BARKSKIN 8

COOKE: I came here merely to store

- excess barrels.
- And if you agree to my terms,

you will leave with a French wife.

Previously on Barkskins...

GAY BILL: I should like

to have those barrels

of pistols you promised.

They are lost to me.

Is that so?

- You left this.

- CROSS: Let me go.

I'll walk into the woods and begone.

You've lost your mind, Randall.

(GRUNTS)

BOUCHARD: When I have

settled this Iroquois matter,

you and I, we might go for a stroll.

Tell him I saw what the

ram's insides spoke of.

What are you talking about?

- Tell him I saw his end.

- Get out!

You are still Wyandot.

Leave Theo with us.

Fight for your place with Trepagny.

Please.

RENE: The Englishman

wants us to come for them.

It's a trap.

BOUCHARD: They want French.

We send

an Englishman.

Pistols for the dead.

♪♪

(MAN PANTING)

Pitié.

GAY BILL: What's this one on about?

He wants mercy.

GAY BILL: Does he?

I'll hear your last words, French.

Come on, now, friend.

What else have you achieved

besides skinning pelts

and trudging through snow?

Now, there's a life's work.

What else?
He's given it.

No. No, he's got more to say.

We are all animals.

Now there's a final truth.

Give it if you're going to give it.

I will guide the wood into your heart.

(GASPS)

Dead man's ring will

bring dead man's luck.

- (IROQUOIS WHOOPING)
- (GUNSHOTS)

(WOMAN SCREAMING)

(WOMAN CRYING)

Help me.

Is this what you wanted?

Enough. We're done

killing innocent people.

Done?

A Company man's work

is never done, Hamish.

We aren't until every

French settlement is torched.

She has no stake in this. Let her go.

She stays here. You're

gonna remind Mr. Cooke
of the deal he struck for the pistols.

And when he has his pistols?

He's agreed to go north,

take the settlement at Pont-Rouge.

Wobik's well-defended.
Even he knows that.

- I'll go with you.

- HAMISH: No.

This is my burden to bear.

Stay here, watch the girl.

You will control them.

Your Indian will make sure

she's safe until your return.

Hopefully.

♪♪

- (DOOR OPENS)
- (BELL JINGLES)

(EXHALES)

- Captain.
- Mathilde. Delphine.

There is a fierce,
damp cold this morning.

- It will be an early winter.

- Mm.

If it is another walk you're

after, Captain, I am busy today.

I am preparing Monsieur
Trepagny's wedding feast.
And it is a feast

that will put the harvest

celebration to shame.

That is the exact topic I

came to speak to you about.

Ah. Outside, if you must.

(QUIETLY): There is a mighty fondness

lurking in that girl for rabbits.

MATHILDE: Renardette.

Tell Captain Bouchard

what you have named it.

Bouchard.

Oui? (CHUCKLES)

That is a proper name for such a beast.

Hopefully it doesn't
end up in the cook pot.

Has she told you where her parents are?

I... She will tell it when she is ready.

For now,

I keep her engaged in simple tasks.

Mathilde, now is not the time

to be traveling to Trepagny's,

with the Iroquois about.

We will be with the

intendant and his men.

Besides, Mother Sabrine

has returned the dead
and Mr. Cooke has proved his mettle.

I do believe

the Iroquois matter is behind us.

I am going to Trepagny's.

He has hired me. That is the end of it.

(SIGHS, GRUNTS)

Then I will escort you to this

cursed wedding celebration.

See that you get there safe.

Your clothes will need a wash.

I'll see to that.

Good.

Now leave me to my business.

(SMACK)

(HUMMING A TUNE)

You were gone a long time.

Yes, I-I stopped to watch a bird.

A bird.

A cunning black bird.

It was going after a woodchuck.

And after, where did you go?

If you wish, I will fetch Rene Sel

down from his work so you can ask him.

Or perhaps Mari can

bring the basket herself

so you can peck at her

with your questions.

I only have one question that matters.

Have you found a solution to Mari?

No, not yet.

But look, we have these baskets

of well-prepared food each day.

Mari does not cross your path.

She is in the cabin, you're here,

in the manor house.

It works, Melissande.

I will not banish her.

Her presence is a challenge to me.

Do you own the land?

I look and see smoke from her

cabin and I know she is here.

Well, there is no dark magic

to undo the past.

My ancestors tried. They

were burned at the stake.

I don't wish to undo the

past, just fix the present.

(SIGHS)

What if you...

gave her to Rene?

He has eyes for her.

I've seen it.

This is all I want for

our wedding celebration.

To know that we are bound

and there is no woman

with a claim on you.

So it is a clever fix.

- Well, it is a fix.
- Good.

Then talk to him.

(GRUNTS)

Monsieur Sel!

You should come up. Have a look.

No.

I will save it for the ceremony.

Melissande and I will see it together

as we look out over the Doma,

properly bound, man and wife.

It will be my gift to her.

That is a good gift, sir.

Yes.

There is another she asks of me.

Uh, it is something
you can help me with.
I'll come down.

Yes, the favor?

Say it and it shall be done.

You came here to New France

in search of land and to build a family.

Yes.

What if I were to give you that land?

And in return,

you take Mari to be your wife.

I have seen the way you look at her.

- Supping together...
- No.

- I have never looked upon her like that.

- Do not lie.

She is a woman, you are a man.

You have looked at her, is it not so?

Yes.

I have looked.

Then she could be your wife.

But she is yours.

And she will never agree to a

match she has not made herself.

She is not mine.

She never was.

I simply wish to know

that she is taken care of,
not tossed from the Doma,

as my dear Melissande would have me do.

Land, Monsieur Sel.

I will give you the cabin

and all the land around.

Perhaps even a lake.

Say you will talk to her.

Yes.

I will talk to her.

Good man.

It is better this way.

- (KNOCKING)
- (CLEARS THROAT)

Shall I come in?

Yes. Yes, of course.

Yes, we mustn't waste a minute.

I've... prepared tea.

Oh, please, I... Let me do it.

No, of course not. You're my guest.

And, uh, a good man serves.

Merci.

Something wrong?

Oh, no.

Everything is fine and beautiful.

This feels, uh, very formal.

Yes, you're right, this is not, uh,

appropriate for our purposes.

Uh, an interaction.

Which is not business.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Might there be a more, uh,

comfortable place for us to sit?

I have a fire.

- Shall we sit there?

- Uh, yes.

I will take the tea.

I need a word with Cooke.

He's engaged at the moment.

Unengage him.

He should like to hear

what I have to say.

Go on.

(COOKE EXHALES)

Mathilde said we should talk.

Mathilde. Yes.

We should see where our-our

paths might intersect.

I would like that very much.

First, might I show you something?

It is a claw. Of a tiger.

This came to me in a barrel

from a Dutchman with contacts in China.

It is beautiful.

You see, the tiger...

is the lord of all creatures.

Men worship them,

build temples, light

candles to their wickedness.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

That's impossible to imagine.

Oh, but the world is much smaller

than you think, Delphine.

It comes to me in barrels.

Pieces of it.

And I send pieces of this place back.

Give me your hand.

You see...

... the world rests in

the palm of your hand.

Is there anything about

me you would like to know?

Well, I hope that we may

come to know one another, in time.

We are all
criminally strange to one another.

That is what I believe.

Do you think so?

Each day we reveal ourselves anew.

That is what I believe.

Yes. Indeed.

Would you care to take a

trip to the Orient with me

to see a tiger, Delphine?

- (DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)

- CHARLES: Sir?

What?

Oh...

I'm busy, Charles.

There is something that,

uh, requires your attention.

I'm sorry.

Excuse me.

(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)

Mr. Goames. What brings you here?

I shall be direct.

The pistols in exchange for your life.

Sorry, tell me, when did you become

errand boy for Bill Selby?

It should be a comfort
to you that I am here,
as it is Bill's plan to ambush
you and cut your throat.

Well, pistols can be had elsewhere.

Mr. Selby knows this.

You should know that failing to

do good on your part of the deal

will result in Selby and the Iroquois

putting Wobik to the torch.

Now,

I wish to avoid that.

I wish to save the good people of Wobik

and for you to die.

Well, the intendant has called

for further reinforcements,

so, rest assured, Wobik

will be well-defended.

If they don't get the pistols,

they will save you to last, Cooke.

They will peel off your eyelids

and make you eat them.

And then they will lash you to a rock,

and let the sun burn your

eyes out of your head.

If you go back on your deal,

I cannot stop them.

Mr. Cooke no longer has the pistols.

You are both full of lies.

COOKE: Yes.

As are we all.

It is truths

that we pay dearly for, Mr. Goames.

Here is a truth: you

made a deal for your life.

Yes, but I make many deals.

Soon I will have a

deal for a French wife.

Shall I summon Captain Bouchard?

No, thank you, Charles.

Mr. Goames is a smart man.

No need to involve the captain.

I can be found out by the creek path.

The Iroquois have set up camp nearby.

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

Renardette!

Renardette.

Monsieur Bouchard.

Mr. Goames?

- Has Cooke reconsidered?

- No.

Then I shall not waste

another minute of my time.

- Lives are at stake.

- That is a shame, as a few minutes

might provide you with

the pistols you seek.

- You have them?

- Cooke does.

He intends to turn
them over to Bouchard.

And you would stop this?

For a price.

I will hear your offer,

keeping in mind the risk I am taking.

Bring them to me at the camp,

and we will discuss terms.

I will not barter with savages.

This is our deal.

The path behind the creek.

A lookout will bring you into the camp.

Then I should like some coin now.

For my end of the risk.

- (COINS JINGLE)
- The rest upon delivery.

See that you come alone.

Bonne chance.

(DOGS BARKING)
(EXHALES) What happened?

Bill.

The girl?

She's all right, for now.

Did you get the pistols?

Take the girl and leave.

I'll manage the rest.

Manage them?

Now go.

GAY BILL: Sneaking

off to read some verse,

Mr. Kirkpatrick?

- Dryden.
- Dryden.

I should like to hear some of that.

Is there one you favor?

You're welcome to join me.

HAMISH: Let him go.

We have much to discuss.

I suppose so. Perhaps later.

Oh, Mr. Kirkpatrick,

don't read yourself out.

Where are the pistols?

Cooke's man is bringing them.

Well, it's good that Cooke

has found his part of the deal.
No. He's not found his part of the deal.

Cooke's man is getting them for us.

Can this man be trusted?

The English, the French,

your precious Company...

none of you can be trusted.

They'll likely send more French.

Soldiers this time, instead of nuns.

No.

It is as I say. Just Cooke's man.

I think Mr. Goames is a man of his word.

Make sure he's alone

and with the pistols.

(INSECTS TRILLING)

If it's food you are after,

it will have to wait.

No.

I wish to have a word.

(SIGHS) Go on then.

- It's Trepagny.
- It is always Trepagny.

Mari, please.

Listen to me.

Out with it.

He has asked something of me.

He believes we could be together.

As husband and wife.

He told you this?

It is not as it sounds.

Go on then.

Tell me more, and I will

tell you how it sounds.

He has made me an
offer of land in return.

For taking me off of his hands.

This could be a new

start for both of us.

A chance for you to stay in the cabin

and for us

to be together.

This is his idea?

It is not so bad an offer.

Could you take a man such as me?

We could be a good match.

I will think on it.

♪♪

MARI: Bouchard.

It's fine, I work for Mr. Cooke.

Come on.

MELISSANDE: What did she say?

TREPAGNY: Rene Sel is proposing a fix.

MELISSANDE: She would be smart to agree,

or you must cast her off.

That is how I see it.

I see only you in that dress

and how you will look

floating above the trees.

I will have her decision before Mathilde

and the rest of the guests arrive.

Yes, of course.

Now step into the light that

I might see the glow of you.

No.

I will be alone tonight.

(GRUNTS, EXHALES)

Renardette!

Come inside!

Oh. It's late.

Renardette.

Renardette?

She was watching the barrels

for me. That was her job.

- Cooke's barrels?
- Yeah. Yes.

- What was in them?

- I don't know.
Well, then let's ask Mr. Cooke.

Cooke, you scheming bastard.

What new offense are

you here to accuse me of?

Renardette has gone missing. Taken!

I set her to watch your barrels.

- Now they are ransacked.

- The barrels are empty?

Pray tell, Mr. Cooke,

what was in those barrels?

Nothing.

Come now, Mr. Cooke.

S-Salt.

Brick.

Stop! We are wasting time.

Renardette is missing,
that is what matters.

Pistols.

The barrels were packed with pistols.

Goames wanted them for the Company,

the Company wanted them

to arm the Iroquois.

I don't know what the

girl had to do with it.

He told me to meet them

in the path by the creek.

No, Mathilde. Mathilde!

It's too dangerous to go at night. Huh?

We'll go at first light.

We'll find her, don't worry.

(BRANCHES SNAPPING)

Pistols.

What more do you want?

I have what I came for.

Then take your coin and begone,

before they think better of the trade.

(INSECTS TRILLING)

♪♪

I thought we might talk.

There is nothing to talk about.

It would be better if it was settled.

I am just given to Sel.

That is the end of it.

Very well.

Come. Sit.

Have some food.

- I should get back.

- It is not much.

Just some soup.

One last supper, as we used to do.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)
Yes, I would like that.

(FIRE CRACKLING)

I cooked our first meal in this pot.

Yes.

I remember.

When there were only...

trees and rain pressing down on us.

We made do.

Yes, we did.

You made do.

Yes.

I suppose that is right.

Tell me what the ram augured.

Nothing.

His insides were spoiled.

Go on.

Serve yourself.

You'll have to get

used to it. (CHUCKLES)

Yes.

Yes, of course.

(SNIFFLES)

This is good.

(INSECTS TRILLING)
(PANTING)

(PANTING)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

♪♪

(CHICKENS CLUCKING)

(MEN SPEAKING FRENCH)

MATHILDE: I am going with you.

It's not safe.

I am going, and that is the end of it.

- (MEN YELLING, WHOOPING)

- (SPEAKING IN MOHAWK)

You're going to Wobik, aren't you?

We had a deal.

That was our deal.

But as for the Iroquois, a

man may as well cup his balls

and call lightning down from the sky.

TEHONIKONHRAKEN: I don't know

how it is where you are from,

but here, we avenge

the death of our sons.

Well, maybe you would like to know

who put your son in the tree.

It was the English who killed your son.

Not the French.

Go on, then. Speak.

It was Bill and Cooke's plan.

They recruited your son

to burn the settlement

along the creek path.

And when they were done

using him, they killed him.

My son was hung from a tree in Wobik.

Aye.

That was Captain Bouchard.

That is true.

But the people of Wobik are innocent.

Spare them.

I know Bill here is a...

vicious savage.

I always knew that.

But you...

GAY BILL: We're all savages.

But we're not French.

You will not attack Wobik.

That is not the deal we made.

TEHONIKONHRAKEN: I will not have

two Englishmen cutting deals for...

Now you have one Englishman.

(GROANING)

(SPEAKING IN MOHAWK)
I want you to draw him into quarters

- and feed his liver to the dogs.

- (GRUNTING)

MELISSANDE: Where was he last night?

Mari's.

And now he's dead. Where is she?

I don't know.

- We can't leave him here.

- Why not?

This is the end of

everything for both of us.

He deserves better.

Just take him.

(GRUNTING, GASPING)

(GRUNTING)

♪♪

(PANTING)

(RENE GRUNTING)

♪♪

MATHILDE (WHISPERS): Renardette.

- Renardette.
- (SHUSHES)

What is it?

Take her and go.

I will stand with you.

You will not. Now run
and don't look back

until the creek hits the river. Go. Go!

DEPUTY: We have to go, Mathilde.

Come, you savages!

- Come!
- (MEN YELLING, WHOOPING)

(MEN CLAMORING, SHOUTING)

(PANTING)

Go on. Do it.

(GRUNTING)

♪♪

Here. You're safe now.

♪♪

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

♪♪

(DELPHINE EXHALES)

(DISTANT GUNSHOT)

(PEOPLE SCREAMING, SHOUTING)

DELPHINE: What's happening?

This is payment due for my misdeeds.

(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)

(PEOPLE SCREAMING, SHOUTING)

♪♪