Episode 4 The Village

This programme contains some scenes

which some viewers may find upsetting.

My war wound.

Still tingles whenever I talk about it.

July 1st, 1916.

The day of the Rondo.

No-one knows why it's called that.

The Rondo is just the Rondo and always has been.

A race round the cricket pitch, pushing a wheelbarrow,

for all the men in the village.

Only that summer, there was no men between the ages of 18 and 41,

so for the first time in history it was decided to make it a boys' race.

I made it hard for myself.

Stupid.

I made it a matter of life and death.

How?

By deciding that me winning the Rondo would keep Joe safe

and that losing it would mean...

-JOE:

-'We could have our own secret code, you and me.

'A wiggly line if we're going over the top.'

She's sick, John.

Go for the doctor.

Go!

Scarlet fever.

Is there anything we can do for her?

Cold flannels.

Pray.

Thank you.

BABY CRIES

I'll pray for her.

Everything for a reason.

Is this my punishment?

He's a-waiting for you.

BABY CRIES

Writing to Joe?

Don't tell him about Mary.

I don't want him worried.

It's contagious.

Now, you be a good lad for Margaret, hmm?

Who will be saved?

Who will come forward now

and embrace the Lord in all of his mercy?

My love...

Stay with me...

Stay with me...

How's your sister?

Fine, fine.

And Martha?

Oh, she'll be fine.

Touch and go for a while now.

There's a medicine called Three In One.

The vets won't prescribe it,

but ask any dairy farmer and they swear by it.

Some of them give it to their children.

Miracle cure, really.

"Why isn't he in France?" It's what they're all asking.

Born in the Big House and he doesn't have to go.

I don't think that...

Look at them.

They despise me for it.

To be saved...

to be sure of a place in the great upstairs...

you have to confess all of your sins.

Am I right?

Yes.

You should do it, Bairstow.

Save yourself.

I look in the mirror

and I remember I'm elected to serve all the people of this village.

But the thing that pains me is knowing that to do it well,

to serve my constituents...

I need to know what they're thinking,

hoping for, dreaming about, what they're afraid of.

I'm only one man.

I can't possibly know what's in all of their heads, all of the time.

You need eyes and ears.

Hmm, yes.

A mole in the village.

Well, that's not how I would describe it.

How much?

Caro?

Caro?

Caro?

Caro?

Caro, why don't you stop?

SHE MOANS

Thank you.

No, no. It was you who brought me to Him.

Martha.

Take my thanks and know that

if there's anything I can do in return, I will do it.

Very gladly.

You know, the reformed sinner makes the ideal missionary.

John!

SHE STRUGGLES TO BREATHE

Shhh.

Shhh.

HE GRUNTS

It's Daddy, love.

Sshhh.

SHE BREATHES RASPILY

Sshhh.

It's all right, it's all right.

HE WHISPERS

She's breathing easier.

She's good. Oh, my love!

It's a miracle.

Martha! Martha? Martha? Who would do this?

No!

Martha?

Dear Lord, our father, we thank you for the life of this child.

We thank you for bringing her back to us and answering our prayers.

For you alone can give life.

COW MOANS

It's going to be all right.

GUNSHOT

GUNSHOT

I have to do this first thing now because I'm so busy at the school.

When will they find a proper teacher?

HE LAUGHS

Oh.

HE LAUGHS

Was there something you wanted to ask me about?

I walked away from a prayer.

They were giving thanks because Mary's better and I felt...

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come.

They?

Your daughter and my husband.

You felt...?

I've only just got him back. He's been...

Away, drinking.

And Mary's safe.

I'm so happy and relieved, but there's something else.

I know it's a sin.

I'm jealous.

Of who?

There has to be a subject for such a feeling.

John found a miracle cure. I don't know where he got it.

Three In One on the bottle, they call it.

The Holy Trinity in a bottle.

SHE LAUGHS

John wasn't laughing.

It's God, isn't it?

You're jealous of God.

He didn't save John. You did. Is that what you think?

I'm sorry.

Years of him coming home drunk and no food in the house.

The children hungry and what there was to eat,

you gave to them and starved yourself.

And probably he beat you too, didn't he?

And you stayed there and kept the marriage.

And your patience and your endurance and your grace saved him.

It was you. Not God.

Yes.

I understand.

And not her, either?

Martha...she's done so much for him, for us, for...

She's a saint, really.

She puts us all to shame. I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean you.

No. Me too. Put to shame, by my daughter.

Who is a saint, really.

BELL RINGS

Communing with the dead?

Nothing so profound.

It's your job. Looked at in one way.

A cow was mutilated, her udder punctured with a knife.

Last night at the Big House.

I wanted you to know

because I thought you might help control the reaction.

What do you mean?

It was a theft.

That's why whoever did this was there in the middle of the night.

It would help if the village understood that.

A theft from a cow shed? Of what?

Three In One, it's called.

-Medicine.

-Yeah.

I wanted you to know, so that rumour, when it comes,

and it always does come, might be contained.

I'm asking you to manage your flock.

Where have you been?

Spreading the word.

Cows are in.

Is supper not ready?

No.

I can help you find Him.

I don't want Him. I want you.

Who do you think he is?

Are you saying that one day he gives himself to God,

the next he's a thief and a savage?

I'm just telling you, the evidence against him is strong.

Well, it can't be right.

A bottle of medicine was stolen from the cow shed

where the cow was mutilated.

John Middleton has that bottle.

How do you know that?

-I just do.

-But how?

Acquiring a Christian faith means a man cannot do wrong?

Do you believe that's all there is to it?

He'll be a condemned man if this evidence is heard.

Because of his past, nobody will listen to him.

You'll be condemning a rescued soul.

You want me to keep this from the authorities, hmm?

You're asking me to lie!

I'm asking you to trust in God.

Lie down.

Why?

Lie down.

Why?

Lie down.

You will do everything I say.

You will not speak unless you are spoken to.

You will remain in bed and prone at all times.

No reading, sewing or any other activity.

You will be fed seven times a day.

And you will finish what you are given seven times a day

without complaint.

At the end of your treatment, you will be well again.

Do you understand?

Rest.

Did I say you could do that?

Understand this. I will make her better.

Who is the... the head of this household?

Neither of you. It's her.

She is attention-seeking and self-pitying,

and you are just the audience for these theatrics.

The actress does with the audience what she will.

May I ask how you propose to cure my sister?

No.

All I need from you is to place all, and I mean all,

your trust in me.

Who would do such a thing to a cow?

Anything else?

There was a theft of some cow medicine. It's a difficult case.

What time was it?

Late.

Why were you in the field?

Crossing it home.

I'm sorry?

Short cut back from Lamb.

Had he been drinking?

Hard to say.

Where were you last night?

Here.

Shifty.

Yes.

Lying.

People lie for lots of reasons.

You should watch the cow shed tonight.

Why would the culprit return the next night?

You're right. The culprit wouldn't.

It wasn't stealing, I'd always planned to put it back.

And you have.

I only used a tiny bit.

I just put a tiny bit of the medicine on the end of me finger,

just on the end of my little finger, for Mary,

like, like when you suckle a...a new-born calf.

Do they want some money for the medicine we used?

It's a deep puncture wound,

probably made with a short, double edged knife.

The culprit would have had to be in very close.

There will be blood splattered all over the man who did this.

What are you saying?

John Middleton was there on the same night and he didn't do it?

There will be no blood on John Middleton's clothing.

Machine gun.

IMITATES MACHINE GUN FIRE

Die! Die!

Good.

Single shot, sniper.

Bert.

MIMICS CHOKING, DYING

What will we do?

You'll go back to Margaret's.

Why?

Because I have to work.

I don't want to go to Margaret's. It's sad there.

Do you have to work?

Yes.

Just us girls together.

If you were men...

If we were men, you'd be paying us more.

-You wouldn't be complaining.

-Because we'd be paid more.

Look, we all have to make sacrifices during wartime.

SHE COUGHS

And you women...

-I'm not asking for equal pay.

-Are you not?

I'm asking for better conditions so that we can work harder,

sacrifice more, increase your profit,

and make better boots for our men at the front.

We need inducements and encouragements, we need to be told

how much we mean to you, so that we can give our best. Us women.

What do you want?

SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR

-Er, no.

-Why not?

-She can't bring her baby in here.

She doesn't have a choice.

Her name's Mary.

Give it back!

Can anyone tell me where the Vikings came from?

Germany?

CHILDREN LAUGH

Germans and Germany are not the source of all evil.

They want to kill us, don't they?

And we want to kill them.

They're evil.

That's stupid!

That's a stupid thing to say.

There's a big attack coming. And the Pals are in it.

How do you know that?

Gilbert?

Gilbert?

How do you know? Hmm?

Why are you so late home?

I got kept behind at school.

Why?

Son?

For not liking the Germans.

SHE COUGHS

What does Martha Lane say about that cough?

She's planning a walkout.

She's a fine woman.

In what way?

Every way.

You like her?

What man wouldn't?

More than me?

I can't see a weakness in her.

But that might be because I'm a man.

Maybe it takes a woman to see another woman's weakness.

A soft spot.

Oh, she has one of them.

Who for?

Later.

SHE MOANS

Who does she have a soft spot for?

Tell me you love me.

Who is it?!

I love you.

She's self-appointed,

but she has the support of all women in the factory.

In some ways, it's worse for you than having an organised

trade union to deal with.

She's a completely free agent. No negotiating structures.

She just pushes Hankin around.

My brother's in love with her.

She's not in love with him.

DOOR OPENS

What is it they feed you?

Milk. It's like a veal calf.

Hmm.

I told you to relinquish responsibility and authority to me.

Sorry?

And now you have been appointed by the family or you have

decided yourself to speak with me. both of which imply you have

retained some status, which I have insisted you give to me.

Do what I say and I will cure your sister.

Refuse and you will have an hysteric in your lives for ever.

Which is it to be?

Have it.

Dr Wylie.

It's yours.

John?

Grace?

We're all right.

We'll be all right.

John?

Yes. Good.

And you?

The Lord is with me.

Not having the body to bury...

Must be hard.

Of course, it makes it easy for them to lie to you.

Nearly every man killed in France has had an easy death.

And when there's no body, no-one at home can say it wasn't.

Who told you?

Joe Middleton.

Then he'll know the truth about it. Trouble is, he's over there.

But he would have told someone when he was at home.

Maybe not his family, but someone.

Too much to carry otherwise.

Thank you.

Our Father, who art in heaven

Hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done

On Earth, as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses...

I wouldn't mind if you wanted to give him a word of comfort.

Hello? >

No. It's fine.

Hello!

When does he...?

They'll come for him Monday.

Hello. >

Hello? >

Did Joe tell you that Paul's death were easy?

Yes.

Did Joe tell you that Paul's death were easy?

You owe me the truth.

Yes.

I need to speak to you.

Before you speak to anyone else. And in private.

Paul died some time ago.

Your failure to come to terms with it is damaging, to all of us.

Your bitterness is selfish.

It won't help you if the village is forced to turn away from you.

Who do you think you are to speak to me like this?

I'm appointed spokeswoman for the Church Craft League.

I don't know how my son died, or where.

His best friend was sent home to lie to me about his last moments.

Bitter?

Bitter?!

Oh, I am much, much more than bitter!

If you refuse to put the greater good above

your own self-interest, we will have to fight you.

-Norma.

-I need your support.

For what?

The Church Craft League. We need to stand together.

It's, er, it's not the right time.

We're two years into this war. How we conduct our...

I said, it's not the right time!

For who?

