The Crimson Pirate Page #4

---

Come with us. Join us.

No.

But you want to. I know you want to.

You're wrong.

There's nothing in it for me.

Get your father.

Then why are you setting us free?

- I keep my promises, even foolish ones.

- You made no promise.

You made a deal to sell us,

and you can't do it.

All right, then. I'm doing it for you.

Let's leave it at that.

No, Vallo. We can't leave it at that.

You're a fighter. Fight with us.

- Fight for something decent.

- Not I.

All my life I've watched injustice

and dishonesty fly the flag of decency.

- I don't trust them.

- Don't you trust me?

Don't you trust what we have

for each other?

What we have for each other

we'll have to get over.

Can we?

You're right. I won't let you go.

We belong together here,

aboard my ship. We'll find a way.

But that's not possible.

- I can't stay here. Don't you see?

- Yes, I see.

And now, at last, you see it, too.

You've got your world, and I've got mine.

All right, gentlemen.

Sit down.

Professor, you'll go ashore later

with Pablo Murphy and the guns.

- Right.

- Keep talking to yourself, loudly.

I want my men to think

you're all still here.

That's no problem for me.

Now, remember, this is a dangerous game.

If my men tumble to it,

they'll slit your throats, and mine, too.

I don't like it, Captain.

We can't leave you to face them alone.

Come with us.

Father...

don't.

Avast! Man the guns!

Topside, you swabs!

Help!

Not so fast, Skipper,

if you'll pardon the intrusion.

You've sold me, Humble Bellows,

and to a king's flunky.

Aye.

'Tis my modest opinion

that no man can fly pirate's colors...

who's not willing to sell his friend,

his sweetheart, or his mother.

- Well spoken, Mr. Bellows.

- Foul spoken it is.

You've turned your hand

against your Captain's back.

Yellow was never a pirate's color.

Nor rescuing a fair maiden a pirate caper.

Aye.

It's true. I sailed beyond my depth...

but only to sound out new waters

for the lot of us.

If we'd have starved to death,

I'd have never sold a man jack of you.

Gather round, lads.

This isn't the last of the pirate capers.

'Tis the last of thee and of thy capers...

for 'twas put to the vote whilst thee

was trying to deprive us of our loot.

Ye violated the pirate code

by letting a fat fish off the hook.

By vote of all,

ye are deprived of command...

and sentenced under piratical law

to be cast adrift in a small boat...

without food or water.

A splendid decision, Mr. Bellows.

Quick justice and certain death.

Perhaps you'd save the King the expense

of hanging this learned fool...

and let him keep Captain Vallo company.

Thou hast a generous choice.

The gallows or the sea.

If it won't crowd you.

I'd rather you weren't coming,

but I don't want to seem inhospitable.

As for thee...

since I have no voice to raise against

thy Captain's misdemeanors...

thee will be pardoned by giving thy hand

to thy new skipper.

What say thee? Shall we loose thy bonds?

Cut him loose.

It's done, Skipper. We set them adrift.

The morning tide

will take them out to sea.

Wait! This calls for a celebration,

eh, Mr. Bellows?

I've a keg of rum aboard my boat.

Straight from the Governor's own cellar.

What say?

Aye.

I could use a drink.

Come on, lads! Get the rum aboard.

Bring mine to the Captain's cabin.

There's the end of land.

The end of our world.

From now on, it's starve, thirst,

and finally capsize.

I've been meditating on just that.

Capsizing is the solution of our problem.

There's no doubt about it.

- lf you'll follow me, please.

- Sit down, you fool!

Sit down, you...

It works.

Good old Aristotle.

Over 2,000 years ago, he wrote:

"A metallic vessel will retain air

underwater without filling."

But I myself have done some research

on the subject...

while designing a craft

which I call an undersea boat.

- How did you know this was airtight?

- In science, my son...

one knows nothing until one experiments.

We may now conclude

that we are breathing.

Let us walk ashore as quickly as possible.

I compute there's sufficient air

to last us several minutes.

Providing we don't waste

our oxygen talking, of course.

- All right, then. Shut up!

- Quite so.

You needn't have brought out

the whole garrison. I did the job myself.

They won't be so playful

when they wake up this time.

All right. Wake them up.

Sober them up

and take them to the pirate ship.

Over the side with them!

Sorry I be for this, mates.

And I humbly apologize.

'Twould never have happened

with Vallo as skipper.

He violated a pirate code

and he had to go.

But he went like a pirate.

We're going like fish.

I can't forgive myself for that.

King's flunky made a monkey

of Humble Bellows.

- Pirate of the old school.

- Enough of that!

Hoist them!

Put a crew aboard this ship

and have her re-canvased.

I want her ready to sail when I leave.

Give them just enough bread

and water to keep them alive.

They'll fetch a good bounty from the King.

Ahoy. Pablo Murphy.

- Well, I'll be...

- Get us out of these chains.

After all you got us into,

you lying blabbermouth?

Get yourself out of it.

- Pablo Murphy.

- For the last time, get away from us.

Get it through that head of yours,

I didn't sell El Libre.

- Let me assure...

- We can see for ourselves what he's done.

If we'd gone my way,

El Libre wouldn't be dead.

Consuelo wouldn't be held captive

in the palace...

and we'd have guns to stop Gruda's men

from crushing us.

Hold it, gentlemen. Soldiers.

By order of Baron Gruda, all fishing

will be done under armed escort.

The entire catch to be turned over

to the Governor.

- What'll be left for us?

- The bait.

In that case, we'll do no fishing.

Any more objections?

The rest of you proceed

to the Governor's dock. Get moving!

Take him to the fortress.

This way.

- Hey, there, back in line.

- Follow those boats.

After them!

Let's go.

- Is everything arranged?

- Just as you ordered, Excellency.

You've broken the back of the rebellion

overnight. The King owes you much.

He will pay it. I may even be able to collect

the full bounty on Captain Vallo...

for he was killed by his own men

while trying to save El Libre.

Don't be upset, my dear.

You'll form new attachments here.

You're to marry the Governor.

After I'm gone,

you'll rule through her, Governor.

You'll order your people to till their fields

and fish their seas...

for the greater glory of the King.

- I'd die first.

- No, you'll die last.

First you'll watch your people go

one by one.

Someday I'll kill you.

Officer!

These methods will bring her round soon.

I shouldn't like her to kill herself

before she marries.

She's not the type. She'll marry you

and wait for a chance to poison you.

It doesn't sound like an ideal marriage.

Couldn't we dispense with that?

Too much of it upsets my liver.

It's not your liver. It's your heart.

It's much too soft.

Tonight the people bury El Libre.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes