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Staying On (1980)
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( men ) IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY IT'S A LONG WAY TO GO IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY ( men chattering ) ( Ibrahim ) 11:15. THE COLONEL LASTED TILL MIDNIGHT LAST YEAR. REMEMBER, SIR? ( man ) WELL, NOT BAD FOR HIS AGE. ( Ibrahim laughing ) EASY NOW FELLOWS, EASY, EASY. GET HIM IN THERE. IBRAHIM. ( in Hindi ) TAKE MR. TUSKER TO LUCY MEMSAAB QUICKLY. ( men ) FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW SO SAY ALL OF US ( people chattering ) ( man speaking Hindi ) WHAT IS THE MATTER? THE COLONEL IS LEAVING SO EARLY TODAY? ( all laughing ) ( speaking Hindi ) COME ON, COME ON. WATCH, WATCH, WATCH. COME, COME, CAREFUL, CAREFUL. COME ON, OK, WELL DONE. COME ON, COME ON, THERE, THERE. ( dogs barking ) THE BADA KHANA AT THE MESS WAS GRAND, MEMSAAB. ( speaking Hindi ) MUST YOU SHAME US LIKE THIS EVERY YEAR? OH, BALLS, LUCY. DON'T YOU KNOW INDIA YET? ( Indian classical music playing ) ( people chattering ) ( birds chirping ) ( Tusker grunting ) ( crashing ) ( Tusker sighing ) ( grunting ) TUSKER? TUSKER? MMM. YOU ALL RIGHT? ( moaning ) ( bell ringing ) ( in Hindi ) WHAT ARE YOU DOING? SAAB IS CALLING. I AM COMING, I AM COMING, MEMSAAB, MEMSAAB. OH, IBRAHIM, HURRY, PLEASE. IT'S THE SAAB. OH, WHAT... WHA WAS IT, IBRAHIM? BLANKET, MEMSAAB. I... I CALLED DR. MITRA. THAT'S THE FIRST THING I DID. ( moaning ) COME ON, SAAB. ( groaning ) ( muttering ) COME, SAAB. ( Tusker groaning ) ( in Hindi ) MEMSAAB IS VERY WORRIED. SAAB'S BEEN UNCONSCIOUS SINCE THIS MORNING. OH, DR. MITRA. GOOD MORNING, MRS. SMALLEY. WELL, COL. SMALLEY, OLD BOY. NOT FEELING TOO GOOD, EH? WHOA. ( in Hindi ) THERE'S BEEN MAJOR TROUBLE. SAAB HAS HAD A HEART ATTACK. COL. SMALLEY, HEART TROUBLE. I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO BE... A LONG HAUL. THANK YOU. BUT HE WILL... HE WILL BE... REST, THAT'S THE MAIN THING. AND NO BOOZE. SO, THE OLD MAN IS NOT DYING AFTER ALL. NO, MEMSAAB. ( in Hindi ) BUT HE IS ILL AGAIN TODAY. PITY. ( scoffing ) IT IS COL. SMALLEY WHO IS GIVING ME MY MIGRAINE, DOCTOR. OH. I'M SURE OF IT. TENANTS ARE ALWAYS SO MUCH TROUBLE. ALWAYS ONE LITTLE THING AFTER ANOTHER. AS BAD AS SERVANTS. OLD MALI, THE GARDENER, WAS A LAZY DEVIL AND A CROOK. ALWAYS WORKING IN COL. SMALLEY'S GARDEN AND NOT MINE. BUT I CAUGHT HIM... SELLING PRODUCE FROM THE KITCHEN GARDEN IN THE BAZAAR, SO WE HAVE NONE AND HAVE TO BUY IT BACK AGAIN. ( screaming ) PLEASE, MRS. BHOOLABHOY, ( in Hindi ) DON'T MOVE. YOU MUST NOT MOVE. SHH. WE'RE HAVING A NEW POLICY AT SMITH'S HOTEL, DOCTOR. RETRENCHMENT. FIRST WAS GETTING RID OF THAT OLD MALI, AND 2ND IS GETTING RID OF THOSE SMALLEYS. WHAT THE HELL'S HAPPENED TO THE GARDEN? HASN'T OLD MALI BEEN? I REALLY DON'T KNOW, TUSKER, DEAR. I'VE BEEN SO BUSY WITH... IBRAHIM! SAAB? HAS THAT SON OF A MALI BEEN TODAY? NO, SAAB. OR YESTERDAY? NO, SAAB. OR FOR THE LAST 10 DAYS? NO, NO, SAAB. THE GARDEN LOOKS ALL RIGH TO ME, TUSKER. IBRAHIM IS MAKING YOU SOME NICE BROTH. OF COURSE, IT'S NOT ALL RIGHT. I ONLY HAVE TO BE ILL FOR A FEW DAYS FOR THE PLACE TO LOOK LIKE A JUNGLE. DON'T EXAGGERATE, TUSKER. IT'S THAT BLOODY BHOOLABHOY WOMAN'S FAULT, UP THERE. JUST WAIT TILL BILLY BOY GETS BACK FROM RANPUR. I'LL HAVE HER GUTS FOR GARTERS. I EXPECT THE MALI'S BEEN ILL, THAT'S ALL. NOT THE POINT. NOT THE POINT. IT'S THAT WOMAN'S JOB TO SEE THAT MY GRASS IS CU AND MY FLOWERS ARE WATERED EVERY DAY. EVERY DAY OF THE BLOODY YEAR. IT'S IN THE LEASE. BRING ME THE BLOODY BOX. NICE BROTH FIRST, BLOODY BOX LATER, BUT NOT TODAY. NOW, IF WE DRINK UP ALL OUR NICE BROTH, AND THEN HAVE A GOOD SLEEP THIS AFTERNOON, WHO KNOWS, WE MIGHT HAVE A NICE ARROWROOT BISCUI FOR TEA. NO, NO, NO, NO ARROWROOT, MEMSAAB, ONLY GATEAU. OH. WELL, THEN A NICE DIGESTIVE, TUSKER, DEAR. IT APPALLS ME. WHAT DOES? A WOMAN OF NEARLY 70, TALKING LIKE A CHILD OF 7. WONDER WHAT'S KEEPING BILLY BOY SO LONG. ( Indian rock music playing ) ( rattling ) ( groaning ) ( groaning ) TSK. ( coughing ) HMM. EUREKA! SAAB, SAAB WANTS? WANTS? WANTS NOTHING. HAS FOUND. WHERE'S MEMSAAB? UH, GONE FOR PRESCRIPTION. AH. WELL, NOW, WE'LL SEE. WON'T WE JUST SEE. I'LL SUE THAT FAT BITCH BHOOLABHOY FROM ASSHOLE TO CHRISTMAS. ( groaning ) HA! ( clearing throat ) WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. OH, BLOODY HELL! ( Tusker coughing ) AHEM. SAAB. ( Lucy humming ) MEMSAAB! MEMSAAB, MEMSAAB, COLONEL SAAB NOT WELL. OH. DID WE WAKEN US FROM OUR LITTLE NAP? WE WERE NOT HAVING OUR LITTLE NAP. WE WERE PLOTTING OUR LITTLE PLOTS, AND PLANNING OUR LITTLE PLANS. PLANS FOR WHAT, TUSKER, DEAR? MURDER. AND WHO IS TO BE THE UNHAPPY VICTIM? I CAN'T READ THAT, DEAR, I HAVEN'T GOT MY SPECTACLES. "DEAR COL. SMALLEY, "MR. BHOOLABHOY HAS EXPLAINED YOUR OBJECTION TO PROPOSED RENT INCREASE. "I AGREE THEREFORE TO RENEW TENANCY OF LODGE "ON SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS STATED IN CLAUSE 2, CURRENT AGREEMENT. "NOW, OTHERWISE EXPIRING JUNE 30TH. SIGNED, MRS. BHOOLABHOY, PROP." BUT YOU WERE PLEASED AT THE TIME. YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO OBJEC TO THIS LETTER. 2 HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE, YOU'RE ALWAYS SAYING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, TUSKER. IT MEANS THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE THE SERVICE OF THE MALI. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HIRE OUR OWN MALI TO CUT THE SODDING GRASS. ONLY WE'RE NOT HIRING ONE, EXPECT OVER MY DEAD BODY. BUT THE GRASS IS MRS. BHOOLABHOY'S RESPONSIBILITY. IT SAYS SO IN THE LEASE. WE HAVEN'T HAD A LEASE, SINCE LAST JULY. WE'VE ONLY HAD THIS CONNING, BLOODY LETTER. ( clearing throat ) WHAT THE SAAB IS SAYING, UH, MEMSAAB, I THINK, IS THAT PROPRIETOR'S LETTER LAST YEAR, RENEWING TENANCY UNTIL JUNE 30TH NEXT, REFERRED ONLY TO RENEWAL OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS STATED IN CLAUSE 2, ALL OTHER CLAUSES NOT BEING RENEWED. FOR EXAMPLE, PERHAPS PROPRIETOR'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR UPKEEP OF GARDEN, ISN'T IT? OH, IBRAHIM. HOW QUICK YOU ARE. TOO BLOODY QUICK BY HALF. SO YOU CAN GO. GET OUT. BLOODY CROOK. WHAT HAVE I DONE, SAAB? YOU'VE BEEN DISLOYAL. YOU DIDN'T SEE THE POSITION LIKE THAT IN A SPLIT SECOND. YOU'VE KNOWN ABOUT I ALL ALONG. WHAT THE SAAB SAYS, THE SAAB SAYS. BUT WHAT THE SAAB SAYS IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FACTS. GET OUT. SOD OFF. GO ON, BUGGER OFF. OH, TUSKER. HOW COULD YOU TREA POOR IBRAHIM SO UNKINDLY, AFTER THE WAY HE SLAVED FOR US WHILE YOU WERE POOR? HE'S LISTENING, YOU BLOODY FOOL. HE NEVER LISTENS. HE'S GOT TOO MUCH PRIDE. IF YOU HAD ANY PRIDE, YOU'D WRITE TO MRS. BHOOLABHOY, AND ASK HER INTENTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE STATE OF THE GARDEN. NO. NEVER. HAVE HER DRAW MY ATTENTION TO THE LETTER, MAKE ME LOOK A PERFECT FOOL FOR NOT SPOTTING HER CHICANERY LAST JULY. WELL, THEN FORGET ABOUT I TILL BILLY BOY COMES HOME. FAT LOT OF GOOD THAT LITTLE HENPECKED MAN CAN DO IF THE BITCH HAS MADE UP HER MIND. ( in Hindi ) OK, DINANATH. THANK YOU, SAAB. LEELA, MY LOVE, I'M HOME. YOUR FRANKIE'S HOME. LEELA, MY LOVE. ARE YOU AWAKE? YOUR FRANKIE'S HOME. FRANKIE. LEELA. ( laughing ) LATER, FRANKIE, LATER. HA! HEH. TUSKER. HELLO. COLONEL. BILLY BOY. WHEN DID YOU GET BACK? THIS AFTERNOON. AND, UH, OH, I BROUGHT THESE FOR MRS. SMALLEY. OH, YOU SHOULDN'T, MR. BHOOLABHOY. EVERY TIME YOU COME BACK, YOU BRING ME A PRESENT. ( laughing ) IT'S NOTHING, REALLY. IT'S FOR ALL THE HAPPY EVENINGS I SPENT HERE WITH THE COLONEL. HAD A GAY OLD TIME IN JOLLY RANPUR, DID YOU? UH, YES, NOT BAD. NOT TOO BAD, REALLY. COME ON, HAVE A DRINK. IBRAHIM! ( sighing ) I HEAR YOU'VE NOT BEEN TOO WELL, COLONEL. OH, NO, NO, NOTHING SERIOUS. I'M FINE NOW. IBRAHIM, BRING OU THE GIN AND LIME. UH, TUSKER SAAB. BILLY BOY, BAK, BAK, BAK. AND SOME BISCUITS, PLEASE, IBRAHIM. COMING, MEMSAAB. ( inaudible ) WELL, NOW, TELL US ALL ABOUT IT. YOU STAYED AT THE RANPUR SHIRAZ, DIDN'T YOU? YES, I DID, AS A MATTER OF FACT. WHAT WAS IT LIKE? WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT THESE NEW HOTELS ARE LIKE. CONCRETE SLABS, CONCRETE BLOCKS. NO CHARM, NO PERSONAL SERVICE. NOT LIKE SMITH'S IN THE OLD DAYS. THANK YOU. PANKOT STATION, 8:00 IN THE MORNING. THE STAFF WAITING FOR THE NEW ARRIVALS. EVERYBODY HUNGRY FOR BREAKFAST, AND THEN INTO THE TONGAS AND UP TO SMITH'S IN DOUBLE QUICK TIME WITH THE LUGGAGE FOLLOWING: TRUNKS, CASES, LADIES' LITTLE BOXES. OH, HAT BOXES. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, THESE SHIRAZ HOTELS ARE ALL THE SAME. ONLY AFTER YOUR MONEY. WHAT ABOUT THE GO-GO INN? DID YOU "GO-GO" IN? V-VERY GOOD, THAT'S VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD INDEED. GO-GO INN. WELL, YOU SEE, YES, I DID GLANCE IN, ONCE IN A WHILE, TO SEE WHAT IT WAS LIKE. AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE? NOT IN FRON OF MRS. SMALLEY. ( men laughing ) ( music playing on radio ) ( laughing ) WELL, TIME FOR BEDDY-BYES, COLONEL. OH. ( both groaning ) MRS. SMALLEY, THANK YOU. WELL, NO PROBLEMS, THEN, WHILE I'VE BEEN AWAY? OH, NO, NO, NO. JUST THE TICKER. ( Frankie ) THAT'S GOOD. GOOD NIGHT, MRS. SMALLEY. GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU, COLONEL, AGAIN. GOOD NIGHT, OLD CHAP. ( sighing ) ( panting ) TUSKER, WHY ON EARTH DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING? YOU... YOU CAN LOCK UP NOW, IBRAHIM. WE'RE GOING TO BED. TUSKER. ( whimpering ) ( crying ) TUSKER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT'S THE MATTER? YOU MUSTN'T BE UPSET. ( whimpering ) WHAT DOES IT MATTER ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF GRASS? OH, SILLY, SILLY TUSKER. WHO CARES IF IT'S CUT OR NOT, SO LONG AS IT'S NOT CU FOR BOTH OF US. SO LONG AS WE'RE TOGETHER. ( crying ) LUCY, LUCY. LUCY. ( birds chirping ) OH, MEMSAAB. WE ARE PEOPLE IN SHADOW, IBRAHIM. MAY I CONFIDE IN YOU? OH, ABSOLUTELY, MEMSAAB. WHEN A MAN WHO'S BEEN ACTIVE ALL HIS LIFE SUDDENLY BECOMES INACTIVE... I NEED A YOUNG MAN. A BOY WOULD DO. DO YOU KNOW OF ONE? MEMSAAB? WELL, I WOULD PAY HIM REASONABLY, OR RATHER, I WOULD PAY YOU FOR PROCURING HIM, AND YOU WOULD PAY HIM FOR ME. SAHIB MUST NOT KNOW THIS ARRANGEMENT. WH-WHAT SORT OF BOY, MEMSAAB? OH, ANY SORT WOULD DO, SO LONG AS HE IS STRONG AND WILLING, AND NOT TOO EXPENSIVE. UH, IF NECESSARY, HE COULD LIVE HERE, SO AS TO BE ON HAND WHEN NEEDED. BUT THERE IS A SNAG. THERE'S THE QUESTION OF TOOLS. MR. BHOOLABHOY MAY HAVE TO BE A PARTY TO THIS ARRANGEMEN AND LEND HIS. IN FACT, THE BOY MUST APPEAR TO BE MR. BHOOLABHOY'S BOY. AND THIS, PLEASE, IS JUS TO BE AN INTERIM ARRANGEMEN UNTIL THE SAHIB IS HIMSELF AGAIN AND I CAN CONFESS EVERYTHING. SURELY, BETWEEN US WE COULD FIND SUCH A BOY. I THINK SO, MEMSAAB. I MEAN, HE COULD BE OF USE TO YOU, TOO, IN ODD WAYS. BUT CHIEFLY TO ME, I WANT A BOY WHO CAN MOW THE LAWN AND WATER THE FLOWERS. YES, YES, MEMSAAB. "WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE, WHEN FIRS WE PRACTICE TO DECEIVE." I FIND THESE LITTLE PLOTS AND PLANS QUITE FOREIGN TO MY NATURE. BUT CAN'T BE HELPED. DR. MITRA SAYS THE COLONEL SAAB MUST NOT GET EXCITED. OH, YES, MEMSAAB, BUT WHEN COLONEL SAAB RED IN THE FACE, IT IS VERY GOOD FOR CIRCULATION. I'M AFRAID DR. MITRA SAYS NOT. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE MY HUSBAND, IBRAHIM. NO, MEMSAAB. ( mumbling ) ( Frankie ) HIS NAME IS JOSEPH. HE'S A CHRISTIAN. HE SAYS A LITTLE PRAYER FOR THE SOUL OF THE DEPARTED, AND HE READS THE NAMES, SO THAT GOD WILL HEAR THEM PROPERLY, AND THE SOULS WILL NO GET MIXED UP. JOSEPH. COME, THERE IS A PROSPECT. ( muttering ) ( lawn mower squeaking ) CRAP. IBRAHIM. COMING, MEMSAAB. WAGES. ABOUT THE LAWN, IBRAHIM. BADA SAAB HASN' SAID ANYTHING, BUT I THINK HE'S VERY PLEASED. HE'S LOOKING MUCH BETTER. FOR THE GARDEN. YES, MEMSAAB. AND TONIGHT, I SHALL GO TO THE PICTURES. PLEASE BOOK MY SEA FOR THE 2ND SHOW. YES, MEMSAAB, REPEAT SHOWING: BUTCH CASSIDY, SUNDANCE KID, ROBERT REDFORD, PAUL NEWMAN. OH, YES, OF COURSE WE SAW I LAST YEAR, DIDN'T WE? SUCH GOOD ACTORS. TRY AND GE MY USUAL SEAT, PLEASE. YES, MEMSAAB. THANK YOU. ( Java Jive by The Ink Spots playing ) I love coffee, I love tea I love the java jive and it loves me coffee and tea and the java and me a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup! IBRAHIM! AH, RAM BHAROSE. Sweet and hot whoops, Mr. Moto, I'm a coffee pot ( in Hindi ) WHEN DID YOU COME? HOW ARE YOU? OOH, A LETTER FROM ABROAD. A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup! Oh, slip me a slug from the wonderful mug OH. DAAK, MEMSAAB. OH. ( people chattering ) ( flute playing ) WHAT A SHOCK. ( in Hindi ) HERE, TAKE. WHAT IS THIS "BUGGER OFF," IBRAHIM? OH, THESE ARE VERY OLD ( in Hindi ) GO AWAY, RUN. LIKEWISE, "PISS OFF." BUT THESE ARE SACRED PHRASES, NEVER TO BE USED BY YOU OR ME WHEN SPEAKING OF THEM. ( in Hindi ) UNDERSTOOD? SO, I BUGGER OFF. BUT NEXT MORNING, THERE'S NO TEA TO WAKE THEM UP. NO PORRIDGE FOR A COLD WINTER MORNING. BUT PRESENTLY, SAAB COMES TO ME, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?", HE SAYS. "WAITING FOR PAY," I SAY, "SAAB." "WHY SHOULD I PAY YOU WHEN YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR BLOODY WORK?" SO, THEN I KNOW I'M REINSTATED. ( in Hindi ) UNDERSTOOD? ( laughing ) WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ARE PUSHED BY SAAB? TSK, TSK, TSK. NOT PUSHED, GIVEN PUSH, GIVEN PUSH, GET IDIOM RIGHT. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ARE GIVEN PUSH? WHO THEN MAKES THE PORRIDGE? OH, NOT YOU, NOT YOU, JOSEPH BETE. IF I'M SACKED, YOU ALSO ARE SACKED. YOU ARE NO SMALLEY SAAB'S BOY, YOU ARE MY BOY. YOU ARE IBRAHIM'S BOY. ( in Hindi ) UNDERSTOOD? ( in Hindi ) HE LOOKS LIKE A DONKEY. DON'T YOU HAVE ANY SHAME? AT THIS AGE YOU ARE ASPIRING FOR A BOY? WHAT ARE YOU BLABBERING? NONSENSE. "NONSENSE." DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY, "YOU ARE MY BOY?" THE WHOLE WORLD HEARD IT. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF THE WHOLE WORLD, HUH? I NEVER SAID ANYTHING. TAKE NO NOTICE OF HER, HUH. BUGGER OFF. ( dog panting ) ( birds chirping ) TUSKER. TUSKER. HELLO, OLD THING. A LETTER. A... A LETTER FROM SARAH LAYTON. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VISITOR. OH, NO. NO MORE VISITORS. NOT AFTER THAT WOMAN FROM TEXAS CALLED YOU "HONEY." NO, NO. THIS IS A MR. TURNER. HE WANTS TO MEE PEOPLE LIKE US WHO STAYED ON. HE'S INTERESTED IN EVERYTHING ABOUT THE OLD INDIA. UH, ANOTHER YOUNG LAYABOUT, YOU MEAN. SWARMING AROUND THE WORLD AT THE TAX PAYER'S EXPENSE. WE OUGHT TO WRITE TO COOK'S. HAVE THEM PUT US ON THEIR TOURIST ITINERARY. AFTER THE TAJ MAHAL AND THE BEACH TEMPLE AT MAHABALIPURAM, SEE THE SMALLEYS OF PANKOT. I COULD PUT ON MY PITH HELMET, YOU CAN PLAY MAHJONG, IBRAHIM CAN COLLECT THE MONEY AT THE DOOR AND GUARD THE BLOODY SHOES. WE HAVE TO SEE HIM, FOR OLD TIMES SAKE. NO, WE DON'T. WE ARE NO MONUMENTS YET, LUCY. MR. TURNER CAN SOD OFF. BE NICE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO. WHAT'S THE DO FOR LUNCH? HAS YOUR WALK MADE YOU HUNGRY? DON'T WANT BROTH, SICK OF BLOODY BROTH. ( panting ) LET'S GO TO THE SHIRAZ. BUT IT'S SO EXPENSIVE. BUGGER THE EXPENSE. PUT ON YOUR GLAD RAGS. WE'D LIKE A TABLE NEAR THE WINDOW, WAITER. HMM, GOOD TO GET AWAY FROM THAT BLOODY DIN. ALL RIGHT, LUCE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE? OH. WELL, I THINK THE SOUP OF THE DAY, DON'T YOU? NOT UNLESS YOU WANT TO KILL ME OFF FOR