Original subtitles

Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness.

And they live by what they hear.

Such people become crazy or they become legend.

Tristan Ludlow was born 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,

and I wrapped him in a bearskin and held him all that night.

As he grew into a man, I taught him the great joy of the Kill

when the hunter cuts out its warm heart

and holds it in his hands,

setting its spirit free.

Colonel Ludlow had three sons, but Tristan was his favorite.

I had 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,

and 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 old man and cannot remember the year.

But it was the Moon of the Red Grass,

when Isabel Ludlow, their mother, went away for the winter.

She said the winters were too cruel for her.

She said she was afraid of the bears.

She was a strange woman, anyway.

That spring, though, she did not return.

And, after that, she did not come much to see us.

Alfred wrote her many letters,

but Tristan refused to speak of her.

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!

Here.

- Was it a bear? - Yes, sir.

- Can you breathe? - Yes.

Take your hand away. Come on, take it away.

Now, boy.

You're a stupid, half-brained jackass. Did you know that?

- Yes, sir. - One Stab put you up to this?

You deserve to be dead.

God knows how you've lived so long.

It'll be all right, son.

Yeah.

I have these letters.

Many letters.

Read them.

They are from all of them.

Ludlow,

Isabel,

Samuel.

The whole family.

The whole story.

It is all written here.

April 13, 1913.

Dear Isabel, I am not fool enough

to try to reorder a life already lived,

but I fear I have not done well raising our sons alone 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, as always.

Our sons are finding their own paths.

They are willful, certainly,

but then who are you and I to complain of willfulness?

As for Samuel, I have big news.

At a Harvard tea for Amy Lowell,

he met and instantly loved Miss Susannah Finncannon.

And, William, I know it will surprise you greatly,

but they are engaged.

He will bring her to Montana this summer to introduce her to his brothers

and to you.

So, William, please behave yourself

and be as charming as only you can be.

- Hey. - There he is.

- How the hell are you? - I'm good, and you?

- Samuel. Good to see you, boy. - Father, how are you?

- Good to see you. - Hello.

Father, this is my fiancée, Susannah.

- Hello. - Miss Finncannon.

- Nice to meet you. - It's an honor.

- And this is Alfred. - Hello.

How do you do?

- Here's your dog, miss. - Thank you.

- It's a horse. - That's a strange-looking animal.

This is Finn. He's a champion. Aren't you, Finn?

I take it you like exotic-looking dogs then, Miss Finncannon?

Very much, Mr. Ludlow.

- Please call me Susannah. - All right.

- And he's just plain old Alfred. - You shut up.

- Where's Tristan? - He's off somewhere. You know him.

He'll be here tonight to welcome his brother home,

or I'll know the reason why.

Well, Miss Finncannon, please. Did you have a good journey?

She is such a lovely creature, William,

but I fear the loss of her parents has given her a certain fragility.

And at times I think she feels very alone in the world.

But she has found a new family now, hasn't she?

And the German military is ready to use chaos in Croatia

as a justification for actions that could plunge the entire civilized world into--

The word "civilized" has no place in discussing the affairs of this world.

Miss Fincannon, Mother has told us of your sympathy for the social reformers.

You make it sound like a disease.

No, no, no. On the contrary, I'm in agreement.

You mother told me all about One Stab. She says he was a great warrior.

Oh, yes.

He has a bag of scalps hidden away somewhere to prove it.

But don't worry.

He's devoted to Father now.

Rather, they're devoted to each other.

Can he speak English?

Stab, speak English?

He wouldn't lower himself to speak English. Would you, Stab?

But watch out, because he understands it perfectly well.

Hey.

There's Tristan.

- Don't they feed you up there? - Not much.

- You smell. - Missed me, did you?

- Still hungover? - Still drunk.

Isn't she amazing?

So this is Tristan.

And does he speak English?

Tristan, for God's sake.

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.

Hey.

This is Mother's room.

It's lovely.

- It's a pleasure to meet you, Pet. - And you, miss.

Thank you.

Argemone albiflora.

Longifolia.

And Angelica arguta.

- Angelica arguta? Which one? - It's this one.

Angelica Susannah.

Hello.

You must be Isabel Two.

