The Little Minister Page #5

Yet if he were to

be led astray,

I'd be the first to

cut him out of my heart.

I'd rise

against him,

And the whole congregation

would rise with me

And pronounce

his doom.

John, man, you make me

shiver to the marrow!

Yes, I believe in you.

But henceforth, you must send your

money to nanny by another messenger.

You're a gypsy...

and i'm a minister.

I refuse to see you again.

I'm not angry with you,

but as a minister-

the lady looked o'er

her window so high

and oh, but she

looked weary

and there she spied the great

argyle, come to-

What are you doing up there?

Come down at once!

"come down, come down,

lady margaret," he said-

If you don't come down

this instant and give me

What I was foolish enough

to come for...

I wouldn't have kissed

thee, great argyle

I wouldn't have kissed

thee fairly-

You've deceived nanny, and

brought me here to make fun of me.

I'll have no more

to do with you.

I'm coming down,

And i've got the money.

Did you know that you were

speaking to yourself?

Oh, you're mistaken.

I was speaking to you.

I was saying that...

there is a difference

Between a minister

and a gypsy.

But if i'm willing

to overlook it...

I cannot allow you to talk

disrespectfully of my calling.

It's the highest

a man can follow.

I suppose one must be

very clever

To be a minister.

Oh-

And it must be nice to be able

to speak for a whole hour

To people who can neither

answer nor run away.

Is it true that before

you start to preach,

You lock the doors,

to keep the congregation in?

I must leave you

if you talk that way.

Well, i...

I only wanted to know.

Tell me who you are,

babbie.

I want to know your people,

your father and mother.

Why?

Because I like

their daughter.

Oh, you are

really good.

But you will never

know my parents.

Are they dead?

Maybe.

But babbie, the time

has come when I must know

Everything of you

that is to be known.

You're no gypsy.

No?

That dress is

but a disguise.

Oh.

Where did you get

that ring?

Why

- Tell me how you got it!

I must know.

Must know-?

Where did you get

that ring?

Good afternoon to you!

It's not good afternoon.

It's good-Bye forever,

unless you answer me.

As you please.

I will not tell you

where I got my ring.

It's no affair of yours.

Yes, babbie, it is.

Well?

I thought you were going.

I was...

Brushing my hat.

You want me to go?

You can go if you like.

But you said...

No, I didn't.

You're...

You're crying!

Because you're so unfeeling!

What have I said?

What have I done?

Oh, I should have

gone away at once!

Ohh! You're hardhearted

and cruel!

What have I done?

You said you wished

you'd gone away!

But surely

you asked me to go!

How can you

say that? Ohh!

On my word

i thought you did!

And now i've

made you unhappy.

Oh, babbie,

i'm a hopeless lout.

Oh, no, you're

really not.

Babbie... i...

I've never kissed

a woman before.

Before what,

little minister?

Oh! Uh...

Ohh.

Ohh.

Ohhhh!

If I were a man, I should

choose to be everything i'm not

And nothing that I am.

I would scorn

to be a liar.

I would try to fight the

world honestly, but... but...

I'm only a woman,

and so... well...

That's the kind of a man

i'd like to marry!

A minister may be

all these things.

The man I could love must not

spend his days in idleness

As the men I know do.

I do not.

He must be brave,

no mere worker among others,

But a leader of men-

All ministers are.

Who makes his influence felt,

assuredly.

And takes the side of the weak

against the strong,

Even if the strong be in the

right. Always my tendency.

A man who has a mind of his own,

and having once made it up,

Stands to it in defiance-

Of his congregation.

Of the world.

He must understand me,

i do.

And compel me

to do his bidding;

Yes, even thrash me if-

If you won't listen to-

He must not yield

to my coaxing

Or temper-

That would be weakness!

He must rule me.

He must be my-

Your lord

and master!

Babbie,

i am that man!

If you'd come home,

father,

The minister might never

ken you broke your promise

And took a wee drop.

I don't care what

the minister kens.

He's not the man

i thought him.

Be off with you!

Aye! So this is what your

conversion amounts to.

If you were half a man, rob dow,

The very thought of what

mr. Dishart has done for you

Would make you run past

the public houses.

It's the thought of him

sends me running to them!

Leave me alone.

Not till you tell me

Why you of all people are

speaking against the minister.

Say again that I was

speaking against the minister

AndI'll practice on you

what I intend for her.

Who is she?

Who's what? The woman

whom the minister-

I said nothing

about a woman!

Doctor, i'm ready to

swear before a bailie

I never saw them

together at the old mill.

The old mill!

Poof! You only mean the egyptian. Aye.

Make your mind easy

about this, rob.

I know why he met her there.

Do you know that

she has bewitched him?

Do you know that I saw him

trying to put his arms around her?

Do you know they have

a trysting place

At the old mill?

No, no, doctor!

I'm drunk! Roaring

drunk! Ha ha!

It wasn't the minister I saw at all.

It was another man.

Was not

that lightning?

I think not, mother.

Don't be frightened.

I'm never frightened

when you're with me.

And I always

will be with you.

Aye. But if

you were married?

Do you think that would

make any difference to you?

Except that you'd have a daughter

to love and take care of you,

As well as a son.

Gavin, I often think you

would be better married.

But when it comes to

selecting the woman,

I grow fearful.

I wonder what sort of

woman would content you.

Of course, she would be

a member of auld licht.

Aye, gavin, a truly

religious wife

Would be a great

help to you.

Religious.

If a woman is good,

she is religious, mother.

A good woman who has been,

Let us say,

foolishly brought up

Needs only to be

shown the right way.

I question whether any man,

minister or layman,

Ever yet fell in love because

a woman was thrifty or clever,

Or went to church

twice on the sabbath.

I believe that is true.

But as you said yourself

In the pulpit

two weeks ago,

It's an awful thing to worship

only at a beautiful face.

Mother, you think too much

about what I say in the pulpit.

I hope that lightning

stops soon.

I don't think there

will be any more.

Good night, gavin.

Good night.

And don't sit up

any later.

No.

Babbie, what is it?

Nothing.

I must go.

Babbie, tell me

what's happened

To bring you here

at this hour.

I thought that you'd

be glad to see me.

I'm very sorry

to see you.

Well, then

i'll go at once.

Yes, you must go at once.

Then I won't.

Yes, you will.

Henceforth,

you must do as I see fit.

Since when have you

taken command of me?

Since a moment ago,

when you let me kiss you.

Let you?

Oh, you did it

yourself.

I was very angry.

No, you were not.

Come. I'll carry

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