And You Will Know The Truth/dialogues

[Marston visits the lawmen's office again. They're getting guns ready.]

Ross: What do you want, Marston?

Marston: My family. I've done what you asked.

Ross: No you haven't. This is the land of opportunity and I gave you the opportunity to save your family and you failed. How could I possibly reward you?

Archer: Marston, you're a public menace. We should've had you killed.

Marston: I wish you had, but since you didn't, where's my family?

Ross: Oh spare me the noble savage fall on my sword tripe, already. It's nauseating. You don't wish to be dead. You're an insignificant creature, desperately clinging onto life like the rest of the scum in this town. Yeah, I know it's tough. You like Dutch. He's a charming fellow. He makes sense. He's like one of those nature writers from back East. Only he gets things a tiny little step too far. Rather than just loving the flowers and the animals and the harmony between man and beast, he shoots people in the head for money. And disagreeing with him.

Archer: He's a goddamn killer.

Ross: Now, I'm not a great intellect, but the metaphysical leap from admiring the flower to shooting a man in the head because he doesn't like the flower, is a leap too far. So...I know it's easy. You see we -- me and Archer -- we're the bad guys. We enforce the rules. Now, while the rules may not be perfect, they're really not so bad.

Archer: Exactly, what's the alternative?

Ross: Yeah, see I'll tell you what the alternative is. It's not complicated. It's about one man and his gun versus another man. Sure, civilization may be dull, but the alternative, Mr. Marston, is hell.

Marston: And, the way you enforce this civilization, this freedom for men to like or not like flowers or whatever in God's name you were just talking about, is to kidnap a man's wife and son?

Ross: Well, I know there's contradictions. I'm not going to lie to you. As I said, I'm not a great intellect. Now, after the debacle with the army and the bank, we have to put Mr. Van der Linde to rest ourselves. Will you help us?

Marston: Do I have any choice?

Ross: Now that you mention it, no.

Marston: Then, what was that pretty speech in aid of?

Ross: I don't rightly know, but it sure felt good saying it.

Archer: Shall we, Mr. Marston?

Ross: Let's go.

[They go outside to a vehicle with a gatling gun emplacement.]

Ross: Now keep your finger off the trigger until we get out of Blackwater.

Marston: This killin' machine of yours seems to be turnin' a few heads.

Archer: Our armed forces have no equal. We have made incredible progress the past few years.

Marston: Is that what you call it?

Archer: And this isn't much more than a simple prototype. You should see what they're working on in Virginia. Soon there will be no war we can't win.

Ross: The army has made camp a little way outside town. They put word out a large cache of ammunition and food is stored there.

Archer: Van der Linde's gang need constant supplies, so that should be enough to draw them in.

Ross: No mistakes this time. You hear me, Marston?

Marston: I thought you were talkin' to Fordham.

[They arrive at the camp.]

Soldier: Here they come! Look, they brought the machine gun!

Ross: What's the word, Captain?

Captain: We spotted one of Dutch's men about an hour ago. I think he took the bait.

Ross: Let's get in position then. Have your men ready to run him down if you have to. Are you ready to finish this, Mr. Marston?

Marston: I guess so.

Ross: Keep your eyes peeled. Targets on the horizon! Fire at will!

[Marston guns most down.]

Archer: Look, they're running! Move out, don't let them get away! Christ! This thing's a lot bumpier off the road.

Ross: It's going to be a mess if we have to follow them into the woods! Can't you hold this thing steady, Fordham?

Archer: I'm trying my best, sir!

Ross: Get those men behind the rocks!

Archer: That wagon's out of control. It's coming straight at our cavalry!

[The wagon's blown up. A gangmember overturns the vehicle with an explosion, too, ensuring the rest of the gang's escape.]

Ross: Well, Mr. Marston, it seems like your mentor, Dutch, no longer looks quite so kindly to his student.

Archer: That man is insane.

Marston: So it seems.

