"Why, Michael, what's the matter?" "What is it, Michael?" "Why, you're all wet." "Now, what is it?" "Please will you help me, Father?" "Of course I will." "Now, what's happened?" "Now look, Michael, you're a big boy now." "Seven and a half, aren't you?" "Well, now stop behaving like a baby and tell me what's the matter." "Have you done anything wrong?" "What is it?" "Now, you know you can tell me anything, don't you?" "Well?" "I killed her." "Rachel, I killed her." "Now listen, my son, you quite sure you know what you're saying?" "You sure you've not been dreaming, or just making up a story?" "Maybe it's something you saw on the television, huh?" "No!" "No!" "I killed her." "I did, really!" "Come with me." "Now, then." "Now, what's all this about you killing someone, eh?" "I didn't mean to kill her, honestly I didn't." "I don't believe you've killed anyone, my son." "But I have!" "I've killed Rachel!" "Is this Rachel a friend of yours?" "Yes." "From the school." "And how did you get to know her?" "Well, at school, the bigger ones had a choir and they put her in it 'cause she could sing." "Now is the month of May" "When merry lads are playing" "Fa la la la la la la la" "Fa la la la la la la la" "The Spring clad all in gladness" "Doth laugh at winter's sadness" "Fa la la la la la la la" "Fa la la la la la la la" "Fie, then, why sit we musing" "Youth's sweet delight refusing" "Fa la la la la la la la" "Fa la la la la la la la" "Each with his bonny lass" "A-dancing on the grass" "Fa la la la la" "Fa la la la la la la la" "Hey!" "Give him back." "Shan't." "Shh, yourself." "Shall we play barley break?" "Fa la la la la" "Fa la la la la la la la la la" "Fa la la la la" "Who was that?" "Who was that?" "Well, Priscilla?" "Please, Miss Roberts, it was Mike O'Malley!" "Michael, come here." "Michael O'Malley, you are a very bad-mannered little boy." "You will apologize to Rachel this instant." "Now, Michael, apologize." "Michael, either you apologize at once or I shall take you to Mr. Robinson." "Very well." "What did old Robinson say?" "Give you lines?" "Don't give us Second Form lines." "Make you learn verses." "Well, what did he say?" "Look at Marilyn Monroe." "Marilyn Monroe." "Her?" "Come on." "Look at that baby Look at that dish" "When she walks by I wish, wish, wish that she was mine" "Hey, mine all mine Yeah, all mine" "Rachel Mathias!" "Tripped on the platform!" "Tripped on the platform!" "Rachel Mathias!" "Tripped on the platform!" "Tripped on the platform!" "Silly old Rachel!" "Silly old Rachel!" "Rachel Mathias!" "Tripped on the platform!" "Tripped on the platform!" "Tripped on the platform!" "Tripped on the platform!" "Silly old Rachel!" "What'd you do that for, Mike?" "I'm going to get some ice cream." "See you at the sweet shop." "Come on." "Blest art Thou, O Lord our God," "King of the universe who has sanctified us by thy commandments and commanded us to kindle the Sabbath Light." "May the Lord bless us with Sabbath joy." "May the Lord bless us with Sabbath holiness." "May the Lord bless us with Sabbath peace." "Amen." "Not now, Rachel." "Look, run down and get Daddy's evening paper." "What?" "Get Daddy's evening paper." "On the Sabbath?" "It's all right." "You can tell Bill you'll pay him on Monday." "Okay." "Hello." "Whatcha doing?" "Looking for something." "What?" "Oh, I lost something a couple of days ago." "What?" "Oh, it's okay." "You live here?" "I live in Lincoln Street." "I've got a white mouse." "Where?" "Can I hold him?" "All right." "Isn't he wiggly?" "What's his name?" "Hector." "Hector." "I might lend him to you sometimes." "Oh, Michael." "Hello, Michael." "Hello, Father Timothy." "Hello, Hector." "My, my." "You've got the longest tail in the whole of England, haven't you?" "And don't you know it, eh?" "I've got to get a paper." "Okay." "I'll come with you." "I've got to go that way anyhow." "Can I keep Hector?" "Just till we get to the corner?" "All right." "Hello, Father Tim." "Hello, Ben." "Is the England v. Wales team there?" "Yes." "The Selection Committee want their heads testing." "They've dropped Stradling." "Oh, good for them." "He should have been dropped years ago." "Let me see." "Who have they got?" "Brown, Tyson, Mills, Hyam." "Stradling's the finest center half since Billy Wright." "Don't be ridiculous!" "He's the most over-estimated player in the last ten years." "They haven't got a chance without Stradling." "You'll never learn, will you?" "Just because a man is fast doesn't mean to say he can think on his feet." "Think on his feet." "He can think on his feet better than any player in the country." "For quick thinking, what about the goal he scored against Ireland last year?" "So?" "Right into the net." "Talking football, as usual." "Why not?" "Evening, Father." "Good evening, Henry." "See you Wembley, Saturday week?" "Oh, I'll be there." "Good." "Sorry you won't be at the match, Ben." "Never mind, I'll expect a truthful account from you." "You trust me?" "Well, of course." "If Stradling were really dropped," "I might be tempted to break the Sabbath." "That'll be the day." "You keep it." "I'm going to the corner." "I'll get another one." "Paper." "Paper." "Hello, Bill." "You're lucky, Father." "That's me last one." "Oh, thank you." "Paper please, Bill." "Sorry, love, sold out." "Mummy said get a paper." "Mummy's unlucky, then, ain't she?" "Old Pritchard will have one." "My friend Miriam said Old Pritchard's a monster." "I'm not afraid of him." "Miriam said he cuts off little girls' hair and cooks it like spinach for his dinner." "She's a liar." "She is not." "Yes, she is so." "My father says Old Pritchard's eccentric." "A what?" "Eccentric!" "What's that?" "I..." "Well, anyway, he's not a monster." "Can I have Hector back?" "I dare you to go and buy a paper from him, then." "I don't expect he has a paper." "You're afraid!" "I'm not!" "Yes, you are!" "You're afraid!" "Where are you going?" "Old Pritchard." "You'd better take Hector." "Go on!" "Nothing to it." "I'll pay you on Monday." "Okay." "What did he say?" "Nothing." "Was that magic you did?" "What?" "Before you went in." "Oh, that's the sign of the cross." "We're Catholic." "We're Jewish." "We got a Jewish boy in our class." "He swapped me a water pistol for a space gun." "You any brothers?" "No." "Sisters?" "Well, no." "I've got two brothers and one sister, but they're only kids." "Rachel!" "Daddy!" "Well, what on earth have you got there?" "A mouse." "You've been a long time, young lady." "Your mother was worried." "Bill didn't have a paper, so Michael got me one from Old Pritchard." "Thank you, Michael." "I'm going to pay him at school on Monday." "Well, let's get along home, eh?" "Just a sec." "You can keep him if you like." "I can?" "For how long?" "For good." "Oh, Michael." "Goodnight, Mike." "So you and Rachel were always together?" "Yes." "We used to play together every day." "I'd go to her house or she'd come to mine." "Can I have a drink?" "Okay." "Well, that's the lot, I think." "Rachel." "Would you like a flower?" "There you are." "Now..." "Cor, thanks." "What's the time, Dad?" "Half past three." "Time for African Adventure." "Come on, Rachel." "Get on there." "Michael, look where you're going." "Sorry, Mum." "We're going to watch telly." "She's a nice little girl, isn't she?" "Yes." "You wouldn't think she was Jewish, would you?" "I came to tell you the tea is ready." "You'll have to have it in the kitchen." "The kids are watching the telly." "Don't!" "I'm going to Africa one day." "Mike." "When?" "Dunno." "Can I come, too?" "Girls can't go to Africa." "Why not?" "'Cause there's lions and tigers, snakes and things." "I like snakes." "Well, anyway, you're not coming." "Mike." "How do you get to Africa?" "I'm going to stow away on a ship." "Where'd