Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 4, Episode 20 - Marie, My Love - full transcript

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Pa!

Joe.

Joe?

Pa. Pa.

A big cat.

Big cat up by the herd.

Hey, Pa, what happened?

Joe's horse stumbled.

Get into town and
get the doctor quick!



Oh, he's a big one, Pa.

He's the biggest one I've seen.

He's gonna raise Cain
on those cattle up there.

Shh. Ah, don't
worry about that now.

Is Cochise all right?

Yeah.

Yeah, she's all right.

She was luckier than you.

Geez, I don't even
know what it was.

I didn't see a thing.

Must have been a
chuckhole or something.

When I saw you fall,
Joe... for a moment,

it was just like your mother.

The same way that afternoon.



She came riding up to the house.

There's so much
of her in you, Joe.

So much.

A fine instrument, eh, monsieur?

35 inches of authority.

Yes, sir.

Excuse me, sir.

Are you Marius Angerville?

A bit worn in the tooth,

a little bit sour
in the stomach,

but the very same.

Well, I'm-I'm glad
I found you, sir.

My name is Ben Cartwright.

Should I know you?

Oh, no, sir. No.

I-I've just arrived
in New Orleans.

I-I have a ranch up in Nevada.

Oh. You've come a
long way, monsieur.

Yes, sir. Around the cape.

- By ship?
- By clipper.

- A fine voyage?
- Yes, sir.

Ah. How I miss that.

Sir, there was a man
worked in my ranch.

He was from New Orleans.

Name of Jean deMarigny.

Jean?

It's been so long.

Is he well, happy?

No, sir.

He's dead.

Jean?

He was like my own son.

His last thoughts were
of you and his wife,

and I promised I'd see you both.

And of course, his mother.

His mother!

Forgive me.

But there are some things...

I'm sorry to have to
bring you such bad news,

Madame deMarigny.

I hope that

it might bring you...
you some consolation

to know of your son's courage.

I am growing old, monsieur,

and quite dry of tears.

The deMarignys carry a
proud, but bitter heritage.

We cried at the
death of the emperor.

We cried in the
streets of New Orleans

when the French flag came down.

And I cried when my son
ran away from his disgrace.

His disgrace, madame?

You knew little about him.

Well, only that he had
separated from his wife

whom he loved very dearly.

Love is often a crown of thorns.

Yes. Yes, I suppose that's true.

I... hope to see
his wife, Marie.

I do not wish to
discuss her, monsieur.

Well, madame, she
is your son's wife.

Marie del Valle was never meant
to be the wife of a deMarigny!

Forgive me, monsieur,
but that is not your concern.

If I can be of service while
you are in New Orleans.

Oh, thank you, madame.
There-there is one thing.

Oui?

I brought a shipment of raw
furs with me from Nevada.

I was hoping I might
dispose of them while I'm here.

But I have little connection

with my husband's
business, monsieur.

Well, Jean suggested

that I contact your
late husband's partner.

He might arrange to sell my
furs for me in the Parisian market.

I shall be happy
to introduce you

to Monsieur Clermont.

Thank you.

I will arrange for a
meeting and notify you.

Thanks.

- Where are you staying?
- Oh, with a friend.

Marius Angerville in the
Passage de la Bourse.

You know Marius Angerville?

Well, yes. He's...

He's a friend of your son's.

That one is no friend to my son.

Bonjour, monsieur.

Well, thank you, madame.

Good day.

Jean's mother wasn't
too friendly toward me.

She isn't exactly fond of
her daughter-in-law, is she?

Oh, she isn't. Never was.

I'm afraid, Marie
isn't very fond of me.

We may not receive a
warm reception, my boy.

I haven't seen her since the
day Jean left New Orleans.

Jean told me that you
were very good friends.

Mm. We were

until I challenged
her beloved cousin,

Edouard D'Arcy, to a duel.

She's never forgiven
me for wanting to kill him,

which I was most anxious to do.

Whoa.

Whoa, whoa.

Whoa.

So instead,

I presented the monsieur
with a keg of Barbados rum.

Oh, Monsieur
Dafau was chagrined!

I couldn't imagine why.

After all, what did he expect?

At any rate, he had
a nervous breakdown

and hasn't returned
to the club since.

Oh, marvelous!

Marie, tell us about the time

you rode into the
Salle d'Orleans

in the middle of a ball.

Uh, no, Andre. I...

I have no more time for tales.

Marius Angerville.

I thought by now the devil
had claimed you for his own.

I'm afraid both you and he
will have to wait a trifle longer.

