Sommersby Page #4

Ham Sayer. He got that piece of land

over by the church.

Yeah, I'll have to shake his hand

next time I see him.

Mm-hm.

Why don't you take this,

and I'll take that.

Job ain't done till

they're all dead and buried.

Thank you.

[LAUGHING]

- Orin. What's wrong?

- You tell her to get, first.

Go on now, Esther.

Six years I've worked this place...

for you.

Man comes here, says he's your husband.

You say I have to make way.

I make it.

I eat my heart like a piece

of spoiled meat, but I make way...

for you.

Then I run into these drifters...

that just been at your place,

looking for work.

And one of them's got his neck cut.

Said that somebody claiming to be

Jack Sommersby tried to kill him.

- No.

- I said, "Why'd he try to kill you?"

He said because he knew it wasn't Jack.

Said he'd been with the real Jack when

he got his chest tore up at Wilson Creek...

and this man didn't have

a mark on him.

And just now, out in the field...

he didn't know who Ham Sayer was.

Best friend he ever had!

Didn't know Ham Sayer.

But you've known all along, haven't you?

Hmm?

He might've fooled us

but he didn't fool you.

Why, Laurel?

Why'd you do it?

Why'd you take him into your house?

Into your bed?

And why in God's name are you carrying

some stranger's child...

when all I ever wanted in this world

was to honor you?

You are living in mortal sin,

Laurel Sommersby.

Do you hear me?

You and this child

are in danger of spending eternity...

in everlasting damnation!

- Get out!

- Come here.

Come over here.

See what these are?

They are a sign of the rottenness

that is eating at this place.

- You get out.

- Huh?

Take your lies and damnation with you.

Look...

and you will know.

JACK:

So who do you think I am?

What?

I'd like to know one thing.

Whoever you think I am...

do you love me?

- You're drunk.

- Yeah, I'm drunk. I know.

That's not the point. The point is...

that I love you. Now, do you love me?

If you loved me, you would stop this sinning

and you'd leave me alone.

- No. No, I will not.

- Jack would.

- He sure would.

- Did you know him?

Is he dead? For all I know,

you killed him and left him in some ditch.

He's right here in front of you. Right now.

A little banged-up maybe,

but I'm here.

- Stop it!

- Shh.

- Stop it!

- You'll wake the boy.

Stop it. You're making me crazy!

You get out of this house!

No. No, I ain't leaving.

I'm home now.

I ain't gonna leave again.

You are not my husband.

[GUN C*CKS]

May God strike me dead...

if I am not.

[GLASS SHATTERS]

KLANSMAN 1:

I'd let it burn, sir!

[HORSE NEIGHS]

JACK:

Who the hell are you?

KLANSMAN 2:

We are the Knights of the White Carnelia.

We are God's hand,

and he is our eyes...

and we are his vengeance!

[MAN GRUNTS]

JACK:

Joseph.

Can you talk to me?

You all right?

Why was this man beaten?

KLANSMAN 2:
You have broken the law,

and he has paid for it.

JACK:

What law?

KLANSMAN 1:
A n*gger can't own land.

- By law, he can own what he pays for.

Hey. Don't I know you?

You're on my land, aren't you?

Ain't you that teacher fella

from over in Clark County?

Maybe you better cut bigger holes

in that sheet, mister...

- ...to see who you're looking at.

- Your master ain't listening, n*gger.

Should I shoot you to make him hear me?

You got the gun.

You do what the hell you like.

[GUN CLICKS]

The war's over, boys.

Don't do it.

LAUREL:

Jack!

KLANSMAN 3:

Stay back!

KLANSMAN 1:

If he don't let go of it, shoot them both!

- I got him!

BUCK:
Hey.

I didn't come to kill no white man.

Buck? The hell are you doing here?

Sh*t! I told you!

- Miss Laurel!

- Mom! Mom!

[ALL SHOUTING]

JACK:

Get out of here! Get out!

[ALL CONTINUE SHOUTING]

[PEOPLE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

JOSEPH:

Is it still my land?

JACK:

You own what you pay for.

JOSEPH:

Well, I'm paying.

JACK:

Go on now.

ESTHER:

Come on. It's all right.

LITTLE ROB:
I was scared! I thought

they were ghosts. Were you scared too?

JACK:

Yes, I was. I was truly scared.

But you saw them. Just men.

- Maybe they weren't even that.

LITTLE ROB:
They won't come back?

JACK:
Heh. Why would they come back?

We're not scared anymore.

No, sir, we are not! Now.

You want to finish this story?

This is the part...

where they gonna shoot those Greeks.

Yeah? All right.

Here we go. I like this part too.

I'll read it to you.

"Now the Trojans... " Hi, there.

"The Trojans, like ravening lions,

rushed upon the Greek ships..."

for the heart of Zeus was with them...

and their spirits filled

like sails in the morning.

And the weariness of their legs departed...

and the mighty shields

grew light on their arms.

"And they knew that victory would be theirs."

[CLEARS THROAT]

ORIN:

You killed that dog, didn't you?

Poor old Jethro.

See, he knew you for a stranger.

So then you had to kill him.

Nice torch. Save it from last night?

Who are you, you son of a b*tch?

Hmm?

Tell me who you are,

or I'm gonna burn this place down.

- I'm the man she wanted.

- No.

You're a liar.

You're a liar...

and you're a thief is what you are.

You are a goddamned yellow hypocrite,

hiding under a bed sheet!

[BOTH GRUNTING]

LITTLE ROB:

Sir?

Mama's having the baby.

Congratulations, Mr. Jack.

Thank you.

What happened to you?

Oh, I fell off a ladder.

I'm all right. I'm all right.

- God.

- Oh. Ha, ha.

- Can I hold her?

- Yeah.

- Okay? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Yeah.

- Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

- Heh.

Shh. Shh.

[BOTH LAUGH]

- Let's call her Rachel, after your mama.

- Yes.

So do you think she knows

I'm her daddy?

I'm sure she does.

[BABY comma]

[LAUGHING]

JOHN:

Looks like we have a fine crop.

[PEOPLE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

How's the smoke there, reverend?

- Mm. Mighty smooth.

- Ah.

How much you reckon we're gonna get?

It depends. I'll be happy with

eight dollars on a hundred weight.

Mm-hm.

That get you a new spire on the church?

REVEREND:

Verily I say unto you...

whosoever shall not receive

the kingdom of God...

as a little child...

he shall not enter therein.

And he took them in his arms...

put his hands upon them

and blessed them.

Name this child.

- Rachel Caroline.

- Rachel Caroline.

REVEREND:

Rachel Caroline, I baptize thee...

in the name

of the Father and the Son...

and the Holy Ghost.

ALL:

Amen.

[BELL RINGING]

[ALL CHATTERING]

- Nothing to do with me.

- You must be proud.

MAN:

John Robert Sommersby?

Yes, sir.

Federal marshals, Mr. Sommersby.

We have a warrant for your arrest.

My arrest? For what?

For the murder of Mr. Charles Conklin

of Jackson, Mississippi.

- Five minutes, Mrs. Sommersby.

- Thank you.

I want you to tell me.

I don't care what the answer is,

I'll stay by you...

as long as it's the truth.

Did you do this?

No, I did not.

All right, then.

I'll get our things together.

JOHN:

We're coming with you, Jack!

JACK:

Thank you, John.

They're so afraid, they gotta handcuff me.

- I'll be back.

MAN 1:
You're a good man!

MAN 2:
We're behind you!

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