Barkskins (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - The Wobble - full transcript

RENE:
I am Monsieur Trepagny's.

GAY BILL:
If you get out of here alive,

will you tell him
Gay Bill says bonjour?

Previously, on
"Barkskins"...

JEROME: Iroquois have
taken Father Gabriel.

You will entreat them
with Monsieur Trepagny.

TREPAGNY: Can you
help us retrieve our men?

We will show the way, no more.

And I should do
as I was paid to do...

Smash your brains.
Now, go.

HAMISH:
It's Lafarge's boy.



COOKE:
A smart man forgoes

small reward now
for great reward later.

DELPHINE:
When I was a child,

I caught the eye
of a woodcutter.

I kept my virtue.
He made his mark.

- Pierre, I'm sorry.
- HAMISH: I'm looking for

a Mr. Randall Cross.
I'm here to discover his fate.

MATHILDE: The girl they
found out by the creek.

She's a poor
and damaged thing.

- [screaming]
- COOKE: The massacre...

Cross was sent here
to do that.

Mr. Cross.

[♪♪]

[indistinct chatter]



Come.

Where have you been?

I've been where the blood glows.

We've all seen blood.

No, you haven't.

On a child's face.

The hem of a dress.

The dirt drinks it in

and then it travels

into the trees.

What are you talking about?

The secret order of this place.

It has been told to me.

I came back to tell you.

We've been through some hard
times on your trail, Cross.

You will tell us
why you deserted.

My sister Alice will be glad
to hear that you are alive.

And you will go back to her.

You have a son, Randall.

Tell them that I am dead.

As far as
the Company's concerned,

you still work for them.

You don't know the work
the Company does.

My sister will have
her husband back.

And the Company will have
its account of your travels.

I don't work for the Company.

I have given it all up.

Now, let me go

and be lost again.

HAMISH:
We will get our answers.

Randall.

You will come with us at once.

Would you like to hear a story?

No.

I would not.

[♪♪]

*BARKSKINS*
Season 01 Episode 06

Episode Title :"The Wobble"
Aired on: June 08, 2020

[chatter in distance]

TREPAGNY [whispering]:
Take in the details.

Set a careful plan, Captain.

The plan is I will kill

three savages,
Deputy Guy is good for two,

though he is a poor shot.

That leaves one for you,
Trepagny.

De Fer ordered us to entreat,
not attack.

Plans rarely go
as one might expect.

- Oh, killed many savages, have you?
- I have not had the misfortune,

but I was at the Battle of the
Dunes with Cardinal Mazarin.

I don't give a cold piss
about the Dunes.

We have pistols and muskets.
They have pointy sticks.

All plans were smashed that day.

Now is not the time to fill
your boot leather with mud.

I don't intend to die
rescuing a priest.

- Sel is down there.
- That goes double for your indentured man.

I'd rather die for my hat.

GUY:
Any sign of them?

Six savages.

Father Gabriel?

He may already be dead.

[Bouchard laughs]

You're in the belly
of the whale now, Father.

Come, share a drink with me.

Father Gabriel is not dead.

Sel is there.

Alive, I believe.

We shall put them
under the musket.

And they shall fold
under our might.

No, Captain.

Father Clape and I
will entreat them.

The Iroquois
are not like other tribes.

They will not be receptive to
your enticements of an afterlife.

All creatures hear
the word of the Lord equally,

Monsieur Trepagny.

Now is not the time
to debate, Father,

but once I read
the Book of Ezekiel,

chapter one,
verses one through 16

to a field toad.

Do you know what it did?

It hopped away.

It wanted a worm.

Not the word of God.

The Lord shall wrap us in his
shroud of heavenly protection.

Where was that shroud when
they took Father Gabriel?

Father Gabriel is being tested.

Father Gabriel
is being tortured.

We will entreat the Iroquois

and discuss
a peaceful resolution.

You entreat all you want,
Father,

after we've put some
savage souls in dog hell.

Ah, yes, consult
the good book, Father.

There's a fair bit
of wisdom in there about

the time to sort
the world with smiting.

There will be no smiting.

Now, come on, Father.

Come on.

Bonne chance.

The heavenly ladder is slick

with the blood of martyrs.

JEROME:
I come in peace.