I've already met your mother and father.

- How old are you? - Thirteen.

Thirteen?

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 am.

I'm going to marry Tristan.

Then we'll be sisters.

I see you two have met.

Isabel Two is letting me help.

Susannah, would you like a rest? 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, I can assure you.

Where's Samuel?

Inside. I could tell your father wanted him all to himself.

- You're very generous. - No, just happy.

Alfred!

Stop mooning over Miss Fincannon. Come in here.

Samuel wants to know about those calves from Cheyenne.

Come on. Get in here.

Please excuse my father.

It makes him feel young and powerful to treat us like we're idiot children.

For this and all his countless blessings, may God's holy name be praised. Amen.

- Amen. - Amen.

Tell Father what you were saying about Vienna.

- What's that? - It's the Kaiser.

He won't lift a finger to stop them from annihilating Serbia.

Let's not talk about war at the table, please.

Susannah hears that England's mobilizing.

Well?

We're stuck out here while all this is going on.

- Thank God for that. - You wouldn't want us to evade a duty.

- Wouldn't 1? - Father, with respect--

Please excuse me for being late.

I packed so carefully, I couldn't find anything.

Thank you.

- Would you like some... - Would you like some...

Yes. Thank you.

As evening fell, a maiden stood

At the edge of a wood

In her hands lay the reins

Of a stallion

And n'er I'd seen

A girl as fair

Heard a gentler voice anywhere

Whispered, alas

She belonged

Belonged to another

Another, forever

Yes, she belonged to The twilight and mist

Dear Isabel,

how strange to have a cultivated woman in the house again,

and how intoxicating.

Indeed, to have all three of my sons under my roof again

fills me with such a deep, quiet satisfaction

that I thank God.

Hey.

Are you intimidated?

Hey, Stab!

There's a friend of yours.

I got a dollar that says he brings her back.

Whoa, honey.

Hold it steady.

- No! - Oh, hey.

Easy.

Easy, honey.

Easy.

You got it.

Nice work.

You guys look like a bunch of ice-cream cones.

I know you would have.

Ready. Here we go.

Go easy on him, Susannah.

Alfred, you take over.

I'm gonna go talk to Tristan.

You've disgraced the Colonel's name.

- Nice shiner. - Yeah, well, I hit her back.

She's got me spinning.

I'll bet.

She's got these ideas and theories, and she's...

She's...

What?

Nothing.

How'd you break the mare?

Oh, no, no. She's what?

Well...

She's sort of passionate.

- She a virgin? - Good Lord, Tristan.

- You brought it up. - Of course she is.

Are you?

Well...

- Yes, I am. - Going to wait till you're married?

See, 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?

Samuel, God bless you.

You are good at everything you try to do.

I'm sure it will be the same with fucking.

Tristan, really. We're talking about my future wife.

- You're not gonna fuck her? - No.

- No? - No.

I'm planning to be with her.

I recommend fucking.

- You're impossible. - You brought it up.

That was your fault.

My point!

Decker.

Good morning, Colonel Ludlow.

Tristan's gone hunting. Whatever it was, he didn't do it.

You don't have to worry about Tristan.

No. Meet John T. and James O'Banion. They own the mercantile store.

- Morning. - Morning, James, John T., Sheriff.

Morning, Alfred.

We're looking for a man we heard might be in this part of the country.

Name is Tom Cullen. I have a likeness here.

What did this fella do?

Do you recognize him?

- Yeah, I recognize him. - We got him.

This fellow passed by here maybe four or five years ago.

Did some work here. He was on his way to San Francisco.

He said he was hoping to book passage to Australia.

Australia?

Or was it Hong Kong. I can't remember.

- Can you remember? - I think it was Hong Kong.

Hong Kong. Yeah.

What exactly is he wanted for, sheriff?

Well, he--

That would be of a private nature.

"Private nature"? That's a public office you hold there.

Gentlemen.

"There came a low hiss, a horrid cold sound

that made Rikki Tikki Tavi jump back two clear feet.

And then inch by inch, out of the grass

rose up the head and spread hood of Nag,

the big black cobra."

I can always read another story.

- The Germans broke through at Armentieres. - What?

The British are trapped in the Belgian lowlands.

