01x02 - The Turtle King

[bunniefuu]

Previously onBarkskins

RENE:

Doesn'’t matter

what happened before.

Here we can begin again.

TREPAGNY:

What sort of a man are you?

-I am your man.

-Yes.

Come.

SABRINE:

In a few days, you will meet

the men you will marry.

Unlike back home,

you have the upper hand.

Choose wisely.

[screaming]

LAFARGE:

I did what you asked.

Land cleared. Iroquois blamed.

The time to move

on this territory is now.

COOKE:

No.

We must not appear anxious.

The Hudson Bay Company

must see as allies,

and I will take care of that.

The time is now, Mr. Cooke.

MATHILDE:

Is Mr. Cross missing, then?

HAMISH:

It'’s been a month

since his last report.

He was a punctual man.

I'’m here to discover his fate.

-Who might you serve,

Mr. Goames?

-The truth.

♪

Mr. Goames?

What'’s this?

Found them out by the settlement

near the creek.

There were no survivors.

I conducted

a thorough search myself.

Not thorough enough, it seems.

We did our best.

Do you know who she belongs to?

She has the mark of the devil.

It'’s just a birthmark.

Nothing more.

-Now move away.

-You shall hand them over to me

so that I can see to their care

and recovery.

We can manage without

your assistance, Captain.

-FRANCIS: One guest per room.

-You will move

and apply what is owed.

CLAPE:

[yelps] No!

No. [panting]

FRANCIS:

Uh, as a priest,

he can have a slot

at the stable.

Perhaps it is best

to keep out the curious.

I will not have

my business suffer.

Hush, Francis.

I will draw the girl a bath.

And fetch Veronique'’s dresses

from the chest.

FRANCIS:

I will not, Mathilde.

We have no use for them.

You will fetch them for me now.

I will not.

Would you like me

to visit your bed or not?

I will stay away

a very long time.

Winter.

Spring.

♪

Duquet.

[insects trilling]

Duquet.

♪

[Mari chuckles]

♪

[blowing]

[panting]

[thunder rumbles]

[blowing]

No, no.

N-No.

[man groans]

[grunts]

Monsieur Trepagny.

[sighs]

Duquet is gone.

Did you stay on the path?

No.

[Trepagny chuckles]

[blows]

What sort of a man are you?

I don'’t know what you mean.

Well, you vouched for Duquet.

You gave your word

on his character.

I take him here to my Doma,

show him the path

to become a free and landed man,

and now he has fled the contract

of his indenture,

leaving me to suspect what lurks

in your heart.

Will you flee?

Or sink your ax into my skull

the moment I turn my back?

No, sir.

I will have you know

if you abandon our agreement

like our compatriot Duquet,

I will weigh twofold

on your hide

the fair and proper punishment

due your ilk.

I am a man of my word.

You had better be.

Now

[groans]

Tell me of the ram.

It is no coincidence

that Duquet took his leave

after bringing

that cursed ram here.

Duquet said nothing to me.

Now

I fear

I have loosed something

into this world

I will soon regret.

-Duquet?

-Yeah.

A cunning creature who,

if he does not find his death,

will prosper

as frog to pond,

rat to rot.

The clever Duquet

will find his place

in Wobik.

Duquet is afraid of the woods.

He will get lost and die.

I'’m sure of it.

He will overcome that fear

because he is a rat,

and he will prosper

with his teeth and claws

and never-full belly.

I will search again. Tomorrow.

No.

You must return to your duties.

Now

if I may avail myself

of your fire just for a moment.

Monsieur Trepagny is passed out

in my cabin.

That is a good place for him.

Come in and eat.

We shall see to Trepagny after.

Shut the door.

-Did Trepagny ask of your day?

-He did.

I will not tell him

of your trip to the manor house.

It will be our secret.

And tomorrow,

I will show you another secret.

I have trees to clear

for the Doma.

Please.

[chuckles softly]

Thank you.

[exhales]

Mari

how did the manor house

get there?

It'’s a secret.

Who built it?

Men like you.

Many men.

What happened to those men?

Mm.

They left.

[chuckles]

Why doesn'’t Trepagny stay

in the manor?

He is waiting for a sign,

and then we will live

in it together.

As husband and wife?

[chuckles]

Yes.

He must not know

that you have seen it.

Perhaps now you could help me

with returning

Monsieur Trepagny to his bed.

He has already been in it.

Twice.

I will not have him again.

Not when he has been

into the brandy.

You can tell me what this is?

Trepagny writes these letters.

I won'’t intrude

on another man'’s business.

You can read?

-Yes.

-Good. Then you shall tell me

what it says,

and I will not tell Trepagny

of your trip to the manor house

and of what you saw.

[chuckles softly]

Then you will help me

return him to bed?

Yes. You have my word.

What does it say?

Nothing.

[scoffs]

Even I can see the words.

-They are to the filles du roi.

-No.

It is about land, Mari.

A business dealing.

And that he is a faithful

and loyal servant of the church.

He has more land

than he can hold.

It is for a fille du roi.

He wants to fill the Doma

-with children.

-It is about land, Mari,

and nothing more.

Now, please.

Help me return him to bed.

Do not lie to me.

[muffled chatter]

[man clears throat]

A fair offer.

May we agree on that?

We'’ve told you our price.

You have told me your price,

and I have told you mine.

And now we find

the middle ground.

PIERRE:

Middle ground.

Is that where you stick it

to us, Mr. Cooke?

Your land is swamp.

The trees are twisted.

They'’re good for fence posts,

not so much for barrel stavings.

And there are the Iroquois

to consider.

My brother believes Levesque

will offer twice your price.

A Frenchman

who whispers of no conditions

that we hide his name

on the deed.

COOKE:

Go with Levesque.

But you should know it is his

wife who holds the purse strings

and she holds them tighter

than she holds his bawbels.

And if his offer'’s

really twofold my own,

-then what are we doing here?

-We only wish

a fair price from you if we are

to keep our name on the deed.

It is a sad fact of industry

that not every man can profit.

But in the interests

of concluding this little chat,

I will offer you

an additional 42.

And in return,

you will vacate the land,

from the trail to the creek,

and cover my title

in your good French name.

Pleasure doing business

with you.

-[animals bleating]

-[indistinct chatter]

Move off.

[scoffs]

[spits]

[door opens]

You told me that this was done.

How is it

that they found survivors, then?

Sit.

I-I don'’t know.

You asked me

to clear the land of them.

-That'’s what I did.

-No.

I expressed an interest

in the parcel.

You proposed a fix,

the details of which

I remain gladly ignorant.

I did what you wanted me to do.

And yet it was somehow buggered.

How was that?

I delegated it to Henri Marth.

-You delegated it

to Henri Marth?

-I will fix it.

I think

it'’s a little late for that.

Priest and a little girl.

If they saw what happened,

we are done for.

I will not have it jeopardize

everything I have worked for.

It will not land

on your doorstep, Mr. Cooke.

Well,

perhaps I should put you back

to simpler tasks.

Clean it.

[scoffs]

I'’m not your chambermaid.

-We are partners, Mr. Cooke.

-No, we are not partners.

Not equally.

Now, clean it.

And do it thoroughly this time.

I will send Thom up.

Only if you would have him

watch you

on your knees,

like a woman.

Clean it.

Now.

Where are we going, Mother?

To visit Claudette

so that you can see

what awaits you

when you choose your husband.

Claudette came here

just like you, with nothing,

and now she has a husband,

land

and a fortune of children.

Does she live near where

the m*ssacre happened?

SABRINE:

Not far.

There is nothing to worry about.

We will be well watched.

And, besides,

Captain Bouchard has assured me

that the Iroquois have moved on.

MELISSANDE:

It'’s no wonder they moved on.

Only a witch would live

in this squalor.

Mother Sabrine would not bring

us here unless it were safe.

[scoffs]

All witches possess a mark.

What is yours?

[snickers]

Ow.

[scoffs]

[chickens clucking]

[goat bleating]

Mother Sabrine,

I apologize, as I'’m not prepared

to accept visitors yet.

My child,

there is no need to apologize.

What is this, Claudette?

Mother Sabrine

has blessed us with a visit.

-[children shouting]

-We are simply here to say

good day and to speak

-of women'’s business.

-[clanging]

-Women'’s business?

-Yes.

Those things that men prefer

not to think about.

Of course.

[children chattering, giggling]

DELPHINE: [gasps]

Oh, my. Here.

What happened?

MELISSANDE:

One must be careful

when one bounds around

with such abandonment,

for God will smite you

where you stand.

[creaking]

[grunts, panting]

I am away to town.

-I will return before sundown.

-[sniffles]

Two dozen more,

and you are good on your day,

Monsieur Sel.

-RENE: Okay.

-[exhales]

Ah, the light.

[exhales]

You see how it shines

right through me?

No.

You are ignorant of the light.

Soon, you will be learned

on the bend of it.

What are we cutting

the trees for?

To build. To raise up.

You'’ll see.

Two dozen more.

[exhales]

Shall I take up the search

for Duquet after I'’m done?

No, no, no, no.

We will endure

without the rat'’s presence.

[insects trilling]

[laughter]

-[grunt, chuckles]

-Please, I mean no harm.

[chuckles]

[speaking Wendat]

-[chuckles]

-[speaking Wendat]

[laughter]

[chuckles]

[speaking Wendat]

[laughter]

[speaks Wendat]

[laughs]

[sighs loudly]

[chuckling]

[sniffs]

[laughter]

[groaning, laughter]

[laughter]

What is that?

[chuckles]

Yes.

It does resemble a fox.

I shall call you

Renardette

until you find your proper name.

Hmm?

Come. Sit.

Okay.

We shall burn it.

That is the fix.

It will be gone from this world.

My Veronique

had such poor hair.

Coarse and unruly.

Like hay st*lks.

[chuckles]

But you, my dear

[sighs]

have the most beautiful hair.

It'’s fine,

and shiny.

Which do you fancy?

The blue?

Very well.

We will start with the blue.

It will bring out

the color of your eyes.

[panting]

Stand guard over him.

Should I send

for one of his own?

No. If the Jesuits take him,

then we won'’t get

his full account

of what happened out there.

[insects trilling]

[speaks Wendat]

[chickens clucking]

I'’ve been sent to fetch you

for Mother Sabrine.

[Claudette sniffles]

[shudders]

What is wrong?

[sniffles]

I'’m fine.

It'’s nothing.

Nothing about this place

is fine.

But it can be made better.

Not my husband.

He cannot be made better.

[sniffles]

I picked wrong.

[shudders]

You still have a chance.

Whomever you pick,

make sure he lives

within the walls of Wobik.

I can assure you,

I will choose my husband

with more wisdom

as to his land and station.

We'’re only here

to spread our legs

and let men seed our wombs

for New France.

Don'’t be stupid.

Shut your legs.

[scoffs]

I can'’t do that.

Then take a knife to his wick.

You'’ve done your share,

already borne him

three children.

Four.

-I'’m pregnant.

-[sighs]

The last one nearly k*lled me.

This one certainly will.

You mustn'’t let it.

Take the trade, Claudette.

Live to raise your children.

-Are you suggesting

-If you want to live,

there is a way.

No.

-No, I-I can'’t.

-I saw some cohash over here.

My mother showed me

how to use it.

I will show you. Come.

Here, give me your hand.

Chew them.

Your child will be no more.

[indistinct conversation]

French?

[scoffs]

Charles Duquet.

Where are you from?

-I was born near St. Germain.

-No.

In New France.

Who do you serve?

Who do you belong to?

Help me escape these savages.

They have tortured me.

I swear I will serve

and earn my keep.

Mr. Duquet, is it?

We speak your language,

and we speak it quite well.

Sachem, I apologize on behalf

of this fellow Frenchman.

Uh

take these needles

in amends for his insults.

You don'’t want him?

No.

Let him be yourburden now.

[chuckles]

RENE:

Is this what

you wanted to show me?

MARI:

No, it'’s not.

Come.

This is my secret, Rene.

-Trepagny owns this?

-[laughs]

He has a piece of paper

that says he does,

from a king who has never

set foot in this world.

But it doesn'’t matter.

It is Trepagny'’s,

and therefore it will be Theo'’s.

RENE:

It'’s beautiful.

Come.

[sloshing steps]

Does it have a name?

[speaks Wendat]

Does it not exist if it doesn'’t

have a name in your language?

It'’s just a lake.

There are many more like it

over that rise.

Come. I will show you

something else you can'’t name.

Mari?

[quietly]:

Mari

-[exhales]

-[splash]

Mari?

[door creaks]

The girl and the priest,

where are they?

I don'’t like being snuck up on.

Well, I don'’t enjoy hearing news

secondhand, Mathilde. [grunts]

[chuckles]

Serves you right.

