08x15 - Shipwreck

[bunniefuu]

(theme music)

How could you do that?

To me? To everyone who believes in you?

There are no secrets from God.

He knows everything! He sees everything!

Everything!

Jeanette...

Read it for yourself.

"Even also as I am known... "

There it is! Dans la Bible! Look!

Jeanette, calme-toi.

You have to tell the truth.

If you will not tell, then I will.

Mon enfant...

I must tell the truth!

Shh, Jeanette! (Door opening and closing)

(Jeanette panting)

Lord... guide me.

Show me what to do.

Ugh!

Crabtree: I'm sorry, sir. Your name again?

François Robichaud.

And your position here at the church?

I dig the graves.

You say you found her here this morning?

Oui, à... seven o'clock.

Did you know her?

She is the maid at the presbytère here at Saint-Francis.

Jeanette Rajotte.

Rajotte?

And this is her parents' grave?

Oui. They d*ed when she was a child.

Choléra. Ouf!

Jeanette was raised by the nuns of Sacré-Coeur.

She would come here to pray.

Monsieur Robichaud, I assume that you've used this spade before?

Mais oui. I had to bury somebody... just yesterday.

We'll need a sample of your fingermarks.

Who is the priest here?

Le père Lebel.

A green stick but a good man.

Excuse me. Detective William Murdoch.

Toronto Constabulary. I'm looking for Father Lebel.

Désolée. He is not here.

Do you know when he'll return?

He was not in his room when I brought him his breakfast.

Maybe he went to visit a sick parishioner.

Do you have any idea where?

Non.

But I think he'll be back soon. He has an important meeting.

With whom?

Someone from the office of the bishop.

♪

Father Keegan?

Oh, my Lord.

William Murdoch.

(Murdoch laughing)

It's been a long time.

Yes. What are you doing here?

I have a meeting with the priest, Father Daniel Lebel.

According to the housekeeper, he left sometime during the night and hasn't returned.

Strange. Hm, it seems we're looking for the same man.

What brings you to Toronto, Father?

Some time ago, the bishop appointed me to be a spiritual advisor. So now I travel to the smaller dioceses, I advise the priests, I hear their confessions.

And why were you visiting Father Lebeb?

Supposed to be a routine visit.

Apparently, it's anything but.

Unfortunately.

Jeanette Rajotte. She was found dead this morning.

(Keegan speaking Latin)

Dr. Grace.

Detective Murdoch.

I would like you to meet Father Keegan.

Hello, Father.

We meet in less than pleasant circumstances, I'm afraid.

Severe blunt force trauma to the cranium.

I'll do a thorough post-mortem but it seems to be what k*lled her.

I've sent the likely m*rder w*apon, a garden spade, to Station House for analysis.

The blow was delivered from above.

You're correct.

Father Keegan was the first of my teachers.

Judging by the severity of the wound, I would say death was immediate.

A fair amount of blood spatter.

The k*ller likely got some on his clothing as well.

Indeed.

Given the rigor, she's been dead for at least a few hours.

Mm-hmm.

Which means the culprit likely had time to clean himself up.

Keegan: It was a single blow. Not a frenzy. Calculated perhaps.

The m*rder w*apon came from nearby, so possibly an impulse.

No.

Ahem! Perhaps I should just let you two continue.

Yes, terribly sorry, Doctor.

We'll await your report.

You shall have it presently.

Oh! Madame Benoit.

Detective.

I wonder, did you hear or see anything out of the ordinary in the presbytery last night?

Non. Well, I heard voices.

An argument. It woke my baby.

Whose voices?

I don't know.

You didn't recognize them?

(Baby cooing)

Maybe one was Jeanette.

And the other possibly Father Lebel?

I don't know. It was a man's voice.

I see. And what time was this?

Nine o'clock maybe.

Thank you, Madame Benoit.

Oh, and if you do see Father Lebel, please have him contact me immediately.

Bien sûr.

Thank you.

Father.

I should get back to the Station House.

Of course. Of course.

You must join my wife and I for dinner this evening.

A wife... splendid. That's just splendid.

Do you have children?

Not as yet.

You don't want to wait very much longer, Will.

A young child and an old man is a tiring equation.

Ha!

When he was 12 years old, he took it upon himself to construct a sort of...

What was it you were building?

(Woman giggling)

Thank you.

I was attempting to bend sunlight around a corner using a series of lenses.

(laughing): As all children are wont to do.

Yes. His interests were, shall we say, unusual.

It was working.

Unfortunately, the lenses served to intensify the sun's light.

He ended up burning down my shed, is what he's trying to say.

(laughing): William.

Well, as they say, "Children learn through their mistakes."

So I guess you learned a great deal.

Yes, I did. But I rebuilt the shed within the month.

And you did a very fine job, as I recall.

And he did it all by himself. I offered to help, he refused.

Stubborn and virtuous, even then.

Young Will was no run-of-the-mill boy.

He had an exceptionally sharp and inquiring mind.

In his youth, he was very much a daydreamer.

♪

(Keegan clearing his throat)

(Keegan speaking Latin)

(whispering): Pay attention, Will.

(whispering: Yes, Father.

I am sorry we haven't kept in touch, Will.

I did write.

Oh, I left Nova Scotia very soon after you.

I went to various parishes until the bishop decided I was... the diplomatic sort and I would serve better as an advisor.

Hmm.

Why is it the bishop sent you to speak with Father Lebel?

It was a routine visit. Up until now, we've had nothing but good reports about him.

Well, I do hope I'm not about to sully a fine reputation.

But a young woman has been m*rder*d in his backyard, and he has disappeared.

(indistinct chatter)

Father Lebel has yet to return to the presbytery, Will.

I'm becoming quite concerned.

His disappearance likely has something to do with our m*rder the question is what?

I hope you don't mind my coming along.

You're more than welcome.

Sir.

What have you, George?

The lads have been through Mademoiselle Rajotte's room and found nothing amiss.

And what of the sisters of the parish? Were they able to shed some light?

I'm afraid not, sir. They all describe her as a devout Catholic whose only wish was to enter the convent.

And what of her relationship with the Father?

They say she was truly devoted to him.

It seems unlikely then that the argument heard by Madame Benoit was between the two of them.

Well, then it appears we are still in search of a motive. Thank you, George.

Edna, what brings you by?

Well, as it happens, I need your help.

Oh, you haven't been out on another crime spree, have you?

Well, never fear. The constabulary has been known to look the other way if circumstances warrant.

Actually, I wanted your opinion as a man of letters.

Oh?

Wickley's Bakery is having a contest.

"Whoever can write the best slogan extolling the virtues of Wickley's bread will win free loaves for a year.

And the writer's image might be used on the poster."

Edna, that would be marvelous.

Well, it's a good-looking loaf. Wonderfully soft.

Yes. I tried my hand at it, but...

Well, let's have a look.

I fear I don't have the same powers of imagination that you do.

Well, Edna, few do.

But no writer should be judged on their first effort.

I mean, the first draft of my novel was no great shakes.

Sure it's better than this.

If that's true, it's only because ancient pharaohs rising out of the grave is better subject material than a loaf of bread.

"Wickley's bread is free of germs because it has been bleached.

And what could be cleaner than bleach."

It's thought that germs are the cause of most diseases.

Yes, but, Edna, bleach tastes terrible.

Have you tried it?

Well, only on... I had to...

It doesn't matter. What you want to say is that the bread is clean and healthy, not sodden in germs, but without mentioning bleach, I think.

You know, something... pithy. Something...

Leave it with me, let me think on it a while.

OK. Thank you, George.

Oh, thank you.

(George sniffing) Mmm!

There's marked lividity in the anterior of the body.

As rigor was quite advanced, I would put the time of death at shortly after midnight.

The lividity also shows that the body...

The body wasn't moved after death.

You're familiar with the process of morbid development, Father.

A passing knowledge. Certainly not as extensive as your own.

And there's no doubt as to the cause of death, Doctor?

None.

Her skull was split open by the edge of the spade.

She d*ed instantly. Father Keegan's initial assessment was accurate.

Well, I've seen my share of the dead. We both have, haven't we, Will?

(Bell ringing)

(Keegan speaking Latin)

(thunder growling)

(bell ringing)

(door opening)

(wind whistling)

Father! Father! Ship sinking.

She's down on the rocks, a three-master!

Who'll help me man the lifeboat?

All able-bodied men down to the beach.

You are excused from mass.

(people talking indistinctly)

Come, Will.

Put him down here!

woman: One right over there!

(thunder growling)

man: Inside! Come on!

In nomine Patris, Filii et Spiritus Sancti.

Father! She's still alive and she's with child!

Fetch Mrs. Cameron; we're going to need her!

Hurry!

Let's go, boy!

Will! We're going to need your help!

man: Come on!

woman: The priest!

Come on, Will! You have nothing to fear from the dead.

Take the lantern!

(indistinct talking)

(thunder growling)

We need to record accurate descriptions of every body.

The wives and mothers may wish to claim them.

And take note of all their possessions.

I don't want anything to go missing.

Here, take this notebook and pencil.

woman: His backpack.

woman: Here, here.

In nomine Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.

You ready? Let's begin.

Man, about 55 years of age.

Grey hair, full beard.

Blue eyes.

(Thunder growling)

There's 2 teeth missing.

He has no wedding band.

This man was the captain. "Jeremiah Woodruff."

There are 4 other crew members.

They were transporting cod, and they had 2 paying passengers.

Mr. Dawlish, a merchant, and his wife, Abigail.

(woman screaming)

(Murdoch gasping)

woman: There, there.

Mrs. Dawlish is in good hands, Will.

You stay focused on what's before you.

(Mrs. Dawlish grunting in pain)

Dr. Grace, is there anything else you can glean from the body of this poor soul?

I don't believe so.

Then, Will, may I ask you to permit the release of the body?

In Father Lebel's absence, I'd like to begin arrangements for the funeral.

I don't see why not, Father.

Thank you. Doctor.

♪

Why would Father Lebel not be here when his congregation clearly needs him?

I'm sure he'll have an explanation once he returns.

If he returns.

Father... this Bible, it isn't Father's Lebel's; it's Jeanette Rajotte's.

The dead woman's? What's it doing here?

Perhaps it was Father Lebel that Jeanette Rajotte was arguing with the night of her m*rder.

One of the verses is marked.

"For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face.

Now I know... "

"Now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known."

First Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 12.

Have a look at this.

What am I looking at?

Possibly the reason why Father Lebel had to disappear.

"Now I know."

Brackenreid: "Now I know"? What does that mean?

That's a very good question.

I'd say that Miss Rajotte knew something.

She threatens the good Father, he does her in to keep her mouth shut, and then he does a bunk.

That's rash speculation, Inspector.

Bollocks! That was clearly a message meant for him.

It was her Bible. It was on his desk.

Maybe he hasn't left at all.

Perhaps some harm has come to him also.

Priests are men under the cloth, just like the rest of us, Murdoch. Father Lebel was most likely up to something he shouldn't have been.

Sir, the information you requested from the Catholic Register.

Give it here, Crabtree.

Father Daniel Lebel was transferred to the parish of St. Francis a year ago.

Yes. They needed a French-speaking priest.

Before that, he was at the parish of Saint-Urbain in Quebec.

Stayed there for 8 months.

Prior to that, the parish of Sainte-Cécile in Gatineau, 7 months.

Doesn't stick around very long does he?

Sometimes, it takes a while for a young priest to find the proper match.

I was hoping that Father Lebel would be settled at St. Francis.

Sounds like an all-around misfit to me.

Sir, you're making unwarranted assumptions.

Nevertheless, we need a little chat with your Father Lebel.

Constables are asking around the Catholic ward as we speak.

Someone has to have seen him.

Sir.

Madame Benoit is here to speak with you.

What was the relationship between Father Lebel and Miss Rajotte?

Relationship?

I don't know what you mean. She worked at the parish, cleaning.

He was a priest.

And he was a good priest?

Oh oui, bien sûr.

I owe him everything this past year.

I was so happy the day he married us, then my husband fell ill and everything changed.

He never saw our child before he d*ed.

Father Lebel was so kind, keeping me on at the presbytery.

Yes, a child in the presbytery.

That's most unusual, isn't it?

This is what I mean. He looks after us.

He's a good man.

And when did you last see Mademoiselle Rajotte?

After supper.

She cleaned up the kitchen, then we all went to our rooms.

Did you hear her leave?

Non.

All right. Thank you, Madame Benoit.

Detective.

Mademoiselle Rajotte visited her parents' grave that night.

Who would have known this?

Monsieur Robichaud. He would know.