- And this paper is already a week old. - Calm down.

With my fluent German, I could become an officer.

And lead other boys to the slaughter and be slaughtered yourself.

The men who served under you worshiped you.

Then, they were damn fools. All of them.

This is a turning point in history.

- How can we-- - How can we what?

You can't expect us not to be part of this.

- You taught us-- - I taught you to think for yourselves.

- And to defend what's ours. - Yes, what is ours!

We've already lost two cousins at the Marne.

Whom we've never met. Don't talk at me as if I've never seen a war!

Not a war like this.

They said that about the War of Secession and the Indian wars.

That's what people who want to sell newspapers say about wars.

These are not the Indian wars. We're fighting against naked aggression.

There will be no more talk of wars in this house! Damn it!

I'm sorry, Susannah. Please.

I'm going to Canada to enlist.

I'm going with him.

I'm sorry, my love.

I meant to speak to you about it tonight.

I know you'll understand. It's the only honorable thing to do.

What's that?

It's a book my father wrote

to try to convince the government to alter their policies

towards the Indians in the Dakotas.

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.

Hey.

Please, don't let him go.

I'll take care of him.

October 14, 1914.

My dear Isabel,

today our sons are leaving home

to defend an England they have never seen.

And I am unable to stop them.

Isabel, 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?

I'll bring you the Kaiser's helmet.

Bring yourself back. That will please me more.

Yes, sir.

Tristan?

- You take care of Samuel. - I 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.

Let's join them.

Bring your plate.

He'll be back.

May we join you? Sit down.

- We're feeling lonely in there. - Miss Susannah.

Susannah, sit here.

Pet.

What's her name, Two?

- Lady. - Lady?

Tristan's Lady.

In the story, Tristan's lady was Isolde.

- Do you know who Isolde was? - No.

Decker, your daughter is in need of education.

Well, she can read and write, Colonel. School might be awkward for her.

- No, no, no. I'll teach her myself. - May I help?

Yeah.

Literature, history, mathematics.

With your permission, Decker, and yours, Pet.

What do you think?

What will she do with all this education?

She'll live a richer, fuller life, of course.

She's a half-breed.

Not in this house, she's not a half-breed.

- Tristan calls me a half-breed. - Tristan calls you a half-breed?

He says I'm half gopher and half hawk.

After her chores, then.

Yeah.

- To us all. - To you, sir.

- And miss. - And to the boys.

And the boys.

Tristan, get back to your unit.

Those boys are boring.

I'd rather have you watching my back.

Now, mate.

February 3, 1915.

Dear Susannah, the horror of this place is indescribable.

Nothing is as I thought it would be.

Keep your distance! Keep your spacing!

Tonight, as I prayed for the souls of those who've died so terribly

but so bravely,

I admit that I also prayed for personal glory.

Is that wrong?

To want to distinguish myself gloriously in combat as my father did?

Though Tristan and Alfred watch over me so carefully,

that I may never get the opportunity.

Charge!

Alfred! Are you all right?

Samuel!

Goddamn it!

- Are you hit? - It's just a scratch.

Susannah, I see now

not that my father was right, but that I was naive.

- Let me up, damn it! - Stay down!

Let me up!

Fall back!

Still, we place our bodies in God's keeping.

We go into battle honorably,

full of confidence with his name on our lips.

- We're pinned here. - We'll wait.

Stretcher-bearer!

- Give him a hand. - Help him down.

Here, man.

Goddamn.

God. You all right, little boy?

Susannah, I try to guard against despair,

but there are moments when it seems that all human decency is broken down.

Alfred will recover from his wounds,

but he and Tristan seem to have drifted apart, or worse.

And I cannot understand it.

I miss you more than you can imagine.

You are all that is clean and cool and pure.

I close my eyes and fix my thoughts on you.

I now regret that we listened to everyone and agreed to wait to marry.

Even more, I regret that I left before we could be together

as we planned, my beloved.

Please stay on at the ranch and wait for me.

Don't let Father worry.

I know God's mercy will protect me,

aided considerably by Tristan,

who seems to be in France less to fight the Germans

than to act as a nursemaid to me.

Be well, my love.

Your own, Samuel.

The Captain needs me to translate this before tonight's reconnaissance.

- Alfred will want to see you. - I'll be there.

- Yeah? - Go on and go.

Left, right, left, right, left.

Left. Left. Left, right.

Alfred.

Where's Samuel?

He's translating. He'll be here.

Boy, that's a good one.

- Vino? - Put that away.

Tristan.

- They said you'll get a medal. - Yes.

They're sending me home.

And I'm glad for you.

I'm an officer. I belong with my men.

Horseshit.

Or what's left of them.

Tristan, MacKenzie was just brought in. His leg's turned bad.

He said...

What?

He said what? Go on. What is it?

He said your brother volunteered to take his place

and go over on the reconnaissance with the Capitan.

Goddamn it! I told you to stay with him!

Samuel!

Samuel! Samuel!

Samuel!

Samuel!

Samuel!

Samuel!

Samuel?

Samuel! Samuel!

Tristan!

- Tristan! - Samuel!

Tristan!

- Samuel! - Tristan!

Samuel!

Samuel!

Tristan! Tristan!

- I'm here! - Where? I can't see.

Samuel!

Tristan! I can't move!

Samuel!

- Tristan! - Samuel!

- I'm coming! - Tristan?

Tristan!

Nol!

Nol!

Nol!

- Samuel! - Tristan!

I got you now. I got you.

I got you. You're doing good. You're doing good.

We're going home.

I got you.

Samuel?

Samuel.

Samuel?

God, no!

Oh, no!

I got you.

Goddamn you, God!

Oh, goddamn, God!

Tristan.

Tristan?

Tristan, it's me.

March 20, 1915.

Dear Father and Susannah,

I am being discharged from the Army, but I cannot come home yet.

I will write to Grandfather Ludlow in Cornwall

and ask him to let me join him and go to sea.

As for our beloved Samuel,

all I can send home is his heart.

Alfred will bring it back.

He should be buried up in the box canyon

where he used to draw the birds.

Your son, Tristan.

Well...

He certainly was the best of all of us, wasn't he?

Good night. Good night.

- Good night. - Good night, Father.

Alfred?

What you saw that night before Samuel left...

Please, don't--

No, no, I want to.

It is Samuel I loved.

All right.

Tristan will be back someday.

Your father will be pleased.

Susannah was to return to Boston on the morning train,

but a norther blew for three days and 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.

It was no more her fault than it is the fault of the water

when the rock shatters.

Susannah?

You know how much I...

You know how much I loved Samuel.

And I think you know...

Out of respect for him, I wanted to say it in this place.

I think you know that...

I'm in love with you.

From the first moment I saw you.

Like in a novel.

That's my mother's overblown romantic imagination coming out in me.

You're not making this very easy for me.

Sorry.

Is there any hope that you could learn to love me?

Not the way you loved Samuel, of course

but enough to...

Susannah, we could make a life together.

A happy life.

I don't think so, Alfred.

Sounds like you're not sure, though. Maybe there's a chance?

- What? - l can only cause you pain, Alfred.

Why don't you let me be the judge of that?

I didn't break it, but I can fix it.

I can put the damn wheel back on and take it off myself.

Go take a nap.

Colonel!

- What? - Look!

Susannah, I'm going into town, if--

Welcome home, son.

Tristan, you're back in one piece. Hey.

Oh, God.

I couldn't save him.

Of course you couldn't.

I couldn't save him.

It's all right.

Did you have a nice ride today?

Excuse me, Father.

Tristan.

Tristan, please.

When are you planning to be married?

Good morning.

Damn you, Tristan.

You will marry her.

- Make an honest woman of her? - Yes!

Goddamn you to hell.

Yes, I will marry her, if she'll have me.

If she'll have you?

Do you love her?

Or did you seduce her just to spite me?

That's not what I did.

And what about Samuel?

What about Samuel?

You tell me about Samuel.

We all loved Samuel. Samuel is dead. What?

How convenient for you.

Because you love her, I will forgive you for that.

Once. You say that again, and we're not brothers.

Once!

You know you can't make her happy.

I'm gonna try.

You will fail.

I'll be leaving today.

Alfred?

I wish you both all the best.

