It is not our responsibility
to give the devil a chance to repent.
He must perish with her.
-Fear is guiding your words.
-God guides my words,
and Lucifer will be guiding hers.
-We must listen to them nevertheless.
She is no devil.
-Doubt clouds your mind, my friend.
-Her eyes...
Cannot but think about them.
-We must turn to the Lord's Prayer.
-Today is the 3rd of December, the year 1843.
We proceed in the interrogation of Maiden Mary,
in regards to the tragic events that have occurred at the farm
following her grandmother's sudden departure.
Do you understand the charges
that have been proffered against you?
-Yes.
-Could you recite the Lord's Prayer for us?
-Our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive them that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
-What's a man of the law to do,
when he finds himself at a crossroad?
Perform his duty,
or lend an ear to curiosity?
-Which path appeases you the most, Constable?
-Speak freely.
-It's Mary.
Our daughter's ears are deaf to the Lord's preachings.
She continues to engage in acts with the housemaid.
-They look at one another.
They long for one another's touch,
and they do so in bright sunlight,
trying to make rule of it.
-All she does is deny it.
There's no reasoning with her.
-The Lord does not excuse such abominable behaviors.
-Rightfully so.
-Randolph and I ask for your intervention, Mother,
to teach the maid and Mary a lesson.
-Have your brother come to the farm.
-Please, Eustace.
-You do realize you're asking a lot of me?
-Eleanor is a fine worker.
I would not ask you to take her word
if not for the distraction she causes to our daughter.
-Why would we harbor such a sinful presence
in our household?
-But taking her away from temptation might heal her.
-She knows how to read.
She can provide good help.
-We seek to eradicate the evil flower by cutting the stem,
but the roots are too deep.
I'm afraid it would grow again.
Correction is needed before we move her.
-Knees and prayers.
-Set your affection on things above,
not on things on the earth,
for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ and God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears,
then you shall also appear with him and God.
-You.
Continue now.
-I can't.
I c-can't. I-I do not know the verses.
-Go ahead, Mary.
-It -- It hurts too much.
-Mortify --
Mortify... therefore...your members
which are upon the earth --
fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection,
evil concupiscence,
and covetousness, which is idolatry.
-It is time to rest now.
-Ah, ah.
We all convey that our poorly-instructed friend
should spend the night thinking of the next words to say.
Do we not? -Yes.
-You speak well, Mother.
-Mary.
-Ye--Yes.
-Will you satisfy an inquiry of mine, Constable?
Will you share the words your deputy whispered in your ear
before he left the room?
-For this purpose, the son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the devil.
-Lucifer was an angel before we cast the name
of the devil upon him.
-What's that to say?
-That God creates enemies in order to perform his good.
-Does your mind carry troubles?
-I saw Eleanor and Sister Mary being punished last night.
What was the cause of it?
-Do you ever wonder what keeps the guard around?
He attempted to escape once.
He ran away in the middle of the day
toward the other side of the river,
where Father Eustace, Mother Ann, and I live.
My father caught him and made sure he would never run again.
-No! No!
-After that, he forced him to kneel on rice
every night for one week.
Cousin Mary and the maid play a dangerous game
and were punished accordingly.
-I can't spend my days without you.
-It's a risk. We can't be seen together.
-Let a few days pass.
-But they'll take...
away from me.
-I won't let them, my dear.
I won't.
-Ah!
-You should go. You should go.
-What have I done to deserve such fare?
Food sharpens the senses.
They say lack of it makes mine sharper.
That's the price they pay for exceptional service.
Fear and weakness keep us here...
not devotion.
Feed it to the chickens, if you wish.
-We cannot trust him.
-I think it could work.
-But he answers to my family.
-Let me speak with him.
He is our only option.
-Matthew.
It's past bedtime.
Why do you linger?
-Did they ever let you wander through the woods?
Do you know what it looks like?
-I never saw it.
-Ah!
-What bothers your foot?
-Nothing.
-You have a bad splinter.
Don't move.
Do you trust me?
-You're not to leave the house this late of an hour.
-Make a deal with me.
Allow us to hide in the coop at night,
and make no mention of it.