I brought a friend to meet you,

fresh from the
wilderness, Marie.

May I present
Monsieur Cartwright

from Virginia City, Nevada?

Madame.

I have heard there
is such a place.

Yes, ma'am, I'm afraid there is.

Full of wild animals
and much wilder people.

Now, if you'll forgive
me, I'm going to the bar.

Madame... may I speak
with you in private?

Monsieur, is that a
Western custom...

Demanding a lady's attention
on such short acquaintance?

Ma'am, what I have
to say is rather serious.

Serious?

Why, no one is serious here.

People come here for pleasure.

Ma'am, what I have to say...

It's about your husband.

Marie?

I thought you were
going to join us.

A little cognac for me, please.

It seems the game-legged
old hotspur himself has decided

to distinguish us with a visit.

Why not, D'Arcy?

We will squat in hell
together, you and I.

If you're in a hurry
to get there, Hotspur,

I'm always available to
assist you on your way.

Next time the boot
may be on the other foot.

I am pleased to have
met you, monsieur.

Marie, please hurry.

Monsieur, I do not wish
to discuss my husband.

I-I think you had better leave.

Is your husband
of interest to you?

Of no interest whatsoever.

I'm afraid there's something
that you don't know.

There is nothing I wish
to know about Jean.

Bonjour, monsieur.

Monsieur?

My name is D'Arcy.

I am the proprietor here.

How do you do, sir?

Are you a friend of Marius?

Yes, in a way.

You do not seem to be
attracted to our little sport.

Most Americans
find it very stimulating.

I didn't come here to gamble.

I'm afraid I'm not exactly
attracted to blind chance.

Perhaps you're attracted
more by aesthetic things?

And if I am?

Oh, that would surprise me.

You lack a certain
polish in your technique.

I guess my polish has been
dulled by hard work, monsieur.

Good night.

Hello, Marius.

I fought amid the grapeshot
and bullets of Waterloo,

a saber in my hand,

with valiant men, honorable men.

You've had too
much to drink, Marius.

Don't tell me what I've had.

In vino veritas... "In wine...

there is truth."

Let me help you up.

What is it?

An old wound.

This afternoon it became as
fresh as the day I received it.

Defending the
honor of an old friend.

Oh, Jean, Jean, you came to me,

but I failed you.

We all failed you.

♪♪

Better?

Uh-huh.

What did that mean...
you all failed him?

Well, he'd just been married.

He adored his young
and beautiful wife.

But when he believed
her unfaithful, he ran,

his world shattered.

Mm... now I'm
beginning to understand

why Madame deMarigny
didn't want to... talk about her.

I never believed the
stories spread about Marie.

I tried to prove them false.

She was the innocent
victim of deceit.

What was the truth?

The real facts
about what happened

are locked in her heart...

along with grief
and disillusionment.

♪♪

Diablo, it's you again.

I'm a stubborn man, madame.

Please go away.

I will, as soon as you've given
me a chance to talk to you.

I know all I need
to know about Jean.

Do you know that he's dead?

I'm sorry. That's what
I've been trying to tell you.

He made me promise
to seek you out

and let you know.

Thank you.

I'm sorry I had to give you
the news so bluntly, but...

you left me little choice.

Go on, monsieur.

Jean died after saving my life.

He was a brave
and courageous man.

I accept your
statement, monsieur,

but it does not fit the
Jean deMarigny I knew.

He asked me...

to tell you that he loved you.

Love.

He didn't know
what it meant to love.

A man on his
deathbed doesn't lie.

All right, you've told me.
Now, good day, monsieur.

That isn't all he asked
me to say to you.

I'm not interested.

He asked me to say
that he forgave you.

Forgave me?!

His words were: he loved
you and he forgave you.

For what?

He believed a horrible lie.

It was absurd!

He couldn't have accepted
it and really loved me.

Instead of trusting
me, he ran off,

leaving me disgraced
and humiliated!

Where was he when I needed him,

when my baby needed him?

I didn't know there was a child.

There is no child.

His mother took
him from me at birth.

He died of the fever.

Ah.

Jean never told me about that.

Did he know?

If he knew... would
he have cared?

Leave me alone,
monsieur, please.

♪♪

♪♪

Touché.

Merci, cher maitre.

Well, you have
speed and accuracy,

but your long lunge and carte
left you open to my riposte.

You're too anxious for the kill.

I'm an impatient woman, Marius.

That could be the death of you.

Another bout...
Three... three touches.

I'm tired.

You didn't come here for
a fencing lesson, Marie,

not after all this time.

I'm not sure why I came.

