" The body of Christ." " The body of Christ." "No, it ain't." "We both know it's the only way to reach the boy." "Enter." "The Sheriffs here for his piece of the gate." "What time is it?" "Almost sundown." "You slept clean through the day." " l got to go." " No, you don't." "Leave me alone. I shouldn't be in here." " l should have never come in here." " You were bone-tired." "You were babbling about them dreams." " Thing just happened." " lt's a sin." "Nobody tells me what to do in my bed." " including the Lord." " Don't touch me." "You never mind about him." "Here, why don't you just take these dresses to Lila for mending?" "I never did it again. lt's not funny." "What?" "How did that get in there?" "It's supposed to be in there." "It's mescal." "The Mexicans say, if you swallow that little fella, it gives you magic powers." "Course, you already got magic powers." "Not me. lt's Mama." "Her magic ain't so great." "I've never seen her be wrong." "What she sees in the cards is true." "But she said we were gonna get out of here." "She was wrong about that one." "Yeah." "You know who you remind me of?" "Katharine Hepburn." "You're crazy." "No, I'm serious." "Like in Morning Glory." "She's so strong." "I don't want to say strange-looking..." " Thanks." " That's not what I meant at all." "What?" "Exotic?" "Hypnotic." "Come on, take the last sip." "I think I'm gonna be sick." "You're here for the fiesta, senor?" "Fiesta?" " What are they celebrating?" " The return of the souls." "To la Muerte." "We raise our glass to her." "Does she scare you?" "I've seen people die." "I ain't got no money." "What?" "Tell them I don't have anything." " They know." " What's wrong with them, then?" "They are weeping." " Why?" " For your loss." "Even the dead must eat." "Amen." "Kneel, my son." "How long has it been since your last confession?" "I've never done this before." "Do you wish to confess your sins, that they may be forgiven?" "By you?" "In the eyes of the Lord." "He can't make it right." "I killed a man." "Yes." "And I done impure things with a woman I wasn't married to." "I lied." "I stole." "Go on." "I let her die." "Your mother chose to die." "Who are you?" "Last Sunday, I saw something." "Something I can't explain in any rational way." "What do you mean?" "When I made the sign of the cross on his forehead, the holy water turned to blood." "Blood?" "I'm sure you're mistaken." "I'm an old man, Iris." "But I'm not a fool. I know what I saw." "I'm sure it was just the light." "Or maybe you were tired." "It's time to face facts." "Perhaps he's come under the influence of something." "Something dangerous." "I know he's a man of God." "I raised him in the church." "Both of you." "Iris." "The Bible speaks of demons that can enter a person." " Demons?" " There are rituals." " Catholic rituals, yes." " You're speaking of an exorcism?" "That's insane." " lt's just Papist hocus-pocus." " lt may be the only way." "Listen to yourself, Norman." "Listen to what you are saying." " What a pleasant surprise." " Justin." "Unfortunately, I was just leaving." "Between us." "If I'm late for my afternoon service, they'll start without me." "Felix, go fetch me a spot of sugar for my coffee." "Go get your own sugar, why don't you?" " l'd be nice to me if I was you." " Well, he ain't you." "Although it's hard to tell on days he forgets to shave." "So who's the lady con la barba, the queen of the carnival?" "She thinks she is." "Laugh now, but things are changing." "Especially now Samson's sleeping in a truck." "That's enough." "No one's business but Samson's." "New boss is everybody's business." "Shut up, Lila." "No one said nothing about a new boss." "Honey, it's on the dice." "It won't be long till the professor takes over." "There's not a Chinaman's chance." "Just what we need - the blind leading the blind." "He's been working very closely with Management." "I don't care where anybody sleeps." "I work for Samson." "Y'all can do what you want." "I'm just telling you." "The king is dead." "Long live the king." "Everyone having a nice little chat?" "Getting all the gossip straightened out?" "Let's quit lollygagging around and finish it up." "We got work." "Long live the king." "Good morning, Mother." "Thought that was funny last night, didn't you?" "You know what I'm talking about." "Don't bother denying it." "Making the worm move, that was the nice touch." "I've been thinking you could use a haircut." "It's 1934 and long hair just isn't the style any more." "Got to bring you up to the times." "So tell me more about this so-called rape." "Cos I've been wondering about it, and it just isn't adding up." "It was rape, wasn't it?" "You said it was." "But then we only have your side of the story." "But you do, Mother." "You do hate me." "But that's OK." "Because I love you." "I guess some people would call that dancing." " What's wrong with it?" " You're like a flea on a flat dog." "Like a what?" "No style, no rhythm, no technique." "I don't know what Stumpy was thinking." "My mother can be a real bitch." "Let me teach you a couple of steps." "Try this." "Here, let me take that." "Thank you, Clayton." "Something, isn't he?" " He ain't half bad." " Took me a long time to see it." " Wouldn't have, if it wasn't for you." " You would have." "You set me straight. I owe you." "The thing is, now that I'm ready... he isn't." "Why do you say that?" "The other night, we were... getting close, and something almost happened, but then he stopped." "That's curious." "Did he say why?" "He said he wanted to go slow." " Sometimes slow is best." " You think?" "You can't force something that ain't working." "Sometimes it just ain't meant to be." "Maybe there's another fellow out there for you." "But you were the one who told me how lucky l was to have him." " True." " You were right." "It's just that he... he already hurt me once." "In this life, there are no guarantees." "But you've been around, right?" "You can tell." "You think I can trust him?" "Yeah, you can." "You said I need to trust people." "OK then, I'm trusting you." "I see Scudder all the time." "In dreams, in daylight." "I saw him in Babylon." "I saw him in some church last night." "I don't know why." "I don't even know what's real and what's not any more." "So if you know why I see the things I do, if you can tell me something, then I'm willing to trust you, and I'll listen to whatever it is you got to say." "I don't know why you see all the things you do." "I wish I did." "You said something happened, bad, in the old country." "What was it?" "All I know is..." "it had something to do with Lodz." "Anything involving that s.o.b..." "That's it?" "That's all you've got to tell me?" "I can tell you this. lt weren't no accident when we picked you up in Milfay." "Management says you was expected." "Expected?" "I don't know what the hell that means, either." "Watch yourself." " Why?" " Something's building, kid." "I can feel it." "When it breaks..." "Mending dresses for a snake charmer." "Waste of my talent." "First thing I'm going to do is move out of the ten-in-one." "Get my own tent." "Not buried in the middle, but right up front." "And a new banner too." "From now on, Possum can bring our meals right to the trailer." "We won't have to hike up to the cook tent and eat with all the riffraff." " Lodz, are you even listening?" " What?" "Sorry, my dear. I am a little bit preoccupied." " Anything I can do?" " We need to go into town." "Business or pleasure?" "Pleasure for you." " Business for me." " What kind of business?" "It's a surprise." " Maybe we should just leave it alone." " l can't." "I want to try again, but slow, like you said." "You were right." "When did that thunderbolt hit you?" "I mean it." "Jesus, Sofie. I never know whether you're coming or going." "I only know whenever I spend time with you, I feel like I've been chewed up." "It doesn't have to be that way." "You've known him longer than anyone." "I like to listen to the radio, Mr Dolan." "I don't fancy myself talking on it." "Don't worry, I won't put you in front of the mic." "It's just between you and me." "You're the one who found them." " Justin and Iris." "You took them in." " l love them like my own." "They're very lucky." "When Justin was younger, did you see any sign he was destined to be a spiritual leader?" "I always knew that God set him apart." "Where do you think he's been these past few weeks?" "We're just glad he's home." "Would it surprise you to know he was in an asylum?" "Receiving psychiatric help?" " He told you that?" " No." "But