The Last of the Mohicans Page #16

MAGUA:

English war chief, Webb goes to Fort

Edward with 33rd Regiment. He does

not know my father's army attacks

Fort William Henry.

BOUGAINVILLE:

But by now Munro knows his couriers

didn't get through. He'll send

another.

MAGUA:

The Grey Hair will try.

BOUGAINVILLE:

Four or five, including two women

entered the fort...

MAGUA:

The Grey Hair's children were under

Magua's knife but escaped. They'll

be under it again.

MONTCALM:

Why do hate the Grey Hair, Magua?

MAGUA:

When the Grey Hair is dead, Magua

will eat his heart. Before he dies

Magua will put his children under

the knife so the Grey Hair will see

his seed is wiped out forever.

Montcalm won't get a direct answer.

MONTCALM:

My sappeurs are advancing the trenches

through the night, now. You may have

your opportunity soon.

CUT TO:

INT. SURGERY, ENTRANCE - NIGHT

PHELPS:

Exhausted, sitting on a low stool, taking a breath.

HAWKEYE (O.S.)

She know what she's doin'?

Phelps looks up, then he looks over his shoulder at Cora.

She's in a borrowed launderess dress/blouse... She looks

different. He's a little indignant.

PHELPS:

First assisted me in Austria when

she was fourteen. I would say she

does...

Her apron is stained. Hawkeye sees this may be her first

time in the New World, but it's not her first military

campaign. Still angered at Munro's dismissive response, he's

nevertheless falling for Cora.

HAWKEYE:

She does not shy away from much...

PHELPS:

(elsewhere)

What's that?

HAWKEYE:

Nothin'.

Alice Munro has caught Hawkeye's attention. Outside the

surgery where a casement meets a wall, she sits, withdrawn.

A catatonic older woman in a fine dress sits next to her.

PHELPS (O.S.)

Miss Cora? Gentleman looking for

you.

HAWKEYE:

enters. Cora's sewing up Uncas.

CORA:

(looks up)

Mr Poe?

HAWKEYE:

Miss.

(re:
cotton)

May I?

Cora, curious, nods. Hawkeye cuts some pieces from her ruined

and discarded dress that she now uses to bandage Uncas. We

don't know why; neither does Cora.

HAWKEYE:

(to Uncas)

You 'bout done holdin' hands with

Miss Munro?

Uncas laughs, looking from her to Hawkeye. Then he's up and

he hurts. Cora starts to tend another wounded man. As they

start out, Hawkeye hesitates. Sensing it, Cora turns.

CORA:

What are you looking at, Mr. Poe?

HAWKEYE:

Why, I am looking at you, Miss.

Cora measures the directness of Hawkeye's manner. It's not

insolent, only unsettling.

Feeling foolish; she turns. He leaves.

CUT TO:

EXT. FRENCH TRENCHES - NIGHT

SAPPEURS & ENGINEERS

Having worked through the night, are still digging the

diagonally-advancing trench. We note it's closer than it

was.

EXT. FRENCH TRENCHES - NIGHT

FRENCH PICKETTS:

At their posts guard the sappeurs. Meanwhile...

CUT TO:

EXT. FORT WILLIAM HENRY, WEST SIDE - NIGHT

SALLY-PORT

Opens. Ten Mohawks and Rangers crawl towards the French lines.

Meanwhile...

CUT TO:

EXT. FORT WILLIAM HENRY, PARAPET - NIGHT

HAWKEYE & UNCAS -

are low and out of French sight in the northeast battery.

Four others are with them, including Captain Jack. Stacked

rifles are against the casement. We don't know why.

Each rifle is within reach of Hawkeye's hand. Hawkeye is

taking extra care loading Killdeer. He charges it once, then

overloads the powder by a quarter charge.

UNCAS:

You told him about the raid?

HAWKEYE:

(nods)

He does not want to hear it.

(pause)

But he is gonna have to.

JACK:

(to one man)

Get together by the West Battery

James & Ian, Sharitarish & William.

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