The Song of Bernadette Page #6

She can't go on like this.

Night after night.

My poor little one,

what have they done to you?

Speak to me.

If I can't go and see her anymore,

I shall die.

You shall see her.

I don't care what Sister Vauzous says.

You will go again to Massabielle,

and no one will prevent you...

...and if they lock me up,

well, let them.

But you shall see her.

[CHUCKLING]

I hope Baron Massey

subscribes to this paper.

Sounds a little different

from the last editorial, doesn't it?

Listen to this.

"The officials at Lourdes

are to be highly commended...

...for stamping out

these disgusting spectacles".

But I have a feeling they will return

to criticism again tomorrow.

What makes you think that?

Because I am a man

of greater vision than you, monsieur.

Especially when I sit

in this particular chair.

JACOMET:
I told them, if they did

this again, I'd put all of them in jail.

Careful, commissioner.

If you do that, I'll have to

release them in 10 minutes...

...and then we would look foolish.

There must be some law to stop them.

- Commissioner...

- I know, they're going to Massabielle.

- You don't have to tell me. I've got eyes.

- They're not going to Massabielle.

- No?

- They've already been.

They were there at 5 this morning.

They're on their way to the dean.

- The dean?

CALLET:
Yes.

The girl said the lady gave her

a message for him.

Well, it seems the gods

have finally sided with us.

Gentlemen, maybe now the Church

will be forced to take a stand...

...whether it wants to or not.

SOUBIROUS:

Excuse me, Your Reverence.

What do you want? Who are you?

- Bernadette Soubirous.

- Oh.

So you're the urchin

every idiot in France is talking about.

Do your courtiers and servants

always follow you?

If any of that crowd

dare to enter my garden...

...I'll have them arrested.

Well, speak. What do you want of me?

- The lady told me...

- What lady?

- The lady in Massabielle.

- Don't know her.

She's a beautiful lady

who comes to me...

Is she from Lourdes?

- No.

- Have you asked her name?

Yes, but she gives no answer.

Perhaps she is deaf and dumb.

Oh, no, she speaks to me.

What does she say?

Just now the lady said,

"Please go to the priests...

...and tell them

a chapel is to be built here".

Priests? What does that mean?

It appears your lady

is a confirmed heathen.

The very cannibals have priests.

We Catholics have religious,

each with a specific title.

But the lady did say "priests".

Well, you've come to the wrong place,

anyhow.

Have you any money to build a chapel?

No, I have no money at all.

Then you go tell your lady...

...if she wants a chapel,

she'll need money.

- Yes, Ill...

- And you can also tell her...

...the dean of Lourdes considers it

unfitting for a lady...

...to climb barefoot on rocks...

...and to send gibbering adolescents

with messages.

And, what's more, once and for all,

he demands she leave him in peace.

- Do you understand?

- Yes, Your Reverence.

- I'll tell her everything...

- Just one moment.

Do you see this broom?

- Yes, Your Reverence.

- Then listen carefully.

If you dare to annoy me ever again...

...I'll take this broom,

and, with my own hands, I'll...

[KNOCKING]

PEYRAMALE:

Come in.

BERNADETTE:

I forgot something, Your Reverence.

The lady also said,

"Let processions come hither".

Processions, eh?

And do you think tomorrow

would be soon enough for your lady?

Yes, I'm sure she would be delighted.

Now that I've given you

the messages, ILL...

One moment.

I'll decide when you're to go.

Close the door.

I want you to convey

a message to your lady for me.

You find her quite extraordinary,

don't you?

Oh, yes, Your Reverence.

Good.

We shall find

how extraordinary she is.

I have heard that there's a wild rosebush

growing in the grotto. Is that true?

Oh, yes. Right under the niche

where the lady always stands.

Splendid.

I want you to tell the lady this:

The dean of Lourdes would like her

to perform a little miracle.

He would like her to make

the wild rosebush bloom now...

...this last week in February.

- Do you understand?

- Yes, Your Reverence.

Then repeat what I said.

"The dean of Lourdes would like the lady

to perform a little miracle...

...to make the wild rosebush bloom now,

this last week in February".

Is that correct?

Yes.

I'll tell the lady.

Good day, Your Reverence.

CALLET:

Squad, halt!

JACOMET:

Well, gentlemen...

...I'm off to see the miracle.

Bring me back a dozen roses,

will you, please?

I rather think I'll bring you back

a hundred dozen disillusioned people.

[CHUCKLES]

The dean set no definite time.

Why do you assume

that today's the day?

We don't. Her followers did that.

"It shall be on Thursday," they said.

Why Thursday?

Because someone figured out that she

first saw the lady on a Thursday...

...the lady returned to her

on a Thursday...

...so naturally,

the buds shall burst on a Thursday.

Buds or no buds,

you'll never destroy that girl's faith.

Can you say the same of the crowd?

Wouldn't we be surprised

if the bush did bloom today.

Don't underestimate

the dean of Lourdes.

Who is the best authority on roses

in this district?

Peyramale.

The weather too, for that matter.

You mean you think the dean...?

I merely think it is singularly strange

that Peyramale, of all people...

...picks a rosebush, of all things,

to demonstrate a miracle.

Why didn't he ask the lady

to make the rock into a white horse...

...or change the river water into wine?

[LACADE CHUCKLING]

- Anything yet?

- No.

- Then nothing will happen.

NICOLAU:
Shh!

ANTOINE:

Quiet! Keep still.

It's no use, I tell you.

The bush will not bloom.

Shh. Will you keep quiet?

All right, but you will see.

Life is not like that.

I don't see something. Do you?

LAD Y:
Go to the spring.

Drink of the water and wash there.

No, not the river.

Not the river?

The spring, yonder. Eat of the plants.

Eat of the plants.

- What's she doing now?

- Shh.

LAD Y:

Drink of the spring and wash there.

To the spring?

Drink of the water and wash myself?

What is she looking for?

She uses her nose like a pig.

Yes, and she roots up the ground.

[LAUGHING]

LOUISE:

Come, darling.

No, no, I must wash myself

in the spring.

LOUISE:

There's no spring here, Bernadette.

There is. There is.

The lady said so.

Come.

[CROWD LAUGHING]

- Citizens!

- Shh!

At last, you've seen with your own eyes

what we officials have known all along...

...that this story of the Blessed Virgin

was born in a sick and warped mind.

You've been duped by an idiot.

I beg of you,

go back to your homes...

...and never return here again.

[MUMBLING]

MAN:

Fall in!

BOURIETTE:

Don't be sad, Antoine.

I told you not to hope too much.

I knew it would not bloom.

You must learn to expect nothing

from God...

...and when you get nothing,

you won't be disappointed.

Keep still.

Go away and let me alone.

From the time we are knee-high...

...they tell us the Blessed Virgin

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