Even that late?

He works all hours.

"Le bon Dieu n'a pas d'horloge," is what he says. Our Lord does not keep a time clock.

Yes. Thank you again.

Mon père.

And you're sure he knew that you were coming to visit him?

Oh, yes, yes. We corresponded.

So it makes no sense that he would leave suddenly.

Unless, of course, he's involved in the young woman's m*rder.

I never said that, Father.

No... but you are thinking it.

We found this one down on the rocks.

Looks like he tried to swim ashore as the ship was sinking.

(baby crying)

Father. Come quickly.

She won't last much longer!

Come on, Will.

If you're not afraid of the dead, you can tolerate the dying. Come on.

(baby crying)

I'm here, my child. Are you of the Catholic faith?

Yes, I am.

Then I must prepare you to meet your maker.

Don't be afraid, don't be afraid.

Today, you'll rest in paradise in the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Were any saved from the ship?

The villagers brought in the last man now.

Your husband, I believe.

My husband?

He has blond hair. He has a fur-trimmed coat.

(thunder growling)

Is the man dead?

Yes, child.

He tried to save me, Father.

Please... pray for his soul.

I shall.

You must look in the coat.

There are gold coins and diamonds in the hem.

Please... make sure this money is used to raise this poor orphaned infant.

Promise me.

I promise.

I promise. I promise.

But now, I must hear your confession.

(ringing)

(Keegan speaking Latin)

(Will speaking Latin)

(phone ringing)

Detective Murdoch.

Yes?

Thank you, Constable.

A carriage driver escorted Father Lebel to a rooming house on Rose Street.

Finally.

I was beginning to think the man had vanished into thin air.

Wickley's Bread...

Clean and white, take a bite.

No. Wickley's bread.

Pure and white, take a bite.

Wickley's bread.

Pure never tasted so good.

Crabtree, what are you rattling on about?

Wickley's bread, sir.

I'm trying to come up with a slogan extolling its virtues.

Virtues, phoo! Dreadful stuff.

That factory bread can't hold a candle to Margaret's homebaked.

Perhaps, sir, but it's awfully convenient for people who are too busy to toil at the oven.

Too lazy, you mean. Next thing you know, they'll be slicing it up for you.

Sir, that's a fantastic idea!

I've never got the hang of slicing a piece of bread, sir.

Look, it always comes out like that.

And the end piece, that's a recipe for self-injury.

Sliced bread would be the greatest thing since... since...

It's too fluffy.

Huh?

It's too fluffy.

It is a bit fluffy, sir.

Give me a slice of bread that sticks to the ribs.

Do like the colour though. White as the first bloody snowfall.

♪

"Snowfall"?

Snowfall.

woman: It's just over there. ♪

Driver, stop!

Halt!

Father Lebel? Toronto Constabulary!

(dramatic music)

Ugh! Ah!

Father, are you all right?

I'm fine.

Don't let him get away! Go! He's getting away.

Why would Father Lebel run away if he wasn't in trouble?

Sounds to me like we're dealing with a k*ller.

It's possible. But even if he is the k*ller, we have no idea why he would k*ll Jeanette Rajotte.

Your priest is a young man.

The victim is a pretty young woman.

Would you like me to draw you a picture, Father?

That can't be, Inspector. Father Lebel is a man of God.

(Brackenreid scoffs.)

In my Church, the advisors only drop in on the ministers if they're worried about something.

I'm only here to advise on spiritual matters, nothing more.

So why did he bolt then? He knew you were coming.

Isn't that disrespectful to take off the way he did?

That is a valid first assumption.

However, in my experience, first assumptions are as often wrong as they are right.

(Thunder growling)

(people talking)

Father, what are you doing?

This man's family may wish to lay claim to this money.

A man's rights supersede his wife's.

Aren't you stealing?

(He sighs.)

Sometimes, the greater good must prevail, even over the law.

I made a promise that I intend to keep.

This money is the babe's inheritance.

(thunder clapping)

Father.

Oh, the deuce!

(Keegan sighs.)

Tell me, what do you think is unusual about this, Will?

He's not dressed like a merchant.

He's wearing sailor's clothes.

Indeed. Feel this.

His hands are rough.

Mm-hmm.

Not the soft hands of a merchant.

Tell me, do you think this Abigail looked like the type of woman who would marry a sailor?

Do you see where I made my mistake?

No, I don't.

She did not directly say that the blond man was her husband.

I made that assumption based on his fine coat.

Her husband must be amongst these other men.

(thunder growling)

Ah, yes.

Our merchant, I do believe.

And a man of considerable vanity.

He dyes his hair and his beard.

A poor old man trying to keep up with a young wife.

Father. Look at the tear in his vest right above his heart.

A wound. Most likely a Kn*fe.

Will, our blond sailor may have a Kn*fe on his person.

Let's go have a look.

Check his boots.

(Man coughing)

Father Keegan.

Hmm.

Ah...

I was wrong, he didn't drown.

There's blood on it.

The sheath protected it from the sea.

And it's been used recently.

The sea didn't k*ll her husband; the sailor did.

So a country priest and a 12-year-old boy got something wrong.

What has that got to do with your priest's disappearance?

The point is, Inspector, one should not be too quick to judge.

If Lebel is innocent, why would he run?

I don't know.

What other explanation could there be but his guilt?

Is that the only conclusion?

(Thunder growling)

If the sailor k*lled Miss Abigail's husband, why did she say he helped her?

Why did she seem so sad he was dead?

And why do you think?

Perhaps they both did it?

And do you really believe that? She was facing her maker.

She had an opportunity to confess her sins.

Besides which, she didn't look like a m*rder*r.

She was too beautiful.

Well, history is strewn of tales of wicked women who were also beauties, Will.

You can't only trust your heart.

Go back to logic. What did you observe?

There's blood coming from her mouth.

Is that normal when a baby is born?

No, it's not.

You see those bruises, Will?

She didn't get them from falling off a boat.

She also had injuries to her torso, Father.

Thank you, Mrs. Cameron.

The bruise is a strange shape.

The man we identified as the merchant, go fetch me one of his boots.

(thunder growling)

♪

(Keegan exhales.)

See how the shape of the square toe fits the bruise?

He kicked her.

Yes, he did.

But she was his wife.

There is evil in all men, Will. Remember that.

Is this why the sailor k*lled her husband?

Perhaps.

(Thunder growling)

Or perhaps the sailor was merely a thief.

I don't think so, Father.

Why not?

He was wearing the coat with the diamonds and the coins sewn in it.

He took the coat, but we don't know if he knew there was anything in it.

Continue.

And if he was a thief, he would have stolen the merchant's rings, or his money purse.

What are you thinking, Will?

Remember, Miss Abigail worried for the sailor.

She cared for him.

Yes, she did.

Maybe he felt the same way.

Perhaps he caught the merchant mistreating his wife and took action.

So we'll only know the truth once we find the elusive Father Lebel. How are we going to do that?

A priest's flock is his family.

And as such, he would never abandon them.

What are you thinking, Will?

(Bell tolling)

Father, I would like you to perform the funeral mass for Jeanette Rajotte tomorrow.

If Father Lebel is the priest that you say he is, he'll be there.

And what if he's her m*rder*r?

Oh, well, then he'll be in even more need of the sanctuary of the church.

And the confessional.

For forgiveness of sin.

But, Father, you must understand that if he does return, I will need to bring him in for questioning.

Of course, Will. It is your duty.

♪

(people chattering)

I think I've got it. Actually, I think I have 2.

Well, let's hear them.

OK. Uh...

Wickley's Bread. What clean tastes like.

Good...

Wh... what's the other one?

Uh...

Why eat germs when you can eat Wickley's bread?

Hmmm...

So?

Well, I also tried one.

Wickley's bread. Pure as the first snow.

You don't like it?

No, it's brilliant, George.

How did you come up with such a poetic line?

I just had to think about you.

We both know I'm not pure.

Well, I think you're pure. Pure of heart.

Golden tongue of yours will get you into trouble.

Hmm, what kind of trouble were you thinking about?

We commend our sister Jeanette into the loving arms of her heavenly Father where she will rest in eternal peace.

Peace is something we will all find in heaven, but peace is something harder to find here on Earth.

"For now we see as through a glass darkly.

But then face to face."

Saint Paul put down in words what we all often experience.

Sometimes, things seem very unclear.

There seems to be secrets all around us.

But we cannot find peace if we cloak ourselves in secrets.

