"Behold the Usher." "A dark heart dwells where branches meet." "Anointed dagger...." "Plunge thee deep." "Accept your fate." "Scudder." "Looks like you could use a hand." "Henry Scudder, right?" "My name is Stroud, Varlyn Stroud." "And you led me a merry chase." "I got a friend who's just dying to meet you." "Scudder!" "Scudder?" "Something bad happened." "Something terrible bad." " What's Scudder got to do with it?" " Have you seen him?" "No, I just heard you yelling." "I got to stop him." "Hawkins!" "I got an idea." "Holy cats, gentlemen." "Holy cats!" "Look like Miss Lulu out of control tonight." "Boy!" "And I would not be surprised... if she might be persuaded... to do her famous Bulgarian muscle dance." " Where the hell is Libby?" " I haven't seen her yet." "What's that, Miss Lulu?" "No, not the red-light show." "Not the red-light show!" "No, that's been banned in seven... no, eight states." "And that's just on this side of the Mississippi." "That's four double-trots in a row." "I'm dying." "Gentlemen, yes, indeedy." "Yes, indeedy." "Now if you'll just step right on through to the next tent here... where Miss Lulu will reveal... her most intimate of secrets." "No." " What happened?" " You don't remember?" "We were listening to the radio, and I must've fainted." "And then?" "Nothing." "It seems you had one of your spells." "Spells?" "It was nothing, Alexi." "You just need some rest, that's all." "Go to sleep now." "Thank you, Eleanor." "Miss Iris?" " Did you see?" " Did I see what?" "The devil in him." "I saw the devil." "Shame on you, Eleanor." "You know Brother Justin is a man of God." "Where's my money?" "Hey, Bud!" "Hey!" " I was hoping you'd stop by." " Is that a fact?" "Look, I know Damascus ain't exactly on the circuit." "What circuit?" "You people move around like a pack of drunk monkeys." "I thought we agreed that you were gonna tell me" "I know, I know, I was supposed to leave word at the last town we were at." " But the thing is" " You were hoping you could duck me." " No, no" " Cough it up, you chiseling son of a bitch." "Cough it up, or so help me God, I'll pound it out of you." "Trouble here?" " Hell, Rita!" "Jeez!" " Shut up." "You want to slap him around, have at it." "But if you want your dough, you'd best come on in here and talk to me." "It's your choice." "She was just kidding about slapping me around." "He got away." "Goddamn Scudder." " He finally did it." " He didn't do nothing." "It was me, I did it." "Not Scudder." "Why?" "You said so yourself, remember?" "To him we're all just pieces in one big game." "He was a piece, too." "He had to die." "And he had to make sure I was the one who killed him." "What're you saying?" "I'm saying, all those years, he wasn't trying to find Scudder." "He was just trying to keep tabs on him, just like he kept tabs on me." "Lodz, Ruthie, that was a test." "That was a dry run, to make sure I had it in me." "Once he knew for sure I did, all he had to do was put the pieces in place." "Him, Scudder, me, all of us, here in this trailer." "He knew I couldn't kill him except to save my father." "So the simple matter is:" "you can beat a stone, you can bust its legs... hell, you can even run it over with your automobile... but you can't get blood out of it." " So what do you suggest?" " There's a depression on." "I'm sure this isn't the first time that somebody hasn't been able to pay up." "Maybe we can work something out." "Maybe." "What do you say to 10% of the gate?" "Just until we get ourselves squared up." "What about the vig?" "Oh, Bud... you don't have to keep your meter running overtime on account of us." "There's more than one kind of interest." "Maybe for you." "As for me, the interest you're looking for down there... got shot off in a barley field outside of Avignon." "$100." "Cold and hard, and in my hand at the end of each week, every week... until you've paid off the principal, plus the vig." "Miss a payment, we'll see if I can't make a stone bleed." "I wager I can." "So you're saying he set the whole thing up?" ""By the hand of the prince..." ""The prophet dies." ""Upon his death, the prince shall rise."" "The prince, that's me." "Management was the prophet." "It's all in this book." "He needed me to kill him." "Why?" "When I killed him... everything he was, everything he knew, everything he believed... he gave it to me." "He had to." "He knew that was the only chance I had against the Usher." " The Usher?" " Alexi Belyakov." "His son." "That's bullshit." "Nothing but lies." "They ain't lies." "You knew him." "You knew the way he did things." "You're damn right I did." "And you killed him, you dumb hick son of a bitch!" "Hey, Sofie." "Open up, it's me." "Sof." "What the hell do you want?" " Where's Sofie?" " I don't know." "She run off back after we stopped for them