you get the ship?" "Dad's got a rubber dinghy in the shed." "I'll blow it up and sail down the river." "Can I see it?" "No." "Why not?" "'Cause the shed's locked." "Sam!" "Sam!" "He likes you." "He don't like most people." "Pussy cat, pussy cat Where have you been?" "I've been to London to see the Queen" "Pussy cat, pussy cat What did you there?" "I found a little mouse under her chair" "That's what I'd like to do." "Go to London to see the Queen." "My father's seen her." "What was she wearing?" "Dunno." "When I go to Africa, I'll sail from there." "Why can't I come?" "I told you the other day." "Girls don't go to Africa." "Why can't they?" "Because..." "Look!" "That's Saint Peter's, where we go to church." "Hello, Mike." "Hello." "Where'd you get that?" "My brother Frank's." "Smashing, isn't it?" "Want to play?" "Whatcha playing?" "We're playing England versus France." "You can be France if you like." "Okay." "Hold Hector." "Come on." "This is England's goal." "Me and Harry are England." "Nigel and Michael are France." "That's France's goal." "Come on." "Pass it." "Pass it to me, Harry." "You're in trouble, come on." "You must let it go." "Pass it to me." "Come on." "Quick!" "Quick, hit it." "Give it to me." "Oh, you missed." "Get it there." "Come on." "Quickly." "That's it." "Go on." "That's it." "Get it quick." "Good go, Michael." "Off-side." "Goal!" "France wins." "Hey, Michael!" "Come back!" "Oh, blimey!" "Go and get the ball, Harry." "What's in there?" "That's where the Terrabells used to live." "Why don't they live there anymore?" "They're all dead, I guess." "Look!" "Here's a Lily of the Valley." "Race you to that tree." "One, two, three, off!" "I won." "Well, you're a boy." "You don't run badly for a girl, though." "Oh, Mike." "Come on, let's go have a look." "Don't!" "Why not?" "'Cause there'll be ghosts and things." "There's no ghosts in the daytime." "Please, Mike." "Okay." "Okay." "I could always come another time with Tom." "But this is our place." "Tom can't come here." "I can bring him if I want to." "Oh, Mike." "Look!" "It's a sort of house." "Careful, Michael." "Okay." "No one's been here for ages and ages." "I bet no one owns it, either." "We could come and play here." "Pretend it's our house." "Yes." "We could come here lots and lots." "I could wash the windows and the floor." "I could make some furniture and things like that." "I could put up curtains and pictures." "Yes." "Hector could come, too." "He'd like to meet other mice." "We wouldn't tell anyone." "Course not." "Just us." "Come on." "We'll come back tomorrow." "Okay." "What's the matter?" "It's Hector." "Has he run away?" "He's dead." "I looked in his cage this morning and he wouldn't wake up." "Mummy said it was old age." "Poor old Hector." "I wrapped him in my best hanky." "We'll have a proper funeral." "Let's." "We'll bury him just outside the door." "I'll be the priest." "But..." "But he's a Jewish mouse." "He's mine." "He's not." "Yes, he is." "You gave him to me." "But he was mine first, so that makes him a Catholic." "I'll be back in a minute." "I'm Father Timothy." "Oughtn't we to sing something?" "What?" "I don't know, but I'm sure we ought to sing something." "Do you know Adeste Fideles?" "Then I'll sing it." "We'd better put him in the grave first." "That's all I know." "Now I'm going to say some of the Ave Maria." "Kneel down." "Now cover him with earth while I pray." "Can I put the flowers on the grave now?" "All right." "Now we'll go and make him a smashing tombstone." "You are a Jewish mouse." "What are you going to put?" ""Here lies Hector, a noble mouse." "R.I.P '."" "What's "R.I.P '."