The Last of the Mohicans Page #18

HEYWARD:

Sergeant Major!

SERGEANT MAJOR:

Sir!

HEYWARD:

Thank you, Sergeant Major. Thank the

men.

SERGEANT MAJOR:

Atten-hut!

TROOPERS & MILITIA

have seen no action for three days & nights. Heyward got

their blood running and won their respect. They step aside

and nod to him. Heyward keeps walking. He is home.

CUT TO:

INT. MUNRO'S BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT

DOOR:

A knock and Heyward enters.

CORA & ALICE

Alice is in her father's bed. Cora is collecting and tearing

linen into strips for bandaging.

HEYWARD:

Cora... I wanted to talk to you, but

I'll come back another time...

Alice looks at the two of them and rises out of the bed.

CORA:

Alice...

ALICE:

Talk to Duncan, Cora... I must

manage... I cannot be an invalid

schoolgirl.

(starts for door)

I'll see if Mr. Phelps needs

anything...

She leaves.

HEYWARD:

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...

CORA:

Her nerves are shattered. She's trying to be brave.

There's a lot going on under Cora's surface. We don't know

what it is, but it's disconcerting.

HEYWARD:

Cora, I adore you and, when we come

together, we will be the happiest

couple in England... I am certain

of that. More than ever before.

(softens)

I believe you must trust the judgment

of others who hold your welfare so

close to their hearts...

CORA:

Duncan...

(pause)

Duncan, I promised you an answer.

You have complimented me with your

persistence and patience... But the

decision I've come to is I'd rather

make the gravest of mistakes than

surrender my own judgment.

Heyward is stunned.

CORA:

And it's been unfair to you, while I

search myself for feelings, which,

if they were there and as strong as

they ought to be, would've made

themselves known long ago...

(pause)

Take my admiration and friendship,

Duncan. And please take this as my

final answer. It must be no.

Heyward' shattered inside.

HEYWARD:

I see...

CORA:

I am sorry, Duncan...

Heyward nods. He's speechless. He's errect as he leaves the

room.

CLOSE:
CORA

The tension rushes out of her and she shudders and leans

against the quarter-timbered walls for support. Then she

collects the linen and starts out.

CUT TO:

INT. FORT, INNER CORRIDOR - NIGHT

CORA:

Moving through the corridor past wounded. Two French mortar

bombs explode above one of the casements. We hear shrill

screams in the distance and...

HAWKEYE (O.S.)

... it was no raidin' party out for

pillage. The cabin was attacked by a

war party. They are sweeping south

down the frontier spreading terror

among farms and Mohawk villages 'cos

all the men are here.

IAN (O.S.)

And my cabin's not thirteen miles

south of Cameron's!

Cora, passing the open door to Munro's crowded office, now

hesitates.

CORA'S POV:
THE ROOM

Hawkeye, Captain Jack Winthrop, Ian, seven or eight other

militia spokesmen, Munro, Heyward, two adjutants, one

lieutenant of Rangers.

MUNRO:

(to Jack)

I must receive proof more conclusive

than Mr. Poe's opinion before I weaken

our defenses by allowing militia to

withdraw.

JACK:

Chingachgook's of the same opinion.

Taken together, that's gospel. Your

fort will stand or fall depending on

Webb and reinforcements, not these

colonials' presence.

MUNRO:

I judge military matters, Captain

Winthrop, not you.

HAWKEYE:

That judgment is not more important

than their right under agreement

with Webb to defend their farms &

families... Major Heyward was at

John Cameron's. He saw what it was.

MUNRO:

(looking to Heyward

for confirmation of

his point of view)

What did you see, Major?

Heyward looks around the room. And he catches the doorway...

CORA:

beyond the periphery of men, staring

at him.

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes