"Some people hear their own inner voices with great cleamess." "And they live by what they hear." "Such people become crazy, or they become legends ..." "Tristan Ludlow was bom in the moon of the falling leaves." "It was a terrible winter." "His mother almost died bringing him into this world." "His father. the Colonel." "brought him to me." "I wrapped him in a bearskin and held him all that night" "As he grew into a man, I taught him the joy of the kill." "When the hunter cuts out its warm heart   setting its spirit free." "Colonel Ludlowhad three sons." "but Tristan was his favourite." "I'd had sons. too ..." "But they were gone now..." "Forever." "It was a very bad time." "The Colonel had tried to help the people." "But it was no use." "So he decided to go his own way." "He wanted to lose the madness over the mountains. he said." "Begin again." "Lose the madness. he said..." "And so we lived for many years, and the boys grew strong." "Alfred was the older brother." "old even for his years." "Samuel was the youngest" "There was nothing these brothers would not do for him." "They watched over him like a treasure." "One year..." "I am an oldman, I cannot remember the year." "It was the moon of the redgrass." "Isabel Ludlow. their mother." "went away for the winter." "She said the winters were too cruel forher." "She said she was afraid of the bears." "She was a strange woman, anyway." "That spring, though, she did not retum." "And after that she did not come much to see us." "Alfred wrote her many letters, but Tristan refused to speak ofher." "His world was here ... with me." "Every warrior hopes a good death will find him." "But Tristan couldn't wait He went looking for his." "Tristan!" "Tristan!" "Was it a bear?" " Yes. sir." "Was it a bear?" " Yes. sir." "Can you breathe?" "Take your hand away." "You're a stupid, half-bred jackass." "Did One Stab put you up to this?" "You deserve to be dead." "God knows how you've lived so long." "Ihave these letters." "Read them." "They are from all ofthem." "Ludlow..." "Isabel..." "Samuel." "The whole family." "The whole story." "Itis all written here." "April 13th, 1913." "Dear Isabel, I am not fool enough to try to alter a life already lived." "But I feel I have not done well raising our sons in this wild place." "What did I know of children?" "I was trained to lead men." "This is infinitely harder." "Dear William, you take too much responsibility on yourself." "Our sons can find their own paths." "They are willful, certainly,   but who are we to complain of willfulness." "I have news of Samuel." "At a Harvard tea   he met Miss Susannah Finncannon." "I know it will surprise you greatly, but they are engaged." "This summer he will bring her to Montana to meet you all." "So behave yourself and be as charming as only you can be." "There he is." " How the hell are you?" " Good, and you?" "Samuel." "Good to see you, boy." "Father." "this is my fiancee Susannah." " Miss Finncannon ..." " l'm pleased to meet you." "And this is Alfred." " Here's your dog." " lt's a horse." " That's a strange-looking animal." " Finn is a champion." "An exotic dog, Miss Finncannon." " Yes." "Mr. Ludlow." "Call me Susannah." " He's just plain old Alfred." " Shut up." "Where's Tristan?" " He's off somewhere." "He'll be here tonight, or I'll knowthe reason why." "Miss Finncannon, please." "Did you have a good journey?" "She is a lovely creature, William,   but she has a certain fragility after the loss of her parents." "At times I think she feels very alone in the world." "But she has found a new family now." "The German military is ready." "The entire civilized world could be plunged into ..." "The word "civilized" has no place in the affairs of this world." "Our mother has told us of your sympathy for the social reformers." " You make it sound like a disease." " No, I'm in agreement." "Your mother told me of One Stab." "She said he was a great warrior." "He has a bag of scalps somewhere to prove it, but don't worry,   he and father are devoted to each other now." " Can he speak English?" " Stab?" "Speak English?" "He wouldn't lower himself to speak English." "Would you, Stab?" "But watch out." "he understands it perfectly well." "Hey, there's Tristan." " Don't they feed you up there?" " Not much." " You smell." " Miss me, did you?" " Still