- Goodbye, son. - All right. Wish me luck.

Good luck.

September 7, 1915.

Dearest Mother,

I think I may have found my place in this world.

Helena is a city turned modern overnight,

bursting with all the energy and vitality of our times.

I feel alive here.

That ought to do it.

There is much opportunity for anyone willing to dedicate himself to his labors.

Already, I have acquired a reputation for honesty and fair dealing.

And I am pleased to call some of Helena's most influential citizens my friends.

They are determined to see this city grow, as am I.

We're proud of you.

Mother, thank you for your kind letter.

You knew my hopes.

That you understand my disappointment 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! Quit it!

Goddamn it!

Goddamn it!

Tristan?

If we have a boy, I'd like to call him Samuel.

And if it's a girl, Isabel.

I'll still love you.

You'll tolerate me because of how much I love you.

Tristan?

Nothing.

I heard from your mother.

She says Alfred has hooked up with those damn O'Banion brothers.

She says he's doing well.

Alfred's gonna do well wherever he is.

Except here, with us.

- That's my fault. - I didn't say that.

I couldn't bring Samuel back home alive, either, could I?

Don't you dare say that. That was in God's hands.

Was it?

Colonel! Lost a couple calves near Camas Canyon.

Might be a grizzly.

My grizzly?

- You take him, Tristan. - Damn right I will.

I don't know why Tristan did not Kill that damn old bear.

The Old Ones say:

"When a man and an animal have spilled each other's blood,

they become one."

I said four beers, Mr. Sachtleben.

And I said no Indians.

He's quite civilized, I assure you.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

- Give him a beer. - Stay out of it, boy.

- My father said four. - He heard me.

We're about to reach an understanding.

Just give him a goddamn beer!

Stay out of it! I said stay out of it.

Damn you. You're a damn fool.

You're spoiling for a fight with a man who outweighs you.

As we speak, he's searching for some kind of a weapon.

Isn't that right, Mr. Sachtleben?

To split your stupid skull and kill you and good riddance.

Leave it!

- Yes, sir. - I want four beers, now.

The lousy owner says he doesn't want to serve Indians.

Get back.

Now, you see this man? Do you?

His name is One Stab.

He's a venerated elder of the Cree and has counted coup on hundreds of his enemies.

He is our friend. 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.

I 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?

I don't know. I don't know.

Stab says yes.

April 20, 1918.

Dear Tristan,

it has been months now, and still no word.

The only sign that you are alive

is a tattered parcel that arrived today from New Guinea, it seems,

covered with strange writing

and containing what appears to be a native bracelet.

Meant for me, I presume.

But perhaps not.

Do you still care to know what is happening here?

Cattle prices continue to fall

and winter seems never ending.

Why don't you write?

Are you never coming back and afraid to tell me?

Susannah!

Alfred continues to do well.

Alfred.

His business has expanded to include financial concerns in Chicago

and Washington. I don't pretend to understand.

He wants us to send Isabel Two to boarding school in Chicago,

but she adamantly refuses to leave the ranch.

I think she, too, is waiting for you.

Tristan, I have nowhere to send this letter

and no reason to believe you wish to receive it.

I write it only for myself.

I will hide it away with all the things left unsaid and undone between us.

December 12, 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 company.

Father, I have come to ask for your blessing.

My blessing?

You see, these gentlemen and...

And a great many others, I might add.

...are urging me to run for office.

- What sort of office? - The United States Congress.

That's how highly we think of your son in this county.

Well, Alfred.

And what do you gentlemen hope to get out of this?

I beg your pardon?

I've spoken plain English, sir. What do you want for yourselves?

Father, I don't think that these gentlemen--

Didn't you ask that question? Or do you believe these gentlemen

back you out of patriotic duty and your inestimable worth?

You forget yourself, Father. I am no longer a child.

Colonel, the Congress--

Congress is government, sir. I 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

or an entire village slaughtered while sleeping.

That was the government's resolution of that particular issue.

I've seen nothing since then to persuade me it's gained

in wisdom, common sense or humanity.

Gentlemen, my father, for whom I have the deepest respect,

says that the government has neither wisdom nor humanity.

I will then consider it my absolute 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.

