FADE IN:

EXT - CONVENT - DAY

Whispering of nuns at prayer.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT - CHAPEL - DAY

Nuns at prayer; MOTHER MIRIAM, the Superior closes the gate
and locks it.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT - COURTYARD - DAY

The nuns walking around the courtyard in an anticlockwise
direction saying the rosary.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT - CHAPEL - DAY

A line of nuns kneeling at prayer. Closeups of various
individuals.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT - CONVENT - NIGHT

A single shot of the building.

INT - TOP CORRIDOR - NIGHT

SISTER MARGUERITE is locking up for the night, shutting
doors, turning off lights, finally walks off down the
corridor. Suddenly a terrified scream is heard, the voice of
a young woman.

EXT - CONVENT - NIGHT

Lights in the windows flick on.

INT - TOP CORRIDOR - NIGHT

The nuns are running up the corridor in their night dresses
and caps, calling urgently in French. They reach the door of
Sister Agnes' room and try the door. It is blocked. Pushing
harder they see the blood stained figure of SISTER AGNES.
Much alarm and crying...

				MOTHER SUPERIOR
		Agnes!... Agnes...

EXT - CONVENT - NIGHT

An ambulance comes tearing down the road, siren blaring. It
cuts the siren and stops outside the convent gates. The nuns
open the gate and the ambulance drives inside.

INT - TOP CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Two PARAMEDICS urgently run the stretcher down the hall to
the unconscious figure of Sister Agnes. The Mother Superior
desperately wipes and kisses her face.

				PARAMEDIC
		I'm just going to put something here to
		stop the bleeding. Excuse me Sister.
		She'll be fine.

They lift her on to the stretcher and run back down the
hall.

The Mother Superior looks around worriedly and goes into...

INT - SISTER AGNES' ROOM - NIGHT

She kneels down by a waste paper basket full of bloodied
sheets and starts to pull them out.  Then she freezes, makes
the sign of the cross and starts to weep.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT - MONTREAL - NIGHT

An aerial shot of the great cross of Montreal. Superimposed
over this are the words

"MONTREAL, QUEBEC".

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT - SUPREME COURT - DAY

A normal busy day. A car pulls up with a woman and a man
driving. The woman is MARTHA LIVINGSTON. She kisses the man
(LARRY), gets out of the car, runs across the road
dodgingtraffic and goes up the steps of the courthouse.
There a group of REPORTERS there and a sudden bustle of
interest.

				REPORTER
		Here they are now.

Martha watches intently as 3 nuns, the Mother Superior,
Sister Marguerite, and Sister Agnes (dressed in a white
novices habit) and their LAWYER come out of the court
escorted by police. The reporters leap on them, taking
photographs, asking questions in English and French.
Suddenly Sister Agnes looks right at Martha, then she is
quickly bustled past. Martha goes on into the courthouse.

INT - JUDGE'S CHAMBERS - DAY

Inside EVE, LYON, and JUSTICE LEVEAU are sitting. Martha is
standing by the window smoking furiously.

				LEVEAU
		Martha, it's you.

				MARTHA
		What about Roger? He's free.

				EVE
		They want a woman.

				LYON
		All you have to do is meet with her
		once or twice... then tell the court
		she's insane.

				MARTHA
		Are you dictating my position to me?
		We're getting into some sticky legal
		territories here.

				EVE
		Martha, all we're saying is, no-one wants
		this to come to trial, not the Church, not
		the Crown... least of all me.

				MARTHA
		Eve, she strangled a baby!

				EVE
		Nobody is interested in sending a nun
		to prison.

				LEVEAU
		We're not telling you what to decide
		Martha. We're not even telling you to
		take this.

				LYON
		Is there any reason why you feel you
		shouldn't take it?

Martha pauses for a long moment at the window, then turns.

				MARTHA
		Today's my birthday. I always make
		bad decisions on my birthday.

The Judge, Eve and Lyon all chuckle. The Judge throws the
file down on his desk towards her.

				LEVEAU
		Happy birthday.


15   INT - MARTHA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Martha unlocks the door and comes in. She plays her
answerphone
and moves  over to her cat.

				MARTHA
		Hi, Kitty.

The answerphone whirs...

				SECRETARY (V.O.)
		Hi, it's Helen, calling to tell you
		that Mrs Davenport phoned to confirm
		her appointment at nine o'clock
		tomorrow, okay?  Bye bye.

Some whirs and clicks.

				ROGER (V.O.)
		Hi Martha, it's Roger. Can you call
		me at the hospital. I'd like your opinion
		on a case. Oh, bye the way, happy
		birthday. Bye.

				SECRETARY (V.O.)
		Hi, Marty it's Helen again. I cancelled
		your Wednesday afternoon appointment
		so you can visit with your mother. Bye bye.

				MAN
			(in French)
		???

Martha picks up a news paper with a photo of Sister Agnes on
the front.

									DISSOLVE TO:

16   EXT - CONVENT - DAY

Martha pulls up in her BMW outside the convent walls and
gets
out, cigarette
in hand. A sign tangled over with creeper reads "Les Petites
Soeurs de Marie Madeleine". Martha jangles a bell. After a
wait she
presses a buzzer. A   peephole in the door slams open and
Sister
Marguerite looks out.

				MARTHA
		Bonjour, I'm Doctor Martha
		Livingston, I...

The peephole slams shut, but the door does open. Sister
Marguerite glares at  her.

				MARTHA (Cont.)
		Hello... I'm Doctor Martha
		Living...ston... I...

Martha realizes it is the cigarette that is causing the
trouble
and hastily	grinds it underfoot.

				MARTHA (Cont.)
		Excuse me... I'm...

Sister Marguerite eyes flick down at cigarette butt. Martha
awkwardly tries
to kick it away.

				MARTHA (Cont.)
		...the court-appointed psychiatrist.

Sister Marguerite gives a frosty imitation of a smile and
motions for her to    come in.

				MARTHA (Cont.)
		Thank you. I um... I believe your
		Mother Superior's expecting me.

Martha and the Sister walk up the drive to the convent.


17   INT - WAITING ROOM - DAY

Martha follows Sister Marguerite into a grilled waiting
room.
Sister moves    off, leaving Martha looking around
curiously. Then
the MOTHER MIRIAM arrives  from behind the grilled door,
sees
Martha, sighs exasperatedly and enters	 giving Martha a
slight
start.

				MOTHER SUPERIOR
			(beaming at her own
				little joke)
		Doctor Livingston I presume?  I'm
		Mother Miriam Ruth. You needn't call
		Mother if you don't wish.
			(shaking hands)
		Most people find it uncomfortable.

				MARTHA
		Well... I...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(carrying right on)
		I'm afraid the word brings up the most
		unpleasant connatations in this day and
		age...

				MARTHA
		Yes... I...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		You can call me Sister.

				MARTHA
		... Thank you.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		You must have tons of questions. You
		may smoke if you want to. Just don't
		tell any of the Sisters.

Martha sits;  Mother Miriam gets her a box of matches.

				MOTHER MIRIAM (Cont.)
		They wouldn't understand, especially
		Sister Marguerite. She'd scare the pants
		off Queen Elizabeth.
			 (she lights Martha's cigarette)
		Besides, I miss them.

				MARTHA
		You were a smoker?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Two packs a day.

				MARTHA
		I can beat that.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Unfiltered.

Martha inclines her head impressed. Mother Miriam sits down
next to her.

				MOTHER MIRIAM (Cont.)
		Well, you have questions.
			(checks her watch)
		Fire away...

				MARTHA
		Who knew about Agnes' pregnancy?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		No-one.

				MARTHA
		How did she hide it from the other nuns?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		She undressed alone... she bathed alone.

				MARTHA
		Is that normal?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		How did she hide it during the day?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(indicating her habit)
		She could have hidden a machine gun in
		here if she had wanted to.

				MARTHA
		Didn't she have any physical examinations
		in this time?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		We're examined once a year. Her pregnancy
		fell in between the doctor's visits.

				MARTHA
		Who was the father?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I haven't a clue.

				MARTHA
		What man had access to her?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		None as far as I know.

				MARTHA
		Was there a priest?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Yes, but I...

				MARTHA
		What's his name?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Father Martineau, but I don't see him
		as a candidate.

				MARTHA
		Could there have been anyone else?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(a pause)
		Obviously there was.

				MARTHA
		And you didn't try to find out who?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(standing)
		Believe me, I've done everything possible
		short of asking Agnes.

				MARTHA
		Why haven't you asked her?

Mother Miriam removes a tray from under a pot plant and
brings
it back to
use as an ashtray.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(sitting again)
		She can't even remember the birth. Do
		you think she'd admit to the conception?

				MARTHA
		Look, someone gave her the baby.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Yes, but that was some ten months ago.
		I fail to see that the identity of that
		somebody has anything to do with this
		trial.

				MARTHA
		Why do you think that?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Don't ask me those questions dear,
		I'm not the patient.

				MARTHA
		Well I'm the doctor. I'm the one who's
		going to decide what is, or is not
		important here.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Look doctor, I don't know how to tell you
		this politely, but I don't approve of you.
		Not you personally...

				MARTHA
		The science of psychiatry.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(standing)
		Exactly. I want you do deal with Agnes
		as speedily and as easily as possible.
		She won't hold up under any sort of cross
		examination.

				MARTHA
			(also standing)
		I am not with the Inquisition.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		And I am not from the Middle Ages. I
		know what you are!  I don't want that
		mind cut open.

Then Mother Miriam walks out.


18   INT - WAITING ROOM - DAY

A little later, Martha is sitting alone smoking. SISTER ANNE
enters and indicates that Martha should follow her. They
exit out of
the grilled room
and head up a steep flight of wooden stairs. Faintly the
voice
of a single
young woman can be heard singing in Latin.


19   INT - TOP CORRIDOR - DAY

Martha follows Sister Anne down the hall towards the
singing.
They stop  outside Agnes' room. Martha looks to see...


20   INT - AGNES' ROOM - DAY

... Agnes an almost childlike young woman singing happily,
looking out the
window. Then Agnes hears a slight sound and stops abruptly.
She
turns to see
Martha standing in the doorway.

				MARTHA
		Hello. I'm Doctor Livingston. I've been
		asked to talk to you. May I?

				AGNES
		Yes.

Martha moves further in the room. An ELDERLY NUN hovers
outside
the door.

				MARTHA
		You have a lovely voice.

				AGNES
		No I don't.

				MARTHA
		I just heard you.

				AGNES
		That wasn't me.

				MARTHA
		Was it Sister Marguerite?

