Rough adaptation :The Crossing/Cormac McCarthy + Spotted Horses/William Faulkner

8/9/2019 Rough adaptation :The Crossing/Cormac McCarthy + Spotted Horses/William Faulkner.

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THE SHAPE OF THE ROAD IS THE ROAD

A play in three partsPart1- The Monte- based on an exerpt from The Crossing, by Cormac McCarthyPart2- Spotted Horses- based on the short story Spotted Horses, by William Faulkner

Part3- Your Word- based on an exerpt from The Crossing, by Cormac McCarthy

Adaptation by Matthew Grinnell

Part 1 - "THE MONTE"

An old-fashioned office, neat piles of old papers on the floor and desk, dark oakfurniture.An Hispanic man- GILLIAN- holding the receiver of an old-fashioned pedestal phone tohis ear.The bell above door JINGLES and Gillian looks up.

BILLY PARHAM enters. Billy remains standing and does not approach, but he removeshis hat in a gesture of politeness.

GILLIANBueno. Bueno.(gesturing to come forward as he speaks into phone)Si. Si. Bueno. Gracias. Es muy amable.Billy stands, holding his hat, inspecting this man. Gillian hangs up the phone.

GILLIAN (CONT'D)

Bueno. Pendejo. Completemente sin verguenza. Pasale, pasale.BiLLYBusco al senor Soto.GILLIANNo esta.BILLYCuando regresa?GILLIANTodo el mundo quiere saber. All the world. Who are you?BILLYBilly Parham.

GILLIANAnd who is that?BILLYI'm from Cloverdale, New Mexico.GILLIANIs that a fact?BILLYYessir. It is.


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GILLIANAnd what was your business with Senor Soto?

Billy turns his hat a quarter turn. He looks toward the window. Gillian looks as well.

GILLIAN (CONT'D)I am Senor Gillian.(pronounced 'Geeyan')Perhaps I can help you.BILLYWell. You sold a horse to a German doctor named Haas.

Gillian nods, anxious for the story.

BiLLY (CONT'D)And I was huntin the man you bought the horse off of. It might could have been a

indian.

Gillian leans back, and taps his lower teeth.

BILLY (CONT'D)It was a dark gray gelding about fifteen and a half hands high. What you might call acastano oscuro.GiLLIANI am familiar with the particulars of this horse. Needless to say.BILLYYessir. You might have sold moren one horse.

GILLIANYes. I might have but I did not. What was your interest in this horse?BILLYI aint really concerned about the horse. I was just huntin the man that sold him.GILLIANWho is the boy in the street?BILLYSir?GILLIANThe boy in the street?

They both look at the window.

BILLYThat's my brother.GILLIANWhy is he outside?BILLYHe's all right outside.


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GILLIANWhy don't you bring him in?BILLYHe's all right.GILLIAN

Why don't you bring him in.

Billy looks out the window, puts on his hat and exits the office.

Gillian sits and looks through the papers on his desk before him.The bell above door JINGLES.Billy takes off his hat at the door, and Boyd sees Billy do this, and Boyd puts his hatmore firmly on his head.Gillian studies them one by one.

BilLY

This here's my brother Boyd.

Gillian gestures for them to come forward. Neither move.

BilLY (CONT'D)He was worried about the way we look.GILLIANHe can tell me himself what are his worries.

Boyd stands wearing his hat and with his thumbs in his belt.

BoYDI wasn't worried about how we look.

Gillian studies Boyd now, after hearing his voice.

GILLIANYou are from Texas.BOYDTexas?GILLIANYes.

BOYDWhere'd you get a notion like that?GILLIANYou came here from Texas, no?BOYDI aint never been in Texas in my life.GILLIANHow do you know Doctor Haas?


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BOYDI dont know him. I never laid eyes on the man.GILLIANWhat is your interest in his horse?BOYD

It aint his horse. The horse was stole off our property by a indian.GILLIANAnd your father sent you to Mexico to recover this horse.BOYDHe didn't send us nowhere. He's dead. They killed him and my mother with a shotgunand stole the horses.

Gillian frowns. He looks at Billy.

GILLIANYou agree with this?

BilLYI'm like you. Just waitin to hear what's comin next.

Gillian looks at the two young men, studies them with intensity for a few moments.

GILLIANWhat you have told me is preposterous.BoyDWell, you have it your own way.

Gillian swivels slightly in his chair. He TAPS his teeth loudly.

He looks at Billy.

GILLIANYour brother thinks I am a fool.BilLYYessir.

Gillian arches his brows.GILLIANYou agree with him?BILLY

No sir. I don't agree with him.BoYD(to Gillian)How come you believe him and not me?GILLIANWho would not?BOYDI reckon you just enjoy to hear people lie.


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GILLIANYes I do. Its a prerequisite for being in this business at all.(to Billy)Hay algo mas. Something else. What is it?BiLLY

Thats all I know to tell.GILLIANBut not all there is to be told.(to Boyd)Is it?BoYDI don't know what you'd be asking me for.

Gillian smiles, and rises laboriously from his desk. A smaller man standing. He walks toan oak file cabinet and opens it and returns with a folder. He places the folder on hisdesk and opens it before Billy.

GILLIANDo you read Spanish?BilLYYessir.Gillian traces with his finger a sheet of sales.GILLIANThe horse was purchased at auction on March the 2nd. It was a lot purchase of twenty-three horses.BILLYWho was the seller?GILLIAN

La Babicora.Gillian pushes the open folder across the desk. Billy does not look at it.BilLYWhat's La Babicora?Gillian's unkempt eyebrows lift.GILLIANWhat is the Babicora?BILLYYessir.GILLIANIt is a ranch. It is owned by one of your countrymen, a Senor Hearst.

