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A BLIND BEGGAR: And get myself crushed? No thank you.

THE COMMANDANT: You beggars over there, settle down and stay right where you are. Hey you there, creepy-crawly! Not another move or I shoot!

SOMEONE (standing in his way): Will you stop, beggar? Or you’ll make cripples of all of us!

PATROL MEMBER: Well, Commandant, have you laid hands on the conspirators?

THE COMMANDANT (strutting): I’ve been watching this shack for eight days.

PATROL MEMBER: Who lives here?

MARCIA: The man on the ground does. The one who’s possessed. He hasn’t opened his door in eight days.

THE COMMANDANT: Who said that? Where’s the witness? Step forward.

MARCIA: NO, no, I didn’t say anything. I don’t know anything.

THE COMMANDANT: Take her into custody!

MARCIA: NO, no, no, I didn’t say anything. I don’t know anything. Help! Mademoiselle Cécile, they’re arresting me! Let me go, I haven’t done anything. Let me go!

CÉCILE: She’s my maid, Commandant, and I can vouch for her.

PATROL MEMBER: Take her into custody too.

CÉCILE: Father, say something!

THE PRIEST: Commandant, consider what you’re about to do! Mademoiselle Magistral is a young woman from a respectable family; her father was one of the most notable figures in the province.

THE COMMANDANT: Father, time is of the essence. We are faced with a plot against the security of the State. Public order has been compromised. We must question the witnesses. Where is the prefect? Where is the mayor?

SOMEONE: Nobody knows.

A BEGGAR (to another): They must be hiding somewhere.

PATROL MEMBER: Someone go get the prefect and the mayor. Commandant, why don’t you dispatch your warrant officer. He knows their habits better than we do.

THE COMMANDANT: Make it happen, Adjutant.

THE ADJUTANT: Yes, Commandant, sir.

CÉCILE: FATHER, I want nothing to do with the police. Father!

THE PRIEST: You must bow before the holy will of God, my daughter, and wait for the prefect to come. He alone will be able to help you.

PATROL MEMBER (to another in a low voice): She’s fine-looking! I’ll take real good care of her in prison.

THE COMMANDANT: Go on! Move along! Let the prisoners through. He fires two shots in the air and the crowd immediately disperses, running.

SIMON (to me): Get up, old friend. They’re taking us to prison.

PATROL MEMBER (jamming a few kicks into my ribs): Get up, mulatto bastard!

SIMON (to me): Try to get up. Hold on to your old buddy.

PATROL MEMBER (pushing André and hitting him in the face): Didn’t you hear me? You, let’s go, start walking!

CÉCILE: Somebody tell my mother. She’s sick in bed. Somebody tell her. Somebody take care of her. Father Angelo, I leave her in your hands.

THE PRIEST: You can count on me, my child. Courage! You too, my little ones. (Blessing them) Go in peace!

SIMON: Oh, Father! spare us your blessings and instead tell them to give us food and drink before the interrogation. Look at them, Father. These two can barely stand. They’ve had nothing but clairin for eight days.

THE PRIEST: Why?

SIMON: They didn’t dare come out on account of the devils.

THE PRIEST: What devils?

SIMON: The ones that have invaded the town.

THE PRIEST: Here comes Dr. Prémature! Doctor! You must intervene. According to what Simon tells me, we’re dealing with a rather peculiar kind of collective madness. These poor boys had shut themselves inside because of devils that they claim invaded the town.

THE DOCTOR: Is it to chase away devils that they smashed this bottle in the middle of the street?

PATROL MEMBER (entering the shack): Commandant! Come see! There’s another one in the house and it looks like he’s dead.

THE PRIEST: Lord! Have mercy on their souls.

THE COMMANDANT: Bring the prisoners inside the premises. Sorry, Father, but let the police do their job. Doctor, come inside to make your official report.

THE DOCTOR: Open the door. It’s suffocating in here … He’s dead, Commandant, been dead for several hours.

PATROL MEMBER: Handcuff and then search them!

PATROL MEMBER: Come on! Hold out your mitts. You over there, what’s in your pockets? What do you have here?