?" "I don't know." "They always put it on tombstones." "It's on my sister's." "Did you have a sister that died?" "Yes." "She was older than me." "I don't remember her." "What did she die of?" "Dunno." "I've got a sister." "You haven't." "I have." "She's called Miranda-Anne." "You have not got a sister." "I have!" "I've always had her." "She's got long, fair hair and blue eyes and..." "If you tell lies, you'll get blisters on your tongue." "I don't care." "I have got a sister." "Where is she, then?" "She's home." "Okay." "Where are you going?" "To see your sister." "Mike?" "Mike, but she's a pretend sister." "Oh, I see." "I was going to tell you something about her as I wanted to give you something 'cause you gave me Hector, and Miranda-Anne's so nice." "She's clever, too." "Is she?" "She can read anything, do sums, paint pictures, dance, sing, everything." "Mike." "Mike, would you mind if she came and lived here?" "She could look after the place while we're away." "Okay." "I'll have to ask her." "She said she'd love to." "Good." "Look!" "Hello, Miriam." "You're late." "Sorry, dear." "Well, chicken." "How would you like to go and live in Marlow?" "Reuben, is it fixed?" "This morning." "Jacobson will take over here and I'll open the new branch there." "When?" "When?" "When?" "A couple of months." "Well, we'll have to find somewhere." "Of course, we'll have to find somewhere." "Are we going to live here as well?" "No, darling." "We're going to pack up bag and baggage and find a brand new house in Marlow." "Won't I go to Springfield School anymore?" "You'll go to school in Marlow." "How far is Marlow?" "About 30 miles." "What's the matter, Rachel?" "I think I'd rather live here." "Don't be late home, darling." "Are you playing with Michael?" "Yes." "Can I bring him back to tea?" "Of course." "I'll make you a nice cheesecake." "She and Michael are certainly going steady." "Well, don't have to worry about that for about another ten years or so." "And then, please, God, I hope it'll be a nice Jewish boy." "Like the one her mother got, eh?" "Sorry I'm late." "Old Robinson kept us." "We're going to move to Marlow." "Marlow?" "Do you know how far it is?" "Thirty miles." "Mike, we'll never see each other again." "If we were grown up, they couldn't do it to us." "I wish you were my brother, then you could come, too." "If you were my brother, nothing could separate us." "I've got an idea!" "Remember in that television, about those two Indians who became blood brothers?" "Remember?" "Yes, yes, I do." "Couldn't we be blood brothers like they were?" "But they were boys." "I'm sure there can be blood brothers and sisters, too." "Really?" "They took a pin and stuck it in their finger, and when the blood came, mixed it together." "Yes." "I'm game if you are." "Okay." "I'll do you first." "No, you first." "Okay." "It doesn't hurt, much." "It's kind of like getting married, isn't it?" "It's better." "Now we can never be separated." "Never, never." "Miranda-Anne said congratulations, and when people get married, they go on a holiday." "So what?" "Couldn't we go on a holiday?" "Yeah!" "We'll go to Africa!" "Think I'd rather go to London to see the Queen." "How do we get there?" "We could thumb a lift." "My cousin did." "All the way to Birmingham." "Oh, Mike, do let's." "Okay." "But first, we ought to seal our blood brotherhood in this." "We ought to swear some sort of oath." "I've got it." "We are blood brothers forever and ever." "We can't be parted for never and never." "No." "No." "They never will." "This might be the one." "Please." "Please stop." "Please." "Can't anyone stop for us?" "Very well, Your Ladyship." "Wanting a lift?" "Where to?" "London." "No, sorry, love." "We're only going to Fairbank." "They want to go to London, Your Ladyship." "Ask them to come here." "Her Ladyship wants to talk to you." "So you want to go to London?" "Yes, please." "We want to see the Queen." "That's very understandable of you." "We thought she might ask us to tea." "She's only seven." "Well, I'm sure the Queen would ask you to tea if she were at home." "But..." "But what about your parents?" "Won't