hungover?" " Still drunk." "Isn't she amazing?" "So this is Tristan." "And does he speak English?" "Miss Finncannon." "it's a pleasure to meet you." "I hope you and ugly here find every happiness together." "Don't mind my brother." "Your dog has more breeding than he has." " This is Mother's room." " lt's lovely." "It's a pleasure to meet you, Pet." "Argemonia albeflora, Langifolia ..." "Angelica arguta ." "Which one's that?" "It's this one." "Angelica Susannah." "Hello." "You must be Isabel Two." "I've already met your mother and father." " How old are you?" " 13." "When I was 13." "I was sent away to boarding school." "I hated it." "May I help you?" " You're going to marry Samuel." " That's right." "I'm going to marry Tristan." "Then we'll be sisters." " l see you two have met." " Isabel Two is letting me help." " Rest now." "You must be exhausted." " No. not at all." "This is so refreshing." "All this grandeur." "This unexpected gift from God." "It doesn't seem like much of a gift four months into a hard winter." "Where's Samuel?" " He's inside with your father." " You're very generous." " No ... just happy." "Alfred!" "Stop mooning over Miss Finncannon." "Tell Samuel about the new calves." "Come on." "Excuse my father." "It makes him feel young and powerful to treat us like idiot children." "For this and all his other blessings, may God's name be praised." "Amen." "Tell Father what you were saying about Vienna." "The Kaiser." "He won't stop them from annihilating Serbia." " No talk ofwar at the table." "All England is mobilizing." "We're stuck out here." " Thank God for that." "We're evading our duty." "Are you?" "Excuse me for being late. I packed so carefully I couldn't find things." "Thank you." "Dear Isabel, how strange to have a cultivated woman in the house again." "lntoxicating." "I have all mysons with me again." "It fills me with such deep, quiet satisfaction that I thank God." "Hey, Stab!" "There's a friend of yours." "I've got a dollar that says he brings her back." "Nice work!" "You guys look like a bunch of ice cream cones." "Go easy on him, Susannah." "Alfred, you take over." " You've disgraced our name." " Nice shiner." " Yeah. I hit her back." "She's got me spinning." "She's got these ideas and theories ..." " She's ..." "What?" "Nothing." " How did you break the mare?" " Oh no ..." "She's what?" "She's sort of passionate." " Is she a virgin?" " Good Lord!" "Of course she is." "Are you?" " Yes." " Gonna wait till you get married?" "She says ..." "Susannah thinks that ..." "No." "We're not gonna wait." "And you're afraid you won't meet her expectations." "I guess I am." "Sort of ..." "I don't know." " Should I be?" " God bless you." "You are good at everything you try to do." "Fuck her." "We're talking about my fiancee." "Why not fuck her?" "I'm planning to be with her." " l recommend fucking." " You're impossible." " Tristan's gone hunting." "We're not here for Tristan." "This is John T. and James O'Banion." "they own the new mercantile store." "Good morning, Alfred." "We're looking for a man who might be around here." "Name of Tom Cullen." "I have a likeness here." "What did this fella do?" " Do you recognize him?" " Yes." "We've got him, James." "This fella passed by here four years ago." "He did some work." "He was on his way to San Francisco." "He hoped to sail for Australia." " Or was it Hong Kong?" " l think it was Hong Kong." "What is he wanted for." "Sheriff?" " That would be of a private nature." "A private nature?" "That's a public office you hold, isn't it, Sheriff?" ""There came a low hiss. and Rikki Tikki Tavi jumped back."" ""Then out ofthe grass rose the head and spread hood ..."" ""lt was Nag the big black cobra ..." Don't you like this story?" "The Germans broke through." "The British are trapped in Belgium." "And this paper's a week old." " l speak German. I'd be an officer." "And lead boys to the slaughter." " Your men worshipped you." "And they were damn fools!" "This is a turning point in history." " Father, you taught us ..." " l taught you to think clearly." "And to defend what's ours." " Yes. what is ours !" "Don't talk at me, boys, as if I've never seen a war!" "Not a war like this, you haven't." "They said that about the Indian wars." " That's how they sell newspapers." "We're fighting naked aggression." "There will be no more talk of wars in this house. damn it!" "I'm sorry, Susannah." "I'm going to Canada to enlist." "I'm going with him." "I'm sorry, my love." "I know you'll understand. lt's the only honourable thing to do." "What's that?" " lt's a book my father wrote." "He tried to alter the government's policies towards Indians." " Samuel won't change his mind." " Change it for him." "What happened between them?" "Father says she never liked it here." "I think they loved mostly the idea of each other." "Please, don't let him go." "I'll take care of him." "I'll take care of him." "October 14 th. 1914." "My dear Isabel, today our sons are leaving home   to defendan England they have never seen." "I am unable to stop them." "I have tried to shelter our sons from all the madness." "And now they go to seek it" "Be careful." "You don't have to go." "Alfred ..." "Goodbye." "Don't worry, Father." "Take care. now." "Samuel ..." " l'll get you the Kaiser's helmet." " Just get yourself back." "Tristan ..." " Take care of Samuel." " l will." "Colonel Ludlow told me:" ""Ride with them to Calgary." "Bring back the horses."" ""Damn fools."he called them." ""Damn fools."" "The Colonel would not have his sons ride off to war on old nags." "Damn fools or not" "Come on, let's join them." "Bring your plate." "May we join you?" "Sit down." "We're feeling lonely in there." "What's her name?" " Lady." "Tristan's Lady." " Tristan's lady was Isolde." " You know the story, don't you?" "You're in need of education." "She can read and write." "School might be awkward for her." " l'll teach her myself." " May I help?" "Literature, history, mathematics ..." "With your permission, Decker, and yours, Pet." "What do you think?" "What good is her education?" " She'll live a richer. fuller life." " She's a half-breed." " Not in this house." " Tristan calls me a half-breed." " Does he?" "He says I'm half gopher and half hawk." "After her chores. then." " To us all." " To you, sir ... and miss." "And to the boys." "And the boys." " Get back to your unit." " Those boys are boring." "I'd rather have you watch my back." "Here you are, mate." "February 3rd, 1915." "Dear Susannah. the horror of this place is indescribable." "Nothing is as I thought" "Tonight as I prayed for the souls of those who've died so terribly,   l also prayed for personal glory." "is it wrong to want to distinguish myself in combat as my father did?" "Tristan and Alfred watch over me." "so I may never get the opportunity." "Are you hit?" " lt's just a scratch." "I see now not that my father was right but that I was naive." " Let me get up!" " Stay down!" "Our bodies are in God's keeping." "We go into battle honourably." "Confident His name on our lips." "We're pinned here." "We'll wait." "Susannah, I try to guard against depair,   but at moments it seems all human decency has gone." "Alfred will recover from his wounds." "He and Tristan have drifted apart I cannot understand it I miss you more than you can imagine." "You're all that's clean and cool and pure." "I close my eyes and fix my thoughts on you." "I now regret that we agreed to wait to marry." "I regret that we were never together as we planned to be." "Please stay on at the ranch and wait for me." "Don't let Father worry." "God will protectme, aided considerably by Tristan." "He seems to have come to France purely to nursemaid me." "Be well, my love." "Your own Samuel." " l have to translate this." "Alfred will want to see you." "I'll be there." "Go on and go." "Alfred ..." "Where's Samuel?" "He's translating." "He'll be here." "Vino?" " Put that away." " You'll be getting a medal." " Yes, they're sending me home." " l'm glad for you." "An officer belongs with his men." " Horseshit!" " Or what's left of them." "MacKenzie's here." "His leg's turned bad." "He said ..." "What?" "What is it?" "Your brother volunteered to take his place on the reconnaissance." "I told you to stay with him!" "I told you to stay with him!" "Samuel!" "Samuel!" "Samuel!" "Tristan!" " Tristan!" "Tristan!" " l'm here!" "I can't see!" "I can't move!" "Samuel, I'm coming!" "I've got you." "You're doing good." "We're going home." "God damn you, God!" "Tristan ..." "Tristan!" "Tristan. it's me." "March 20th. 1915." "Dear Father and Susannah." "I have been discharged, but I cannot come home yet I'll join Grandfather Ludlow in Comwall and go to sea." "As for our beloved Samuel." "all I can send home is his heart" "Alfred will bring it back." "You know where he should be buried." "Up in the box canyon." "Your son." "Tristan." "Well ..." "He certainly was the best of all of us. wasn't he?" "Goodnight." "Goodnight, Father." "Alfred ..." "What you sawthat night before Samuel left ..." " Please. don't ..." " No. I want to." " lt was Samuel I loved." "All right." "Tristan will be back someday." "Your father will be pleased." "Susannah was to retum to Boston on the moming train." "But a norther blew for three days, and snow drifted over the tracks." "The Colonel insisted she stay on until spring." "The house was too empty, he said." "This was still her home." "he told her." "He should have let her go." "But how could he have known what would happen?" "She was not to blame." "She was like the water that freezes in the rock and splits it apart lt was no more her fault than it is of the water  when the rock shatters." " when the rockshatters." "Susannah ..." "You know how much ..." "I loved Samuel." "And I think you know ..." "Out of respect for him, I wanted to say it here. I think you know   I'm in love with you." "From the first moment I saw you." "Like in a novel." "That's my mother's romantic imagination coming out in me." " You're not making this easy." " Sorry." "is there any hope that you could learn to love me?" "Not the way you loved Samuel, of course. but ..." "We could make a life together." "A happy life." "I don't think so." "Alfred." "It seems like you're not sure." "Maybe there's a chance." "I think I can only cause you pain." "Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" "I didn't break it." "but I can fix the wheel myself." "Go take a nap." "Colonel!" "Look!" "I'm going into town, if ..." "Welcome home. son." " l couldn't save him." " Of course you couldn't." " l couldn't save him." " lt's all right." "Did you have a nice ride today?" "Excuse me." "Father." "Tristan ..." "When are you planning to be married?" "Morning." "Damn you, Tristan." "You will marry her." " Make an honest woman of her?" " Yes!" "God damn you to hell." " l'll marry her, if she'll have me." " lf she'll have you?" "Do you love her?" "Or did you seduce her just to spite me?" "What about Samuel?" " Samuel?" " You tell me." "We all loved him. but he's dead." "How convenient that is for you." "Because you love her, I will forgive you forthat." "Once!" "You saythat again and we're not brothers." "Once!" " You know you can't make her happy." " l'm gonna try." "You will fail." "I'm going to be leaving today." "I do wish you both all the best." "I do wish you both all the best." "Goodbye, son." "Good luck." "September 7th, 1915." "Dear Mother, I think I may have found my place in this world." "Helena is a city tumedmodem ovemight it's bursting with the energy and vitality of our times." "I feel alive here." "There is much opportunity for anyone willing to work." "Already I have a reputation for honesty and fair dealing." "Andsome of Helena's most influential citizens are my friends." "They are determined to see this city grow, as am I." "Mother, thank you for your letter." "You knew my hopes." "You understand my disappointment That is a great comfort to me." "Every night I pray for the grace to forgive Tristan." "I know you understand." "Your loving son Alfred." "Quit it!" "Goddamn it!" "Goddamn it!" "If we have a boy, I'd like to call him Samuel." "And if it's a girl, Isabel." "I'll still love you." "And you'll tolerate me because of how much I love you." "Tristan ..." "Nothing." "I heard from your mother." "Alfred has hooked up with the O'Banion brothers." "He's doing well." "Alfred will always do well." " Except when he's here with us." "That's my fault. I couldn't bring Samuel home alive. either." "Don't you dare say that!" "That was in God's hands." "Was it?" "Colonel. we found a dead calf." "It might be a grizzly." "My grizzly?" " You take him." "Tristan." " You're damn right I will." "I don't know why Tristan didn't kill that damn old bear." "They say when a man and an animal have spilled each other's blood,   they become one." " l said four beers." "Mr. Sachtleben." "And I said no Indians." "He's quite civilized, I assure you." "Give him a beer." "My father said four, didn't he?" "We'd reached an understanding." " Give him a beer!" "Stay out of it!" "You're a fool spoiling for a fight with a man that outweighs you." "He's sure to have weapon at hand." "Right, Mr. Sachtleben?" "He'd split your stupid skull and kill you stone-dead!" "I want four beers ..." "Now!" "The owner doesn't want to serve any Indians." "Get back!" "You see this man?" "Do you?" "His name is One Stab." "He's an elder of the Cree nation and a warrior." "He's our friend and he's thirsty." "He's our friend and he's thirsty." "I think it was the bear's voice he heard deep inside him." "Growling low of dark, secret places." "Were you going to say goodbye?" "Tristan?" "How long will you be gone?" "Not long." "A few months." " l can make it better for you." " No." "If we'd had a child   or if I were pregnant, would you still be going?" "Yes ..." " Just give me a chance." " Don't do that." "Look at me." "Please. look at me." "I'll wait for you." "However long it takes." "I'll wait for you forever." "Will he come back?" " l don't know." "Stab says yes." "April 20th, 1918." "Dear Tristan ... lt has been months now and still no word." "I know you're alive." "We had a tattered parcel from New Guinea." "It was covered with strange writing." "Inside was a native bracelet" "Meant for me, I presume ..." "Perhaps not" "Do you still care to know whatis happening here?" "Cattle prices continue to fall." "The winter seems never- ending." "Why don't you write?" "Are you never coming back, and afraid to tell me?" "Alfred continues to do well." "His business has expanded to Chicago and Washington." "He wants to send Isabel Two to school. but she won't leave." "I think she too is waiting for you." "I have nowhere to send this letter." "And I have no reason to believe you wish to receive it" "I write it only for myself." "I'll hide it away with all the other things left undone between us." "December 12th. 1919." "Dear Susannah." "I have become a hunter." "Tell Stab there are creatures here that cannot even be found in books." "And I have killed them all." "Susannah. all we had is dead  as I am dead." "Marry another." "Colonel." "it looks like we've got compnay." "Father. I have come to ask for your blessing." " You see, these gentlemen ..." "And a great many others." " They want me to run for office." "What sort of office?" " The United States Congress." "We hold your son in high regard." "Well ..." "Alfred." "And what do you gentlemen hope to get out of this?" "What do you want for yourselves, should my son be elected?" "I don't think these gentlemen ..." "Do you think these men back you out of patriotism and admiration?" "Father, I am no longer a child." " Congress ..." " l worked for the government once." " The issues that we ..." " Indians!" "Indians were the issue in those days." "There is nothing so grotesque as the meeting of a child with a bullet." "We slaughtered entire villages." "That was the government's resolution on that issue." "And I doubt, since then, that they have gained in wisdom or humanity." "My father, for whom I have the greatest respect,   says that the government has neither wisdom nor humanity." "I therefore consider it my duty, as my father's son,  to bring both wisdom and humanity to the United States Congress." "I thank you for your blessing, Father." "Gentlemen, would you mind waiting for me in the cars?" "Are you all right?" "What's wrong?" "All we had is dead." "Marry another." "I don't know what to say." "Tristan's always been wild." " You love him for that." " Do I?" "Yeah, I suppose I do." "He does love you." "Alfred!" "She's to be your brother's wife." " You better remind him of that." " He's not here to defend himself." "No, but I see you are here to defend him." "Even though he's abandoned her and you!" "And you knowwho else he abandoned." "Don't you blame my son for Samuel's death!" "Samuel was a soldier." "He was sent to his death by men in government." "Parasites like you!" "Damn and blast you!" "And damn you, too!" " Leave her out of this!" " Get out of my house." " Because I aim to serve my country?" "Or because, like you, I love a woman who doesn't love me?" " He used her and he deserted her." "Alfred. don't ... I loved her." "I love her still." "He stole her from me." "He stole her from Samuel before the war!" "God help me, I'll kill you." "Here." "read your darling Tristan's letter." "Susannah   you deserve to be happy." "Late that night we found the Colonel on the floor." "He could not move." "His hair tumed white overnight He became an oldman." "After that Tristan sent no more letters." "As the years passed by, we'd hear someone had seen him on a ship." "Sailing for some place that no white man had been before." "Stories came to us." "Strange stories." "And then for years there was nothing." "He was lost to us." "That was all we knew." "But every year in the moon of the falling leaves   l would dream that the bear's voice inside him had grown silent." "And that Tristan might again come to live in the world." "But then the winter would come ..." "and then another spring." "And still he stayed away." "What the hell is he doing now?" "Tristan!" "She's a mean old bitch." "but she's yours." "Welcome home." "Hey, old man!" "Where's Father?" "Stab?" "He had a stroke some years ago." "He can't talk now." "He wants to celebrate." "AM HAPPY" "I'm happy, too." "Father, this is for you." ""Colonel William Ludlow." "from his son Tristan."" "I didn't know." "Stab. these are boar's tusks." "made by a Javanese warrior." "He, too, was a great man." "Decker ..." "Pet." "I have other things, too, for Mother and little Izzy and Susannah." "What is it?" "Tell him." "Alfred and Miss Susannah were married several years ago." "Your brother's a congressman now." "They have a big new place over in Helena." "It's as it should be." "Cattle prices dropped after the war ended." "The Colonel didn't care much." "He lost everything he had." "We'll make it back." "On horses, or something else." "We'll make it back." "He says your brother voted forthe Volstead Act." " Should we try bootlegging?" " There's good money in it." " Screw the government!" " Screw the government!" "Forever turned out to be too long, Tristan." "I know." "Here. I don't want it." "They told me that this was magic." "That whoever wore it would be protected." "Keep it." "Don't you want to see Alfred?" "It's probably better that I don't." "Tell him hello ..." "and congratulations." "He likes you." "Welcome home." "Isabel?" "I want you to have him." "I have something for you, too." "I brought it back." " lt's from Ierapetra in ..." " Crete." "I know where it is." "Your father taught me European history." "A little girl." "That's me, right?" "Thank you, Tristan." "It was then that Tristan came into the quiet heart of his life." "The bear inside him was sleeping." "It is hard to tell of happiness." "Time goes by and we feel safe too soon." "I heard the oddest news." "Tristan ... is back." "Yes. I know." "You know?" "How do you know?" "I saw him." "You mean he came here just to see you?" "No." "He wanted to see you, but he thought you'd get upset." "I think he might be right." "What did he ..." "What did he say?" "He said to say hello and congratulations." "Silly me." "He told you the news, did he?" "Well, what do you think?" "Come on, it's perfectly absurd." "Marrying Isabel Two." "She's practically our sister." " She can't be more than 19." " 20." "What the hell is Decker thinking of to allow this?" "Perhaps he's thinking of his daughter's happiness." "Happiness?" "With Tristan?" "You of all people should know that's impossible." "I'm not Isabel Two." "June 2nd. 1921." "Dear Tristan." "I was so pleased to hear of your coming marriage." "Your father must be very happy." "Isabel Two is a daughter to him." "Being named after your mother,   it seems as though it was always meant to be." "Damnation!" "Samuel Decker Ludlow." "Dearest Tristan ..." "We were delighted to hear of your son's birth." "We had hoped for a child of our own, but of that I despair." "Alfred thinks of you often." "I hope we shall all meet one day." "Your son bears a proud name." "I know he will live up to it" "Give my love to Isabel Two and to your father." "Yours always, Susannah." "Yours always, Susannah." "Yours always, Susannah." "Evening, gentlemen." "We have to talk about things." " By all means." "As you know, we handle the liquor around here." "You've been what we call a small-time operator." "But lately, your shipments have been getting a little fat." "And my patience is getting thin." "The next time you get in our way   will be the last time." "Perhaps you're wondering why you're not dead