"I sure do love you." "Good morning." "Good morning, Mrs. MacNeil." "How are you today?" "Fine, thank you." "It's okay, I've got it." "Thanks." "Good morning, madam." "Good morning, Karl." "Karl, we've got rats in the attic." "You'd better get some traps." "Rats?" "I'm afraid so." "But the attic is clean." "All right, then, we've got clean rats." "No rats." "l just heard them, Karl." "Maybe plumbing." "Yeah, or maybe rats." "Now, will you just get the traps?" "Yes, I go now." "Don't go now." "The stores aren't open yet." "l'll go see." "They're closed!" "In the group over here, I need a couple ofpriests, a nun...." "That's exactly what we want." "is this scene really essential?" "Would you just consider if we can do without it?" "Look at this damn thing." "It just doesn't make sense." "It's perfectly plain." "You're a teacher of the college." "You don't want the building torn down." "l can read, for Christ's sake!" "What's wrong?" "Well, why are they tearing the building down?" "Shall we summon the writer?" "He's in Paris, I believe." "Hiding?" "Fucking." "Scene 39:" "Hotel." "Take four." "All right." "Hustle back on in." "Is this your campus?" "Let's get the Defense Department off this campus!" "It's our school!" "They have no right!" "I've seen enough killing in my life!" "There's no reason for it anymore!" "Wait a minute!" "We're all concerned with human rights, for God's sake but the kids who want to get an education have a right, too!" "Don't you understand?" "It's against your own principle, for God's sake!" "You can't accomplish anything by shutting kids out of their...." "Ifyou want to effect any change, you have to do it within the system." "Okay, cut!" "That's a wrap." "I think I'll walk home." "Here, take that and drop it by my house." "Good night, Tom." "There's not a day in my life that I don't feel like a fraud." "I mean, priests, doctors, lawyers, I've talked to them all." "I don't know anyone who hasn't felt that." "Hello?" "In here." "Hi, how did your day go?" "Not too bad." "It was like the Walt Disney version of the Ho Chi Minh Story." "Other than that, it was terrific." "What have we got, anything exciting here?" "And you got an invitation." "What's this?" "Dinner at the White House." "You're kidding!" "is it a big party or something?" "I think it's five or six people." "Thursday?" "All right." "Hi, Mom." "What did you do today?" "Stuff." "What does that mean, "stuff"?" "Me and Sharon played a game in the backyard." "And we had a picnic down by the river." "Mom, you should have seen it!" "This man came along on this beautiful gray horse." "Really?" "What kind?" "Was it a mare, a gelding?" "I think it was a gelding." "It was gray." "It was so beautiful." "The guy let me ride it all around and everything." "She rode it for about half an hour." "I loved it!" "Oh, Mom, can't we get a horse?" "Not while we're in Washington, honey." "Why not, Mom?" "We'll see when we go home, okay?" "When could I have one?" "We'll see, Regan." "We'll see." "On the party invitations, I want to write a personal" "Regan, don't!" "Come back!" "All right, give it up!" "No!" "You'll be sorry!" "Father?" "Could you help an old altar boy?" "I'm a Catholic." "Mama?" "l'm so glad to see you." "You look good." "I'm all right." "How's your leg?" "How about you?" "You are all right?" "Mama, I'm fine." "Your Uncle John passed by to visit me." "Really, when?" "Last month." "ls that too tight?" "No." "You have to stay off it." "You can't go up and down the stairs." "Give it a rest." "Okay." "I could take you somewhere where you'd be safe." "You wouldn't be alone." "There'd be people around." "You wouldn't be sitting here listening to a radio." "You understand me?" "This is my house and I'm not going no place." "Dimmy, you worry for something?" "No, Mama." "You're not happy." "Tell me, what is the matter?" "Mama, I'm all right. I'm fine." "Really, I am." "Here it comes." "There!" "Look at that!" "Do you like it?" "Oh, isn't that funny?" "I better put him over here to dry, though." "He's still wet." "Hey, where did this come from?" "l found it." "Where?" "In the closet." "Have you been playing with it?" "Yes." "Do you know how?" "I'll show you." "Wait a minute." "You need two." "No, you don't. I do it all the time." "Well, let's both play." "You really don't want me to play?" "No, I do!" "Captain Howdy said no." "Captain who?" "Captain Howdy." "Who's Captain Howdy?" "You know. I make the questions and he does the answers." "Captain Howdy. I see." "He's nice." "I'll bet he is." "Here, I'll show you." "Captain Howdy, do you think my mom is pretty?" "Captain Howdy, that isn't very nice." "Maybe he's sleeping." "You think?" "Why are you reading that stuff?" "Because I like it." "It's not even a good picture of you." "You look so mature." "l wouldn't talk!" "You wouldn't talk?" "I didn't have my makeup man there." "Let me take an eyelash off your face." "No, I didn't get it." "What are we going to do on your birthday?" "Isn't it nice it's