

submit to the divine will.

Sacred music ...

and a clergyman to make

murder look like piety!

You talk to me of Christianity

when you are in the act

of hanging your enemies.

Was there ever such blasphemous nonsense!

Prisoner, I appeal to you,

have you any sense of decency left?

- Man that is born of woman ...

- Thou shalt not kill.

I think, Mr. Brudenell, that as the usual

professional observancy strike the prisoner

as somewhat incongruous under the circumstances,

you had better omit them until ...

he can no longer be inconvenienced by them.

Does that suit you, Mr. Anderson?

- Dudgeon.

- Dudgeon.

- Dudgeon is the name well known to us.

You hanged my father,

that's what you mean?

We seem to be somewhat unfortunate

in our relations with your family.

- But I assure you, Mr. Dudgeon

we are only doing this ...

- Because you're paid to do it.

- You insolent ...

- Ah, I am really sorry that you

should think that, Mr. Dudgeon.

If you knew what my commission

cost me, and what my pay is,

you would think better of me.

Escort! Four in.

Quick ... march!

Carry on.

But you don't understand!

It's my husband, I ...

Release my friend here!

- What the devil it is?

- Untie him!

Get back to your post!

Who're you?

- Antony Anderson.

- Indeed ...

- Then you are just in time to

take your place on the gallows.

- I'm here to meet General Burgoyne.

Arrest this man!

- Seize him!

- My safe-conduct.

- Safe-conduct?

From General Philips in Springtown.

What in the name of ...

- What is the meaning of this?

- The rebels, sir - a surprise attack.

We were outnumbered.

- They are holding General Philips?

- We had draw us for truce.

- What?

- Monstrous!

- Take me to General Burgoyne.

Wait here.

As for the prisoner - he was convicted

on his own account, not on yours.

And he hangs accordingly.

Carry on, Sergeant!

Carry on, I mean.

Sorry, Mr. Dudgeon, but

you see how it is.

Prisoner and escort ...

slow - march!

Richard, I ...

I want to pay you very sincere

apologies, sir, for arresting

this gentleman in your place.

I ... found him in your house with the lady,

very much at home it seemed to me and

the way they carried on ever since I could

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