The Little Minister Page #4

cheerfully, mr. Dishart?

You don't look very

cheerful yourself, doctor.

Nonsense. I have no patience

with false sentiments.

Well, nanny,

you see i've come

And i've brought

mr. Dishart with me.

Thank you kindly, sirs.

Please to take a chair.

No, no, nanny.

It's best we go at once.

Oh, no! No!

But nanny, you must remember

what I told you about the poor.

The place you're going

to-It's a fine house,

And you'll be

very happy in it.

Aye,I'll be

happy in it.

But if I could just have stayed

on here, though I wasn't happy.

But think of the fine

food you'll get:

Broth nearly every day!

It'll be terrible

enjoyable.

And there'll always be

pleasant company for you there.

Why, after you've been there a

week, you won't be the same woman.

That's it!

No, no! I'll be a woman

on the poor rates.

Oh, mother, mother...

You little thought

when you bore me

That I would come to this!

Well, we must go.

Put on your cap, nanny.

I don't need to

put on a cap.

I've got a bonnet.

Are you sure there's

nobody looking?

Nobody in sight, nanny.

I'm a base woman not to be more thankful

to them that's been so good to me.

Oh, mother!

I wish terrible they had come

and taken me at night.

This is more

than I can stand.

I've tried you, sir,

But, oh, i'm grateful...

And i'm ready now.

I cannot help it.

Have pity on her, o god.

O god, you might.

This is no place

for you.

They're taking me to the poorhouse!

Don't let them.

How dare you!

You don't see-

I see two hulking men

Dragging a poor, weak little

woman away from her home.

You poor dear. I won't

let them take you away.

Go!

Sympathy is not

meal and bedclothes,

And these are

what she needs.

And you, who live in luxury,

Would send her to

the poorhouse for them.

Tuts! Mr. Dishart gives more to the poor

Than any man

in thrums,

And he's not to be

preached to by a gypsy!

We're waiting

for you, nanny.

Aye. I'm coming.

I'll have to go,

lassie.

No, you're

not going.

It's these men who are going.

Go, sirs,

and leave us.

And you will

take care of nanny?

Aye. And where's the money coming from?

Oh, the money.

Oh...

Oh, i'd forgotten.

7 shillings

a week.

Oh! Oh, is that all?

Well, she shall have it.

When?

At once.

No, it's not

possible tonight,

ButI'll bring

5 pounds tomorrow.

No,I'll send it.

No, you must

come for it.

You will meet me

tuesday, at this hour,

At, say, the old mill.

No, I won't! How can a vagrant

have 5 pounds in her purse

When she hasn't 5 shillings on her back?

Look at my ring.

Do you know its value?

There's a quirk

in this.

Mr. Dishart,

give nanny your arm.

I'll carry

the box...

Unless you trust

this woman's word.

You do trust me.

Yes... I trust you.

You dasn't have an

appointment with this gypsy.

Think what they'll

be saying in thrums!

Send someone.

No. He must come himself...

Alone.

So be it.

And I hope her stocking

foot is full of gold,

For your sake,

nanny...

Or now that

i'm here,

I'll make her go

down the road.

Will you come,

mr. Dishart?

No. I'll walk home,

doctor.

Well, will you come outside a minute?

Who can she be?

You saw how easily she put

the scotch tongue on and off.

She's as much a mystery

to me as she is to you.

I daresay she's one of those

wealthy gypsies from the south.

They're said to have a very

grand manner when they like.

Look here, young man.

A man's second childhood begins

when a woman gets hold of him.

Oh! Don't alarm yourself

about me, doctor.

Ah, well.

Good luck.

But be wary.

Nanny and I are to have

a cup of tea.

Do you think we should

invite the minister, nanny?

We couldn't dare.

You'll excuse her, mr. Dishart,

for the presumption.

Don't be so free-

He's the auld licht minister.

Ohh.

There isn't any water!

Well, get some.

Lassie! Mind who

you're speaking to.

To send a minister

to the well!

I will go.

Where's the well?

Give me the pitcher,

mr. Dishart.

What a talking there would

be if you were seen with it!

Don't you think so?

Nanny, for shame!

How can you expect to

follow our conversation

When you listen

only to mr. Dishart?

What?

She was saying, nanny-

I was saying

that he is married.

But the minister has no wife, babbie.

No? Oh...

Well, I did wonder at any mere woman's

daring to marry such a minister.

But it was one of the soldiers

that told me about his wife.

He said that mr. Dishart

introduced her to him.

Soldiers? Never trust a soldier, lassie.

Nanny, I was told that

she was rather like me.

Heaven forbid!

What?

I'm no meaning, but you're

the bonniest lass I ever saw

Out of

a picture book.

But you would know mr. Dishart's

contempt for bonny faces

If you'd heard his

sermon against women.

That was an excellent

cup of tea, nanny.

Wasn't it? When did he

preach against women, nanny?

Oh, it was long ago.

Not so very long-

It was the sabbath

After the soldiers

was in thrums,

The day you changed

your text so hurriedly.

I forbid you to

repeat that story, nanny!

What made you change

your text, mr. Dishart?

I...

I suddenly thought

of a better one.

Oh.

Well, I must go.

I, too. Which way

do you take?

Not yours, mr. Dishart.

I go into the wood and vanish.

Good day, nanny.

Thank you, lassie,

for your kindness.

NowI'll have peace

to the end of my days,

And I wish the same to

you with all my heart.

Oh, i've read my fortune, nanny,

And there's not much

happiness in it.

I hope that's not true.

Do you really care?

Yes, I care.

Because you

don't know me.

Because I do know you.

Well, I believe that you

misunderstand me less

Than those who have

known me longer.

Babbie...

Oh, i'm glad to

hear you say that.

I thought you did not

really like me

Because you never

called me by my name.

That wasn't the reason.

I dared not speak your name,

or I would have said more-

Oh, I was wrong.

You don't understand

me at all.

Oh... good day, nanny.

As soon as I have the

money,I'll bring it to you.

Oh, what a pity

he's a minister.

Ah, rob!

You're just in time

To hear a query

about the minister.

Rob, mr. Dishart

has fallen in...

What do they call

the thing, hendry?

In love.

Now we know what he was doing

in the country yesterday.

Who is the woman?

Aye, who is she?

If we only knew.

That's what we've been

asking ourselves.

Well, if you ken

nothing about her,

And you ken

she exists...

We know all about her,

except who she is.

And we also know the minister's

acting very strangely.

Aye. I saw him come

out of the manse,

And walk straight into

a gooseberry bush.

And I saw him

come down

The school road

this morning,

And the wind

blew off his hat.

The wind's always looking

for hats on the school road.

Maybe... but I didn't like

the way he ran after it.

But he couldn't afford

to lose his hat!

Aye. But he should have run

after it more reverently.

Not that i'm

criticizing him.

Criticizing. Hah!

You all make an idol

of the man.

It's true.

Aye, but we cannot help it.

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