Where are they?

The priest, he is mad.

He is in the stables

talking to horses.

The girl bring her to me

at the cooperage.

Mr. Goames is seeing

to her recovery.

You would do well

to steer clear of this, Gus.

Oh. Hmm. [chuckles]

[indistinct chatter]

My letter?

Don'’t believe you'’ve

received one this week.

Look. Look!

It will be there.

It is a letter from

Monsieur Nicolas de Fer

regarding my application

for a fille du roi.

There is no

Ah, yes.

From Québec City.

The Intendant'’s seal.

I am to have a wife.

I am to have a wife.

I am to have a wife!

[indistinct chatter]

How is she?

The same.

Shaking like a leaf, poor thing.

Aye. I wish to discover

her name.

Reunite her with her family.

She will have to be

watched over.

Well, she seems comfortable

with you.

Of course I will

watch over her.

That is not what I meant.

Say it, Mathilde.

Gus Lafarge came '’round

to see her.

-Well, does he know her?

-No.

And she was not with

the families out there,

of that I am sure.

She is a mystery, then.

[whispering]:

I would feel better

with a man with your skills

at hand.

Gus Lafarge will come back.

Pray he does not bring

Mr. Cooke'’s th*gs with him.

I will be down the hallway

if you need my assistance.

You are safe. Not to worry.

I do not carry a Bible, priest.

But I do have some Milton.

Would it please you to hear it?

Good.

"O miserable of happy!

"Is this the end

of this new glorious world,

"and me so late,

the glory of that glory,

"who now become accursed,

of blessed?

"Hide me from the face of God,

"whom to behold was then

my height of happiness!

"Yet well, if here would end

the misery; I deserved it,

"and would bear

my own deservings;

-but this will not serve"

-HAMISH: No more poems.

Well, they do seem

to calm him a bit.

What happened out there, Father?

Tell me.

What did you see?

[rustling]

[squeals]

What are you doing?

Shall I put it out

of its misery?

Yes.

No need.

Have Mother Sabrine show you

how to skin it. Go on.

I was sent to fetch you and

Claudette. Where is she?

She'’s gone for a walk.

A walk?

While there are Iroquois about?

I would prefer the woods

to her burden in there.

What do you think of her lot?

It'’s not for me to judge.

[scoffs]

Her lot is sh*t.

I won'’t end up like this.

Back in France,

we have no charge

over the husband we lay with,

but here we do.

Mother Sabrine wants us

to depart before night falls.

Go on.

I will be there.

♪

♪

♪

[men speaking Wendat]

Please, no no, no, have m--

have mercy!

Have mercy!

-[indistinct chatter]

-[fiddle music playing]

Captain.

I would like to report

an escaped man.

Charles Duquet has vacated

his indenture.

You still have the other man?

Yes.

And, uh

better yet--

-a woman.

-[chuckles]

I have been granted

a fille du roi.

-Ah.

-[laughs]

I will have my pick of them.

Well, you have lost a man,

but gained a wife.

Yes. [laughs]

And if I come upon Duquet?

The fiddle would be

a good end for him.

I'’d like

to throw this Hudson Bay man

and his savage in the fiddle.

-A new one?

-Aye.

Randall Cross--

-he has gone missing.

-Ah.

Hey, he was at your Doma, no?

Yes. Yes, I remember.

A very talkative, curious sort.

A mind full of promise, but

it was tithed to the company.

This man they sent after him--

Mr. Goames--

he is the implacable sort.

Rigid in his thoughts

and actions.

A thickly-barked b*stard.

Well, if he finds his way to me,

I will tell him

of my interaction with

his colleague Monsieur Cross,

but I will also share with him

what I think of the bloodsucking

Hudson Bay Company.

Oh, he will find you,

that is to be sure.

He'’s finding

all sorts of things.

Priests, mute orphan girls.

Well,

if he should pay me a visit,

I will show him trees,

set him on the path.

Strip the company bark from him.

[chuckling]

[laughter, whooping,

lively chatter]

[fiddle plays upbeat tune]

Marth?

Hey, Henri Marth?

Where is Henri Marth?

Hey, fiddle player!

-Huh?

-[crowd quiets]

Where is Henri Marth?

Yeah?

[laughs]

Hey, get up!

Come on, man.

We got a job to do.

