The Song of Bernadette Page #5

Madame Davan! Madame Davan!

WOMAN:

They're arresting Bernadette.

Madame Probert! Madame Probert!

Look what those pigs are doing!

[SPEAKS IN FRENCH]

Do you know who I am?

Oh, yes, monsieur.

You are the imperial prosecutor.

And that title means...

...that I have been appointed

by His Majesty, the emperor.

He has vested in me the power

to punish anyone...

...who perpetrates a fraud

against this community.

Now do you understand my position?

Oh, yes, you're much the same

as Monsieur Jacomet.

A good deal more.

I am his superior officer.

He hunts down the criminals and

swindlers. I send them to prison.

- Oh.

- Now, bearing in mind my title...

...and realizing the extent

of my authority...

...I ask you never again

to go to Massabielle.

Oh, but I must, monsieur.

The lady has asked me.

Now, there you go again

with this lady.

Bernadette, you'll admit

you are very ignorant...

...the worst pupil in the school.

That is true, monsieur,

I am very stupid.

Then take heed

when intelligent people assure you...

...that this lady is only

a childish bit of imagination...

...an absurd dream.

The first time I saw the lady,

I thought it was a dream too.

DUTOUR:
There, now.

Now, that wasn't so stupid.

Once you can mistake a dream

for something real, but not six times.

Isn't it strange that

until your first visit to Massabielle...

...your family was destitute?

Now your mother is employed

by a wealthy family...

...and your father has a steady job...

...and your followers have

showered your household...

...with clothing and foodstuffs.

Now, if the court were to decide...

...that your lady represents

a profitable business scheme...

...it would go very hard with you.

I have not accepted one thing,

monsieur...

...because I knew the lady

would not like it.

Look, my child, I am trying to help you.

He's using the wrong technique.

He'll get nowhere.

DUTOUR:

I am not asking you to retract anything.

I merely want you to promise me

that you will accept my counsel.

If I can, monsieur, I will.

Good. Now...

...put your hand in mine...

...and promise me that you will not go

to the grotto again.

That I cannot promise, monsieur.

Let me remind you

that I am the imperial prosecutor.

I know, monsieur.

You told me that before.

Now, listen carefully, Bernadette.

In the next room is Jacomet.

He is cruel and mean.

Furthermore, he believes that everyone

should be treated like a criminal.

If you refuse me,

I will be forced to turn you over to him.

I can promise you it will be horrible.

He will have you cringing and crying

in no time...

...but I can spare you all this

if you will only be reasonable.

Well, what is your answer?

It is the same, monsieur.

I must keep my promise to the lady.

Very well!

I am finished with you.

If you're intent

upon your own destruction...

...go.

Yes, monsieur.

What's your name?

But you know my name, monsieur.

What's your name?

Soubirous, Bernadette.

Before I go further...

...I want you to know I will write down

everything you say.

Such a paper is known as a deposition...

...to be sent to the imperial prefect

at Tarbes.

Besides, we also have Monsieur Estrade

for a witness.

Be very careful what you say.

Now...

...about this lady you claim to see.

Do you know who she is?

No, monsieur, I don't.

What does she wear?

A white veil with a blue girdle...

...and there's a rose on each foot.

She stands quite still,

like a statue in church?

No, she's ever so natural.

She moves about and talks to me.

She greets the people,

and even laughs.

Hmm.

Do your parents believe

this story of yours?

No, monsieur, I don't think they do.

And yet you expect me to believe

when your own parents don't?

If your lady were real,

wouldn't other people see her too?

I don't see why they can't.

She's there.

Now, pay attention.

I'm going to read your answers

back to you...

...so you can confirm their correctness.

"Bernadette Soubirous declares the lady

wears a blue veil and white girdle".

No, a white veil and a blue girdle.

You're contradicting yourself,

you said a white girdle.

You must have made a mistake

in writing it down.

"Bernadette Soubirous declares...

...the lady resembles the statue of the

Blessed Virgin in the parish church".

No, that's not true.

The lady has nothing to do

with the Blessed Virgin in the church.

That's enough.

Nothing but a complete confession

could save you now.

Tell me the names of those

in league with you...

...and don't lie,

because I know every one of them.

I don't understand

what you're saying, monsieur.

JACOMET:

Well, I'll tell you.

Certain persons have put you up

to circulating this disgusting story.

They've trained you, stupid as you are...

...to reel off by rote

exactly what they taught you.

Now, tell me. Who are these people?

But you said a moment ago, monsieur,

you knew them.

The police are outside,

awaiting my orders to take you to jail.

But if you promise before this witness

never to go to Massabielle again...

No! I must keep my promise

to the lady.

You want me to call the police?

If the police take me, I can't help it.

And that's not all.

I'll have your parents

thrown into jail too.

The rest of your family will starve.

[KNOCKING]

Come in!

What the devil do you want?

My child, that's all I want.

My child.

Listen, Soubirous, this business

at the grotto has got to stop.

- I won't stand it any longer.

- So help me God...

...that's all I want too.

It's destroying my family.

The girl's a minor.

You're responsible for her.

Forbid her to go out except to school.

Lock her up at home...

...because if you don't,

I'll lock up the whole bunch of you.

Now, get out.

God help you

if I have to summon you again.

Well, monsieur, what do you think of it?

DUTOUR:
I think you were extremely

fortunate in having the father break in...

...just when he did.

SISTER:
The authorities preventing

her going to Massabielle...

...has made her seem more important

to her schoolmates.

That is most unfortunate.

The children whisper about nothing else.

I'd hoped, with your permission,

to talk to them...

No. The bishop of Tarbes has forbidden us

to recognize the situation...

...and he's right in doing so.

Do you remember that girl in Avignon,

Rose Tamisier?

She claimed to have seen

the Most Blessed Virgin also.

The vicar general of that diocese

was patient and understanding.

Consequently, the people

mistook his attitude for approbation.

Then, later, when the child

was exposed as a fraud...

...the Church was looked upon

as her partner in crime.

Immediately, atheism flared up,

and the anticlerical forces triumphed.

That is not going to happen here.

What I had in mind, Father, could

hardly be construed as approbation.

I plan to make an example of her

in front of the class.

- Ridicule?

- Yes, Father.

You have my permission to try it.

Good day, Sister.

Good day, Father. Thank you.

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