The Keys of the Kingdom Page #8

either to the Reverend Mother or to me.

Now, I think you'd all

better get started.

God has set a great

responsibility upon us.

We must all work hard together.

- It'll be necessary to forget

any personal differences.

- Of course.

Father, some of the shells have landed

in the city. There are many fires.

The Imperial general has picked a strange

way of winning the love of the people-

- blowing them to bits?

- We better see how bad it is, Willie.

[Explosion]

- I should be down there, Willie.

- Why?

- Why? Because I'm a priest.

- But most of your congregation

will soon be up here and safe.

Forgive me, but what makes you think you're

wanted down there at a time like this?

I don't pretend that I'm wanted anywhere-

but God's mercy is, everywhere.

I've got no right to quarantine it

behind these mission walls.

[Chinese]

[Chinese]

Major, the town is full

of wounded and dying.

There's a great danger of pestilence.

Why is nothing being done?

- What would Shen-fu suggest?

- There's a British doctor

who's doing everything he can.

But we must have some of your men to help,

and we must have a house to use as a hospital.

[Laughs] I'm childish enough to contemplate

helping my civilian brothers...

even without reward,

but I cannot spare any of my soldiers.

Man, you're fighting to

liberate the Chinese people.

These are Chinese who need you

tonight to save their lives.

Huh! I cannot see the sense

of bringing dying people back to life...

so that General Wai can again

kill them with his cannon.

- Is the situation that hopeless?

- We have no artillery at all.

By the time my promised

reinforcements arrive...

we will have been

inevitably massacred.

[Gunfire, Explosions]

Oh, Shen-fu.

When you arrive at your mission,

you might say a prayer for us.

I'm not going back to the mission.

I'm going to the Street of the Basket Makers.

What can you and your doctor

do by yourselves?

- Whatever good we can as long as we can.

- Wait.

You will have your hospital, Shen-fu.

The Imperial judge

is a coward and thief.

We will commandeer his home, and

I will personally kick down his front door.

[Explosion]

Major.

- Tell them to bring in the next one.

- [Chinese]

And remember, one squad is to be detailed

to the sole duty of scrubbing this floor...

continuously and with disinfectant.

It is comforting to know

that when we are hit...

we will be the most

antiseptic cadavers in Pai Tan.

But remember how close

to godliness cleanliness is.

Maybe so, but I've never seen

godliness kill bugs.

Don't be shocked.

It's a matter of religion.

He believes in God, you probably count on

Confucius, and I put my trust in prophylaxis.

Meantime,

here's a patient for both of us.

Better clear out this entire section.

As you say, Doctor.

[Chinese]

It's not a pretty idea, Francie, but it's vitally

necessary we dispose of those who've died.

Under the circumstances

this is the only proper method.

Under no circumstances can burning

be called a proper method, Willie.

Depends on the point of view.

From where I stand, I see this village...

left without fresh water

and proper sanitation.

I see pestilence waiting to move

right in to these miserable hovels...

filled with unburied dead.

We have a responsibility

to the living too, Francie.

Yes, we have.

Well, it seems

there's no alternative.

[Chinese]

- You're sure that all

the wounded have been removed?

- Yes, but it was not easy.

They did not want to leave the dead. Will you join

me, Shen-fu, in touching off our holocaust?

- You, Doctor.

- No, thanks.

[Chinese]

Tell me- Can hell

be any worse than this?

The sun is on its way up,

and that blasted gun has gone to bed.

Another dawn is here,

and another night is gone.

I'm gonna write a book:

Six Days and Nights

in a Chinese Abdomen.

I must be daft.

I'm talking to myself.

Hmm?

Oh! Silly.

I must've dozed off.

I don't know why it's silly, seeing

you've had no sleep in almost a week.

Why don't you leave today's

collection to the army and me?

Go up on the hill and get yourself

a bath and 400 winks.

Now, that'd be a pretty sight: A man

of God taking his ease safe from harm.

This is no time

to think of appearances.

Besides, who's to see you here

in this abandoned outpost of humanity?

We're not unseen anywhere, Willie.

Kill yourself if you've a mind to,

but keep your motives to yourself...

- because they just make me mad!

- [Joseph] Are you in there, Shen-fu?

- Father Chisholm!

- What are you doing here?

- Last night they fired on the mission.

- What? Was anybody hurt?

- How are the children?

- The children are all right,

but our beautiful church-

It was destroyed by fire. Some of the men were

injured when we tried to save the altar pieces.

Uh, tell the major I'll be back.

Oh, Father, this way.

And keep your head down.

[Soldiers Moaning]

[Gunfire]

Willie!

Willie.

[Mouthing Words]

Francie?

If you're praying for yourself,

go right ahead.

If it's for me,

you're wasting your time-

aye, and the Almighty's too.

Now, let him be

the judge of that, Willie.

My respiration is down...

my fever's up...

and I am deep in

the Valley of Shadow.

And, Francie,

I still can't believe in God.

- Are you mad at me?

- Of course not.

Are you disappointed that

I won't let you save me?

Your salvation will

be your doing, Willie-

- [Groans]

- And mine.

Say, when you...

get to your kingdom...

don't look for my name

on the register.

It would be fun

just to meet by chance.

Francie...

I never loved you

as much as I do now...

because you haven't tried

to bully me into heaven.

You see...

I have such an awful headache.

Give me your hand.

Out of the depths I have

cried unto thee, O Lord.

Lord, hear my voice.

Let thine ears be attentive

to the voice of my supplication...

because with the Lord

there is mercy.

With him there is

plentiful redemption.

Glory be to the Father, to the Son...

and to the Holy Ghost.

In a way, uh, my actions

may have been responsible...

for the shelling of the church.

Late yesterday afternoon, several wounded

soldiers made their way to our dispensary.

I took it upon myself to admit them.

There's nothing else to do.

I would've done the same.

Must be a great blow to you...

to see your beautiful church

so wantonly destroyed.

No one can destroy my church.

I shall build it again.

As long as I live,

I shall build my church.

[Joseph]

Father. Father.

Father, the Imperial captain, the one

who commands the gun, is here.

He demands that you talk to him.

All right.

- You want to see me?

- Yes. General Wai has decided

to favor you with several requests.

First:
You will stop sheltering

the enemy wounded.

The wounded are beyond fighting.

They can do nobody any harm.

Second:
General Wai confers upon you

the honor of contributing to his supply.

Your first contribution

will be 800 pounds of rice...

and all the American

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