The Comancheros

Since there is no reconciliation, we proceed.

You will please stand with your backs to one another.

It may amuse you to know, monsieur, I never believed you cheated at cards.

Maybe I don't have your sense of humour.

There's a lady who prefers your attentions to mine.

I intend to simplify her choice.

Rachel?

Margot? No.

When I begin to count, you will each take ten paces.

You will turn and fire on the count of ten.

If either man stops or turns before the count is complete,

it will be my distasteful duty to shoot him down.

- Good luck. - Thanks.

One, two, three,

four, five, six, seven,

eight, nine, ten.

Fool. If he hadn't stepped aside, I'd have hit him in the shoulder.

Many of us will be sorry to see you hang.

Hang? They've never enforced the laws against duelling before.

The son of Judge Beaubien has never been killed before.

Most certainly he will have you arrested and hanged before the week is out.

I'm sorry. It will take the incentive out of duelling.

I wouldn't wanna spoil it for the rest of you.

When one has proven himself on the field of honour,

one cannot turn tail and run like a common criminal, can one?

One can.

Paul Regret, cabin 39.

Well?

I sent you to do an errand, Amelung.

He's registered as Paul Regret, cabin number 39. He has no luggage.

You could have met this handsome chap without sending me to snoop out his name.

I think you just want to humiliate me.

I'll not need either of you until morning.

13, black, odd. No winner.

- 23, please. - 23 it is.

Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen.

Place your bets, please.

Five outside.

Nine inside. The winner, nine. Nobody there.

- Place your bets, please. - Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen.

King outside.

Six inside. Winner six. Guess it isn't your night, sir.

23, red and high. A winner!

Madame! Madame has won.

- Thank you. - Pardon me, young lady.

But the one value of my white hair is that I may address beautiful women

without being thought presumptuous.

Will you favour an old man with this waltz?

Thank you, but this dance is taken.

And here's the gentleman who has it.

Surely you remember we have this dance, Mr Regret?

I have a poor memory, but not for matters of utmost importance.

- Excuse us, sir. - With envy, young man.

Thank you, Mr Regret. You saved me from a dreary fate.

He is a darling, but I...

I am happy I was on the spot when you found yourself in such difficulty.

How did you know my name?

That was fortunate. I heard the head waiter address you.

I dare say the salon will be full of cigar

smoke and loud talk about the price of cotton.

Salons usually are at this hour.

Too bad. I would like a glass of wine.

May I suggest my cabin?

Frankly, I prefer my cabin.

Shall we say number 127 in half an hour?

It wasn't fair of me to come here.

- Fair? - I'm not worth the effort.

I haven't been lucky at the tables.

What do you take me for?

A liar, to start with. A beautiful liar, but a liar nevertheless.

No waiter has so far called me by my name.

I'm sorry, my dear. But when the irate husband appears,

you'll find the contents of my pocket not worth your trouble.

- You think me a blackmailer? - Or whatever.

Whatever your game is, the trophy is not worth the chase.

- Look at my hand, please. - It's very graceful.

The smallest stone in that ring could buy and sell you, Paul Regret.

Why should I want money from you?

Experience has taught me to look carefully at a gift horse.

Am I to believe you weighed, appraised and selected me out of all the men on the boat?

Do not be too conceited.

It's not a very large boat.

We certainly have picked a wonderful evening to fall in love.

Don't be ordinary. What passes between us tonight has nothing to do with love.

You don't believe that love exists?

I believe this very night, all over the

world, men and women are saying to each other

"I love you" when what they really mean is "I desire you".

You are a very unusual woman.

It is unusual to be honest.

I like independent women,

but I also want the right to be able to choose my own.

Mr Regret.

You like independent women and I admire men who can't be bought.

I think we've misjudged each other.

It's three days to Galveston.

Shall we start again?

To the beginning.

Wh... What?

$300 for a suit of clothes.

Where I come from, we could outfit 30 men for that.