GOOD. STOP LOOKING AT THE TABLE D'HOTE. LET'S GO FOR THE A LA CARTE. SHH. IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND. HAVE WHAT YOU LIKE, LUCE, AND DON'T LOOK AT THE RUPEES. I'LL HAVE WHAT YOU'LL HAVE, TUSKER. BUT HONESTLY, I'M NOT VERY HUNGRY. AND REMEMBER WHAT DR. MITRA SAID: PLEASE BE CIRCUMSPECT. BUGGER DR. MITRA. COME BACK IN 5 MINUTES. RIGHT, WE START WITH THE PRAWNS, SHALL WE? ( giggles ) HE'S A VERY NICE YOUNG MAN, AND WANTS TO KNOW EVERYTHING YOU CAN TELL HIM ABOUT INDIA. WELL, MR. TURNER, INDIA IS SUN. SUN, SUN. AND WOMEN NEED SUN... OR A SON. AND TUSKER, THERE WAS A SUN OF THAT KIND, WHEN I FIRST KNEW HIM. ( birds chirping ) HELLO, OLD MAN. THANK GOD FOR SATURDAY NIGHTS. ( laughing ) NO LADIES, EH, COLONEL? YOU KNOW, MR. TURNER, TUSKER'S BEHAVIOR WAS IMPECCABLE IN THOSE DAYS. NOT FLAMBOYANT. NO SWEARING, VERY IMAGE OF RELIABILITY. THAT WAS BEFORE HE HAD WHAT I CALL HIS... PERSONALITY CHANGE. DEAR MRS. SMALLEY. SHE LOVES THE FLICKS, DOESN'T SHE? OH, ANY OLD RUBBISH. ( laughing ) NOW TUSKER AND I DO NO TRULY COMMUNICATE ANYMORE. IT'S AS IF WE LIVED SEPARATE LIVES UNDER THE SAME ROOF. WELL, OF COURSE, LUCY WAS HAPPIER WHEN WE WERE POSTED TO MADHPUR. BLOODY GREAT BUNGALOW IN THE GROUNDS OF THE PALACE. THE USE OF ONE OF THE DAIMLERS WITH THE LITTLE RED CHAUFFEUR. AH! THOSE WERE THE DAYS. I WAS ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISOR TO THE COMMANDER OF THE STATE FORCES OF MADHPUR. SOME SUCH BLOODY TITLE. ( both laughing ) NEVER REGIMENTALLY EMPLOYED AGAIN, THANK GOD. THE COLONEL WAS FURIOUS BECAUSE I HAD MARRIED WITHOUT HIS APPROVAL. APPROVAL? GREAT SCOTT! I WAS PUSHING 40! ( laughing ) AND LUCY DIDN'T HELP MATTERS BY TELLING THE COLONEL'S LADY SHE'D BEEN A TYPIST! OH, MY GOD! ( Lucy ) IT WAS LOVELY IN MADHPUR, MR. TURNER. I WANTED NEVER, NEVER TO LEAVE IT. BUT WE DID LEAVE. AND THEN WE DECIDED TO STAY ON. ( sighing ) WHY DO THEY SAY INDIA HAS A HOT CLIMATE? ( both laughing ) AH! THANK YOU. WHAT WAS I TALKING ABOUT? OH, UH, ABOU THE JOB, I THINK. AH! I, UH, YES... I ALWAYS, DELIBERATELY, TRIED TO, UH, KEEP A... WHAT... WHAT NOWADAYS IS KNOWN AS A... A LOW PROFILE. ( sighing ) I WANTED... TO BE THOUGHT DULL. DULL, AND THOROUGHLY RELIABLE AT THE DESKWORK, WHICH... OFFICERS USUALLY AFFECTED TO DESPISE. SORTING OU EVERYBODY'S, UH, BALLS UPS. ( both laughing ) ( groaning ) WHEN THEY SENT ME UP HERE TO AREA HEADQUARTERS, I TOOK ONE LOOK AT THE PLACE AND THOUGHT, "A NICE SCENERY, GOOD CLIMATE. "THIS IS THE PLACE I'M GOING TO DIG IN FOR THE DURATION." ( Lucy ) CAN'T GO OUT AT NIGHT, MR. TURNER. YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN IN DELHI FOR INDEPENDENCE. THAT'S WHEN IT HAPPENED. WHEN THE SUN CAME OU FOR THE FINAL TIME. ONLY IT WAS MIDNIGHT. THE SECRET IS: MAKE THE JOB LOOK MORE... COMPLICATED THAN IT IS. OK. YES, NOTHING TOO ENTHUSIASTIC. OH, GOD, NO! ENTHUSIASM IS JUST ABOU THE MOST BLOODY RUINOUS THING I CAN THINK OF. ( sighing ) I SAY, OH, UH, THIS, UH, NEW CLERIC OF YOURS AT ST. JOHN'S, I HOPE HE'S NO AN ENTHUSIAST. CLE... NO, NO, NO, NO. HE'S AN ANGLO-CATHOLIC. OH. FROM SOUTH INDIA, YOU KNOW. HMM. BLACK AS MY HAT. HMM! CALL'S HIMSELF FATHER SEBASTIAN. OH, GOD! OH, LET'S KILL THE BOTTLE. ALL RIGHT, COLONEL. ( honking ) ( people chattering ) MEMSAAB. MEMSAAB? CINEMA, MEMSAAB. ( Lucy ) OH! OH, THANK YOU, IBRAHIM. ( car door closing ) ( people chattering ) ( church bell chiming ) ( humming ) ( crow cawing ) I REALLY SHOULD ASSEMBLE THESE PROPERLY, IN AN ALBUM, MR. TURNER. NOW, LET ME SEE... ( Tusker ) HA! OH, YES, HERE WE ARE. MADHPUR. NOW, THERE'S THE PALACE. ( giggling ) AND THERE ARE THE ELEPHANTS. THAT'S MY HUSBAND. OH, YES, WE HAD ELEPHANTS, MR. TURNER. OH, YES, THAT'S A BEACH PARTY. WE HAD... ( Tusker ) HA! LUCY! AS I WAS SAYING, MR. TURNER... LUCE, LUCY! COMING. I'M COMING. AH! THERE YOU ARE. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON BURIED AT ST. JOHN'S? EDGAR MAYBRICK. ( laughing ) YOU SEE, HE COULDN' EVEN GET THAT RIGHT. MAYBRICK SAYS HERE THAT IT WAS OLD MABEL LAYTON. BUT TUSKER, DEAR, I THINK MAYBRICK WAS BURIED AFTER HE'D WRITTEN HIS LITTLE BOOK. OH, FOR GOD'S SAKE, I'M NOT SUCH A BLOODY FOOL AS NOT TO REALIZE THAT! THEN WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM, TUSKER? IT'S NOT MY PROBLEM. IT'S MAYBRICK'S PROBLEM, NOT MINE. AND YOU HAD TO CALL ME OUT HERE, JUS TO TELL ME THAT? REALLY, TUSKER. SOMETIMES YOUR DELIBERATE OBFUSCATION. OBFUS... WHAT? OBFUSCATION. IT'S A WORD CURRENTLY POPULAR AMONG CRITICS OF GOVERNMENT. YOU OBFUSCATE, YOU STUPEFY, YOU BEWILDER ME. I DON'T KNOW WHERE OR WHAT I AM WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU. I DON'T KNOW WHA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. YOU KNOW PERFECTLY WELL. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHLY MACABRE FOR MAYBRICK TO SAY HE WAS THE LAS PERSON BURIED IN ST. JOHN'S, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE. 'CAUSE THERE'S NO MORE ROOM. YES, THERE IS. THERE'S A NICE LITTLE SPACE IN THE SOUTH-WEST CORNER. ENOUGH FOR 2 IF THEY DIG DEEP ENOUGH. TUSKER, WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME? WELL? I HAVE NO FRIENDS. ALL OUR FRIENDS ARE YOUR FRIENDS, NOT MINE. AND, YES, I WILL SAY IT, THEY ARE ALL BLACK. IF YOU HAD NOT RECOVERED FROM YOUR ATTACK, DO YOU REALIZE THA I SHOULD'VE BEEN ALONE HERE? ALONE? AND HAVING TO RELY ON PEOPLE WHO TRULY DO NOT CARE FOR ME. YOU'RE PISSED, LUCE. I AM NOT, AS YOU SO CRUDELY PUT IT, PISSED. I SHALL NOT RAISE THE MATTER AGAIN AND I DO NO WISH TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER. BUT I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO MAKE IT PLAIN THE POSITION I SHOULD BE IN, WERE YOU TO HAVE ANOTHER ATTACK AND NOT SURVIVE. AND INSTEAD OF MAKING ABSURD NOTES ABOUT MR. MAYBRICK'S INOFFENSIVE LITTLE BOOK, YOU WOULD MAKE PLAIN THE FINANCIAL POSITION I SHOULD BE IN, WERE I TO FIND MYSELF HERE ALONE AND WEEPING AMID THE ALIEN CORN. ( crows cawing ) ( humming ) ( in Hindi ) FROM WHEN... YOU CALL THIS CLEAN? SORRY, MANAGER SAAB, I'LL CLEAN IT AGAIN. CLEAN IT, ALL RIGHT? HELLO, MANAGER SAAB. ( in Hindi ) THE WORK IS ALL DONE. WE HAVE MADE VERY GOOD PROGRESS. HAVE YOU? OH, FRANKIE! POUR ME A DRINK, FRANKIE DARLING. I'M DYING OF THIRST. WITH ALL THIS QUESTION, ANSWER, CHECKING, CHECKING. ACCOUNTANTS... AND HAVE ONE YOURSELF, TOO. SO MUCH RIGMAROLE WITH... "WHERETO FORS" AND "AS BEFORE SAIDS." ( sighing ) I FEEL WORN TO A SHADOW. CHEERS! CHEERS! AH! I'M EXHAUSTED. OH, BUT IT'S ALL SETTLED NOW. SIGNED AND WITNESSED. W-WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, LEELA, MY LOVE. "SETTLED, SIGNED AND WITNESSED"? IT MEANS, FRANKIE... HMM? THAT, AT LAST, I AM GOING TO MAKE SOME REAL MONEY. COME, TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME. WHAT IS MONEY, IF ONE IS NOT LOVED? ( crying ) OH, LEELA, LEELA, MY LOVE. FRANKIE... LATER, FRANKIE, LATER. LEELA? HMM? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THIS REAL MONEY? SHH! IT IS A SECRET. OH? NO ONE MUST KNOW. BUT I SHALL TELL YOU, FRANKIE. I AM BUYING INTO THE SHIRAZ CONSORTIUM. AND HOW DOES ONE BUY INTO A CONSORTIUM? BUY, SELL. I HAVE THE SIGHT, THE VIEW. WITH THIS, THEY SHARE WITH ME THE SHIRAZ, THE PALACE OF MADHPUR, YES, THE GO-GO AND MORE, MORE. HAVE YOU SOLD THE HOTEL? WE SHALL BE RICH, FRANKIE. WE SHALL GO TO MUMBAI, DELHI, MADRAS, CALCUTTA, LONDON, PARIS, NEW YORK. BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO TO ALL THESE PLACES, LEELA, MY LOVE. NO? NO. I WANT TO STAY HERE IN PANKOT. I ONLY WANT TO MANAGE THIS HOTEL. AN IMPROVEMENT HERE, AN IMPROVEMENT THERE. DECORATORS. NEW CURTAINS. CUTLERY. PUKKA FITTINGS FOR THE BATHROOMS. MODEST WANTS. THE HOTEL IS NOTHING. ONLY THE SITE IS WORTH ANYTHING. THE SITE? ( scoffs ) WHAT OF THE GOODWILL? SINGLE-HANDED, I'VE MAINTAINED THE GOODWILL. AND NOW, YOU DON' EVEN CONSULT ME, YOUR OWN HUSBAND. GOODWILL? GOODWILL! ( paper rustling ) SOMETIMES YOU ARE A FOOL, BUT... THE CROOKS! WE MUST MAKE THEM PAY FOR GOODWILL. GO AND FETCH PANDEY. BUT LEELA.... WHAT OF THE LODGE? PEOPLE ARE LIVING THERE. THE SMALLEYS, MY FRIENDS, ARE LIVING THERE. HERE, ALSO, IS ONE PERSON LIVING, SURROUNDED BY FOOLS AND BY CROOKS. GET PANDEY! ( utensils clattering ) ( exclaiming ) YOU GO AND FETCH HIM YOURSELF. YOU ARE IN BETTER VOICE THAN I AM. AND YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, FRANK BHOOLABHOY. DEAR JESUS, GIVE ME STRENGTH. ( people singing in Hindi ) ( singing in Hindi ) ( Leela ) HELLO, WELCOME. HAPPY HOLI. HELLO, HELLO. SAME TO YOU. AND YOU CAN' GET AWAY WITHOUT TIKKA. HOW ARE YOU? HAPPY HOLI. HAPPY HOLI TO YOU, TOO. HELLO, COOCOO, WHERE'S THE BAR? OH, WHERE IT ALWAYS IS. HELLO. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SARI. HAPPY HOLI. ( woman in Hindi ) IT'S SUCH FUN. AMAZING FOOD, AND EVERYTHING IS... ( people greeting each other ) HELLO, MANOJ, AND A HAPPY HOLI TO YOU. HELLO, AUNTY, WHERE'S NIKKI? NIKKI IS RIGHT OVER THERE, WAITING FOR YOU. HELLO, HAPPY HOLI TO YOU, TOO. HELLO. WELCOME, WELCOME. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN THAT SUIT? IT'S HOLI. EXCUSE ME, TUSKER. COULD I HAVE A WORD WITH YOU? ( people chattering ) AH! SO WONDERFUL. YOU KNOW, TINY, I THINK YOUR CHERRY TREE IS BETTER THAN EVER THIS YEAR. YOU THINK SO? AND GUESS WHAT... YOU KNOW THE RIGHT PEOPLE. YOU IN WITH ME? AND HOW ARE YOU ENJOYING THE PARTY? ( in Hindi ) YOUR PARTIES ARE ALWAYS VERY ENJOYABLE. IT'S BEEN LONG SINCE I SAW YOU DANCE. ( Coocoo ) DANCE? AND HERE? ( children laughing ) HMM, THAT'S WHERE THE ACTION IS. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. THAT'S NO THE WAY TO DO IT. YOU CAN DO BETTER. COME ON, CHUCK THE STUFF. GO ON. UH, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! NO, NO. ( children squealing ) ( Tusker screaming ) THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT, AND THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT! THAT'S THE WAY! ( children screaming ) WELL, HA, HA! HE'S ALL RIGH AGAIN, MRS. SMALLEY. SO IT SEEMS. COOCOO, OLD GIRL. ( Coocoo ) NO, NO, NOT ME. ( Tusker ) COOCOO! ( Coocoo screaming ) IT'S A FERTILITY FESTIVAL! CAN'T YOU ABIDE? ( bottles clattering ) AH! UH... ( Tusker laughing ) ( butlers mumbling in Hindi ) ( groaning ) ( people mumbling ) LUCY. LUCY! ( Dr. Mitra ) GET BACK, GET BACK, PLEASE. BACK, GET BACK. ( Lucy ) YOU MUST TELL ME THE TRUTH, DR. MITRA, WAS IT ANOTHER ATTACK? I THINK HE JUST... KNOCKED HIMSELF OUT, THAT'S ALL. BUT HE'LL BE ALL RIGHT? I HAVE LEFT HIM WITH YOU. HE LIKES HIS OWN HOME. I'LL LOOK IN. EVERY DAY. ( church bell chiming ) ( birds chirping ) TUSKER, WHERE ARE YOU GOING? I'M GOING TO CHURCH. DAMMIT, IT'S EASTER. I HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH AT EASTER. COMING? ( organ playing ) ALL THINGS BRIGH AND BEAUTIFUL ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL ALL THINGS WISE AND WONDERFUL THE LORD GOD MADE THEM ALL EACH LITTLE FLOWER THAT OPENS EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS ( people singing in Hindi ) OK, BYE FATHER. DON'T COME OFTEN. THOUGHT I WOULD, TODAY. NEXT TIME, MIGHT NO BE ABLE TO HAVE A WORD. OH, THERE IS ALWAYS TIME FOR A WORD, COLONEL. NOT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES I'M THINKING OF. ARE YOU COMING UP NEXT WEEKEND, BY ANY CHANCE? NO, NEXT WEEKEND I'M AT NUNSAR, I'M AFRAID. OH, FATHER SEBASTIAN CAN'T MINISTER TO US UNTIL SUNDAY THE 23RD. THAT IS RIGHT. COME ON OVER THEN AND HAVE A BITE. IF YOU CAN'T MANAGE SUNDAY, STAY TILL MONDAY. UH, HAVE LUNCH. OH, I'M COMMITTED FOR LUNCH, COLONEL. WELL, HAVE DINNER THEN. WE ARE AT THE LODGE AT SMITH'S HOTEL. WHENEVER IS CONVENIEN TO YOU, FATHER SEBASTIAN. ALL RIGHT, MRS. SMALLEY, THANK YOU. A-A-AND BRING SUSY WITH YOU. OH, MRS. SMALLEY, THAT IS KIND. GOODBYE. BYE-BYE. ( Tusker ) HAVE YOU GONE COMPLETELY OFF YOUR ROCKER? ( Lucy ) I DON'T CARE. I'VE KNOWN HER SINCE SHE WAS A CHILD. BUT AN ANGLO-INDIAN FOR DINNER, LUCY? WELL, WHO ELSE CAN WE ASK, TUSKER? I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THE OTHER CHRISTIANS. BUT SHE DOES YOUR HAIR. WELL, WHAT ON EARTH MADE YOU GO ON PESTERING FATHER SEBASTIAN LIKE THAT? YOU WEN ON AND ON, TUSKER. HA! HE DIDN'T WANT TO COME. AND SUDDENLY, HE STARTED THINKING, "THIS MAN NEEDS ME." WELL I DO, DON'T I? THERE YOU ARE. YOU SEE, I TOLD YOU. THERE'S STILL ROOM FOR US. ( Frankie ) ALL I SAID WAS THAT GOODWILL SHOULD BE TAKEN ONTO CONSIDERATION. AND NOW, YOU'RE BLAMING ME. IT IS NOT I WHO IS TO BLAME. IT IS YOUR GREED. THAT IS TO BLAME. I AM TO BLAME? YES. YOU ARE TO BLAME. GOODWILL, GOODWILL, YOU AND YOUR GOODWILL. AND WHAT IS THE RESULT? NOT BETTER TERMS. WORSE TERMS. WHY DO YOU PUSH ME? YOU'RE ALWAYS PUSHING ME, AND HUMILIATING ME IN FRONT OF THE SERVANTS. ME, MANAGEMENT! PUSH? I GIVE YOU NOTICE. ONE MONTH'S NOTICE. HA! FOR ALL I CARE, IN A MONTH OR 2, THERE WILL BE NOTHING TO MANAGE. BUT YOU ARE STILL MANAGEMENT, AND I AM OWNERSHIP. AND OWNERSHIP SAYS THAT YOU WILL WRITE THAT LETTER TO THE SMALLEY MAN, TELLING HIM THAT TENANCY ENDS AS OF JULY FIRST. AND WHERE WILL THEY GO? THEY CAN ALWAYS MOVE INTO THE SHIRAZ. HA! THE SHIRAZ? CAN THEY AFFORD THE SHIRAZ? WHAT THEY CAN AFFORD AND NOT AFFORD IS NO CONCERN OF MINE. WHEN THEY RULED THE ROOSTS, OUR CONCERNS DID NOT ENTER THEIR HEADS. IT IS TIT FOR TAT. I WILL NOT WRITE SUCH A LETTER TO MY OLD FRIEND. I AM ORDERING MANAGEMENT. IT IS WHA HE IS PAID TO DO. NOT ENOUGH. I HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE RAISE SINCE I MARRIED OWNERSHIP. NO? NO. YOU GET YOUR KEEP, YOU GET YOUR POCKET MONEY. AND SOMETIMES, ON TOP OF THAT, YOU EVEN GET SEX. DON'T THINK I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. THE GO-GO INN! BUT I AM A REASONABLE WOMAN. AND I SAY TO MYSELF, "WHAT CAN ONE EXPECT, WHEN ONE IS MARRIED TO A MAN WHO THINKS OF NOTHING BUT SEX?" I THINK MANAGEMEN WILL WRITE THAT LETTER... UNLESS HE WANTS A DIVORCE. ( door slamming ) ( man on television ) Welcome to another issue of Culture and the Arts. ( phone ringing ) YES? WHO? THE GRACE OF OUR LORD, JESUS CHRIST, AND THE LOVE OF GOD, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRI BE WITH US NOW AND EVER MORE. AMEN. ( together ) AMEN. I SAID SHE'S OUT. OUT! MRS. SMALLEY IS... WHAT'S YOUR NAME? TURNER? OH, TURNER. YES. WELL, WHAT... WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER? RANPUR. YES. 3, 4, 1, 0. THANK YOU, GOODBYE. ( music playing on television ) COME ON, BLOXSAW. SERVICE! ( crow cawing ) TUSKER, DEAR, ARE WE READY FOR YOUR LITTLE CONSTITUTIONAL? HOW ABOUT A DRINK, BECAUSE IT IS SUNDAY? A VERY SMALL GIN. WHY BECAUSE IT'S SUNDAY? BECAUSE SUNDAY IS CHICKEN PULAO DAY AT THE SMITH'S. AND CHICKEN PULAO GOES DOWN VERY NICELY AFTER A SPOT OF GIN. I AM NOT HAVING PULAO. NOR ARE YOU. WE'RE HAVING POACHED EGGS ON TOAST AND WE'RE COOKING THEM HERE. I SEE. WELL, YOU CAN HAVE POACHED EGGS IF YOU MUST, BUT I'M GOING ACROSS TO SMITH'S. NOT TODAY, YOU WON'T. NEITHER OF US IS EVER GOING THERE AGAIN. WHY NOT? BECAUSE I SAY SO. I DID NOT STAY OUT IN INDIA TO BECOME A COOK IN MY OLD AGE. DIDN'T YOU? IF WE HAD GONE HOME, I WOULD'VE WELCOMED TURNING MY HAND AT WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY, BUT WE DID NOT GO HOME BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T WAN TO GO HOME. ALL THE SAME, I ACCEPT... THAT AS MISTRESS OF THE HOUSE IT IS MY DUTY TO SEE THE MASTER FED. SO, I'LL GO INDOORS AND PREPARE YOUR POACHED EGG. AND AFTER THAT... I'LL HAVE CHICKEN PULAO AT SMITH'S. ( pots clattering ) ( smirking ) WILL SCRAMBLED EGGS DO? I AM NOT CLEANING THIS. NEITHER AM I. QUITE. SO YOU SEE, YOU