Agnes laughs and Martha closes the door, shutting out the
old
nun.

				MARTHA (Cont.)
		You're very pretty Agnes.

				AGNES
		No I'm not.

				MARTHA
		Hasn't anyone ever told you that before?

				AGNES
		Let's talk about something else.

				MARTHA
		What would you like to talk about.

				AGNES
		I don't know.

				MARTHA
		Anything... may I sit down?

				AGNES
		Yes.

They both sit.

				MARTHA
		First thing that comes to your mind?

				AGNES
		God!  But there's nothing to say about
		God.

				MARTHA
		Second thing that comes to your mind.

				AGNES
		Love.

				MARTHA
		Have you ever loved anyone?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Who?

				AGNES
		Everyone.

				MARTHA
		Well, who in particular?

				AGNES
		Right now?

				MARTHA
		Uh huh.

				AGNES
		I love you.

				MARTHA
			(a pause)
		Agnes, have you ever loved another
		man... other than, Jesus Christ?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Who?

				AGNES
			(chuckles)
		Oh, there are so many.

				MARTHA
		Well do you love... do you love
		Father Martineau?

				AGNES
		Oh, yes!

				MARTHA
		Do you think he loves you?

				AGNES
		Oh, I know he does.

				MARTHA
		He's told you?

				AGNES
		No. But... when I look into his eyes,
		I can tell.

				MARTHA
		You've been alone together?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Often?

				AGNES
		At least once a week.

				MARTHA
		And you like that?

				AGNES
		Oh, yes.

				MARTHA
		Where do you meet?

				AGNES
			(obviously)
		In the confessional.

A slightly awkward pause.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, do ever see Father Martineau
		outside the...

Agnes suddenly looks exasperated.

				AGNES
		You want to talk about the baby
		don't you?

				MARTHA
		Would you like to talk about it?

				AGNES
		I never saw any baby... I think they
		made it up.

				MARTHA
		Why should they?

				AGNES
		I don't know.

				MARTHA
		Do you remember the night they said
		it came?

				AGNES
		No. I was sick.

				MARTHA
		How were you sick?

				AGNES
		Something I ate.

				MARTHA
		Did it hurt?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Where?

				AGNES
		Down... there.

				MARTHA
		And what did you do?

				AGNES
		I went to my room.

				MARTHA
		And what happened?

				AGNES
		I got sicker.

				MARTHA
		And then what?

				AGNES
		I fell asleep.

				MARTHA
		In the middle of all the pain?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Where did the baby come from?

				AGNES
		What baby?

				MARTHA
		The baby they made up.

				AGNES
		From their heads...

				MARTHA
		Is that where they say it came
		from... ?

				AGNES
		No, they say it came from the waste
		paper basket!

				MARTHA
		Where'd it come from before that?

				AGNES
		From God.

				MARTHA
		After God... before the waste-paper
		basket.

				AGNES
		I... I don't understand.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, how are babies born?

				AGNES
		Don't you know?

				MARTHA
		Yes I do,  but I want you to...

				AGNES
			(very agitated)
		I don't understand what you're
		talking about... you want to talk
		about the baby... everybody wants
		to talk about the baby but... I
		never saw the baby so I can't talk
		about the baby because... I don't
		believe in the baby.

				MARTHA
		Then let's talk about something else...

				AGNES
			(standing)
		No... no, I'm tired of talking, I've been
		talking for weeks, nobody believes me
		when I tell them anything... nobody
		listens to me.

				MARTHA
			(also standing)
		Agnes...

				AGNES
			(opens the door)
		No... no, I don't want to answer any
		more questions.

				MARTHA
		Would you like to ask them?

				AGNES
			(pausing in the doorway)
		What do you mean?

				MARTHA
		Just that... you ask and I'll answer.

				AGNES
		Anything?

				MARTHA
			(smiles)
		Anything.


21   INT - NUN'S ROOM - DAY

The elderly nun looks out the window into the courtyard
where
Martha and Agnes are walking, then pulls the curtain across.


22   EXT - COURTYARD - DAY

Martha and Agnes are walking together. Martha is smoking.

				AGNES
		What's your real name?

				MARTHA
		Martha Louise Livingston.

				AGNES
		Are you married?

				MARTHA
		No.

				AGNES
		Would you like to be?

				MARTHA
		Not at the moment, no.

				AGNES
		Do you have any children?

				MARTHA
		No.

				AGNES
		Would you like some?

				MARTHA
		I can't have them any more.

				AGNES
		Why not?

				MARTHA
			(a pause)
		I've stopped menstruating

				AGNES
		Why do you smoke?

				MARTHA
		Does it bother you?

				AGNES
		No questions.

				MARTHA
		Smoking is an obsession with me.
		Maybe one day I'll become obsessed
		with something else, then I'll stop
		smoking... Do you have any more
		questions?

				AGNES
		One.

				MARTHA
		What?

They both halt.

				AGNES
		Where do you think babies come from?

				MARTHA
		From their mothers and fathers of
		course. Before that, I... I don't
		know.

				AGNES
		Well I think they come from... angel
		lights on their mothers chest and
		whispers into her ear. That makes good
		babies start to grow. And bad babies
		come from when a fallen angel squeezes
		in down there, and they start to grow,
		grow, till they come out down there.
		I don't know where good babies come out.
		And you can't tell the difference...
		except bad babies cry a lot... and they
		make their fathers go away... and their
		mothers get very ill... die sometimes.

Agnes sits down on a bench and Martha follows her.

				AGNES (Cont.)
		Mummy wasn't very happy  when she died
		... and, I think she went to hell because
		every time I see her she looks like she
		just stepped out of a hot shower, and I...
		I'm never sure if it's her, or the Lady who
		tells me things!  They fight over me all
		the time.
			(staring into space)
		The Lady... I saw when I was ten. I was
		lying on the grass, looking at the sun, and
		the sun became a cloud, and the cloud
		became, a Lady. And she told me she would
		talk to me. And then... her feet began to
		bleed and I saw there... there were holes
		in her hands and in her side. And I tried to
		catch the blood as it fell from the sky, but
		I couldn't see any more because my eyes
		hurt because there were big black spots in
		front of them. And she tells me things like,
		like... right now she's crying Marie!  Marie!
		... but I don't know what that means.

Martha stands up, disturbed. Agnes is slightly delirious
with
happiness.

				AGNES (Cont.)
		... and... she uses me to sing, it's as
		if she's throwing a big hook through
		the air and it catches me under my ribs
		and tries to pull me up, and I... I can't
		move because Mommy's holding my feet
		and all I can do is sing in her voice...
		it's the Lady's voice, God loves you!

And her cry echoes all around and the doves fly out of the
bell
tower.

				AGNES (Cont.)
			(to Martha)
		God loves you.

				MARTHA
		Do you know a Marie?

				AGNES
		No... do you?

				MARTHA
		Why should I?

				AGNES
		I don't know.


23   INT - MOTHER MIRIAM'S STUDY - DAY

Mother Miriam is standing checking some papers when Martha
enters. Mother  Miriam seems to have entirely regained her
good
humour.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Well... what do you think?  Is she
		totally bananas or merely slightly
		off centre... or maybe she's perfectly
		sane and just a very good liar.

				MARTHA
		What's your opinion?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I believe Agnes is different.

				MARTHA
		From other nuns...
			(laughs)
		Yes I... I've noticed.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		From other people!
			(moving across the room)
		I believe she is not crazy, nor is she
		lying.

				MARTHA
		How could she have a baby and know
		nothing of sex or birth?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Because she's an innocent. She's a slate
		that's hasn't been touched except by God.

				MARTHA
			(lights a cigarette)
		That's ridiculous...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(moves to her desk,
			 starts writing)
		In her case it isn't. She's had very little
		schooling. Her mother kept her home
		almost all the time and when her mother
		died Agnes came here, to us. She's never
		been out there Doctor. She's never seen a
		movie or a television show. She's never
		even read a book.

				MARTHA
		If she's so innocent, how come she
		murdered a child?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		She didn't!  This is manslaughter, not
		murder. She didn't consciously kill that
		baby. She'd lost a lot of blood. She was
		unconscious by the time we got to her.

				MARTHA
		So, someone else could have done it.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		No... not in the eyes of the police.

				MARTHA
		And in your eyes?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I've already told you what I thought.

				MARTHA
		That she was unconscious, yes!  So
		someone easily could have come in
		the room and killed the...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		You don't really believe something like
		that happened do you?

				MARTHA
		It's possible isn't it?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Who?

				MARTHA
		One of the other nuns found out about
		the baby and... and wanted to avoid a
		scandal.

Mother Miriam removes the tray from under a pot plant and
bangs
it down in front of Martha to act as an ashtray.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		That's absurd!

				MARTHA
		That possibility never occurred to
		you?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		No-one knew about Agnes' pregnancy.
		No-one. Not even Agnes.


24   EXT - CONVENT - DAY

Martha's car exits out of the convent and heads up the road.


25   INT - CAR - DAY

The car radio is playing light band music...

				ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
		You have been listening to Mostly Music
		from Montreal. This is CBC Radio.
			(and again in French)

Martha flicks the radio off and stops the car. She thinks
for a
moment
then...


26   EXT - LONELY ROAD - DAY

... she turns the car around and heads back in the direction
she came.


27   EXT - PRESBYTERY - DAY

Martha drives in through an entrance and pulls up outside
the
presbytery.


28   INT - PRESBYTERY - DAY

From inside the house, Martha can be seen knocking on the
glass
fronted
door.	 Presently a huge, fat HOUSEKEEPER answers.

				MARTHA
		Is Father Martineau in please?

				HOUSEKEEPER
			(in French)
			???

				MARTHA
			(answers in French)
		???

The housekeeper indicates she should enter and walks back
inside.

				HOUSEKEEPER
			(halting briefly)
		Wipe your feet.

They move into the next room. The housekeeper goes further
calling...

				HOUSEKEEPER
		Pere Martineau...
			(in French)
		???

Martha stands uncertainly at the doorway. The sound of
thumping
is heard,
and then the figure of a very old priest, FATHER MARTINEAU
appears walking
with a stick.


29   INT - PRESBYTERY DINING ROOM - DAY

Father Martineau and Martha are having tea. He pours a slug
of
whisky from a   flask into her cup and an even larger slug
into his
own.

				FATHER MARTINEAU
			(French accent)
		They arise at five in the morning... and
		they're in bed by nine at night. Even if a
		man could get to them, he would probably
		find them praying. That's why I see that
		the real question is not only how he got in,
		but when.

				MARTHA
		And you're the only man to see them?

					FATHER MARTINEAU
		I promise you Doctor, even if I had the
		inclination, how could I possibly catch
		her?  She would have to be a very slow
		and patient nun.
			(they both laugh)
		Ah no... they're a very special and rare
		people those Sisters. Only a few of them
		left in this modern world, consecrated to
		the praise of God.


30   INT - NURSING HOME, LOUNGE - DAY

An elderly WOMAN is sitting watching "Spiderman" on TV
cackling
with laughter. She is physically alright, but quite senile.
Martha
enters, goes
over to her and kisses her.

				MARTHA
		Hello, Mama
			(pulls up a chair)
		... brought you something.

				MAMA
		Shut up, I'm trying to watch this.

				MARTHA
		It's your favourite...

				MAMA
		Who are you?

				MARTHA
		It's Martha, Mama.
			(hands over a tub
			 of icecream)
		There you go.

				MAMA
		Marie brings me icecream too you
		know. Chocolate... my favourite.

				MARTHA
		I thought cherry-vanilla was your
		favourite.

				MAMA
		Not any more... now I like chocolate.

				MARTHA
			(stroking her hair)
		Did you have a good week Mama. Are
		they treating you all right?

				MAMA
		You know Martha never comes to see me.
		You watch it, she's going straight to
		hell... after all the things she said to
		me. Then she marries that son of a bitch
		of a Frenchman... has an abortion. I
		knew that one wouldn't work out. Not
		like you Marie. You got married to God.

				MARTHA
			(lighting up)
		Marie's dead Mama.

				MAMA
		I remember when you was a little girl
		Marie. You come back from the movies
		and you'd say - Mama that ending was so
		sad... and I'd tell you they had all the
		happy endings locked away in a vault in
		Hollywood.
			(chuckles)
		And you believed me.

				MARTHA
		Mama, that wasn't Marie, that was me!

				MAMA
			(a long pause)
		Who are you?

				MARTHA
		I... I'm Martha, Mama.


31   EXT - CONVENT, CHICKENYARD - DAY

It is raining... distant thunder in the background. Martha
is
standing under
an umbrella talking to Sister Anne who is feeding the
chickens.

				SISTER ANNE
		The convent was built for over fifty.
		Not many of us left... just us and
		the chickens.

					MARTHA
		How do you survive?

				SISTER ANNE
		Oh, we own the land around here.
		But we rent it out. We keep a few
		acres for ourselves,
			(indicating)
		some wheat, corn, some vegetables.

				MARTHA
		Well that's a lot of land. You must have
		help. Do you have field hands that help
		you?

				SISTER ANNE
		No. We work the land alone. No-one but
		Sister Marguerite and I are permitted
		contact with the public.

				MARTHA
		Sister Anne, which was Agnes' room?

Sister Anne points up to a window on the corner of the
convent.

				SISTER ANNE
		Oh that one there, in the corner.

				MARTHA
		The one up on the third floor?

				SISTER ANNE
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Uh huh.


32   INT - AGNES' OLD ROOM - DAY

Mother Miriam unlocks a padlock on the door, opens it for
Martha. They both	enter the room which is totally plain,
stripped
of everything.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		This convent is locked solid. The only
		one that has a key is Sister Marguerite
		and she wouldn't let Christ in after dark.

				MARTHA
		Well, it's been known to happen in the
		day too. Maybe Agnes went to him.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Oh come on, you've talked to her. She
		doesn't even know how babies are born,
		let alone made.

				MARTHA
		When did you first learn about her...
		innocence, the way she thinks?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Shortly after she came to us.

				MARTHA
		And you weren't shocked?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I was appalled, just as you are now.

				MARTHA
		And what happened?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		She stopped eating completely...


33   INT - CHAPEL - DAY

In flashback:  Agnes, all in white is lying face down in the
sign of the
cross in front of the altar. Mother Miriam enters.

				MARTHA (V.O.)
		This was before her pregnancy?

				MOTHER MIRIAM (V.O.)
		About two years before.

Mother Miriam stops in front of Agnes.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Agnes, it has come to my attention
		that you have stopped eating. Why
		is this?
					AGNES
			(not looking up)
		I've been commanded by God.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(sighs)
		He talked to you Himself?

				AGNES
		No.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Through someone else?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Who?

				AGNES
		I can't say.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Why?

				AGNES
		She'd punish me.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		One of the other Sisters?

				AGNES
		No.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Who?

Mother Miriam glances up at an older NUN who has been in the
chapel watching all along. She takes the hint and hobbles
out.

				MOTHER MIRIAM (Cont.)
		Why would she tell you to do this?
		... Agnes look at me.

				AGNES
			(looking up)
		Because I'm getting fat.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Oh, for Heaven's sake.

				AGNES
		I am, there's too much flesh on me.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Agnes...

				AGNES
		I'm a blimp.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Why does it matter whether you're fat
		or not...

				AGNES
		Because...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		... You needn't worry about being
		attractive here.

				AGNES
		I do, I have to be attractive to God.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		He loves you the way you are.

				AGNES
		No he doesn't. He hates fat people.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Who told you this?

				AGNES
		It's a sin to be fat.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Why?

				AGNES
		Look at the statues, they're thin.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Agnes...

				AGNES
		That's because they're suffering...
		suffering is beautiful, I want to be
		beautiful.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Who tells you these things?

				AGNES
		Christ said it in the Bible, he said -
		suffer the little children, I want to
		suffer like a little child.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(genuinely distressed)
		That's not what he meant.

				AGNES
		I... I am a little child but my body
		keeps getting bigger and soon I... I
		won't be able to fit in, I... I won't be
		able to squeeze into Heaven.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Agnes dear, Heaven is not a place where...

Agnes gets to her knees and pushes up her breasts.

				AGNES
		No... I mean... I mean look at these.
		I've got to lose weight, I'm a blimp.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Oh my dear child.

				AGNES
			(standing)
		God blew up the Hindenburg. He'll
		blow me up, that's what she said...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Who?

				AGNES
		Mommy I'll get bigger and bigger every
		day and then I'll pop but... but if I stay
		little it won't happen.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Your mother tells you this?... Agnes
		your mother is dead.

				AGNES
		But she watches... she listens.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Nonsense, I'm your mother now and I
		want you to eat.

				AGNES
		I'm not hungry.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		You've got to eat something Agnes.

				AGNES
		No I don't... the host is enough.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		My dear, I don't think a communion wafer
		has the recommended daily allowance of
		anything.

				AGNES
		Of God.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(smiles)
		Yes, of God.

Then Mother Miriam looks down and is shocked to see Agnes'
white habit is  spotted with blood, and more blood is
dripping onto
the floor. She pulls out   Agnes' hand from her habit and
gasps with
shock; there is a bleeding hole in
the middle of her palm.

				AGNES
		I'm being punished.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Why?

				AGNES
		I don't know.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Dear Jesus...

	She quickly leads Agnes out of the chapel.

				AGNES
		It started this morning and I can't
		get it to stop.


34   INT - AGNES' OLD ROOM - DAY

Back in the present, as before...

				MARTHA
		Why didn't you take her to a doctor?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		It was healed by the following morning
		and she started eating again...

				MARTHA
		She had a... a hole in the palm of her
		hand!  She could have bled to death.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		But she didn't... did she. If anyone had
		seen what I'd seen she'd be public
		property... newspapermen, psychiatrists,
		ridicule. She doesn't deserve that.

				MARTHA
		She has it now.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I know what you're thinking, she's a
		hysteric pure and simple.

				MARTHA
		Not simple, no.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I saw it. Clean through the palm of
		her hand. Do you think hysteria could
		do that?

				MARTHA
		It's being doing it for centuries. She's
		not unique, she's just another victim.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		God's victim. That's her innocence.
		She belongs to God.

				MARTHA
		And I intend to take her away from Him.
		That's what you're afraid of isn't it?

Martha walks out. Mother Miriam yanks the padlock out of the
door.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		You bet I am.


35   INT - CHAPEL - DAY

All the Sisters are present. Mother Miriam leads the chant
in
Latin and the   rest of the nuns respond at intervals. Agnes
is very
happy. Their singing  continues over, until the end of scene
41.

									DISSOLVE TO:

36   EXT - POLICE PRECINCT - DAY

Martha and Larry are at the top of steps. He hands her an
envelope.

				LARRY
		Here you are. Don't let anyone know
		where you got them.

				MARTHA
			(kissing him)
		Thanks...

									DISSOLVE TO:

37   EXT - CONVENT - DAY

Agnes is happily swinging on a long swing attached to a
tree.

									DISSOLVE TO:

38   INT - CRYPT - DAY

The Sisters go about their tasks. Then all together they
move
to a corner of  the room which is laid out with burning
candles and
make their devotions.

									DISSOLVE TO:

39   INT - CONFESSIONAL - DAY

Agnes is confessing to a rather disinterested Father
Martineau.

				AGNES
		Last Tuesday, I didn't eat all of my
		lima beans... hid them under my
		spoon.

			FATHER MARTINEAU
		Yes...

				AGNES
			(very quietly)
		I thought... thoughts... about...

			FATHER MARTINEAU
		Speak up, I can hardly hear you.

				AGNES
			(very loudly)
		I thought ugly thoughts about Sister
		Marguerite.

									DISSOLVE TO:

40   INT - MARTHA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Martha is leafing through a sheaf of police photographs of
the
sheets and
the waste-paper basket. She puts the photos aside and puffs
thoughtfully on
a cigarette.

									DISSOLVE TO:

41   EXT - CONVENT FARM - DAY

Agnes is milking the cow. She pours the milk into a large
churn.
(The singing finishes at this point).


42   INT - JUDGE'S OFFICE - DAY

The same four are in a meeting. This time they are all
sitting
except for
Lyon who is standing by the window.

				LEVEAU
		Would you tell me why the hell this
		is taking so long.

					MARTHA
		Look there are a lot of unanswered
		questions here.

				LYON
		Martha, your job is to diagnose, not to
		heal and play detective. Who do you
		think you are?

				MARTHA
		I know my job. Don't tell me my job Lyon.
		My duty as a doctor is to...

				EVE
		Martha, you have to make a decision on
		her sanity as quickly as possible and not
		interfere with due process of law.

				MARTHA
		No... no, excuse me Eve. As quickly as
		I see fit.

				EVE
		The longer you take to make a decision,
		the more difficult it will be for us.

				MARTHA
		Why?

				EVE
		The bishop is breathing down our necks.

				MARTHA
		And the sooner she goes to prison, the
		better off she'll be?