Captain: I think we need to get him before sundown.

Ross: As you say, Captain. Otherwise, he'll be gone again.

Marston: And what if I say no?

Ross: Well, before I shoot you myself, let me just point out the obvious. The one person we have left who can appeal to Mr. Van der Linde is the last person we know who knows him. Your wife.

Marston: That won't be necessary. Mr. Ross, Captain, let's go.

[They start riding to Cochinay.]

Ross: I can't believe Van der Linde has built himself a fortress in the mountains.

Marston: He's crazy, but he certainly ain't stupid.

Ross: And you've already seen that place, right? MacDougal told me you went up there with that Indian chap.

Marston: I've seen it alright. We'll be lucky to last five minutes with this many men.

Ross: Governor Johns is going to be very pleased.

Marston: Nate Johns? What's he got to do with any of this?

Ross: Let's just say he has a vested interest in cleaning the filth out of this region. I don't think our old friend Dutch realizes what a great favor he has done us.

Captain: So you're the one who's going to kill him?

Marston: Dutch? Yep, that's what they keep tellin' me. But, if you feel like doin' it, please be my guest.

Captain: This is suicide, if you ask me. My scouts have seen that fort of his. I wanted to wait for more men, but them city boys back there weren't havin' none of it.

Marston: And you answer to them?

Captain: Unfortunately, it seems that now we do. They said you was in a gang with this Dutch van der Linde.

Marston: I was once. A long time ago.

Captain: Don't seem like the kinda fella you'd want to run with. Unless I completely misjudged your character, of course.

Marston: When he turned crazy, I left. At least I tried to leave, 'til those suits back there came a-knockin'. Threatened to kill my wife and son if I didn't go after him.

Captain: Strange times we live in, partner, strange times. It's a funny business. Army, government men...criminals. With all due respect.

Marston: You're tellin' me.

Captain: Too many hands on the tiller, if you ask me. This is how mistakes happen. My boys don't know who's givin' orders no more.

Marston: Take it from me, mister. When we get up there, it ain't gonna matter. It'll be every man for himself.

Archer: See, this is what happens when you fraternize with savages. How could you ever follow a man like that?

Marston: How could you ever follow a man like Ross?

Archer: Van der Linde is a psychopath. A murderer and a rapist.

Marston: Ross don't seem too different. Dutch was a good man once, a far better man than you.

Archer: So, what made him this way?

Marston: I don't know. Bastards like you. Seein' that things never change.

Archer: I hope you're ready to finish this mess.

Marston: Anything to get you sons-of-bitches off my back.

Archer: There's always somebody watching, Mr. Marston. I thought you'd have gleaned that much by now.

Marston: You think you're so clever, don't you?

Archer: No, it's you who thought you were clever. You thought you could just walk away from your old life. Make no mistake, we have been watching.

Marston: Don't speak to me.

Ross: You're really an ungrateful slug, Marston. Instead of punishing you for your crimes, we are giving you a chance to kill the men who betrayed you.

Marston: You didn't have to punish my wife, too. When will this be over?

Archer: It's you who's been dragging it out, not us. We sent you to Fort Mercer with the simple task of killing Bill Williamson. Next thing you know, you're running all over Mexico like a headless chicken.

Marston: And now it's Dutch.

Archer: He's the last one of your merry band, is he not? Then you can go back to your farm, or what's left of it. If need be, you can always send your wife out to work. I hear she works hard.

Marston: Go to hell.

Ross: This old gang of yours just won't die easily, will it? I wonder how many deaths you are all responsible for? How much money you took from pockets of hard-working citizens?

Marston: We did more for the people with the money we took than the damn government ever did.

Ross: Good God, this flawed philosophy of yours again. If you wish to argue the finer points of ethics, I suggest you learn to read first.

Marston: And I suggest you learn how to shoot people in the front, not the back.

[They come to Cochinay's massive wooden gate.]

Captain: You, blow that gate open! Move, soldier!

Soldier: Go! Get down!

[They blow the gate off.]

Captain: Forward! Move in!

Archer: It's time to kill these motherless bastards!

[They kill the enemies at the gate.]

Captain: Push forward! Let's go, men! Move into the village!

[They come to another gate.]

Captain: Right, Marston. We'll take two men with us. The rest will stay here and take care of the wounded. They'll plant charges at the gate. You and I will provide the cover fire. This is it men. Let's get that gate down. Take cover, men! Here it comes!

[They reach the inner sanctum of the fort.]

Marston: You tend to the wounded. I got to face Dutch alone.

[Marston fights Dutch at the valley's end.]

Dutch: Looks like it's me and you, John. You should have stayed at home. Working for the government, John. After all I taught you. I'm ashamed.

Marston: I don't have a choice.

Dutch: There's always a choice! You're just too blind to see.

Marston: They got my family.

Dutch: Your family? Abigail was any man's wife, John. And Jack, he's another whore's son, just like you. You're weak. You always were. You never had the stomach for this.

Marston: For what? You got no idea what you're killin' for.

Dutch: You never could see what I see, John. You were too scared. You'll never get me to surrender! You better kill me, John!

Marston: If that's how it's gotta be.

Dutch: Well come on and get it then. Come closer! I got a surprise for you!

Marston: There's no more surprises. It ends here! So this is it? Your savage utopia, up here in the mountains?

Dutch: You wouldn't understand.

Marston: It's all in your head, Dutch. That's what drove you insane. What have you done? Apart from murder people. What have you changed, Dutch?

Dutch: More than you'll ever know.

Marston: Give it up! You're trapped up here. Army's got this place surrounded!

Dutch: Ha! You always were a bad liar, John!

[Marston shoots the oil lantern by Dutch, catching the walkway on fire.]

Dutch: Son-of-a-bitch! Goddamnit! You'll never take me alive, John!

[Marston chases him through the tunnels and walkways.]

Dutch: It's over, John!

Marston: I ain't leaving here without you!

Dutch: You're just like me, John. You can't change who you are.

Marston: I ain't like you.

Dutch: You can't erase the past, John. Killin' me, it won't make it go away.

Marston: That's where you're wrong.

[Dutch exits to a dead-end summit ledge.]

Dutch: Hello again, John.

Marston: Hello, Dutch.

Dutch: We gotta stop meeting like this!

Marston: Sure!

Dutch: I've got a plan, John.

Marston: You've always got a plan, Dutch.

Dutch: This is a good one.

[He throws down his gun.]

Marston: I don't doubt it.

Dutch: We can't always fight nature, John. We can't fight change. We can't fight gravity. We can't fight nothing. My whole life, all I ever did was fight.

Marston: Then give up, Dutch.

Dutch: But I can't give up, neither. I can't fight my own nature. That's the paradox, John. You see?

Marston: Then I have to shoot you.

Dutch: When I'm gone, they'll just find another monster. They have to, because they have to justify their wages.

Marston: That's their business.

Dutch: Our time is passed, John.

[He falls backwards, plummeting to his death. John goes to check the body.]

Ross: So, at the end, you didn't have the guts to shoot him?

Marston: The man's dead, Ross.

Ross: Sure. Can I see your gun?

[He shoots the corpse.]

Ross: Oh trust me, it looks better in the report that way.

Marston: Where's my family?

Ross: Your wife was killed in a prison riot last week.

[Marston points his gun at him.]

Ross: I'm only joking, dear boy. They were sent back to that scrabble ranch of yours in Beecher's Hope. They're quite safe and sound.

Marston: They better be.

Archer: Thank you, Mr. Marston, for everything. I know this wasn't easy for you, but I have to say, you've done your country proud.

Ross: Yeah, exactly. See you around. Try to stay out of trouble. Come on, Archer, let's go find somebody else we can annoy.

[Marston rides home to Beecher's Hope to see his family.]