BILLYDo they sell a lot of horses?GILLIANNot so many as they buy.BILLYWhy did they sell the horse?GILLIANQuen Sabe? The capon is not so popular in this country. There is a prejudice I think is


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how you would say.Billy looks down at the sales sheet.GilLIAN (CONT'D)Please. You may look.Billy

Que es un bayo lobo?

Gillian shrugs.Billy takes his time and scans the list of horses sold. Then he closes the folder.GILLIANWhat do you think?BILLYWhat do I think about what?GILLIANYou told me it was the seller of the horse that brought you here and not the horse itself.BILLY

Yessir.GILLIANPerhaps your friend works for Senor Hearst. That could be.BILLYYessir. That could be.GILLIANIt's not such an easy thing to find a man in Mexico.BILLYNo sir.GILLIANThe monte is extensive.

BILLYYessir.GILLIANA man can be lost.billyYessir, he can.

Gillian sits and taps the arm of his chair with his forefinger. Like a retired telegrapher.GiLLIANAlgo mas. What is it?BilLY

I don't know.

Gillian leans forward on the desk. He looks at Boyd and down at Boyd's shoes. Billyfollows his gaze. Gillian looks for the marks of spur straps.GILLIANYou are far from home. Needless to say.Gillian looks at Billy.BILLY


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Yessir.GILLIANLet me advise you. I feel the obligation.BILLYAll right.

GILLIANReturn to your home.BoYDWe aint got one to return to.

Billy looks at Boyd. Boyd still wears his hat.BoYD (CONT'D)Why dont you ask him why he wants us to go home.GILLIANI will tell you why he wants this. Because he knows what perhaps you do not. That thepast cannot be mended. You think everyone is a fool. But there are not so many reasons

for you to be in Mexico. Think of that.BOYDLets go.GILLIANWe are close to the truth here. I do not know what that truth is. I am no gypsy fortune-teller. But I see great trouble in store. Great trouble. You should listen to your brother.He is older.BOYDSo are you.

Gillian leans back in his chair again and looks at Billy.

GILLIANYour brother is young enough to believe that the past still exists. That the injusticeswithin it await his remedy. Perhaps you believe this also?BilLYI dont have an opinion. I'm just down here about some horses.GILLIANWhat remedy can there be? What remedy can there be for what is not? You see? Andwhere is the remedy that has no unforeseen consequence? What act does not assume afuture that is not itself unknown.BILLYI quit this city once before. It wasnt the future that brought me back here.

Gillian holds his hands thumb to thumb and fingers to fingers, as if he holds somethingunseen shut within an unseen box.GILLIANYou do not know what things you set in motion. No man can know. No prophet foresee.The consequences of an act are often quite different from what one would guess. Youmust be sure that the intention in your heart is large enough to contain all wrong-turnings, all disappointments. Do you see? Not everything has such a value.


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Mrs LITTLEJOHN (CONT'D)I'll declare. You men. You all get out of here, VK. Go see if you can't find something elseto play with that will kill some more of you.RaTLIFFAll right. Come on boys. Aint no more horses to catch in here.

MRS LITTLEJOHNGo get Will Varner. I reckon you can tell him its still a mule.

Stage goes black as they exit the stage.Again, the sound of distant WHINNYING and clomping of hooves.SCREAMS from women, and SHOUTS and MORE SHOUTS.The lights come back up, revealing the same clapboard house and the same lightingfrom within.Ratliff, the 2nd and 3rd man return, accompanied by Dr Will Varner who is come to tendto the injured man.Dr Will Varner wears trousers and tucking in the tails of a long night shirt, his

suspenders dangling in trim loops, carrying a tattered doctor's bag.

Dr WILL VARNERAre they still trying to catch them rabbits?RATLIFFAll of them except Henry Armstid. He caught his.DR WILL VARNERHah! That you Ratliff? How many did you buy?RATLIFFI was too late. I never got back in time.DR WILL VARNER

Hah! Well it's a good bright cool night for running them.

The sounds of moaning can be heard from Henry Armstid, who is within the house, inobvious horrible pain. This will be heard throughout this scene.They stop and listen to the MOANING.HENRY ARMSTID (o.s.)Ah! Ah! DR WILL VARNERLook at that tree. It ought to make good this year, sho.3rd MANCorn'll make this year, too.

DR WILL VARNERA moon like this is good for every growing thing outen earth.HENRY ARMSTID (o.S.)DR WILL VARNERI mind when me and Mrs Varner was expecting Eula. Already had a mess of childrenand maybe we ought to quit then. But I wanted some more gals. Others had donemarried and moved away, and a passel of boys, soon as they big enough to be worth


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anything, they aint got time to work. Got to set around store and talk.

This last line is punctuated by a loud CRY from off-screen Henry Armstid. The 2nd and3rd man exchange glances and knowing smirks.Dr WILL VARNER (CONT'D)

But a gal will stay home and work until she does get married. So there was a old womantold my mammy once that if a woman showed her belly to the full moon after she haddone caught, it would be a gal.

Another round of moans from off-screen Henry Armstid.DR WILL VARNER (CONT'D)So Mrs Varner taken and laid every night with the moon on her nekid belly until itfulled and after. I could lay my ear to her belly and hear Eula kicking and a scrounginglike all get-out, feeling the moon.3RD MANYou mean it actually worked sho enough, Uncle Will?

DR WILL VARNERHah! You might try it. You get enough women showing their nekid bellies to the moonor sun either or even just to your hand fumbling around often enough and more thanlikely after a while there will be something in it you can lay your ear and listen to,provided something come up and you aint got away by that time.

Varner looks at Ratliff who stands quietly, stoically, wisely.DR WILL VARNER (CONT'D)Hah, VK?RaTLIFFDont ask me. I cant even get nowhere in time to buy a cheap horse.

The men laughHenry's sudden MOANING silences the laughter. Dr Varner moves to go inside, but thedistant THUNDER of hooves and WHINNYING stops him in his tracks. The four menlook to the sound.

2nd MANThere's another one on the creek bed.DR WILL VARNERThey are going to come out even on them things, after all. They'll get the money inexercise and relaxation.

The 2nd and 3rd man look at each other skeptically, and Ratliff stills them with a look.Dr WILL VARNER (CONT'D)You take a man that aint got no other relaxation all year long except dodging mule-dungup and down a field furrow. And a night like this one, when a man aint old enough yetto lay still and sleep, and yet he aint young enough anymore to be tomcatting in and outof other folks back windows, something like this is good for him. It'll make him sleeptomorrow night anyhow, provided he gets back home by then. If we had just knowed


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about this in time, we could have trained up a pack of horse dogs. Then we could haveheld one of these field trials.RaTLIFFThat's one way to look at it, I reckon. In fact, it might be a considerable comfort toBookwright and Quick and Freeman and Eck Snopes and them other new horse-owners

if that side of it could be brought to their attention, because the chances are aint none ofthem thought to look at it in that light yet. Probably there aint a one of them believesnow there's any cure a tall for that Texas disease Flem Snopes and that Dead-eye Dickbrought here.DR WILL VARNERHah!Dr Varner nods once, a slight smile on his face as if he takes little of this too seriously, orhas the means to afford not to. A few feet from the door he stops and turns.HenRY ARMSTID (o.S.)DR WILL VARNER

There's a pill for every ill but the last one.RaTLIFFEven if there was always time to take it.DR WILL VARNERHah!

Varner and Ratliff look at each other, sizing each other up.DR WILL VARNER (CONT'D)Even if there was time to take it. Hah. Breathing is a sight-draft dated yesterday.The 2nd and 3rd man look at each other not quite understanding as Varner enters thehouse.

RaTLIFFCome on.

They walk off stage as LIGHTS FADE OUT

NEXT DAY

Lights come on to suggest an early morning light. The stage is set with the front of ageneral store, a large wide porch, with several spittoons. Four males are there seated,and one standing: One man sits chewing on a twig, PEACH TWIG; one man sits wearingoveralls next to a 10 year old boy, both in identical outfits, and both eating cheese and

crackers- ECK SNOPES and ECK'S SON. The CLERK (aka, LUMP SNOPES) sits in achair half-blocking the doorway. And RATLIFF stands a bit in front of the group.

RATLIFF (CONT'D)Maybe there wasn't but one of them things in Mrs Littlejohn's house that night, like Ecksays. But it was the biggest drove of just one horse I ever seen.It was in my room and it was on the front porch and I could hear Mrs Littlejohn hitting itover the head with that washboard in the backyard all at the same time. And still it was


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missing everybody every time. I reckon that's what that Texas man meant by callingthem bargains: that a man would need to be powerful unlucky to ever get close enoughto one of them to get hurt.

They all laugh but Eck Snopes. He and his son eat the cheese and crackers, calmly,

dressed in overalls and wearing similar hats.Eck divies up the cheese evenly between himself and his son.PEACH TWIG MANI wonder what that horse thought Ratliff was. Jumping out windows and runningindoors in his shirt tail? I wonder how many Ratliffs that horse thought he saw.RaTLIFFI don't know. But if he saw just half as many of me as I saw of him, he was sholysurrounded. Everytime I turned my head, that thing was just running over me or justswirling to run back over that boy again. And that boy there-Ratliff nods at Eck's son.

RaTLIFF (CONT'D)- he stay right under it one time to my certain knowledge for a full one-and-one-halfminutes without ducking his head or even batting his eyes. Yes, sir, when I lookedaround and seen that varmint in the door behind me blaring its eyes at me, I'd a madesho Flem Snopes had brought a tiger back from Texas except I knowed that couldn't no

just one tiger completely fill an entire room.

They all laugh, except Eck and his son. The Clerk, Lump Snopes, tipping back in hischair in the door frame, a nervous and twitchy man, clears his throat to speak.CLERKIf Flem had knowed how quick you fellows was going to snap them horses up, he'd a

probably brought some tigers. Monkeys too.

More laughter.RATLIFFSo they was Flem's horses.The laughter stops.RATLIFF (CONT'D)Has Flem ever said they was? But you town fellows are smarter than us country folks.Likely you done already read Flem's mind.

Ratliff looks out, as if down the road.

RATLIFF (CONT'D)And I reckon we'd a bought them.

Ratliff stands, looks especially at the Clerk. Ratliff's demeanor is easy, intelligent,perfectly impenetrable.RATLIFF (CONT'D)Eck here, for instance, with a wife and family to support. He owns two of them, thoughto be sho he never had to pay money for but one. I heard folks chasing them things up


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until midnight last night, but Eck and that boy aint been home a tall in two days.

The men laugh again, except the Clerk who measures Ratliff, and except Eck who cutsanother piece of cheese for himself and spears it onto his knife and eats it calmly.PEACH TWIG MAN

Eck caught one of his'n.RATLIFFThat so? Which one was it, Eck? The one he give you or the one you bought?ECK SNOPES(still chewing)The one he give me.RaTLIFFWell, well. I hadn't heard about that. But Eck's still one horse short. And the one he hadto pay money for. Which is pure proof enough that them horses wasn't Flem's becausewouldn't no man even give his own blood kin something he couldn't even catch.

They laugh, but it is more nervous and the Clerk is not laughing. His eyes havenarrowed.CLERKListen. All right. We done all admitted you are too smart for anybody to get ahead of.You never bought no horse from Flem or nobody else, so maybe it aint none of yourbusiness and maybe you better leave it at that.RATLIFFSholy. It's done already been left at that two nights ago. The fellow that forgot to shutthat lot gate done that. With the exception of Eck's horse. And we know that wasn'tFlem's, because that horse was give to Eck for nothing.PEACH TWIG MAN

There's others besides Eck that aint got back home yet. Bookwright and Quick are stillchasing theirs. They was reported three miles west of Burtsboro Old Town at eighto'clock last night. They aint got close enough to it yet to tell which one it belongs to.RATLIFFSholy. The only new horse-owner in this country that could a been found withoutbloodhounds since whoever it was left that gate open two nights ago, is Henry Armstid.He's laying right there in Mrs Littlejohn's bedroom where he can watch the lot so thatany time the one he bought happens to run back into it, all he's got to do is holler at hiswife to run out the rope and catch it. Morning Flem.