				LEVEAU
			(in French)
		???

				MARTHA
		I don't believe this. I don't bloody
		believe this.

				LYON
		Well the bishop will be very upset
		about this.

				MARTHA
		I'm fighting for this woman's life, not
		some bloody bishop.


43   EXT - CONVENT GRAVEYARD - DAY

It is a strange place; all the crosses are identical and
very
simple. Martha
is standing. Agnes is kneeling in front of a cross marked
with
the name
"Soeur Marie Paul" and the dates she was born, consecrated
and
died. Agnes
places some winter flowers on the grave.

				MARTHA
		You liked Sister Paul?

				AGNES
		She was kind to me. She told me
		I was beautiful.

				MARTHA
			(crouching down)
		What else did she tell you?

				AGNES
		She said all of God's angels would
		want to sleep beside me if they could.
		I liked that.

Agnes makes the sign of the cross, they both stand and start
to
move off.

				AGNES (Cont.)
		She lived here for almost seventy
		years. Every day she'd ring the bell,
		wake us up, call us to God. She took
		me to my secret place.

				MARTHA
		Where's that?... I promise I won't tell,
		would you take me?

So Agnes takes her.


44   INT - BELL TOWER - DAY

Martha and Agnes enter the bell-tower. Agnes leads the way
up
the steep  wooden steps. Martha becomes breathless almost
immediately.

					MARTHA
		Sister Paul was in her eighties?  Did
		she climb up here often?

				AGNES
		No, only when she felt like it. She
		brought me up here last winter and
		the next day she died.

				MARTHA
			(halting, out of breath)
		No wonder... wait... Agnes... Agnes
		how do you feel about babies?

				AGNES
		Oh, they frighten me, I'm afraid I'll
		drop them. They have a soft spot on
		their heads and if you drop them so
		they land on their heads they become
		stupid. I was dropped on my head,
		that's why I don't understand things.

				MARTHA
		Like what?

				AGNES
			(climbing again)
		Numbers... you can spend your whole
		life counting and never reach the end.

				MARTHA
			(following her)
		I don't understand them either. Do
		you suppose I was dropped on my head?

				AGNES
		I hope not. It's a terrible thing to be
		dropped on your head.

				MARTHA
		Oh, I've got to give up smoking. Agnes
		... wait a minute... Agnes slow down.


45   EXT - TOP OF BELLTOWER - DAY

Agnes climbs up through the trapdoor to the bell platform.

				AGNES
		She said you could see the whole
		world from up here. But it looks
		much better far away than it looks
		close up.

Martha arrives exhausted.

				MARTHA
		Beautiful...

Agnes lies down under the bell.

				AGNES
		And sometimes I get under here...
		it makes a wonderful sound.

She starts to sing in a beautiful voice and the sound rings
in
the bell.

				MARTHA
		What happens if the bell rings and
		you're under there?

				AGNES
		Oh, it's even more wonderful then.

Agnes sings a little more.

				MARTHA
		It's like hiding from my mother when
		I was a little girl.

				AGNES
		Where did you go?

				MARTHA
		Oh, no place as wonderful as this.
		Agnes... have you ever thought of
		leaving the convent for something
		else?

				AGNES
		No. There is nothing else. Just being
		here at night helps me sleep.

				MARTHA
		You have trouble sleeping?

				AGNES
		I get headaches. Mommy did too...
		oh, but she wasn't stupid. She knew
		things that nobody else knew.

				MARTHA
		What things?

				AGNES
		She knew what was going to happen
		to me. That's why she hid me away.

				MARTHA
		How did she know that?

				AGNES
		Somebody told her.

				MARTHA
		Who?

				AGNES
		I don't know.

				MARTHA
		Agnes...

				AGNES
		You'll laugh.

				MARTHA
		I promise I won't laugh. Who told
		her?

				AGNES
		An angel, when she was having one
		of her headaches.

				MARTHA
		Did your mother see angels often?

				AGNES
		No.

				MARTHA
		Do you?

				AGNES
		No.

				MARTHA
		Do you believe she really saw them?

				AGNES
			(sitting up)
		No, but I can never tell her that.

				MARTHA
		Why not?
			(no answer)
		Mmm?

				AGNES
		She'd get angry.

Martha moves round close to Agnes.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, did you love your mother?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Did you ever want to be a mother
		yourself?

				AGNES
		I could never be a mother.

				MARTHA
		Why not?

				AGNES
		Well I don't think I'm old enough and
		besides I don't want to have a baby.

				MARTHA
		Why not?

				AGNES
		Because I don't want one.

				MARTHA
		If you did want one, how'd you go
		about getting one?

				AGNES
		From someone who didn't want to
		have a baby.

				MARTHA
		Like you?

				AGNES

			(suddenly frustrated)
		No, not like me!

				MARTHA
		How would that person get one if
		they didn't want one?

				AGNES
			(jumping to her feet)
		A mistake...

				MARTHA
		Agnes, how did your mother get you?

				AGNES
		A mistake... it was a mistake...

				MARTHA
		Is that what she said?

				AGNES
			(very upset)
		If you're trying to get me to say that
		she was a bad woman and hated me and
		didn't want me but that's not true, she
		was a good woman, a saint...
			(distorted)

				MARTHA
		Agnes, I don't believe you know nothing
		about sex...

				AGNES
		I can't help it if I'm stupid.

				MARTHA
		... that you don't remember getting
		pregnant...

				AGNES
		Not my fault.

				MARTHA
		... and that you don't believe you
		carried a child.

				AGNES
		I was a mistake.

				MARTHA
		What the child?

				AGNES
		Everything... I don't have children.

				MARTHA
		Agnes...

Martha puts her arm out to Agnes who slaps it away.

				AGNES
		Don't touch me like that!  You don't
		touch me like that, I know what you
		want from me, you want to take God
		away. You should be ashamed, they
		should lock you up people like you.

Agnes disappears down through the trapdoor. Martha throws
her
cigarette  away.


46   INT - CONVENT - DAY

Mother Miriam is comforting a tearful Agnes. She sees Martha
coming across   the courtyard and pushes Agnes gently away.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		You hate us don't you?

				MARTHA
		What?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Nuns... you hate nuns.

				MARTHA
		I hate ignorance and stupidity.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		The Catholic Church...

				MARTHA
		I haven't said anything against the
		the Catholic Church.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Catholicism is not on trial here. I
		want you to deal with Agnes without
		any religious prejudice or you turn
		this case over to someone else...

				MARTHA
		How dare you tell me to run my affairs!

Mother Miriam starts to walk away, Martha angrily follows
her.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		It's my affair too.

				MARTHA
		How dare you think I'm in a position
		to be pressured...


				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I'm only interested...

				MARTHA
		... or bullied or what ever you're doing.
		Who the hell do you think you are?  You
		go around here expecting applause for
		the way you treated this child.

Martha and Mother Miriam are climbing the stairs. They pause
briefly.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		She is not a child.

				MARTHA
		And she has a right to know that there's
		a world out there filled with people who
		don't believe in God...
			(Mother Miriams walks on)
		... and aren't any worse off than you
		Mother. People who've gone through
		their entire lives without bending their
		knees once, to anybody. And people who
		fall in love and have babies and occas-
		sionally are very happy. She has a right to
		know that. But you and your... your order
		and your Church have kept her ignorant...

They reach Mother Miriam's study.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		???  (distorted)

				MARTHA
		???  (distorted)
		... virginity, right Mother?  Poverty,
		chastity and ignorance is what you
		live by.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I am not a virgin, Doctor. I was married
		for twenty three years, two daughters.
		I even have grandchildren... surprised?
		It might please you to know that I was a
		failure as a wife and mother. My children
		won't even see me any more, that's their
		revenge. I think they tell their friends
		that I've passed on. And don't tell me I'm
		making up for past mistakes Doctor Freud.
			(she sits)

				MARTHA
		Then help her.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I am...

				MARTHA
		No, you're shielding her. Let her face
		the world.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		What good would it do. No matter what
		you decide it's either the... the prison
		or the nut house and the differences
		between them are pretty thin.

				MARTHA
		There's another choice.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		What?

				MARTHA
		Aquittal.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		How?

				MARTHA
		Innocence. Legal innocence. I know
		the judge would be happy for any
		reason to throw this case out of court.

A long pause. The tension between them dissolves.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		All right, what do you need.

				MARTHA
		Answers.

Martha holds her hand.


47   INT - MOTHER MIRIAM'S STUDY - DAY

Same place, but a little later. Martha is smoking.

				MARTHA
		When would Agnes have conceived the
		child?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Oh, some time in January.

				MARTHA
		Do you remember anything unusual
		happening at the time?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Earthquakes?

				MARTHA
		Visitors to the convent.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Nothing.

				MARTHA
		Do you have a... a diary or a day book?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Take at look at it.

Mother Miriam moves to her desk and opens the day book.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		There's nothing here.

				MARTHA
		Was the child full term?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(reads through the book)
		Oh, Dear God...

				MARTHA
		What is it?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		The sheets...

				MARTHA
		What sheets?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Oh, Dear God, I should have guessed...


48   INT - CONVENT DINING ROOM - NIGHT


In flashback: the sisters are sitting around the table at
dinner. SISTER  GENEVIEVE, the other novice is serving them.
Mother
Miriam folds up a linen    towel.

				MOTHER MIRIAM (V.O.)
		... I should have suspected something.

In flashback, Mother Miriam addresses Agnes.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Sister Marguerite says you have been
		sleeping on a bare mattress Sister.
		Is that true?

				AGNES
		Yes Mother.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Why?

				AGNES
		In the medieval days the nuns and monks
		would sleep in their own coffins.

Sister Marguerite gives a snort of derision. Mother Miriam
glances sharply
at her, then turns back to Agnes.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		We're not in the Middle Ages, Sister.

				AGNES
		It made them holy.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		It made them uncomfortable. And if
		they didn't sleep well I'm certain the
		next day they were cranky as mules.
		Sister where are your sheets?
			(no answer)
		Do you really believe that sleeping on
		a bare mattress is the equivalent of
		sleeping in a coffin?

				AGNES
		No.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Then tell me. Where are your sheets?

				AGNES
		I burnt them.

					MOTHER MIRIAM
		Why?

				AGNES
			(a long pause)
		They were stained.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		How many times have I burned into
		your thick skull and the thick skull
		of your fellow novice, that
		menstruation is a perfectly natural
		process and nothing to be ashamed of.

				AGNES
		Yes, Mother.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Say it!

				AGNES and GENEVIEVE
		It is a perfectly natural process and
		nothing to be ashamed of.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Mean it!

