Band of Angels Page #8

I put him there

and preferred the charges personally.

Is there any happiness in this world,

I wonder...

...for anybody?

The way I'm looking at the future,

there will be.

Our future. Us, Amantha.

But of a more immediate nature,

there's Colonel Morton's party tonight.

- Had you forgotten that I'm your escort?

- No, I haven't forgot.

And a proud night it'll be

for Lieutenant Sears.

They can have all those gold epaulets

on their shoulders...

...Ill have Amantha on my arm.

I'll call for you at 8.

- Good evening, Ethan.

- Don't you ever rest, captain?

There aren't sufficient hours in the day

to aid one's humble effort...

...towards the ends of human justice.

But it seems you've taking your ease

in large doses lately.

A somewhat troubled ease, Seth.

As one friend to another,

I don't mind saying that I'm...

Well, I'm in love with a certain

charming young lady.

I sympathize with you.

Especially tonight.

Colonel Morton has requested

that you escort Mrs. Morton to the dance.

What?

But I've already

made arrangements with...

- With the lady I mentioned.

- The colonel's been called to Baton Rouge.

And you know Mrs. Morton.

She'd have us all shot at sunrise

if she'd missed one dreary waltz.

Well, then you take her. Please.

Fortunately, not a candidate

for the honor.

I have a theological right leg

and a most-dogmatic left leg.

Both unschooled in frivolities.

- Please do this for me. Be a good friend.

- I'm sorry, Ethan.

You are smitten, aren't you?

Who is this light of love?

You can find out by reading

that document, Captain Parton.

Corporal Daggett case, sir.

- Amantha Starr.

- What did you say?

I was about to say, I'd see Mrs. Morton

to the dance for you.

Seth. Thanks.

Mrs. Morton,

may I present Miss Amantha Starr.

Miss Starr. Well, congratulations, Ethan.

She's perfectly lovely.

My goodness, I don't think

any gentleman has ever flattered me...

...so much as you have tonight.

How, Mrs. Morton?

By requesting your friend, the captain,

to save practically all of my dances for you.

Did you...? I mean, did I, Mrs. Morton?

With pleasure, dear Ethan.

There seems to be some mistake.

Amantha, I should like you

to meet my friend.

My most true and faithful,

Captain Seth Parton.

Ethan.

Seth. Seth.

- Amantha?

- Please, Miss Amantha.

She's indisposed, gentlemen.

For months, I've been looking for you.

Long ago, I came across some information

that you were in New Orleans.

I used to hope you'd try to find me.

Has it all been unhappy, Amantha?

No, not quite all.

Of course, when I lost Father,

everything changed.

Once I went north to try to find you, Seth.

- Something changed that too.

- And you're still fighting for your beliefs.

In my humble way.

Well, you still believe in the equality

of all peoples, regardless of color.

Well, my beliefs remains firm, Amantha.

Although tempered somewhat

with a larger knowledge of life.

You're still the same.

A little more worldly perhaps.

- But you're still Seth Parton.

- Oh, Seth?

You're too frugal with the wine,

please give that punch some real authority.

We must talk soon, and alone.

Away from this.

Perhaps tonight.

- Who is it?

- Seth, Amantha.

- I had to see you, Amantha.

- Why, it's awfully late, Seth.

Yes, it seems I'm always late.

My arrival in New Orleans for instance.

Will you...? Will you excuse me

for a moment? My dress.

That's right. I wouldn't wish Ethan to think

I made an untimely intrusion.

- I think he hopes to marry you, Amantha.

- Oh, did he tell you that?

Oh, I was a fool.

That nonsense I used to spout.

Self-denial, man's only true joy.

For which I received

the usual reward of all noble idiots.

I lost you. I lost you to others.

Now, you really are being foolish, Seth.

I lost you because I was a fool.

I lost you to a man named Hamish Bond.

I've heard of his hiding place.

Questioned slaves he held.

Amantha, you were his mistress.

Listen, Manty.

Did you expect to deceive Ethan

by falsifying that document?

By the lie that you're white?

I know him well, his family.

What they'd fight for

and what they'd take...

...into their home

are two different matters.

What if he knew that you're a Negress?

But he need never know, Manty.

I'll tell him nothing. Nothing at all, if...

Stop it, Seth. Don't!

You hypocrite!

Manty! Manty!

Forgive me, Manty.

Please forgive me.

I bid $5000.

Mr. Hamish Bond offered 5000.

He invites you to bid against him.

I have five, five, five. I have 5000.

Sold for $5000 to Mr. Hamish Bond.

Charge to my account

and send her the papers to my house.

What do they call you?

- Manty.

- Come on, Manty.

Come in.

Sit down.

That's your old place over there...

...when Hamish Bond gave his orders

from this chair.

I hope you didn't expect

to find him here, mademoiselle.

- Things have changed.

- I see.

- You in the master's place.

- Everything has changed.

I hear you've been doing very well

on the white side of the line.

Now you come crawling back here.

You detest me, don't you?

Because I was the cause of their putting

the hounds on you at Pointe du Loup.

I don't hold that against you.

It's the lie you've been living

that I despise.

Pick up that light.

I said pick it up.

Hold it close into your face

and look right into it.

- Why, what do you want?

- Nothing...

...except just to look at you.

How does it feel

with the light in your face...

...not seeing anything but the light

and the darkness beyond you?

Knowing I'm over here,

but you can't see me?

Knowing I'm looking at you all the time?

A woman who denied her own people.

A woman who cast her lot with

Hamish Bond, the man who bought her.

- He was good to you.

- That was the worst.

The soft talk, the confidences.

Yeah.

If I am ever lucky enough

to deliver him to the hangman...

...it will be you

who helped put him there.

Why didn't you go on your way north?

Why did you jump the boat

at Pointe du Loup?

Why did you stay on

as Hamish Bond's woman...

...denying freedom

to be the mistress of a slave holder?

If you hadn't,

much might be different now.

Maybe he'd have a friend somewhere

who'd be helping him to live...

...rather than wanting to see him die.

But I guess all the fires of retribution

are not in the hereafter.

You've suffered...

...and so has he.

And I always will,

with him or without him.

There always will be the fires,

the memories...

...because I love him.

He's the only man I ever loved...

...or ever will.

And I'll keep on living a white life

from now on.

Rau-Ru? Rau-Ru?

Sergeant, General Butler, he thinks

he knows where old Hamish is hiding.

- Where?

- Belle Helene.

Somebody seen a spooky light

moving around the windows.

A likely place, right by the gulf.

The bayous overran that land long ago.

Yeah, nothing there but snakes and owls.

Them soldiers...

...maybe they'll get lost in the swamps

for looking for that haunted place.

- They're on their way?

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