Daily Brothers." " Gosh, that can't be." " Well, it is." "Do you know where she went?" "Has she told anybody?" " Left a note?" " Not a word." "Just...." "Scramski." "No, she wouldn't do that." " Not after...." " After what, lover-boy?" "Don't tell me you finally put the boots to that little biscuit." "Hey, what you got?" " Crowe residence." " I need to talk to Brother Justin." " He's indisposed right now." " How long is he going to be indisposed?" " I don't know how long" " Oh, come on." " I'm sorry." " Is that McNaughton again?" "It's that man." "Stroud." " Where are you?" " Nebraska." " I've managed to find our friend." " Scudder?" "He's with me right now." " When will you be here?" " Two, three days, tops." "Are you all right?" "Oh. yeah, I'm fine." "Fit as a fiddle." " Can I help you?" " I thank you, friend... but I think I'll help myself." "Hand over the cash box." "Give me the damn money, hayseed." "That's right." "That's right." "Praise the lord." "Hey!" "Slaphappy!" "Looks like we got ourselves a ragtop." "West." "West." "You're awake." "I brought you some joe." " Thanks." " Yeah." "Yeah." "Ain't that something, now?" "Well, I better hop to it." "Don't want to keep the boys waiting." " Yeah, me too." "I mean, you know." " Yeah." "What the hell are you doing in there?" "Are you crackers?" "Shacking up with that gimp... for everybody and his brother to see?" " I was just" " I'll tell you what you was just." "You was just breaking your daddy's heart." "That's what you were just." "Good lord, what did I raise?" "Don't you put the high hat on with me, little lady." "You ain't too old I can't take a switch to you." "Oh, yeah?" "Maybe I'm too married." " Him?" " Yeah, "him."" "Ain't you gonna congratulate me?" "Hey, it still looks out of pitch." "You ever heard of knocking?" " I got it figured out." " Got what figured out?" "We got to pack it up and head west." "I felt him out there." " Is that a fact?" " Yeah." "We can't waste no time, neither." "He got a head start on us." "But if we hustle out now we might be able to catch up." " Who the hell is "he"?" " The bald fellow." "The one that torched the Daily Brothers' outfit." "I mean, he's connected to the Usher somehow, I know it." "He can lead us right to him, but we got to get moving now." "If you're so powerful, you bring him back." "What'd you do with him?" "Who?" "Management." "Oh, Jesus." "We ain't got time for this now." "Didn't you hear what I said?" "Where the hell is he?" "He ascended." " Ascended?" " Yeah." " What the hell is that supposed to mean?" " He went up to...." "I don't know, to heaven." "I want you out of here, God damn it." " I need your help." " You killed him, damn it!" "Look at what you killed, you ignorant hayseed!" "Goddamn rube, don't you see what he was?" "I know exactly what he was, 'cause that's what I am!" "Well, there was one thing he was that you ain't:" "my friend." "I'll tell you what, Prince." "I'll give you all the help you need... as soon as you bring him back." "I'm flattered, Brother Justin, I really am." "But I doubt my name will pass muster with the nomination committee." "We need men like you in Washington, Mr. Templeton." "Ty Divine is a socialist, and a degenerate." " An atheist." " He's also an incumbent." "The man's untouchable." "Val, I think you're selling yourself a little short, there." "Oh, Ned." "The fix has been in on this district... since they redrew the boundaries in the last census." "Mr. Templeton, do you have any idea... how many people listen to my brother every week?" " Thousands." " Hundreds of thousands." "We're planning a special candlelight service for next Sunday evening... a Sermon on the Mount for a new America." "I would very much like you to be a keynote speaker." "It takes more than one speech to win an election." " It takes organization." "It takes money." " Money is no problem." "It takes manpower, people walking door to door." "Yes, of course it does." "Gentlemen, please." "That census you mentioned a moment ago..." " it was for 1930, was it not?" " Yes, it was." "Did it happen to record the number of registered voters in the district?" "Yes, sir, that it did." "And do you happen to recall that number, Mr. Templeton?" "Ned?" "Five thousand, three hundred and nineteen." "More or less." "There's more than three times that number living here now." "Over 17,000 souls." "We provide them food... shelter, blankets, toys for their children, medicine for their sick and elderly." "Now, I wonder... who do you suppose they will vote for come November?" "Anybody you tell them to." "That's right." " And here you go." " Oh, thank you, sir." "No." " Those are mine!" " This is ridiculous." "You are too young to get married, to Jones or to anyone." " Daddy." " She's right, baby." "Well, it's too late." "We've already