I'm a reporter, Reverend." "I'm sorry, Mr Dolan. I don't have time for this." "Do you believe he needs help?" "is there a problem?" "If there is..." "we will handle it from within the church." "Not if the police get involved." "I dug up an unfiled police report." "A car matching Justin's was seen near the ministry before it burned down." "It was his church." " Perhaps he was working there." " 1 1 o'clock at night?" "Something strange is happening." "I was at the service." "I saw the way people came to him." "It wasn't like any baptism I've ever seen." "You saw something too." "Good day, Mr Dolan." "What are you afraid of?" " How's your head?" " Same dog that bit you, bit me." "Yeah, I think we did get a little tight." "Girl, you were drunker than a fiddler's bitch." "Your bottle, your fault." "Come here." " l talked to Jonesy." " You did?" "I thought I messed things up but he said we could try again." "That's great. I'm happy for you." "Just be careful." "Careful?" "I'm just saying, men are dogs." "So, you OK?" "Yeah." "Why?" "You were looking at me strange last night." "I won't go within ten miles of anything that's got a worm at the bottom." "Other than that..." "Then everything's hucky duck?" "Hucky duck." "Sofie came to talk to me today." " Me too." " What did she say?" "What do you think?" "She's crazy about you." "Yeah, that's sweet." "We're just gonna have to be more careful." " No." "No." " No?" "I can't." "I owe it to myself to give this thing a chance." "You just said the girl can't even make up her mind." "It's something I've been wanting for a long time and... you and me just complicate it." "You weren't worried about that when I was sucking the head off your hammer." " Rita Sue, please." " You think this is sticky for you?" "I'm the one who's married." "All the more reason I should be with Sofie." "She's just a kid." "She's it for me." "Of course she is." "Cos she's the girl in the fairy tale, and you're the hero." "That ain't how it is." "Then look in my eyes and tell me you don't want to throw me down right here." "I can't." "I should've seen this coming." "We dodged a bullet, you and me." " lf Stumpy found out..." " Don't hide behind Stumpy." "Rita Sue, please." "You gave something to me." "But it's going nowhere." "It's over." "Stumpy felt sorry for you and wanted to make you a man again." "But it's clear now that no amount of fucking can do that." "You're still the same yellow gimp you always were." "Noticed a little swagger in your walk today." "I wonder why that is." "Could it be someone got his gun cleaned?" " l don't know what you're talking about." " Don't be shy." "Everybody knows." "No secrets around here." "I'm trying to work." "How was she?" "Grateful, I imagine." "I always kind of hoped that... I might be the one to pick that cherry." "I'm working." "You get tired of grandma, you come and see Lila." " An asylum?" "That's preposterous." " ls it?" "Reporters will say anything for a good story." " Justin was home the night of the fire?" " He was asleep in bed." " What kind of question is that?" " The kind the police will be asking." " The police?" " lf Mr Dolan goes public with his story." "Do you believe that Justin would burn down his own church?" "Do you?" "I think Mr Dolan has sunk to new lows with his filthy lies." "You better hope they're lies, Iris." "At some point, I can't keep this from the Bishop." " There is no need to bring him in." " Too many unanswered questions." "Justin will answer them." "There's an explanation for everything." "People sure know how to throw a fandango." "I thought you'd enjoy it." " You be all right?" " Meet me here in one hour." "OK, he'll take care of you, sir." "Samson, how old do you think I am?" "Come on." "Give it a shot." "Older than Shirley Temple, younger than Joan of Arc." "Put a year on it." "All right." "Fifty..." " two." " Close enough." "How many years between me and the kid?" "What's that got to do with the price of beans in Tijuana?" "Not a damn thing." "My advice..." " stay away from him." " l'm too old." "Just say it." "No, it ain't that." "You can still buck a bull off a bridge." "You remember Hack Scudder?" "Fucked better than anyone else." "He was trouble." "I like the kid, I do, but... ten times the trouble." "Straight