The others turn to look, Lump Snopes jumps up from his chair, vacating it with a sort of

servile alacrity. Eck and his boy continue eating their cheese with no change indemeanor.Flem Snopes, in a new tie, gray trousers and a new cap with bright plaid, mounts thesteps. He chews and carries an unmarked piece of white pine board. He jerks his head atnobody, takes the chair the clerk just vacated, and takes out his knife and begins towhittle on the fresh pine board.The Clerk moves to the opposite side of the door, and begins rubbing his back againstthe door frame. His expression is one of merry and invincible disbelief.


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CLERKYou're just in time. Ratliff here seems to be in a considerable sweat about who actuallyowned them horses.

Flem Snopes whittles slowly with the accuracy of a surgeon. The others continue their

whittling, looking carefully at nothing, except Eck and his son, who continue eating. Theclerk continues rubbing his back and watching Ratliff and Flem with an alert intensity.ClERK (CONT'D)Maybe you could put his mind at rest.FLEM(still whittling)He was there too. He knows as much as anybody else.

The Clerk GUFFAWS and slaps his leg.ClERKYou might as well to quit. You cant beat him.

RATLIFFI reckon not.

Ratliff stares off into the surrounding area, with an impenetrable, slightly brooding gaze.A hulking, half grown boy- The HALF-WIT, in overalls too small for him, approachesand stands near the store porch. He has the air of someone not knowing where he'd goto next, and of not being troubled by the fact.RATLIFF (CONT'D)Of course there's Mrs Tull. But that's Eck she's going to sue for damaging her husbandagainst the bridge. And as for Henry Armstid over at Mrs Littlejohn's....CLERK

If a man aint got gumption enough to protect himself, it's his own lookout.

Eck's son watches the Half-wit intently, but no one else pays attention to him. He walksinto the store, ignored by the group.RATLIFFSholy. And Henry Armstid, that's all right because from what I hear of the conversationthat taken place, Henry had already stopped owning that horse he thought was hisbefore that Texas man left. And as for that broke leg, that wont put him out nonebecause his wife can make his crop.

The Clerk ceases scratching his back on the door frame. The others continue whittling

and looking at nothing. Ratliff looks off, away from the group.PEACH TWIG MANIt wont be the first time she has made their crop.RATLIFFYou ought to know. This wont be the first time I ever saw you in their field, doingplowing Henry never got around to. How many days have you already given them thisyear?


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Peach Twig removes the small stick he is chewing on, spits into a spittoon, then puts thetwig back.2nD MANShe can run a furrow as straight as I can.3RD MAN

They're unlucky. When you are unlucky, it dont matter much what you do.RATLIFFSholy. I've heard laziness called bad luck so much that maybe it is.2nd MANHe aint lazy. When their mule died three or four years ago, him and her broke their landmaking time about in the traces with the other mule. They aint lazy.RATLIFFSo that's all right.

Ratliff continues staring off at something distant, but at nothing that is there.RATLIFF (CONT'D)

Likely she will begin right away to finish the plowing; that oldest gal is pretty near bigenough to work with a mule, aint she? or at least to hold the plow steady while MrsArmstid helps the mule?

Ratliff glances at Peach Twig Man as if expecting a reply. The Clerk watches Ratliff quitehard, unblinking and paused mid-scratch. Flem Snopes has the bill of his hat down lowalmost concealing his eyes as he whittles.RATLIFF (CONT'D)Plenty of time now because all she's got to do after she finishes washing Mrs Littlejohn'sdishes and sweeping out the house to pay hers and Henry's board, is to go out homeand milk and cook up enough vittles to last the children until tomorrow and feed them

and get the littlest ones to sleep and wait outside the door until the biggest gal gets thebar up and gets into bed herself with the axe...PEAcH TWIG MANThe axe?RATLIFFShe takes it to bed with her. She's just twelve, and what with this country still more orless full of them uncaught horses that never belonged to Flem Snopes, likely she feelsmaybe she cant swing a mere washboard like Mrs Littlejohn can- and then come backand wash up the supper dishes. And after that, not nothing to do until tomorrowmorning except to stay close enough where Henry can call her until it's light enough tochop the wood to cook breakfast and then help Mrs Littlejohn wash the dishes and make

the beds and sweep while watching the road. Because likely anytime now Flem Snopeswill get back from wherever he has been since the auction, which of course is to townnaturally to see about his cousin that's got into a little legal trouble, and so get that fivedollars. 'Only maybe he wont give it back to me,' she says, and maybe that's what MrsLittlejohn thought too, because she never said nothing. I could hear her...CLERKAnd where did you happen to be during all this?RATLIFF


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Listening.

Ratliff glances at the clerk, then looks back out to the road and beyond, his back to thewhittlers.RATLIFF (CONT'D)

Could hear her dumping the dishes into the pan like she was throwing them at it. 'Doyou reckon he will give it back to me?' Mrs Armstid says. 'That Texas man give it to himand said he would. All the folks there saw him give Mr Flem Snopes the money andheard Mr Flem Snopes say I could get it from him tomorrow.'

Ratliff pauses and only Flem continues to whittle, like a surgeon, his eyes all butconcealed by the brim of his hat.RATLIFF (CONT'D)Mrs Littlejohn was washing the dishes now, washing them like a man would, like theywas made out of iron. 'No,' she says. 'But asking him wont do no hurt.' - 'If he wouldn'tgive it back, it aint no use to ask,' Mrs Armstid says. - 'Suit yourself,' Mrs Littlejohn says.

'It's your money.' Then I couldn't hear nothing but the dishes for a while. 'Do you reckonhe might give it back to me?' Mrs Armstid says. 'That Texas man said he would. They allheard him say it.' - 'Then go and ask him for it.' Mrs Littlejohn says. Then I couldn't hearnothing but the dishes again. 'He wont give it back to me,' Mrs Armstid says. 'Dont askhim then.' Then I just heard the dishes. They would have two pans, both washing. 'Youreckon he would, do you?' Mrs Armstid says. Mrs Littlejohn never said nothing. Itsounded like she was throwing the dishes at one another. 'Maybe I better go and talk toHenry,' Mrs Armstid says. - 'I would,' Mrs Littlejohn says. And I be a dog if it didn'tsound like she had two plates in her hands, beating them together like these here brassbucket-lids in a band. 'Then Henry can buy another five-dollar horse with it. Maybe he'llbuy one next time that will out and kill him. If I just thought he would, I'd give him back

that money myself.' - 'I reckon I better talk to him first,' Mrs Armstid says. And then itsounded just like Mrs Littlejohn taken up the dishes and pans and all and throwed thewhole business at the cookstove...

Ratliff stops as the Clerk tries urgently and quietly to get Flem's attention. Flem slowlylooks up from beneath his hat.ClERKPsst! Psst! Flem! Psst!

Mrs Armstid approaches and mounts the steps, and stands before Flem but not lookingat anyone, only looking at the ground.

MRS ARMSTID(flat toneless voice)He said that day he wouldn't sell Henry that horse. He said you had the money and Icould get it from you.

Flem turns his head, spits neatly into a spittoon.FLEM SNOPESHe took all the money with him when he left.


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She stands motionless, the Clerk rubbing his back steadily against the door frame, andEck's boy watching her with an unblinking gaze. Nobody else looks at her. Ratliffespecially looks out into the fields, leaning perhaps against a roof support.MRS ARMSTID

He said Henry hadn't bought no horses. He said I could get the money from you.FLEM SNOPESI reckon he forgot it. He took all the money away with him when he left.

Flem looks at her a moment longer, she looking down at his feet. Then he continueswhittling. The clerk rubs his back. She looks up the road, then back at the ground at themen's feet.MRS ARMSTIDI reckon it's about time to get dinner started.RATLIFFHow's Henry this morning, Mrs Armstid?

MRS ARMSTID(comes to life a bit)He's resting, I thank you kindly.

She looks at the ground again, deflating.FLEM SNOPESWait a minute.

Snopes enters the store, the Clerk watching him alertly and puzzled.Flem comes back out carrying a small striped paper bag, and approaches Mrs Armstid.FLEM SNOPES (CONT'D)

Here.

She takes the bag with the slightest turn of her hand.FLEM SNOPES (CONT'D)A little sweetening for the chaps.

His other hand pulls from his pocket a nickel, and he hands it to the clerk.FLEM SNOPES (CONT'D)Five cent.

Flem sits back down calmly, pulls out his knife and resumes his accurate whittling.

She slowly looks at the bag in her hand, as if just noticing it.MRS ARMSTIDYou're right kind.

She puts the paper bag into her pocket.MRS ARMSTID (CONT'D)I reckon I better get on and help with dinner.


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She walks away, the folds in her garment disappear as she walks so that it appears shefloats silently along the ground.She is gone.

The Clerk CACKLES explosively, CHORTLING, and slaps his thigh.

CLERKBy God. You cant beat him.

JODY VARNER walks up to the store and walks up the steps and enters the store.After a moment...

JODY VARNER (o.S.)You!! Saint Elmo!!

Jody drags the overweight half-wit out of the store, holding him savagely and pushinghim across the porch to the stairs. The half-wit crams more and more candy into hismouth, his eyes closed as he does so.

JoDY VARNER (CONT'D)(to Clerk)Aint I told you to keep him out of the store? He's damn near eaten that candy case clean.Stand up!!

Jody shakes the boy, who stands, eyes shut tight, chewing with a sort of fatalisticdesperation.CLERKYou!! Stand up!!

The boy assumes his own weight, though keeps his eyes closed and does not cease

chewing. Jody releases him to stand on his own.ClERK (CONT'D)Git on home.

The boy turns obediently to re-enter the store. Jody grabs his arm and jerks him around again. JODY VARNERNot that way!

The boy descends the steps, his too small overalls snug on his frame. As he walks away

he pulls more candy from his pocket and eats more.CLERKHe's worse than a rat, aint he.

JODY VARNERRat, hell. He's worse than a goat. First thing I know he'll graze on back and workthrough that lace leather, and them hame-strings and lap-links and ring bolts and eat meand you and him all three clean out the back door. And then be damned if I wouldn't beafraid to turn my back for fear he would cross the road and start in on the gin and the


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blacksmith shop. Now you mind what I say. If I catch him hanging around here onemore time, I'm going to set a bear trap for him.

Jody straightens his hat. JODY VARNER (CONT'D)

Morning, gentlemen.RATLIFFWho's that one, Jody?

JODY VARNERThat boy of I.O.'s. By God, I've done everything but put poison out for him.RATLIFFWhat?

Ratliff looks around with a bewilderment bordering almost on terror.RATLIFF (CONT'D)I thought... the other day you fellows told me- you said it was a woman, a young

woman with a baby- Here now. Wait. JODY VARNERThis here's another one. I wish to hell he couldn't walk. Well, Eck, I hear you caught oneof your horses.ECKThat's right.

JODY VARNERIt was the one he give you, wasn't it?ECKThat's right.ECK'S BOY

Give the other one to me, paw. JODY VARNERWhat happened?ECKHe broke his neck.

JODY VARNERI know. But how?

As Eck appears to be forming a description, Jody Varner begins to laugh steadily andharshly, sucking his teeth.

JODY VARNER (CONT'D)

I'll tell you what happened. Eck and that boy finally run it into that blind lane ofFreeman's, after a chase of about twenty-four hours. They figured it couldn't possiblyclimb them eight-foot fences of Freemen's so him and the boy tied their rope across theend of the lane, about three feet off the ground. And sho enough, soon as the horse cometo the end of the lane and see Freemen's barn, it whirled just like Eck figured it wouldand come helling back up that lane like a scared hen-hawk. It probably never even seenthe rope at all. Mrs Freemen was watching from where she had run up onto the porch.She said that when it hit that rope, it looked just like one of these here great big


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Christmas pin-wheels. But the one you bought got clean away, didn't it.Eck sNOPESThat's right. I never had time to see which way the other one went.Eck'S BOYGive him to me, paw.

ECK SNOPESYou wait till we catch him. We'll see about it then.

STAGE DARKENS

STAGE LIGHTENS on same scene, but it is afternoon. The only man on the storefrontporch is Ratliff. Looks somber.Ratliff is interrupted by Bookwright, come to set up benches for the trial.

Following scene/dialogue plays over Bookwright setting up the mock courthouse on thestorefront steps.

BOOKWRIGHT (CONT'D)You were wrong. He come back.RatLIFFHe come back. I misjudged his...nerve aint the word I want, and sholy lack of it aint. ButI wasn't wrong.BOOKWRIGHTNonsense. He was gone all day yesterday. Nobody saw him going to town or comingback, but that's bound to be where he was at. Aint no man, I dont care if his name isSnopes, going to let his own blood kin rot in jail.RATLIFF

He won't be in jail long. After they send him to Parchman, he can stay outdoors again.He will even go back to farming, plowing. Of course it wont be his cotton, but then henever did make enough out of his own cotton to quite pay him for staying alive.BOOKWRIGHTNonsense. I dont believe it. Flem aint going to let him go to the penitentiary.RATLIFFYes. Because Flem Snopes has got to cancel all them loose-flying notes that turns up hereand there every now and then. He's going to discharge at least some of the notes forgood and all.BOOKWRIGHTI thought you said you and him burned them notes.

RATLIFFI said we burned two notes that Mink Snopes gave me. Do you think that any Snopes isgoing to put all of anything on one piece of paper that can be destroyed by one match?Do you think there is any Snopeses that dont know that?BOOKWRIGHTOh. Hah.(no mirth)I reckon you gave Henry Armstid back his five dollars too.


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Ratliff looks away.RATLIFFI could have but I didn't. I might have if I could just been sho he would buy somethingthis time that would sho enough kill him, like Mrs Littlejohn said. Besides, I wasn't

protecting a Snopes from a Snopes; I wasn't even protecting a people from a Snopes. Iwas protecting something that wasn't even a people, that wasn't nothing but somethingthat dont want nothing but to walk and feel the sun and wouldn't know how to hurt noman even if it would and wouldn't want to even if it could, just like I wouldn't stand byand see you steal a meat-bone from a dog. I never made them Snopeses and I nevermade the folks that cant wait to bare their backsides to them. I could do more, but Iwont. I wont, I tell you!!BOOKWRIGHTAll right. Hook your drag up; it aint nothing but a hill. I said it's all right.

Setting up courthouse on front of store, Ratliff here leaves and we watch as Bookwright

sets up the court. People start to arrive. He directs them. Sets up table for Justice.

LIGHTS GO OUT.

LIGHTS COME BACK ON to reveal the Bailiff, the Tulls, the Snopeses except for Flem,Mrs Armstid, Bookwright, and a few others. Set up so that the chairs are in dynamicrelationship with the seating of the theater. So there is a sense of a wide crowd there forthe court proceedings, the audience watching the play fulfilling this illusion.

NOTE:-justice of peace is same actor who played the half-wit.

-Mrs Tull is same actress played Mrs Littlejohn-Bailiff played by the actor playing Ratliff, but with no confusion that it is a differentcharacter.-Flem plays Mr Tull, in an obviously different role

COURT HEARING

Justice of Peace, a neat, small plump old man resembling a tender caricature of allgrandfathers.Sits behind makeshift table on porch of general store.Some words to the effect this is a makeshift court due to the large number of people here

to watch the proceedings.Bailiff knocks on judges table with his cane, startling the judge.BAILIFFOrder!! Order!!

JUSTICEThis- I didn't expect- I didn't look to see- I'm going to pray.

He crosses his fingers, and bows his head, then adds.


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JusTICE (CONT'D)I wish...- Maybe some of you all had better do the same.

He prays. The ladies follow suit, Perhaps Lump nudges Eck to remove his hat. JuSTICE (CONT'D)

Armstid against Snopes.MrS ARMSTIDThat Texas man said....

JUSTICEWait. Where is the defendant? I dont see Flem Snopes.BailIFFHe wouldn't come.

JUSTICEWouldn't come? Didn't you serve the papers on him?BAILIFFHe wouldn't take them. He said...

JUSTICEThen he is in contempt!!LUMP SNOPES (the clerk)What for? Aint nobody proved yet they was his horses.

JUSTICE(to Lump)Are you representing the defendant?LUMP SNOPESWhat's that mean? That you aim for me to pay whatever fine you think you can claponto him?

JUSTICE

So he refuses to defend himself. Dont he know that I can find against him for thatreason, even if pure justice and decency aint enough?LUMP SNOPESIt'll be pure something. It dont take no mind reader to see how your mind is....BaILIFFShut up, Snopes. If you aint in this case, you keep out of it.(to Justice)What do you want me to do: go over to the Bend and fetch Snopes here anyway? Ireckon I can do it.

JusTICENo. Wait. Does anybody here know for sho who them horses belonged to? Anybody?

The Justice sits soberly and attentive, a neat immaculate old man sitting with his handslocked together on the table to still their trembling.

JusTICE (CONT'D)All right, Mrs Armstid. Tell the court what happened.Mrs aRMSTIDThat Texas man wouldn't sell Henry no horse, and he give Mr Snopes my five dollars tohold to give to me tomorrow.


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The Justice looks at several papers before him on the table. JUSTICEBut you need to show that Flem Snopes owned the horses. I believe the one you want tosue is that Texas man. And he's gone. If you got a judgement against him, you couldn'tcollect the money. Don't you see?

MRS ARMSTIDMr Snopes brought him here. Likely that Texas man wouldn't have knowed whereFrenchman's Bend was if Mr Snopes hadn't showed him.

JUSTICEBut it was the Texas man that sold the horses and collected the money for them. Is thatright? You, Bookwright, is that what happened?BOOKWRIGHTYes.Mrs ARMSTIDHe give Mr Snopes Henry's money. He said Henry hadn't bought no horse. He said Icould get the money from Mr Snopes tomorrow.

JuSTICEAnd you have witnesses that saw and heard him?MRS ARMSTIDYes sir. The other men that was there saw him give Mr Snopes the money and say that Icould get it...

JUSTICEAnd you asked Snopes for the money?MRS ARMSTIDYes, sir. He said that Texas man taken it away with him when he left. But I would...

She stops herself.

JUSTICEYes? You would what?MRS ARMSTIDI would know them five dollars. I earned them myself, weaving at night after Henry andthe chaps was asleep. Some of the ladies in Jefferson would save up string and such andgive it to me and I would weave things and sell them. I earned that money a little at atime and I would know it when I saw it because I would take the can outen the chimneyand count it now and then while it was making up enough to buy my chaps some shoesfor next winter. I would know it if I was to see it again. If Mr Snopes would just let....LUMP SNOPESSuppose there was somebody seen Flem give that money back to that Texas fellow?

JuSTICEDid anybody here see that?LUMP SNOPES(harshly and violently)Yes!!! Eck here did.(to Eck)Go on. Tell him.


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Everyone looks at Eck who sits quietly and still. JuSTICE(to Eck)Did you see Snopes give Armstid's money back to the Texas man, Eck?

Eck says nothing.LUMP SNOPESBy God, I aint afraid to say it if Eck is. I seen him do it.

JUSTICEWill you swear that as testimony?LUMP SNOPES(unblinking)So you wont take my word?

JUSTICEI want the truth. If I cant find that, I got to have sworn evidence of what I will have toaccept as truth.

The justice lifts the bible off the table and holds it in the air.BailIFFAll right. Step up here.

Lump Snopes approaches the bench and takes a hard look at the others there. JUSTICEYou are ready to swear you saw Snopes give that Texas man back the money he tookfrom Henry Armstid for that horse?LumP SNOPESI said I was, didn't I?

The Justice hands the bible to the Bailiff. JUSTICESwear him.BaiLIFFPut your left hand on the Book raise your right hand you solemnly swear and affirmwhat you are about to say is true, so help you God.

Lump slaps his hand on the bible, raises his right hand, and takes another look at theexpressionless faces behind him.LUMP SNOPES

Yes. I saw Flem Snopes give back to that Texas man whatever money Henry Armstid oranybody else thinks Henry Armstid or anybody else paid Flem for any of them horses.Does that suit you?

JUSTICEYes.

The Bailiff places the bible quietly back on the table before the Justice. No sound ormovement anywhere.


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Mrs Armstid stands, her hands clasped about her middle, looking at nothing.MrS ARMSTIDI reckon I can go now, cant I?

JUSTICEYes. Unless you would like...

MRS ARMSTIDI better get started. It's a right far piece.

She exits. Bookwright escorts her offstage. Then he returns and quietly sits back down.The Justice removes his hands from the table, and speaks exactly as if he were readingfrom a paper.

JUSTICETull against Snopes. Assault and -MRS TULLYes! I'm going to say a word before you start.

She leans forward, looking past Mr Tull at Lump Snopes.MRS TULL (CONT'D)If you think you are going to lie and perjure Flem and Eck Snopes out of...TULLNow, mamma.

She speaks to Mr Tull without changing her position, tone, or even any break or pause inher speech.MRS TULLDont you say hush to me! You'll let Eck Snopes or Flem Snopes or that whole Varnertribe snatch you out of the wagon and beat you half to death against a wooden bridge.

But when it comes to suing them for your just rights and a punishment, oh no. Becausethat wouldn't be neighborly. What's neighborly got to do with you lying flat on yourback in the middle of planting time while we pick splinters out of your face?BAILIFF(shouting)Order!! Order!! This here's a law court.

Mrs Tull sits back breathing hard, glaring at the Justice. The Justice continues to speak asif reading aloud, as if holding tight to that procedure in the face of Mrs Tull's rage.

JUSTICE... assault and battery on the person of Vernon Tull through the agency and instrument

of one horse, unnamed, belonging to Eckrum Snopes. Evidence of physical detrimentand suffering, defendant himself. Witnesses, Mrs Tull and daughters...MRS TULL(more calmly)Eck Snopes saw it too. He was there. He got there in plenty of time to see it. Let himdeny it. Let him look me in the face and deny it if he....

JUSTICE(very quietly)


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If you please ma'am.

Mrs Tull is calmed by his voice. JUSTICE (CONT'D)The injury to your husband aint disputed. And the agency of the horse aint disputed.