done it." " We'll get it annulled." " We ain't Catholic, Mama." "He's more than twice your age." " This has got to be against some law." " I don't know, honey." " Felix, do something." " Ain't nothing to be done." "You are useless." "I'm sure he sweet-talked you, baby." "He's real good at that." "He's got a wicked silver tongue... and he knows how to make a woman feel good." "You're just jealous, Mama." "Jealous?" "You're my daughter." "Because he wants me and not you." "Is that why you did this, girl?" "Maybe I love him." "And he loves me." "So why shouldn't we get married, then?" " That ain't enough." " Well, it's enough for me!" "Bye, Daddy." "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot." "You're gonna have to find someone else to do the cootch." "Jonesy don't want me dancing no more." "Oh, crap." "Ain't nothing to be done." "Two rides." "Then take them off." "What're you doing?" "I mean, why aren't you inside working?" "Ruthie." "Come one, come all." "Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, please:" "Rollo the rubber boy." "Damn it." "Jasper!" "Get over here." "I want you turning the tip on the wrassling show." "Shut down that single-o and move Rollo over to the ten-in-one." " He ain't gonna be happy." " Yeah?" "Tell him it comes straight down from Management." "Ruthie!" "What the hell's going on?" " I can't." " Can't what?" " What's the matter?" " I can't go out there." "Why not?" "You sick or something?" "You remember that night I told you I had a date with Skeeter Lewis?" " Yeah?" " Well, I did." "I saw him." " Ruthie, Skeeter Lewis is" " Dead, I know." "But I'm telling you I saw him." "And a whole lot of others since." "Dead folks." "Are you saying you've got the sight?" "At least since I got snake-bit, I do." "We could work something up." "For Pete's sake, Samson." "I'm not interested in working up an act." "I just want it to stop!" "I thought I was doing better." "I haven't seen nothing for a while." "Then last night...." " What happened?" " I saw Scudder." "Hack Scudder?" "Stumbling through the midway like a Bourbon Street rummy." "And this other one, he come and he shove him into a car." "A car!" "They got cars." "Ruthie, Hack Scudder ain't dead." "He was here last night." "That was him you saw." "It was?" "Thank God." "Ruthie, I need you to tell me about that fellow you seen... the one throwing Hack in the car." "Right down to the quick." "Let's go." "Hey there, Jones." "Hey." "Thought I'd come by and say congratulations." "Thanks." "Looks like you got a customer." "Let's go, children." " I think you should." " Peanuts!" " Take it over." " You got it, Jonesy." "It looks like you're part of the family now." "Yeah, I suppose." "You know, I understand you don't like Libby's line of work." "Yeah." "Sorry." "Nothing to be sorry about." "That's to be expected." "No, it takes...." "I tell you, it takes a certain kind of man." "Fortitude, you know?" "It's not easy turning your wife out every night... and expecting her to come back." " Yeah, I'll bet." " You know, I was thinking... and Rita Sue and I were thinking... it would be awful nice if all four of us, you and me and Libby..." " and...." " Rita Sue." "Yeah, yeah, yeah, and Rita Sue." "Anyhow... we should all get together, have a family supper." "What do you say about 8:00 tonight, out behind the cootch?" "Sure, I guess." "That would be great." "That would be fantastic." "Good." "Okay, then." "You know, hey, Jones, can you do me a favor?" "Don't go calling Rita Sue "mother." At least not just yet." "I hadn't planned on it." "One lump or two?" "You didn't have to go through this much trouble." "Two." " I feel better already." " That's good." "You have any more fits?" "Not that I remember." "You know, you could be having them and not be remembering." "I mean, like, when you're alone... and there's nobody around to observe any peculiar behavior." " Well, that ain't exactly comforting, is it?" " I know." "I know, it's downright terrifying." "You could get up and wander out into the road... and get runned over by a bus or something." "Maybe you need someone to stay with you... day and night?" "I got to get back to my bally." "Oh, Ruthie." "Ruthie, I...." "Damn it." "Lincoln Highway." "Jesus!" "Crazy fathead!" "Jeepers." " And then what happened?" " Nothing." "There was just the pain." "May I see?" "My flesh is burned and scarred." "Good lord." "What does it mean?" "Your enemy has received his boon." " No." " Yes." "But what concerns me more is this business you mentioned with the knife." ""Anointed dagger, plunge thee deep."" " "Anointed"?" " Infused with avataric blood." "If he has it in his possession along with his boon... he not only has the strength... but the means to destroy you." "Have you located Scudder?" "Yes." "He's on his way." "When he