The Magnificent Seven (1998) s02e07 Episode Script
The Trial
Please, do not do this.
l will complain no more, l swear.
COBB: Keep digging.
[SPEAKlNG QUlETLY lN CHlNESE.]
You can rely on my silence.
[GUNSHOT.]
Now l can.
[LAUGHS.]
Well, now you see how easy that is? You don't gotta touch him nor nothing.
Gotta remember to keep your mouth shut.
[GLASS SHATTERlNG .]
COBB: Give me a drink.
Whiskey.
MAN: Move it.
Get out of the way.
Hey, come on.
You've had your fun, mister, now get out.
Whoo-hoo! Take it all now.
-Hey! -Here you go, partner.
Drink up.
-Give me a drink.
-Yeah, this one.
Quick! Hey, that ain't no way to treat a lady.
[GRUNTlNG .]
[COCKS GUN.]
[GUNSHOT.]
[SCREAMS.]
CHRlS: Fight's over.
-lt's about time.
-Your knight in shining armor, darling.
Hey, this fool got himself a little scratch.
Look after him.
Them boys cutting up? Expect more of it, now that the railroad's laying track nearby.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
We hear of seven men who protect this place.
Brave men, it is said.
Well, we don't mean to brag.
My brother has disappeared.
Also other men from the railroad camp, all Chinese.
l believe they were murdered.
Why would someone want him dead? WO JEN: He ask for changes, to make things better for our people.
But all those who speak out disappear.
They're gunfighters, father.
They work for money, they will not help us.
Nice to meet you too.
l can pay.
lt is jade.
lt is all l can offer you.
[SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
What the hell was that? ''Justice will prevail.
'' -You speak Chinese.
-A word or two.
My father did missionary work with Chinese up in San Francisco.
[SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
He wants to know if we're gonna help him.
Well, boys, what do you think? We got no say there.
lt's private property.
But that never stopped us before.
No harm looking around.
All right.
But only if you keep this.
We'll follow you.
No one must know l asked you to come.
Never seen you before.
Where can we find the rail boss? BROWNER: That, sir, would be me.
Rupert Browner's my name.
l see you've met a few of my employees.
Had a little dust-up in town.
BROWNER: l lecture them, l fine them.
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l fire them and they still need to blow off steam, l guess.
l-- l will try to see that it does not happen again, uh.
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sheriff? No badges.
We're just paid to keep an eye on things.
Seven of you? That's an unusual arrangement.
Seems to me like the further inland you go.
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the stranger the things you find.
[LAUGHS.]
That's progress, my good man.
Anyway, l wanna thank you for returning my men.
That one there with the wounded shoulder is my top foreman.
Go on, Cobb.
Get out of here.
VlN: Tell me, Rupert.
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if a man or two were to go missing off the site, you notice? Well, we got several hundred men.
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working here, coming, going every day.
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so it's kind of hard to keep track of them.
l reckon.
Since we're here, you mind if we take a look around? No.
No, not at all.
Just spread a little money around.
VlN: A fella could get himself killed talking to us.
Gotta catch the strays.
That's our best hope.
The ones off by themselves.
[SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
VlN: What did you say to him? -Oh, l told him to have courage.
You got his attention.
Try asking if he knows of anyone gone missing.
JOSlAH: Uh, uh.
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[SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
[LAUGHS.]
JOSlAH: What's so funny? You ask if he know any man who smells good.
My Chinese is about as rusty as a dead horse's shoe.
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but maybe you can help me here.
[BOTH SPEAKlNG lN CHlNESE.]
You've got a lot of them here, doctor.
Any of them make me a little taller? CHOW CHl: l give you this one.
J.
D.
: Really? -Get bigger? -What did you buy? Nothing.
Doesn't look like nothing.
What is it? -Nothing.
-What is it? All right.
lt's a.
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-Potion.
-Potion? Yeah.
Dr.
Chow Chi, this is Buck.
Dr.
Chow Chi is like a witch doctor.
He makes all kinds of remedies.
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and this one here's gonna help me get taller.
Oh.
He's gonna get-- lt's working already, l tell you.
Buck, look, he's got all kinds of remedies.
He's got one here for good luck.
He's got one for bad colds.
He's even got a love potion.
Where's the love potion, doc? Love potion.
Yeah, you better grow up, boy.
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because all this magic here is just a bunch of hooey.
No, l'm just kidding.
We'll see what you're saying, Buck, when you gotta look up to talk to me.
MAN: Tell them to get some more rail over here.
-Watch where you're going.
-Sorry.
l say you could go? [GRUNTlNG .]
[SCREAMS.]
-What did you tell them cowboys? -Nothing, nothing! Leave him be, Johnson.
The man said leave him be.
You best mind your own business, McAffee.
You're making the wrong kind of friends around here.
Ain't the way l see it.
Good thing you came along.
Good for who? Man, almighty.
This stuff is god-awful.
Damn well better make her like me.
-Oh, you want her to like you? -Yeah.
l thought you suffer from limp noodle.
Huh? Now, hold on.
Now, lookie here, doc.
No, no, there's nothing wrong with that.
No, that's fine, fine.
CHOW CHl: l see.
l've got what you need.
You give special lady to drink, you become her special man.
