The Emperor Jones Page #5

Talk polite. Do you hear me?

I'm boss here now.

Is you forgettin'?

It's all right.

No harm meant, old sop.

Well, I accept your apology.

Now, what I was then is one thing,

and what I is now is another.

I wasn't afraid to hire ya that time

after you broke jail in the States.

No, you didn't have no excuse

to look down on me for that.

- You been in jail yourself more than once.

- That's a lie!

That yarn.

Come on. Who told you

that fairy story?

There's some things

I ain't got to be told.

I can see 'em in folks's eyes.

From what I been told, it ain't safe

for a black to kill a white man in the States.

You mean lynchin's scare me?

Well, I tells you, Smithers...

maybe I does kill

one white man back there.

Maybe I does.

And maybe I kills another right here

'fore long if he don't look out!

You think I'd peach on ya?

Not me.

- I'm your friend, ain't I?

- Sure you is.

And you'd better be.

I'm gonna show ya

that I'm your friend.

I'll tell ya that bit of news

I was goin' to.

Go ahead. Shoot the piece.

Must be mighty bad news

from the happy way you look.

Ain't noticed any of the servants

or the guards...

around the place this mornin', I ain't.

Oh, they all out in the garden

sleepin' under the trees.

All I got to do is to ring that gong,

and they come flyin'.

All right. Ring it now,

and you'll see what I mean.

Sure, I'll ring.

The rotten ship is sinkin',

and the bloomin' rats have slung their hooks.

Low-flung woods n*ggers!

Well, I reckon I overplays my hand

this once.

Man can't take the pot

on a bobtail flush all the time.

Was I sayin' I'd sit in

six months more?

Well, I's changed my mind then.

I cashes in and resigns

the job of emperor right this minute.

Well, blimey. You're a cool bird,

and no mistake.

No use fussin'.

When I knows the game's up...

I kisses it good-bye

without no long wait.

They's all run off

to the hills, ain't they?

Yes. Lem was taken 'em -

every man jack of'em.

Then the revolution

is at the post...

and the emperor better get his feet

smokin' up that trail.

Goin' to look for your horse, ain't ya?

Well, you won't find it.

They steals the horses first thing.

Well, then I hoofs it.

Feet, do your duty.

3:
30. Sundown's at 6:30

or thereabout.

Oh, I got plenty of time.

Make it easy.

Well, don't you be

so blasted sure.

You'll have to hustle

to get through that forest in 12 hours...

even if you knew the trails

like a bloomin' native.

Look a-here, white man,

do you think I's a natural-born fool?

Why, I's gone out in that forest

so many times pretendin' to hunt...

I knows it high and low

like a book.

I could find them trails

with my eyes shut.

And I got tinned grub hid there

under a big white stone where I can find it.

Oh, I'll be at the edge of the forest

by the time dark comes.

And once in them woods,

them n*ggers will never find me.

Dawn tomorrow, I reaches the coast

and boards that French gunboat.

I got to laugh

at these fool black trash around here.

They so easy.

Supposin' something happens

and they does nab ya?

I's got five lead bullets in this gun

good enough for common bush n*ggers.

And after that, I's got

this silver bullet left...

to cheat 'em outta gettin' me.

I tells 'em, when the time comes,

I kills myself with it.

That's 'cause I'm the only man

in the world big enough to get me.

And you had a silver bullet made?

Honest?

I sure did. Here she be.

Five lead bullets

and this silver baby at last.

- Don't she shine pretty?

- Let me see.

- Keep your hands where they belong, white man.

- Blimey. You'd think I was a blasted thief.

No, it ain't that.

I know you scared to steal from me.

I ain't allowin' ne'er a body

to touch this baby.

She's my rabbit's foot.

A sort of charm, eh?

Blimey. You'll need all your bloomin'

charms before long, so help me.

What's that drum beatin' for?

For you!

The blacks is havin' a war dance in the hills,

workin' up their courage 'fore they start after ya.

Let 'em.

They'll sure need it.

They're makin' all sorts

of devil spells and charms...

against your silver bullet.

It takes more than that

to scare this chicken.

Tonight, when it's

pitch black in the forest...

They'll be sendin' their pet devils

and ghosts houndin' after you.

You'll find your bloomin' hair will be

standin' on end by tomorrow mornin'.

It's a mighty queer place

that forest is, even in daylight.

You don't know

what might happen there.

It's that rotten still.

Always sends the cold shivers

down me back the minute I gets in it.

Go along, white man.

You ain't talkin' to this baby.

And what's ghosts and hants

got to do with me?

Well, don't you know I's a member

in good standin' in the Baptist Church?

Let 'em try their heathen tricks.

The Baptist Church done protect me.

Land 'em all in hell.

You ain't paid much heed

to your Baptist Church down here -

takin' up with them

bloomin' witch doctors.

Oh, sure. I pretends.

It don't get me nothin' to do

missionary work for the Baptist Church.

I's after the coin...

and I lays my religion on the shelf

for the time being.

I ain't got the time to waste

on no more fool talk with you.

I'm goin' away from here this second.

So long, white man.

I'll see you in jail sometime maybe.

Not me you won't. Here.

You ain't goin' out this way, are you?

You think I'd sneak out the back door

like a common n*gger?

I's emperor yet, ain't I?

And the EmperorJones leaves the way he come.

And that black trash don't dare stop him.

Not yet leastways.

Listen to that roll call, will you?

Must be a mighty big drum

to carry that far.

Well, if they ain't no whole brass band

to see me off...

I sure got the drum part of it.

So long, white man.

Give my regards

to any ghosts you meet.

Well, here I is.

In the nick of time too.

Sure. Give me air.

I's tuckered out sure enough.

That soft emperor job

sure ain't no trainin'...

for a long hike over that plain

in the broilin' sun.

Bush n*ggers.

A wonder they wouldn't get sick

of beatin' that drum.

Sound louder, seem like.

When did they start in after me?

Oh, sure.

They's miles and miles behind.

What you gettin' fidgety about?

You know what? Your belly's empty.

That's what's the matter with you.

Nothin' but wind on your stomach.

Of course you feels diggety.

Well, we eats right here and now.

White stone, white stone,

where is you?

Ah, here you is.

I knowed this was the right place.

Box of grub, come to me.

It ain't here.

Has I lost the place?

There's another stone.

Oh, yes, that's it.

It ain't here neither.

Oh, grub, where is you?

You ain't here.

Has I got to go hungry

in them woods all the night?

Huh. Can't tell nothin'

from them trees.

Nothin' around here

look like I ever seen it before.

I done lost the place sure enough.

It's mighty queer.

Mighty queer.

Woods, is you tryin'

to put somethin' over on me?

Who there? Who that?

What is ya?

Get away from me 'fore I...

They're gone.

Yeah, that shot fix 'em.

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