WARDEN: Come right in, Father. The prisoner has been waiting foryou.
FR. LIM: How is he?
WARDEN: He’s calm and quiet, Father. He slept well.
FR. LIM: The execution is set—?
WARDEN: Within an hour. Exactly at six.
FR. LIM: May I see him now?
WARDEN: Certainly. I’ll bring him out.
FR. LIM: Here?
WARDEN: Yes, it’s permissible. One moment.(WARDEN goes to rear door, opens it. PABLO is seen through thebars, seated on a bench, his bead in his bands.)
WARDEN: Father Lim is here.(WARDEN opens cell, leads PABLO out into thewaiting-room,closing rear door.)
FR. LIM: Pablo!
PABLO: Father!(PABLO GONZALEZ is twenty-four. He’s tall, well-built. Hissufferings can be seen in his tense manly features, in his darkpiercing eyes, and in the tight expression of his mouth. Hismovements are quick and nervous. He wears the orange uniformwith a large cross at the back. His hair is cropped.)
PABLO: I’ve been expecting you! Any news, Father?(FR. LIM shakes his head.)
FR. LIM: None, my son. I’ve tried—God knows how much—
PABLO: I understand, Father.(Right door opens, WARDEN appears.)
WARDEN: Mr. Gonzalez—any last request you wishto make? I mean,any kind of food or drinkyou might want?
PABLO: Can I ask anything?
WARDEN: Anything—within reason.
PABLO: A bottle of whiskey—could I ask fora bottle of whiskey?
FR. LIM: (smiling) Whiskey?
PABLO: You see, Father, I could notafford to drink it before—I gotused to the cheap ginebra and tuba. I’ve always dreamt of beingable someday—to drink whiskey, a wholebottle.
WARDEN: Anything more?
PABLO: Yes. Two glasses.
WARDEN: Isn’t there anything you want with the whiskey?
PABLO: Yes. Make it three glasses. We’ll alldrink.(WARDEN and FR. LIM look at each other comprehendingly.)
WARDEN: What I mean, Mr. Gonzalez—is there any food you mightwant?
PABLO: Food? No, nothing more.
WARDEN: Very well. (He is about to go.)
PABLO: Warden, has my aunt arrived?
WARDEN: Not yet. But there’s a younggirl—
PABLO: A young girl?
WARDEN: Dressed in black.
PABLO: (to himself) Cristina.
FR. LIM: Your—?(PABLO nods, bitterly.)
WARDEN: Shall I let her in?
PABLO: No—not yet. I’ll let you know.(WARDEN proceeds to the door.)
WARDEN: If you want anything, Father, Ishall be just outside thedoor.(WARDEN goes out. FR. LIM sits on benchbeside the table; PABLOremains standing, staring in front of him.)
FR. LIM: Pablo—(He doesn’t answer.) Pablo!
PABLO: (as if waking up) Forgive me, Father, I was thinking—
FR. LIM: Take a seat. (PABLO sitsdown.) What were you thinkingof, my son?
PABLO: I was thinking—I can’t believe it—that I should be herecondemned to be hung in anhour—at the age of twenty-four. (Hecovers his face.)
FR. LIM: Be calm, Pablo. I wentto see the governor for a reprieve—a few days more atleast—but he said he couldn’t do anything.
PABLO: Father—(Suddenly he breaks down and puts his head onedge of table. FR. LIM goes back to hisseat.) Father—do you think-?
FR. LIM: Yes—
PABLO: What you said last night—that God could forgive me—forgive me after all I’ve done?
FR. LIM: My son, Christ has said that if your sins are as scarlet theyshall be as white as snow—if you ask his forgiveness.(PABLO impulsively kneels in front of FR. LIM. PABLO hesitates, andstands up.)
FR. LIM: God’s mercy is infinite, my son.
PABLO: No, I can’t. Not yet.
FR. LIM: As you wish, Pablo.
PABLO: If my mother hadonly taught me to believe and to pray.But she never did—that’s why I’m here now.
FR. LIM: Your mother still living?
PABLO: Yes, but I hope I don’t seeher again!
FR. LIM: Why?
PABLO: What’s the use, Father? It’s a long story.
FR. LIM: While entering the prisongate, I noticed a woman standingon the sidewalk and looking toward the cells. It could be a merecoincidence, but a certain resemblance—
PABLO: Is she tall?
FR. LIM: Yes, rather. And wearinga colored dress.
PABLO: Curly hair?
FR. LIM: (wondering) Now that I cometo think of it—yes. Her facewas—or—
PABLO: Covered with too much paint?(FR. LIM nods gravely.)
PABLO: How silly of me, Tia. TIA CHEDENG: Pablo, I failed you in everything. If only I had not let you go years ago-but then you ran awaypABLO: Why blame yourself, Tia? It was my fault. If only I had stayed with you-how different things would have been..(Suddenly TIA CHEDENG bows her head, bites her lips, as tears roll down her cheeks. PABLO caresses her hands. Presently she takes something from her handkerchief) TIA CHEDENG: Wear this. (Gives him a small crucifix with a chain. She puts it around his neck.) PABLO: Thank you, Tia. How can I repay you for all your kindness? TIA CHEDENG: Only one thing, Pablo, my dear, will make me happy.What I've been asking you these last few days. PABLO: Father Lim read me The Following of Christ a while ago. TIA CHEDENG: I don't mean that, Pablo. PABLO: You mean, confession? (She nods.) I don't know, Tia. It's too early yet. TIA CHEDENG: It might be too late, Pablo! (VARDEN enters.) WARDEN: Sorry. Time is up.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
WARDEN: Come right in, Father. The prisoner has been waiting foryou.
