Major Len Carsleigh quotes from The Stand

Major Len Carsleigh

We found him; we located Campion. He crash-landed on a one-stoplight town in East Texas.

He made it halfway across the country. How'd he do that?

MAJ Carsleigh

I don't know. But the important thing is, right now, we got a shot at containing this.

Is he dead or alive?

MAJ Carsleigh

He's dead.

Denninger says this thing has a communicability rate of over 99%. You understand what that means? Any chance of containing this went by the window when Campion bought his first takeout burger.

MAJ Carsleigh

We can't think that way, Billy.

Yeah, you're right. Of course you are. What about the rest of his family?

MAJ Carsleigh

They're dead, sir. Contact with the townspeople was minimal.

That doesn't matter. We're gonna have to shut that town down, lock it up, dig a moat around it.

MAJ Carsleigh

That operation's already on the launching pad, sir.

What kinda coverage you come up with?

MAJ Carsleigh

Anthrax. New strain.

[Laughs grimly] Yeah, it's a new one, all right! It's real new! It's very good at its job, too! Too good.

MAJ Carsleigh

Well, it's bad, General, but it could be worse.

Ha! How's that? What's the name of this town?

MAJ Carsleigh

Arnette. Arnette, Texas.

MAJ Carsleigh

We have a rather large problem in Wyoming, sir.

What large problem is that, Len?

MAJ Carsleigh

News team got out of Pine Bluff with some potentially damaging video tapes, sir.

Flu victims, body dumps?

MAJ Carsleigh

Little of both. And our ops, I'm told.

Well, we can't have that. Showing footage like that would not be in the national interest!

MAJ Carsleigh

Absolutely not, sir.

Well, do we know where these news people, these rabble rousers are now?

MAJ Carsleigh

Yes, sir, we do.

Get that video tape, Len. By any means necessary. Make it a priority.

MAJ Carsleigh

Yes, sir.

"Things fall apart. The center does not hold." [A] man named Yeats said that. I didn't understand that poem in college, Len. But I… must be getting smarter in my old age, because I understand it now. And one other line from that poem: "What rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches toward Bethlehem to be born?" I think that beast might be on its way, Len.

Major Len Carsleigh

You were right, Billy... the center didn't hold. It didn't...