The Last of the Mohicans Page #10

HAWKEYE:

I ain't your "scout". And I am in no

damn militia.

HEYWARD:

(stops)

Then you are one of those who would

allow England to fight alone while

she protects you from France?

HAWKEYE:

England does not protect me and does

not war against France on our account.

She uses us to war against France on

her own account... of greed for

land and furs.

CORA'S

appalled.

HAWKEYE:

(turns)

Clear it up any?

HEYWARD:

(loud)

I owe you gratitude or I'd call you

out!

HAWKEYE:

(low)

Do not let gratitude get in the way...

Cora's hand holds back Heyward's sword arm because suddenly

Chingachgook looms over him.

CHINGACHGOOK:

(to Hawkeye)

Yengeese no good in woods. Make more

noise, I kill him.

Heyward spins. Hawkeye coolly watches Cora. Her attitude is

hostile; aligned with Heyward. He turns away. Meanwhile...

UNCAS:

stops, alarmed. Something in the air bothers him. Hawkeye

smells it, too.

CHINGACHGOOK:

is already moving out front, low and fast...

CUT TO:

EXT. FOREST, TREE LINE - DAY

GREEN BRANCHES:

After we HOLD, we realize Chingachgook's been there all along.

Hawkeye and Uncas join him where the branches meet the ground.

Smoke drifts through the trees.

Hawkeye sees and dips his head, then looks again...

EXT. CAMERON CABIN - DAY

WIDE:

Burned, smoldering, having fallen in on itself. TRACK LEFT

past what was the doorway. A dead child's hand protruding

from the ruin. A fragment of a dress. Charred and smoldering

wood. John Cameron's body in the wreckage. And then, through

the collapsed posts and timbers, Hawkeye, Chingachgook and

Uncas have advanced and are seeing what we've just seen; and

then Cora and Alice.

ALICE:

approaches and is frozen in horror. Cora shields her from

the sight. Cora is affected but confronts it directly.

HEYWARD (O.S.)

Anything to be done?

UNCAS:

returns from under one part of the wreckage, ashen, stoic,

as they all are. We know the degree of their inner pain.

UNCAS:

All dead...

HAWKEYE:

bends over a moccasin print that Chingachgook's examining.

They look at each other grimly. Heyward joins them.

HEYWARD:

Who were these people?

HAWKEYE:

(re:
print)

Ottawa!

HEYWARD:

Excuse me...

CHINGACHGOOK:

(to Hawkeye)

Ottawa.

UNCAS:

enters, very careful where he places his feet... Hawkeye

gestures to Heyward to stay where he is: on the periphery

with the women.

UNCAS:

Mirrors... tools... clothes... all

inside.

HAWKEYE:

(to Chingachgook)

Movin' fast, not able to carry much...

this was a war party?

Chingachgook nods confirmation and indicates a direction in

Mohican. The significance is very ominous to them. We don't

know why yet. Chingachgook starts away...

HEYWARD:

Let us look after them...

He starts approaching the bodies.

CHINGACHGOOK:

Leave them.

Heyward stops. Hawkeye and Uncas follow Chingachgook, leaving

the cabin.

CORA:

(hasn't moved)

Though they are strangers, they are

at least entitled to a Christian

burial!

HAWKEYE:

(shaking his head)

Let us go, miss.

CORA:

I will not. I have seen the face of

war before, Mr. Poe, but never war

made on women and children. And almost

as cruel is your indifference.

Hawkeye turns back and rapidly approaches her. She takes a

step back, fearful.

HAWKEYE:

(contained)

Miss Munro.

(pause)

They are not strangers.... And they

stay as they lay...!

CORA:

realizes Hawkeye knew these people and is deeply affected.

She also realizes for the first time this is a whole new

world with dynamics and complexities, behavior and rhythms

she doesn't understand. He turns away from her and walks on.

She hesitates a moment.

WIDE ON THE SMALL CLEARING IN FRONT OF THE FARMHOUSE

as Chingachgook and Hawkeye, extremely alert and cradling

their cocked flintlocks, walk to camera, eyes sweeping the

forest perimeter; they're followed by Cora, Heyward helping

Alice and Uncas as rearguard.

The ruined cabin and the dead dream of a family smolders

behind them.

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes