[Marston slowly walks in as Mr. Ross and Mr. Archer inspect their guns.]
Ross: What do you want, Marston?
Marston: My family. I've done what you asked.
Ross: [scoffs] No you haven't. This is the land of opportunity and I gave you the opportunity to save your family and you failed. How could I possibly reward you?
Archer: Marston, you're a public menace. We should've had you killed.
Marston: I wish you had, but since you didn't, [raises his voice] where's my family?
Ross: [sighs] Oh, spare me the noble savage fall on my sword tripe, will you, old boy? It's nauseating. You don't wish to be dead. You're an insignificant creature, desperately clinging onto life like the rest of the scum in this town.
[Marston turns away, not looking at Ross.]
Ross: Yeah, I know it's tough. You like Dutch. He's a charming fellow. He makes sense. He's like one of those nature writers from back East. Only he takes things a tiny little step too far. Rather than just loving the flowers and the animals and the harmony between man and beast, he shoots people in the head for money. And disagreeing with him.
Archer: He's a goddamn killer.
Ross: Now, I'm not a great intellect, but the metaphysical leap between admiring the flower to shooting a man in the head because he doesn't like the flower, is a leap too far. So... I know it's easy. You see we — me and Archer — we're the bad guys. We enforce the rules. Now, while the rules may not be perfect, they're really not so bad.
Archer: Exactly, what's the alternative?
Ross: Yeah, see I'll tell you what the alternative is. It's not complicated. It's about one man and his gun versus another man. [Ross chuckles.] Sure, civilization may be dull, but the alternative, Mr. Marston, is hell.
Marston: And, the way you enforce this civilization, this freedom for men to like or not like flowers or whatever in God's name you were just talking about, is to kidnap a man's wife and son?
Ross: Well, I know there's contradictions. I'm not going to lie to you. As I said, I'm not a great intellect. [Ross grabs his gun.] Now, after the debacle with the army and the bank, we have to put Mr. van der Linde to rest ourselves. Will you help us?
Marston: Do I have any choice?
Ross: Now that you mention it, no.
Marston: Then, what was that pretty speech in aid of?
Ross: I don't rightly know, but it sure felt good saying it.
Archer: Shall we, Mr. Marston?
Ross: Let's go.
[All exit to the gatling gun-armed automobile on the street]
Ross: What do you want, Marston?
Marston: My family. I've done what you asked.
Ross: [scoffs] No you haven't. This is the land of opportunity and I gave you the opportunity to save your family and you failed. How could I possibly reward you?
Archer: Marston, you're a public menace. We should've had you killed.
Marston: I wish you had, but since you didn't, [raises his voice] where's my family?
Ross: [sighs] Oh, spare me the noble savage fall on my sword tripe, will you, old boy? It's nauseating. You don't wish to be dead. You're an insignificant creature, desperately clinging onto life like the rest of the scum in this town.
[Marston turns away, not looking at Ross.]
Ross: Yeah, I know it's tough. You like Dutch. He's a charming fellow. He makes sense. He's like one of those nature writers from back East. Only he takes things a tiny little step too far. Rather than just loving the flowers and the animals and the harmony between man and beast, he shoots people in the head for money. And disagreeing with him.
Archer: He's a goddamn killer.
Ross: Now, I'm not a great intellect, but the metaphysical leap between admiring the flower to shooting a man in the head because he doesn't like the flower, is a leap too far. So... I know it's easy. You see we — me and Archer — we're the bad guys. We enforce the rules. Now, while the rules may not be perfect, they're really not so bad.
Archer: Exactly, what's the alternative?
Ross: Yeah, see I'll tell you what the alternative is. It's not complicated. It's about one man and his gun versus another man. [Ross chuckles.] Sure, civilization may be dull, but the alternative, Mr. Marston, is hell.
Marston: And, the way you enforce this civilization, this freedom for men to like or not like flowers or whatever in God's name you were just talking about, is to kidnap a man's wife and son?
Ross: Well, I know there's contradictions. I'm not going to lie to you. As I said, I'm not a great intellect. [Ross grabs his gun.] Now, after the debacle with the army and the bank, we have to put Mr. van der Linde to rest ourselves. Will you help us?
Marston: Do I have any choice?
Ross: Now that you mention it, no.
Marston: Then, what was that pretty speech in aid of?
Ross: I don't rightly know, but it sure felt good saying it.
Archer: Shall we, Mr. Marston?
Ross: Let's go.
[All exit to the gatling gun-armed automobile on the street]
— Marston, Ross, and Archer's little argument in the mission "And You Shall Know The Truth"