they be worried?" "Oh, no, as long as we're home by dark." "I see." "Well, I'm afraid I can't take you to London, but I can take you to one of the Queen's houses." "Come on, jump in." "Home, Gregory, please." "Very good, Your Ladyship." "Now the house I'm taking you to belongs to the Queen, but she won't be there this afternoon, I'm afraid." "Will Charles and Anne be there?" "Well, Prince Charles is at boarding school, and Princess Anne is with her mother and the baby." "But the corgis will be there." "What are they called?" "Well, one's called Bleddyn and the other Troedwen and the puppy's called Brock." "What are you called?" "Lady Caroline." "Are you a Princess?" "Yes." "Certainly." "...wearing a tiara, with a most beautiful dress." "And after the banquet was over, we danced till long after midnight." "That was the last I ever saw of her." "But I've got a lovely photograph of her." "Look, she gave it to me herself." "Isn't it a lovely one?" "I do wish she could be here." "Gosh!" "Who shot this?" "I did." "Wow!" "I didn't know ladies shot tigers." "Some ladies do." "I'll shoot one like this when I get to Africa." "You're going to Africa?" "It's her imaginary sister." "Her what?" "Her pretend sister." "She's called Miranda-Anne." "I'd forgotten." "Come here, dear." "So your sister's called Miranda-Anne?" "Miranda-Anne Mathias." "Well, mine was called Annabelle." "Was she the same sort of sister as Miranda-Anne?" "Yes." "You see, I was a very lonely little girl, and I lived in a funny old castle in North Wales far away from everything and everybody." "And you didn't have no real brothers or sisters?" "Well, I had a brother." "But he was much, much older and he didn't take notice of me." "And you didn't have a blood brother like Mike?" "Is Mike your blood brother?" "Yes." "We're blood brothers for ever and ever" "We can't be parted for never and never" "That's a poem." "Mike made it up." "It's a beautiful poem." "We're blood brothers for ever and ever and we can't be parted for never and never" "Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds or bends for the remover to remove" "What's that?" "Just another poem." "I like you." "Yes, and I like you." "Of course, there couldn't be other kinds of blood brothers, but if there were you could be our blood aunt." "Couldn't she, Mike?" "Yes." "Well, now, I think that's the nicest compliment I've ever had in all my life." "Thank you, my dears." "Gregory gave you my instructions, Compton?" "Yes, milady." "Yes, Your Highness." "Well, she wasn't the Queen, but she was a Princess." "And it was the Queen's house." "One of them." "She's got lots." "I do wish I could have seen Anne." "But the corgis were there." "Mike, it was a lovely holiday." "Come on, Mike." "Come and help me carry the groceries." "I'm going to Mrs. Howell's." "I don't like Mrs. Howell, she smells of cheese." "Oh, nonsense." "Can we have sprouts?" "Well, if they're not too expensive." "Mum, is it true if you eat carrots you can see in the dark?" "I've no idea." "Cats can see in the dark." "Do you give Sam carrots, Mum?" "Of course not." "Why?" "Well, because he likes fish and rabbit." "Careful, Mike." "Rachel's not allowed to eat ham." "Well, that's because she's Jewish." "Why don't Jewish people eat ham?" "Oh, Mike, do stop asking questions." "But why don't they?" "Well, it's their religion." "It's different from ours." "Why?" "Mike, for goodness sake!" "Look, Mum, that's where Rachel goes to church." "That's the synagogue." "Can I go with her one day?" "She goes to service on Saturdays instead of Sundays." "Michael, you must never do that." "Why not?" "Well, because you're a Catholic." "It would be a sin." "A bad one?" "Yes, a very bad one." "Gosh!" "Mike!" "Bye." "Bye." "Going to the pictures." "Coming?" "Always off with that Rachel Mathias, aren't you?" "Sweet on her?" "No." "My dad doesn't like Jews." "Why