The Little Minister Page #8

Please.

I shall then.

Weary will go with you.

Aye.

Hurry.

You'll wait for me?

Aye.

I'll not be long.

Uh?

Ach.

Oh, it's a weary world,

And women is the most

uncanniest things in it.

Mrs. Dishart?

Why, no, she-

What did you want?

Who are you?

Uh...

I'm a friend of

mr. Dishart's.

He told me to wait

for him here.

Where is

the minister?

He's going over

to his church.

It's true then

what they say.

He was with you.

Oh, how could you?!

How could you let

him stay away

From his prayer

meeting?

I didn't know.

Do you think if i

had known that i...

I love him.

I could near

believe it

From the look

in your eyes.

And yet...

Have you no heard

He's been put out

of his church?

Oh, no.

But he done nothing wrong.

I'll go and tell them.

No, no. Don't.

They'd never

listen to you.

Who is it, jean?

It's...

It's just somebody to

see the minister, ma'am.

SayI'll be

right down.

It's the mistress.

Oh, if we could only

keep it from her.

She'll have to

learn, but-

Tell her never to mind.

Tell her I couldn't wait,

i've gone.

Good evening.

I'm mrs. Dishart,

The minister's mother.

How do you do?

Isn't it a dreadful night?

Put on

the kettle, jean.

He won't be long.

His meeting is over,

Or jean ought

not be back.

Child, you're shivering.

And wet.

Come in here

by the fire.

Jean will be in with

the tea directly.

Oh, let me have

that wet cape.

Just sit here.

I'll have jean dry this.

Child...

Why, you're crying.

Now, now.

Don't do that.

Mrs. Dishart,

What if I were

to tell you that

You were no

longer to be

The mistress

of this manse?

And that it was

because of me?

You're the girl

my son loves.

Oh, I think I almost

knew it in my heart

When I first saw you.

I have so wondered

what you would be like.

Has he told you

about me?

No.

But when a young man

tells his mother

That if the right

girl comes along

He will marry so that

she will have a daughter

To love and care

for her, too,

The mother knows

That the right girl

isn't so very far away.

Gavin will tell you,

My prayers have ever been

for his happiness.

In that, I will

see my own.

Good evening,

mr. Whammond.

The...

The minister,

he's no home.

You sure of that?

Aye, i'm sure.

Where is he?

He's gone to

the church.

How do you know?

Because that's where

he said he was going.

Then you've seen him.

Was anybody with him?

No, no,

mr. Whammond.

If he's no at

the kirk,

We'll be back,

jean proctor.

We'll have words

with him this night.

I could swear I heard

somebody talking inside.

We'll have a look

through the window.

Who was it, jean?

I, uh...

Oh.

It was mr. Whammond, ma'am,

To say that

the minister

Would be late

at the church.

And he came through all

this rain to tell me,

The chief elder.

Why didn't you

ask him in?

He...

He seemed to be in a

terrible hurry, ma'am.

That's a pity.

Jean.

Aye, ma'am?

The... the blind

was up a bit,

And I thought...

I want you to go

upstairs, jean.

And on the top shelf

in my wardrobe

You'll find a wee box.

Wait.

I think i'd

better go myself.

Oh, no, please.

It's getting late.

Some other time.

It won't take

but a minute.

I want you to see how

light his hair used to be.

They're out there.

It's her.

It's the woman.

In our manse.

She's terrible grand

for a gypsy.

Did you see

that dress?

I'm thinking

she stole it.

Aye.

What can we do?

It will kill her.

Go upstairs, jean,

And keep her

from coming down.

I'll try to get

rid of them.

What can i

say to her?

Anything, anything.

It doesn't matter.

Hurry.

Um...

Um...

Won't you come in?

Jean is upstairs

with mrs. Dishart,

So I answered

the door for her.

Please come in.

The cheek of her!

I'll have the fire

nice and bright

For you in a minute.

There is nothing like

a nice bright fire

When you've been

out in the rain.

Is it still coming

down as hard as ever?

Woman...

What are you

doing here?

The minister

was kind enough

To give me shelter

out of the rain.

If he hadn't, I don't know

what I should have done.

He is no longer

our minister.

And he no longer

has the right

To shelter anybody

under this roof.

Where is he?

He has gone

to the church

To explain to you

Why he was not at

his prayer meeting.

We know why.

Do you or do

you no deny

That he had his

arms around you

This night?

See?

We know everything.

No, you don't.

If you did,

You would know

we've done

Nothing to be

ashamed of.

Aye.

We're well aware that

you have no shame.

But the minister...

Making lover's meetings

stealthily by night

With a-

That's not true.

You should not

need to be told

That your minister is

incapable of such a thing.

And there's something

more you ought to know.

I am-

Silence, woman!

Do you stand there

and tell a man

That's been an elder

of the kirk

6 and 20 years what

he ought to know?

Where's mrs. Dishart?

I'll have the keys.

Oh, now please.

You're not

gonna tell her.

At least let her hear

it from his own lips.

It will not

sound so cruel.

I must do my duty.

Oh.

Out of my way, woman.

No.

Would you have

me dishonored

In the sight of god?

Dishonored in

the sight of god

Because you might

permit your heart

To rule your

stubborn mind?

Because you might

refrain from speaking

The word that

will destroy

This innocent

woman's happiness?

She's coming down.

I could not keep

her longer.

Please.

I'm sorry for

what i've said.

I know you must

be a kind man,

But don't tell

her it tonight.

Let her learn

it tomorrow.

It can be

no great sin

To give her one

more happy night.

I'll go away.

I'll never

see him again.

I swear it-

She's coming.

Oh,

mr. Whammond.

Did the rain

drive you back?

Here,

put this on.

It will

keep you warm.

Oh, you shouldn't

have come out

On a night like this

Just to relieve

my mind.

I did no come to

relieve your mind.

Aye, mr. Munn,

and mr. Spens.

Oh, I know it

wasn't for me.

But for my son.

But, mr. Whammond,

Is that going to make me

think the less of you?

Here.

Give me your things.

No, I cannot stop.

I have something here

i want you to see.

I brought it down

to show the young lady.

I know you'll be

interested, too.

Come and sit down.

Here, mr. Whammond,

In the minister's chair.

It's no intended for me

To sit in

the minister's chair.

But the mantle

of chief elder

Of the auld licht kirk

Has been wrapped

around me,

And I must do my duty.

Aye, and don't you.

The minister's

always telling me

How he couldn't

carry on his work

Without you-

And you, mr. Munn.

And you, too,

mr. Spens.

Let's see.

His hair.

His baby hair.

Do no give it to me.

Do not give me

that bit hair.

You won't hurt it.

If fondling

would hurt it,

It wouldn't

be here now.

I cannot help boasting

about him a little.

He's been so terribly

near me always.

Mrs. Dishart,

Your son may be

all the earth to you,

But my eldership

is as much to me.

Of course.

Not everybody can

be a minister.

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