The two girls start to repeat it but Agnes starts to cry and
Genevieve
falters into silence. Mother Miriam goes on more kindly.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		A few years ago one of the Sisters came
		to me in tears, asking for comfort,
		comfort because she was too old to
		have any children. Not that she wanted
		to, but once a month she had been
		reminded of that possibility.

				AGNES
		It's not that... it's not that...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		What do you mean?

				AGNES
		It's not my time of month.

					MOTHER MIRIAM
		Should you see a doctor?

				AGNES
		I don't know. I don't know what
		happened Mother, I woke up... there
		was blood on the sheets, but I don't
		know what happened.
			(starts to weep)
		I don't know what I did wrong, I don't
		know and I should be punished.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		For what?

				AGNES
		I don't know... I don't know...

				MOTHER MIRIAM (V.O.)
		That was the beginning, the night of
		the conception. That's why she burnt
		the sheets.


49   INT - SICKROOM - NIGHT

Still in flashback, Mother Miriam enters the room where
SISTER
PAUL lies  dying. Father Martineau is there and many of the
other
nuns singing hymns.

				MARTHA (V.O.)
		When was that?

				MOTHER MIRIAM (V.O.)
		The twenty third of January. On that
		night one of our elder nuns passed away.

				MARTHA (V.O.)
		Sister Paul?

				MOTHER MIRIAM (V.O.)
		Yes. I don't remember where Agnes was.
		I was needed in the sick room.

Father Martineau annoints the old woman. Then Agnes quietly
slips in   unobserved. Sister Paul rallies for a moment,
tries to say
a single silent
word to her. The smile slips from Agnes' face. Then Sister
Paul
lies back
and dies.


50   INT - CATHEDRAL - DAY

Martha and the MONSIGNOR are walking through the church
talking. He is quite  young and has a rather abrasive
manner.

				(beginning missed)

				MARTHA
		No.

				MONSIGNOR
		Well you're probably right about
		that. It certainly can't help Sister
		Agnes to have this investigation
		continued for any length of time.

				MARTHA
		Why do you call it an investigation?
		I never have.

				MONSIGNOR
		Your mother was a resident of Saint
		Catherines home before you moved
		her.

				MARTHA
		What does this have to do with..?


				MONSIGNOR
		And you had a sister who died in the
		convent.

				MARTHA
		Who told you this?

				MONSIGNOR
		Do you still go to church?

				MARTHA
		What business is it of yours..?

				MONSIGNOR
		Oh, we just wonder if you can be very
		objective about this case.

				MARTHA
		Look, Father, ah... just because I
		don't subscribe to the... to the beliefs
		you subscribe to...

				MONSIGNOR
			(halting)
		But what you believe makes no difference
		to us whatsoever Doctor. But it does
		 make all the difference to Agnes.

				MARTHA
		I don't understand. Are you expecting me
		to..?

				MONSIGNOR
		Well somone's got to suffer for this Doctor.
		You've got to be merciful and quick. Excuse
		me.

Martha stares at him as he walks away.


51   EXT - CONVENT - DAY

A single shot of the back of the convent and the belltower.
The
bell is
ringing.


52   INT - BELLTOWER - DAY

Mother Miriam is ringing the bell and it takes quite a
considerable effort.


53   EXT - CONVENT FARMYARD - DAY

Agnes has a wheelbarrow full of straw and manure. She dumps
it
on a pile.


54   INT - COWSHED - DAY

Martha is watching Agnes milking a cow.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, I'm here because I want to help
		you.

				AGNES
		I'm not sick.

				MARTHA
		But you're troubled... aren't you?

					AGNES
		That's because you keep reminding me.
		If you go away then I'll forget.

				MARTHA
		And you're unhappy.

				AGNES
		Everyone's unhappy, you're unhappy aren't
		you?

				MARTHA
		Agnes...

				AGNES
		Answer me!  You never answer me.

				MARTHA
		Sometimes, yes.

				AGNES
		Only you think you're lucky because
		you didn't have a mother who said things
		to you and did things to you that maybe
		weren't always nice but that was because
		of me, because I was bad, not her.

Agnes carries the milk pail round to the churn.

				MARTHA
		What did you do?

				AGNES
		I'm always bad.

				MARTHA
		What did you do?

				AGNES
		I breathed!

Agnes falls to her knees. Martha moves round and kneels in
front of her.

				MARTHA
		Agnes. What did your mother do to
		you?
			(no answer)
		If you can't answer me, just shake
		your head yes or no. Did... did she
		hit you?
			(Anges shakes her head: no)
		Did she make you do something you
		didn't want to?
			(yes)
		Did it make you feel uncomfortable
		to do it?
			(yes)
		Did it embarrass you?
			(yes)
		Did it... did it hurt you?
			(yes)
		What did she make you you do?

				AGNES
		No...

				MARTHA
		You can tell me.

				AGNES
		I can't.

				MARTHA
		She's dead isn't she?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		She can't hurt you any more.

				AGNES
		She can.

				MARTHA
		How?

				AGNES
		She watches... she listens.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, I don't believe that. Tell me.
		I'll protect you from her.

				AGNES
		She...

				MARTHA
		Yes?

				AGNES
		... makes me...

				MARTHA
		Yes?

				AGNES
		... take off my clothes and then...
		she makes fun of me.

				MARTHA
		She tells you you're ugly?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		And that you're stupid?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		That you're a mistake?

				AGNES
		She says my whole body's a mistake.

				MARTHA
		Why?

				AGNES
		Because she says if I don't watch out
		I'll have a baby.

				MARTHA
		How does she know that?

				AGNES
		Her headaches.

				MARTHA
		Oh, yes.

				AGNES
		And then...

				MARTHA
		What?

				AGNES
		She touches me down there with a
		cigarette.
			(Martha gasps)
		Please Mommy, don't touch me like that
		any more. I'll be good,  I won't be a baby
		any more.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, oh Agnes, Agnes I want you to do
		something. I want you to pretend that
		I'm your mother. Oh yes, only this time
		I want you to tell me what you're feeling,
		alright?

				AGNES
		I'm afraid.

				MARTHA
		Please!  I want to help you. Let me help
		you.

				AGNES
		Alright.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, you're ugly!... what do you say?
		Of course you do. Agnes, you're ugly!...
		what do you say?

				AGNES
		No I'm not.

				MARTHA
		Are you pretty?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, you're stupid.

				AGNES
		No I'm not.

				MARTHA
		Are you intelligent?

				AGNES
			(more forcefully)
		Yes I am.

				MARTHA
		You're a mistake.

				AGNES
			(shouting)
		I'm not mistake, I'm here aren't I.
		How can I be a mistake if I'm really
		here. God doesn't make mistakes,
		you're a mistake...

Agnes is half shouting , half crying. Martha holds on to
her.

				MARTHA
		Oh Agnes, oh Agnes, it's alright, it's
		alright, it's alright, it's alright,
		I love you.

				AGNES
		Do you really love me or are you just
		saying that?

				MARTHA
		I really love you.

				AGNES
		As much as Mother Miriam does?

				MARTHA
		As much as God loves you.


55   INT - AGNES' OLD ROOM - DAY

Martha is in there by herself smoking. The elderly nun
appears
at the door.

				ELDERLY NUN
		I've been watching. We were fine 'till
		she came. She brought the devil here.
			(makes the sign
			of the cross)
		There was blood on her hand that night.

				MARTHA
		Agnes?
			(the nun shakes
			her head)
		Who?  Mother Superior?

				ELDERLY NUN
		(in French)
		???

				MARTHA
		What?

				ELDERLY NUN
		Look into the convent records.

				MARTHA
		Sister...

But the nun has gone, walking quickly away down the
corridor.


56   INT - RECORD ROOM - DAY

Sister (?) enters to find Martha going through a cabinet.

				MARTHA
			(slightly guiltily)
		Oh, Good afternoon Sister, I... I'm
		looking for some biographical data
		on Sister Agnes, and Mother said I
		might find it here.

The Sister smiles, goes to another cabinet, extracts a file
and
hands it to
her.

				MARTHA
		Thank you.

The Sister nods and without a word leaves the room. Martha
waits until she has gone, then opens the cabinet and pulls
out
another file. Glancing at the    door, she compares the two
files.
They both have the same surname Burchetti.  The the door
opens and
Mother Miriam is standing there.


				MARTHA
		You lied to me

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		About what?

				MARTHA
			(brandishing the files)
		Your niece!

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I didn't tell you because I didn't
		think it was important.

				MARTHA
		No, it just makes you doubly
	responsible doesn't it?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I never saw Agnes until she set foot
		in this convent. My sister ran away
		from home. We lost touch with her.
		And when my husband died and I came
		here, she wrote to me and asked me if
		I would take care of Agnes in case
		anything happened.

				MARTHA
		And Agnes' father?

Mother Miriam turns out of the room. Martha goes after her.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		It could have been any one of a dozen
		men from what my sister told me.


57   INT - CORRIDOR - DAY

Continuing, just outside the record room.

				MOTHER MIRIAM (Cont.)
		She was afraid that Agnes would
		follow in her footsteps. She did
		everything she could to prevent it.

				MARTHA
		Like keeping her home from school?

					MOTHER MIRIAM
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Listening to angels?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		She drank too much. That's what killed
		her.

				MARTHA
		Do you know what she did to her?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I don't think I care to know.

				MARTHA
		She molested her!

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Oh, dear God.

				MARTHA
		There is more here than meets the eye
		isn't there?  Lots of dirty little secrets.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(crying)
		Oh God, if only I'd known.

				MARTHA
		Why didn't you?  You knew she was
		keeping her home from school. You
		knew she was an alcoholic.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I knew that after the fact.

				MARTHA
		Why didn't you do anything to stop her?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Because I didn't know...
			(she leaves)

				MARTHA
		Oh, God.

									DISSOLVE TO:

58   INT - POLICE STATION, LARRY'S OFFICE - DAY

Larry is interviewing a young PROSTITUTE in French. Martha
appears at the  door.

				MARTHA
		Larry...

				LARRY
		Marty, what are you doing here?

				MARTHA
		Larry there's got to be something
		missing.

				LARRY
		I gave you the pictures Marty, what
		else do you want?

				MARTHA
		Something they... that they overlooked.

				LARRY
		What?  You think that the girl is
		innocent?

				MARTHA
		I don't know.

				LARRY
		You got to be crazy.

Larry pulls out a pack of cigarettes, gives one to Martha
and
to the
prostitute.

				MARTHA
		Larry...

