The Fugitive Page #3

- You're educated. Advise me.

- Where are they taking him?

Don't worry about him, Father.

Worry about me, I'm a poor man.

I have so much to worry about, Father.

It's your duty to help me. Advise me.

Why don't you tell them now?

They'll give you something.

Something? Why shouldn't I get it all?

I found you. It's mine, it belongs to me.

Help me. We must trust each other.

Hey, you. Come here.

- Jefe wants to see you.

- Where are they taking him?

Through the town.

It impresses the people.

Stay away from that crumb.

He's a police squealer.

Brandy, eh?

Very, very serious.

Against the law, you know.

Where's the evidence?

Oh, yes. Lieutenant broke the bottle, eh?

Too bad.

Ask him where he got it.

At the Hotel Splendide.

Poor man like this?

The Splendide?

You got it from a stranger,

didn't you?

Yes.

And you don't know

his name, do you?

No.

- Did he work off his fine?

- He's all right.

Dismissed.

All right, fellow, all right.

Father, here I am.

Father! Father!

Father!

Father!

Father! Father!

Did you see the priest?

I mean, a man?

Wait! Thief! I was a rich man!

I had a million pesos! Why did I trust him?

Father!

It's OK, sister.

Give the change to...

Good night, Father.

Please.

Father, we thought you had gone.

We thought you had left this land.

It was not to be.

You must get over the mountains.

That's the only way now.

I'll go with you.

We must start right away.

- If I could sleep... for a few hours.

- I'll get you some food.

But we must start right away.

Please.

The reason I'm going with you, Father,

is that I know the way.

Besides, you will be in less danger.

They will think I'm your wife

and Maria Dolores your baby.

I hope you're not offended, Father.

Are you?

You're not angry, Father?

Father!

Father!

Father!

- What's in there?

- My baby.

Please! She's asleep.

Keep watch for new boots, will you?

What have you got under here?

A priest maybe?

Maybe a sergeant.

Maybe a drink for a sergeant, huh?

Viejo/

How about a little cup, hm?

Hey, what have you got in there?

A kiss for a sergeant maybe, huh?

Perhaps.

Awful noisy out here.

Let's go inside.

Come on, what are you afraid of?

Don't you want me

to dance for you?

Dance? Sure, why not?

I can't dance in this dress.

OK.

Go ahead.

Father! Father!

It's the police!

You must get away.

Out through the cornfield.

Get across the river and wait for me.

Maria Dolores, shh!

What kind of men are you? Are you swine,

enticed by the first girl to show her legs?

I'll get your stripes for this, Sergeant!

And you, with your fancy dress

and your bare legs, what are you?!

What are you? Tell me.

I don't know, Juan Rafael.

What kind of a woman am I?

Did I hurt you, Maria Dolores?

No, Juan Rafael.

No.

They found the priest. Let's go.

Pablo, Miguelito, hide!

Go on, Father. Beat it.

Get on the other side!

Beat that corn down and get the priest!

Five years. It's a long time.

I know from experience.

- You've shown great courage, Father.

- Oh, no.

No, it wasn't courage, Doctor.

I can't deceive myself.

It was only pride.

Yes, I see it now. It was pride.

The first year...

Well, the whole thing

seemed fantastic.

I couldn't believe

there was any real reason to leave.

Things like that

have happened before.

I thought I'd stay another month

and see if things got better.

And then another month and another

month. You know how time goes by.

Yes.

Then I began to lose grace.

I began to have pride.

I began to think I was a brave man.

Who knows? A martyr.

I suddenly realised

I was the only priest left in the country.

Those who weren't shot

had left, they went.

I can't blame them.

They were quite right to go.

But in my growing pride,

I couldn't understand that.

Oh, don't be so hard

on yourself, Father.

A man is entitled to a little pride.

Not in my profession. I was building

a fine lie and wearing it like a proud cloak.

The strange thing is that,

all the time, I knew in here

I wasn't cut out to be a martyr.

When the real test came,

I couldn't measure up.

I didn't have the courage.

I was afraid to give myself up.

I let men die for me.

Innocent people.

Well, finish your coffee.

- Doctor, it's time for Father's nap.

- Thank you.

Thank you, Doctor.

Father. Don't be frightened, Father.

I'm your friend.

- I'm here on an errand of mercy.

- Have you brought the police with you?

The police? No, I'm here to do good.

Believe me, Father.

I want to make up for my sins.

I have two mules outside.

Hurry, Father, the man is dying.

- What man?

- The Gringo.

The Gringo - the Americano,

the man the police want.

He robbed a bank.

You know the man I mean.

He's dying, Father.

He wants you to come. You cannot refuse

a man who is dying, Father.

He has so much to confess.

- He's never betrayed his friends.

- Neither have I.

Neither have I!

You don't trust me.

Go back where you came from.

You think I'm a fool.

The man is dying.

He wants a priest.

You're lying.

No. No.

I'll prove it.

No, the other side.

- Will he still be alive?

- Yes. Yes. Yes, Father.

Father.

Did you call?

Father.

Beat it, Father.

When did you last

receive the sacraments?

Ten...

fifteen years, I guess.

- Beat it, Father.

- Don't you want to confess?

No.

No.

You did when you wrote this.

I... I didn't write that, Father.

Beat it. Get out of here.

Don't be a sap. Get away!

You're dying. You're given this chance

to confess, you won't have another.

- Father. Father.

- Yes?

Get...

Get my gun, under my shoulder.

Get my gun, Father.

You're gonna need it.

You have no gun.

Lie still. It's not there.

Listen to me, you believed once.

Try and understand.

This is your chance. At the last moment,

like the thief on the cross.

I know you've sinned a great deal,

but that only belongs to this life.

Forget about me, Father.

Skip it, skip it. Take the...

Oh, Merciful Father,

the souls of the departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

Have you finished?

Yes, I've finished.

You've been tried and found guilty.

Couldn't I have been present

at my own trial?

It wouldn't have mattered anyway.

- When do I?

- In the morning.

I brought you a lamp.

It's hard to be alone

on a night like this.

I'd rather be alone.

I have so much to think about.

May I ask you a question,

Lieutenant?

- When did you lose your faith?

- When I found a better one!

Look, priest, I have nothing against you

as a man. My viewpoint...

I know that.

I'm the sort of man you lock up every day

and give money to.

I hate your arguments.

If you see somebody in pain, people

like you say perhaps pain is a good thing.

Right now you're shivering cos you're

afraid of a little pain when you're shot.

Well, I'm not a saint.

I'm not even a brave man.

I'm a coward.

But the priesthood is large,

it's tremendous.

I was always too small for it.

You know, it's very strange,

but I'm beginning not to be afraid.

- Even you believe in God.

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