The Power and the Glory: Part 1, Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

A man named Captain Fellows sings as he canoes down a river to his bungalow home. While on the river, Fellows is happy; he is completely isolated and feels as if he is one with nature. However, as he arrives home, he sees clouds in the sky, which slightly disrupt his happiness. Fellows is surprised his daughter, Coral, is not around to greet him as she normally is. Instead, he goes inside and speaks with his wife, Mrs. Fellows, who appears frightened. Fellows asks where Coral is, and Mrs. Fellows responds that Coral is speaking to the police.

A moment later, Coral enters the room and leads Fellows to the lieutenant, who is waiting outside. Fellows and the lieutenant discuss the whisky priest, who is on the run in the area and has thus far evaded law enforcement. Fellows honestly tells the lieutenant that he has not seen nor housed the whisky priest. However, the lieutenant is skeptical. He reminds Fellows that Fellows is a foreigner and is therefore expected more than most to comply with law enforcement. Fellows responds that he is aware of his duties and repeats that he has not seen the renegade priest. Annoyed, the lieutenant leaves.

Once the lieutenant is gone, Coral explains that he was annoyed because she would not let him search the grounds. Fellows says that she should have let the lieutenant do as he liked since they have nothing to hide. Now, they seem more suspicious and law enforcement is more likely to continually harass them. Then, Coral tells her father that she lied to the lieutenant; in reality, the whisky priest is holed up in their barn. Fellows chastises Coral for doing something so dangerous. However, at this point, nothing can be done, so Coral leads Fellows to the barn.

When Fellows sees the whisky priest, a shabby and frightened looking man with an attaché case, he tells him he must leave immediately. However, when the priest quickly agrees, Fellows softens and allows him to stay until it is dark, when it will be safer for him to travel. Fellows also asks the priest if he wants something to eat. The priest declines the offer and asks Fellows for brandy instead. Fellows refuses, claiming he is already breaking the law enough for the priest as it is. Then, he leaves the barn, shaking his head, while exclaiming that the priest and his religion are “shameless.”

That evening, Coral sneaks the whisky priest some beer and food. Fellows hears his daughter sneaking outside but decides to let her go. In the barn, Coral talks to the priest about his future. She recommends that he go north, as the police are searching in the south. Then, Coral asks the whisky priest what would happen if he was caught. The whisky priest responds that law enforcement would kill him. He had a chance to escape but missed his opportunity. Now, he is doing his best to hold out until the wet season, when the police will have a hard time searching for him and therefore won’t bother. Coral asks if everything will be better then. The priest says that he will likely live the same life he is living now, which is far from glamorous. However, at least no one will come after him.

After finishing his food and beer, the whisky priest leaves. Exhausted, he makes his way to the next shelter he can find, which is a small group of mud huts. An old man spots the priest and offers him shelter, though he has very little else to give. In return, he asks the whisky priest to baptize a young boy and listen to everyone’s confession. The whisky priest, irritated, agrees to do whatever the man wants. However, for the moment, he wants to sleep.

The old man does not take a hint. Instead, he begins confessing his sins to the whisky priest, claiming it has been five years since he last had the opportunity. The whisky priest briefly argues with the old man, but he quickly gives in and decides to listen to him. When the old man is finished, he also sends in his family for confession. They complain that they would rather wait until morning, but the old man insists. Annoyed, the whisky priest hears them all out.