I am sent with treaties
from Intendant De Fer

that want me
to end the bloodshed.

Save the last swallow
for when the killing's done.

JEROME:
We mean no harm.

As you can see,
we are not armed.

It seems Father Jerome's
sour face

is quite charming after all.

JEROME:
For our brother, Father Gabriel.

BOUCHARD:
Can this be the mystical shroud

the Father was talking about?

Take dead aim

and pray your ball
finds savage skull.

GABRIEL:
Help me, Father.

Help me.

If your people go out to battle
against His enemies,

then you shall hear in heaven

and you shall vindicate them.

Aw, hell.

[whooping]

Follow!

[men shouting, screaming]

[groans]

[grunting]

[both grunting]

Aah!

RENE:
Bouchard.

Don't let that dog get away.

[♪♪]

[indistinct chatter]

Delphine.

For the intendant.

Oh, that looks good.

And... I must say

that I am being served

by a very charming lady.

Don't be shy.

[laughs]

You caught
the Intendant De Fer's eye.

I did?

Oh, come now, Delphine.

I saw him lean in
to see your face.

What did he say?

He thanked me for the ham.

Surely there was
more than that.

I don't know,
per-perhaps a compliment.

[groans]
Put your shoulders back, smile.

The food tastes better
when the one serving it

has some polish.

I am still trying
to find my place.

Your place is here now,
and I can't

have you walking around
like some cut flower.

- I will try.
- Of course you will.

You have nowhere else to go.

Come now, I am just speaking
a simple truth.

The inn is not so bad.

Better than a dark cabin
in the woods.

Now then, I aim to expand.

More room for dining,
away from the billiards.

A place for the men to sit
and put their hand to drink

and tell their stories.
[laughs]

And a place for the women,

away from the men,
should they wish.

Do you have any ideas?

Rabbits.

Yes, Renardette, more rabbits.

What about you, Delphine?

I don't know.

You don't know or you won't say?

I want to hear your opinions.

Mmm.

Come.

Help me fetch some prune tart.
We need three pieces.

Renardette, brandy.

I have some unpleasant business
to attend to.

It will be good
to have you by my side.

Uh...

[chuckles softly]

Come.

[chuckles]

Uh, no, no. It is better
for you to stay here, dear.

The man, Mr. Cross, is up there.

I want to see.

No.
You stay down here.

Cut onions.

HAMISH:
Come, Randall.

Look upon Alice.
Her kind and beautiful face.

[scoffs]

She's not kind.
[chuckles]

The image does not
do her justice.

CROSS:
Her eyes...

Cold, black stones.

I remember them well.

They are not black.
They are brown.

And I will not
let you abandon her.

Then you may go back to her.

Attend to sweet Alice

and her worries.

Captain Wale says you were
supposed to deliver something.

What?

[knocking]

Come in, Mathilde.

I am afraid I am going
to be needing the room back.

Randall has not yet
sufficiently recovered.

YVON:
How is the room needed

if we are in it?

The Intendant De Fer
has taken notice

of the English presence.

So it is his wish that we should
be put out of a room

- we've already paid for?
- I have made some brandy here

and prune tart for you.

Uh, it does not begin to make up
for the sudden notice.

Nor does it repay
the debt I owe you

for defending my inn
against Gus Lafarge.

But please, you...
Renardette?

What are you doing?

Get back here.

That is enough, Renardette.
Come.

Take her downstairs.
Excuse me.

Go, Renardette.
Please.

As you can see,

his presence
has upset poor Renardette.

You have recovered, Mr. Cross.

Now, I am sure he is eager
to go home, leave Wobik.

So, if you will please accept

this small gift and begone.

[sighs]
We will gather our things

and part on good terms.

I would not want to put you
in a strange position

with Intendant De Fer.

Merci.

[birds chirping]

[sighs]

[groans softly]

[♪♪]

[♪♪]

[clattering in distance]

[clattering continues]

What is this?

My mother gave these to me.

I cooked my first meal
for Mr. Trepagny with them.

They're yours, then.

And the house is yours.

All of it.

I am leaving.
You may tell him that.

He has not returned yet.

The Iroquois will
put his body in a tree.

The Doma will be put to a torch.

And then
they will come for you.

Take your pot and leave.

If he does return,

tell him I saw what
the ram's insides spoke of.

What are you talking about?

Tell him I saw his end.

Get out!
Now!

[♪♪]

[♪♪]

BOUCHARD:
Trepagny.

Bouchard.

I'm leaking, but alive.

You?

Painfully alive.

BOUCHARD:
A bad day for the black robes.

Thin one fell on the fat one
and killed him.

We will have to answer for this.

[sighs]
Yes.

Yes, we will.

Now it is our duty
to put them into the dirt.

I will attend to Hawahstha'.

Leave him in the sun,
he will turn to mud.

No, we will return him
to the Wyandot.

Without them, your entrails

would decorate these rocks.

- Where is Sel?
- Oh, he went that way.

After the last savage.

Both of them dead in the trees,
most likely.

No, no, no, no.
He is alive, I feel it.

Well...

[clears throat]

Let's go find your man.

[grunts]

[grunts]

GAY BILL:
You're not gonna be able to stab

your way out of this one,
French.

I mean, you're welcome to try.

But...

they'll take
that little knife of yours

and they'll make a wee cut,
right here.

They'll reach in,

real gentle-like,

pull out your guts,

feed them to the dogs
while you watch.

Now, the dogs...

They don't go far at first,
but soon,

they get to frisking,
competing with each other,

and before you know it,
they've got you unspooled.

I am prepared to die.

GAY BILL:
Such brave and grand words.

Let him go.

My men are dead.

My brother is dead.

He should be fed to the dogs.

The French in Wobik are
responsible, but not this one.

I mean, look at him.

He's a simple man.

Your father would spare him.

Because... more will come.

Isn't that right, French?

And then we can kill them all.
It's what we both want.

Hmm.

Now...

I should like to sit by a fire,

take off my boots,

have a meal,

a proper shit.

The stuff of life.

Go on, French.
Walk.

Tell them Gay Bill
is a kind and wise man.

Off you trot.

You let a savage into the house.

I-I did?

Yes, inside.

The housekeeper?
Y-Yes.

Do you like roses?

They look magnificent,
don't you think?

They look like roses.

Now I wish to be escorted
back to Wobik.

- It is not safe here.
- Hey, no, no. I...

I will keep you safe.

Hmm.
Picking flowers?

I have orders to wait here.

- Orders from whom?
- Captain Bouchard.

He... he beats me on my head

when I don't do
as he says, so...

Hmm.

Tell me, what do you think
Monsieur Trepagny will do

if he discovers that
you have let his new bride

take the path to Wobik alone,

unguarded?

It will be worse
than Captain Bouchard's blows.

We-we must not leave here.

They will be back soon.

I will be waiting
on the path, Deputy.

- [rustling]
- Shh, shh, shh.

- Monsieur Sel!
- Shh. Iroquois.

There are too many.
An Englishman, too.

English?

How far?

Just through the woods.

TREPAGNY:
How did you escape?

The Englishman convinced them.

Bouchard.

We have dodged death's
warm embrace once today.

I do not wish to tempt
its coils again.

We must return to Wobik
and warn them.

Your man is right.

The Iroquois will come
and kill us all.

[indistinct chatter]

Yvon.

I'll meet you on the path.

Keep a close eye on him.

COOKE:
You recovered Mr. Cross?

I have.

Well?

What did he have
to say for himself?

Riddles.

He's not the same man I knew.

Well, that's a fortunate
outcome, at least.

Not for my sister.

It's natural that
a place like this

should transform a man.

I find myself anew

in the silver of the mirror
every morning.

Now, I take it

you spoke to Captain Wale
in Quebec City?

This is Mr. Charles Duquet.

You may speak freely
in front of him.

It is still good to meet you.

I did not come here for tea.

And I prefer molasses,
not honey.

Captain Wale did confirm
your ties to the Company.

Well, you see, I am a man
who speaks plainly.

We found Lafarge's boy.

Now, that is a relief.

Well, it would be...

if he were still alive.

We found him dead,

by the river.

A shame.

His mother will be
brought to her knees.

HAMISH: The boy's
death is on your ledger.

COOKE:
No, Mr. Goames.

You're mistaken.

I have orders from Captain Wale

to form a partnership with you.

And though I find it
disagreeable,

I am a Company man,

and an order is an order,
after all.

But I am
but a simple barrel maker.

My position within these walls
hinges on the good graces

of Intendant De Fer.

You see, my time in the fiddle

afforded me some
much needed reflection.

I'm keeping my beard
low to the ground, and as such,

I would point you
in the direction

of a Mr. Bill Selby.

He's out there
forming alliances.

Perhaps your Mr. Cross
knows of his whereabouts.

Good day.

[chuckles]

- I handled the boy.
- COOKE: And left the body

for any passing fool to find?

Better it look like an accident.

It wasn't an accident, Charles.

I see it in your eyes.

It was sloppy work.

I should dissolve
our partnership.

That would be
an unfortunate decision.

It's my decision to make.

Before you make it,

I would like to know
why you neglected

to tell the Hudson's Bay man
about the pistols?

What pistols
are you referring to?

If I were going to betray you

I already would have.

When I found that letter
on your desk

I gleaned a lot about your
arrangement to supply guns

to the Hudson's Bay Company.

But I must confess

I am still curious
on a couple of points.

It seems I have misjudged you.

Where are the pistols?

- I don't know.
- They were to arm the Iroquois

so that they could
use them against the French.

I know not
what they were intended for.

I traded for them,
took my profit.

That's the end of the story.

[chuckles]

Good, good.

He saved my life.

He disobeyed the clan mother.

I will explain to her.

You will do nothing, Trepagny.

The Iroquois will now blame us.

You have your man.

And now I have my dead friend.

It's the trade of the matter.

We'll come and collect the
bodies when we have more men.

Now, come.

[indistinct chatter]

I'd like a room.

Now, what would
Monsieur Trepagny's bride

be needing with a room?

[scoffs]
My name is Melissande,

not "Monsieur Trepagny's bride."

- I haven't taken his name yet.
- Ah.

And Monsieur Trepagny went off
with Captain Bouchard.

They haven't returned,
and now I fear the worst.

I'd like a room now.

Monsieur Trepagny is in the
company of Captain Bouchard,

who, if he is anything,
is stouthearted.

- They will return safely.
- And if they don't?

I have no rooms.

Delphine?

Ah.
We are full up,

but she can stay with you,
if you like.

DELPHINE:
It's disgusting.

And it will ruin all men
who look on me with desire,

- and that is the truth.
- It can't be that bad, Delphine.

It's a woodcutter's mark

carved just above my womb.

It's red and horrible.

I'm so sorry.

I want to tell you
my darkest secret.

I had a child

before I came here.

Stillborn.

My father took it

and buried it in the ash pile

and told me not to speak of it,

but everybody knew.

So there.

All the secrets are out,

and we can live
our lives free of them.

Now we're even.

The man who did this to me...

Say nothing of him, Delphine.

Banish him from your thoughts.
Promise me.

I have not told you
the whole of it.

What I did, after.

I beat his head in
with an axe handle

while he slept
and watched him bleed out.

[chuckles]

He didn't deserve to live.

Hm?

I had to leave
my village after that.

I came here.

And it seems he's still with me.

[door opens]

Delphine.
Come.

I need help preparing supper
for the Intendant.

[door closes]

[sighs]
Randall, we've had enough games.

It's time for you
to go back to my sister.

I'll show you that I'm dead.

So that you may tell her

the truth of that.

Randall, come out of there.

[sighs]

Come out of there, Randall.

[grunting]

Randall!

Leave the dirt!
It is what will make you heal.

Thank you for saving me.

It is no matter.

Thought I was already dead.

But you are alive.

The priests.

I couldn't save them.

Prayers, words.

Nothing mattered.

Because they came to New France
looking for death.

The Iroquois obliged,

and now their blood
is in the dirt.

It is a godly and ordained
conclusion,

I suppose.

Tell me...

...when you thought it was
the end, what did you see?

I saw my brother.

He called to me.

But you did not go to him.

No.

But I wanted to.

BOUCHARD:
Do you know what I saw?

I did not ask.

The widow Mathilde Geffard.

And she was holding
a bottle of brandy

and a bowl of warm stew.

And she had a smile for me.

And I could smell the brandy

and the meat gravy,
rising up through my beard.