I'm not sure of
anything anymore.

Well, I can't give you
any fatherly advice.

There are no words
to prevent memories

from coming back to haunt you.

You remind me
of a gaunt, old tree.

Gnarled and sad, all
covered with Spanish moss

and standing up to
your knees in dark water.

You've been a
loyal friend, Marius,

even though you... you were
wrong about my cousin Edouard.

He's been very good to me.

I...

I-I think I wanted
to tell you I'm sorry.

Oh. Please don't
run off on my account.

I'll be out of your way.

Marius told me you
wouldn't be here today.

I came back sooner
than I'd planned.

I was out walking around
your magnificent city.

I-I'm sorry if I've been rude.

But you just don't understand.

Allow me.

New Orleans is a strange city,

strange and unpredictable.

There's none other
like it in the world.

Find the people rather
difficult to understand, too.

They're a blend
of so many things.

Yes.

Good and evil.

Bitterness and...
sorcery and virtue.

You could live a lifetime
and find nothing worse

than warm sunshine
or bubbles in honey.

♪♪

Or you might suddenly
become aware of the most...

the most... terrible rottenness.

The West is like that, too.

Out West there are trees that...

that touch the blue of the sky.

Unimaginably beautiful.

And yet there's an anger
and violence about nature

that seems to be
there just to test people.

But it hardens them,
too, makes them strong...

and unfeeling.

It's a man's country.

Are you going back soon?

Yes.

I thought... maybe...

before I go, maybe we
could have supper together.

And I promise not to talk
about anything more personal

than, mm, bubbles and honey.

I'm sorry.

Good day, monsieur.

Bonjour, Marius.

She's like a woman possessed.

One moment gay and full of life,

the next driven, and
running to escape

from something that
seems to chase her.

Well, she... loses
herself in her way,

and I in mine.

We've got to learn to
recover from sorrow.

I did from mine.

Did you?

I think not; you're still
nursing your wounds,

just like me.

I learned to forget, Marius.

Marie can't forget.

A husband who deserted her; a
mother-in-law who loathed her.

They had to be married
secretly to avoid her interference.

What about this,
uh, this other man,

the one who was supposed to...?

Well, I never found
out who he was.

One of D'Arcy's
friends, perhaps.

I tried to make
Jean see the truth,

but it was no use.

Well, it isn't my affair.

I have my own responsibilities.

Jean saved your life.

He gave you this responsibility.

Just a minute, Marius.

I paid my debt to Jean.

How?

By bringing us the
sad tale of his death?

By bargaining with his
mother to sell your furs?

Those furs represent
a year's work.

I need the money to
expand my ranch and...

Besides, what the
devil could I do here

that you have not
been able to do?

You could help me
find the other man!

Oh, that happened years ago.

Wouldn't help Jean now
anyway; it's a dead issue.

Not to me!

And Marie isn't a
dead issue either.

You could talk to her,
make her see that D'Arcy

isn't what she thinks.

That he isn't
trying to help her.

That he wants only to
fulfill his own ambitions

by marrying her off
to some fat aristocrat.

Well, what makes you
think she'd listen to me?

Anyway, I'm not
gonna get involved.

I have two sons; I'm
going to get back to them.

Well... maybe
you're right, my boy.

Why bother with
other people's agonies

when you have your own
to keep you company?

♪♪

I do not compromise with
situations, Madame deMarigny.

Then you are aware
that this man is a threat

such as Angerville never was.

I can see the
possibility, but...

I'm not overly disturbed by it.

He is young, aggressive,

and he feels a debt
of gratitude to my son.

All very subversive attributes.

I view this matter of
the American's intrusion

with utmost gravity.

There is no cause
for alarm, madame.

The man I persuaded to
be attentive to your son's wife

is now residing on
the island of Haiti.

He could come back.

The American could
get the truth out of him,

and if he searches hard enough,

he could discover
from various sources

that Marie's child is not dead.

That could lead to the
most undesirable results.

I want him to leave New Orleans.

I have arranged for
his furs to be bought

so that he will have
no excuse to stay.

But just in case
he is stubborn...

I want him out of here.

Do you understand?

I understand perfectly, madame.

If you can afford the expense,

I can afford the inconvenience.

Madame.

I saw you from
the street, madame.

May I?

I come here often.

I was brought up in the
convent after my parents died.

It's a beautiful place.

I was happy here, though
something of a rebel.

Yes, I think I can
imagine you as a rebel.

I used to climb that tree
and look over the wall,

fascinated by the
beautiful French ladies

in their Paris gowns,

with shining black
hair and skin like roses.

I couldn't wait to wash
my face in sour buttermilk.

When I was a boy I
used to stand on a pier

and watch the great clipper
ships putting out to sea.

I used to imagine myself a
captain on the quarterdeck,

scanning the horizon,

looking for rich, new
lands to discover.

For a long time I
had to content myself

with finding my heroes in books.

I think that was far better.

Then, if they disillusion you,

you, you can throw
them into the fire.

It's getting late.

May I, may I walk you home?

Who were your heroes, Marie?

Don John of Austria, Henri
of Navarre, Cardinal Richelieu.

Bold, forceful men.

Perfect heroes for
a young Creole girl

who hadn't the vaguest
ideas about love and life.

You seem to have
some definite ideas now.

About life, we don't live.

We're only in the
expectation of living.

And love?

To love is to place
one's happiness

in someone else's hands.

I see so much of my
own loneliness in you.

Marie.

I know I have no right to ask...

but what happened that night?

I, I was alone.

Jean had finally
worked up the courage

to, to tell his mother
we had been married.

But he wanted
to do it by himself.

I must have been asleep
for some time when...

I became aware of
someone near me.

I thought it was Jean.

When I realized it
wasn't, I struggled.

That's when Jean
came in the room.

It must have been
terrible for you.

He should have believed me.

Yes, he should have.

His mother was
anxious to believe the lie.

Something should have
been done about that lie

a long time ago, Marie.

- Ah!
- Oh, you.

Hmm, how popular we
are becoming, cousin.

Marius and his American friend
are becoming regular customers.

That's Monsieur Clermont
with his back to us at the table.

Oh, um, wait for me at the bar.

Leave Marius alone, Edouard.

Oh, don't concern yourself.

My quarrel with the old
hotspur is ancient history.

Mr. Clermont, I'm
Ben Cartwright.

Oh, it is a pleasure
to meet you, monsieur.

I got your note and
came as quickly as I could.

Oh, yes, yes.

About the furs, Madame
deMarigny spoke to me.

You play poker,
Monsieur Cartwright?

Well, I-I thought you wanted
to discuss business, sir.

Oh, certainly,
my boy, certainly.

I have a room in the back
reserved for our negotiation.

Won't you join
us for a little while,

and we'll discuss
business later?

Please do join us, monsieur.

Well... thank you.

I have one vice... cards.

Well, gentlemen, I
have three queens.

Ah, Monsieur D'arcy,
have you had the pleasure

of meeting Monsieur Cartwright?

Yes.

He is the gentleman who does
not devote himself to blind chance.

Well, he's certainly
doing well with it tonight.

Throw a lucky man into the
Nile, says an old Arabian proverb,

and he'll come up
with a fish in his mouth.

Monsieur Clermont, I hope
my luck will improve tomorrow.

Monsieur, enchanté.

Thank you.

May I join in?

Please do.

I believe you,
Monsieur Cartwright.

I'll pay for the pleasure

of seeing your hand,
Monsieur Cartwright.

Straight.

Incredible luck.

It's your deal.

Marius... won't you join me?

Thank you.

Monsieur Cartwright,
may I see those cards?

You are a cheat and a thief!

D'Arcy, you cut those cards.

Barbarian, you accuse me...

Why, you uncouth, backwoods...

I demand satisfaction
for this insult, monsieur.

The Plantation
Allard... at dawn.

Weapons... rapiers.

♪♪

Bon nuit.

He can't fence,
D'Arcy, and you know it.

If he doesn't
wish to satisfy me,

he better conduct himself
out of town immediately.

- He won't need to do either.
- Marius, you stay out of this.

I'm already in it.

This is my affair;
now, stop interfering.

You can have him when
I'm through with him.

How popular I am.

Gentlemen, it will be a pleasure
to do business with both of you.

Whoever is first is immaterial.

We'll let the cards decide.

Marius, listen to me.

Edouard, no, please!

Marie, you stay out of this.

- Marius, will you please lis...
- Cut the cards.

Don't be ridiculous.

All right, I'll cut
them for you.

Yours: queen.

Mine... king.

You lose, my boy.

All right, D'Arcy,
the oak grove,

Allard Plantation at dawn.

- Perfectly satisfactory.
- Now, Marius...

- Come along, my boy!
- Marius, will you...

Come along!

Edouard, no, please.

Monsieur Cartwright is
no match for your rapier.

He knows nothing of such things.

And Marius is an old man!

He's crippled!

Why are you so concerned
about Mr. Cartwright?

To a Frenchman, my
boy, honor is sacred.

