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—Is there a sinner here looking for salvation?—Eli's voice, so wary and slightly hoarse, only now makes Daniel pay attention to his words (even though he lowers his gaze to the floor of this musty church that he hates so much),—A new member.—Eli adds, now sounding less harsh and using friendly words. What difference does it make?
The only answer he gets is silence. Well, that's to be expected. First, Plainview is a human, after all, and despite the fact that he's willing to do anything and go to any lengths to get money (or a hard-to-reach pipeline), he still needs a second to reflect on his pitiful situation. Second, the searching sinner Eli is talking about isn't here.The one who is here, however, is a man without principles.
Eli, with a little irritation in his eyes and that disgusting, forced smile of a saint, looks around the scenes of the small wooden building, pretending not to understand who exactly he is talking about. Silence won't save Plainview. He starts again.
—...So I'll ask it again,–He steps forward on his little stage, the wooden floor creaking beneath him.He looks down in front of him, looking very sad and modest.Now his words flow slowly and quietly,—ls there a sinner here looking for God?
Daniel shakes his head slightly, now wanting only for this to end as quickly as possible. He quickly and confidently raises his hand up, barely letting Eli finish.
—Yes.–He looks around the church for a second, not wanting to look at the faces of any of these madmen, gets up and quickly walks limping towards their cult leader, not looking at anyone except him.
—Thank you for coming, brother Daniel.—Eli speaks so docilely and contentedly that for a second you might think that he really believes that he is doing this for the good.
—Thank you, Eli.—comes the answer in a tone typical for small talk of self-righteous businessmen. This is certainly a measure of politeness (as if he ever wanted to be polite to Eli), rather than sincere gratitude.He steps onto a short pedestal of two steps.
—We have a sinner with us here who wishes for salvation!—Eli speaks much louder and more confidently, knowing that Daniel has now submitted to him, and Eli walks around him, pointing his hands at him as if he were a dangerous predator.—Daniel, are you a sinner?
—Yes.—He answers in a confident and non-serious tone, as if he were telling a joke, although his face is more serious than ever.
—Oh, The Lord can't hear you, Daniel.Say it to him. Go ahead and speak to him. lt's all right...—The fanatic raises one hand up, reaching towards the heavens.
—Yes.—he barks loudly.
—Down on your knees.Look up to the sky and say it.
Plainview reluctantly puts his knees on the floor. This is where the most humiliating part begins, and it shows on his face. Contracting his chewing muscles, he turns his head to the side aggressively, almost hissing at Eli.
—What do you want me to say?
—Oh, Daniel...—The young man says with disappointment. Everything needs to be explained to this greedy scum.–You've come here and you've brought good and wealth,but you have also brought your bad habits as a backslider.You've lusted after women,and you have abandoned your child.Your child, that you raised,you have abandoned all because he was sick and you have sinned!–The part about the child he hisses hatefully, trying to smear that little honor that remains in Daniel,–So say it now. I am a sinner.
—I am a sinner.—Quickly and quietly comes the answer. The bashful gaze rises for a second, and then falls back to the floor.
Obviously, this pathetic excuse for an answer isn't enough. Not enough to satisfy Eli after he's been covered in mud. Plainview's not going to get away with this.Being a saint is, of course, good, but getting the long-awaited revenge is even better.
—Louder, Daniel! l am a sinner!
—I am a sinner.
—l am sorry, Lord!—He raises his hands in a prayer pose.
—I'm sorry, Lord.—The answers are so quick and emotionless that it seems difficult to parse Plainview's words.
—l want the blood!
—I want the blood.
—You have abandoned your child!
Now it's harder than the previous stupid mantras. Plainview clenches his jaw, looking at the floor.
—I've abandoned my child.
—l was lost, but now l am found!
—l was lost, but now l am found.
—I have abandoned my child!—Eli says it so dramatically, as if he himself were repenting for the sins of others. Again this humiliating phrase.He pronounces it with a cruelty unbecoming of a priest.
Plainview looks up at him slowly, an overwhelming malice in his eyes.
—Say it, say it...—Eli continues in a hoarse voice full of hatred and anticipation.
—I've abandoned my child.
Now his own words seemed to hurt him. He didn't care about the boy, of course, he never had. It was the fact that he, so successful and proud, so rich and cunning, was now kneeling here in this dusty, cursed place, humiliating himself of his own free will, with dozens of eyes looking at him. And this humiliation was being orchestrated by an upstart and a fool like Eli.
This was the last straw.
—Say it louder, say it louder!
—l've abandoned my child!
l've abandoned my child!
l've abandoned my boy!
He screams so loudly that it can be heard all the way up to the heavens.To make the face flush with rage.So that his throat is torn with pain. So that Eli, stunned, cannot say it again.
—Beg for the blood!—The so-called prophet squeals,quickly recovering from Daniel's unexpected aggression.It looks like things aren't going quite according to plan.
—Just give me the blood, Eli.Let me get out of here.Give me the blood, Lord,and let me get away!—Plainview repeats impatiently.
—Do you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?!
—Yes,I do.
—Get out of here, devil!—The priest screams hysterically, as if in agony.There comes a swift slap to Plainview's cheek. Daniel looks up in indignation and anger, mutters something indignant under his breath, quickly resigning himself to his fate, however,—Out, devil! Out, sin!
Plainview knows that at this point the prophet has forgotten his god–he is drunk with his newfound power. Plainview laughs through his teeth, which makes Eli hit harder each time. More bravely,boy,more enthusiasm. Is that really all you can do?
Eli, of course, put his own hurt into these slaps; he had no need to exorcise the demon from Daniel, for he believed that Daniel was the demon incarnate. Each slap was accompanied by furious screams and spontaneous groans.He put some of his rage into those fast slaps, which, of course, did not stop him from desperately pretending that he was only doing his job.
—Do you accept the Church of the Third Revelation as your spiritual guide?!
Daniel was paying less attention to the screams of the madman, but still kneeling before him and periodically receiving slaps to the face, while the possessed man hysterically jumped around the wooden stage in some kind of ritual dance full of sincere feelings.
Eli was smiling. It gave him pleasure. For some reason it made him feel free.Although, of course, it's up to you to judge whether he actually believes in whatever the hell he's doing.After all, a pathetic trickster can also be a good actor.
—Where is your Lord, Eli?Where is he? There he is!—Daniel interjects loudly. Not loud enough to be heard over the screams of Eli and the fools in the church who were already in their element. Now all that was left in him was pure anger without a drop of shame or pride,and all that was left in this damn excuse of a church is a celebration.
—Do you accept Jesus Christ as your savior?!
There it is,the final question.
—Yes,I do.
Again that mockingly carefree tone. Of course, Plainview no longer took this all seriously. Now it was as if he had gone deaf. The worst part was over—thoughts of the benefits that would come to him for this humiliation began to creep into his head.
These thoughts were interrupted by a stream of cool water directed at his face and other people's hands stroking his wet hair. He quickly shook the water off as if it were pure dirt.
There's a pipeline.
What a relief.
Standing up slowly and swaying like a drunk man, he turned to Eli and extended his hand to him.He whispers something that makes the already shocked boy completely confused.Eli gives a pitiful half-smile in farewell.