SEE THE DIFFICULTY OF NOT EATING AT SMITH'S. I SEE MORE THAN YOU KNOW. I SUPPOSE YOU REMEMBER YOU'VE INVITED FATHER SEBASTIAN FOR DINNER TOMORROW NIGHT. SO WHERE DO WE FEED HIM? THE SHIRAZ? AND IF YOU SAY "HA!", OR START OBFUSCATING AGAIN, I SHALL THROW THIS DIRTY PAN RIGHT AT YOU. THEN THROW IT. I SHALL, IF YOU SAY "HA!" HA! HA! ( chuckling ) BUGGER! ( laughing ) I DIDN'T TELL YOU ANY MORE ABOUT MR. TURNER BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANT TO SEE HIM. WHAT DID HE SAY? HE TOLD ME HE'D GO THE BELLE MADAME SPECIAL BLUE RINSE YOU ASKED FOR. OH, HOW NICE. SUSY WILLIAMS WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE RES OF MY VERY LAST PACKET. HA! I HOPE YOU AGREE THAT WE MUS GIVE SOME TIME TO HIM AND SEE THA HE'S FED AND SO ON. NOW, IF HE'S STAYING AT SMITH'S, AND WE'RE NEVER TO EAT THERE... TUSKER? HMM? WON'T HE THINK IT VERY ODD IF HE'S EATING ALONE IN THE DINING ROOM AT SMITH'S, AND WE EXIST HERE ON A DIE OF POACHED EGGS? WHERE ARE YOU GOING? I'M GOING TO HAVE MY LUNCH. PERHAPS, LATER ON YOU WILL TELL ME IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO FEED MR. TURNER ELSEWHERE. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW NEAR OR FAR WE ARE FROM BANKRUPTCY. MOREOVER, I'VE STILL NOT HAD THE PLAIN STATEMEN I ASKED FOR, WITH REGARD TO THE POSITION I SHOULD BE IN, WERE I TO FIND MYSELF ALONE. AH! MRS. SMALLEY. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MA'AM. THANKS. I'M ALONE. COULD I HAVE THE USUAL? YES, MA'AM. PRABHU. YES, MA'AM? THIS GLASS IS ALL COVERED WITH SMEARS. SORRY, MEMSAAB, I'LL GET ANOTHER ONE. ( all chattering ) OH, OH. MRS. BHOOLABHOY. WE'RE EXPECTING A GUES ON WEDNESDAY. A MR. TURNER. I WONDER IF YOU'D BOOK A ROOM FOR HIM. I'VE ALREADY TOLD COL. SMALLEY, I CAN'T BE BOTHERED WITH THAT. COL. SMALLEY? YES, YES. HE ASKED ME TO RESERVE A ROOM FOR YOUR GUEST. I'VE TOLD HIM TO SEE MANAGEMEN ABOUT IT TOMORROW. THE COLONEL WAS HERE THIS MORNING? DIDN'T I JUST SAY SO? LISTEN, MRS. SMALLEY, ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS ABOUT THE SHEARS. HAVE YOU DEALT WITH THE QUESTION OF THE SHEARS? SHEARS? SHEARS! YES, SHEARS. SNICK-SNICK SHEARS. THIS MORNING I WAS TELLING MY MALI TO TRIM THE FLOWER BEDS, HE SAYS HE HAS NO SHEARS BECAUSE YOUR MALI IS USING THEM. I KNOW NOTHING ABOU YOUR SHEARS, MRS. BHOOLABHOY. YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT MY SHEARS. COL. SMALLEY KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT MY SHEARS. COL. SMALLEY IS EVEN TELLING ME HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOU A MALI BECAUSE HE DOES NOT HAVE A MALI. ONLY I HAVE A MALI. DEAR GOD, AM I CRAZY, OR IS EVERYBODY ELSE CRAZY? AH, NO TALK OF BUSINESS FOR NOW. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOVELY LUNCH AND THEN... OH, TUSKER. TUSKER. FIRST THE MALI, AND THEN MR. TURNER. NO WONDER IT WAS POACHED EGGS. WHOA! OH, IBRAHIM, ABOUT TOMORROW... WE SUDDENLY HAVE TO CONJURE UP DINNER FOR 4. DINNER, MEMSAAB? WE'D BETTER HAVE CHICKEN. OH, CHICKEN. VERY DIFFICULT, MEMSAAB. OUR STORE ONLY GOOD ENOUGH FOR A BURNED OFFERING. MEMSAAB, IT IS FORBIDDEN. GOD WILL FORGIVE US. CHEERS. CHEERS, MEMSAAB. ( coughing ) I AM BEHOLDEN TO YOU, IBRAHIM, FOR LOOKING AFTER US. OH! WHAT ABOUT A SAVORY? CHEESE ON TOAST? OH, NO, NO, NO, NO. NOT CHEESE ON TOAST, MEMSAAB. ANCHOVIES ON TOAST, BEST. EGGS NOT VERY GOOD. MUCH WIND RESULTING. THAT'S VERY GOOD ADVICE. AND TOMORROW, I SHALL GIVE YOU A LIS OF THINGS TO BUY. IBRAHIM. SAAB? WAS MEMSAAB ASLEEP? HMM. TELL HER I'M DINING AT THE CLUB TONIGHT. YES, SAAB. ( Tusker ) DEAREST LUCY, I'M SORRY, LUCY, IF I SEEM TO HAVE MADE A MESS OF THINGS. BUT YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT. YOU'LL HAVE THE PENSION AND THE ROYAL WARRANT SETTLEMENT, SAY 1500 A YEAR, ADJUSTABLE FROM TIME TO TIME TO THE COST OF LIVING INDEX. AND THERE'LL BE A BI FROM MY INSURANCE. YOU'LL HAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE YOU HOME, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, THOUGH IN YOUR POSITION, I'D PREFER YOU TO STAY HERE. ( Tiny ) AH, TUSKER! THANK GOD, SOMEBODY'S HERE. CARE TO JOIN ME FOR A GAME OF BILLIARDS? WHY NOT? I KNOW FOR YEARS YOU'VE THOUGHT I WAS A DAMN FOOL TO HAVE STAYED ON, BUT... I WAS TOO YOUNG TO RETIRE WHEN INDEPENDENCE CAME, AND TOO OLD TO START AFRESH SOMEWHERE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW. AND I KNEW THE PENSION WOULD GO FURTHER IN INDIA THAN IN ENGLAND. I STILL THINK WE WERE RIGH TO STAY ON. THOUGH I DON'T THINK OF I ANY LONGER AS STAYING ON, BUT JUST AS HANGING ON. WHICH PEOPLE OF OUR AGE AND UPBRINGING, AND LIMITED TALENTS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER REALLY BEEN POOR, BUT NEVER HAD ANY REAL MONEY, THEY HAVE TO DO, WHEN THEY CAN'T WORK ANYMORE. AND IT SEEMED TO ME, I'D INVESTED IN INDIA, NOT MONEY, NOR TALENT, NOTHING INDIA NEEDED OR NEEDS. OR HAS BEEN ONE JO THE BETTER FOR. BUT ALL I HAD TO INVEST IN ANYTHING... ME. GOOD SHOT. WHERE I WENT WRONG WAS EXPECTING A RETURN ON MY INVESTMENT. ME. ANTICIPATING PROFITS. WHEN THEY DIDN'T TURN UP, I KNEW I WAS AN IDIOT. LONGEST MALE MENOPAUSE IN HISTORY. CAN'T TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS FACE TO FACE, YOU KNOW. BROUGHT UP THAT WAY. YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD WOMAN TO ME, LUCE. SORRY, I'VE NO MADE IT CLEAR I THINK SO. NOT GOING TO READ ALL THIS RIGMAROLE THROUGH. IF I DID, I'D TEAR IT UP. DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS IT. IF YOU DO, I'LL ONLY SAY SOMETHING THAT WILL HURT YOU. IT'S BECOME MY NATURE. LOVE, TUSKER. ( big band music playing ) ( man ) GOOD MORNING, LUCY MEMSAAB. ( Lucy ) GOOD MORNING, RAMSEY. NOT "MY DEAR COL. SMALLEY," "DEAR COL. SMALLEY" IS QUITE SUFFICIENT. WHAT IS ALL THIS SENTIMENTALITY? ALL YOU NEED SAY IS, "HOTEL AND ANNEX "CURRENTLY SUBJEC TO PLANNING DEVELOPMEN "UNDER NEW COMPANY OWNERSHIP. "AND NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN AS FROM JULY THE FIRST, NEXT." AND "YOURS FAITHFULLY," NOT "YOURS VERY SINCERELY." YES, LEELA, MY LOVE. RETYPE IT, AND I WILL SIGN IT. WELL, BLOXSAW, YOU HAVEN'T MOVED FOR 2 DAYS. ( crows cawing ) GOOD MORNING, SAAB. HMM. WHERE IS MEMSAAB? GONE TO HAIRDRESSER'S. I HAVE EVERYTHING SAAB NEEDS. TEA, ROTI, MARMALADE, 4 MINUTE EGG, TIMES OF INDIA. DAAK? NO DAAK THIS MORNING, SAAB. NOT EVEN A BILL? NO, SAAB. NEVER DID ENJOY BREAKFAS WITHOUT DAAK. GO WRITE ME A LETTER, YOU LAZY SOD. YES, SAAB. OH, AND BETTER STILL, TAKE THE DOG FOR WALKIES. DO YOU BOTH GOOD. I WILL DO SO SAAB, BUT FIRST, I HAVE ALL THIS SHOPPING FOR MEMSAAB. OH, FORGET ALL ABOUT THAT. JUST TAKE THE DOG, FOR A WALK. BUZZ! THAT'S BETTER. MINNIE... COL. SMALLEY. NO, NO, NO. PLEASE, LET ME TAKE IT, LEELA. THE COLONEL IS MY FRIEND, AFTER ALL. ( in Hindi ) COL. SMALLEY, QUICKLY. AND YOU, FRANCIS, CAN MASSAGE THE BACK OF MY NECK. YES, LEELA, MY LOVE. MMM. MMM. SAAB, DAAK. THE BITCH! THE BLOODY... ( panting ) ( groaning ) ( grunting ) ( people chattering ) I'LL COMB YOU OUT FAST. THANK YOU. ( birds chirping ) COL. SMALLEY? COL. SMALLEY! AH! COL. SMALLEY? COL. SMALLEY. ( groaning ) MY GOD! ( panting ) ( phone dialing ) O-O-OPERATOR. ( in Hindi ) WHERE'S DR. MITRA? LEELA. LEELA, MY LOVE. ( sobbing ) HE... HE IS... HE IS DEAD. WHO IS DEAD? COL. S-SMALLEY IS. WHERE IS THE LETTER? IN... IN... IN HIS HAND... GET IT. ( crying ) GET IT? THE LETTER, YOU FOOL. THEY WILL THINK IT KILLED HIM. OH, WAIT! ( wailing ) YES. THEY WILL. THEY WILL CALL YOU A MURDERESS, AND THEY WILL BE RIGHT. OH! OH, DR. MITRA, OH, THANK GOODNESS, MY HUSBAND... HE JUST PANICS. HE THOUGH HE WAS DEAD, BUT HE HAS ONLY FAINTED AND NEEDS YOUR HELP, NO? I'M AFRAID HE IS DEAD. ( whimpering ) OF COURSE, THIS LETTER... IT WAS THE SHOCK OF THE LETTER YOU WROTE THAT KILLED HIM. I BLAME YOU. TO WRITE SUCH A LETTER TO A FRIEND... GOD WILL PUNISH YOU. ( phone ringing ) SASHI'S. OK, I'LL DO THAT. ( whispering ) I'VE JUST HEARD SOME BAD NEWS FOR MRS. SMALLEY. ( murmuring ) I'LL FINISH YOU OFF TODAY, MRS. SMALLEY. YOU GO GET MRS. SMALLEY ANOTHER CUP OF COFFEE. THAT'S GOOD. COFFEE IS FOR MRS. SMALLEY. WHAT? THERE WAS A TELEPHONE CALL. HER HUSBAND JUST DIED. WHAT BEAUTIFUL HAIR YOU HAVE, MRS. SMALLEY. YOU MUST THINK OF SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFEREN TO DO WITH IT. OH, THANK YOU, I'M AFRAID I'M RATHER OLD TO CHANGE. NEVER TOO OLD. UM, WHEN WE'RE FINISHED, SUSY WILL TAKE YOU HOME. HOME? OH, THANK YOU. IT WAS THE LETTER, OF COURSE. MUST'VE BEEN A TERRIBLE SHOCK. DR. MITRA DIDN'T WAN ME TO SEE IT, I KNEW I HAD TO. BUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE LETTER. AS LONG AS I HAVE A ROOF OVER MY HEAD, MRS. SMALLEY, YOU ALWAYS HAVE A HOME WITH ME. PEOPLE LIKE US MUST STICK TOGETHER. MMM. DO YOU WANT ME TO STAY? OH, NO, NO, NO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY KIND OF YOU, BUT IBRAHIM AND MINNIE ARE HERE, I FEEL QUITE SAFE WITH THEM. ( sighing ) THEN I'LL... I'LL DROP BY TOMORROW, MRS. SMALLEY. GOODBYE. BYE. ( snoring ) ( door opening ) WHEN WE WENT TO PARTIES, JUST BEFORE WE WENT IN, YOU ALWAYS HELD MY ARM. ( sniffing ) YOU HELPED ME OU OF TONGAS AND RICKSHAWS. AND WHEN WE WAITED ON OTHER PEOPLE'S VERANDAS FOR TONGAS AND RICKSHAWS, THEN, TOO, YOU HELD MY ARM. AND THAT'S HOW WE WAITED, ARM IN ARM. ARM IN ARM. THRONE BY THRONE? WHAT NOW, TUSKER? URN BY URN? ( crying ) IT'S ALL RIGHT, TUSKER. I'M NOT REALLY GOING TO CRY. I CAN'T AFFORD TO CRY. I'VE GOT A PERFORMANCE TOMORROW. WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, AND... ALL I'M ASKING, TUSKER, DID YOU MEAN IT WHEN YOU SAID, I'D BEEN A GOOD WOMAN TO YOU? BUT IF SO, WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME? WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME HERE? I'M FRIGHTENED TO BE ALONE. WELL, I... I KNOW, IT'S WEAK AND WRONG TO BE FRIGHTENED. BUT, ALL THE SAME, NOW UNTIL THE END, I SHALL BE ALONE... WHATEVER I AM DOING. HERE, AS I FEARED, AMID THE ALIEN CORN, WALKING, SLEEPING... ALONE FOREVER, AND EVER, AND I CAN'T BEAR IT. I KNOW I MUSTN'T CRY, AND I MUST... MUST GET OVER IT. AND I DON'T AT THE MOMEN SEE HOW. SO, TUSKER, WITH... WITH MY EYES CLOSED, I PUT OUT MY HAND TO YOU, AND BEG YOU, BEG YOU TO TAKE IT. OH, TAKE ME WITH YOU, OH, TUSKER. HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME HERE ALONE, WHILE YOU YOURSELF GO? |
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