02x15 - Day of the Comet

[bunniefuu]

Blindfold?

Perhaps it is better to die
in complete darkness.

Nobody move!
Now, drop those g*ns.

Throw 'em in the bushes!
Over there! Quick!

Now, everybody back! Back!

Now you.

MAN:
Get the horses!

It'll be hard
to catch him in the dark.

We'll catch him all right.
He made a great mistake.

Now he's got to die
a second time.

MAN:
Good morning.

There's a sign over there
that says "no trespassing."

I don't pay
any attention to signs.

Well, you'd better
pay attention to this one.
This is Barkley property.

I intend to leave nothing
but my footprints,

and I'll rub them out
if you insist.

Why, you'd, uh, be one
of the Barkleys, huh?

-Yes. And you?
-Eric Mercer.

Well, you're lucky no one
shot at you. We've been having
a lot of trouble up here lately.

None that I've caused,
I assure you.

I'm only a trespasser,

and, uh, I'm armed with nothing
but a book of poetry.

Thank you. I'm about to make
some coffee. You want some?

No.

You're the first man
I've met who reads poetry.

Oh? I'm sorry I'm the first.
Poetry's the shorthand
of the soul.

What kind of poems
are in that book?

Mm, Whitman, Coleridge,
Shelley, Shakespeare.

Who do you like best?

Hard to say.

"We are such stuff
as dreams are made of,

and our little life
is rounded with a sleep."

So I slept here last night.
Do you begrudge me that?

We're not too happy
with fence jumpers.

You are a mass
of clichés, girl.
That's one.

What do you care
about fence jumpers

if they take nothing,
hurt nothing, just look?

Why? Do I contaminate
the air you breathe?

Of course not.

I suppose it's just that
you're not supposed to be
here without permission.

That's what I mean about signs.
They're the outward evidence
of conformity.

You can stay here tonight.
And I'm not a conformist.

[laughs]

Rebellion--
the first sign of sanity.

Perhaps you do have
a chance after all.

All right. I accept
your kind invitation.

I'm looking for a black
gelding, stands 15 hands.

If you see him, you might
bring him by the ranch. It's
just a mile north of here.

If I do,
I'll bring him to you

in a jeweled box, princess.

[playing notes]

[door opens, closes]

That's pretty.

Sorry I'm late.

Well, I hope you had dinner
on the trail, because we
polished off that wild duck.

Oh, Jarrod. There's plenty
of duck in the warmer.

Well, I had some tasty
dried jerky up on the ridge.
I'll just have some coffee.

-Did you find out
who butchered that steer?
-What steer?

Heath found the remains
of an animal up on the north
ridge day before yesterday.

Yeah. And three more
gone out of the herd
in the high grass.

And the black gelding
is still missing.

Some of those saddle tramps
ride through there.

Saddle tramps
don't usually k*ll cattle
or steal horses.

Well, somebody's working
that area over. We'd better
keep our eyes open.

-Audra, you were up on the
ridge today, weren't you?
-Yes.

Did you see
anything suspicious?

Nothing suspicious.

-HEATH: Any more fence down?
-Just the one on the strip.

Well, that one's
been down for a week.

Audra, would you
give me a hand?

-I'm having trouble
with that petit point.
-Sure.

-Think we're still
cutting posts?
-Yeah.

I think we'd better
start working over
all those fence posts.

Now, hold that there
good and tight.

-Okay.
-Mm-hmm. Now we'll tack it.

How long were you
up on the north ridge?

Oh, a little while.

Did you make a fire?

No.

Well, you must have
passed through a burned
area somewhere.

There were smudges
on your riding pants.

Do you want
to tell me about it?

How do you always know?

That comes
with practice.

I met someone
on the north ridge.

He wasn't doing any harm.
I told him he could
stay there tonight.

Well, you'd better tell
your brothers about it.

Oh, they're always making
too much out of nothing.

I'll ride up in the morning
and make sure he's gone.

[hoofbeats]

-How'd you find that?
-How did you?

Well, I saw you here.

It's just I wouldn't
come back here alone until
we find out who made that.

All right.

Hold it!

[grunts, gasps]

All right now.
Get up, mister.

Get back to that horse.
We're going back slow and easy.

[door closes]

This is the fellow
that's been helping
himself to our stock.

I found a steer
k*lled and butchered
right on his route,

-and he was leading
the black gelding.
-Who are you?

-Eric Mercer.
-AUDRA: Heath.

You've made a mistake.

I asked him to watch
for the black horse

and to bring it to me
when he found it.

You asked him?

Yes, I asked him,
and I gave him permission
to camp on our land.

-You gave him permission?
-Yes.

-When?
-Yesterday.

For which I thank you, princess,
and I was bringing the horse
back to you.

-What were you doing
up there?
-Passing through.

-Where were you going?
-[laughs] Islands under
the wind.

Why did you run when
I asked you to stop?

You had a g*n.
I didn't.

Audra, send Ciego
for Dr. Merar.

Boys, carry him
into the library.

You had a concussion
when you fell off that horse.

Often happens,
the reaction is delayed.

I recommend the next
few days you rest.

Yeah, rest-- universal panacea.

Don't joke about it.
It is the universal panacea.

I'll see you again
in a few days.

You can stay on here
if you like for a while
until you're a little steadier.

No, I'll, uh,
camp up on the ridge
if it's all right with you.

Mercer, I, uh--
I made a mistake.
I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have run away.

Like, uh, Horatio,
I should've held the bridge.

You need to rest.
Please stay.

No, thank you.
Walls close in on me.

Well, there's a place
to stay a couple of miles
behind the house.

Yeah, a grove of trees.
Plenty of water.
You can camp there.

-I'll do that.
-I'll give you a hand.

Thanks.

I wonder who he is.

Just a traveler bringing back
one of our horses.

Maybe.

But I intend to find out.

He's up in those
hills somewhere.

-Sure?
-I'm sure.

That horse of his throws
his right front foot.

You can't mistake it.

I know these things
are something worth to me:

a wondrous
motion of a horse,

the clouds
that crown the peaks,

the roaring sea.

What makes you
talk like that?

What makes you
like this horse?

He's poetry.
Oh, yes.

Like the sun when it rips
across the valley

or clouds rising
like fists in the sky.

That's poetry.

Look. This leaf
is poetry.

See?

I've often wondered why
most poets worry so about life.

Because it's very short.
Because most people
don't even taste it.

Most of them are dead
when they're 25.

They never think
or feel again.

Now, to be alive
is to savor every moment.

See the pattern of the whole
in a thousand little things.

I'll have to think
about that.

Time you did.

The family's been
wondering how you are.

[chuckles]
Well, my vision's clear,
my appetite's good.

Will you be staying
with us long?

You might like it here.

I do, but I can't stay.

-Where will you go?
-West.

Why?

Because I must.

You think you'll be
coming back this way?

I don't think so.

Well, then, before you leave,
you ought to get to know some
of the people in the valley.

They're very nice.

We're having a party tonight.
Will you come?

You don't get to know
people at parties.

-Yes, you would.
-No, you go through
the motions.

Talk about the same unimportant
things you talked about
at the last party.

You know, I think
you're a snob.

Mm-mmm. Just that time
is too precious to be wasted.

-When will you leave, exactly?
-Soon.

[sighs]
Time's running out for me.

[door opens]

Audra, the guests
are beginning to arrive.

Oh, I'm sorry.
I'll be right there.

-Can I be of any help?
-No, thank you.

I have a message for you.
John Baxter says to save
the first dance for him.

Oh.

Well, I was under the impression
you were fond of John.

Oh, he's nice.
I didn't mean it
to sound that way.

All right, Audra.
Something is the matter.
What is it?

I invited him to come
to the party tonight, Mother.

He practically threw
the invitation in my face.

-You're talking
about Mr. Mercer.
-Yes.

He was so sure he'd be
bored to death here.

I've never met
anyone like him.

Well, maybe it's good
that he's not coming.

He's-- He's rude, and-- and
I don't understand him at all.

I don't know whether he likes me
or thinks I'm an absolute
waste of time.

But I know
I want to see him again.

Perhaps there will be
another opportunity.

He's leaving.

-When?
-I'm not sure.

Well, if he's a man
of taste and judgment,

I'm sure he'll say good-bye
to you before he leaves.

-I thought
you'd be against him.
-Why?

Because he's a stranger
and we know nothing about him.

Audra, I'd feel much better
if I knew who he was and what
he was doing in the valley.

I am concerned about him.

But until he proves
he can't be trusted,

there's nothing I would say
to discourage you.

Now, you hurry
and get dressed.

[door closes]

♪ [waltz]

You came after all.

You're the most
confusing man.

♪ [waltz continues]

Stay a few days, Eric.

Stay.

[sighs]

-What do you see up there?
-Ariga.

Perseus, Aries, the Pleiades.

Worlds beyond worlds.

And worlds beyond that.
Millions upon millions of them.

Endless grains
of cosmic sand.

You know, you make even
this world seem important.

I'll stay, Audra.

As long as I can.

♪ [waltz continues]

Drop the knife.

What can I say, señor?

-What are you gonna do
with that steer?
-Oh, I'm gonna cook it.

We've lost four steers
in five days. Nobody
can eat that much meat.

Oh, but I cook
for a lot of people, señor.

Where do you find
these "lot of people"?

They're over the hill.
They have a camp there.

Now, suppose you take us
on over the hill.

Go on. Move.

This man working for you?

He cooks for us
if you can call it cooking.

-Then you owe us $38.
-What for?

For the beef he's k*lled
to feed you.

We paid him for the meat.

He forgot to buy it.
Decided to steal it
instead.

-What'd you do with the money?
-The c*ck.

That's no problem of ours,
mister. Come on, pay up.

What are you
gonna do with him?

Take him out on the town,
maybe turn him over
to the sheriff.

I see.
Give him the money, Ben.

-I'm sorry, lieutenant.
-Lieutenant?

You're looking at "D" Company
of the 12th Cavalry-- what's
left of it.

Well, what are you doing here?

We're looking for a man
named Mercer. Eric Mercer.

-Ever hear of him?
-Should we have?

No. I just thought
I'd ask.

What do you want with him?
What has he done?

I can tell you this much:
He k*lled 63 men.

I've been saving this
for last.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?
-Yes.

See that ledge
down there on the right?

That's called The Judgment Seat.
I've always wanted to sit there.

Why?

You're always asking why.
I'll tell you why.

Because it would give me
a feeling of power.

Oh, like Zeus
with his thunderbolts.

I wouldn't try it.
You'd have to be scraped up.

I could make it.

Eric, for a man
who doesn't like rules, you have
a bad habit of making them.

There's a difference between
conformity and recklessness.

What made you
a nonconformist?

The w*r.

The most dreadful
conformity of them all.

Blind, deaf, unfeeling.

I've played with death,

substituting rules
and slogans for thought.

No more.

-Eric, how will you live?
-Hmm?

I talked to Nick about you.

He has a job for you
on the ranch if you'd like.

That would be a disaster.
No, thank you.

Are you gonna go on
wandering around the world?

-That's right.
-Why?

You shouldn't meddle, Audra.

I don't know you. I-- I don't
know how to talk to you.

Hey, don't go up there!

I, like you, Eric,
will do as I please.

Don't be a fool, Audra!
Audra, don't be a fool!

[screams, gasps]

-Audra?
-Help, Eric! Help!

-Take a deep breath.
-[gasps]

Don't move. Don't-- Don't do
anything.

Now, I have to go back
to the horse to get a rope.

-You understand?
-[whimpering]

Now, I'll be right back,
but whatever you--

whatever you do,
don't try to move.

[whimpering]

Hurry! I-- I can't hold on much
longer.

You've got to.
Now, just hold on.
I'll be there in a minute.

[whimpering]

[whimpering continues]

Please hurry, Eric. Hurry!

I'm coming.

[screams]

[whimpering continues]

I can't hold on.

You've got to.
It'll only be a minute.

Audra, about two feet up
on your left

is a good solid ledge.

I'm gonna pull you over to it.

I'm solidly planted here.

And you're gonna grab my hand,
and we're gonna pull you over.

-I can't!
-Do it, Audra!

-[whimpers]
-Trust me.

-Come on. Give me your hand.
-No.

I promise you,
you'll be all right.

Take my hand.

[gasps]

[screams]

You all right?

[whimpers]

I'm gonna tie
this rope around you.

Take it easy.

[gasps, panting]

Okay, don't look down.

Now, I'm gonna climb
back to the top
and pull you up.

-Oh, don't leave.
-I said don't look down.

Just hold on to the rope.

I'll be up there
in a few minutes.

You'll be all right.
I promise you.

Now, as I pull,

keep your feet braced
against the rock,

and keep stepping up,
all right?

Okay.

[whimpering]

[screams]

The rope'll hold you.
Don't worry.

That's it. Good.

That was foolish,
wasn't it?

Fear's a great leveler.

Keeps you, uh, humble.

Then I humbly ask you
to dinner tonight.

I accept with pleasure.

Where the devil are they?

Audra said she wanted
to show him the ranch.

But if I know Audra,
she's probably showing him
the entire valley.

Yeah, well, they should've
been back here long ago.

-If they're not back
in 10 minutes--
-[both laughing]

VICTORIA:
Audra, what happened?

I just had a little fall.
I'm all right. Mother,
Eric's staying for dinner.

Well, you're very welcome.
What happened?

Uh, she decided
to climb down a hill.

It turned out
to be an Alp.

I fell.
He saved my life.

-Where were you?
-On the cliff
by The Judgment Seat.

I'm grateful. My daughter
is very precious to me.

With good reason,
Mrs. Barkley.

Mr. Mercer, I guess we owe
you sort of an apology.

We found a Mexican cook
that's been stealing our beef

and feeding it to some men
camped on the other side
of the draw.

-How many men?
-Eight, nine, more or less.

Ex-soldiers.

-Union soldiers?
-Yes, I'd say.

They, uh,
seem to know you.

You'll forgive me, Mrs. Barkley,
if I don't stay to dinner.

There's something I must do.

Somebody better tell her.

Eric!

-What's wrong?
-It's over, princess.

-You're leaving?
-As soon as I pack my gear.

Well, you said you'd stay.

I'd stay for a time, I said.
Time's up.

Are you angry with me?
Is that it?

No. Angry-- [chuckles]

You can't be angry
with a wraith,
a spirit, an idea.

It's just time to go.

Just like that?
Just go?

Yeah.

Eric, do I have to
shame myself?

That you would never do.

But I'd shame you
if I stayed.

[hoofbeats]

I don't understand him,
Mother. He's leaving.

-What'll I do?
-[sighs] Do you love him, Audra?

I think so.

When I was your age,
there was a young man,

and he was-- he was
gentle, poetic, wise.

Unfortunately,
he was also an embezzler.

And one day they--
they came and took him away.

What are you saying,
Mother?

There's a group
of ex-soldiers camped
over beyond the north ridge.

-They're looking for Eric.
-Why?

They say he k*lled


Eric? k*lled--
I don't believe it.

I didn't think you would,
but you saw his face when Nick
told him about those men.

He's running
away from them, Audra.

-Has anyone talked to him,
asked him what happened?
-No. No. Not yet.

Well, don't you think
someone should?

Everyone thought
he stole that gelding too.
There could be a mistake.

-Who are those men anyway?
They aren't deputies.
-No, they aren't.

I won't believe anyone, Mother,
till I've talked to Eric.

[hoofbeats]

[hoofbeats]

I never wanted that.

You never wanted anything.
That's what's wrong
with you.

You won't accept
anything from anyone.

Audra, they say
just before a man dies,

every nerve in his body
comes to life

in some great, soaring
flare of the spirit.

We were caught
in that cannon fire.

But now it's time for you
to go back to your family.

Stop talking that way
and tell me the truth.

What do you want to know?

Why are those men
after you?

You know about that?

All right.

There were 71 men
left in my company.

Uh, they had us holed up
for three days.

I mean Gitaro, an Apache chief,
and 200 of his men.

Another company was coming
up the river to pull us out,

but I didn't know that.

Anyway, Gitaro
called for a parlay.

He offered to stop fighting
if I'd give up,

turn the company
over to him.

Said, uh,
he'd hold us for ransom--
hundred dollars apiece.

Well, I knew him.
I thought I could trust him.

We wouldn't have had a chance
anyway if we'd kept fighting,

so just had to take
his word for it.

I was a fool.

Gitaro tied us all
to stakes

with me last
so I could watch.

And they dug a pit
and made a fire in it.

And one by one,
they threw my men into it.

One by one.

There were only eight men left
by the time help arrived.

Well, the army let me resign
without a court-martial,
but not the men.

When their enlistments ran out,
they started looking for me--

you know, Morrison
and the others.

Now you know.

Eric?

Aren't you tired
of running?

-Yes.
-Stay.

They said they'd come
to the end of the world
after me.

You'll be safe here.

Hmm.

Perhaps this is
the end of the world.

[knocking]

How do, ma'am?
My name's Morrison.
This is Ben Wilgus.

-Come in, gentlemen.
-Thank you.

We're looking
for a k*ller, ma'am.

There's no k*ller
in this house.

Well, somebody has a camp
up behind the house.

Is that any concern
of yours?

We've seen him
through the glasses.

You've been watching us?

Mrs. Barkley,
we want that man badly.

-I'm sorry. I can't help you.
-Can't or won't?

If you'll excuse me,
gentlemen--

Mrs. Barkley,
Ben didn't mean anything.

I-- Excuse me.

Perhaps you could
help us, young lady.

-We're looking for this man.
-We're not interested
in your pictures.

We'd like your permission
to search the hills
behind the house.

No one searches this place.
Not you, not anyone
for any reason.

We won't harm the place
in any way.
But I'm sorry, ma'am.

With or without your
permission, we are going
to search those hills.

Well, there are 34 men
on this ranch.

You want to fight
your way through them?

They're working roundup.
Take 'em a day to get here.

Won't take the sheriff
a day to get here.

No, it'll take him
about three hours--
more time than we'll need.

You ask for a fight,
Mr. Morrison, you'll get it.

Mrs. Barkley,
we've been through a w*r.

One fight more or less
won't bother us too much.

Ben. Good day, ladies.

-[door closes]
-[sighs]

They know, Audra.

They'll k*ll him, Mother.

I'll ride up to the camp
and warn him.

Send him to the line shack.
I'll get the boys.

They know another trail
out of there.

[hoofbeats]

-Eric, they're here.
-I know.

-Well, come on!
-Audra, when a man is running,
he has two choices:

keep running or stop.

If I run, I'll be caught
by them in a short time.

If I stop, I'll be caught
by them in a shorter time.
Makes no difference.

There's a line shack
just over the ridge.

My brothers will come
and meet us there.

Please.

[chuckles]
All right.

The line shack it is.

Thanks.
You can go back now.

I'm not going
till my brothers get here.

I don't want you here,
Audra. You've helped me.
I thank you. Now go.

No. We'd better get
the horses out of sight.

Tracks lead off
toward that hill over there.

Ah, let's check it out.

[door closes]

My brothers
will be here soon.

Sure.

[laughs]

I look at you, and
I know that I missed most
of the good things in life.

You know,
I love you, Eric.

Not really, Audra.

Love transforms
two ordinary human beings
into a special something.

It's a special
kind of life.

But it has to go on for
a long time, or it's nothing.

This is a moment,
a sample of something
you'll have someday.

-Mm.
-Audra?

Audra, promise me.
You mustn't love the dead!

Looks like our friend
has got company.

-[hoofbeats]
-It's Heath and Nick.

-All right, Audra.
You could leave now.
-No.

-This is no place for you.
-I won't go till I know
he's safe.

All right, now,
you go get your horses.

Heath'll take you
out the back way.
Now, come on, move.

It's a waste of time.
They'll find me wherever I go.

Look, mister, we're willing
to do everything we can
to help you out.

But we're not gonna get
ourselves k*lled in the process.

-Now, come on, get.
-I'm staying here.

Do you want to get
yourself k*lled?

I've been running
for 2,500 miles. I stop here.

-You're getting to be an awful
lot of trouble, mister.
-Nick, please!

Heath, they're coming.
I'll stall 'em as long as I can.
You get him out the back way.

-Now, come on, move.
-Let's go.

Eric, you told me that living
was the most important
thing in the world.

-It is for you too.
-NICK: Audra!

Please.

Take this.

[horses whinnying]

Mercer!

Mercer!
You may as well come out!

Dismount.

Lieutenant,
I want to talk to you.

We've got no quarrel
with you Barkleys. Ride out.
We'll hold our fire.

-We just want Mercer.
-What good's k*lling him
gonna do you?

Send him out.
It's no concern of yours.

You happen to be
on Barkley land.
That is a concern of mine.

Don't be a fool, young fellow.
We'll k*ll Barkleys
if we have to.

We've come too far
to stop now.

You come any closer,
and it will be too far.

HEATH:
Come on, let's go.

Get him out of there.

-[g*nf*re continues]
-Hyah! Hyah!
Come on! Hyah!

Mercer!

Mercer!

Eric!

It's finished.

What are you doing home
in the middle of the day?

Oh, well, it was kind of
quiet around the office.

My clerk said I was
just in the way, so--

Oh. all right. I wanted
to take a look in on Audra.

-Is she still in her room?
-Mm-hmm.

-How is she?
-Oh, it's going to take time.

Well, it's been three days.
Seems to me that's time enough.

She was in love.
She's never been hit this hard.

Well, I know, but we can't just
let her sit in that room.
We gotta snap her out of it.

Take a look at this.

-Oh.
-Isn't that a beauty?

That's the one she's been
admiring down at Bandy's.

-This may help.
-Jarrod.

Not just yet.

There's nothing we can say
or do or give to her

that will change
how she feels right now.

Let her grieve, Jarrod.

Let her do it in her own way
and be done with it.

[sighs]
Well, I guess
maybe you're right.

I guess this can wait.

I, uh, have some mail
I'd better check
in the study.

[door closes]

I'm going riding, Mother,
up to the north ridge.

-Have you had your lunch?
-No. I wasn't hungry.

Don't worry, Mother.
I'm all right.

Really I am.

You know, Mother,
I learned something.

Eric said that to live,
every second,

is the most important
thing in the world,

and that's exactly
what I'm going to do
right now.