Me. Norma.

For me.

There's no blood. And no hole over his heart.

Gas, do you think?

What does God say?

He, er...

..moves in mysterious ways.

And...

Speak to my...

Speak to my daughter.

You see? Look what she's done to you.

She's poisonous, that woman.

I need your help.

Father?

I can't do it any more.

What?

Lie to them.

Who?

Children need their teacher to believe in what she says.

She?

Do this for me.

-But the women at the factory need me. Now is such a...

-I need you.

I'm your father.

I won't let them do this to you.

Trust me.

There's something that I think you should know.

Erm, I'm...

I'm very...

I'm so glad that you're here.

Is that what you want to say?

THEY LAUGH

I'd rather you didn't.

How do you know I've been speaking with Caro?

You're taking away her spirit.

Well, of course. What did you think? She has to surrender.

She has to be taught to make the will of the man her own.

How else do you think she can be cured?

I think you're after power for its own sake.

You're not interested in curing Caro at all.

I'm going to forgive that remark.

Put it down to youth and displaced anger.

What anger?

Did you want to go to France?

Yes.

And your sister begged you to stay.

Yes.

Good day.

The bloat face sits fat in plumped-up down

Veal pale with deeping eyes that move too slowly

Now unlubricated by the sprink of thinking

My hushed up, milk-heavy sister.

DOOR OPENS

SHE MOANS IN PROTEST

SHE MOANS

Yes, please.

DOOR CLOSES

SHE CRIES OUT

SHE CRIES

DOOR OPENS

What have they done to you?

What have you done to her?

Veal pale with deeping eyes.

No.

My milk-heavy sister.

Car, no.

Juvenile. But it is your voice.

Caro.

Caro. I'm sorry.

Caro.

It would be best, in the interests of the patient,

if George were to leave.

Well...

Where would he go?

I don't know how his exemption came about.

But I do know, however, what, or rather who, motivated it.

My concern is solely and exclusively for my patient.

Leave. Lock the door.

RUSTLING AND CREAKING

CLOCK CHIMES

I'll do it.

I'll carry on the fight.

PANTING

I hope the rain stays away for the big day.

Paul won it in the rain.

I remember.

Two years ago.

Is this us not talking about John?

What will you do if he goes to prison?

I don't know.

Maybe the war will end and Joe will come home and...

Happily ever after.

Shall we have that, Margaret? Shall we have happily ever after?

I miss him so much.

This is the only place where I feel safe.

Or is it freedom?

Maybe they're the same thing.

-Grace?

-What?

I don't know what you're on about.

THEY LAUGH

We used to laugh.

Yes.

But we're talking. You and me.

And that's such a blessing.

Your father ran the Rondo the first year we were married.

I was pregnant with Joe.

I think he did it to show off and tell me that he loved me

because he wasn't very good at saying it.

I made a fool of myself by shouting my head almost off during the race.

I didn't care that people thought me improper.

I was in love and I was growing a child inside of me

and that child was Joe.

I felt like a big shout.

Did he win?

Second. Rutter beat him.

He said if he did it again, he'd get to the front, hold the inside and

run his heart out and over his dead body would anybody come past him.

"That's the brave way to do it," he said.

SHE CHUCKLES

We were happy.

Will you come and watch?

SHE LAUGHS

COWS MOO

APPLAUSE

Welcome to our annual village Rondo.

Now, after much deliberation, I have decided

the honour for starting this year's race will go to...

Margaret Boden.

CROWD APPLAUD

Please come forward, Mrs Boden.

Ready!

Ready.

Steady!

Steady!

GUNSHOT

WHISTLE BLOWS

CROWD CHEER

Go on!

Come on.

Go on.

Go on, son.

Go on!

Go on, son!

Go on! Go on!

Go on.

CROWD CHEER

GUNSHOT

HE SCREAMS

Congratulations. The winner!

CROWD CHEER

Oh, God.

SHE PANTS

GUNSHOT

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd