The Emperor Jones Page #3

you long, black snake, you.

- Eleven, dice!

- Snake eyes.

- The lady goes.

- Say, Stumpy, were you on me then?

- Yeah, I was.

- Didn't I tell you never to get on my back?

- Yeah, but, honey, this is a crap game.

- On the line, you nits.

- Catch 'em hoppin' and let 'em hear 'em chatter.

- Twenty and a nickel I shoot.

- Twenty and a nickel he shoots.

- Let 'em roll.

- On the line, you small fish. I'll take you too.

- Let 'em roll.

Eighty dollars the dice do.

One-sixty they don't.

They do.

I knowed I'd have a crap game today.

- The Yankee boys is in town.

- Let 'em roll. The man's faded.

Catch 'em hoppin'.

Eleven, natural.

- What's the matter?

- Put them dice down!

Crooked, huh?

Well, if they is crooked,

they stands just like him...

...and here's where I straighten 'em both...

Jeff!

You know

If some brown wolf

Came in rootin' round my back door

Lord, every time

I kiss my man

It seems to make me glow

One vice may not hurt you

But even two

He found a hammer

Yeah!

Killed John Henry dead

Killed John Henry

Yeah!

Can't kill me

There ain't no hammer

Left on this mountain

That a-rings a-like mine, boys

That a-rings a-like mine

Done bust this rock, boys

From here to Macon

All the way to the jail, boys

Yes, a-back to jail

Water boy

Where are you

Hiding

If you don't a-come

I'm gwine a-tell your mammy

Water boy

Water me

from the lime rock branch

Water I cannot drink

You jack of diamonds

Yes, you jack of diamonds

Well, I know you of old, boy

Yes, I know you of old

Come here, Jones!

Open it up.

Open it up.

Asleep, eh?

Well, I'll learn him

how to run away.

Wake him up.

Why, if I lay my hands on that boy,

the Lord'll strike me dead.

Won't take orders, eh?

Dump it, old boy.

Let 'er go!

Go on!

Get outta here!

Dolly, let me in, quick.

Dolly, honey, you hear me?

Who that?

Brutus, honey.

Let me in, quick!

Oh, Lord, I's glad to see you!

Oh, but you's in trouble.

Listen, Dolly, you got to move fast.

Get me a file, a change of clothes. Especially shoes.

- But you's cut!

- Hurry, honey. I got to leave the country.

I hope this steamboat won't run aground.

Oh, I's travelin'

Travelin'

Get there by and by

Oh, I's travelin'

Travelin'

Get there by and by

Say, where is this tub stoppin' next?

Kingston.

We get there tomorrow.

Ain't we stoppin' on

none of these little islands on the way?

Boy, this no local.

This running express.

Kingston.

Quite a big city, eh?

Now you're shoutin'.

They got everything there.

Dance halls, gals.

- They got telegraph?

- Cable, you mean, big boy?

Sure, they got cable.

What's that little island with the white fort

we been comin' on this afternoon?

Just one of them there

little n*gger islands.

- But nobody bother go that place.

- Ain't nothin' there but trouble.

Trouble is my buddy.

Say, bo', watch my door.

I ain't gonna be long.

Okay.

Trouble, here I come.

Who there? Who that?

What do you want, buddy?

All right. All right, I'm comin'.

Your Highness, Mr. Smithers

is waiting to see you.

Show the gentleman in.

Send Mr. Smithers in.

Well, Your Excellency,

the goods has come...

and I brought you a few samples.

First-class,

just like I said they'd be.

Now, here's the figures.

Four hundred, cash, for the lot.

Oh, no.

I got the contract this time.

The contract, he says 300.

Contract?

Well, that's just the bloomin' point.

You see, uh, here it says...

"except for an act of God."

Now then, there ain't

the like of that consignment...

within 300 miles...

and the next boat

don't get here for two months.

Now, ain't that an act of God,

so help me?

- Come on.

- Get inside.

Come on. Come on. Come on.

They're gonna lock him up.

- Where you get that trash from?

- On the beach.

Where you come from?

Come to make trouble on my island.

Filthy swine. Lock him up

and throw him on the first boat out.

I'll take this bloomin' n*gger

off your hands for you, Your Highness.

Here. Here. Five silver dollars for him.

Lock, stock and barrel.

What do you say, now?

Is it a trade?

Good!

Here, wait a minute.

Here. Bring him here.

I wanna have a talk with him.

Yeah, that's all right.

He belongs to me.

Heh. So that's what is,

me lad, eh?

What they calls in the States

a bad n*gger, eh?

A killer, what?

With the law on your trail and the bloomin' gallows

waitin' for ya round the next corner, what?

Look a-here, white man, I comes and I goes,

and that's my business.

Oh! Oh, well, that's the kind

of a n*gger you are, eh?

Not afraid to stand right up to your betters

and tell 'em what's what.

You wouldn't be afraid of

a bit of fight neither, would ya?

When I fights, there's somethin' in it,

and I don't never fights on no empty belly.

Well, supposin' your belly was full...

and you had a chance to get back

at the stinkin' heathen what threw you out?

- What would you say then?

- Now you's talkin', white man.

All right, now you get your rum and your eats,

but you don't get a stinkin' penny.

Because I'm a trader, see?

I ain't no bloomin' missionary.

And if anybody worries ya,

you just tell 'em you belong to Mr. Smithers.

I belongs to Mr. Smithers.

- What's that?

- Ginger.

- What's that?

- Pimiento.

- What's that?

- Coffee.

- What's that?

- Ginger.

- Ginger? What's that?

- Coffee.

Well, this ain't regular,

but maybe the dice'll do.

Now, they goes first to the gentleman

with the Rolls-Royce.

- All right, talk to 'em, bo'.

- What I say?

- Fever in the South.

- Fever South.

- Eighter from Decatur.

- Eighter from 'catur.

- Big Dick.

- Big Dick!

- Ha!

- Ha!

Well, shoot, man!

Don't you know " Ha!" means shoot?

The whole pile goes to

the gentleman with the Rolls-Royce.

Well, all right!

Gather it in.

All yours, buddy.

I'll be dressed up here in a minute.

I'm goin' after that hat.

Let 'em roll! Natural!

Let me have it, boy!

Now, Quaco, what do you say?

This whole pile against that Rolls-Royce.

- Ha!

- The house is rollin'.

Now, come on,

you gallopin' dominoes.

Come home to Papa.

Let 'er ride.

Ha!

Nine is the gentleman's point.

Come on!

Eighter from Decatur!

Come on! Ha!

Fever in the South, baby!

Ha!

The gentleman made his point!

Ah, the team is mine, Quaco.

That's tough luck.

Better luck next Saturday night.

Me play woman for oxen.

Oh, no. Women is women,

and Brutus Jones is through.

Well, I'll see you boys next week.

Look 'em over.

So long, Quaco. I'll see you later.

I wonder what the blazes

is keepin' that black ape.

Whoa, boy. Whoa.

Here, where do you think

you're going?

- Well, good morning, Mr. Smithers.

- You works in here.

Well...

to tell you the truth, Mr. Smithers...

the boys back in the bush

seems to like my methods.

I's figurin' to open up

a little tradin' business next door here.

Oh. Cut my bleedin' throat,

would ya?

After all I've done for you too.

Is that your idea of gratitude?

Well, I's always ready

to listen to reason.

And while I'm unloadin', if I was to hear anybody

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