The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years Page #6

to decide if I love

her more than God.

But you wouldn't leave the Church.

No.

No, she deserves the best

that life can give her...

and I don't think that's me.

So it's all right?

I wish it were that easy.

Look.

Where's the ward? Thank you.

So silly, all this

rain here in Sydney...

and 1,000 miles away, we're

desperate for one drop.

Now, what did the

specialist say, Jack?

Same as all the others.

You ain't going to get any

grandsons out of me, Mom.

Half a man, that's what I am now.

Don't talk like that, you

can still have a fine life.

It was never very important before,

getting married, having kids.

Plenty of time for that, I

thought. Any bloke can do that.

That's the easy part.

I was wrong.

-Im sorry, Mom.

-Don't be silly.

I know how much you wanted grandchildren

to carry on the family line.

I have grandchildren:

Justine and Dane.

Yeah, but they're Luke's kids.

They're not Clearys to carry

on at Drogheda, are they?

''Sons,'' you always used to say.

''Sons are what a mother cares about.''

All your sons have been

a disappointment to you.

Stu's dead, Frank locked up

for the rest of his life...

and now me.

My sons have been my greatest joy.

-Momma...

-It is God's will, dear.

We must trust in him.

-What is it?

-It's Luke.

He thinks you're encouraging

Dane to become a priest.

-I won't be a problem much longer.

-Why?

Because you're leaving...

and when you all move away,

he won't have to see me again.

-But Ill still see you.

-No, Meggie.

Sooner or later, Ill be

going back to Rome, and...

you two have a life together

that doesn't include me.

We can still see each

other while you're here.

-You're part of my life.

-Im part of your past.

You've chosen a new life with

Luke, which is right and proper...

though I don't think

it'll be easy for you.

The last thing you need

at the moment is me.

Im upsetting you,

making Luke angry...

and hurting myself.

I didn't want to come back here.

And when I had to,

I swore to myself...

that Id see you as

little as possible.

What a fool I was.

What I really wanted

was for things...

to be as they always

had been between us.

But you're right.

Too much has changed.

Go with Luke...

and find as much

happiness as you can.

Well, here we are.

Home sweet home.

It's fine.

-Where's all the livestock?

-There ain't none yet.

This place hasn't been worked in years.

That's why I picked it up for a song.

We'll get some stock cheap...

and we'll have it looking

like a farm in no time.

Come on, Dane, let's find a creek.

Of course, it needs a

bit of fixing up, but...

It's a great big kitchen...

and the stoves come off the hearth.

Ill get you a new one

in a couple of years.

A bit of soap and water, you

won't even know the place.

You can hang the baby's

things up here. And look.

We can put Justine in there...

and Dane can go in here.

And this...

And this is us.

So, what do you think?

-It's awful, Luke.

-It's not that bad.

It is. It's terrible.

It's gonna take months to

make this place livable.

When it does, we can put the

cot there for the little one.

And then, when he gets bigger,

he can move in with Dane.

So what's the bed like?

I don't know. You try.

Im going to go make a cup of tea.

Well, this is the life.

All the family together.

What are we gonna do about school,

Dad? Will we still use the wireless?

At least you'll be going to

school in Sydney next year.

I have to wait another two.

Dane, your father doesn't

want you to go to Sydney.

He needs you here

on the farm, you see.

There's a school at

Gladstone, 20 miles away.

It's a good school for country boys.

-Is it Catholic?

-No.

Then why do I have to go there?

Because your father says so, darling.

-But Im going to be a priest.

-No, you ain't.

lf you feel the same

when you leave school...

-we'll talk about it then, all right?

-No, we won't.

It's not for now...

it's for always.

He'll never be able to have children.

Never have sons.

He'll never know the beauty

of God's greatest gift.

How can you do it?

How can you possibly

choose a life like yours?

How can you not want

to have children?

I wanted to make the sacrifice...

to prove my love for God.

You have every right

to be here, of course.

But you must know, I would

much rather you weren't.

You think I don't know

about you and Meggie?

Mary Carson knew.

She knew it the moment she

saw the two of you meet...

all those years ago.

And I think I always knew it, too.

But I didn't want to believe it.

And now, just when I thought everything

was over, you had to come back.

Fee, Im a priest.

There's nothing between us.

Then either Im a

fool, or you're a liar.

No, you're not a fool,

and Im not a liar.

That's all over now.

She's chosen Luke.

She chose Luke once before.

Look what happened then.

Do you really think

Meggie doesn't love you?

She doesn't want Luke. She

wants a father for the children.

She wants you.

And all you would have to do

is to say the word, one word...

and she would be with

you in a heartbeat.

I can't.

I am nothing, I have nothing.

Is that what you told her?

Don't do to Meggie what

you did to Mary Carson.

Don't destroy her with love.

Grandma!

You should see the new farm, it's

awful. But Dad's going to fix it up.

How's Uncle Jack?

When's he coming home?

Not for a while, dear.

You're still here?

-He won't let me be a priest.

-That's enough.

You don't discuss family

business with strangers.

-Ralph is not a stranger.

-He is to me.

Id like to hear what

the boy has to say.

No.

Dane's my son, and Ill

bring him up my way.

I don't want you interfering with his

education. I want you off this place.

This is Church property, Luke. And

the Church demands that I be here.

Ill stay as long as they need me.

Then we'll get out of your way.

My family and I will be out of

this place by the end of the week.

What?

And if I ever catch you

sniffing around my boy...

or my wife, or

anything else of mine...

Ill break your bloody neck.

Luke, please.

Luke, we cannot go to the farm,

not yet. There's too much to do.

We're getting out of here.

There's a curse on this place.

There's no running water,

the house is falling down.

So we'll have to

rough it for a while.

But Im not going to be lorded

over by some snotty-nosed priest.

He's just trying to help.

I don't want his help, I

want him out of my life.

I want him out of Dane's life,

and I want him out of your life.

Im not going, Luke, not

until the farm is ready.

-You're my wife and you'll go where I say.

-You don't own me!

This is the same as last time, me

dancing to your beck and call...

stuck in some dump

somewhere, never seeing you.

-It's him, isn't it? That priest.

-Don't be ridiculous.

I never understood

before, but I do now.

So how many times has he

had his grubby hands on you?

Don't you ever say that!

-Luke!

-Im sorry.

The baby, Luke, the baby!

Mr. O'Neill...

there was nothing we could do

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes