The Last Valley Page #2

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I have plague?

Do you think you'd be here,

or us watching if you had?

You're sure?

You have had a palsy. You're safe now.

Drink some more, it will help you get better.

I had terrible dreams.

You talked in your sleep.

You seemed to be talking

to Holy Father, to God.

I can't remember. I dreamed that I was dead.

You would have been

if it wasn't for my mother and Erica.

They brought you here.

We've looked after you for two days.

I feel born again. Thank you.

Your clothes are filthy.

We're going to wash them.

Why are you so kind to me?

Because we think you're worth caring about.

Thank you.

And the village?

All is peaceful?

No!

We're soldiers, by God. We take what

we want, and to hell with the rest.

That's what we've always done.

The next time you oppose me, Hansen...

I will slit your tongue.

The penalty for rape...

will be public castration.

And for looting?

What is your pleasure, Father?

Blinding.

How else do we protect our homes,

if not by fear?

Very well.

For Catholics, blinding.

For the rest, 100 lashes...

all provided my men

have women of their own.

There are two or three widows

who might be prepared to be visited...

Eight.

Or perhaps two dozen

will become widows by sundown.

Four, then.

Six, and they had better be worthy...

and the place worthy.

And you, Father...

you will give them

public blessing for their penance.

I obey God's orders, not your orders.

Of course, but why not sell them...

your holy indulgence...

a total remission for past and future sins...

which you could pay for?

Six. Widowed, married, or unmarried.

You have two days.

What are you doing here?

I was treating someone

who was sick, Father.

You said to treat all without favor.

I asked her to see him, Father.

It was just Christian charity.

Good night, Erica. Thank you.

So the philosopher is risen from the dead.

He was ready to die, he should have died.

Why wasn't I told that he was here?

Perhaps they didn't want my soup poisoned.

What are you, Lutheran Protestant,

Calvin Protestant...

blasphemous Anabaptist,

heathen Satan worshipper?

That's unimportant.

I have all those among my men and worse.

I even have Catholics, Father...

which brings me to the shrine near the pass.

Our Lady of the Shrine has guarded

the valley for centuries.

Many of my men think

that shrines are blasphemous idols...

that should be torn apart

and stamped into oblivion.

Touch the shrine...

and you will burn in hellfire for all eternity...

- and your entrails will be eaten with worms.

- The pox on hellfire!

That shrine is pointing at the village

like a finger.

Touch one stone...

and God will smite you.

But before that, we will rise up.

We will rise up...

and stamp you to oblivion.

How have you survived so long?

For almost six months of the year,

from the first snows...

the road is blocked, we are safe.

These mountains are cruel,

the country stripped bare.

Few come this way.

How he got in, only God knows.

So, where could the shrine be moved to?

Stay here. Vogel.

Here, beside the rock.

Good. Very good.

We keep our lookout up there.

A lookout is enough if your plan is to hide.

We fight for our valley.

Captain...

don't move the shrine. It saved the valley.

A shrine is still a shrine 30 paces off.

Other villages had mountains

and false trails and clever leaders...

but that didn't save them.

Other villages had shrines.

Hurry.

In your name...

Holy Mother, in your name.

I'm sick of this pig-swill.

By the blood of Christ, Korski'd never let

these stink-pest scum run over him.

Korski'd be king.

Not a weak-gutted lackey.

Korski's dead.

Yes, I'm sorry I let him die.

Sorry I sided with the Captain.

- I'm as good a soldier as him.

- You're wrong.

Korski was a turd.

Be patient.

This Captain's clever and strong.

The best I ever served with...

and we get the women tomorrow.

We'll get bags. The pox on this place.

There's good women in the camp, wine,

dice and good times, and loot to be had.

I've a kid back there. Who'll look after him?

He'll be there next spring.

If not, you can make another.

You know, they say that

the plague's taken 10,000 men already.

We're blessed with luck to be here.

I'm for staying a week.

Take what we want and the hell with it.

- Sorry, Father, I'm late.

- Next time you're late, no food.

Yes, Father.

Good.

They say you can read and write.

I studied at the university in Heidelberg.

Then I taught there. The town was sacked.

Your family were

burghers there? Shopkeepers?

No, at Magdeburg.

I envy you, seeing so many places

and knowing so much.

You needn't.

Before I was your age, I had seen two

brothers murdered, and one dead of plague.

Sit down.

It's years since I've seen bread so rich.

The harvest was good.

Our Lady is pleased for us to share it.

How do you earn your daily bread?

Work. Any form of work except soldiering.

I can paint a little...

I can teach writing, history, mathematics.

I can speak Spanish, Italian, French.

Father Sebastian teaches here.

The Holy Word.

We've no need for writing

or the other nonsense.

Works of the devil.

Why did you lead the soldiers here?

I didn't.

I was trying to get away...

from all soldiers.

Some men are good luck, some bad.

You are bad luck.

- Your soldiers will kill our valley.

- No. Not if everyone works.

Peasants, landowners, and soldiers.

You are a fool as well as bad luck.

Tonight, you are alive

enjoying the fat of the land.

Bless your luck.

Our Lady protects us, not luck.

Here, Vogel, eat.

Then tell us about the Holy City.

Father, Vogel was there when he was young.

Once, he saw a real pope

and the whole city's gold and the cathedral.

Your pardon, Meister Hoffman.

But, is it true about Inge?

Yes. Come, sit down.

Eat with us, share our joy.

Vogel is going to tell us about the Holy City.

But, it was always planned

that we would be married some day.

Eternal salvation is better

than earthly happiness, boy.

Sit down.

Salvation?

I'm to be one of the women for the soldiers.

If you were going to be a nun, to serve God,

then I could understand.

But this, it's not right.

It's whoring.

Has Satan put a spell on you?

You heard what Father Sebastian said:

"Their suffering would save the village

just as Christ's suffering saved the world."

Yes, I heard him.

But that doesn't make him right.

He's not right!

Get out of my house!

You offered her?

They are to get a holy indulgence.

Gruber is paying for it.

If he pays the church in land,

of course it is right.

What father would not want

eternal salvation for his daughter?

Captain, can I speak to you?

It's about Inge, Hoffman's daughter.

Refuse her, accept another in her place.

- You want to take away her salvation?

- No.

Gruber has agreed

that the shrine should be moved.

- What is your counsel?

- Don't touch it.

The priest doesn't agree.

Gruber is our only guarantee

of peace with the peasants.

They are all frightened of him,

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