"It's uncanny, Steed." "With the amount of stimulants I've given, he should react." "Not a murmur." "Good morning, Steed." "Hello, Mrs. Peel, this is Dr. Gibson." "Good morning." "This is a latter day Sleeping Beauty, Kendrick," "Jack Kendrick, local farmhand." "Dr. Gibson found him on the road." "He can't be moved, not while he's in that state." "Suits me." "We'll be next door." "What's wrong with him?" "He's in a coma, but why?" "We'll be fiinding out." "Did you notice his skin?" "Yes, he's tanned." "He was wearing these." "Tropical kit." "Strange, in this climate." "Perhaps he's just back..." "No doubt." "He disappeared 4 days ago, with 3 others." "Only he has returned." "I forget, he had this arrow in his back." "Flesh wound." "It's probably poisoned." "No, Gibson examined it." "No trace of a drug." "Intriguing, isn't it?" "Middle of England, up pops a man, with a tan, in tropical kit, an arrow in his back." "Kendrick." "You've been gone 4 days." "Where at?" "Listen." "Pr." "Swain, let me help you." "Thank you, dear." "You must be Mrs. Peel." "Yes, how do you do?" "It was good of you to come." "Not at all." "Something of an acute interest to me..." "You're an expert on primitive tribes." "You flatter me." "No, it's an interest." "Just a hobby." "I'm an entymologist by profession." "My knowledge of primitive peoples is..." "I taught entymology in Kalaya before the new government..." "Then, like so many, I came back and I'm happy to be here." "Do you know Sharanzai?" "What do you know?" "Does it exist?" "Yes, an odd admission from a Westerner, eh?" "a cult peculiar to Kalaya." "a more dreaded form of..." "voodoo, if you will." "With roots as ancient as the world itself." "Wait, I think I might have something of interest to you." "Yes, here it is." "You see," "Sharanzai, in Kalayan, means the "curse of sleep"." "a curse inflicted by the gods who reside in the forbidden area, protected by holy men." "To enter the area, was to transgress, to trangress Sharanzai." "Excuse me." "Used by holy men." "arradi, the "sweet sound of hell"." "The sound that precedes everlasting sleep." "Professor... you've seen victims of Sharanzai?" " Yes." " You'd recognize the symptoms?" "Even better, I can tell for sure with this." "You hold it over the victim, if Sharanzai has taken over, round it goes." "I could demonstrate if you fiind a suitable subject." "It could be arranged." "Sir, this is a relic!" "One of our mid-tropical, 5 button, broad weaves." " Made for who?" " It's on fille." " Traveling?" " Thinking about it." "You've come to the right place for exceptional service." "No matter the place:" "jungle, bush, desert, delivery is guaranteed." "By plane, motor vehicle, and native barer to the flap of your bivouac." " Big game?" " Very big." "all the best hunters come here." "Simon Trent, for example." "One of our very best customers." "Once shot a bull elephant at 40 paces, or was it 30...?" " Do you shoot?" " On occasion." "I once shot an elephant myself." "Really, with what?" "F8 at 5/100 of a second and a small roll of fiilm." "Here." "The shirt was for Col. Rawlings, 17 Battalion Fusileers, dispatched by boat." "Where?" "Kalaya." "When?" "May 14, 1929." "This is mumbo-jumbo!" "Dr Gibson, we can try..." "That's mine." "The car is very uncomfortable." "First, I must annoint the afflicted man." "Ridiculous!" "What do you expect to achieve?" "Conventional medicine hasn't..." "Fine, but it's your responsability." "I'll have no part in it!" "Sharanzai!" "I'm sorry, I can do no more." "I can diagnose it, but not cure it." "He's in the sleep of the living dead." "There's no way to awake him, not by any means I have." " There must be something..." " I'm sorry." "We're not in the jungle here, this is England!" "Yes, that's the puzzling part." "How could he have offended?" "Offended whom?" "a curse that follows across continents, the