For the Lord Jesus Christ knows all.

There are no secrets...

(door opening)

... from our heavenly Father.

Saint Paul goes on to say, "Now, I know... "

Wait! Stop!

I need to speak with you.

What do you want?

What secrets are you keeping, Monsieur Robichaud?

Secrets? Me, I keep nothing.

Then why did you leave the mass?

I must go to Jeanette's grave. They are bringing her in a...

You heard Father Keegan's words.

They obviously meant something to you.

All that talk about "seeing through a glass darkly,"

I don't know what they mean. It makes no sense.

It's about being truthful to yourself and to God.

You sound like poor Jeanette.

She was speaking like that the night she d*ed.

And she was going to talk to the Father.

Father Lebel?

Yeah.

What about?

About the truth.

♪

(people whispering)

Father Keegan.

Pardon me, sister, I need a word.

Let her go, please.

What do you want of me?

Detective Murdoch, Toronto Constabulary.

You are coming with me, Father.

Or do you prefer Mademoiselle Lebel?

This is a Church matter, Will.

You lied to me.

You knew about this.

Do you want me to do this?

(melancholy piano music)

(Murdoch sighs.)

The officers of the law will be here in the morning.

I must tell them what we've discovered.

Are you going to tell them the sailor k*lled Mr. Dawlish?

I'm going to tell them that I believe he did, yes.

Why?

Because that's the truth of it.

But he k*lled to protect her.

(Keegan sighs.) Well, that attributes our sailor with a noble character and a noble motive, but he still committed the ultimate sin, Will, he still k*lled another human being.

Am I to hide the truth?

Yes.

No. The truth is the rock upon which we must stand, no matter the consequences.

(people chattering)

You knew from the beginning that Father Lebel was a woman.

Yes.

When you stumbled in the alleyway, you did it so that she could get away.

You deliberately interfered in a police investigation.

I'm an old man, I fell...

Don't...

Don't lie to me.

You knew I was looking for Lebel.

You could have told me.

How would knowing Lebel was a woman have helped you find her?

She's a suspect in a m*rder investigation, this points to motive.

She didn't do it, Will.

How do you know?

I feel it.

I feel it in my heart.

Your heart?

You told me long ago not to trust in my heart alone.

How did she remain disguised for so long?

Surely, someone would have discovered that Father Lebel was a woman in seminary training?

She studied at a seminary in Québec. They're notoriously conservative. None of the young men are ever allowed to see each other unclothed.

There are other indications of femininity.

Clearly, Lebel was able to conceal her more intimate functions.

But not from the servant who cleaned her room.

Jeanette Rajotte discovered her secret.

I suppose she did. That would explain the passage in her Bible.

And you still believe that Lebel didn't m*rder Mademoiselle Rajotte?

She had no reason to k*ll to protect herself, Will. She knew I was about to arrive, she knew her secret was about to be revealed.

But you weren't coming here to expose her.

You were coming to cover it up.

Perhaps not for the first time.

The Church prefers to see these things as Church business.

Yes, of course.

A woman pretending to be a priest would invalidate all of the sacraments that she performed.

The only ones who would have been hurt were the parishioners who received those sacraments. And that could have been easily corrected without bringing undue distress.

What about the truth?

(He sighs.)

"The rock on which we all must stand"?

Sometimes, William... the greater good must take precedence.

♪

Perhaps you could have shared that with me as well.

I cannot call you Father.

How shall I address you?

In the eyes of God, I am a priest.

In the eyes of the Catholic Church, you are an impostor.

Women cannot be ordained.

Priests are descendants from the apostles.

Jesus chose men to be apostles.

I was chosen to interpret the word of God as a priest.

It's a rather heretical point of view.

I'm surprised you continue to be a Catholic if you believe that...

I love my Church, détective.

I was answering God's call to devote my life to his service, even though I was born a woman.

You could have taken the veil, become a nun.

As you say, priests are the one who are close to God.

I prayed and he spoke to me.

God spoke and told me who I am.

I am a priest.

But then you were found out.

Your servant learned the truth, and you k*lled her.

Non!

Then why did you run?

No one would understand.

I needed to think, to talk to God and ask for his guidance.

Right. So you say you did not k*ll Jeanette Rajotte?

I did not take her life.

Jeanette, cette pauvre enfant.