not?" "I don't know." "Suppose it's 'cause they killed Christ." "The Jews did?" "Of course." "They crucified him." "The Jews?" "That's what I said." "Funny you not knowing that." "Suppose it's 'cause you're a Catholic." "My dad doesn't like Catholics either." "Mike." "Me." "Miranda-Anne." "Hello." "Look, Mike, Mummy made us some cakes." "And I got some fizzy lemonade with my pocket money." "Miranda-Anne's crazy about fizzy lemonade." "So we can have a real feast." "What's the matter?" "Why did you kill Christ?" "I didn't kill him, I don't even know him." "Tom told me today that the Jews killed Christ." "Your father's a Jew." "My father never killed anyone." "I asked my mother." "She said it was true." "What was?" "That you killed Christ." "But I didn't." "Honestly, I didn't!" "There's a Catholic God and a Jewish one." "And you killed mine." "I didn't even know there were two Gods." "Yes, you did!" "That's why I can't ever go into your synagogue." "And I must never go into your church, then." "Do you know what would happen if you did?" "Something awful, I expect." "You'd probably be killed because you killed Christ." "God would probably strike you dead." "Oh, Mike." "I wish you hadn't done it." "Mike." "We can go on playing together, can't we?" "God mightn't like it." "But we're blood brothers." "Yes, but God's very strong." "Stronger than blood brothers?" "I dunno." "Maybe he isn't." "Mike?" "Isn't there anything we can do to find out which is stronger?" "What sort of thing?" "Anything." "I've thought of something." "What?" "You'd be afraid." "No, I wouldn't." "What is it, Mike?" "Well, you know you said you're not allowed to go into our church." "Yes." "Mum told me not to go into yours." "Well, if you went into my church and I went into your synagogue and God didn't strike us dead, we'd have proved our blood brotherhood was stronger than anything." "Mike." "Of course, you'd be too afraid." "No, I wouldn't." "It's the Sabbath tomorrow." "You could come then." "Before the accident, he was a first-rate player." "Well, the sooner he's put on the transfer list the better." "He's no good." "No, you've forgotten the cap time he played for Arsenal." "It was a sheer fluke, it'll never happen again, not in a million years." "Hello, Michael." "Hello." "One minute, Daddy." "Hello." "How are you?" "Fine, thank you." "Oh, good morning." "You have to wear your hat inside." "You all right, darling?" "Yes, Daddy." "Hello, Rachel." "Hello, Michael." "What's happening?" "Going our way?" "No, thanks." "I've got to go home." "Come along, Rachel." "It's your turn tomorrow." "Aren't you coming?" "Mum and Dad have gone to mass." "I had to say I felt ill, so I could come and collect you." "But, Mike, as it's all right with my God, I thought..." "You're scared." "I'm not." "It's no use unless we both do it." "We'll never find out otherwise." "Come on." "You have to wear a hat." "Is that him?" "It won't hurt." "Go on." "Who's that?" "It's Our Lady." "She's got a baby." "It's our Lord." "It's all right, Mike." "The Lady likes me." "Then we knew our blood brotherhood was the strongest and we could do anything we wanted, like go to Africa, and we weren't afraid of anyone anymore." "Not even Old Pritchard." "Mr. Pritchard." "Mr. Pritchard, I want to buy that helmet you have in your window." "We're going to Africa." "Oh, you are, are you?" "And what part of Africa?" "Well, anywhere where there's lions and things." "I see." "I see." "Going for long?" "Well, I don't know." "Flying, I suppose, eh?" "Oh, no." "We're going part of the way on a raft and then we're going to stow away on a ship." "Mind you, stock up with plenty to eat." "Some of these stowaways have a pretty thin time, so I hear." "Plenty of baked beans, that's the answer." "Oh, look, Mike." "It's just like the one we saw in her house." "We had tea in one of the Queen's houses last week." "Did you