world..." "The Kalayan gods, this is their punishment." "The man is doomed." "He'll sleep, then rise, to walk the forests of hell." "Walk?" "Not a single step." "He has no reflex action." "Still, that is the legend." "The dark forests of hell for eternity." "are there any members of that tribe in England?" "I couldn't say." "I'll phone the Kalayan Embassy." "You can try." "In my experience, the government, is extremely unhelpful." "I shall try." " Good bye, Mrs. Peel." " Thank you, Professor." "The Kalayan Embassy, please." "No, Kalayan." "K for Katie, a for apple, L for..." "Love?" "Ex-servicemen's club." "Is that all?" "all right, thank you." "I've heard of 40 winks..." "but this!" " Same as Kendrick?" " Not even a murmur." "You'll need some help." "Pity, I wanted to keep this quiet." "I can handle it." "I couldn't leave you alone here!" "Really, Steed, I can manage..." "I'm an insomniac." "This Swain, you believe him?" "It sounded pretty fantastic, but taken in context... an ancient Kalayan spell..." "Could be." "Kendrick was in the army, most of the time in Kalaya." "Like the 3 other locals." "a transcontinental curse." "In Swain's opinion." "I'm beginning to believe him." " What else did he say?" " Nothing." "I tried to fiind out if any Kalayans live here." " and?" " Very few." "Most of them work in the ex-servicemen's club." "It's run by a certain Rawlings." "Colonel Rawlings?" " Yes, why?" " The tropical gear." "Bought in 1929 by a Col. Rawlings." "He must be dead." "No, I checked." "an old stage, did his entire service in Kalaya." "He even retired there." "Thrown out when the Kalayans took over." "His fille is in my car." "a native attacked me." "a full blown savage, very unfriendly." " Come now." " He was wearing war paint, a knife, the lot!" "Practically ruined my bowler." "and as for this..." " What's missing?" " Rawlings's fille." "Fortunately he overlooked my sandwiches." " and the fille?" " No loss." "I'd got enough details." "Enough?" "To infiiltrate the Kalayan Ex-servicemen's Club." " What's the address?" " No problem." "See that house over there?" "That's the home of Col. Rawlings and the HQ of the club." " Talk about coincidence!" " Indeed." "Take me to your leader." "You should have tried the door." "Less hazardous." "Fine time to tell me!" " For identifiication." " Thanks." "Now is it my turn?" "Trent." "Simon Trent." "Of course!" "Your reputation precedes you." "Bull elephant at 50 paces." " Wasn't it?" " That's not all I've shot." "Can't be much hunting here." "You'd be surprised what turns up in the traps" " sometimes." " Really?" "Then the only thing to do, is to limit the suffering." " You're here for the colonel?" " Indeed." "What about?" "Tell you what, you join us." "You eavesdrop." "Major, such ingratitude." "Without me, you could have been up there for days." "I'll show you gratitude." "If I see an elephant," "I'll let you know, all right?" "Let's go fiind the colonel." "You'd better dress for the occasion." "That's hardly the thing to wear." "We'll fiind something to flit you, Major." "You'll become acclimatized." "We have undersoil heating vaporization for humidity, and ultraviolets for vegetation." "One really might be back in the jungle." "One might." "Stay close, it can be treacherous." "." "I suppose you're a guest." "The Colonel." "Colonel, sir." "There's a visitor for you." "Feels like a crematorium." "are the fans turning?" " are they?" " Yes, of course." "Smells like rain." "The monsoons are coming." "and the mud." "Filthy mud everywhere." "Imperius prius ipse." "Empire fiirst." "Someone to see you, sir." "My colours!" "My old regiment!" "You weren't there?" "Of course not." "I know you." "Yes, it's..." "Major..." "Don't tell me!" "No." "Never forget a name." "I knew everyone at the base." "I could recite them." "Yes, you're Major..." "I know it's Major." "Is it?" "Of course." "Number 