True Grit Page #3

I'm not scared of no booger man.

- Sugar?

- No thanks.

- Cream?

- Please.

Just a dab.

Miss Ross!

I'd like some private words with you.

And you I find a sweet distraction,

as most men do.

- Will you excuse us?

- Of course, Mr La Beef.

What do you want of me?

Who are you?

I'm nobody yet,

but I expect to go high.

How?

To begin with, I expect to marry well.

You have the haircomb for it.

- How did you know my name?

- I saw your mother yesterday.

What business did you have with her?

This. Can you identify

the man in this picture?

That's a likeness of Chaney,

with no black mark on his face.

But that's him.

I'm looking for him, and you are, too.

I know all about your father.

Why didn't you show me this

last night?

I only take one step at a time.

That's why I was given two feet.

His real name is Theron Chelmsford.

He killed a senator in Waco, Texas.

I've been on his trail

almost 4 months.

- You're some kind of law?

- I'm a sergeant in the Texas Rangers.

I'm working for the family

of the late senator.

Chelmsford, or Chaney,

shot the senator's bird dog.

The senator threatened to whip him,

and Chaney shot him.

Don't worry about Chaney any more.

I aim to have him hanged.

The sheriff told me you were looking

for a man to go after him.

I've already found one for the job,

Rooster Cogburn.

He's the toughest deputy marshal

they have.

Maybe I'll throw in with you

and the federal marshal.

- You'll have to talk to him.

- There's mutual advantage.

He knows the land, and I know Chaney.

It's at least a two-man job

to take him alive.

I must have him alive down to Texas.

We're not taking him back to Texas.

We'll take him to Fort Smith to hang.

- Is it important where he hangs?

- It is to me.

More so to me. There's a lady in Waco

who'd look favourably on me.

A hanging in Texas

would serve just as well.

No! I want Chaney to pay for killing

my father, not for some bird dog!

It won't be for the dog!

Lt'll be for the senator and your father.

He'll be just as dead.

If I couldn't find Chaney in 4 months,

I would not advise others how to do it!

Earlier I thought

of stealing a kiss from you,

although you are very young

and unattractive to boot!

But now I'd sooner give you

some licks with my belt!

One would be as unpleasant

as the other!

You Texans are ignorant of our ways.

We don't go easy on men

who abuse women and children.

Texan children show more respect

for their elders.

Texans gouge their horses with brutal

spurs and cultivate their hair like lettuce!

You'll push that saucy line too far.

I have no regard for you,

but I'm sure you have enough

for yourself to go around!

They are all for sale.

Except those four scrubby ones.

- And... who do they belong to?

- The heirs of the late Frank Ross.

I'm Mattie Ross, and I'd like

to sell you back those ponies.

That's out of the question.

My father bought them for breeding,

but they're all geldings.

- You cannot breed geldings.

- That hardly concerns me.

He bought four ponies for $100,

and there's an end of it.

I want $300 for Papa's saddle horse,

stolen from your barn.

- Take that up with the man who stole it.

- He stole it while it was in your care.

You are responsible.

I admire your sand, but... l'm not liable.

- I will take it to the law.

- Do as you think best.

We'll see if a widow and three children

can get fair treatment in these courts.

- You have no case.

- Lawyer Daggett may think otherwise.

- You are impudent.

- I do not wish to be, sir.

But I will not be pushed about.

- I'll take it up with my attorney.

- And I with mine.

He and I will make money,

and your lawyer will make money.

And you, Mr Auctioneer, will foot the bill!

You're a damned nuisance!

Who is this famous pleader, of whom

I was ignorant 10 minutes ago?

You've heard of the Great Arkansas

River Vicksburg and Gulf Company?

I have done business

with the GAV & G, yes.

My lawyer forced them

into receivership.

They tried to mess with him.

All right, come inside.

Sit down.

I will pay a total of $200

to your father's estate

when I have in my hand

a letter absolving me of all liability

from the beginning

of the world to date!

I want $200 for the horse duty

plus another $100 for the ponies.

The ponies have no part in this.

I won't buy them back.

I'll keep the ponies, and the price

for Judy will be $300.

I wouldn't pay that for Pegasus!

Listen, as I will not bargain further.

I will take the ponies back,

keep your father's saddle for $200.

My lawyer would not wish me

to consider anything under $300.

That's for everything

except the saddle.

I would like to have that in writing,

for what it's worth.

When I have it in my hand,

I'll remit the extortion money.

This is your release.

You'll find it in order.

You had that already written out.

- I'll give you a cheque.

- I prefer cash.

One hundred, two hundred...

...three hundred.

You'll find a buyer

for those ponies very soon.

I have a tentative offer of $10 a head

from the soap works at Little Rock.

Such a shame to render

spirited horseflesh into soap.

- I'm sure the deal will fall through.

- Expect me back for my saddle.

I'm sure I can!

Do you know

a Marshal Rooster Cogburn?

Most people know Rooster Cogburn,

and some live to regret it.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn

he's a relative of yours!

- Morning.

- Good morning.

- Where's Mr Cogburn?

- Sleep late. Very drunk last night.

I've never seen anybody in bed

at 10 a.m. Who wasn't sick.

Coffee.

You ain't such an early bird yourself!

I almost gave up on you,

figured you'd gone home.

- You need more slats in that bed.

- Ain't no slats in it at all.

Some kind of a Chinese rope bed

torture contraption, I'd burn...

You got it! How much is there?

You still game?

I was born game,

and I intend to go out that way.

All right, one understanding:

We leave this afternoon to get him.

- You're not going!

- You misjudge me.

I can't go up against Pepper's gang,

looking after a baby at the same time!

- I'm not a baby.

- There's no hot grub or warm beds.

I've slept out at night before

while hunting coons.

This ain't no coon-hunt.

It's no place for a kid.

- They said that about coon-hunting.

- You'll be calling for Mama!

I've left off crying.

Make up your mind. If you're not

game, I'll find somebody who is.

I know you can drink whisky,

and I saw you kill a rat,

but all the rest has been talk,

and I'm not paying for talk.

- I ought to paddle your rump!

- How do you propose to do that?

If I smelled as bad as you,

I wouldn't live near people!

I've made up a short agreement

between us.

Sign it.

Here's $25.

I'll give you another $25 when we

leave and $50 when the job is done.

We can get started at first light.

We'll cross the ferry and talk

to an informer in the Indian Nation.

He might know something.

I'll be more than ready.

Well, General...

Look what we got.

There's an old saw that says:

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes