Original subtitles

Good evening.

A palmist recommended that I open a butcher shop.

Actually, she didn't read my palm.

She got no further than my thumb. She felt I was well endowed for the

I have a chopping block and a cold room.

Are you decent?

I want to be sure that all the meat is dressed.

This evening's play takes place in the Far East.

However, it is the Occidentals who prove inscrutable.

The story also shatters another cliche when it demonstrates that a rectangle

be just as dramatic as a triangle. But first, a word from a gentleman who is

always welcome to enjoy the hospitality of my air -conditioned guest room.

Our sponsor.

Do not be too effusive until you know why the society sent him.

You told me before.

Do I?

You are the best judge of that, my dear.

Hello there.

At last I meet thee, Brother Fitzgibbon. I am delighted to have you visit our

medical missionary, Brother Sprague.

My wife, Lucy.

How do you do?

And my wife, Mary?

I hope the river trip wasn't too uncomfortable.

We could have sent the jeep, but Jawal was repairing it.

Ramna, see that the baggage is placed in the house.

Let's get out of this infested area. The river shore is the worst, you know.

Worst? For insects. Not only the creeping and crawling, but the flying

well. And this one is wrong.

Yes, Mother Fitzgibbon? I was not speaking to you. I was speaking of you.

You know he's not cleaning the path for me. It's his belief not to kill

anything.

I try to explain, or my husband does, that is, medically speaking, that

are terrible, but they think it's heaven's will.

Not really that dangerous, is it?

Hurry in, quickly.

Do you think this region would be so infected with horrible diseases if it

weren't true?

Or that our medical clinic wouldn't be necessary?

Set out the luncheon in one half hour.

Show Brother Sprague about.

Well, Brother Fitzgibbons, at last we meet.

I can't tell you how I've admired you all these years.

Unwarranted.

Anyone who locks himself into this place and tries to feed these people toward

God in practical ways.

Ways you can feel and touch.

Giving people sulfur or quinine isn't a divine function.

But someone must do it. And you.

And my wife.

Yes, of course.

You've both sacrificed so much to stay here.

Build this wonderful medical missionary.

And to think you've accomplished so much with so little.

So little for so long a time.

I'm at your service, Brother Fitzgibbons.

I'm here to help you in any way I can.

Would you like to go to your room and freshen up, my dear?

A bath.

You're rather pretty.

I've had a very easy life.

Your husband has been a missionary. That is never easy.

He's a kind man.

He does everything for me, everything.

I have very little to do for myself.

He must be a good man.

A very good human being.

Perhaps too good.

You are a vain man.

A minor vice.

There is no such thing as a minor vice.

Trimming a mustache harms no one.

It's so difficult for you to be the kind of missionary you should be.

I have a good reputation.

Because I have made sure of it.

Yes, you have.

You begrudge me that recognition.

I'm the first to admit it.

I have loved you.

I don't know if I still do.

I've had to forget my needs and devote myself to your works.

So people on the outside would view you as a great medical missionary.

I will not have that destroyed.

No one's trying to.

Then why are they here?

We've always needed help.

We didn't ask for help.

He's a good, kind person.

The missionary society is not about testing you this way.

They have a reputation to protect, too.

His wife doesn't like this place.

How do you know?

She told me.

When?

Tell me when.

I was with you most of the day.

When did you have time to talk with her?

Tell me, when did you have time to talk with her alone?

I don't know.

Sometime during the course of the day or the evening.

Then you must have talked of other things.

What about?

Tell me.

Oh, you foolish man.

You think a pretty young thing like that is worth secrets from me.

Well, I know your vanities. I've seen them.

I swear.

I'm the book I would swear, please.

Well, I'm sorry.

I want to pretend.

you from others from what they would do to your reputation what is it you want

more than anything else in the world your fame in the missionary society

as a great medical missionary do you think young people

like that would come down here just to help

They'll move around. They'll ask questions. They'll seek out information.

They'll inquire about how many lives you've saved.

How many illnesses you've cured. How will you show them that?

Tell me.

Will you be such a hero then?

Will you be the great leader sacrificing in the name of the Lord?

Will you?

You know what they'll find out, don't you?

And then you...

You'll be recalled.

You'll be made a fool of in the eyes of all the truly capable and dedicated

people who have looked after you.

You're right.

All I have is a reputation.

That's all I have.

Get out of the water!

Get out! It's dangerous!

You better do as he says, Lucy.

And when Ramna didn't say it was dangerous.

Oh, natives do not think most of the things that cause sickness are

But I've never worried about it.

My wife never worries about anything. She's an inveterate optimist.

Living in a place like this for a while will soon rob you of that.

It isn't all that bad.

Well, it's not my imagination that people have been killed by river

poisoned on the land here by stepping off into the brush.

And it isn't my imagination that disease is rampant.

Is it?

Of course not.

We have epidemics here, too.

The yaws, cholera.

It happens regularly.

One up in the plateau country now. We'll be taking up supplies.

The natives must be very appreciative.

Why? For helping them. You know your occidental theology, but you apparently

haven't studied the tribal systems in this region.

I know about the village system of controls. I've done a great deal of

about it.

I speak of their views that most of the world outside their individual villages

is composed of hostile and vengeful forces.

I find that very hard to believe.

Because the idea of having either victory or vengeance is alien to you?

Because vengeance is alien.

People are the same everywhere.

Basically the same. And don't people in London or New York or Buenos Aires all

form their own little circles?

And don't they find all the other little circles and consider them the enemy?

And don't families become villages unto themselves?

And where there are no children?

I don't know what you mean. I think she means with that reasoning, husbands and

wives become like separate villages themselves, each against the other.

I'm afraid I must deny it all. People are the same.

Sure, they are afraid, of course.

But more people die from natural causes than they do from murder or suicide,

even if you include war.

More people are helping each other.

There's an overwhelming abiding goodness that denies vengeance or anything like

it.

My husband and I have never had an argument.

Neither have we.

The day is getting on. I'm going marketing. Do you mind if I join you?

To go marketing?

I'd like to see as much of the surrounding country, the interior, as I

Oh, of course.

I'll stay here.

It's rather dull.

The clinic is dull.

Well, we don't... My husband doesn't allow visitors.

I can help.

My dear, I have been around it for years.

And I still find it quite disgusting at times.

Are you a nurse?

I have had training.

So have I.

I can always use some extra help.

Come along, Brother Sprague. I like to be there and back before dark.

Thank you for letting Lucy help, Brother Fitzgibbon.

If nothing more is wished, I shall drive mother Fitzgibbon.

Shall we begin?

How long has it been since you've done any of this

work? Two years.

They come in with infected bites.

Ulcerations ignored too long.

Sometimes there's nothing left to do but amputate. It gets to the bone.

Just tell me what you want me to do.

Good morning. Come in.

Do as I ask. Do not assume.

This is not an infection.

It is a kind of tinea. We use ammoniated mercury.

You're not going, Madame Fitzgibbons?

I would like to speak with you for a moment.

I won't stand for it. She's only helping me.

What if you get a difficult case?

What if she finds out that you cannot handle them yourself? What happens then?

can handle it.

Without me?

I don't know.

Why didn't you refuse to let her help you?

Why didn't you send Romney to market? Why didn't you stay?

To help you so they wouldn't know.

To plan everything. Everything has to be your plan.

Would you rather have that woman work with you in the clinic instead of me?

What's wrong with that?

They'll destroy our work. I won't let people like that ruin what we've built.

I won't let that common little woman... But you speak of them as devils. They're

missionaries.

Didn't they lie to us?

Did they?

tell us that she was a nurse before they came here? Did anyone?

They lied to us.

A runner from the north came in. He says the cholera has spread to his villages.

That's terrible.

I'll have the supplies loaded.

You can take them.

I'll stay here in the village, in the clinic.

You've been working very hard the past week.

So have you.

Because I find it exciting.

Helping other people always is.

Going from village to village will take a long time.

A trip only takes a day or so.

You're too tired to go.

I'm the only one who can.

I am tired.

Do you think it would be an imposition if I asked your husband to go?

Cholera is highly contagious.

I know what precautions to take.

What if I wanted you to stay?

Well, you know the answer.

I ask you not to carry the medicine.

To stay with me.

If that's what you want.

And the natives who need the supplies?

Why do you test me this way? You know I love you.

Do you think I say these things to test your love?

What are the reasons?

None.

If you really want me to stay... I want you to do whatever you want to do.

It's good you and your husband are so skilled medically.

You don't like me, do you?

Why didn't you go with your husband? I would have gone with mine.

In this place, to argue like ordinary people, like women who had no concern

anything but their own welfare.

Neither of you are like that.

Shall we go in?

Dinner will be soon.

Bring him in here.

You won't be needed here, but I can help.

Jungle Cat has mangled his knee and calf.

I'll have to rejoin the tendons.

You?

You can't begin to... Get the natives outside.

Lock that door.

Prepare the instruments.

Wash the man's wound.

How would it be?

If they knew about this, how would it be then?

I'm so tired.

We should let the Missionary Society send someone to take over.

They have.

If you hate it so much, why defend it?

Because it's our only creation.

It's the only thing I have created as your wife.

It's the only thing you have created as my husband.

You go on to bed.

I'll finish up in here.

Did you save the man?

Did you?

Yes, I saved him.

It's beautiful here tonight.

The river always is.

Not to your wife.

It has its dangers, too.

Are you defending her?

Of course not.

Why does she frighten herself with all the horrors of living?

Aren't there horrors in living?

I'm sure there are.

But I haven't seen very many.

Your husband sees them for you.

My husband sees only the good in humankind.

Only the good.

Is a robot ride on the river dangerous?

I find it difficult to believe that anyone like him could come here for

but the most altruistic reasons.

The kindest of motives.

Is it a safe ride now?

If one knows the hidden tree stumps and rocks.

parents missionaries?

No.

Most women can't stand this life unless they've experienced it before.

Then maybe I find it difficult.

You expect to remain?

My husband is a very dedicated man.

So am I.

But you allow for more than love.

In what way?

Vengeance.

You said so.

Who do you want to defeat?

No one.

Then why does it appeal to you?

I'm married to a wonderful man.

I like him, I respect him, I even honor him.

He does so much for everyone.

He is here to help you, really.

To help others.

He even helped me.

How?

By loving me?

No woman ever had such devotion.

I had so much done for her.

He would give me luxuries and go without necessities.

He would ignore his own health, but always protect mine.

He never showed hurt or anger or selfishness, but was always aware of my

my feelings.

Was I too hot? Was I too cold? Was I...

Lacking for entertainment. Was I sad? Was I content?

Me.

Always me.

I can never be equal to such a love.

It is too great a burden.

In the ancient roots of the Japanese culture, one was born with an

to the emperor.

It could never be repaid, but one must struggle to repay it by a lifetime of

service and devotion.

It was co -own and go -own. We have it in our world, don't we?

We westernized humanists.

We enslave each other with our dispassionate loves more than our

ones.

You're a very unusual man for a missionary.

With his goodness, he shall enslave you.

With his kindness, he shall take over your work.

With his self -sacrifice, he shall order your life.

And with no one saved from this co -own or go -own, could no one

save anyone else?

Beautiful women are their own salvation.

Am I?

You know you are.

Only if someone tells me.

If I were your husband, I wouldn't praise your sweetness or your kindness.

I wouldn't praise your gentleness or nobility.

I would praise your beauty. I would praise it.

Sing it.

I was watching when you came back with her.

Why?

I fell asleep.

And then I awakened. Something told me something. I don't know what.

And then I waited.

He wanted to find out if Brother... She is a vile being.

In a way, you were right about him.

About both of them.

But only in a way.

She is his ally.

He wouldn't do it out of selfishness.

Out of a desire to give of himself.

He's a zealot.

Not to dominate, but to serve.

They want this place.

That's all that is important.

Not the way you think.

He would try to help everyone.

To give too much of himself.

Where did you go with her?

You think she's different.

The book is full of women like her who use themselves.

to gain their own advantage, who let men use them to get their advantage.

That's not true.

He may be a weak man, but she is a vision from the devil.

She is willful and demonic.

I won't allow her to live here.

You hate her because she is young.

Thank you.

Our local stations have become restive. I believe they have something to confide

in you, following which we shall have the second half of our story.

The messenger didn't get to me till this morning.

How is my wife?

Yesterday.

Perhaps at the same hour.

She died of cholera.

Cholera is a quick and terrible thing.

But it is God's way.

No!

Fitzgibbons! Where's brother Fitzgibbons?

They are gone, sir. Gone?

He said his wife was broken by the loss of your wife.

He said that years of working and this terrible thing.

He said she must leave the jungle for a while.

Where's my wife buried?

In the jungle.

Show me your grave.

I cannot.

It was cholera.

Even a...

Even what? Tell me.

Even a body dead from cholera is contagious.

I must find it now.

He alone buried it, sir.

He will be back, sir.

He took the boat down the river to the small airfield.

And when he returns, it takes a long trip by boat.

She didn't want to come to this place.

You must not blame yourself, sir.

Each person blames themselves as if the will of God were in their hands.

I should have listened.

She said, whatever you want to do.

She said, this time you must say what you want.

It was the work I wanted.

I didn't really hear her.

You must have rest, sir.

Tell me again what happened.

It was a pleasant dinner that evening.

Your wife and Madame Fitzgibbons talked kindly.

She talked much with our teacher about work.

and people here, and things.

And then she seemed quiet and went to bed.

Couldn't they see she was ill?

Couldn't they tell they've had experience?

Your wife, she did not complain.

She said only that she was tired, I think.

Then, in the middle of the night, there were noises of running about, of voices.

And in the morning, I was setting the table for breakfast.

Our teacher came down.

and told me the terrible news of her illness.

I sent a runner to get you.

You were exposed to her, too?

Our teacher protected me by making sure I had no further contact.

They were most considerate, sir.

Most considerate.

How long does the river trip take?

There, two days.

Back in three.

The bedding your wife used.

They said it was with germs.

Yes, of course. They had to.

The cholera killed her very quickly.

I suppose it did.

You say it's so strange.

I know.

Something happened?

Something very bad.

She did not die of cholera.

The grave is sealed.

Our lives are not involved.

That is something for the police to find out.

You can't tell me where the grave is.

No, sir.

And you can't find it.

Only our teacher can.

Tell me again what happened.

You are so changed. Tell me what happened!

They talked.

They ate dinner.

Your wife became ill. And 24 hours later she was dead?

Yes. 24 hours for cholera?

It has happened. When?

I have heard it has happened.

Where? Inland from here. A man? A woman?

A woman. How old?

I'm not sure.

When?

One year.

No. Two years. I...

Stop it. Tell him.

Tell him what? Something bad happened.

No. That doesn't matter for the police.

Police?

I know nothing.

I saw nothing.

Tell me what happened.

I have told you.

I am telling you. I keep telling you. Not everything.

Just something.

I never lied. You said you heard a scream.

But I told you it's impossible.

Chavo, you read the jungle.

You want to find the grave, put a marking on it, a stone?

And to convince myself my wife died of cholera within 24 hours after giving it.

To convince yourself?

By prayer?

Goodbye.

How long has our teacher been gone from your sight?

Maybe ten, fifteen minutes.

Was it ten or was it fifteen?

Ten. And you heard no sound of his walking around here, of branches

For a few minutes. The burden of the coffin was heavy.

Let's get on. The time was spent in walking. The grave must have been made

beforehand, sir.

You will both go back to the house and wait now.

I was not partner to it.

Tell me what you heard.

Madam Fitzgibbons threatened your wife.

Why would she kill her?

Could they have arrived at the airport by this time?

I do not think so.

You show me the way.

Jarwal knows it better.

You're my witness.

I heard only screams.

I did not see if he or his wife did it.

Which way?

I'm not sure. It won't go easy if you lie.

What do you mean?

The grave is open.

Someone who was there will be held responsible for her death by the police.

Will your almighty forgive you?

Does yours punish the innocent and let the guilty go free?

The path to the left.

When did that take passengers from here? Four days ago.

None since then?

It lands only when they're passengers or packages. We have a radio.

What if they come by river? Where would they stop?

One kilometer down that road.

Why do you ask, sir?

You make me a murderer, too.

It isn't murder.

Vengeance.

Vengeance is a kind of justice.

Do not kill the woman.

The biblical law.

I beg of you.

The triumph of good over evil.

No!

If one of your people's sacred animals was killed, would the killer go free?

would punish him!

I've seen mobs tear a man to pieces for doing it. God would punish them!

And we are the will of God's law, no matter what we do.

Sprague! No!

Don't! Let me tell you!

I have only a moment to tell you the rest of the story.

Mr. Sprague was apprehended and punished, which seems to be precisely

happening to me, although I don't understand why.

I do know one thing.

python meat. This will appear to be the end of my part of the program.