May God rest her soul.

Brackenreid: Have you charged the priest?

Not as of yet.

What are you waiting for?

She's an imposter that Jeanette Rajotte was prepared to unmask.

She k*lled the girl to protect herself and then ran.

Sir, she speaks with such utter sincerity, I'm inclined to believe her.

Murdoch, are you sure you're not still letting Keegan influence you?

Father Keegan withheld the truth from you for reasons he felt valid.

Yes, I know, but still...

You take it personally.

It's understandable. You feel betrayed.

I'm a grown man, I'm sure I'll recover.

This isn't the first time this has happened... a woman impersonating a man.

The Catholic Church has Saint Marina the monk, not to mention Joan of Arc.

Julia, I'm not sure a history lesson is going to help me solve this m*rder.

Think about the psychology behind such impersonations.

An intense identification with men for one.

Safety, for another.

But it is usually that a woman can only get what she wants by disguising herself as the opposite sex.

So if you had been prevented from becoming a doctor...

Perhaps I'd be like Margaret Bulkley who became Dr. James Barry and performed surgery for many years.

Think of all the people who would have d*ed if she'd remained a woman.

Yes, but Margaret Bulkley genuinely healed people.

Father Lebel performed sacraments which are now invalid.

So all the past year's births, deaths, and marriages at St. Francis are null and void?

Father Keegan assures me the Church will make it right.

How?

I suppose they'll send another priest, redo the sacraments.

But what if it can't be made right?

What do you mean?

What if Father Lebel performed sacraments that can't be redone?

Marriage for instance. A widow would lose her husband's estate if she were suddenly unmarried.

There it is!

In the Bible! Look!

He knows you're not a priest! You're a woman!

So you think Madame Benoit is our m*rder*r?

Constables are searching her room at the presbytery now.

Well, it makes sense to me, Murdoch. Why won't she believe the doctrine she'd been taught all her life?

It would never occur to her that the Church could somehow magically fix it all for her and her child.

Sirs.

We found this in Madame Benoit's armoire.

Bring her in, Murdoch.

♪

Madame Benoit is in the interview room now, Father.

(Keegan sighs.) Poor soul.

Her or the m*rder*d woman?

Both of them, Will.

If Madame Benoit did k*ll Jeanette Rajotte, it was only to protect her infant.

A noble motive makes her no less a m*rder*r.

I was hoping you wouldn't remember I said that.

I remember every word you've ever said to me.

They are the words I recall whenever I have a difficult decision to make.

(Keegan sighs.)

I'm just a man, William.

I'm as fallible as the next.

May I please speak with her? She'll tell me what she did, and she's going to need God's forgiveness.

(melancholy music)

(woman weeping)

(Keegan whispering in Latin)

(Madame Benoit weeping)

George: Look at that!

I suppose I'm in the company of a celebrity now.

Well, don't let it go to your head, George.

I might have to find someone more fitting of my station.

Ha ha!

I really should be sharing my prize with you.

Oh, I don't know about that.

I don't think "Pure As The First Snowfall" is my best work.

Oh really? I guess I'll have to read your book one of these days.

You haven't read it?

I gave you a copy.

Well, I started it...

You didn't like it?

I thought it strained credulity.

I mean, pharaohs rising from the dead.

Yes, they rose from the dead!

A curse was released when their tomb was discovered!

Edna, that kind of thing was happening in ancient Egypt all the time.

Well, I did like the part when the hero got together with his lady friend.

Yes, that is a good part.

That happens at the end.

You have read it.

(Edna laughing)

Yes I have read it, George.

Twice.

What will become of Father Lebel?

That's for the bishops to decide.

I expect she'll be excommunicated.

Cutting her off from the very thing that gave her life meaning.

I'm afraid so.

Will you be leaving immediately?

Tomorrow. I'll celebrate the mass and then a temporary replacement will come.

Off to advise somewhere else.

You know, Will, when I was younger, I thought the pursuit of truth was absolute.

I've since learned that the world isn't so simple.

Revealing the truth about Father Lebel would have hurt more than it helped.

I'm not sure I agree.

Well, Lord only knows.

And we all must keep our conscience.

I'm still in need of an acolyte for the morning mass.

If you would consider it, I would be honoured.

♪

(Keegan speaking Latin)