I will feed you bread in return.
-This kitchen has never been so indulgent
with the people it feeds.
-I thought our guests had been finding the food pleasant.
-Perhaps --
Perhaps another correction is needed.
-When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then --
then you shall also appear with him in glory.
-Pleasantry is a dangerous road.
You ought not celebrate the ordinary days
more than the holy ones.
-My knees will break.
-So be it.
-I can't stand another correction.
-Then stand losing your night walks.
Enjoy the day, while it is bright out.
-I'll make more bread next week.
Please listen to reason.
-Let us end this.
Does the poison lack potency?
Or does my hand lack courage?
Make one more loaf.
I'll instruct you.
-Together in thy name, thou will be around us.
Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petition of us servants,
as may be most expedient for them,
granting us, in this world, knowledge of thy truth,
and in the worlds to come, life everlasting.
Amen.
-Grace to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
The love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost
be with you all evermore.
-Amen. -Amen.
-She's learning, is she not? -Mm.
Mary?
-Eleanor.
She held the book of prayer at the vesper.
Do you think the corrections are necessary?
-You speak against our course of action?
-She recited the prayers without fallacy.
-So?
-I fear the consequences, Agnes.
-What sort of consequences?
What is the matter?
-I cannot speak on this with knowledge.
I have but a percept.
-Our fate rests on this.
Test it, then come back to the house.
Do not indulge.
-Wait.
What happens when they see it?
-We'll say the rats did it.
-Stop. -Mary!
-Let's run away tonight and avoid us all troubles.
Uncle Eustace spends his nights in the house.
No one watches the other end of the field.
-What about Theodore?
-Wh-- He will not see us in the dark,
and his legs aren't strong enough to run --
-He deserves to leave, too.
-This is for us and for us only.
-I'm tired.
-Me, too.
-I'm tired of a life spent hiding.
They will not cease to torment us until they find us.
That is not a life I long for.
I'm not afraid.
-Yes?
-Matthew's left the house.
-"The Temple of Earthly Desires".
"Long ago, a starving peasant stumbled upon a desolate temple
on his way to the town of Ephesus.
He stepped inside to offer his prayers by the altar,
when his god spoke to him.
He summoned him to guard his temple day and night,
for only this way,
he could earn his place in the new heavenly kingdom.
Great provisions hid inside the temple,
of which the peasant was instructed to eat none.
Yet one night, slave to his hunger,
entrusting darkness to deceive his god's attention,
he came into the temple and stole a loaf of bread,
making a ravenous meal of it.
The god, whose ever-watching eye allowed no sin to go unnoticed,
unleashed all his anger, slaying the peasant,
and proclaiming that from that day on,
whoever attempted to ever satisfy his appetite
would meet great punishment."
-Read on.
I like the sound of your voice.
-I'm afraid of what I might learn if I indulge my curiosity.
Who is the Old Lady of Bethabara?
-"The Old Lady of Bethabara".
"There was a time --"
-Go back to the house. Now.
You must not speak of this.
-Eleanor?
Eleanor?
-Mary?
-Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth --
fornication, uncleanliness, inordinate affection,
evil concupiscence,
and covetousness, which is idolatry.
-You'll part this house soon.
-I am sorry.
I paid the price of my curiosity.
-Curiosity put a splinter in your foot, did it not?
You've been telling Mother and Father.
-I have not. -You are the cause of this.
-I am not. -Stop it.
Believe me.
You pay no price.
-Is the maid going to be moved?
-One proper correction.
Yes.
What troubles you?
-Something I dare not say, but I can't hold any longer.
-Then don't hold.
-I...
once had an old book.
That book speaks of...
things I never believed to be true.
Events that could bring death upon this family.
I brought that book into this house, and someone took it.
-What do you ask of me?
-Don't linger.
Move the maid now, today.
Sinful affection must remain the only evil...
...that I inspired my daughter to pursue.
-Tell me about the funeral.
-In our family, the relatives of the dead
make a vow of silence for the entire day.
-Go now. Go.
-Are you a member of the family?
-I am here for business.
-Today is a day of mourning, not for business.
-I only bring what I was called for.
May I lower my hands?