on Sunday this year?" "No work." "What can we do?" "I don't know." "What would you like to do?" "Got any ideas?" "Let me think...." "We never finished seeing all the sights in Washington." "We didn't get to the Lee Mansion, lots of stuff." "Shall we do that?" "Go sightseeing..." "...if it's a nice day?" "Yeah, let's do that." "And tomorrow night, I'll take you to a movie." "Oh, I love you!" "I love you, Rags." "We'll have a good day." "You can bring Mr. Dennings, if you like." "Mr. Dennings?" "Well, you know, it's okay." "Thank you very much but why would I want to bring Burke on your birthday?" "Well, you like him." "Yeah, I like him." "Don't you like him?" "What's going on?" "What is this?" "You're going to marry him, aren't you?" "You've got to be kidding!" "Me marry Burke Dennings?" "Don't be silly." "Of course not." "Where'd you ever get that idea?" "But you like him." "Of course I like him. I like pizzas too, but I'm not going to marry one." "You don't like him like Daddy?" "Regan, I love your daddy." "I'll always love your daddy, honey." "Burke just comes around here a lot because well, he's lonely." "He don't got nothing to do!" "Well, I heard differently." "You did?" "What did you hear?" "I don't know. I just thought." "You didn't think so good." "How do you know?" "Because Burke and I are just friends." "Okay?" "Really." "Are you ready for sleep?" "Good night, honey." "It's my mother, Tom." "She's alone and I never should have left her." "At least in New York, I'd be near her." "I'd be close to her." "I could see about a transfer, Damien." "I need reassignment, Tom. I want out of this job. lt's wrong, it's no good." "You're the best we've got." "Am I really?" "It's more than psychiatry, and you know that." "Some of their problems come down to faith their vocation, the meaning of their lives, and I can't cut it any more." "I need out. i'm unfit." "I think I've lost my faith, Tom." "Hello?" "Yes, this is Mrs. MacNeil." "Operator, you have got to be kidding!" "I have been on this line for 2O minutes!" "Jesus Christ, can you believe this?" "He doesn't even call his daughter on her birthday!" "Maybe the circuit is busy." "Circuit, my ass!" "He doesn't give a shit!" "Why don't you let me" "No, I've got it, Sharon. it's all right." "Don't tell me there's no answer." "It's the Hotel Excelsior in Rome!" "Would you try it again, please, and let it ring?" "Hello?" "Yes." "No, Operator, I've given you the number four times!" "Do you take an illiteracy test to get that job, for Christ's sake?" "Don't tell me to be calm, goddamn it!" "I've been on this fucking line for 2O minutes!" "Yeah?" "You're kidding me!" "I thought I just went to bed." "What are we doing, Scene 61?" "Oh, just remind Flo about that blue belt, huh?" "What are you doing here?" "My bed was shaking." "I can't get to sleep." "Goddamn it!" "Jesus Christ, Karl, don't do that!" "I'm very sorry, but you see?" "No rats." "No rats." "Thanks a lot." "That's terrific." "The edema affected her brain, you understand?" "She don't let no doctor go near her." "She was all the time screaming, even talking to the radio." "You should've called me when it happened." "Regular hospital is not going to put up with that, Dimmy." "We give her a shot and bring her here until the doctors fix her leg, then we take her right out." "Two or three months and she's out, good as new!" "We want to see Mrs. Karras." "Do you have an appointment?" "Yes." "Are you a relative?" "l am her brother." "He is her son." "Just a minute." "It's funny if you wasn't a priest, you'd be a famous psychiatrist now on Park Avenue." "Your mother would be living in a penthouse instead of this." "You go in, Dimmy. I'll wait for you outside." "You'll find Mrs. Karras on the last bed on the left-hand side." "It's Dimmy, Mama." "Why did you do this to me, Dimmy?" "Why?" "Mama, I'm going to take you out of here." "I'm going to take you home." "Mama, everything's going to be all right." "I'm going to take you home." "Couldn't you have put her someplace else?" "Like what?" "Private hospital?" "Who's got the money for that, Dimmy?" "You?" "There seems to be an alien pubic hair in my drink." "I beg your pardon?" "Never seen it before in my life." "Have you?" "We're pretty comfortable up there..." "We've got about 21O cubic feet, so we can move around." "If you ever go up there again, will you take me along?" "What for?" "First missionary on Mars!" "Tell me, was it public relations you did for the Gestapo or community relations?" "I'm Swiss!" "Yes, of course." "And you never went bowling with Goebbels either, I suppose, huh?" "Nazi bastard!" "Over behind the church." "You know where l mean?" "It's a red brick wing." "What goes on there?" "Who's the priest I keep seeing there?" "He's always there." "He has black hair, very intense looking." "Who's that?" "Damien Karras." "That's his office, in the back of Saint Mike's." "He's our psychiatric counselor." "He had a pretty rough knock last night, poor guy." "His mother passed away." "She was living by herself, and I guess she was dead a couple of days before they found her." "Cunting Hun!" "Bloody, damned, butchering, Nazi pig!" "Stop it!" "I'll kill you!" "What's the matter with you?" "What's for dessert?" "You sleeping?" "Burke, your car's at the curb." "Louie's waiting. lt's nice and warm." "Yes, honey." "What?" "Fuck it." "Was he acting up!" "Blind is what he was." "Hi, Chris, it's a great party." "Yeah, don't stop." "Keep going." "I don't need any encouragement." "My idea of heaven is a solid white nightclub with me as a headliner for all eternity, and they love me." ""Down on the eastside of toidy-toid and told" ""That's my home sweet home!"" "I think we've got a guest." "You're going to die up there." "Oh, my God, honey." "Honey, what's the matter?" "I'm sorry, she's been sick." "She didn't know what she was saying." "What made you say that, Regan?" "Do you know, sweetheart?" "Mother?" "What's wrong with me?" "It's just like the doctor said." "It's nerves, and that's all." "You just take your pills and you'll be fine, really." "Okay?" "is it coming out, Willie?" "Yes, I think so." "Good." "Mother!" "Where'd you get the money for the Chivas Regal, the poor box?" "That's an insult. I've got a vow of poverty." "Where'd you get it, then?" "I stole it." "I believe you." "College presidents shouldn't drink." "Tends to set a bad example." "I figure I saved him from a big temptation." "Oh, Christ!" "I should have been there. I wasn't there." "There was nothing you could do." "Lie down." "Give me the butt." "Come on." "Now you think you can sleep?" "Yeah." "Are you going to steal my shoes now?" "No." "I tell fortunes by reading the creases." "Now, shut up and go to sleep." "Good night." "Stealing is a sin." "I don't want it!" "Honey, it's to help you." "I don't want it!" "You fucking bastard!" "Remember also, O Lord, thy servant, Mary Karras who has gone before us, with the sign of faith, and sleeps the sleep of peace." ""Lord, I am not worthy to receive you." ""But only say the word and I shall be healed." ""May the body of Christ bring thee to everlasting life."" "It's a symptom of a type of disturbance in the chemical-electrical activity of the brain." "In your daughter's case, in the temporal lobe." "That's up here in the lateral part of the brain." "It's rare, but it does cause bizarre hallucinations and usually just before a convulsion." "A convulsion?" "The shaking of the bed." "That's doubtless due to muscular spasms." "No, no, that was no spasm." "I got on the bed." "The whole bed was thumping and rising off the floor and shaking, the whole thing!" "With me on it!" "Mrs. MacNeil, the problem with your daughter is not her bed." "It's her brain." "What causes this?" "A lesion in the temporal lobe." "It's a kind of seizure disorder." "Look, Doc, I really don't understand how her whole personality could change." "In the temporal lobe, it's very common." "It is?" "It can last for days, even weeks." "It isn't rare to find destructive even criminal behavior." "Do me a favor, will you?" "Tell me something good." "Don't be alarmed. lf it's a lesion, in a way, she's fortunate." "All we have to do is remove the scar." "Regan, can you sit up and scoot over here?" "Watch the l.V." "A little more." "Good." "I'm just going to move you down on the table, okay?" "Just for a short time." "Very sticky." "Now, Regan, you're going to feel something a little cold and wet." "Now you're going to feel a little stick here." "Don't move." "Good." "You're going to feel some pressure here." "Now, don't move." "Hook up!" "There's just nothing there." "No vascular displacement at all." "Do you want me to run another series?" "I don't think so." "I'd like you to see her again." "Excuse me, Doctor." "Chris MacNeil is on the phone." "She says it's urgent." "Have you got some time?" "Of course." "Dr. Klein?" "Yes, I'm Dr. Klein." "This is Dr. Tanney." "Things have gotten worse since I phoned." "Come upstairs." "ls she having spasms again?" "Yes, but they're violent." "You gave her the medication?" "Yes." "What was that?" "Thorazine." "Before that, it was Ritalin." "Chris, doctors." "Mother, please!" "Please, Mother, make him stop!" "It's burning!" "It's burning!" "Do something, Doctor." "Please, help her!" "Make him stop!" "He's trying to kill me!" "Mother!" "All right, Regan, let's see what the trouble" "Keep away!" "The sow is mine!" "Fuck me!" "Fuck me!" "Stay away from me!" "Hold her tight!" "Don't let them, Mother!" "She's heavily sedated." "She'll probably sleep through tomorrow." "What was going on in there?" "How could she fly off the bed like that?" "Pathological states can induce abnormal strength accelerated motor performance." "For example say a 9O-pound woman sees her child pinned under the wheel of a truck runs out and lifts the wheels a half a foot up off the ground." "You've heard the story." "Same thing here." "Same principle, I mean." "So what's wrong with her?" "We still think that the