Vaporous.

But then I woke.

My mouth was full of blood.

But I was alive.

And I wish to stay that way.

So let's rise,
stop all this bathing

and jabber of the afterlife,

and make speed for Wobik.

[grunts, panting]

Who is this?

It is me.

You're the only one

the Company will believe.

Show everyone I'm dead.

HAMISH:
You've lost your mind, Randall.

What have you done?

[gasps, coughing]

A settler from the creek.

I killed him
in front of his son.

And then...

...the girl came.

She smiled.

You must pray for forgiveness.

The Company ordered it.

HAMISH: The Company had
its reasons for clearing the creek.

But it was your plan
to kill them all.

And that is on your
eternal soul.

You will take this thing
back to the Company,

back to Alice,
and they will give me a funeral.

Carry me by torchlight

- to St. Paul's...
- YVON: Enough.

Yvon.

- Yvon!
- [grunts]

[gasping]

[moans]

You will go back to Alice.

And you will be happy.

You're right, Hamish.

I will...

I will go back to Alice.

Captain Wale said
you were to deliver something.

What was it?

Pistols.

A barrelful.

Where?

I'll show you.
But first...

...I must give this man

a proper burial.

I tire of building graves
in the woods.

It is mine to build.

Then we have a deal.

A grave,

you show us the pistols,

and then you go back to Alice.

[♪♪]

- [indistinct chatter]
- Cooke.

[harrumphs]

[indistinct chatter]

[indistinct chatter continues]

What will you do
if Trepagny does not return?

Run the estate,

though there is not much there
but trees.

But I see what it might become.

Mathilde says he gave up Wobik
for that land.

He would not
had I been with him.

There's a river.
Docks, at least.

He will return.

You do want that, don't you?

[scoffs]
I don't know what I want.

You can help him
improve the Doma.

Perhaps there is not
a big enough rudder

in the world
to steer a man such as that.

But I will try.

I do believe
there is a kindness in him.

I saw it on our wedding night
and once in the woods, but...

but he says
that wasps follow him

and die from loyalty

and that the snakes
then eat the dead wasps,

and because of him,

there is harmony.

And he prays to a rotten log

and a bowl full of hair.

- He sounds mad.
- Mm.

He's a Cathar.

He will corrupt you.

[scoffs]
No.

I will train him,

and the Doma

and all the land will be mine.

More land than my father
could ever imagine.

Delphine.

Mr. Cooke's cup
needs refilling. Come.

Shoulders back.

Smile.

Would you like some more?

[♪♪]

I'm leaving.

No.

Stay.

Finish your food.
I've lost my appetite.

- [door opens]
- [bell jingles]

- [door closes]
- [bell jingles]

Tonight, I could...

I could almost hear you
as though you were...

speaking into my ear.

I remain beside you.

I remain with you.

I... I know
you can hear my voice.

I know you can see
through my eyes.

I know...

GAY BILL: Ask her where
my goddamn pistols are.

Bill?

[sighs]

Well...

It seems
the barrel king of Wobik's word

ain't worth a dog's breath.

Now...

Elisha, I should like to have

those barrels of pistols
you promised.

They are lost to me.

Is that so?

It is.

How about...

I dig up what's left
of your wife...

toss it in the Saint Lawrence?

Randall Cross had them.

And where might
he have gone off to?

With another Hudson Bay man,
presumably looking

for the pistols.

I told them they might find you.

That's very kind of you, Cooke.
Suppose they don't?

Bill, that is...

hardly my affair to manage.

Yes.
Of course.

But what you will manage

is another barrel of pistols.

I have no more.

Elisha,

the number of Iroquois
have swelled.

So must the pistols.

And, uh, what is your plan?

[chuckles softly]

The plan is less French,

more land and coin.

Come, now.

Surely I don't have to
lay the pieces out for you.

And the Iroquois?

They are the right tool

for the task.

And you...

You keep to yours.

Pistols.

You bastard.

[whistling a tune]

[♪♪]

Captain on the gate!

Well, come, now. We mustn't
leave the gate open long,

lest some savage elements
slip in behind us.

[♪♪]

Brandy!

[exclaims, clamoring]

Captioned by
Media Access Group at WGBH