				LARRY
		What's the matter with you, you've
		seen the reports. It's a cut and dried
		case.

				MARTHA
		Maybe there's something that's not
		in the report that should be.

				LARRY
		You're too involved Marty.
			(lights her cigarette)
		Jesus look at you. Why don't you
		turn this case over to someone else?

Larry lights his own cigarette and comes over to Martha.

				LARRY (Cont.)
		I'll ask around, see what I come up
		with. In the meantime you go home
		and get some sleep.

				MARTHA
		Thanks.
			(she leaves)

				LARRY
			(calling after her)
		If I find anything I'll call you.


59   INT - MARTHA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Martha takes off her coat, moves across the room turning on
lights. She
flicks the answerphone on. Her cat meows.

				SECRETARY (V.O.)
		Hi Marty, it's Helen. Mrs Davenport
		called and was very upset that you'd
		missed her appointment. She wants
		you to call her at home, oh and a couple
		of reporters have been trying to get a
		hold of you about Sister Agnes. They
		seem persistent and they may try to
		reach you at home. I didn't give them
		number.

Some whirs and beeps. Martha goes into the bathroom.

				REPORTER (V.O.)
			(French accent)
		Hallo, Doctor Livingston. My name is
		(?). I'm doing a Sunday article on
		Sister Agnes for the Gazette. I would
		appreciate it if you would give me a
		phone call on 942-2424.

	More beeps and whirs. Martha starts to undress.

				LARRY (V.O.)
		Hi Marty, it's me. Listen I just
		talked with Detective Crawley who
		was at the convent. She said that
		there was one thing that bothered her
		that didn't make it into the report.
		The waste paper basket. The one in
		Agnes' room.
			(Martha freezes in the
			middle of lighting up)
		None of the other nuns had one. Bye.

Martha rushes over to the answerphone and rewinds it.

				LARRY (V.O.)
		... her that didn't make it into the
		report. The waste paper basket. The
		one in Agnes' room. None of the other
		nuns had one. Bye.

Martha looks thoughtful and flicks off the desk lamp.


60   INT - CONVENT CHAPEL - DAY

Father Martineau is saying Mass. All the sisters are there
singing together.	Father Martineau places the host in the
sconce,
incences it and raises it
up. Close on individual nuns at prayer including Agnes.

									DISSOLVE TO:

61   INT - BARN - DAY

Mother Miriam is kneeling in the doorway of the barn,
praying
when Martha	enters. Mother Miriam pauses.

				MARTHA
		I've gotten the court's permission
		to hypnotise her.

Mother Miriam makes the sign of the cross and stands up.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		And my permission?

					MARTHA
		I'd like yours too.

Mother Miriam grabs a bucket and moves across the barn.
Martha
follows her.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		We'll see about that.

				MARTHA
		Don't deny it!

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I haven't decided yet.

				MARTHA
		The woman's health is at stake.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Her spiritual health.

				MARTHA
		I don't give a damn about her spiritual
		health.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I know you don't.

Mother Miriam starts shovelling grain into the bucket.

				MARTHA
		Sentence her and be done with it, that's
		what you're saying and I...

				MOTHER MIRIAM

		I am saying (distorted) a beautifully
		simple woman...

				MARTHA
		An unhappy woman...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		She's happy with us and she could go
		on being happy if she was left alone.

				MARTHA
		Then why did you call the police in the
		first place Mother, huh?

				MARTHA (cont.)
		Why didn't you just throw the baby into
		the incinerator and be done with it.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Because I am a moral person.

				MARTHA
		Bullshit!

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Bullshit yourself!

				MARTHA
		Catholic Church doesn't have a corner
		on morality...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Who said anything about the Catholic
		Church...

				MARTHA
		You just said...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		What the hell has the Catholic Church
		got to do with you?

				MARTHA
		Nothing...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		What have we done to hurt you?  And
		don't deny it, I can smell an ex-Catholic
		a mile away. What did we do?  Burn a
		few heretics, sell some indulgences?
		That was in the days when the Church
		was a ruling body. We let governments
		do those things today. So what did we
		do to you eh?  You wanted to neck in the
		back seat of a car when you were fifteen
		and you couldn't because it was a sin?

This time it is Martha who walks away and Mother Miriam who
follows her.

				MOTHER MIRIAM (Cont.)
		So instead of questioning that one rule...

				MARTHA
			(halting)
		It wasn't sex. It was a lot of things, but
		it wasn't sex. You know when I was in
		the first grade my best friend was run
		over on the way to school, you know what
		the nun said?  She died because she hadn't
		said her morning prayers.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Stupid woman... and that's all?

				MARTHA
		That's all?  That's enough!  She was a
		beautiful little girl.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		And what has that to do with it?

				MARTHA
		I wasn't. I wasn't. She was the pretty one.
		She died, why not me?  I never said my
		morning prayers. And I was ugly, I was
		scrawny, I had buck teeth and freckles all
		over my face, do you know what the nun
		called me, Sister Mary Clitus, called me
		Polkadot Livingston.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		So you left the Church because you had
		freckles?

				MARTHA
		No, because I... yeah, yeah I left the
		Church cause I had freckles.

They both cannot help laughing at this absurdity.


62   EXT - COURTYARD - DAY

A couple of nuns walk across the courtyard. Another is
meditating alone. On
a bench a nun kisses a dove and lets it fly away.


63   EXT - GAZEBO - DAY

It is out the back of the convent near the belltower. Mother
Miriam and
Martha are sitting there talking. Martha is smoking.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		When I was a child I used to hear my
		guardian angel. She sang to me 'till I
		was six years old. That's when I stopped
		listening. But I remember the voice. A
		few years ago I looked at myself and saw
		nothing but a nun who was certain of nothing.
		Not even of Heaven. Not even of God. And
		then one evening I saw Agnes standing by

		her window, singing. And all my doubts about
		myself and God were gone, in that one moment.
		I recognized the voice. Please don't take it
		away from me again Doctor Livingston. Those
		years after six were very bleak.

				MARTHA
		My sister died in a convent. And it's her
		voice I hear.
			(a long pause)
		Does my smoking bother you?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		No, it reminds me.

				MARTHA
		Would you like one?  Huh?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I'd love one.

Martha hands her a cigarette and lights it for her. Mother
Miriam coughs a
lot. Martha pats her on the back.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I'm out of prac...
			(cough)
		... practice.
			(cough)

				MARTHA
		All right?

					MOTHER MIRIAM
		Fine thanks...

				MARTHA
		Do you suppose the saints would have
		smoked if tobacco had been popular
		back then?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Undoubtedly. Not the ascetics of course
		but, well Saint Thomas More...

				MARTHA
			(chuckles)
		Long, thin and filtered.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Saint Ignatius would smoke cigars and
		stub them out on the soles of his bare
		feet.
			(they roar with laughter)
		And of course (distorted)

				MARTHA
		Hand rolled.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Even Christ would partake socially.

				MARTHA
		Saint Peter?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Pipe!

				MARTHA
		Right...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Mary Magdelen?

				MARTHA
			(imitating)
		Oh, you've come a long way baby.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		And Saint John would chew tobacco.

More laughter, then the moment because more serious.

				MARTHA
		Right.
			(a pause)
		What do you suppose today's saints
		are smoking?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		There are no saints today. Good people
		yes, but extraordinarily good people...
		those I'm afraid we are sorely lacking.

				MARTHA
		Do you think they ever existed?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Yes I do.

				MARTHA
		Do you want to become one?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Become?  One is born a saint.

				MARTHA
		Well you can try, can't you, to be good?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Yes, but goodness has very little to do
		with it. Not all the saints were good,
		in fact some of them were a little crazy.
		But... they were still attached to God.
		Agnes has that birth.
			(she stands)
		No more... we're born, we live, we die.
		No room for miracles.
			(Martha gets up too)
		Oh my dear, how I miss the miracles.

They start walking back to the convent.

				MARTHA
		Do you think Agnes is still attached to
		God?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Listen to her singing.

				MARTHA
			(a pause)
		I'd like to begin.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Begin what?

				MARTHA
		The hypnotism. Do you still disapprove?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Would it stop you if I did?

				MARTHA
		No.

They both halt.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		May I be present?

				MARTHA
		Of course.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Then let's begin.


64   INT - ATTIC ROOM - DAY

The room is painted white and completely empty with a
steeply
sloping    ceiling. Agnes is sitting on a chair with her
eyes closed,
already under   hypnosis. Martha and Mother Miriam are
facing her.

				MARTHA
		You're listening to a chorus of angels.
		The music surrounds you like a...
		warm and, comfortable pool of water.
		And while you're sleeping, you're
		going to be able to recall, all the things
		that we want you to remember. And
		when I count to three and clap my hands,
		you'll no longer be hypnotised. Can you
		hear me.

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Who am I?

				AGNES
		Doctor Livingston.

				MARTHA
		And why am I here?

				AGNES
		To help me.

				MARTHA
		Good. Would you like to tell me why
		you're here?

				AGNES
		Because I'm in trouble.

				MARTHA
		What kind of trouble?
			(no answer)
		What kind of trouble Agnes?

Martha starts to walk around behind Agnes.

				AGNES
		I'm frightened.

				MARTHA
		Of what?

				AGNES
		Of telling you.

				MARTHA
		But it's easy. It's just a breath with
		sound. Say it. What kind of trouble?

				AGNES
			(a pause)
		I had a baby.

Both Martha and Mother Miriam react with some degree of
relief.

				MARTHA
		How did you have a baby?

				AGNES
		It came out of me.

				MARTHA
		Did you know what was going to come
		out?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Did you want it to come out?

				AGNES
		No.

				MARTHA
		Why?

				AGNES
		Because I was afraid.

				MARTHA
		Why were you afraid?

				AGNES
		Because I wasn't worthy.

				MARTHA
		To be a mother?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Why?

				AGNES
		May I open my eyes now?

				MARTHA
		No not yet Agnes, very soon but not
		yet. How did the baby get into you?

				AGNES
		It grew.

				MARTHA
		What made it grow?  Do you know?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Would you like to tell me?

				AGNES
		No.

				MARTHA
		Did anyone else know about the baby?

				AGNES
		I can't tell you that.

				MARTHA
		Will she be angry?

				AGNES
		She made me promise not to.

				MARTHA
		Who?  Who made you promise?
			(no answer)
		It's alright Agnes. It's alright.
			(a pause)
		Let's go to your room. It's the night
		about six weeks ago when you were
		very sick.

				AGNES
		I'm afraid.

				MARTHA
		Oh don't be, I'm here. It's alright.
		I want you to tell me what you did
		before you went to bed.

