Garden of Evil Page #2

Not many hours old.

- Some kind of a ceremony or ritual.

- Who?

- Apaches. A new moon last night.

- So what?

This is a special month for them.

It's, "The Moon of the White man."

- How do you know?

- He knows everything. Let him talk.

It's from when they wiped out

all the settlements, like this one.

You know, back in that saloon

but out here it's dwindling fast.

Don't listen to him, it's a legend

he got from the priest in town.

But he was here.

This was his church.

Do you think they care about us?

They killed those who took

the land and built on it.

People who made homes

and fences and came to stay.

People like us, who hunt for gold

and run away with it,

do you think we're worth killing?

Maybe you're right when there were

two of you, a man and his wife.

- But now...

- Now you listen to me, all of you.

I hired you

to save a man's life.

It might be a little dangerous,

that's why I paid you good.

If a man's life isn't worth a risk,

tell me how much you want.

Go ahead. Tell me how much more.

- What's eating her?

- She's just tired.

Let's make the coffee.

- She put you in your place.

- All of us.

At first I thought

she was one of those women

who come along and fascinate men

without trying or knowing why.

And now what?

She tries and she knows why.

Tell me some more

about this White Man's Moon.

It's an open season.

- On what?

- On you and me.

What do you want?

What you said about quitting

and leaving with the money.

You didn't mean me,

did you?

I didn't come along for that.

They did, but I didn't.

That's all they're after,

but not me.

And don't be afraid of them

because I'm watching them.

I'm with you, Leah.

I know what's going on,

but I'm not with them.

It ain't the money with me,

it's you, you know that?

Take your hands off me.

You animal!

You scum!

Go to bed. We got enough trouble

without your problems. That's all.

- Is it? Is that all?

- You heard me.

What if I say it ain't all?

What if I say it ain't?

- Say what you want.

- All right. I'll say something.

Yeah, I think I'll say something.

I've had a gutful of you,

Hooker.

And I'll say it

the way I talk the best.

- Put that way, Daly.

- I've killed men like you before.

Yeah. I know about you.

You killed them

for rewards on their head

when nothing could be done

except give you the cash.

You shot them at tables

or in their beds.

Wherever their eyes were shut

or their backs turned.

I know about you.

I'll let you square yourself.

- Killing a man face to face.

- I'm telling you, Hooker.

I'm telling you!

I'm telling you!

Stop it.

Blame yourself.

Don't blame Daly or me,

or anybody but yourself.

- What do you think you're saying?

- I know what I'm saying.

And so do you.

If you want to get where

you're going, get some rest. Go on.

Here. Wash your face.

You'll be all right.

You just made a fool out of yourself.

Don't think it hasn't happened

to anybody else. All of us.

You just didn't understand it.

There's only one thing in her head.

That man out there.

Nothing else.

Now you know.

- Why didn't you kill me?

- I need you.

You don't need anybody, Hooker.

You don't need any of us.

I will.

We'll all need each other.

Come on, now.

Get to bed.

You got everything fixed now?

It'll hold for a while.

You see how it is? Now she's got

you fighting for her honour.

She's got you going unharmed against

a man she turned into an idiot.

- A boy.

- It was very heroic.

I admired you enormously.

I'm sure she did, too.

Some day, like Salome,

she'll have you bringing her

the head of Vicente in a frying pan.

- Or yours.

- No, not mine, Hooker.

Mine belongs to you.

- And you know what they say.

- What do they say?

Two heads are better than one.

Take one.

Put it back.

S?

- What's he say?

- He wants to do it again.

Shuffle? Cut?

Cut?

- How far will it be now?

- Tomorrow.

We could ride tonight

and be there in the morning.

Only the horses don't ride.

Do you want to tell me about him?

- Tell you? Tell you what?

- Anything.

He's a mining engineer.

We prospected in California

and we got a map from a priest.

A map of this country,

this place.

It was a boom town once.

A volcano covered it with lava.

Everything except a church steeple

and a mine shaft.

In 3 hours they lost half of God

and most of the gold.

- And they never went back?

- No, they were afraid.

Indians?

Yes, after the volcano

it became sacred to the Indians.

- A place of evil spirits.

- But you don't believe in them.

- Do you?

- I believe in Indians.

That's it. The town buried

in the lava from the volcano,

and the mine's on the other side.

Let's ride.

He's alive. He's all right.

He's alive.

Here, take it easy.

Be careful. I tried that

and it caved in.

We'll need timbers to support this.

Get some timbers, Daly

Here, try this.

Hold up that end.

- Use this for his feet.

- All right.

- Watch out when you lift his leg.

- Roll him over.

There we go.

Vicente, get on that end.

Take him to the house.

All right, get out.

I want to try and fix his leg

while he's still out.

- I'll help you.

- Take her out.

Come on, let's go.

Leave him alone.

Don't talk.

Don't try.

You'll be all right.

It was right there.

I kept shooting at it.

- I kept missing...

- Don't talk about it now.

You...

You...

You came back.

I'm here. You'll be all right.

He will be, won't he?

He'll be all right?

- He has a fractured leg.

- Is it bad?

I don't know. He'll live.

Get him some hot coffee and soup.

Heat some water and wash him.

How bad is his leg?

- I don't know.

- Can he ride?

- Not sure. Maybe when he's stronger.

- What if he can't?

He'll have to be carried

on a litter, if he does go.

What do you mean "if "?

He may stay. He's got supplies here.

He came to stay.

Where's Daly?

He's in the mine.

He's digging gold out of the wall.

I told him we'd be staying,

no need to get it all in one day.

He's crazy again.

First it was the woman,

not it's the gold.

He wants one or the other

even if it gets him killed.

It could.

- What will you do?

- Wash up with some water over here.

How is he?

He's sleeping.

- Who's he?

- He came back to help get you out.

He fixed your leg.

- Is it bad?

- I can't tell.

I can.

Just lie there.

I've made you soup and coffee.

I'll get it. You better

stay off of that awhile, Fuller.

- Where did you find him?

- Puerto Miguel.

Here, drink this.

You found him. Just like that

you found him.

Just like that.

A woman like her

going all the way to Miguel

and coming back for me.

Can you imagine that?

- I don't have to.

- I have to.

Days and nights in that black hole

trying to imagine it.

But I had time to think.

And you know what I thought about?

You and me.

And I said to myself:

"Sure, she'll be back."

"She'll be back,

but not for you".

And I knew then

that none of it was ever for me.

From the beginning to the end of it,

in that black hole.

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