Reg: Trouble at mill.
Lady Mountback: Oh no - what kind of trouble?
Reg: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treddle.
Lady Mountback: Pardon?
Reg: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treddle.
Lady Mountback: I don't understand what you're saying.
Reg: (slightly irritated and with exaggeratedly clear
accent) One of the cross beams has gone out askew on the
treddle.
Lady Mountback: Well what on earth does that mean?
Reg: *I* don't know - Mr. Wentworth just told me to come
in here and say that there was trouble at the mill, that's all - I
didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition. (JARRING CHORD)
(The door flies open and Cardinal Ximinez of Spain (Palin)
enters, flanked by two junior cardinals. Cardinal Biggles (Jones)
has goggles pushed over his forehead. Cardinal Fang (Gilliam) is
just Cardinal Fang)
Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief
weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our
two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our
*three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an
almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no...
*Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements
as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.
(Exit and exeunt)
Reg: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.
(JARRING CHORD)
(The cardinals burst in)
Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Amongst
our weaponry are such diverse elements as: fear, surprise, ruthless
efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, and nice red
uniforms - Oh damn! (To Cardinal Biggles) I can't say it -
you'll have to say it.
Biggles: What?
Ximinez: You'll have to say the bit about 'Our chief
weapons are ...'
Biggles: (rather horrified) I couldn't do that...
(Ximinez bundles the cardinals outside again)
Reg: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.
(JARRING CHORD)
(The cardinals enter)
Biggles: Er.... Nobody...um....
Ximinez: Expects...
Biggles: Expects... Nobody expects the...um...the
Spanish...um...
Ximinez: Inquisition.
Biggles: I know, I know! Nobody expects the Spanish
Inquisition. In fact, those who do expect -
Ximinez: Our chief weapons are...
Biggles: Our chief weapons are...um...er...
Ximinez: Surprise...
Biggles: Surprise and --
Ximinez: Okay, stop. Stop. Stop there - stop there. Stop.
Phew! Ah! ...our chief weapons are surprise...blah blah blah.
Cardinal, read the charges.
Fang: You are hereby charged that you did on diverse dates
commit heresy against the Holy Church. 'My old man said follow
the...'
Biggles: That's enough. (To Cleveland) Now, how do
you plead?
Lady Mountback: We're innocent.
Ximinez: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
(Superimposed caption: 'DIABOLICAL LAUGHTER')
Biggles: We'll soon change your mind about that!
(Superimposed caption: 'DIABOLICAL ACTING')
Ximinez: Fear, surprise, and a most ruthless--
(controls himself with a supreme effort) Ooooh! Now, Cardinal --
the rack!
(Biggles produces a plastic-coated dish-drying rack. Ximinez
looks at it and clenches his teeth in an effort not to lose control.
He hums heavily to cover his anger)
Ximinez: You....Right! Tie her down.
(Fang and Biggles make a pathetic attempt to tie her on to the
drying rack)
Ximinez: Right! How do you plead?
Lady Mountback: Innocent.
Ximinez: Ha! Right! Cardinal, give the rack (oh dear)
give the rack a turn.
(Biggles stands their awkwardly and shrugs his shoulders)
Biggles: I....
Ximinez: (gritting his teeth) I *know*, I know you
can't. I didn't want to say anything. I just wanted to try and
ignore your crass mistake.
Biggles: I...
Ximinez: It makes it all seem so stupid.
Biggles: Shall I...?
Ximinez: No, just pretend for God's sake. Ha! Ha! Ha!
(Biggles turns an imaginary handle on the side of the
dish-rack)
(Cut to them torturing a dear old lady).
Ximinez: Now, old woman -- you are accused of heresy on
three counts -- heresy by thought, heresy by word, heresy by deed,
and heresy by action -- *four* counts. Do you confess?
Old Lady: I don't understand what I'm accused of.
Ximinez: Ha! Then we'll make you understand! Biggles!
Fetch...THE CUSHIONS!
(JARRING CHORD)
(Biggles holds out two ordinary modern household cushions)
Biggles: Here they are, lord.
Ximinez: Now, old lady -- you have one last chance.
Confess the heinous sin of heresy, reject the works of the ungodly
-- *two* last chances. And you shall be free -- *three* last
chances. You have three last chances, the nature of which I have
divulged in my previous utterance.
Old Lady: I don't know what you're talking about.
Ximinez: Right! If that's the way you want it -- Cardinal!
Poke her with the soft cushions!
(Biggles carries out this rather pathetic torture)
Ximinez: Confess! Confess! Confess!
Biggles: It doesn't seem to be hurting her, lord.
Ximinez: Have you got all the stuffing up one end?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez : (angrily hurling away the cushions)Hm!
She is made of harder stuff! Cardinal Fang! Fetch...THE COMFY CHAIR!
(JARRING CHORD)
(Zoom into Fang's horrified face)
Fang: (terrified) The...Comfy Chair?
(Biggles pushes in a comfy chair -- a really plush one)
Ximinez: So you think you are strong because you can
survive the soft cushions. Well, we shall see. Biggles! Put her in
the Comfy Chair!
(They roughly push her into the Comfy Chair)
Ximinez: (with a cruel leer) Now -- you will stay
in the Comfy Chair until lunch time, with only a cup of coffee at
eleven. (aside, to Biggles) Is that really all it is?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez: I see. I suppose we make it worse by shouting a
lot, do we? Confess, woman. Confess! Confess! Confess! Confess!
Biggles: I confess!
Ximinez: Not you!