Witness Page #15

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RACHEL:

(continuing)

Wait for me downstairs.

Samuel quickly exits, and Rachel angrily advances on

Book.

RACHEL:

(continuing)

John Book, I would appreciate it

if, during the time you are with

us, you would have as little to do

with Samuel as possible.

92 CONTINUED:
(2)

92

BOOK:

Nobody meant any harm. The boy was

Curious. I unloaded the gun -

RACHEL:

It's not the gun. Don't you

understand... It's you. What you

stand for.

(and)

That is not for Samuel.

Book looks at her thoughtfully.

Rachel softens a bit:

RACHEL:

Please, it has nothing to do with

you personally.

He hands her the holstered gun and the loose bullets.

BOOK:

Put it up someplace Samuel can't

get it.

A beat, then Rachel, takes the pistol and starts to go.

Book stops her:

BOOK:

(continuing)

Friends?

Rachel glances back at him, smiles and nods. And...

CUT TO:

93 INT. KITCHEN - LAPP FARMHOUSE - NIGHT

93

Book's holstered gun and bullets at center table. Eli

sits on one side, a chastened Samuel on the other.

Rachel looks on from the b.g.

Eli knows that this is as important a dialogue as he

will ever have with his grandson: at issue is one of

the central pillars of the Amish way.

ELI:

The gun - that gun of the hand -

is for the taking of human life.

Would you kill another man? Eh?

Samuel stares at it, not meeting his grandfather's

eyes. Eli leans

forward, extends his hands ceremonially.

ELI (CONT.)

What you take into your hands, you

take into your heart.

A beat, then Samuel musters some defiance.

SAMUEL:

I would only kill a bad man.

ELI:

Only a bad man. I see. And you

know these bad men on sight? You

are able to look into their hearts

and see this badness?

SAMUEL:

I can see what they do.

Now he meets Eli's eyes:

SAMUEL (CONT.)

I have seen it.

Eli expels a deep sigh; then:

ELI:

And having seen, you would become

one of them?

(intent...gesturing)

Don't you see...? The hand leads

the arm leads the shoulder leads

the head...leads the heart. The

one goes into the other into the

other into the other....And you

have changed, and gone amongst them ...

He breaks off, bows his head for a moment. Then he

fixes the boy with a stern eye and, driving he heel of

his palm firmly into the tabletop with enormous

intensity:

ELI (CONT.)

"Wherefore come out from among

them and be ye separate, saith

the Lord!"

93 CONTINUED (2) 93

ELI (CONT.)

(indicating pistol;

continuing from

Corinthians 6:
17)

"And touch not the unclean thing!"

His intensity tinged with righteous anger, he is hugely

impressive.

93A WASHHOUSE - NEAR KITCHEN - NIGHT

93A

Book stands near the door to the kitchen, and has heard

most or all of Eli's words. He turns, and painfully

makes his way into the washhouse, moving quietly,

hoping no one will come out from the kitchen.

93B EXT. BARN - LAPP FARM - DAY

93B

Samuel harnesses up the family mare, and backs her into

the traces of the buggy.

93C INT. BOOK'S BEDROOM - DAY

93C

Book stands at the window in a worn robe. Below,

through the window, we can see Samuel and Eli in

the barnyard

A beat, then Book crosses impatiently back to his bed,

sits down, picks up a dog-earred copy of The American

Dairyman. There's a stack of well-thumbed farm

magazines and copies of The Budget (the Amish

newspaper)

on the bedside table.

There's a knock. Rachel enters carrying aspire of

clothing. She smiles.

RACHEL:

Enjoying your reading?

BOOK:

Very interesting. I'm learn-

ing a lot about manure.

(eyes the clothing)

What's that?

RACHEL:

Your shirt and jacket are still

stained with blooded I have

them soaking You can wear these.

She passes the clothes to Book

93C CONTINUED

93C

BOOK:

Your husband's?

RACHEL:

Yes. It's good that someone

can have the use of them.

Besides, in your clothes you'd

stand out to strangers.

She continues, cheerfully.

RACHEL (CONT.)

I should tell you these do

not have buttons.

(shows him)

See? Hooks and eyes.

BOOK:

Something wrong with buttons?

RACHEL:

Buttons are hochmut.

BOOK:

Hochmut?

RACHEL:

Vain. Proud. Such a per-

son is hochmutsnarr. He is

not plain.

BOOK:

(nodding)

Anything against zippers?

RACHEL:

(almost blushing)

You make fun of me. Like

the tourists. Driving by

all the time. Some even

come into the yard. Very rude.

They seem to think we are

quaint.

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