temporal lobe" "What are you talking about, for Christ's sake?" "Did you see her or not?" "She's acting like she's fucking out of her mind!" "Psychotic, like a split personality, or...." "There haven't been more than 1OO authentic cases of so-called "split personality," Mrs. MacNeil." "Now, I know the temptation is to leap to psychiatry but any reasonable psychiatrist would exhaust the somatic possibilities first." "So, what's next?" "A pneumoencephalogram, I would think, to pin down that lesion." "It will involve another spinal." "Oh, Christ!" "What we missed in the EEG and the arteriograms could conceivably turn up there." "At least it would eliminate certain other possibilities." "Dr. Tanney says the X-rays are negative." "In other words, normal." "Do you keep any drugs in your house?" "No, of course not." "Nothing like that." "Are you sure?" "Of course, I'm sure." "I'd tell you." "Christ, I don't even smoke grass." "Are you planning to be home soon?" "I mean to LA." "No, I...." "l'm building a new house." "My old one has been sold." "I was going to take Regan to Europe for a while after she finished school." "Why do you ask?" "I think it's time we started looking for a psychiatrist." "Hello?" "Shit!" "God!" "What do you mean going off and leaving Regan by herself?" "Are you crazy?" "Her window's wide open!" "Didn't he tell you?" "Who?" "Burke!" "What's Burke got to do with it?" "Nobody was here." "When I went to get the Thorazine I had him stay with her, and...." "l should've known better." "I guess you should have!" "How were the tests?" "We have to start looking for a shrink." "Hi, Chuck." "Come on in." "I suppose you heard." "Heard what?" "You haven't heard." "Burke is dead." "He must've been drunk." "He fell from the top of the steps outside." "By the time he hit M Street, he broke his neck." "Oh, God!" "Yeah, I know." "When I touch your forehead, open your eyes." "Are you comfortable, Regan?" "Yes." "How old are you?" "Twelve." "is there someone inside you?" "Sometimes." "Who is it?" "I don't know." "is it Captain Howdy?" "I don't know." "If I ask him to tell me, will you let him answer?" "No." "Why not?" "I'm afraid." "If he talks to me, I think he'll leave you." "Do you want him to leave you?" "Yes." "I'm speaking to the person inside of Regan now." "If you are there, you too are hypnotized and must answer all my questions." "Come forward and answer me now." "Are you the person inside of Regan?" "Who are you?" "Help me!" "Let go!" "Father Karras?" "Have we met?" "No, we haven't met, but they said I could tell." "That you look like a boxer." "William F. Kinderman, Homicide." "What's this all about?" "It's true." "You do look like a boxer." "Like John Garfield in Body And Soul." "Exactly." "John Garfield." "Do people tell you that, Father?" "Do people say you look like Paul Newman?" "Always." "You know this director who was doing a film here, Burke Dennings?" "I've seen him." "You've seen him." "You're also familiar how last week he died?" "Only what I read in the papers." "Father, what do you know on the subject of witchcraft?" "From the witching end, not the hunting." "I once did a paper on it." "Really?" "From the psychiatric end." "I know. I read it." "All of this desecration in the church does this have anything to do with witchcraft?" "Maybe." "Some rituals used in the Black Mass." "And now Dennings." "You read how he died?" "In a fall." "Let me tell you how." "Please, Father confidential." "Burke Dennings, good Father, was found at the bottom of those steps leading to M Street with his head turned completely around facing backwards." "That didn't happen in the fall?" "It's possible." "Possible, however...." "Unlikely." "Exactly." "So, on the one hand, we've got a witchcraft kind of murder and on the other hand, a Black Mass-type desecration in the church." "You think the killer and the desecrator are the same?" "Maybe somebody crazy, somebody with a spite against the Church." "Some unconscious rebellion." "A sick priest, is that it?" "Look, Father, this is hard for you." "Please, I understand but for priests on the campus here, you're the psychiatrist." "You'd know who was sick at the time, who wasn't." "I mean, this kind of sickness, you'd know that." "I don't know anyone who fits that description." "Doctor's ethics. lf you knew, you wouldn't tell, huh?" "No, I probably wouldn't." "Not to bother you with trivia, but a psychiatrist in sunny California, no less was put in jail for not telling the police what he knew about a patient." "is that a threat?" "No, I mention it only in passing." "Incidentally, I mention it only in passing I could always tell the judge it was a matter of confession." "Father, wait a minute!" "Do you like movies?" "Very much." "Well, I get passes to the best shows in town." "Mrs. K, you know, she gets tired, never likes to go." "That's too bad." "I hate to go alone." "I love to talk film to discuss, to critique." "You want to see a film with me?" "Who's in it?" "Debbie Reynolds