from the arenas of Madrid, a special treat for you tonight." "The top lady bullfighter in all of Spain!" "There isn't any bull that she can't beat." "Gentlemen, La Matadora Caliente!" "Let's see, let's see!" "Look at that." "She's giving them whatever they want." "The customer is always right." "Only now we don't have a blow-off." " Felix." " What?" " Go get me a couple of buckets of water." " What for?" " Just do it." " What are you doing?" "Excuse me, gentlemen." "Somebody stop that music." "What a handsome bunch of gentlemen you are." "How nicely dressed." "Now, you all have pocket-squares, don't you?" "Can you take them out for me?" "Come on now." "Let me see them." "That's right." "Look at me." "I'm all wet." "Can y'all help dry a girl off?" "Don't be shy." "Get to work." "Dry me." "Do you like that?" "Such gentlemen." "Your wife, she's one sexy mujerzuela." "You go sleep with her, then." "You're more my type." "Jesus, woman, not right now." "Come on." "You're driving me crazy." "You're both driving me crazy." "I had enough trouble with one woman, now it's double." " l thought you liked me." " l do." "I do. lt's just that I'm getting all turned around now." "I don't know what's gonna happen next." "You know what you need?" "A bruja." " lt's all a con." " Watch what you say." "Where I come from, a bruja is respected." "She can help you with your woman problem." "You got a customer." " Stumpy?" " l'll try anything once." "Hey there, Appy. I like your new hairdo." " You know she's not deaf, right?" " Sorry." "Shuffle the cards, and cut them with your left hand." "Now what?" "is this supposed to tell my future?" " Ask anything you want." " OK." "What colour is my piss gonna be tomorrow?" "I'm just kidding." "I don't know what to ask." "You wanna start?" "All right." "The Hierophant." "That's a word you don't hear every day." "That's ancient Greek." "It means a man with great power and authority over others." "The thing is, he's upside down so that means the opposite of you right now." "What's the next card?" "That looks like a good card for me." " lt means a strong partnership or union." " lt's the right side up." " That's probably me and Rita Sue." " Could be." "Except for this next one." "Two of Cups." "Means there's a new relationship." "The new dancer, maybe?" "Saw my eye twitching, didn't you?" " lt is in the cards, Stumpy." " Sure it is." "The Knight of Swords." "Means there's another man in your house." "There's a lot of other men in my house." "Mother." "Let her talk, don't stop her." "It's just one man that keeps coming back." "And he's not a johnny... he's a friend." "It's gotta be a mistake." "You gonna tell me who it is?" "You're a liar." " Reading's over." " You can't do this." "You can't stop now." " l'm sorry." "You have to leave." " But you can't just stop." "Please leave." "Sorry." "Who else knows about this?" "Does Libby know?" "Tell me!" "Lila?" "You there?" "Oh, Lord." "He's going to repeat these fabrications over the radio?" " lt's monstrous." " lt's absurd." " He has no proof." " He has a police report." "An automobile?" "A black Ford?" "There are thousands of them." "You don't understand." "Once this story is out, the damage is done." "You don't get to take it back." "You'll be ruined." "Justin, where are you going?" " l'll meet with him." "We'll talk." " That won't do any good." " l believe it will." " He's spoken with Norman." " He has?" " Yes." "Stirred things up with them questions, accusations." "Norman's even threatening to bring in the Bishop." "Let the Bishop come." "We have nothing to hide." "Yes, we do." "What are you saying?" " Iris." " l did it for you." " But the children who died?" " They were sacrificed." "Like the lambs of Abraham." "Sacrificed?" "The road is clear now." "We have Templeton's cheque, donations, money for a new church." "Nothing can stop us now." "I did it for you." "Mama!" "Get Ben." "Ruthie?" "She ain't breathing." "Where are you taking her?" "Just wait here." "She's gonna be all right." "Remember how I fixed your arm?" "I'll fix her." "You just wait here." "Don't talk to nobody." "You hear me?" "I'll be back." "Come on." "Honey, come on." "Now, Ruthie..." "Ruthie, please." "Come on." "Come on." "Please" "Please" "Please" "Come on!" "Ruthie ..."