- Who are you? - The name's Cutter. Jake Cutter.

Cap'n Texas Rangers.

This tailor's gonna be mighty unhappy when he don't get his money.

Course, he'll get a lot of advertising.

You wearing that $300 suit onto the gallows.

- You can't do this. - Well, now, let's see.

This here says Monsewer Paul Regret.

- That's Mr Paul Regret in English, ain't it? - Yes.

- You're under arrest. - I've committed no crime in Texas.

Right. But you killed a man in Louisiana.

I'm taking you to the ranger headquarters where a Louisiana marshal will pick you up,

take you back to New Orleans and the gallows.

We're getting real obliging to the states down here in Texas.

A lot of folks want to join the Union.

There's a couple of hundred in gold in thatjacket.

Does that give you any ideas, friend?

I've got what you might consider a weakness.

I'm honest. You start getting into that $300 suit.

And I ain't your friend.

Give me a minute to talk to someone. It's very important. A girl.

Have a heart, friend.

I've been trying to explain to you that I ain't your friend.

But I don't want anyone to accuse me of not having a heart.

I'd like it if she didn't have to see these.

Hide 'em in that hat.

Oh, uh...

I wouldn't try any city-slicker stuff on this poor old country boy.

- Well, she's gone. - Anybody can see that.

She said it was for ever.

Looks like country boys aren't the only ones who get lied to by gals.

I'll turn Galveston upside down. I'll find her.

You're sort of forgetting, Monsewer.

I got a prior claim.

Regret.

Monsewer Paul Regret.

- You say this trip'll take five days? - Right. Step aboard.

- What, on this mule? - On the mule.

- Riding him's gonna slow us down. - Very sad.

But if you were to take off for the tall and uncut, I could run you down real easy.

- How we gonna eat? - Ever been out in the fresh air?

A side of bacon, beans, a coffee pot and a frying pan?

- All the comforts of home. - Yeah. All the comforts of home.

I'm beginning to hate this mule already. He's got a mean look.

His name is Mabel.

Well, come on, Mabel.

Break out the coffee.

It's in your saddlebag.

Get it.

All right.

Unless you want this salt pork burned.

Captain Jake.

My friend, you're a very brave man.

And pretty soon you're gonna catch on I ain't your friend.

Captain Jake.

It's getting very tiresome lugging this saddle around.

I don't suppose you'd take my word of honour that I won't try to escape?

Monsewer, you are a lulu.

What do you find that's so interesting about this miserable country?

I used to own a cattle spread over there.

- You were a rancher? - Yeah.

2,000 head of longhorn.

Indians run you out?

No. They weren't any trouble then.

Not till a few years ago.

Something's stirrin' them up now.

- The drought get you? - My wife died.

Oh.

That's unfortunate.

So I gave the spread to some right nice people.

Folks that used to work for me.

Well, I personally could never see marriage.

Seems like a fella'd always feel that curiosity

about the next woman he was going to meet.

Lots feel that way.

Did once myself.

Hold it.

That's an Indian sign.

You're gonna live a lot longer if you follow after me. Ya!

I expect we'll find the little girl inside.

Did you know these people?

Rode many a night herd with all of 'em.

I was at the baby's christening.

I guess that's about all we can do for 'em.

I hate to do this...

Hey, Jake, that's a pretty good-looking mount you got there.

Hi, Jake. You been horse-trading?

How come you're riding a mule?

Because I took to liking mules. You got any objection?

- No, sir. - Or you? Or you?

No, not me.

- Hello, Tobe. Major wanted to see me. - He'll be right back.

Say, how do you spell "Louisiana"?

L-o-u-i...

- What do you wanna know for? - I'm writing my pa a letter.

"Captain Jake went to pick up a prisoner wanted by the state of Louisiana."

"He came back with a mule and a split head and no prisoner."

I might have a "PS" for your pa.

"Dear Mulehead. We didn't beat this boy enough when he was growing up."

- Major. - Hi, Jake.