does Desdemona and Othello:" "Groucho Marx." "Are you happy?" "I've seen it." "One last time." "Can you think of some priest who fits the bill?" "Come on!" "No, answer the question, Father Paranoia." "All right." "You know who I think really did it?" "Who?" "The Dominicans." "Go pick on them." "I could have you deported, you know that?" "I lied." "You look like Sal Mineo." "It looks like a type of disorder that's rarely ever seen anymore except in primitive cultures." "We call it "somnambular-form possession. "" "Quite frankly, we really don't know much about it at all, except that it starts with a conflict or a guilt and leads to the patient's delusions that his body has been invaded by some alien intelligence:" "A spirit." "Look, I'm telling you again, and you'd better believe me I am not going to lock her up in some goddamn asylum!" "And I don't care what you call it, I'm not putting her away!" "I'm sorry." "You're sorry?" "Jesus Christ, 88 doctors and all you can tell me, with all your bullshit is...." "Of course, there is one outside chance for a cure." "I think of it as a shock treatment." "As I said, it's a very outside chance." "Would you just name it, for God's sake?" "What is it?" "Do you have any religious beliefs?" "No." "What about your daughter?" "No." "Why?" "Have you ever heard of exorcism?" "Well, it's a stylized ritual in which the rabbi or the priest try to drive out the so-called invading spirit." "It's been pretty much discarded these days except by the Catholics, who keep it in the closet as a sort of embarrassment." "But it has worked in fact, although, not for the reasons they think." "It's purely force of suggestion." "The victim's belief in possession is what helped cause it, so in that same way the belief in the power of exorcism can make it disappear." "You're telling me I should take my daughter to a witch doctor." "is that it?" "Did you put this in Regan's bedroom?" "She's going to be well?" "Karl, if you put this in Regan's bedroom, I want you to tell me." "Now, did you?" "No, not me." "I didn't." "This was under Regan's pillow." "Did you put it there?" "Of course, I didn't." "I didn't put it." "Excuse me, madam." "What?" "A man to see you." "What man?" "Might your daughter remember, perhaps if Mr. Dennings was in her room that night?" "Why do you ask?" "Might she remember?" "No, she was heavily sedated." "It's serious?" "Yes, I'm afraid it is." "May I ask" "We still don't know." "Watch out for drafts." "A draft in the fall, when the house is hot, is a magic carpet for bacteria." "Excuse me, madam." "Anything else?" "No, Karl, we're fine." "Thank you." "It's all right." "Why are you asking all this?" "It's strange." "The deceased comes to visit, stays only 2O minutes and leaves all alone a very sick girl." "Speaking plainly, Mrs. MacNeil it isn't likely he would fall from a window." "Besides, a fall wouldn't do to his neck what we found except maybe one chance in a thousand." "No, my hunch...." "My opinion he was killed by a very powerful man, point one." "And the fracturing of his skull, point two plus the various other things we mentioned would make it very probable probable, not certain that the deceased was killed and then pushed from your daughter's window." "But nobody was in the room except your daughter, so how can this be?" "It could be one way." "If someone came calling between the time Miss Spencer left and the time you returned." "Judas Priest, just a second." "The servants?" "They have visitors?" "Not at all." "You were expecting a package that day, some delivery?" "None that I know of." "Groceries, cleaning...a package?" "I really wouldn't know." "Karl takes care of all that." "I see." "Would you like to ask him?" "No, never mind, it's it's very remote." "No, never mind." "Would you like some more coffee?" "Please." "That's cute." "Your daughter, she's the artist?" "Thank you." "Incidentally you might ask your daughter if she remembers seeing Mr. Dennings in her room that night." "Look, he wouldn't have any reason in the world to go to her room." "I know, I realize, but if certain British doctors never asked, "What is this fungus?" we wouldn't today have penicillin." "Correct?" "When she's better, I'll ask her." "It couldn't hurt." "In the meantime...." "That's okay." "I really hate to ask you this, but for my daughter, could you please give an autograph?" "Of course." "Where's a pencil?" "Right here." "She'd love it!" "What's her name?" "I lied. lt's for me." "The spelling is on the back." "Kinderman." "You know that film you made, Angel?" "I saw that six times!" "Really?" "It was beautiful." "Thank you." "You're a very nice lady." "Thank you." "You're a nice man." "I'll come back when she's feeling better." "'Bye." "'Bye." "Please, no!" "Do it!" "Please, don't!" "You bitch!" "Do it!" "Do it!" "Please, no!" "Let Jesus fuck you!" "Let Jesus fuck you!" "Give it!" "Give it to me!" "Lick me!" "Lick me!" "Mrs." "MacNeil!" "Open the door!" "Do you know what she did, your