Murdoch Mysteries (2008–…): Season 8, Episode 15 - Shipwreck - full transcript

(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 died 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 killed her.
- I've sent the likely

murder weapon, 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 killer 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 murder weapon 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
murdered 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
murder 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 died 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 murder.

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 died.

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 murder.

- 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 killer.

It's possible. But even if
he is the killer, we have

no idea why he would kill 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 knife.

Will, our blond sailor may
have a knife 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 kill 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 killed
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 murderer.

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 killed 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 murderer?
- 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 died.

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 killed Mr. Dawlish?

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

- Because that's the truth of it.
- But he killed 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 killed 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 murder 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 murder

- Mademoiselle Rajotte?
- She had no reason to kill

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 killed 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

kill 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 killed 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 murder.

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 died 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 murderer?

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 murdered woman?
- Both of them, Will.

If Madame Benoit did kill Jeanette Rajotte,

it was only to protect her infant.

A noble motive makes
her no less a murderer.

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)

(Keegan speaking Latin)