now?" "Well, I hope you had a good spread." "Personally when I was your age, tea was not considered tea unless there was sandwiches as well as bread and butter, and three special kinds of cake." "The sun helmet, Mr. Pritchard." "Oh, that." "Aye." "Well, now, let me see." "What would you think it's worth?" "Well..." "I've got six pence." "Now, well, isn't that a strange thing." "That's exactly what the man at Sotheby's told me to ask for it." "Get it out of the window for me, there's a good boy." "Fancy being afraid of Old Pritchard." "Fancy being afraid of anyone." "I suppose we can do anything we like now." "Anything!" "Well, what will we do?" "You know the rubber dinghy we have in our shed?" "What about it?" "I blew it up yesterday with Dad's bicycle pump." "So why don't we take it on the river?" "This afternoon?" "We've got to get used to it before we start out for Africa." "Couldn't we thumb a lift to Dover and go from there?" "No." "Why not?" "Because I've blown it up." "It's ready." "Tell you what." "I'll go home and get it and meet you at the river." "Okay?" "Okay." "Mike." "Mike, couldn't we play at our house instead?" "Miranda-Anne will be ever so lonely and..." "I thought you wanted to go to Africa." "Oh, I do, but..." "But it's getting late." "It will be dark soon." "Unless we get used to the dinghy, we'll never get to a boat to stow away on." "Of course, if you're still afraid of snakes..." "But I like snakes." "I say I like snakes, Mike!" "Okay, I heard!" "I'll be at the river." "Really I will." "Okay." "Bye." "See?" "It's easy." "We can do anything now." "Anything!" "Oh, Mike, it's the sea!" "It isn't the sea, it's the Thames." "We could go to Africa in this." "Want to go to Africa!" "Want to go to Africa!" "I'll catch a lion and we could go ride on him like a pony." "I want a lion!" "A ride on a lion!" "And I'd catch an elephant and a hippopotamus!" "A hippopotamus!" "A hippopotamus!" "And I'd catch a giraffe and a leopard!" "And a tiger and a rhinoceros!" "And a gorilla and a crocodile and a buffalo." "And some snakes, Mike." "Lots of lovely snakes!" "It's the Congo!" "Hurray!" "We made it!" "We're in Africa!" "Hurray!" "Hurray!" "Hurray!" "We made it!" "Mike!" "Rachel!" "Rachel!" "Rachel!" "Wake up!" "Please!" "Rachel!" "Please wake up!" "Help!" "Help!" "Hey." "Rachel!" "The river!" "What's that, lad?" "Rachel!" "She fell in!" "Where?" "Come on!" "George, there's been an accident." "Come on." "I'm gonna ring for a doctor." "What's the matter?" "George, she's been drowned." "So you see, I killed her." "It was my fault." "She didn't want to go." "And God remembered what we'd done and punished us." "Now listen, Michael." "Rachel may not be dead, but even if she were, it's not God's vengeance." "Our Lord is a God of love." "If she's dead it's because he loves her so well that he's chosen her to be his handmaiden." "He's rewarding, not punishing her." "But we thought we were stronger than he is." "He must have been angry." "He loves you, Michael." "He understands you." "Don't you remember that he said, "Suffer little children to come unto me," ""for of such is the kingdom of Heaven"?" "Now we'll go along to Rachel's house, my son." "Rachel..." "Rachel's all right." "Thank God." "Thank God." "Well, you hear what the rabbi said, Michael?" "Rachel's all right." "Not dead?" "No, Michael." "God was good to her and let her live." "God." "Yes." "God." "Whose other name is love." "That's what you said, isn't it, Father?" "That's right, Michael." "That's what you both say, isn't it?" "Yes, Michael, in our different ways." "Can I see Rachel?" "Not tonight." "Tomorrow." "Tomorrow, Michael." "You go home, my son." "I'll come and see your mother in the morning." "Will they let me have the dinghy back?" "Now you run along home." "We'll talk about that tomorrow." "Bed, I think." "See you at the match tomorrow." "I'll be there."