The law says that when a man owns a creature which he knows to be dangerous and ifthat creature is restrained and restricted from the public commons by a pen or enclosurecapable of restraining and restricting it, if a man enter that pen or enclosure, whether heknows the creature in it is dangerous or not dangerous, then that man has committedtrespass and the owner of that creature is not liable. But if that creature known to him tobe dangerous ceases to be restrained by that suitable pen or enclosure, either by accidentor design and either with or without the owner's knowledge, then that owner is liable.That's the law. All necessary now is to establish first, the ownership of the horse, andsecond, that the horse was a dangerous creature within the definition of the law asprovided.MRS TULL

Hah! Dangerous. Ask Vernon Tull. Ask Henry Armstid if them things was pets. JuSTICEIf you please, ma'am. What is the defendant's position? Denial of ownership?Eck snoPESWhat?

JUSTICEWas that your horse that ran over Mr Tull?ECK SNOPESYes. It was mine. How much do I have to p...-Mrs TULLHah! Denial of ownership. When there were at least forty men- fools too, or they

wouldn't have been there. But even a fool's word is good about what he saw and heard-at least forty men heard that Texas murderer give that horse to Eck Snopes. Not sell it tohim, mind; give it to him.

The Justice flinches at this last line. JuSTICEWhat? Gave it to him?Eck sNOPESYes. He give it to me. I'm sorry Tull happened to be using that bridge too at the sametime. How much do I ...-

JuSTICE

Wait. What did you give him? A note? A swap of some kind?ECK SNOPESNo. He just pointed to it in the lot and told me it belonged to me.

JUSTICEAnd he didn't give you a bill of sale or a deed or anything in writing?ECK SNOPESI reckon he never had time. And after Lon Quick forgot and left that gate open, nevernobody had time to do no writing even if we had a thought of it.


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Mrs tULLWhat's all this? Eck Snopes has just told you he owned that horse. And if you wont takehis word, there were forty men standing at that gate all day long doing nothing, thatheard that murdering card-playing whiskey-drinking antichrist....-

The Justice simply raises a trembling hand toward her, and does not look at her. JUSTICEWait.(to Eck)Then what did he do? Just lead the horse up and put the rope in your hand?Eck sNOPESNo. Him nor nobody else never got no ropes on none of them. He just pointed to thehorse in the lot and said it was mine and auctioned off the rest of them and got into thebuggy and said good-bye and druv off.

The Justice slowly leans back in his chair, his head bowed, his fingers lightly overlapped

before him on the table. He no longer listens to Eck's description of that day's events.Eck sNOPES (CONT'D)And we got our ropes and went into the lot, only Lon Quick forgot to shut the gate. I'msorry it made Tull's mules snatch him outen the wagon. How much do I owe him?

JusTICEWell, Mrs Tull, by your own testimony, Eck never owned that horse.MRS TULL(quietly)What? What did you say?

JUSTICEIn the law, ownership cant be conferred or invested by word-of-mouth. It must be

established either by recorded or authentic document, or by possession or occupation.By your testimony and his both, he never gave that Texan anything in exchange for thathorse, and by his testimony the Texas man never gave him any paper to prove he ownedit, and by his testimony and by what I know myself from these last four weeks, nobodyyet has ever laid hand or rope either on any one of them. So that horse never came intoEck's possession at all. That Texas man could have given that same horse to a dozenother men standing around the gate that day, without even needing to tell Eck he haddone it; and Eck himself could have transferred all his title and equity in it to Mr Tullright there while Mr Tull was lying unconscious on that bridge just by thinking it tohimself, and Mr Tull's title would be just as legal as Eck's.MRS TULL

(calm and quiet)So I get nothing. My team is made to run away by a wild spotted mad dog, my wagon iswrecked, my husband is jerked out of it and knocked unconscious and unable to workfor a whole week with less than half of our seed in the ground, and I get nothing.

JuSTICEWait. The law...-MRS TULL(too quietly)


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The law.

She stands suddenly- a short, broad woman, balanced on the balls of her planted feet.TULLNow, mamma.

JusTICEYes, ma'am. Your damages are fixed by statute. The law says that when a suit fordamages is brought against the owner of an animal which has committed damage orinjury, if the owner of the animal either cant or wont assume liability, the injured ordamaged party shall find recompense in the body of the animal. And since Eck Snopesnever owned that horse at all, and since you just heard a case here this morning thatfailed to prove that Flem Snopes had any equity in any of them, that horse still belongsto that Texas man. Or did belong. Because now, that horse that made your team runaway and snatch your husband out of the wagon, belongs to you and Mr Tull.

Mr Tull stands, but his wife is quiet, only quite rigid and breathing hard.

TULL(watching his wife)Now, mamma.

Then she turns on him and begins shouting.MRS TULLThat horse! We see it for five seconds, while it is climbing into the wagon with us andthen out again. Then its gone, God dont know where and thank the Lord He dont!!!

The Bailiff smashes his cane on the table.BAILIFF

Order!! Order!!

The Justice thrusts backwards in his chair as though about to flee the scene, he is stiffand trembling as though with an old man's palsy.

JuSTICEI can't take no more.Mrs tULL...and you laying there on the bridge with your face full of kindling wood and bleedinglike a hog and dead for all we know. And he gives us the horse!BaiLIFFOrder!!

JuSTICE(quieter)This court's adjourned. I can't take no more.TuLLMamma....MrS tULLHe gives us the horse! Dont hush me! Get on to that wagon, fool that would sit therebehind a pair of young mules with the lines tied around his wrist. Get on to that wagon


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Mrs Parham gets his food from the warmer and brings it to Billy and sets it before him.MotherEat your supper.She fills a cup of water and sets it before her son, nods to her husband, and then she

leaves the room.Mr Parham sits watching his son eat.

After a while Mr Parham stands and takes his cup to the sink and rinses it out and sets itupside down on the sideboard.Then he walks steadily out of the kitchen.

Billy sits alone and eats his supper. He eats for a while and then the stage lights fade out.

END

Documents

Rough adaptation :The Crossing/Cormac McCarthy + Spotted Horses/William Faulkner