- Gentlemen, wait for me in the cars. - Yes. Certainly.

Susannah?

Are you all right? What's wrong?

I don't know what to say.

Tristan's always been wild.

You love him for that.

Do I?

Yeah, I suppose I do.

Susannah. He does love you.

Alfred!

She's to be your brother's wife.

Yes, though you better remind him of that fact.

He's not here to defend himself.

No, but I see you are here to defend him and what is his,

even though he's abandoned her and you.

I won't even speak of who else he abandoned.

Damn you, boy.

Don't you blame my son for Samuel's death!

Samuel chose to be a soldier, and soldiers die.

Sent to their slaughter by men in government.

Parasites like you!

Damn and blast youl!

Damn you. And damn you too!

Shut your mouth. Leave her out of this!

Get out of my house and get off my land.

Why? Because I want to serve my country as you did?

Or because, like you, I love a woman who doesn't love me?

He used her and deserted her, your darling Tristan.

Alfred, don't. Please.

I loved her!

I love her still.

He stole her from me. If you want to know the truth,

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

beside the cold fire.

He could not move.

His hair turned white overnight,

and he became an old man.

And after that, Tristan sent no more letters.

As the years passed by,

we would hear that someone had seen him on a ship,

going up some river no white man had gone up 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,

I 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.

Oh, Father.

He wants to celebrate.

I'm happy too.

Father, this is for you.

"Colonel William Ludlow, from his son Tristan."

I didn't know.

Stab.

These are boars' tusks, made by a Javanese warrior.

He, too, was a great man.

Decker.

Pet.

Oh, damn. Look at that.

I have other things for Mother and Little Izzy and Susannah.

What is it?

Tell him.

Tell him.

Alfred and Miss Susannah

were married several years ago.

Your brother's a congressman now.

They have a big, new place in Helena.

It's as it should be.

Cattle prices dropped after the war ended.

The Colonel ain't seem to care.

He lost just about everything he had.

We'll make it back

on horses or something else if we have to.

We'll make it back.

He's saying that your brother voted for the Volstead Act.

Did he? You suggesting I become a bootlegger?

Good money in bootlegging, if you know what you're doing.

Screw the government.

Screw them.

Screw them.

Screw them! Screw the government.

Screw them!

Forever turned out to be too long.

I know.

Here.

I don't want it.

They told me that this was magic.

That whoever wore it would be protected.

Keep it.

Tristan?

Don't you want to see Alfred?

It's probably better that I don't.

Tell him hello

and congratulations.

Hey.

He likes you.

Welcome home.

Isabel?

I want you to have him.

I have something for you, too,

I brought back.

It's from lerapetra.

- That's in-- - Crete.

- Crete, yeah. - I know where it is.

Your father taught me European history.

A little girl. That's me, right?

Thank you, Tristan.

Okay, we'll see you in a few days.

Don't wait on me, Stab. I'll be fine.

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. - Yes?

Yes.

Tristan

is back.

Yes, I know.

You know?

How do you know?

I saw him.

He had the audacity to come here just to see you?

He wanted to see you, but thought you'd get upset.

I think he might be right.

Well, 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.

God, she's practically our sister.

She can't be more than, what, 19?

Twenty.

I can't imagine what the hell is Decker thinking of to allow this.

Well, perhaps he's thinking of his daughter's happiness.

Happiness?

With Tristan?

You, of all people, should know how impossible that prospect is.

Well, I'm not Isabel Two.

June 2, 1921.

Dear Tristan,

I was so pleased to hear of your coming marriage.

Your father must be very happy.

Isabel Two is like a daughter to him

as she was named after your own mother.

It seems as though it was always meant to be, doesn't it?

Damnation.

Come on, now.

Samuel Decker Ludlow.

Dearest Tristan,

Alfred and I were delighted to hear of your son's birth.

We hoped for a child of our own, but of that I despair.

I know Alfred thinks of you often.

I look forward to the day when we all might see one another again.

Your son bears a proud and noble name.

I know he will live up to it.

Please give my love to Isabel Two

and to your father and everyone else.

Yours always, Susannah.

- Evening, gentlemen. - Tristan.

Been meaning to talk to you about one or two things.

By all means.

As you know perfectly well,

we handle the liquor around here.

Now, you've been a small-time operator.

An amateur, frankly.

But lately, your shipments have been getting a little fat

and my patience has been getting a little thin.

So the next time you get in our way,

will be the last time.

Excuse me. I appreciate it.

Tristan. Perhaps you're wondering why you're not dead already.

Because your brother is Congressman Ludlow.

And that's it. That's all.

Kenneth. Thomas.

Hey, Bob, how you doing?

Good to see you, sir.

- Dave, Richard. How are you? - How you doing, sir?

Good luck, sir.

Can't you just say hello?

Hello, Alfred.

Hello, Tristan.

Who's this young man?

- This is Samuel. - Hello.

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.

- I think you look like him. - That's what Grandpa says.

He was very brave and very good.

Grandpa says that too.

Grandpa says I can have Uncle Samuel's gun when I'm bigger.

Would you come and see it?

I'd love to.

Sometime.

He's a fine boy, Tristan.

He is.

How is Father? Is he well?

As well as can be expected.

- I wish-- - Pardon the intrusion.

Excuse me, Alfred. We're ready for your speech now.

All right, I'll be there in a minute.

Thank you.

- We'll meet again soon? - I'd like that.

Kenneth.

Watch this.

Go and get Tynert.

I think you missed a bump, Stab.

Who said he could drive, anyway?

Jesus!

Sir, we have information that you're transporting goods

in violation of the Volstead Act.

If you mean a case of Irish whiskey for my father, I am.

I'd like to ask you to give it up.

He'll be a bit disappointed.

No. No, Izzy. No!

Jesus.

Nol!

Nol!

Nol!

Hold him down.

Let's get out of here, John T.

- There's an envelope in his pocket. - Now, John T.

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.

Father.

I don't want to see him.

Tristan, I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry.

Father won't see me, even now?

He blames the government for Isabel's...

Tristan, there's something we have to talk about.

The officer you beat almost died.

Now, everyone understands.

But they say that you're gonna have to plead guilty,

serve 30 days.

And the one who shot off his gun?

He was...

reprimanded.

The O'Banions?

Nothing.

You have to let it go, Tristan.

It was a terrible, tragic accident.

Tristan, listen to me.

You let this go now.

You got in over your head.

I'll need a minute.

Susannah?

I'm so sorry.

We all loved her.

How are you?

I'm fine.

We never get to see you.

I gave a speech the other day.

- You did? - Yes.

My first public engagement.

It was...

It was on the resp--

It was on the responsibilities of women in--

It's good to see you.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I still sometimes dream

that I'm the mother of your children.

I wanted her to die.

And 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 1?

Go home.

Go home to Alfred.

Mrs. Ludlow.

Where were you?

Well, I just went out for a walk. I needed a walk.

What are you doing home?

Your doctor rang, said you missed your appointment.

I called home. You weren't here. I...

I feel very tired.

I'm going to bed.

You have won her. I am 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.

And my... Even my own wife.

I'd like a moment alone with her.

When Samuel died...

When Samuel died, I cursed God.

And I damn everybody around me as well as myself.

No.

You are not damned, Tristan.

I won't allow that.

You're not damned!

Well...

Well...

Samuel, this is a gentleman's gun.

It's smaller, but it's just as powerful.

That's what you want when you grow up, isn't it? A gun.

Samuel! Samuel, come here!

Run along now. Go with Pet.

Get him in the house.

He's a fine boy.

You know we're not here to arrest you.

You take me to the woods. I don't want my boy to see.

I don't want my boy to see.

Let's get on with it.

Hey!

- Father. - Colonel Ludlow, sir.

What's going on here?

What's going on here?

Nol!

Hey!

You don't have to be a genius to figure out they'll come after you for this.

Yeah.

Alfred?

Yeah?

I want to ask you to watch over my children.

Watch over Samuel.

Brother, it would be an honor.

How much I wanted to take scalps,

but it was not my Kill.

That night, we buried the bodies

and dumped the car in a deep pool in the upper Missouri.

I remember when he was a boy,

I thought Tristan would never live to be an old man.

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 honor 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 up in the north country,

where the hunting was still good.

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.