				AGNES
		I ate.

				MARTHA
		Hm hmm. What did you have for
		dinner?

				AGNES
		Fish...
			(distastefully)
		... brussel sprouts.

				MARTHA
		You don't like brussel sprouts?

				AGNES
		I hate them.

Martha and Mother Miriam can't help smiling.

				MARTHA
		And then what happened?

				AGNES
		We went to chapel for vespers.

				MARTHA
		Hm hmm.

				AGNES
		I left early because I wasn't feeling
		very well.

Suddenly Agnes leaps up from her chair.

				MARTHA
		What is it?

				AGNES
		Someone's following me.

				MARTHA
		Who?

				AGNES
		Sister Marguerite I think.

				MARTHA
		Was it Sister Marguerite who knew
		about the baby?
			(no answer)
		Alright Agnes, I want you to see your
		room as you saw it on that night.

				MARTHA (Cont.)
		Open your eyes.
			(she opens them)
		What do you see?

				AGNES
		My bed.

				MARTHA
		What else?

				AGNES
		A crucifix.

				MARTHA
		Above the bed?  Any... anything else?
		What do you you see, something
		different?  What is it?

				AGNES
			(puzzled)
		A wastepaper basket.

				MARTHA
		Do you know who put it there?

				AGNES
		No.

				MARTHA
		What do you think it's there for?

				AGNES
		For me to get sick in.

				MARTHA
		Are you ill?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		What do you feel?

				AGNES
		I feel as if I've eaten glass.

				MARTHA
		What do you do?

				AGNES
		I have to throw up...

And she falls to her knees, retching horribly.

				AGNES (Cont.)
		I can't... glass... one of the sisters
		has fed me glass.

				MARTHA
		Which one?

				AGNES
		I don't know which one (distorted)

				MARTHA
		Of what?

				AGNES
		Of me. Oh... God!  My God...
			(assumes the birth
			position and looks
			between her legs)
		Water... it's all water...

				MARTHA
		Why isn't anyone coming?

				AGNES
			(trying to wipe up
			the water)
		They can't hear me that's why.
			(in terrible pain)
		Oh God... I don't wanna...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(to Martha)
		Stop her!

Then Agnes tries to crawl away as though terrified of
something.

				MARTHA
		What is it?

				AGNES

		Please get away from me...

				MARTHA
		Who?

				AGNES
		Go away, I don't want you here.

				MARTHA
		Is someone in the room with you?

				AGNES
		No... don't hit me please...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Stop this, she'll hurt herself
			(stepping forward)
		I'm not going to allow this.

				MARTHA
			(hauling her away)
		NO... no... I said leave her alone.

				AGNES
			(still screaming)

		You're trying to take my baby... trying
		to take my baby... no...
			(then quietly)
		It wasn't my fault Mommy... it was a
		mistake Mommy.

				MARTHA
		Alright Agnes... it's alright. One, two
		three...
			(claps her hands;
			Agnes comes to)
		It's alright... it's me, Doctor Livingston,
		it's alright, alright. Thankyou Agnes,
		thankyou. How do you feel?

				AGNES
		Frightened.

				MARTHA
		Do you remember what just happened?

				AGNES
			(a long pause)
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		That's good. Do you feel well enough
		to stand?

				AGNES
		Yes.

Martha helps her to her feet. Agnes clings to her.

				MARTHA
		There you go. It's alright, it's alright,
		it's all over. It's alright Agnes, that's
		right, that's right.


65   EXT - LAND REGISTRY - DAY

Martha approaches the building and enters it.


66   INT - RECORD ROOM - DAY

The camera tracks through shelves of ancient records and
maps.

				MARTHA (off)
		Ah excuse me. Hallo. I'm looking
		for some ah... ground plans for the
		ah... Saint Marie Madeleine Convent
		in (distorted).

				MAN (off)
			(answers in French)

	Martha and a middle aged official come into view. He
stops
at a long set of	 drawers and starts looking through it.

				MAN
			(in French)


				MARTHA
			(replies in French)

				MAN
	Oh... very interesting I guess...
			(he pulls out a
			folder of plans)
	Excuse me...

He sets the folder down on a table and starts going through
it.
They both
look at the plans.

				MAN (Cont.)
		Ah viola!  This has everything. Even
		the secret entrance. They all had
		that. Usually to get from building to
		building in the snow...
			(he indicates on
			the plan)
		... like that one.

				MARTHA
			(murmurs)
		That's how he got in... or she got
		out.

				MAN
		Oh excuse me, what did you say?

				MARTHA
		Nothing. May I take some notes?

				MAN
		Oh yes, (distorted)

Martha starts drawing a rough plan.


67   INT - CRYPT - DAY

The crypt is deserted but candles are burning in front of a
statue of Saint Michael. Martha walks over to it,lights a
candle and
goes behind it and
finds a stairway there leading underground. She goes down
into...


68   INT - TUNNEL - DAY

Martha walks through the dimly lit passage. She stops for a
moment to look
at a cross carved on the stone floor, then continues.
Finally
she reaches
more steps and goes up into the...


69   INT - BARN - DAY

Martha emerges through a trapdoor in to the barn which is
full
of doves. It    begins to make sense for her.


70   EXT - CITY - DAY

Various closeups of famous statues. A bell is tolling. Two
nuns
come out of
a building, down streets, across the road as though traffic
did
not exist
and into another building.


71   INT - LIFT - DAY

The nuns are Sister Anne and Mother Miriam. In the lift an
OFFICE GIRL
checks her lipstick in the reflective metal walls. The lift
stops and the
Sisters get off.


72   INT - CORRIDOR - DAY

They walk down the modern carpeted corridor into...


73   INT - MARTHA'S OFFICE - DAY

Mother Miriam addresses the secretary, HELEN.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Is the Doctor in her office?

				HELEN
		Ah, who shall I say is calling?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(grimly)
		General MacArthur.

She heads onto Martha's office. Helen jumps up after her.

				HELEN
		Just a minute please, you can't go in
		there.

Mother Miriam pushes the door open to reveal Martha.

					MARTHA
			(standing)
		It's... it's alright Helen, just close
		the door.

Mother Miriam walks in and throws some papers down onto
Martha's desk.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I've just met with the bishop. We're
		taking you off the case.

				MARTHA
			(picking up the papers)
		You're what?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		If we want to hire a psychiatrist for
		Agnes. we'll find our own, thank you.
			(starts to leave)

				MARTHA
		One that will ask the questions you
		want asked.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(halting)
		One that will approach this matter
		with some objectivity and respect.

				MARTHA
		For the Church?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		For Agnes.

				MARTHA
		You think she's a saint?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		She's been touched by God, yes.

				MARTHA
		How?  How?  She hallucinates, stops
		eating and bleeds spontaneously. Is
		that supposed to convince me she
		shouldn't be touched. Give me a miracle.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		The father!

				MARTHA
		Who is he?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Why must he be anybody?

				MARTHA
			(laughs and sits down)
		My God, you're as crazy as...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Stop laughing, I don't say it's the truth,
		I'm saying...

				MARTHA
		How (distorted) ?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Don't be ridiculous.

				MARTHA
		Well give me a reasonable explanation

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		A miracle is an event without an
		explanation. If she's capable of putting
		a hole in her hand without benefit of a
		nail, why couldn't she split a cell in her
		womb?

				MARTHA
		This is insane.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		There as no man in the convent on that
		night and no way for any man to get in
		or out.

				MARTHA
		You're saying God did it?

				MOTHER MIRIAM

		No, that's as much as saying Father
		Martineau did it. I'm saying God
		permitted it.

				MARTHA
		But how did it happen?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		You'll never find the answer for
		everything God did.

				MARTHA
		I thought you didn't believe in miracles
		today Mother?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		But I want the opportunity to believe.
		I want the choice to believe.

				MARTHA
		But what you are choosing to believe
		is a lie because you won't face the fact
		that she was raped... or seduced...
		or that she did the seducing.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		She is an innocent.

				MARTHA
		But she is not an enigma Mother.
		Everything that Agnes has done is
		explainable from modern psychiatry.
		One, two, three, right down the line.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		That's what you believe she is?  The
		sum of her psychological parts?

				MARTHA
		That's what I have to believe...

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Then why are you so obsessed with her?
		You're losing sleep over her?
			(Martha gets up disturbed)
		You're thinking about her all the time.
		You're bent on saving her. Why?

Martha has no answer.

				MOTHER MIRIAM (Cont.)
			(calmer)
		I'm not accusing. I'm recognizing.

				MARTHA
		There's a tunnel out of the crypt into
		the barn. Did you know about that?
		There's an answer Mother. That's how
		she got out.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		That's crazy. How could she find out
		about it?

				MARTHA
		Somebody told her.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Who?  That tun... that tunnel hasn't
		been used in fifty years.

				MARTHA
		Oh, would you stop lying Mother!

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Why would I lie?

				MARTHA
		Because it's murder we're talking about.
		Aren't you concerned about what she told
		us about the other person in her room.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I'm concerned about her health.

				MARTHA
		Who was that person Mother?  Was it
		you?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		If you believe this is murder, it is the
		Crown attorney you have to talk to, not
		me. And definitely not Agnes.

She goes out and slams the door.


74   EXT - POND - DAY

After a couple of establishing shots of the convent, the
nuns
are shown ice   skating on the frozen pond. They are quite
uninhibited, like little
children. Their singing (off) from the chapel continues
until
the end of
scene 78.


75   INT - CHAPEL - DAY

Sister Genevieve, the other novice is being consecrated. She
approaches the  altar all dressed in white, carrying a
single candle
and kneels down.


76   INT - LAW COURTS - DAY

Martha and Justice Leveau come up the steps and into the
corridor.

				MARTHA
		All I want is one more week.

				LEVEAU
		Why?
			  (continues in French,
				then...)
		 You've done nothing to show any progress.

				MARTHA
		Yes, that's because I'm getting to her.

				LEVEAU
		You're getting to all of us Martha, let's
		face it.

				MARTHA
		I'll have a decision by next week.

				LEVEAU
		It's gone on long enough. You're out.

				MARTHA
		Oh Joe... Joe she didn't kill the baby.

				LEVEAU
			(halting)
		You have proof?

				MARTHA
		I'll have it.

					LEVEAU
		When?

				MARTHA
		Next week.


				LEVEAU
			(walking on)
		No, no, no...

				MARTHA
		I can get you new evidence next week.

				LEVEAU
		No!

				MARTHA
		Tomorrow... tomorrow, I'll get it by
		tomorrow. I will.