[sighs]

Ah. What job is that?

The job I paid you to do.

You didn'’t finish it.

We finished every last one

of them,

even the Iroquois

after they did the work

you wanted them to do.

The woman.

I squeezed her in my own arms.

Look. She gave me this.

Oh. Well,

they found a little girl

and a priest

out there alive.

That'’s impossible.

I k*lled everything.

You were there.

A little girl and priest--

I'’ve seen them myself.

Who found them? Bouchard?

No. Agent from

the Hudson Bay Company.

We need to fix this

for Mr. Cooke.

[chuckles]

No.

No, I'’m done with both you

and that English b*stard Cooke.

Kick my tent again, I'’ll garland

a tree with your guts.

[speaks French]

Hey. Come. Play.

-Play, man. Play.

-[plays upbeat tune]

[grunts]

[grunts]

[laughs]

-Play! Play!

-[men chuckling]

[yelling]

[distant chatter]

[men grunting]

-[grunts]

-[shouts]

[gasps, pants]

Are you all right, Father?

I'’m fine. The bell

[bell clinking]

It is not cracked.

I will lend you a hand.

Is that a Cathar cross?

Yes. Yes.

Uh, it has been in my family

a long time.

It is an abomination.

It is a piece of silver

handed down,

and now it is in my care.

Now, do you want my help or not?

We can manage.

Look, look,

it is not an abomination

if you cannot see it.

And, uh, I will help.

A bell is a bell,

and I would like

to hear the Lord'’s tone

sound over this wilderness

and know I had a hand

in its voice.

And after,

we may debate our beliefs,

but I must warn you,

Father, I am a man

brimming with contradictions,

and my mind moves

like the blood of Christ.

Now, let us raise a bell.

Very well.

Three, two, one.

[panting]

Thom, Thom.

Ah.

There'’s a--

There'’s a little girl upstairs.

She'’s in danger.

-She needs our help.

-What'’s her name?

That is no concern of yours.

-How will I get her to come?

-You will tell her

that you-you-you will take her

to her mother.

-I am?

-No, no.

You will bring her to me, and I

will bring her to her mother.

-Why do they have her?

-Oh

They wish to do

very bad things to her.

Terrible.

-We don'’t want that

to happen, do we?

-No.

Um

Good boy.

Do you have your knife?

Yeah.

Oh, good ah.

If anyone tries to stop you,

you stick them.

Yes, sir.

You'’re gonna scamper upstairs,

and you'’re gonna cover

the chimney.

And you'’ll go in the window

and you get her.

And I will meet you, uh, back

on the path by the back gate.

Listen, yes. Here. Quiet.

Go quiet, boy.

[grunts]

Quick.

[bell tolling]

[bell continues tolling]

[panting]

♪

Francis?

[grunts quietly]

[wheezing inhale]

Who did this?

[coughs, grunts]

[bell continues tolling]

Mm.

Thom! What are you after?

-[grunts]

-[grunts] Oh

Yvon!

-[mumbling]

-You stay, Priest.

[murmuring prayers]

[inhales sharply]

They'’ve got the girl.

The priest?

They came for him.

I put him down.

It was Gus and his boy Thom.

He came through the window.

[groans]

Is it bad?

You will be fine, madam.

It is Francis.

He'’s dead.

Go.

Find the girl.

Go. Find her.

Shh.

Where is he?

He was done for, I'’m sure of it.

We'’ll track him.

Watch over the priest.

I'’ll find Lafarge.

Take this,

I'’ll be quicker without it.

[humming indistinctly]

Turn around, now,

master cuckoo♪

Get out of our company♪

Each of us gives you

a bye-bye♪

For you this day will die♪

For you are nothing

but a little traitor.♪

[girl straining, panting]

-What is this?

-[whimpers]

Go away, Monsieur.

We are fine.

I will not go away.

What are you doing with

this girl and a knife?

I said move away, Monsieur.

[grunts]

[Thom coughing]

Go.

I am to have a wife.

Awake, you sleepy hearts♪

The birds sing in the trees♪

The god of love is calling♪

To spirits of the breeze♪

And the flowers of the sun♪

Are now turned to the light♪

For they know

the day will come♪

When the sun will shine

all night♪

So awake, you sleepy hearts♪

To the c*ck I return♪

And walk these merry paths♪

For the forest is in bloom.♪