The Hurricane Page #4

Eugene's been pining for a game of chess

for a long time.

So have I. You know...

Eugene and I have been having a feud.

- Cognac, Doctor?

- No, thanks.

Sort of a battle of souls.

Let's check our souls for tonight,

de Laage.

Let's be Frenchmen, both of us.

You're not angry at the doctor, are you?

No, I'm not angry at anyone.

It's they who are angry with me,

all of them.

Black looks and mutterings.

Father Paul! Why isn't he here tonight?

Praying for my soul, I suppose.

They love their precious murderer.

Let's forget Terangi, just for tonight.

Forget him? He haunts this island

like a school of ghosts.

I can no longer sense what's going on.

I took a walk through the village today.

- There's something strange in the air.

- Strange?

Well, the wind gives the island

a different smell.

No, not the wind.

The natives behaved queerly.

Some of them smiled at me.

Kept watching me and smiling.

I had a feeling something queer

was going on behind my back.

Something strange. Hidden.

Important.

The only thing important that's

happening in the village today...

is that Mama Rua is dying.

Terangi's mother.

Afraid she's gonna die.

And Marama's sister's having a baby.

I play a kind of chess game...

with the oldest gambler

in the world:
Death.

He takes Mama Rua...

and I checkmate him with a baby.

I think I'll have

another drop of cognac...

just to keep the wind out of my bones

on the way home.

I've never been on the island

in a storm. Do they get bad?

I've heard tales of them.

Winds that blow the islands

out of the sea.

But I think Manukura

is pretty well anchored.

At least part of it.

The devil's abroad tonight!

We're all on edge tonight.

What are you doing, boy?

Answer me.

What are you up to?

What are you doing

with the chief's canoe?

Stealing?

Stubborn, eh? Very well.

Come along to Father Paul's house

with me.

Be careful with the sail.

- Excuse me coming at this hour, Father.

- You are welcome.

- I want your help.

- It's yours, de Laage.

- You know this boy?

- Yes. Mako. He's a good boy.

- He won't lie to you, Father Paul.

- Oh, no.

Ask him where he was going

with that canoe.

Whose canoe?

A boat loaded with food.

Food being smuggled to Terangi.

He's on this island. He's being hidden.

He's waiting for the boy in that canoe.

Father, I didn't tell! I didn't tell!

Hear that? He confesses.

Captain Nagle smuggled him in.

I'd been waiting for that.

And you refused to come

to my home tonight. Why?

Because you know. You were afraid

to face me. You're guilty.

They're all guilty. The whole island.

I'll break Nagle for this.

Neither this boy nor Captain Nagle

had anything to do with it.

Terangi was picked up at sea

ten miles from here.

By whom?

You! When?

Last night.

You helped Terangi.

You, my own priest!

- I'm his priest, too.

- You helped a murderer.

I aided a man whose heart is innocent.

You betrayed your own government.

You've given aid to anarchy

and bloodshed.

- I'll answer for it.

- You'll answer me, Priest.

- Where is he?

- I don't know.

He knows! You're in the presence

of your own priest, boy!

You dare not lie. Where is Terangi?

Would you ask this child

to betray someone he loves?

I'm asking him to tell the law

what he knows.

The government demands information

against the murderer.

There are stronger things

than governments in this world.

Something deeper.

More real.

This child has that in his heart.

Though you tortured him,

he wouldn't speak.

He shall pay for his silence.

And I shall bless him for it.

- I've never seen the barometer so low.

- Did you send my note to Captain Nagle?

Yes, he's waiting inside.

I'll come to the point at once.

I am commandeering your schooner.

- This wind is too strong to be out in.

- How soon can you be ready to sail?

- The weather's bad.

- How soon can you be ready to sail?

- Nagle's thinking of your safety.

- He's trying to frighten you.

I'm not trying to frighten anybody.

We can't find Terangi in this storm.

- It'll get worse.

- It'll blow itself out in 24 hours.

If I delay, it may be too late.

He'll get away.

We're in the track of a rising wind.

The barometer's falling!

- You must listen.

- I'll listen to one voice, my own.

De Laage, I told you

you'll end by destroying yourself.

I'm ordering your schooner

in the name of the government.

Take him along.

Go out in this wind, de Laage.

Maybe you'll find something

more important than Terangi.

When you feel the might of the sea

and wind, maybe you'll discover...

there's something greater in this world

than the French criminal code.

Terangi's out there.

He's paddling through this storm

in a canoe.

Go chase him. Then hear God howl

and laugh at you.

- Get your ship ready.

- I'll be ready when you are.

Oh, Eugene.

Look! What is it?

The birds. They're flying away,

like your dream.

- Terangi, where are you going?

- Back to Manukura.

Look!

The great storm is coming,

the wind that overturns the land.

Go to Tavi's store.

Get ropes. Anchor your houses.

Take to the trees

if the sea should cover the land.

- Go quickly!

- Go!

- What's that?

- Either the wind or end of the world.

And me with a baby to deliver.

- Take her to the church.

- No. Surf boat! Surf boat better.

Surf boats? Are you crazy?

Sea will cover land. Surf boat better!

All right, take her to the surf boats.

Surf boats! And I commit suicide.

- You'll need me to help you.

- Everyone go to the church.

No! Sea rising. Carry church away.

No, the church is on high ground.

Come with me.

No, come to the boat!

Come on.

The reef!

It's breaking.

Come on!

Come on!

Father, will the sea rise

and cover the island?

We're on the highest spot here,

my daughter.

Even if the sea reaches us,

the walls will keep it out.

The church! It's going!

Father Paul, come. The sea is breaking

in. The walls are going. Look!

Take those who want to go.

I am staying here.

You will drown.

You saved me. Take my arm

and let me save you.

- No, my son. Take madame.

- No, I'll stay here with you.

Take her back safe to the world

that has wronged you.

Please, madame, go. Terangi, take her.

Yes, Father.

Those of you who wish to go, go now.

Those who wish to sing with me

for the last time, stay.

Where is the child?

There.

Is it boy or girl?

You don't know! You haven't got it!

It's dead!

No, my daughter. It's here, alive.

It's a boy!

How many survivors, Doctor?

Is that all?

Germaine, my wife?

I wish it could've been me

instead of her.

I gave you up as well.

How did you pull through?

We were at the edge of the hurricane.

You were at the center.

What is it, Terangi?

A canoe.

A war canoe.

Then Father Paul took your wife to

the church. It seemed the safest place.

I'd have gone too,

except I couldn't desert my patient.

That's the last you saw of her?

It grew so dark, you couldn't see

the church from the reef boat.

But when that bell stopped ringing,

I knew what happened.

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