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Authors: Shusaku Endo
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bureau has Lord Tomonaga in the pit. The fumi-e will come to this village the day after tomorrow. Inoue promises that if Father gives himself up, Lord Tomonaga and all of us will be saved.
FERREIRA (draws back, as all look intently at him): Why do you look at me that way? Why do you look at me with those eyes?
He covers his eyes with one hand.
FERREIRA: Don't you understand that this is a trap the bureau has set for us? What reason do they have for letting you go? Listen. Do you really believe that they will free Lord Tomonaga if I go to take his place? Do you really believe that knowing you are Christians they'll pretend not to know? I can't follow that kind of reasoning. Listen. I'm the only priest left in Japan. As priest, I am for you the Church itself. When I'm gone, there'll be no one to give you absolution for your sins, to pour the saving waters of God upon your children. This is what I want you to consider.
All are silent.
FERREIRA: Don't look at me that way. Don't look at me with those eyes. What have I done to you? Lord, why do you make a victim out of me? I am not Christ. Why are you silent? O Lord!
All are frightened by Ferreira's expression and draw back.
FERREIRA: Leave me alone. Get out. Through that door.
All hurry to leave as if in flight.
FERREIRA (falling to his knees): O Lord. Lord, you can see to the very bottom of my soul. You know my weakness of spirit. Until now I have acted as a priest and handed on your teachings to these people. As if I were really somebody. Standing on some kind of pedestal. Just as if I were prepared to overcome any obstacle that might come along. But now, I see myself as I am, this miserable self. My ugly face. Is this the true self? Then how does my faith differ from that of the coward? This is something that never struck me until today. What does it come to? I traveled across wide oceans to Japan, just to labor for you, just to serve you as your servant. O Lord, then you present me with this comedy.
He laughs.
FERREIRA: The Garden of Gethsemane. If even Christ sweat blood, how can I endure alone? I can't. I can't. Mary, my Mother, intercede for me. Intercede for me that the strength will be granted.
The spotlight moves from Ferreira to another portion of the stage, where Yuki and Hatsu are praying in the same posture as Ferreira. Next to them stands Norosaku.
YUKI: Mary, Mother Mary, intercede for us. Obtain for me the strength I need. What shall I do?
HATSU: Can you forgive me? It was because of my foolishness that your father was caught.
YUKI: Pray along with me. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women.... It's no use. The prayers to Mary which usually fall like petals from my lips are now like tasteless grains of sand. Even as I kneel here, my father is hanging upside down in the pit.... Ohhh, I see him suffering before my eyes.
HATSU: It's the same with me. O Santa Maria, why do you let this happen? I was just trying to help Yuki. Santa Maria, why do you play with me like this? Whatever I may have done, you must help the people of the village.
You must help Yuki's father, Santa Maria. Even if I did do it, it's not my fault. It's all your fault-for playing with us like this. Yuki, why don't you ask Gennosuke's help?
YUKI: He's a very kind person, but he promised the farmers not to say anything about Father Ferreira's hiding place. No matter how hard Gennosuke tries, father can't be saved unless Father Ferreira goes to the bureau.
HATSU: Yuki, ask Father Ferreira.
YUKI: Then my father's sufferings would come to an end. If that were possible, my anguish would be over.
NOROSAKU: And then that man was sent to Paradise.
The spotlight turns again to Ferreira.
FERREIRA: What do you wish of me, Lord? What do you order me to do, miserable as I am? If you tell me to sacrifice my life to save Tomonaga and the villagers, I will gladly go and give myself up. But then there'll be no shepherd left in this country to hand on your
FERREIRA (draws back, as all look intently at him): Why do you look at me that way? Why do you look at me with those eyes?
He covers his eyes with one hand.
FERREIRA: Don't you understand that this is a trap the bureau has set for us? What reason do they have for letting you go? Listen. Do you really believe that they will free Lord Tomonaga if I go to take his place? Do you really believe that knowing you are Christians they'll pretend not to know? I can't follow that kind of reasoning. Listen. I'm the only priest left in Japan. As priest, I am for you the Church itself. When I'm gone, there'll be no one to give you absolution for your sins, to pour the saving waters of God upon your children. This is what I want you to consider.
All are silent.
FERREIRA: Don't look at me that way. Don't look at me with those eyes. What have I done to you? Lord, why do you make a victim out of me? I am not Christ. Why are you silent? O Lord!
All are frightened by Ferreira's expression and draw back.
FERREIRA: Leave me alone. Get out. Through that door.
All hurry to leave as if in flight.
FERREIRA (falling to his knees): O Lord. Lord, you can see to the very bottom of my soul. You know my weakness of spirit. Until now I have acted as a priest and handed on your teachings to these people. As if I were really somebody. Standing on some kind of pedestal. Just as if I were prepared to overcome any obstacle that might come along. But now, I see myself as I am, this miserable self. My ugly face. Is this the true self? Then how does my faith differ from that of the coward? This is something that never struck me until today. What does it come to? I traveled across wide oceans to Japan, just to labor for you, just to serve you as your servant. O Lord, then you present me with this comedy.
He laughs.
FERREIRA: The Garden of Gethsemane. If even Christ sweat blood, how can I endure alone? I can't. I can't. Mary, my Mother, intercede for me. Intercede for me that the strength will be granted.
The spotlight moves from Ferreira to another portion of the stage, where Yuki and Hatsu are praying in the same posture as Ferreira. Next to them stands Norosaku.
YUKI: Mary, Mother Mary, intercede for us. Obtain for me the strength I need. What shall I do?
HATSU: Can you forgive me? It was because of my foolishness that your father was caught.
YUKI: Pray along with me. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women.... It's no use. The prayers to Mary which usually fall like petals from my lips are now like tasteless grains of sand. Even as I kneel here, my father is hanging upside down in the pit.... Ohhh, I see him suffering before my eyes.
HATSU: It's the same with me. O Santa Maria, why do you let this happen? I was just trying to help Yuki. Santa Maria, why do you play with me like this? Whatever I may have done, you must help the people of the village.
You must help Yuki's father, Santa Maria. Even if I did do it, it's not my fault. It's all your fault-for playing with us like this. Yuki, why don't you ask Gennosuke's help?
YUKI: He's a very kind person, but he promised the farmers not to say anything about Father Ferreira's hiding place. No matter how hard Gennosuke tries, father can't be saved unless Father Ferreira goes to the bureau.
HATSU: Yuki, ask Father Ferreira.
YUKI: Then my father's sufferings would come to an end. If that were possible, my anguish would be over.
NOROSAKU: And then that man was sent to Paradise.
The spotlight turns again to Ferreira.
FERREIRA: What do you wish of me, Lord? What do you order me to do, miserable as I am? If you tell me to sacrifice my life to save Tomonaga and the villagers, I will gladly go and give myself up. But then there'll be no shepherd left in this country to hand on your
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