already." "Your brother is Congressman Ludlow, and that's it." "Kenneth ..." "Thomas ..." "Hello." "Alfred." "Hello." "Tristan." "Who's this young man?" " Samuel." "Hello." "Samuel." "She's beautiful." "Hello, Izzy." "Let me see." " Samuel?" " Hello." "Who is this lady?" "I'm your Aunt Susannah." "I used to know your Uncle Samuel, who died in the war." " l think you look like him." " That's what Grandpa says." " He was very brave and very good." " Grandpa says that, too." "Soon I can have Uncle Samuel's gun." "Will you can come and see it?" "I'd love to ... sometime." " He's a fine boy, Tristan." " He is." "How's Father?" "is he well?" "As well as can be expected." "I wish ..." "Pardon the intrusion." "We're ready for your speech." " l'll be there in a minute." "We'll meet again soon." " l'd like that." "Kenneth ..." "Watch this." "Go and get Tynert." "I think you missed a bump, Stab." "We have information that you might be transporting illegal goods." " l have some whiskey for my father." " You have to give it up." "He'll be disappointed." "Hold him down." " Let's get out of here." "We may as well open his pocket." "My brother told you to stay out of our way." "Pick him up and put him in the car." "I don't want to see him." "I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry." "Father won't see me. even now?" "He blames the government for Isabel's ..." "There's something we have to talk about." "The officer you beat, he almost died." "Everyone understands   but they say that you're gonna have to serve 30 days." "And the one who shot off his gun?" "He was ... reprimanded." "And the O'Banions?" " Nothing." "You have to let it go, Tristan." "It was a terrible, tragic accident." "Listen to me." "You let this go now." "You got in over your head." "I'll need a minute." "I'm so sorry." "We all loved her." "How are you?" "We never get to see you." " l gave a speech the other day." " You did?" "My first public engagement." "It was ... lt was on ..." "It was on the responsibilities of women in ... lt's good to see you." "I'm sorry ... I still sometimes dream that I'm the mother of your children." "I wanted her to die." "Maybe I even wanted Samuel to die." "You had nothing to do with Samuel's death." "And you had nothing to do with Isabel's death." "Didn't I?" "Go home." "Go home to Alfred." "Where were you?" "Out for a walk. I needed a walk." "What are you doing home?" " You had a doctor's appointment." "I called to remind you, but you weren't here." "I feel verytired. I'm going to bed." "You have won her." "I'm bringing her home." "Alfred." "I followed all the rules." "Man's and God's." "And you ..." "You followed none of them." "And they all loved you more." "Samuel." "Father ..." "Even my own wife." "I'd like a moment alone with her." "Tristan." "When Samuel died ..." "When Samuel died. I cursed God." "Did I damn everybody around me, as well as myself?" "No." "You are not damned." "Tristan." "I won't allow that." "You are not damned!" "This is a gentleman's gun." "It's smaller, but just as powerful." "You can have one when you grow up." "Samuel!" "Samuel. come here!" "Run along." "Go to Pet." "Get him in the house." "He's a fine boy." "You know we're not here to arrest you." "Take me to the woods." "I don't want my boy to see." "Let's get on with it." " Colonel Ludlow!" "What's going on here?" "What's going on here?" "You know they're gonna come after you for this." "Alfred ... I want you to watch over my children." "Watch over Samuel." "Brother. it will be an honour." "How much I wanted to take scalps, but it was not my kill." "That night we buried the bodies." "We dumped the caring a deep pool in the upper Missouri." "I remember when he was a boy." "I thought Tristan would never live to be an oldman." "I was wrong about that I was wrong about many things." "It was those who loved him most who died young." "He was a rock they broke themselves against   however much he tried to protect them." "But he had his honour and a long life,   and he saw his children grow and raise their own families." "Tristan died in 1963 in the moon of the popping trees." "He was last seen in the north country, hunting." "His grave is unmarked, but it does not matter." "He had always lived in the borderland, anyway." "Somewhere between this world and the other." "It was a good death."