The Proposition

# Far, far away

# Where saints in glory stand

# Bright, bright as day

# Oh, how they sweetly sing

# Worthy is our Saviour King

# Loud let His praises ring

# Praise, praise for aye

# Come to that happy land

# Come, come away

# Why will you doubting stand?

# Why still delay?

# Oh, we shall happy be

# When from sin and sorrow free

# Lord, we shall live with Thee

# Blest, blest for aye

# Bright, in that happy land

# Beams every eye

# Kept by a Father's hand

# Love cannot die

# Oh, then to glory run

# Be a crown and kingdom won

# And, bright, above the sun

# We reign for aye. #

Where's my gun? Fuckin' hell.

Fuck. Fuckin' bastards. Fuckin'...

Come on, you fuck... Argh! Argh!

Mikey, get down. Christ!

Mikey! Arggh!

I'm hit, Charlie. I'm hit.

You'll be alright, Mikey. Hold strong.

You'll never take me alive, you bastards.

Argh!

Ugh!

Do I need to introduce myself?

I know who you are.

Good.

I know who you are.

My brother's taken a bullet, Stanley, and is in need of medical attention.

Well, allow me to address the subject of your brother, Mr Burns.

Christmas, as you're probably aware, is fast approaching.

And Christmas this year will hold a unique significance

for young Micky here.

Mikey.

Because on Christmas Day,

I have made plans that he be taken from the jail in Banyon

and hanged by the neck until he is dead.

Charlie.

You're a copper, Stanley, not a judge and jury.

Well, clearly, Mr Burns, I am what I wish to be.

So what is it that you want?

I want Arthur Burns.

I no longer ride with my brother.

Arggh!

Now, I will allow you a moment to think about it.

What's happening, Charlie?

It's alright, Mikey.

It's alright.

Australia.

What fresh hell is this?

I have kept company with bad men all my life.

I was 22 years in Her Majesty's land forces.

I've dealt with your type many times.

Touch my brother again and I'll kill you.

Make no mistakes, Mr Burns.

It will be done. I will civilise this place.

What the fuck are you talking about, Stanley?

Listen to me now, Charlie.

Don't speak.

Hush, Mikey. You'll be fine.

Hush.

I wish to present you with a proposition.

I know where Arthur Burns is.

It is a godforsaken place.

The blacks won't go there, nor the trackers.

Not even my own men.

I suppose, in time, the bounty hunters will get him.

But I have other plans.

I aim to bring him down.

I aim to show

that he is a man like any other.

I aim to hurt him.

When you're ready, sir.

And what will most hurt him?

Hmm.

Well, I've thought long and hard about that.

And I have realised, Mr Burns,

that I must become a little more inventive in my methods.

Now, don't speak, Mr Burns. Listen to me now.

Don't say a word.

Now, suppose I told you there was a way

to save your little brother Mikey from the noose.

Suppose I gave you a horse... and a gun.

Suppose, Mr Burns,

I was to give both you and your young brother, Mikey, here,

a pardon.

Suppose I said that I could give you

the chance to expunge the guilt...

...beneath which you so clearly labour.

Suppose I gave you till Christmas.

Now, suppose you tell me what it is I want from you.

Hmm?

You want me to kill my brother.

I want you to kill your brother.

Arthur Burns is a monster.

An abomination.

# La, la, la. #

You were right to part company with him

and to take Mikey with you.

What happened at the Hopkins place was unforgivable.

# La, la, la. #

I have never seen such a sickening sight.

Did you know that that poor woman, Eliza Hopkins,

had a child in her belly?

Your business with your brother is unfinished.

You have nine days, Mr Burns.

Bring the horses round.

Coming now. Come on. Get that on now.

It's the fucking Burns boy.

Come on. Let's hit 'em.

Got 'em.

I fucking got him!

Pigs.

Who have you got?

Troopers... dismount!

The man I have brought in...

...is Mike Burns...

...of the Burns gang.

That's one down and two to go, gentlemen.

You've got to get the other ones now.

I will... civilise this land.

Make yourself at home, Mikey.

Good evening to you, Mrs Stanley.

Good evening, Mr Broussard.

He's not so fuckin' dangerous now, is he?

Martha?

Good evening, gentlemen.

Evening, Mrs Stanley.

You should... really not come here.

Cannot a lady visit her husband in his place of work?

You men...

...you wait outside.

We spoke about why you shouldn't come here.

This is not appropriate...

Morris, you've been gone for three days.

It's lonely up there at the house.

It's so quiet without you.

Are you coming home now?

Well, I have things to attend to.

I'll have Officer Dunn escort you home.

I'll be back soon.

You look terrible, Morris.

Yes.

Yes, I do.

Dunn.

Who is that?

But he's no more than a boy.

He's man enough, ma'am. He's man enough, indeed.

Enough.

Escort Mrs Stanley home and wait there till I return.

How long will you be, dear?

Later.

Never speak to my wife about such things again.

Do you understand? My apologies, Captain.

What happened today on the flats, that's between you and me.

Of course, sir.

Because there would be consequences were it to become common knowledge.

Yes.

Eliza Hopkins was a good Christian woman,

and she was my friend.

I pray to God that her death was mercifully swift.

It was, wasn't it?

Martha, can we speak of other things?

Come here, Captain Stanley.

Mmm.

My poor husband.

Oh.

The world you live in in there.

Don't be gloomy, dear.

This burden you carry...

...you might let me carry it too.

I believe in you.

Stay down. Stay in bed.

What in God's name...?

Christ, sir...

...I've shot my bloody toes off.

There's nothing to see here, Martha. Go back to bed.

Officer Dunn has shot his t...

Martha, go back inside.

# "When?" said the moon to the stars in the sky

# "Soon," said the wind that followed him home

# "Who?" said the cloud that started to cry

# "Me," said the rider, as dry as a bone

# "How?" said the sun that melted the ground

# "Why?" said the river that refused to run

# "Where?" said the thunder without a sound

# "Here," said the rider, and took up his gun. #

Bloody flies.

Kill one and a dozen more turn up to his funeral.

Ha!

# Oh, Danny Boy