What happened to your chickens?
-The rats infested the coop.
Walk up to the house,
circle around to the left side.
There, you'll see a door.
The maid will open it to you.
Her name is Eleanor.
She can't talk.
-I was informed of the rule.
-No.
She cannot talk.
When you see her, you give her this.
I am no longer allowed inside the house,
and she needs this to prepare the meal.
-May I come in?
You can't talk, right?
My deepest condolences.
Sure you don't mind if I help?
This, it looks like a lot of work.
Mysterious, isn't it?
The human body.
Do you know what they call it?
I gather you don't get many books around here.
Hmm.
When I was born, my mother brought me to a doctor.
He looked at my face and said that it was caused
by an imperfection in my brain --
that I was going to look like this forever.
So she brought me to another doctor,
who told her he could burn the mark off with --
with a candle.
He said that it would continue to cause me great trouble
and still look hideous to the eye,
but that it would ultimately soften my demeanor.
No.
Then, a few years later, we saw a third doctor,
who mentioned an old little book he saw my face on.
He believed that a child born out of wedlock
would carry a physical mark of the sin that was committed.
Monstrous birth.
The doctor made her promise to dispose of me --
said my disappearance would signify
that a new heavenly kingdom was coming.
And my mother believed that.
I am very educated in the art of survival.
I stabbed my mother to death that very day.
Went back to the doctor,
forced him to devolve a large sum of money.
He agreed.
See, that is how trade works.
I gave him freedom.
He gave me money.
I gave you my chickens.
You gave me your pouch.
It appears as though I came with my own small pouch.
And like that stupid doctor had a desire for life,
the guard outside told me
that you show as great a desire for this.
Question is, what can you offer now?
-I know.
-I know my face is enemy of desire.
But can the mute girl excuse a sight for some time?
-Eleanor.
Can I take some bread with me?
Which one?
Is this one better?
Oh, yeah.
This one is soft.
Why?!
Why'd you do this?!
Whore! Why did you --
-This is what silence did to our family.
This is the real price of correction.
Speak, Father.
No one is watching.
Nobody cares!
Speak! Speak, Father! Speak!
-No eyes watch this household anymore.
Is it worth a loaf of bread?
Which one?
You knew I would come back.
-You don't have to do this.
Please go home.
-Had my face not caused you enough distress...
...what would this have done?
Hmm?
Mnh-mnh.
I asked the guard why he would not wave this pistol
and demand the fare he deserves.
He said he only had two bullets.
-You can stay here.
We will leave.
They hide gold in this house.
There's a lot of it. I -- I will tell you where it is.
We will leave.
Isn't that right, Eleanor?
Eleanor?
Who broke the silence?
Who called you to bring business to this house?
Whose voice did you hear?
-It is misguided to fight me.
For our story, we must draw inspiration
from the book your father brought into this house.
-"There was a time in Bethabara,
a small town east of Jericho, when a noblewoman loved
one of her female servants to great distraction."
-Read on.
I like the sound of your voice.
-"One day, the twain wandered by the west bank
of the River Jordan.
They undid their robes and bathed together.
Great quiet held the noontime hour,
until a passerby, an old lady, came into the flowing river
and saw the noblewoman and her servant.
Seeing the old lady, they jumped at her and killed her
to avoid any mention of what she saw.
The following day, they returned upon the riverbank,
wretched women, and found the old lady
standing alive by means of divine intervention.
'My God demanded that this shall be the land
upon which I build a house in his praise,' she said,
wrought and hard.
'And whoever desecrates it,
that a heavy price shall they behold.'
The old lady drowned the servant to death
and blinded the noblewoman,
marking her with the third sign of God's newly desired kingdom."
-At last we stand,
serving as examples of His whole new heaven.
-Raise your hands and turn slowly.
-I cannot escape you, O God.
Here is for my eyes.
Here is for my clothes.
In you, I rest.
All that was earthly, all that was mortal, I embraced it.
Earth is far gone.
I fear by your light now.
Let me mourn for a day.
Only one day more.
Let silence facilitate my prayer.
Place food to my feet, and listen to my story.
I see the doubts that cloud your mind.
I know the voice that called you here.