Band of Angels Page #4

No, it is serene.

People don't usually try to kill kindness.

All the same, I'd better go up there.

As soon as I can get the rate of exchange

confirmed at the bank here.

You know the cotton market

is bound to rise.

I want you to stay in New Orleans

and watch it.

Keep everything in the storehouse...

...until we get the price we figured on,

then ship it out quick.

Oh, this is Rau-Ru.

Perhaps you've heard of him?

I've heard about her, monsieur.

Michele told me.

Monsieur would probably rather

discuss his business in the morning.

Good night, Rau-Ru.

He's a high-stepper, isn't he?

That's why they call him

"Big Bond's High-Stepper."

He gets off the sidewalk for nobody.

No constable or paddy roll ever stopped him.

No steamboat captain

ever asked to see his pass.

- Because he's Big Bond's boss Negro.

- And what am I?

All your others know their duties.

What are mine?

I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable.

Why did you buy me?

Because you were on the slave block,

somebody else was bound to bid you in.

I saw a fellow with laced cuffs

putting his hands on you.

I hate lace cuffs.

I wouldn't recommend

the streets of New Orleans at night.

Not for a girl with your looks.

Hey, that is a pretty gown.

And you set it off too.

Oh, that reminds me, I told Michele...

...to take you shopping with her

sometime when she goes.

We'll put some beauty and fashion

in this old house.

Well, so you can smile.

Well, I didn't think you could,

but I caught you red-handed at it.

- You done seen the big k'la, Rau-Ru?

- He's just another slave.

He ain't gonna be a slave for long.

Soon he be the high muckety-muck.

Soon he be the master.

And Hamish Bond

gonna be toting for him.

You're crazy.

Won't be long now till nobody say "come"

and nobody say "go."

No, Lord, gonna be parlor time,

gonna be rocking-chair time.

Sit in the parlor, rock and fan.

A feather-fan, this Lord's child.

Soldiers coming down soon

from the North.

Soldiers toting freedom.

Dripping freedom

like sweat on a hot day.

Then Rau-Ru, he gonna be king

of Pointe du Loup.

You purr pretty for him, honey gal,

maybe you get to be his queen.

I'm white. Get out of this room! Get out!

It is nice.

It's been a long time since I...

- I do like it.

- Michele?

And here is another one.

I am sure mademoiselle would adore it.

- Who is she?

- Her father is a planter...

...a friend of Monsieur Bond.

It's easy to see she is a lady of quality.

From Paris, Manty.

And it's just your size.

But I've already selected two.

But three is lucky, so they say.

All right.

Would you please select a traveling case

for mademoiselle?

And place this in it

along with the other purchases.

Perhaps lucky for both of us.

Oh, a grand lady,

nobody could ever doubt it.

And now, if you'll excuse me

for a little while, ma petite.

Here, take this money,

buy whatever your heart desires.

You really do love him, don't you?

Come along, boy, I'll miss my boat.

I'll give you a dollar if you hurry.

- Oh, Rau-Ru.

- Mademoiselle.

That boy is so plum lazy,

I'll never get home.

Run along, run along.

Well, don't fiddle around

like that other boy. Come along.

At your service, mademoiselle.

So you had to set your spies on me.

Why didn't you just lock me up

and be done with it?

Is that Manty's? Take it to her room.

You know, that's a very becoming frock.

We are putting style

in this old house, aren't we?

Don't talk to me about this house,

I hate it. And I hate you.

I thought you had some decency,

but you haven't.

Setting that pet overseer of yours

to watch me.

I like the chapeau too.

I bought it to run away in, you hear?

I was about to get on a steamboat

if it hadn't been for that Rau-Ru.

Well, this slave's not gonna

do you any good, master.

Because I'm getting out of here,

come hell and brimstone.

And you'll never see hide nor hair

of me again.

And you better tell that man

to give you back your $5000.

Open the hatch. Let down the plank,

you son of a sea-going rum scut...

...or I'll ram your craw with eels.

Let him in.

You get back to the ship,

if you can find the way.

- Jimmee, I've come aboard.

- Well, Boatswain Canavan.

I'd be thanking you to call me captain,

which is me true station now.

And master of that old black coffin,

the Argosy.

It's all dressed up, you are nowadays.

And softer than a toad's belly.

Oh, well, grab the capstan

and brace yourself.

Oh, so that's what it is, is it?

All right now.

Hey! Hey, stop it, man. Stop it.

Holy rattlesnakes.

You're breaking my bottle arm.

Jimmee, this fat pudgy old porpoise

needs building up.

Cook him a turkey

and stuff it with rabbit.

Aye, and a few steaks

smothered with chops.

We'll drink to the old days

and the finest rum of islands.

'Tis a sweet belch that rum gives you.

What easy wind...

...in a thousand ports,

all across the blinking world.

I remember well the first day

you ever came to this gaudy, wicked city.

Correct me if I'm falsifying you.

You were carrying your sea bags

and stopping every now and then...

...for whiskey and fighting

in dives and emporiums.

Steady as you go, boatswain.

Then we staggered our way

up to the portholes of a bank.

'Tis 4:
00 in the afternoon

and the hatches was batten.

So we locked arms,

stepped off a few paces...

...then charged like Pampas bulls.

And we kept on charging till

we cracked the blockage of the portholes...

...of the great sultan of the house.

Do you remember what you said to him?

You said, "Me name's Hamish.

And I'm a captain from the ocean seas.

And I wish to deposit in your forts

the modest sum of $2 million."

Those two bags

that you had been carrying...

...through the dives of Sodom and Gomorrah

for two nights and a day...

...you opened them up and twirled

like a whirling dervish...

...till you buried him up

to his starting eyeballs in gold notes.

Rau-Ru, come here.

Boatswain.

It's good to see you, monsieur.

Sure, you've grown up

a foot since I saw you last.

Do you remember the old days?

The jolly and old sailing days?

- I'll never forget them.

- You won't?

Then sing us a chantey, lad.

Good night.

Good night, Rau-Ru.

Good night. Good night.

There's a wee breeze.

A wee, wee, trifling breeze.

But it might turn into a wind.

So I best be getting back

and look to the...

Mooring of me ship.

If you ever need the old boatswain,

ask any seaman bound for the islands.

They're all me friends.

The whole wide world's me friend.

- Bye, captain.

- No, you devil.

You darn near crippled that one.

Take this, 'tis closer to me heart.

- Steady as you go, captain.

- Goodbye.

Sounds like the gales

we used to get off Rio Pongo.

I've seen them all: Cape Verde,

Cape Saint Maria...

...Sierra Leone and the Bight of Benin.

- You sailed to all those places?

- Yes, and a thousand more.

Or maybe it wasn't me at all.

Maybe it was that other fellow,

the fellow I used to be.

He wasn't a bad sort.

Young, hungry, until he got his first ship.

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