They reach the door of Leveau's office. He thinks...

				LEVEAU
		Yes, demain (?)


77   INT - CHAPEL - DAY

The scene consists of a number of shots dissolving into one
another. Sister Genevieve lying face down in front of the
bishop,
Genevieve praying on her   knees, her family (4) watching
from
behind the grilled gate. Genevieve's
hair being cut, her joy at the habit being fitted to her,
running out to
join her family, a jolly old singalong on the piano, this
time
the nuns
singing along from    behind the gate.


78   EXT - CONVENT - DAY

Martha drives up in her car and walks across the now snow
covered grounds to    the convent.


79   INT - MOTHER MIRIAM'S OFFICE - DAY

Mother Miriam is working away at her desk when a nun
interrupts. Singing   from the party can faintly be heard.

					NUN (off)
		Excuse me Mother, Doctor Livingston
		is here.

Mother Miriam nods tiredly and goes to meet Martha at he
door.
Martha hands    her a court order. Mother Miriam reads it
briefly
and hands it back.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		This is permission to take her apart.

				MARTHA
		Where is she?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Hasn't she had enough?

				MARTHA
		I have a few more questions to ask her.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		My God, but you're determined.

They move back into the room.

				MARTHA
		Who knew she was pregnant?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Why do you insist upon pressing...

				MARTHA
		Was it you?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Is it because she's a nun?

				MARTHA
		Did you know she was pregnant?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		And you didn't send her to a doctor.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I didn't guess until it was too late.

				MARTHA
		For what?  An abortion?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Oh, don't be ridiculous.

				MARTHA
		Too late for what?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I don't know... too late to stop it.

				MARTHA
		The baby?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		The scandal...

				MARTHA
		You went to the room to help with
		the birth.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		She didn't want any help.

				MARTHA
		You wanted that child out of the way.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		That's a lie.

				MARTHA
		You hid the wastepaper basket in her
		room.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I didn't hide it. I put it there for the
		blood and the dirty sheets.

				MARTHA
		And the baby.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		No!

				MARTHA
		You tied the cord around its neck.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I wanted her to have it when no-one else
		was around, they would have taken the
		baby to a hospital and left it with them,
		but it was such a difficult birth, there
		was so much blood and I panicked.

				MARTHA
		Before or after you killed the child?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		I left it with her and I went for help.

				MARTHA
		I doubt that's what she'd say.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		Then she's a liar.


80   INT - ATTIC ROOM - DAY

It is the same as before, except that this time Martha and
Mother Miriam are	standing.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, can you hear me?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		I want you to remember if you can a
		night last January. The night Sister
		Paul died. Do you remember.

There is a flash cut to Sister Paul being annointed. Agnes
stirs slightly.

				MARTHA (Cont.)
		What's the matter?

There is another flash cut, this time of Sister Paul saying
that mysterious word that we could not previously
understand.

				AGNES
		She said Michael.

				MARTHA
		What did she mean?

There is a third flash cut of the shrine of Saint Michael in
the crypt.

				AGNES
		The statue. She had shown it to me
		the day before.

				MARTHA
		And the passage to the barn?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		Why?

				AGNES
		So I could go to him.

				MARTHA
		Who?

				AGNES
		Him.

				MARTHA
		How did she know about him?

				AGNES
		She'd seen him too.

				MARTHA
		Where?

				AGNES
		From the belltower the day she before
		she died.

				MARTHA
		So she sent you?

				AGNES
		Yes.


81   INT - TUNNEL - NIGHT

In flashback:  Agnes is walking alone through the tunnel
carrying an oil
lamp.

				MARTHA (V.O.)
		What happened?

Agnes keeps walking and finally goes up the steps into...


82   INT - BARN - NIGHT

Still in flashback, Agnes emerges into the barn. The doves
flap
about as
Agnes	 moves nervously through the barn.

				AGNES (V.O.)
		He's here.


83   INT - ATTIC ROOM - DAY

Back to the present:

				MARTHA
		Are you frightened?

				AGNES
	Yes.


84   INT - BARN - NIGHT

In flashback:  the doves continue to make flapping and
bumping
sounds as
they fly around the barn.

				AGNES
		Hallo...


85   INT - ATTIC ROOM - DAY

In the present:

				AGNES
		... where are you?


86   INT - BARN - NIGHT

In flashback:

				AGNES
		Is it you?


Then she seems to be talking to someone although we can see
nothing except  the doves.

				AGNES (Cont.)
		I... I'm afraid... yes, yes I do...
		why me?... wait, I want to see you.


				MARTHA (V.O.)
		What do you see?


87   INT - ATTIC ROOM - DAY

In the present:

				AGNES
		Halos...


88   INT - BARN - NIGHT

In flashback:  Agnes is still in the barn but now she is
lying
on her back.
Still all we can see are doves flashing in the light.

				AGNES (V.O.)
		... dividing and dividing feathers and
		starts, falling, falling into the iris of
		God's eye. Oh... oh!... it's... it's so
		lovely... it's so... blue... yellow...
		blood wings, brown, blood...

And she lifts up her hands.


89   INT - ATTIC ROOM - DAY

In the present:  as she lifts up her hands, Agnes is
horrified
to see two
holes in her palms weeping blood.

				AGNES
		His blood... my God...

Martha and Mother Miriam are equally shocked.

				MARTHA
		Oh Agnes...

Agnes runs terrified over to the walls blood pouring over
her
white habit.    Mother Miriam rushes after her.

				AGNES
		It's bleeding... I'm bleeding...
		my God it won't stop, I can't get it
		to stop.
			(to Mother Miriam)
		Let go of me, I wish you were dead.

				MARTHA
			(trying to hold her)
		Agnes... Agnes...

Agnes breaks free and runs over to another wall smearing it
too
with blood.	Martha follows her.

				AGNES
		Stay away from me...

				MARTHA
		Agnes it had nothing to do with the
		hand of God. He did a terrible thing
		to you, do you understand?

				AGNES
		No...

				MARTHA
		He frightened you and he hurt you. It's
		not your fault. It's his fault. Tell us
		who he is so we can find him. Stop
		him from doing this to other women.

				AGNES
		Not your fault...

				MARTHA
		Agnes who did you see?

				AGNES
		I hate him...

					MARTHA
		Of course you do. Who was it?

				AGNES
		I hate him for what he did to me.

				MARTHA
		Yes.

				AGNES
		For what he made me go through.

				MARTHA
		Who?

				AGNES
		I hate him.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, who did this to you?

Agnes flings her arms back against the wall.

				AGNES
		God!  It was God.
			(sinks to her knees)
		And now I'll burn in hell because I
		hate him.

				MARTHA
		Agnes you won't burn in hell. It's
		alright to hate him.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
		That's enough.

				MARTHA
		Agnes, what happened to the baby?

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(shouting)
		She can't remember.

				MARTHA
		What happened to the baby?

				AGNES
		It was dead.

				MARTHA
		It was alive wasn't it?

				AGNES
		I don't remember.

				MOTHER MIRIAM
			(screaming)
		Oh, don't do this!

				MARTHA
		Wasn't it!

				AGNES
		YES!

Somehow this declaration seems to calm them down somewhat.
Mother Miriam   is looking utterly resigned.

				MARTHA
		Mother Miriam was with you wasn't
		she?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		She took the baby in her arms?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		You saw it all didn't you?

				AGNES
		Yes.

				MARTHA
		And then... what did she do?
			(no answer)
		Agnes what did she do?

				AGNES
		She... left me alone with that little
		thing, and I looked at it, and I thought
		this is a mistake. But it's my mistake,
		not Mommy's. God's mistake.

				AGNES (cont.)
		I thought I... I can save her.
			(she raises her hands)
		I can give her back to God.

				MARTHA
		What did you do?

				AGNES
		I put her to sleep.

				MARTHA
		H... how?

				AGNES
		I tied the cord around her neck...
		wrapped her in the bloody sheets...
		and stuffed her in the trash can.

Mother Miriam gives a shuddering sigh, makes the sign of the
cross and
prays. Martha claps her hands lightly together once.


90   EXT - CITY - DAY

A shaft of sunlight shines through the winter clouds onto
the
city. Angle on  the courthouse.


91   INT - COURT ROOM - DAY

All the main characters are present: Eve, Lyon, Martha,
Agnes,
Sister	Marguerite and Mother Miriam. Justice Leveau is
summing
up.

				LEVEAU
		In view of the situation as it now
		stands, and the testimony given here
		this morning, it seems quite clear
		that the defendant was in no manner
		responsible for her actions. It is
		therefore the judgement of this court
		that she be returned to the convent of
		Marie Madeleine where she will be cared
		for under proper medical supervision by
		a visiting physician.

Both Martha and Mother Miriam show relief at this. Justice
Leveau continues
to sum up in French when suddenly Agnes stands up.


					LEVEAU (Cont.)
			(surprised)
		Oui. Do you have something to say?

				AGNES
			(a long pause)
		I stood in the window of my room
		every night for a week. And one night
		I heard the most beautiful voice
		imaginable. And when I looked I saw
		the moon shining down on him. For six
		nights he sang to me, songs I'd never
		heard. And on the seventh night he
		opened his wings and lay on top of me.
		All the while he sang -
			(sings)
		Charlie Sweet... Charlie Sweet...
		Charlie's a...

				LEVEAU
		Please, remove her from the court.

Martha and Mother Miriam step forward uncertainly.

				LEVEAU
		Would someone please remove the
		defendant from the courtroom.
			(continues in French)

The nuns lead Agnes, still singing past Martha and out of
the
court.

									DISSOLVE TO:

92   EXT - CONVENT - DAY

It is full winter; many shots of the convent and
surroundings
dissolving
into one another.

				MARTHA (V.O.)
		I don't know the meaning behind the
		song she sang. Perhaps it was a song
		of seduction. And the father was a
		fieldhand. Perhaps the song was simply
		a lullaby that she remembered from many
		years ago. And the father was hope and...
		and love and desire. And a belief in
		 miracles.

The nuns are seen walking together through the snow back to
the
convent over    which Agnes' singing can be heard.

				MARTHA (V.O.)
		I want to believe that she was blessed.
		And I do miss her, and I hope that she's
		left something, some little part of
		herself with me. That would be miracle
		enough wouldn't it?

									DISSOLVE TO:

93   EXT - TOP OF BELLTOWER - DAY

Where Agnes is singing her song among the doves. She stops
singing and the music fades in on the same key. Agnes gently
takes
on of the doves and lets
it fly away across the snowy landscape.

FADE OUT.
END TITLES.