FR. LIM: How is he?
WARDEN: He’s calm and quiet, Father. He slept well.
FR. LIM: The execution is set—?
WARDEN: Within an hour. Exactly at six.
FR. LIM: May I see him now?
WARDEN: Certainly. I’ll bring him out.
FR. LIM: Here?
WARDEN: Yes, it’s permissible. One moment.(WARDEN goes to rear door, opens it. PABLO is seen through thebars, seated on a bench, his bead in his bands.)
WARDEN: Father Lim is here.(WARDEN opens cell, leads PABLO out into thewaiting-room,closing rear door.)
FR. LIM: Pablo!
PABLO: Father!(PABLO GONZALEZ is twenty-four. He’s tall, well-built. Hissufferings can be seen in his tense manly features, in his darkpiercing eyes, and in the tight expression of his mouth. Hismovements are quick and nervous. He wears the orange uniformwith a large cross at the back. His hair is cropped.)
PABLO: I’ve been expecting you! Any news, Father?(FR. LIM shakes his head.)
FR. LIM: None, my son. I’ve tried—God knows how much—
PABLO: I understand, Father.(Right door opens, WARDEN appears.)
WARDEN: Mr. Gonzalez—any last request you wishto make? I mean,any kind of food or drinkyou might want?
PABLO: Can I ask anything?
WARDEN: Anything—within reason.
PABLO: A bottle of whiskey—could I ask fora bottle of whiskey?
FR. LIM: (smiling) Whiskey?
PABLO: You see, Father, I could notafford to drink it before—I gotused to the cheap ginebra and tuba. I’ve always dreamt of beingable someday—to drink whiskey, a wholebottle.
WARDEN: Anything more?
PABLO: Yes. Two glasses.
WARDEN: Isn’t there anything you want with the whiskey?
PABLO: Yes. Make it three glasses. We’ll alldrink.(WARDEN and FR. LIM look at each other comprehendingly.)
WARDEN: What I mean, Mr. Gonzalez—is there any food you mightwant?
PABLO: Food? No, nothing more.
WARDEN: Very well. (He is about to go.)
PABLO: Warden, has my aunt arrived?
WARDEN: Not yet. But there’s a younggirl—
PABLO: A young girl?
WARDEN: Dressed in black.
PABLO: (to himself) Cristina.
FR. LIM: Your—?(PABLO nods, bitterly.)
WARDEN: Shall I let her in?
PABLO: No—not yet. I’ll let you know.(WARDEN proceeds to the door.)
WARDEN: If you want anything, Father, Ishall be just outside thedoor.(WARDEN goes out. FR. LIM sits on benchbeside the table; PABLOremains standing, staring in front of him.)
FR. LIM: Pablo—(He doesn’t answer.) Pablo!
PABLO: (as if waking up) Forgive me, Father, I was thinking—
FR. LIM: Take a seat. (PABLO sitsdown.) What were you thinkingof, my son?
PABLO: I was thinking—I can’t believe it—that I should be herecondemned to be hung in anhour—at the age of twenty-four. (Hecovers his face.)
FR. LIM: Be calm, Pablo. I wentto see the governor for a reprieve—a few days more atleast—but he said he couldn’t do anything.
PABLO: Father—(Suddenly he breaks down and puts his head onedge of table. FR. LIM goes back to hisseat.) Father—do you think-?
FR. LIM: Yes—
PABLO: What you said last night—that God could forgive me—forgive me after all I’ve done?
FR. LIM: My son, Christ has said that if your sins are as scarlet theyshall be as white as snow—if you ask his forgiveness.(PABLO impulsively kneels in front of FR. LIM. PABLO hesitates, andstands up.)
FR. LIM: God’s mercy is infinite, my son.
PABLO: No, I can’t. Not yet.
FR. LIM: As you wish, Pablo.
PABLO: If my mother hadonly taught me to believe and to pray.But she never did—that’s why I’m here now.
FR. LIM: Your mother still living?
PABLO: Yes, but I hope I don’t seeher again!
FR. LIM: Why?
PABLO: What’s the use, Father? It’s a long story.
FR. LIM: While entering the prisongate, I noticed a woman standingon the sidewalk and looking toward the cells. It could be a merecoincidence, but a certain resemblance—
PABLO: Is she tall?
FR. LIM: Yes, rather. And wearinga colored dress.
PABLO: Curly hair?
FR. LIM: (wondering) Now that I cometo think of it—yes. Her facewas—or—
PABLO: Covered with too much paint?(FR. LIM nods gravely.)
Answer:
crucifix with a chain.
Here's the part of the story:
PABLO: How silly of me, Tia. TIA CHEDENG: Pablo, I failed you in everything. If only I had not let you go years ago-but then you ran awaypABLO: Why blame yourself, Tia? It was my fault. If only I had stayed with you-how different things would have been..(Suddenly TIA CHEDENG bows her head, bites her lips, as tears roll down her cheeks. PABLO caresses her hands. Presently she takes something from her handkerchief) TIA CHEDENG: Wear this. (Gives him a small crucifix with a chain. She puts it around his neck.) PABLO: Thank you, Tia. How can I repay you for all your kindness? TIA CHEDENG: Only one thing, Pablo, my dear, will make me happy.What I've been asking you these last few days. PABLO: Father Lim read me The Following of Christ a while ago. TIA CHEDENG: I don't mean that, Pablo. PABLO: You mean, confession? (She nods.) I don't know, Tia. It's too early yet. TIA CHEDENG: It might be too late, Pablo! (VARDEN enters.) WARDEN: Sorry. Time is up.
Source: pdfcoffee