Yes, that's more like it.
Special man.
So do l have to come up with six spots or four? l've never been good with figures.
What the hell are you doing? Trying to ingratiate myself with these good people.
The better to ascertain information.
Oh, my turn? There you go.
l win? Not again? lmagine that.
Beginner's luck and all.
One more? One more.
Hey.
You like to buy girl? She can do many things.
Not only cook and clean, but love too.
You can't sell that girl.
She my niece.
l can do what l like with her.
TRADER: Hey, she very pretty, yeah? l'll give you a dollar for the girl.
Mister, you get the hell out of here.
Hey, boy.
This is Central Pacific land, okay? You got no authority.
One dollar? You can have her for $ 1 .
Wait, hold, wait, wait.
Two dollars.
Three.
Help me out here, Ezra.
You see that man's eyes? He's selling his niece so he can buy opium.
Whereas l find that shocking and most unfortunate.
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l am hardly a social reformer.
Well, l ain't turning a blind eye to slave trade.
Four dollars.
l got $4.
You like? She make you very happy.
-You buy.
-Ten, $ 1 0.
l'm out of money.
No wonder, the way you spend it.
You're gonna take those winnings and buy that girl out of her trouble.
Well, that would be financially imprudent, Mr.
Jackson.
You give $ 1 0? More than $ 1 0? Wait, wait.
You cough up that money.
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or else l'm gonna tell them where you're hiding those extra dominoes.
TRADER: Anybody pay more than $ 1 0? -All right, you take her.
-Eleven dollars.
Eleven dollars.
lt's a deal.
You buy.
She's yours.
-You're gonna regret you did that.
-Oh, l already do.
Mister, l done seen some low things in my life.
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but l ain't never seen nothing like this.
You heard the man.
Best be on your way now.
You got someplace you can go, huh? Well, Mr.
Jackson, you are now indebted to me for $ 7.
[WHlP CRACKS.]
These people are scared.
Well, they got good reason to be.
They figure since they're not from here, they gotta take it.
There ain't much we can do to help when none of them will speak to us.
l hate to say it, we got enough trouble back in town.
Yeah, but it don't feel right just riding away.
[WOMAN SCREAMlNG .]
CHRlS: That's the man who came to town.
Papa, Papa.
Papa.
Papa.
Papa.
Come on, son.
These senseless tragedies never get easier.
Lord knows this isn't the first accident.
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but l just keep hoping it'll be the last.
l'm not so sure it was an accident.
What makes you say that? Those rails, they broke his back, but there were bruises on his face.
lt just don't add up.
Hey, this don't look good.
He was dragged down here by two, maybe three men.
Well, gentlemen, if this is a murder.
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l will get to the bottom of it.
Mind if we lend a hand? On the contrary, my good man.
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l welcome the addition of intelligent life in this wasteland.
[SlGHS.]
Lord.
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CHRlS: All right.
We'll work in shifts.
Vin, Josiah, stay with me.
The rest of you get on back to town.
Good evening, lnez.
May l say that you're looking especially lovely.
-The usual, señor? -Oh, yes, the usual.
Thank you.
A toast.
A toast? To your loveliness.
l will drink to that.
No, no.
No, no, no.
Hey! Say, Buck.
What's that? What do you say you and l go for a little midnight dip in the pond? Hey, Buck, what do you say? lt's kind of hot.
Wanna go for a swim in the pond? [CREAKlNG .]
[COCKS GUN.]
Show yourself.
Come on out of there.
l hang your coat? l'd rather you just tell me what it is you're doing here.
Folding your beautiful clothes for you.
Well, that's most gracious of you.
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but l distinctly recall setting you free, Miss.
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My name Li Pong.
May l take you coat now? How on earth did you find me? l asked where the man with the red coat lives.
You sit here, please.
All right.
Uh, listen, Li Pong, clearly you don't understand.
You don't have to be here.
Yes, l do.
Now, look, darling.
Where l come from, a gentleman does not take advantage.
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of a lady who feels obliged.
Obliged? [KNOCKlNG ON DOOR.]
Ezra.
l hear that girl's been looking-- Oh, you keeping yourself a slave girl now, huh? Sir, l take umbrage at that heinous accusation.
l emancipated this girl.
You saw it with your own eyes.
Those same eyes are seeing this.
l will not sit here and be viciously maligned.
l don't care what you do.
l'm taking this girl with me.
Come on, honey.
Come on.
Please let me stay.
l have nowhere else to go.
Now, now, darling.
You don't have to go anywhere.
You are quite welcome right here.
Assuming a bedroll on the floor will suffice.
Any place will do.
Thank you.
EZRA: All right, now.
Calm down.
As for you.
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l believe you owe me $ 7.
And an apology.
We'll see.
[JOSlAH SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
WO CHlN: l don't need strength.
l need Iek not Iiu.
Well, then Iiu is-- Liu is urine, ain't it? You speak English pretty good.
-Better than your Chinese.
-Well, that ain't hard.
-Where did you learn? -My father taught me.
He said it would help us to become better Americans.
Look what it did for him.
-He wanted something better for you.
-So now l am alone.
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with no family.
That is better? You know.
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there's an old Zen story about a man walking along a cliff.
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and he sees a tiger coming.
He jumps over the cliff and hangs on to a root.
He looks down, sees another tiger.
And the worst thing of all is there's a mouse munching on the root.
Well, knowing he's gonna fall.
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He takes a bite out of it and it is the sweetest thing he's ever tasted.
Now, what does that story say to you? Life is precious.
You wanna teach me something? Teach me to use that gun.
VlN: Josiah.
My uncle.
We'll find out who did this.
No.
You won't.
No white man will ever help the Chinese.
BROWNER: Oh, my God.
What happened to that man? VlN: A bullet.
Another one of those accidents.
What it boils down to most of the time around here is hatred.
Not even the law backs me up.
You wanna know what the punishment is for killing a Chinese man? A $5 fine.
JOSlAH: A man was crushed to death.
This here is his brother.
Crimes of hate don't tend to be that specific.
VlN: McAffee.
-Got nothing to say to you.
-l think you do.
-They can kill me same as them.
-No one will know where l heard it from.
You got my word.
You know this is wrong.
You're looking at the wrong end.
Ain't about them being Chinese.
-Well, what then? -Look at the money.
-Railroad pays $ 1 a day for workers.
-Yeah? lt don't mean they're getting $ 1 a day.
BROWNER: Gentlemen.
You have something to add to this investigation? Yup.
A motive.
Really? Railroad pays $ 1 a day.
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but it seems the Chinese workers are only getting 50 cents.
Someone's skimming money off the Chinese's wages.
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then killing anyone who speaks up against it.
There's only one person in a position to do that.
[LAUGHS.]
My good man, you can't be serious.
You touch me again, you'll see how serious l am.
A bunch of malcontents feed you a malicious rumor.
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and you come in here and accuse me of murder? We came here to investigate the disappearance of Chinese workers.
And l think you're responsible.
So prove it.
Put that fire out.
Save my maps.
Caught this little bastard red-handed.
Seen him toss the lantern in there.
ls that true? Now, that's what l call hard evidence.
Unlike yourselves, l have a criminal proven guilty.
And in this camp, the punishment for attempted murder is death.
Hang him.
Let him go.
Now.
Well, now, your sense of forgiveness is admirable.
Considering that you could have been burned alive right alongside me.
There is no solution in more killing.
We're gonna ride out of here.
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and we're gonna take the boy with us.
These men are fast.
Now, maybe this little devil ain't worth it.
lf bullets start flying, people are gonna get killed.
Railroad's gonna start asking a whole lot of questions.
More than you want them to.
Who really cares.
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about one little Chinese bastard? And you, l see any of you in my camp again.
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you will be shot on sight for trespassing.
VlN: l'm gonna make camp here.
Keep an eye on things.
-You gonna wire the judge? -Yeah.
Watch your back.
Ezra.
-What's going on? -Just a little misunderstanding.
EZRA: Would you care to enlighten me? JOSlAH: You can sleep here for a while if you want to.
All people are welcome in this church, no matter what their beliefs.
l spent some time with some Buddhist monks once.
They used to talk about there being three qualities necessary in life: Great faith, great doubt.
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and great effort.
Made sense to me.
Am l your prisoner here? Let it sink in, Wo Chin, you're among friends here.
Well, go on, if you got a mind to.
You're a free man.
Here's a bedroll.
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if you decide to stay.
This is ridiculous.
You can't sleep down there.
-Then l go to sleep in the hallway? -The hallway? No, no.
Look, l-- l may be a scoundrel, but l'm still a gentleman.
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and l will not allow a lady to sleep on the floor.
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while l enjoy the comforts of a featherbed.
Madam, amongst my many misdeeds.
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taking advantage of a woman has never been one of them.
Then you-- You don't want to? l am a man, of course.
l always want to.
But l certainly don't intend to.
So get up on this bed, l will sleep on the floor.
l insist.
Up you go.
l'll be right down here on the floor.
Go on.
Don't worry.
l'm just fine right here.
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on the floor.
Oh, it's so soft.
Yeah.
This can't be your first featherbed.
ln San Francisco, my family very poor.
We always sleep on the floor.
ls that where your family is now? We were going to start a new life there.
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but my father, he became very ill.
My mother, she could not take care of all of us.
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so l was sent to my uncle.
Well.
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You must miss them terribly.
But l'm glad to be here.
You are a good man.
Don't be fooled by a few good manners.
l know many bad men.
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but you are different.
Different? That is hard to deny.
Do you wanna kiss me? l don't feel-- How you say? --obliged.
Evening.
MAN: l'll send your telegraph right away, sir.
You all right, son? l want to learn to shoot like you.
Why? So l can be an American.
Learning to shoot don't make you an American.
But it could make you a killer.
-You won't teach me, l'll teach myself.
-lt won't fix the way you feel.
When you are beaten and cheated and killed.
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just because you're Chinese, then you can tell me how to feel.
You're right.
l don't know nothing about being Chinese.
But l know about hate, killing a man because of it.
And it don't take that hate away.
Just makes you feel dead inside.
Guns and hate is a bad mix.
Ll PONG: lt's so quiet here.
EZRA: Just wait.
The saloon hasn't emptied out yet.
On the railroad, the workers, they work all day and night.
There always noise.
Well, it's hard work for half of what they were promised.
Browner must be making a mint.
And my people starve.
Presumably, Browner has to account for every penny the railroad gives him.
He must be doctoring the books.
lf you had a chance to help my people, would you do it? Well, l'm, uh.
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not a Good Samaritan by nature.
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but what do you have in mind? l used to clean Mr.
Browner's office.
And often he'd go about with his business.
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as if l was blind to see what he was doing.
l saw more than he knows.
Can't get enough of this fine coffee of yours, señorita.
Why, thank you.
J.
D.
Would you like some.
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more coffee? No, thank you, lnez.
l got plenty here, thank you.
Well, a growing boy like you.
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probably needs more food.
l got enough food on my plate for two J.
Ds, ma'am.
l'm sorry, J.
D.
Oh, you're no boy.
ln fact, you're turning into a man right before my eyes.
-Are you getting taller? J.
D.
: l think l am.
People are trying to eat around here.
[LAUGHS.]
[KlSSES.]
Don't even think about it, boy.
She'll steal the chitlins you're eating and make you lick the plate.
Whoo.
-Ah, that goes well with breakfast.
BUCK: Don't even think about it, boy.
Oh, she'll roll that chicken in flour, but she ain't gonna fry it up.
Uh-uh.
Hey.
ls everything all right? ls Ezra vexing you? He's not back yet? Back from where? [MAN SPEAKlNG lN CHlNESE.]
What do you want? What is wrong? Voilà .
l can see how the words ''private property'' .
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mean very little to you.
Almost as little as the words ''human life'' .
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mean to you.
Now, it all that depends now on whose life it is we're talking about.
-Only one place he could have gone.
NATHAN: Ezra's out there too.
They both gonna get themselves killed.
CHRlS: Let's go.
[SPEAKlNG lN CHlNESE.]
He don't look so fancy now, do he? Oh, l told you you'd regret snaking that gal away from me.
You know what they say: No good deed goes unpunished.
Keep digging.
l was just pausing to consider.
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the enormous amount of money your Mr.
Browner must be making.
Boy, you talk too much.
But being smart men, l'm sure you've negotiated for yourselves.
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a large percentage of that money.
Seeing as how you're taking all the risks.
Well, that's none of your business.
Oh, don't tell me.
You're not? Oh, gentlemen, for shame.
You could be taking advantage of a golden opportunity.
Take advantage how? lf Mr.
Browner's employers got a look at that ledger.
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well, let's just say he'd be dismissed.
Which would leave you in charge of the camp and-- And all that money.
That is, if you were smart.
[GRUNTlNG .]
[GUNSHOT.]
VlN: Drop it.
Well, as always, Mr.
Tanner.
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your timing is impeccable.
WO CHlN: They should see me.
l don't care.
Chinese got gun.
Chinese got gun.
Come on, boys.
Hit the road.
You boys get back to work, damn it.
Come on, now.
Get back with your own kind.
Get back.
[WHlP CRACKS.]
Get them! Come on, get them! lt's not like you riding off alone to save the day.
What's come over you? l'll let you know when l figure it out.
Here we go.
Let me introduce you fellas.
Break it up.
Get off him.
-Hey! -No.
No-- [GRUNTS.]
[COCKS GUN.]
[SCREAMS.]
You're gonna hang, my good man.
lt's all in here, gentlemen.
l trust complete and total restitution will be provided.
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to the Chinese laborers.
Congratulations, McAffee.
They tell me you're the new rail boss.
Up to you to see this gets done right this time.
l'll see to it.
Now, if the Central Pacific should.
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feel inclined to acknowledge our efforts.
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with, say, a reward, well.
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[CHATTERlNG .]
We'll continue this discussion later.
Something of a second family, aren't they? Some of them, yes.
Well, um.
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Maybe you'll see your real family soon.
When l left, l knew it'd be forever.
l, uh-- l have a feeling it'll be a whole lot sooner than that.
Um, now, this should.
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cover your travel expenditures back to San Francisco.
-You want me to go? -No.
No, of course l don't.
But it's where you belong.
BUCK: No more love potions for me.
And l'm through with that lnez.
[SPEAKS lN SPANlSH.]
That's not funny.
-What are you laughing at? -Buck, l saw you buy that love potion.
Me and lnez were in cahoots, playing a hoax.
-A hoax? -Yeah.
Playing a hoax on me? -So you drank it on purpose? -Yep.
Uh-huh.
You fool, that could have been potent.
Oh, come on, Buck.
You know that kind of magic's hooey.
Your ass is gonna be hooey when l'm through with you.
-Hooey! -l'll take you all the way.
J.
D.
: Hooey.
Hooey.
So you'll look after this boy, won't you? Make sure he stays out of trouble.
His father was my friend.
l'm pleased to watch over his son.
[BOTH SPEAK lN CHlNESE.]
See, now, that's modesty for you.
l just told him he's got a place in heaven.
You just told him he's an idiot.
[CHRlS AND WO CHlN LAUGHlNG .]
JOSlAH: Chung Sun.
Hey, hey, wait a minute.
Wait a minute, l wanna talk to you.
Wait a minute.
You all right with this? Maybe l'll see you again sometime.
Well, the world's becoming a smaller place.
Anything's possible.
Good luck.
l will complain no more, l swear.
COBB: Keep digging.
[SPEAKlNG QUlETLY lN CHlNESE.]
You can rely on my silence.
[GUNSHOT.]
Now l can.
[LAUGHS.]
Well, now you see how easy that is? You don't gotta touch him nor nothing.
Gotta remember to keep your mouth shut.
[GLASS SHATTERlNG .]
COBB: Give me a drink.
Whiskey.
MAN: Move it.
Get out of the way.
Hey, come on.
You've had your fun, mister, now get out.
Whoo-hoo! Take it all now.
-Hey! -Here you go, partner.
Drink up.
-Give me a drink.
-Yeah, this one.
Quick! Hey, that ain't no way to treat a lady.
[GRUNTlNG .]
[COCKS GUN.]
[GUNSHOT.]
[SCREAMS.]
CHRlS: Fight's over.
-lt's about time.
-Your knight in shining armor, darling.
Hey, this fool got himself a little scratch.
Look after him.
Them boys cutting up? Expect more of it, now that the railroad's laying track nearby.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
We hear of seven men who protect this place.
Brave men, it is said.
Well, we don't mean to brag.
My brother has disappeared.
Also other men from the railroad camp, all Chinese.
l believe they were murdered.
Why would someone want him dead? WO JEN: He ask for changes, to make things better for our people.
But all those who speak out disappear.
They're gunfighters, father.
They work for money, they will not help us.
Nice to meet you too.
l can pay.
lt is jade.
lt is all l can offer you.
[SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
What the hell was that? ''Justice will prevail.
'' -You speak Chinese.
-A word or two.
My father did missionary work with Chinese up in San Francisco.
[SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
He wants to know if we're gonna help him.
Well, boys, what do you think? We got no say there.
lt's private property.
But that never stopped us before.
No harm looking around.
All right.
But only if you keep this.
We'll follow you.
No one must know l asked you to come.
Never seen you before.
Where can we find the rail boss? BROWNER: That, sir, would be me.
Rupert Browner's my name.
l see you've met a few of my employees.
Had a little dust-up in town.
BROWNER: l lecture them, l fine them.
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l fire them and they still need to blow off steam, l guess.
l-- l will try to see that it does not happen again, uh.
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sheriff? No badges.
We're just paid to keep an eye on things.
Seven of you? That's an unusual arrangement.
Seems to me like the further inland you go.
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the stranger the things you find.
[LAUGHS.]
That's progress, my good man.
Anyway, l wanna thank you for returning my men.
That one there with the wounded shoulder is my top foreman.
Go on, Cobb.
Get out of here.
VlN: Tell me, Rupert.
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if a man or two were to go missing off the site, you notice? Well, we got several hundred men.
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working here, coming, going every day.
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so it's kind of hard to keep track of them.
l reckon.
Since we're here, you mind if we take a look around? No.
No, not at all.
Just spread a little money around.
VlN: A fella could get himself killed talking to us.
Gotta catch the strays.
That's our best hope.
The ones off by themselves.
[SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
VlN: What did you say to him? -Oh, l told him to have courage.
You got his attention.
Try asking if he knows of anyone gone missing.
JOSlAH: Uh, uh.
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[SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
[LAUGHS.]
JOSlAH: What's so funny? You ask if he know any man who smells good.
My Chinese is about as rusty as a dead horse's shoe.
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but maybe you can help me here.
[BOTH SPEAKlNG lN CHlNESE.]
You've got a lot of them here, doctor.
Any of them make me a little taller? CHOW CHl: l give you this one.
J.
D.
: Really? -Get bigger? -What did you buy? Nothing.
Doesn't look like nothing.
What is it? -Nothing.
-What is it? All right.
lt's a.
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-Potion.
-Potion? Yeah.
Dr.
Chow Chi, this is Buck.
Dr.
Chow Chi is like a witch doctor.
He makes all kinds of remedies.
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and this one here's gonna help me get taller.
Oh.
He's gonna get-- lt's working already, l tell you.
Buck, look, he's got all kinds of remedies.
He's got one here for good luck.
He's got one for bad colds.
He's even got a love potion.
Where's the love potion, doc? Love potion.
Yeah, you better grow up, boy.
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because all this magic here is just a bunch of hooey.
No, l'm just kidding.
We'll see what you're saying, Buck, when you gotta look up to talk to me.
MAN: Tell them to get some more rail over here.
-Watch where you're going.
-Sorry.
l say you could go? [GRUNTlNG .]
[SCREAMS.]
-What did you tell them cowboys? -Nothing, nothing! Leave him be, Johnson.
The man said leave him be.
You best mind your own business, McAffee.
You're making the wrong kind of friends around here.
Ain't the way l see it.
Good thing you came along.
Good for who? Man, almighty.
This stuff is god-awful.
Damn well better make her like me.
-Oh, you want her to like you? -Yeah.
l thought you suffer from limp noodle.
Huh? Now, hold on.
Now, lookie here, doc.
No, no, there's nothing wrong with that.
No, that's fine, fine.
CHOW CHl: l see.
l've got what you need.
You give special lady to drink, you become her special man.
Yes, that's more like it.
Special man.
So do l have to come up with six spots or four? l've never been good with figures.
What the hell are you doing? Trying to ingratiate myself with these good people.
The better to ascertain information.
Oh, my turn? There you go.
l win? Not again? lmagine that.
Beginner's luck and all.
One more? One more.
Hey.
You like to buy girl? She can do many things.
Not only cook and clean, but love too.
You can't sell that girl.
She my niece.
l can do what l like with her.
TRADER: Hey, she very pretty, yeah? l'll give you a dollar for the girl.
Mister, you get the hell out of here.
Hey, boy.
This is Central Pacific land, okay? You got no authority.
One dollar? You can have her for $ 1 .
Wait, hold, wait, wait.
Two dollars.
Three.
Help me out here, Ezra.
You see that man's eyes? He's selling his niece so he can buy opium.
Whereas l find that shocking and most unfortunate.
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l am hardly a social reformer.
Well, l ain't turning a blind eye to slave trade.
Four dollars.
l got $4.
You like? She make you very happy.
-You buy.
-Ten, $ 1 0.
l'm out of money.
No wonder, the way you spend it.
You're gonna take those winnings and buy that girl out of her trouble.
Well, that would be financially imprudent, Mr.
Jackson.
You give $ 1 0? More than $ 1 0? Wait, wait.
You cough up that money.
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or else l'm gonna tell them where you're hiding those extra dominoes.
TRADER: Anybody pay more than $ 1 0? -All right, you take her.
-Eleven dollars.
Eleven dollars.
lt's a deal.
You buy.
She's yours.
-You're gonna regret you did that.
-Oh, l already do.
Mister, l done seen some low things in my life.
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but l ain't never seen nothing like this.
You heard the man.
Best be on your way now.
You got someplace you can go, huh? Well, Mr.
Jackson, you are now indebted to me for $ 7.
[WHlP CRACKS.]
These people are scared.
Well, they got good reason to be.
They figure since they're not from here, they gotta take it.
There ain't much we can do to help when none of them will speak to us.
l hate to say it, we got enough trouble back in town.
Yeah, but it don't feel right just riding away.
[WOMAN SCREAMlNG .]
CHRlS: That's the man who came to town.
Papa, Papa.
Papa.
Papa.
Papa.
Come on, son.
These senseless tragedies never get easier.
Lord knows this isn't the first accident.
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but l just keep hoping it'll be the last.
l'm not so sure it was an accident.
What makes you say that? Those rails, they broke his back, but there were bruises on his face.
lt just don't add up.
Hey, this don't look good.
He was dragged down here by two, maybe three men.
Well, gentlemen, if this is a murder.
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l will get to the bottom of it.
Mind if we lend a hand? On the contrary, my good man.
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l welcome the addition of intelligent life in this wasteland.
[SlGHS.]
Lord.
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CHRlS: All right.
We'll work in shifts.
Vin, Josiah, stay with me.
The rest of you get on back to town.
Good evening, lnez.
May l say that you're looking especially lovely.
-The usual, señor? -Oh, yes, the usual.
Thank you.
A toast.
A toast? To your loveliness.
l will drink to that.
No, no.
No, no, no.
Hey! Say, Buck.
What's that? What do you say you and l go for a little midnight dip in the pond? Hey, Buck, what do you say? lt's kind of hot.
Wanna go for a swim in the pond? [CREAKlNG .]
[COCKS GUN.]
Show yourself.
Come on out of there.
l hang your coat? l'd rather you just tell me what it is you're doing here.
Folding your beautiful clothes for you.
Well, that's most gracious of you.
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but l distinctly recall setting you free, Miss.
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My name Li Pong.
May l take you coat now? How on earth did you find me? l asked where the man with the red coat lives.
You sit here, please.
All right.
Uh, listen, Li Pong, clearly you don't understand.
You don't have to be here.
Yes, l do.
Now, look, darling.
Where l come from, a gentleman does not take advantage.
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of a lady who feels obliged.
Obliged? [KNOCKlNG ON DOOR.]
Ezra.
l hear that girl's been looking-- Oh, you keeping yourself a slave girl now, huh? Sir, l take umbrage at that heinous accusation.
l emancipated this girl.
You saw it with your own eyes.
Those same eyes are seeing this.
l will not sit here and be viciously maligned.
l don't care what you do.
l'm taking this girl with me.
Come on, honey.
Come on.
Please let me stay.
l have nowhere else to go.
Now, now, darling.
You don't have to go anywhere.
You are quite welcome right here.
Assuming a bedroll on the floor will suffice.
Any place will do.
Thank you.
EZRA: All right, now.
Calm down.
As for you.
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l believe you owe me $ 7.
And an apology.
We'll see.
[JOSlAH SPEAKS lN CHlNESE.]
WO CHlN: l don't need strength.
l need Iek not Iiu.
Well, then Iiu is-- Liu is urine, ain't it? You speak English pretty good.
-Better than your Chinese.
-Well, that ain't hard.
-Where did you learn? -My father taught me.
He said it would help us to become better Americans.
Look what it did for him.
-He wanted something better for you.
-So now l am alone.
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with no family.
That is better? You know.
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there's an old Zen story about a man walking along a cliff.
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and he sees a tiger coming.
He jumps over the cliff and hangs on to a root.