cunting daughter?" "Chris MacNeil?" "Please go away." "I'm Father Karras." "I'm very sorry." "Hello." "It's all right. I should've said I wouldn't be in uniform." "That would've helped." "Have you got a cigarette, Father?" "Sure." "Thanks." "Cold." "Yeah." "How did a shrink ever get to be a priest?" "It's the other way around." "The Society sent me through medical school." "Where?" "Harvard, Bellevue Johns Hopkins." "Places like that." "You're a friend of Father Dyer's, right?" "Yes, I am." "Pretty close?" "Pretty close." "Did he talk to you about my party?" "He sure did." "About my daughter?" "No, I didn't know you had one." "He didn't mention her?" "No." "He didn't tell you what she did?" "He didn't mention her." "Priests are pretty tight-mouthed, then, huh?" "That depends." "On what?" "The priest." "I mean, what if a person came to you, you know, that was a murderer or a criminal of some kind and they wanted some kind of help?" "Would you have to turn them in?" "Well, if he came to me for spiritual advice, I'd say no." "You wouldn't?" "No, I wouldn't." "But I would try to convince him to turn himself in." "And, how do you go about getting an exorcism?" "I beg your pardon?" "If a person is, you know, possessed by a demon, or something how do they get an exorcism?" "First, I'd have to get them into a time machine and get them back to the 16th century." "I didn't get you." "It just doesn't happen any more, Mrs. MacNeil." "Oh, yeah?" "Since when?" "Since we learned about mental illness, paranoia, schizophrenia those things they taught me at Harvard." "Mrs. MacNeil, since the day I joined the Jesuits I've never met one priest who has performed an exorcism." "Not one." "Yeah, well it just so happens that somebody very close to me is probably possessed." "And needs an exorcist." "Father Karras, it's my little girl." "That's all the more reason to forget about exorcism." "Why?" "I don't understand." "To begin with, it could make things worse." "How?" "The Church, before it approves an exorcism conducts an investigation to see if it's warranted." "That takes time." "You could do it yourself." "No, I couldn't. I'd need Church approval, and that's rarely given." "Could you see her?" "Yes. I could see her as a psychiatrist" "Not a psychiatrist!" "She needs a priest!" "She's seen every fucking psychiatrist in the world and they sent me to you!" "You're gonna send me back to them?" "Jesus Christ, won't somebody help me?" "Oh, God, can't you help her?" "Just help her!" "It wants no straps." "Hello, Regan." "I'm a friend of your mother's." "I'd like to help you." "You might loosen these straps, then." "I'm afraid you might hurt yourself, Regan." "I'm not Regan." "I see." "Well, then, let's introduce ourselves." "I'm Damien Karras." "And I am the devil." "Now kindly undo these straps." "If you're the devil, why not make the straps disappear?" "That's much too vulgar a display ofpower, Karras." "Where's Regan?" "In here, with us." "Show me Regan and I'll loosen one of the straps." "Could you help an old altar boy, Father?" "Your mother is in here with us, Karras." "Would you like to leave a message?" "I'll see that she gets it." "If that's true then you must know my mother's maiden name." "What is it?" "What is it?" "Thank you." "Look, I'm only against the possibility of doing her more harm than good." "Nothing you could do could make it any worse." "I can't do it." "I need evidence that the Church would accept as signs of possession." "Like what?" "Her speaking in a language she's never known or studied." "What else?" "I don't know. I'd have to look it up." "I thought you were supposed to be an expert." "There are no experts." "You probably know as much about possession as most priests." "Your daughter doesn't say she's a demon." "She says she's the devil himself." "If you've seen as many psychotics as I have you'd realize that's the same as saying you're Napoleon Bonaparte." "You asked me what I think is best for your daughter." "Six months under observation in the best hospital you can find." "You show me Regan's double same face, same voice, everything and I'd know it wasn't Regan." "I'd know in my gut." "I'm telling you that that thing upstairs isn't my daughter." "I want you to tell me that you know for a fact there's nothing wrong with my daughter except in her mind!" "Tell me you know for a fact, an exorcism wouldn't do any good!" "You tell me that!" "Did Regan know a priest was coming over?" "No." "Did you know my mother died recently?" "Yes, I did. I'm very sorry." "is Regan aware of it?" "Not at all." "Why do you ask?" "It's not important." "Good night." ""He broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples and said:" ""'Take this, all of you, and eat it." ""'For this is my body.'" ""When the supper was ended, he took the cup." ""Again he gave you thanks and praise." ""He gave the cup to his disciples and said:" "'Take this..." ""'...all of you, and drink from it." ""'This is the cup of my blood." ""'The