精彩对白

Mattie Ross: Where is Mr. LeBoeuf?

Rooster Cogburn: Down by the creek performing his necessaries.

Mattie Ross: Well, Marshal Cogburn, I welcome the chance for a private parley. I gather that you and Mr. LeBoeuf have come to some...some sort of agreement and as your employer I believe I have a right to know the particulars.

Rooster Cogburn: The particulars is that we bring Chaney down to the magistrate in San Saba Texas where they have a considerable reward on offer. Which we split.

Mattie Ross: I did not want him brought to Texas, to have a Texas punishment administered for a Texas crime. That was not our agreement.

Rooster Cogburn: What you want is to have him caught and punished.

Mattie Ross: I want him to know that he is being punished for killing my father.

Rooster Cogburn: Oh, you can let him know that. You can tell him to his face. You can spit on him, make him eat sand out of the road. I'll hold him down. Well, if you want I will flay the flesh off the soles of his feet, find you an Indian pepper you can rub into the wound. Isn't that a hundred dollars' value?

Mattie Ross: No, it is not. When I have bought and paid for something I will have my way. Why do you think I am paying you if not to have my way?

Rooster Cogburn: It's time for you to learn you cannot have your way in every little particular. You find I fail to satisfy your terms I will return your money at the end of this expedition.

Mattie Ross: Little Blackie and I are riding back to the U.S. marshals' office. This is fraud!

Rooster Cogburn: Oh, God damn it!

LeBoeuf: What's goin' on?

Rooster Cogburn: This is a business conversation.

LeBoeuf: Is that what you call it. It sounds to me like you are still being hoorawed by a little girl.

Rooster Cogburn: Did you say hoorawed?

LeBoeuf: That was the word.

Mattie Ross: There is no hoorawing in it. My agreement with the Marshal antedates yours. It has the force of law.

LeBoeuf: The force of law! This man is a notorious thumper! He rode by the light of the moon with Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson!

Rooster Cogburn: That men was patriots, Texas trash!

LeBoeuf: They murdered women and children in Lawrence, Kansas.

Rooster Cogburn: That's a God damned lie! What army was you in, mister?

LeBoeuf: I was at Shreveport first with Kirby-Smith, then...

Rooster Cogburn: Yeah? What side was you on?

LeBoeuf: I was in the army of Northern Virginia, Cogburn, and I don't have to hang my head when I say it!

Rooster Cogburn: If you had served with Captain Quantrill...

LeBoeuf: Captain? Captain Quantrill indeed!

Rooster Cogburn: Best let this go, LeBoeuf!

LeBoeuf: Captain of what?

Rooster Cogburn: Good, then! There are not sufficient dollars in the state of Texas to make it worth my while to listen to your opinions. Our agreement is nullified.

LeBoeuf: That suits me!

Rooster Cogburn: It's each man for himself!

LeBoeuf: Congratulations, Cogburn. You've graduated from marauder to wet nurse. Adios!

Mattie Ross: We don't need him, do we Marshall?

Rooster Cogburn: Gonna miss his sharp Carbine.

妙语佳句 活学活用

1. parley：会谈，对话。arrange a parley with us就可以表示“安排和我们讲和”。

例如：The garrison that sounds a parley is not far from being surrendered.（如果守军向敌人鸣鼓要求谈判，则意味着快投降了。）

2. magistrate: 文职官员，地方官员。

3. reward on offer: 悬赏，赏金。

4. terms: 条款，条件。鲁斯特这里的意思是“如果你发现我没让你满意，这次出行结束后我会把钱还给你。”

美国大学或学校的学期论文就可以称为term paper。

5. antedate: 提早，居先。例如：The cold weather antedated their departure.（寒冷的天气使他们提前离开。）

6. thumper: 重击者，捶击者，在口语中表示巨人，庞然大物。

7. make it worth my while: 酬谢某人。

8. That suits me: 正合我意。

9. marauder: 掠夺者。

10. wet nurse: 奶妈。

11. Adios: 再见，一路平安。

12. Carbine: 原为骑兵用的卡宾枪，也指美军的轻型半自动或自动步枪。