arrives, call me." "He and I have some unfinished business." " Perhaps." " Please!" "Perhaps." "Hell, Lib, it wasn't like I could just put him off." " Why not?" " He come to me." "It would have looked bad." "Not nearly as bad as you showing up without me." " Come on, Lib." "It's just supper." " It ain't just supper." " They're trying to work something." " Why you got to be so suspicious?" "Come on." "It'll be okay." "This, this...." "So... y'all thinking about settling down?" "Maybe buying a little bungalow?" "Never really talked about it." "Kids?" "Haven't really talked about that, neither." "My, oh, my, well, you two lovebirds haven't really done much talking at all, have you?" "You know, it sure is a shame." "It'd be nice if you two could get off to a nice start... with a little extra money, whatnot." " Forget it, Daddy." " I'm just saying that...." "So you wanna tell us what's wrong with being married to a dancer?" "It ain't the dancing I got truck with." "Oh, no." "I'm sure it's just the fucking part that's got your knickers in a bunch." " Rita" " Don't you "Rita" me." "This is a family problem, and a six-bit ring don't make him family." " I ain't gonna listen to this." " You sit the hell down!" "We got a problem here, cowboy." "Stumpy has dug himself a hole... to the tune of $833." " That ain't my problem." " Yeah, it is." "Because just what are you gonna say to your blushing little bride here... when the gorilla he owes it to carves her daddy up like a ripe tom turkey?" "That ain't fair." "He's the one who got hisself into it." "I don't see why Libby should have to bail him out." "Because we're family, and families rise up together... and they fall down together." "But you wouldn't know anything about that, Mr. All-by-your-damn-self." "I'm not gonna have my crew watching my wife... dancing naked for a nickel a throw, and that's it." " Now, come on!" " You can't tell me what to do." "You're damn right." "And you can't, neither." "Y'all make me sick, the bunch of you." "Talking about me like I'm not even a person... like I'm some kind of livestock you can buy, and sell, and trade." "Well, it ain't that way, damn it." " Honey, we never said you're" " Shut up." "I'm gonna dance the cootch." " Libby" " Just until we pay off what he owes." "And then I am retired permanent." "And no blow-offs, and no more turning tricks." "I am done with that." "Now, that's the way it's gonna be." "And if any of you don't like it... y'all can take a flying fuck at the man in the moon." "We got pie." "Hawkins?" "Hey, Stitch." "I don't answer to that handle no more." "Yeah?" "So what do you want me to call you?" ""Boss" is fine." ""Sir" is better." "Well, "sir"... if I was you..." "I'd stay the hell away from my wife." "Well, if I was you..." "I'd tell your wife to stay the hell away from me." "Now get." "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Clear the way." "Kevin, lock that down." "I just turned around and one of the cars fell." "Out of my way." "Let me through, please." "Hey, you!" "Fill this spot." "Hurry!" "Clear the way." " All right, you two, hold still." "Just hold still." " That's the one." "That's the one I saw drinking." "Right, get those guys out of here." "Bring that ladder over here." "Just sit tight." "We'll get you taken care of." "It'll be all right." "You're gonna be fine." "Find the nearest phone and call a hospital." "Please, God, take me, not my son." "Please, God, take me, not my son." "Please, God, take me, not my son." "Please, God, take me, not my son." "Please, God, take me, not my son." "Yes." "Oh, Mama." "Mama!" "Mama!" "No!" "Can I get some help over here!" "Daddy's got you." "All right." "Ease it down." "Come on, you birds, get the lead out." "Jones, stop standing around here with your face hanging out." "We got tracks to make." "Dutch!" "Slim!" "Break this bitch down." "What the hell?" "Sorry about your friend." "Best I could do." "I'll help you... but it's gonna have to be a different deal than with him." "No more secrets." "No more lies." "I don't lie." "Ruthie seen Scudder running out of here." "He got grabbed by that bald-headed fellow." " Oh, hell." " What?" "He's taking him back to the preacher." "Damn it." "He's got a car and a full day's lead on us." "There ain't no catching up to that." "We ain't even started, we already lost." "Well, I got gasoline and rubber... and a four-bit wager says we haven't." "Fifty cents." "Iron money." "Bone Top, kill those lights." "Drive by moonlight till we cross the state line." " All right." " Kill the lights." "Kill your lights." " Don't spare the horses." " Okay." "Everybody ready?" "If they ain't, they can stay behind and wait for the mob." "Where to?" "West." "Abraham Lincoln Highway." "As far and as fast as you can put us there." "I got silver riding on it."