blood of the new and everlasting Covenant, the mystery of faith."'" "What an excellent day for an exorcism." "You'd like that?" "Intensely." "But wouldn't that drive you out of Regan?" "It would bring us together." "You and Regan?" "You and us." "Did you do that?" "Do it again." "In time." "No, now." "In time." "Mirabile dictu, don't you agree?" "You speak Latin?" "Ego te absolvo." "Quod nomen mihi est?" "Bonjour!" "Quod nomen mihi est?" "La plume de ma tante." "How long are you planning to stay in Regan?" "Until she rots and lies stinking in the earth." "What's that?" "Holy water." "You keep it away!" "It burns!" "Oh, it burns!" "Who are you?" "You know, I'm like in seclusion." "No, I'm just exhausted from work." "She's, she's all right." "She's just...." "l don't want to talk about it, okay?" "Okay, I'll talk to you, huh?" "I'll call as soon as it's over, all right?" "No, I just, I'm going through something and I just have to...." "No, no...." "There's nothing." "Hey, thanks a lot." "Want a drink?" "Please." "What do you drink?" "Scotch." "Ice and water." "No ice. I'll get some from the kitchen." "I'll take it straight." "No, that's fine." "Please sit." "You sure?" "Yeah, sit." "Where's her father?" "In Europe." "Have you told him what's happening?" "No." "Well, I think you should." "I told Regan that was holy water." "I sprinkled it on her and she reacted very violently." "It's tap water." "What's the difference?" "Holy water is blessed." "And that doesn't help support a case for possession." "She killed Burke Dennings." "What?" "She killed Burke Dennings." "She pushed him out her window." "No one." "Who are you?" "No one!" "It's a language, all right. lt's English." "What do you mean, English?" "It's English in reverse." "Listen." "Give us time." "Let her die." "I am no one." "I am no one." "Fear the priest." "Fear the priest." "Merrin!" "I am no one." "Merrin!" "Fear the priest!" "Merrin!" "Yeah?" "I'll be right there." "I don't want Chris to see this." "What's wrong?" "What is it?" "You're convinced that it's genuine?" "I don't know." "No, not really, I suppose." "But I have made a prudent judgement that it meets the conditions set down in The Ritual." "You would want to do the exorcism yourself?" "Yes." "It might be best to have a man with experience." "Maybe someone who's spent time in the foreign missions." "I understand, Your Excellency." "Let's see who's around." "In the meantime, I'll call you as soon as I know." "Thank you, Your Excellency." "Well, he does know the background." "I doubt there's any danger in just having him assist." "There should be a psychiatrist present, anyway." "What about the exorcist?" "Have you any ideas?" "How about Lankester Merrin?" "I had a notion he was in Iraq." "I read he was working on a dig near Nineveh." "You're right, but he's finished." "He came back three or four months ago." "He's at Woodstock now." "What's he doing there, teaching?" "He's working on another book." "Don't you think he's too old, Tom?" "How's his health?" "He must be all right." "He's still running around digging up tombs." "Besides, he's had experience." "I didn't know that." "Ten, twelve years ago, I think, in Africa." "The exorcism supposedly lasted months." "I heard it damn near killed him." "Father?" "You're Mrs. MacNeil?" "Yes." "I'm Father Merrin." "Come in." "Thank you." "ls Father Karras here?" "Yes." "He's here already." "It's an honor to meet you, Father." "Are you very tired?" "No." "I'd like you to go quickly across to the Residence and gather up a cassock for myself two surplices, a purple stole, and some holy water and your copy of The Roman Ritual." "The large one." "I believe we should begin." "Do you want to hear the background of the case first?" "Why?" "Especially important is the warning to avoid conversations with the demon." "We may ask what is relevant, but anything beyond that is dangerous." "He's a liar." "The demon is a liar." "He will lie to confuse us." "But he will also mix lies with the truth to attack us." "The attack is psychological, Damien." "And powerful." "So don't listen." "Remember that." "Do not listen!" "It might be helpful if I gave you some background on the different personalities Regan has manifested." "So far, I'd say there seem to be three." "She's convinced that" "There is only one." "Stick your cock up her ass, you mother-fucking worthless cocksucker!" "Be silent!" ""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." ""Forgive us our trespasses..." ""...as we forgive those who trespass against us." ""And lead us not into temptation..." ""...but deliver us from the evil one." ""Save me, O God, by thy name." "By thy might, defend my cause." ""Proud men have risen up against me, and men of violence seek my life..." ""...but God is my helper and the Lord sustains my life." ""ln every need, he has delivered me." ""Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." ""As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end."" ""Save your servant." ""Who