He looks down, sees another tiger.
And the worst thing of all is there's a mouse munching on the root.
Well, knowing he's gonna fall.
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He takes a bite out of it and it is the sweetest thing he's ever tasted.
Now, what does that story say to you? Life is precious.
You wanna teach me something? Teach me to use that gun.
VlN: Josiah.
My uncle.
We'll find out who did this.
No.
You won't.
No white man will ever help the Chinese.
BROWNER: Oh, my God.
What happened to that man? VlN: A bullet.
Another one of those accidents.
What it boils down to most of the time around here is hatred.
Not even the law backs me up.
You wanna know what the punishment is for killing a Chinese man? A $5 fine.
JOSlAH: A man was crushed to death.
This here is his brother.
Crimes of hate don't tend to be that specific.
VlN: McAffee.
-Got nothing to say to you.
-l think you do.
-They can kill me same as them.
-No one will know where l heard it from.
You got my word.
You know this is wrong.
You're looking at the wrong end.
Ain't about them being Chinese.
-Well, what then? -Look at the money.
-Railroad pays $ 1 a day for workers.
-Yeah? lt don't mean they're getting $ 1 a day.
BROWNER: Gentlemen.
You have something to add to this investigation? Yup.
A motive.
Really? Railroad pays $ 1 a day.
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but it seems the Chinese workers are only getting 50 cents.
Someone's skimming money off the Chinese's wages.
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then killing anyone who speaks up against it.
There's only one person in a position to do that.
[LAUGHS.]
My good man, you can't be serious.
You touch me again, you'll see how serious l am.
A bunch of malcontents feed you a malicious rumor.
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and you come in here and accuse me of murder? We came here to investigate the disappearance of Chinese workers.
And l think you're responsible.
So prove it.
Put that fire out.
Save my maps.
Caught this little bastard red-handed.
Seen him toss the lantern in there.
ls that true? Now, that's what l call hard evidence.
Unlike yourselves, l have a criminal proven guilty.
And in this camp, the punishment for attempted murder is death.
Hang him.
Let him go.
Now.
Well, now, your sense of forgiveness is admirable.
Considering that you could have been burned alive right alongside me.
There is no solution in more killing.
We're gonna ride out of here.
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and we're gonna take the boy with us.
These men are fast.
Now, maybe this little devil ain't worth it.
lf bullets start flying, people are gonna get killed.
Railroad's gonna start asking a whole lot of questions.
More than you want them to.
Who really cares.
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about one little Chinese bastard? And you, l see any of you in my camp again.
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you will be shot on sight for trespassing.
VlN: l'm gonna make camp here.
Keep an eye on things.
-You gonna wire the judge? -Yeah.
Watch your back.
Ezra.
-What's going on? -Just a little misunderstanding.
EZRA: Would you care to enlighten me? JOSlAH: You can sleep here for a while if you want to.
All people are welcome in this church, no matter what their beliefs.
l spent some time with some Buddhist monks once.
They used to talk about there being three qualities necessary in life: Great faith, great doubt.
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and great effort.
Made sense to me.
Am l your prisoner here? Let it sink in, Wo Chin, you're among friends here.
Well, go on, if you got a mind to.
You're a free man.
Here's a bedroll.
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if you decide to stay.
This is ridiculous.
You can't sleep down there.
-Then l go to sleep in the hallway? -The hallway? No, no.
Look, l-- l may be a scoundrel, but l'm still a gentleman.
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and l will not allow a lady to sleep on the floor.
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while l enjoy the comforts of a featherbed.
Madam, amongst my many misdeeds.
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taking advantage of a woman has never been one of them.
Then you-- You don't want to? l am a man, of course.
l always want to.
But l certainly don't intend to.
So get up on this bed, l will sleep on the floor.
l insist.
Up you go.
l'll be right down here on the floor.
Go on.
Don't worry.
l'm just fine right here.
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on the floor.
Oh, it's so soft.
Yeah.
This can't be your first featherbed.
ln San Francisco, my family very poor.
We always sleep on the floor.
ls that where your family is now? We were going to start a new life there.
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but my father, he became very ill.
My mother, she could not take care of all of us.
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so l was sent to my uncle.
Well.
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You must miss them terribly.
But l'm glad to be here.
You are a good man.
Don't be fooled by a few good manners.
l know many bad men.
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but you are different.
Different? That is hard to deny.
Do you wanna kiss me? l don't feel-- How you say? --obliged.
Evening.
MAN: l'll send your telegraph right away, sir.
You all right, son? l want to learn to shoot like you.
Why? So l can be an American.
Learning to shoot don't make you an American.
But it could make you a killer.
-You won't teach me, l'll teach myself.
-lt won't fix the way you feel.
When you are beaten and cheated and killed.
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just because you're Chinese, then you can tell me how to feel.
You're right.
l don't know nothing about being Chinese.
But l know about hate, killing a man because of it.
And it don't take that hate away.
Just makes you feel dead inside.
Guns and hate is a bad mix.
Ll PONG: lt's so quiet here.
EZRA: Just wait.
The saloon hasn't emptied out yet.
On the railroad, the workers, they work all day and night.
There always noise.
Well, it's hard work for half of what they were promised.
Browner must be making a mint.
And my people starve.
Presumably, Browner has to account for every penny the railroad gives him.
He must be doctoring the books.
lf you had a chance to help my people, would you do it? Well, l'm, uh.
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not a Good Samaritan by nature.
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but what do you have in mind? l used to clean Mr.
Browner's office.
And often he'd go about with his business.
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as if l was blind to see what he was doing.
l saw more than he knows.
Can't get enough of this fine coffee of yours, señorita.
Why, thank you.
J.
D.
Would you like some.
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more coffee? No, thank you, lnez.
l got plenty here, thank you.
Well, a growing boy like you.
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probably needs more food.
l got enough food on my plate for two J.
Ds, ma'am.
l'm sorry, J.
D.
Oh, you're no boy.
ln fact, you're turning into a man right before my eyes.
-Are you getting taller? J.
D.
: l think l am.
People are trying to eat around here.
[LAUGHS.]
[KlSSES.]
Don't even think about it, boy.
She'll steal the chitlins you're eating and make you lick the plate.
Whoo.
-Ah, that goes well with breakfast.
BUCK: Don't even think about it, boy.
Oh, she'll roll that chicken in flour, but she ain't gonna fry it up.
Uh-uh.
Hey.
ls everything all right? ls Ezra vexing you? He's not back yet? Back from where? [MAN SPEAKlNG lN CHlNESE.]
What do you want? What is wrong? Voilà .
l can see how the words ''private property'' .
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mean very little to you.
Almost as little as the words ''human life'' .
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mean to you.
Now, it all that depends now on whose life it is we're talking about.
-Only one place he could have gone.
NATHAN: Ezra's out there too.
They both gonna get themselves killed.
CHRlS: Let's go.
[SPEAKlNG lN CHlNESE.]
He don't look so fancy now, do he? Oh, l told you you'd regret snaking that gal away from me.
You know what they say: No good deed goes unpunished.
Keep digging.
l was just pausing to consider.
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the enormous amount of money your Mr.
Browner must be making.
Boy, you talk too much.
But being smart men, l'm sure you've negotiated for yourselves.
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a large percentage of that money.
Seeing as how you're taking all the risks.
Well, that's none of your business.
Oh, don't tell me.
You're not? Oh, gentlemen, for shame.
You could be taking advantage of a golden opportunity.
Take advantage how? lf Mr.
Browner's employers got a look at that ledger.
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well, let's just say he'd be dismissed.
Which would leave you in charge of the camp and-- And all that money.
That is, if you were smart.
[GRUNTlNG .]
[GUNSHOT.]
VlN: Drop it.
Well, as always, Mr.
Tanner.
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your timing is impeccable.
WO CHlN: They should see me.
l don't care.
Chinese got gun.
Chinese got gun.
Come on, boys.
Hit the road.
You boys get back to work, damn it.
Come on, now.
Get back with your own kind.
Get back.
[WHlP CRACKS.]
Get them! Come on, get them! lt's not like you riding off alone to save the day.
What's come over you? l'll let you know when l figure it out.
Here we go.
Let me introduce you fellas.
Break it up.
Get off him.
-Hey! -No.
No-- [GRUNTS.]
[COCKS GUN.]
[SCREAMS.]
You're gonna hang, my good man.
lt's all in here, gentlemen.
l trust complete and total restitution will be provided.
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to the Chinese laborers.
Congratulations, McAffee.
They tell me you're the new rail boss.
Up to you to see this gets done right this time.
l'll see to it.
Now, if the Central Pacific should.
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feel inclined to acknowledge our efforts.
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with, say, a reward, well.
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[CHATTERlNG .]
We'll continue this discussion later.
Something of a second family, aren't they? Some of them, yes.
Well, um.
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Maybe you'll see your real family soon.
When l left, l knew it'd be forever.
l, uh-- l have a feeling it'll be a whole lot sooner than that.
Um, now, this should.
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cover your travel expenditures back to San Francisco.
-You want me to go? -No.
No, of course l don't.
But it's where you belong.
BUCK: No more love potions for me.
And l'm through with that lnez.
[SPEAKS lN SPANlSH.]
That's not funny.
-What are you laughing at? -Buck, l saw you buy that love potion.
Me and lnez were in cahoots, playing a hoax.
-A hoax? -Yeah.
Playing a hoax on me? -So you drank it on purpose? -Yep.
Uh-huh.
You fool, that could have been potent.
Oh, come on, Buck.
You know that kind of magic's hooey.
Your ass is gonna be hooey when l'm through with you.
-Hooey! -l'll take you all the way.
J.
D.
: Hooey.
Hooey.
So you'll look after this boy, won't you? Make sure he stays out of trouble.
His father was my friend.
l'm pleased to watch over his son.
[BOTH SPEAK lN CHlNESE.]
See, now, that's modesty for you.
l just told him he's got a place in heaven.
You just told him he's an idiot.
[CHRlS AND WO CHlN LAUGHlNG .]
JOSlAH: Chung Sun.
Hey, hey, wait a minute.
Wait a minute, l wanna talk to you.
Wait a minute.
You all right with this? Maybe l'll see you again sometime.
Well, the world's becoming a smaller place.
Anything's possible.
Good luck.