Aw, come on, Marius,

I was tricked into
that duel. You...

Of course you were.

Why?

Obviously, you're
considered a threat.

A threat?

To what? To whom?

- By whom?
- Obviously, again,

by Madame deMarigny.

Which is why she's hired D'Arcy

to arrange your
convenient demise.

Well...

it's still my fight, and I
won't have you interfere.

My dear boy,

do you actually believe
you could meet D'Arcy

in a cartel with rapiers?

The man's a
professional duelist.

He's killed four men.

He half crippled
me, a fencing master!

Well, then we'll have
to find some other way

- to settle it, that's all.
- There is no other way!

Unless I kill the
man first, he'll kill you.

Marius, I'm not helpless.

I may not be a fencer,

but I can... hold my own
with the best of them,

with my fists or with
practically any kind of firearm.

Mm, it's too late for that.

He's maneuvered you so
he has the choice of weapons.

You better
understand me, Marius.

I'm not leaving town,

and I'm not gonna let
you do my fighting for me.

And there are some
things you must understand.

I have been given
another chance,

and you're not
taking it from me.

You have everything:

a great future, sons.

For me, there is only honor.

Without it, I'm nothing.

Honor.

The word hangs in
the air of New Orleans

like the refrain of a song.

I taught you the
art of fencing, Marie.

I taught you the
code that holds men

to the high standard
of honor and courtesy.

The code?

Marius, this time you will die.

I know it.

Perhaps... but with dignity.

Ben... Marius is just
trying to save you.

He can't win.

He's not going to
have a chance to try.

Ben!

I've heard all I
want to hear, Marius.

The discussion is over.

Well... maybe
you're right, my boy.

Maybe it's just
the stubborn pride

of an old man.

What about you?

How are you gonna fight D'Arcy?

I thought your
concern was for Marius.

I love the dear man,
but... But... what?

My concern isn't
only for Marius.

Marius?

Ben, I couldn't go to sleep.

I just saw Marius and
D'Arcy headed for the oaks.

Fool.

You'll have to show me where
they hold those stupid duels.

My carriage is outside.

One, two.

Oh.

Halt!

A wound?

No wound.

Continue.

Whoa.

Good.

Oh.

Out. Go.

Marius!

Marius, you old fool.

I failed you, my boy.

I failed you both.

Ben!

You know what you are, D'Arcy?

A hired assassin...
fighting an old man.

You're a white-livered,
cowardly disgrace

to yourself and your
so-called coat of honor.

I consider that a challenge

which supersedes our
previous arrangement.

My choice of weapon is pistols

here and now.

Agreeable, monsieur.

Andre, the pistols.

Fire!

You did not fire, monsieur.

You'll live, D'Arcy,

if you tell the
truth about Marie

and the man you
hired to disgrace her.

You know nothing
of the matter of honor.

Fire and be done with it!

Honor?

What do you know about honor?

Tell 'em, D'Arcy.

Tell 'em the truth about Marie.

Tell them!

Yes. Uh... yes.

Madame deMarigny...

arranged the whole
thing... through me.

Thank you, my boy.

I'm knee-deep in dark water.

But no longer sad.

No, Marius, no.

Don't cry, Marie.

He died as he wanted to...

according to the
code by which he lived.

The code?

I'm sick to death of the code.

Of all the stupid,
shallow desperation

that drives decent men
to destroy themselves.

Look at this hanging moss...

with its slime and sickness.

Like this proud society
that builds a wall

around itself and
shuts out the world.

Marie, there's a
world beyond that wall.

The real world,
a beautiful world.

Where trees touch the sky?

Yes, where trees touch the sky,

and they grow straight
and tall and clean.

Where life is reborn
every moment, every day.

Not for me.

Death follows me.

Only in the past...
Only in the past.

There's life ahead
for you... for us.

Without you... it
would be empty for me.

Empty?

But with your sons?

The future you're
building for them?

Until I came here,

I thought my
life was quite full.

My sons were all I needed.

But now I know,

without you it could
never be complete.

Come back with me.

Be my wife.

I love you.

Oh, Ben.

I love you.

How little time we had together,

your mother and I,
here in the Ponderosa.

From the time we were married...

until the time you were born...

until that day she came

riding up to the
house... and fell.

Doctor's on his way, Pa.

Little brother, I thought
you was half dead.

Are you all right?

Yeah, sure, I'm all right.

Take more than that
fool horse to get rid of me.

Why does this always happen

at the beginning
of haying season?

Just plain lucky, I guess.

Just plain lucky.

♪♪

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