Barbary Coast Page #2

I like the fog.

I like this new world.

I like the noise of something happening.

No, San Francisco is no place

for a bad loser, man or woman.

Dan Morgan was a bad loser.

I'm not. I'm staying.

I'm tired of dreaming, Col. Cobb.

I'm staying.

I'm staying and holding out

my hands for gold.

Bright yellow gold.

Gentlemen, who got Dan Morgan's money?

I'd forget about that money if I were you,

'cause you ain't ever going to get it back.

Who got the money?

It's in the hands of the worst fiend

in San Francisco.

- What's his name?

- His name's Louis Chamalis.

He owns the biggest gambling parlor

in California.

The Bella Donna,

the one we was telling you about.

- Gentlemen, I'm hungry.

- Of course you are.

I should like to have supper

at the Bella Donna.

Let's go down there.

- The streets ain't paved yet.

- I see.

Make way for a lady.

That's opium you smell, miss.

Opium and Chinamen

sure perfume up the street.

Make way for a lady.

Don't worry, miss, we'll soon be there.

Look out, here come some more Chinamen.

He's just having some fun, miss.

He's going to cut off their pigtails.

- Why?

- If you cut off a Chinaman's pigtail...

...he can't go to Heaven in their religion.

- That's the reason they're carrying on so.

- It's outrageous, gentlemen.

Surely you would not allow persecution

of this sort...

...to raise its ugly head in this new land.

Look out there, partner.

The Chinese are the oldest civilization

in the world.

We must not be intolerant.

We must respect their beliefs.

We must...

We must get me out of here!

Couple more minutes and he'd been in China.

Lucky you wasn't on Sacramento Ave.

They lost a burro there last week

and ain't found hair of him yet!

- Shall we go on to the Bella Donna?

- Yes!

I hope this doesn't give you

a wrong impression of our city.

Rome wasn't built in a day, gentlemen.

The paths of empire have always started

in the mud and ended in glory.

I shall make that the subject

of my first editorial.

A white woman.

I've got one of the biggest mines

out here, miss.

- I'd be mighty honored if...

- I gotta bigger mine than his, miss.

I was thinkin'

if you might consider marriage.

I'd like to meet the little lady, too!

- This is Jack Holt.

- Speakin' about marriage, miss...

We sure hope you're going

to like it out here.

I'm mighty serious about that marriage,

indeed I am.

- Get back to work.

- Sure.

We're taking out more than 100 ounces

of gold and that's more than...

Ain't somebody going to introduce me?

My name is Louis Chamalis.

I'm very glad to know you, sir.

Thank you.

I'd like that seat.

Well, miss...

...how do you like San Francisco?

I think I'm going to like it very much.

That's fine. I own it.

What's your pleasure, gentlemen?

This is on the house.

I drink nothin' but rye.

Knuckles, bring some wine.

I hear...

...you come out here to marry Dan Morgan.

Yes.

There's no accountin' for taste.

You'd have been throwing yourself

away on him.

You'd have been throwing yourself away.

You ain't told me your name yet.

My name is Mary Rutledge.

Nice name.

I am Col. Marcus Aurelius Cobb, sir.

I'm glad to know you.

- Miss Rutledge is not staying here, sir.

- Is that true?

- Depends on how much I like your town.

- Miss Rutledge, I beg you to reconsider.

Good night, Mr. Cobb.

Hope we'll see you around here often.

Good night, Col. Cobb and thank you.

Ready?

Happy New Year!

- Happy New Year.

- Happy New Year.

- I didn't hear you knock, sir.

- I guess that's because I didn't knock.

How do you feel?

I feel like New Year's morning, Mr. Chamalis.

I kinda thought you might,

so I brought you something.

Go on, take it.

We call this a prairie oyster.

It'll make you feel better.

Thank you.

Have you made up your mind

about what I told you last night?

Let me see. It was something about...

...marriage, wasn't it?

No, that wasn't me.

Have you something better to offer?

Let's you and me understand each other.

You ain't stayin' in San Francisco

to go into society, are you?

You're staying here for gold.

And you didn't bring a pick

and shovel with you, either.

You seem to have everything all figured out.

You're quite right. I'm staying for gold.

Then, you'll be glad to hear

that you've found it.

- I take it that you're a journey's end.

- Yeah.

That's me. Say, now look here.

You had a lot of the boys last night laying

bags of gold at them little feet of yours.

Them bags of gold is mine.

Only I don't have to dig

and sweat to get them.

I see. They shovel it out of the ground...

...and they hand it to you across the table

with the wheel on it.

You're high-falutin',

but you're smart, ain't you?

Yes, I'm smart.

You got a pretty way of holdin' your head.

What's your proposition, Mr. Chamalis?

All right. You work at the table, see?

You're worth a lot to me as an attraction.

They'll come swarming in here

like flies around a pot of honey.

How would you like to get part of

all the gold that's dug up around here?

Suppose I lose?

You lose only when you wanna

and you win when you wanna.

That's the kind of a little wheel it is.

Is that the wheel Dan Morgan played?

The very same one.

Head feel better?

Very much better, thank you.

Then it's a bargain?

Yes.

Good.

Like a swan, ain't it?

That's what you're like.

Soft and slick.

A swan.

One thing more, Mr. Chamalis.

I suggest you get used to knocking on doors.

All right, Swan.

San Francisco is getting

to be more like a city.

I've been in cities where they chased me

off the streets like a mad dog.

Shut up, before I start doing

some more chasing.

Looks like they'll have to build

a couple of more stores here pretty soon.

- Do you like this, Swan?

- It's very nice, sir.

It'd look right pretty on you.

I don't like that.

She can be the orneriest critter!

Shut up. I like her when she talks like that.

If it ain't the Mayor

of this thriving metropolis.

- Louis!

- Good morning, Mr. Mayor.

I want you to meet a friend of mine.

Miss Rutledge.

I'm sorry, sir, but I'm with my wife.

Come, my dear.

Why, the ungrateful coyote.

The two-faced hyena.

I made him mayor of this town

and I'll stop him being mayor!

- I wouldn't do that.

- Why I...

- I wouldn't do that!

- But he insulted me!

No, he didn't.

He just insulted me, that's all.

- I don't like that either!

- You'll get used to it and so will I.

- Now, then...

- I have one gown...

I'll show him and that horse-face

he calls his wife.

Buzzard meat. That's what she is. Gimme that.

- Which one, sir?

- The one she's got her paws on.

- Go on, take it. It's mine. I bought it.

- Sorry, miss, this belongs to Mr. Chamalis.

I'm buying that, too. It's mine, put it back.

- What?

- You heard what I said.

I don't approve of your behavior.

- You don't?

- No, sir.

It's my behavior,

and it's good enough in this town.

I'll show you some real behavior.

I'm buying this and that.

I'm buying all this, understand?

It's mine. I don't want anyone touching it.

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