places her trust in thee, my God." ""Be unto her, O Lord, a fortified tower."" ""ln the face of the enemy..." ""..." "let the enemy have no power over her." ""And the Son of iniquity be powerless to harm her."" "Your mother sucks cocks in hell, Karras!" "You faithless slime!" ""The Lord be with you."" ""And also with you." ""Let us pray." ""Holy Lord, Almighty Father, Everlasting God..." ""...and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ..." ""...who, once and for all, consigned that fallen tyrant to the flames of hell..." ""...who sent your only begotten Son into the world to crush that roaring lion..." ""...hasten to our call for help..." ""...and snatch from ruination..." ""...and from the clutches of the Noon-Day Devil..." ""...this human being, made in your image and likeness." ""Strike terror, Lord, into the beast..." ""...now laying waste to your vineyard." ""Let your mighty hand cast him out..." ""...of your servant, Regan Theresa MacNeil..." ""...so he may no longer hold captive this person..." ""...whom it pleased you to make in your image..." ""...and to redeem through your Son, who lives and reigns with you..." ""...in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever." ""Amen." ""O Lord, hear my prayer."" "Father Karras." "Damien." "The response, please, Damien!" ""And let my cry come unto thee." ""Almighty Lord, Word of God the Father, Jesus Christ..." ""..." "God and Lord of all creation..." ""...who gave to your holy apostles..." ""...the power to tramp underfoot serpents and scorpions." ""Grant me..." ""..." "Your unworthy servant..." ""...pardon for all my sins..."" "Bastard!" ""...and the power to confront this cruel demon." ""See the cross of the Lord." "Begone, you hostile power." ""O Lord, hear my prayer." ""And let my cry come unto thee." ""The Lord be with you." ""And also with you." ""l cast you out, unclean spirit!"" "Shove it up your ass, you faggot!" ""ln the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ." ""lt is he who commands you!" ""He who flung you from the heights of heaven to the depths of hell!"" "Fuck him!" ""Be gone..."" "Fuck him, Karras!" ""...from this creature of God." ""Be gone!" ""ln the name of the Father, and of the Son..." ""...and of the Holy Spirit." ""By this sign of the Holy Cross, of our Lord Jesus Christ..." ""...who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit."" "Damien!" ""Amen." ""God, Defender of the Human Race..." ""..." "look down in pity--"" "You killed your mother!" "You left her alone to die!" "Shut up!" "She'll never forgive you!" ""l command you, by the Judge of the Living and the Dead..." ""...to depart from this servant of God!" ""lt's the power...."" "Holy water!" ""lt's the power of Christ that compels you!" ""The power of Christ compels you!" ""The power of Christ compels you!" ""The power of Christ compels you!" ""He brought you low by his blood-stained cross!" ""Do not despise my command because you know me to be a sinner." ""lt is God himself who commands you!" ""The majestic Christ who commands you!" ""God, the Father, commands you!" ""God, the Son, who commands you!" ""God, the Holy Spirit, who commands you!" ""The mystery of the cross commands you!" ""The blood of the martyrs commands you!" ""Give way to Christ, you Prince of Murderers!" ""You're guilty before Almighty God." ""Guilty before his Son." ""Guilty before the whole human race." ""lt is the Lord who expels you..." ""...he, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead..." ""...and the world, by fire."" "Are you tired?" "Let's rest before we start again." "Will you excuse me, Damien?" "Dimmy, why do you do this to me?" "Please, Dimmy." "I'm afraid." "You're not my mother." "Dimmy, please!" "What is it?" "Her heart." "Can you give her something?" "She'll go into a coma." "You're not my mother!" "Don't listen." "Why, Dimmy?" "Damien!" "Dimmy, please!" "Get out." ""Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."" "is it over?" "is she going to die?" "No." "You son of a bitch!" "Take me!" "Come in to me!" "Goddamn you, take me!" "Take me!" "No!" "Mother." "Mother." "Mother." "Did somebody fall?" "He fell from the steps here!" "Rags?" "Do you want to make your confession?" "Are you sorry for are you sorry for having offended God and for all the sins of your past life?" ""Ego te absolvo in nomine Patris..." ""...et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti." "Amen. "" "Where do you want this?" "What is it?" "A phonograph." "Storage." "That's everything." "I'm going to miss you." "Same here." "Sure you won't change your mind?" "I found this in her room." "You better hurry." "Come on, honey, we have to get going." "She doesn't remember any of it." "That's good." "All done." "Okay." "Honey, this is Father Dyer." "Hi, Father." "Hello." "Ready, missus." "Good-bye, Father." "Good-bye." "I'll call you." "'Bye." "'Bye, Father." "l hope I see you again." "I hope so, too." "Father Dyer?" "I thought you'd like to keep this."