4 at Kimiran." " We met at Salunda." " Regimental dinner." " Farewell party." " Whose?" "Yours, sir." "Of course, of course." "all right, at ease." " What's the news?" " I bought a plantation." "Wise lad." "Sound investment." "Can't lose." "I lost everything in the coup." "What?" "This is British territory here!" "Nobody's taking over!" "We'll flight!" " Won't we, Trent?" " Yes, Colonel." "Trent is a splendid fellow." "Downed an elephant at 20 paces or was it 10?" " a drink?" " I am dry." " Major?" " What's your tipper?" " Brandy." " In this heat?" "Your liver will suffer." "Keep it long and cool." "a touch of soda." "The same, thanks." "Three brandies." "No, the other one." "He couldn't survive the change." "Shock softened his brain." "We've recreated his element, exact replica of the old clubhouse." "He still thinks he's there." "and you play along." "Yes, in return we have an ideal retreat." "a nice line in au pair." "We have a whole tribe, to make it more real." "How did you get here?" "Came up river, I suppose?" "Tricky that, especially now." "That's better. always is in the evening." "Blistering heat!" "Times like these, I long for the old country." "Back in Mother England." "I dream about it, a little house in the country." "Hertfordshire would do." "The English countryside!" "Been home recently?" "." "Fairly recently, yes." "Pastures as green as ever?" "It's uncivilized here." "I wonder why I stay." "Duty, you know..." "Talking of duty, it's inspection time." "We've got to have it clean." "No lowering the standards." "We do as if we were in England." " Fleming." " Good evening." "Trent, I've been to the cottage." "Both..." "Fleming, I'd like you to meet" "John Steed, a compatriot who just arrived." "Not settled in yet." "How do you do?" "Our pet rubber expert." "He's experimenting with new strains." "Yes, the conditions are ideal." "Would Kalaya be a tiny bit better?" "I meant in our part of the world." "Why here, is Kalaya barred to you?" "Steed, excuse us." "Fleming?" "I want to talk to you about those trees on the north..." "You darned fool!" "Sorry, I didn't see him." " Do you play polo?" " When I can." "I played n° 3." "We made it to the army fiinals at Jedra." " You know Jedra?" " In passing." "astonishing place." "White man's grave..." "Sticky, sticky." "I've got a snap somewhere, want to see?" "Of course you do." "There's all here..." "Here!" "The army team of 1931." "Fine bunch of fellows." "That's Johnson, behind the thumb." "Never could take a decent photo!" "Made it to the fiinals, terrifiic flight." "We'd almost sewn it up, when Johnson came swizzing..." "You listening?" "Yes, Colonel, I'm listening." "Your play." "Think you've got me?" "Not so easy." "Cards are my strong point." "Mathematical mind." "Smart move on your part, but..." "Snap!" "Have you known Trent long?" "Splendid fellow." "Downed a bull elephant... at 20 paces, I know." "Where did you meet?" "Two more, poor devils!" " What's wrong?" " asleep." " an outbreak." " Sleep?" "The sleep of living death." "You've spotted our little charade." "It helps the illusion." "Not to worry." "amuses the old boy." "Convincing illusion." "Col, I'd better go." " Go?" " Up river." "Impossible." "Tell him, Trent." "The river's flooded, no one will take you out in a boat." " Really, I'm..." " Far too dangerous, and we can't upset the colonel now." "I wouldn't let my worst enemy go." "We can put him up," " can't we, Trent?" " Yes, indeed." "Delighted to have you, Major." "another drink?" "The dark forests of hell." "I warned you." "Those men couldn't walk, and the windows were locked." "The European has a literal mind." "It demands explanation, logic." "In the Far East, I came to accept the inexplicable." "I didn't say it was inexplicable." "I dozed off." "Someone could have come in and taken the two men away." "You really think so?" "It's possible." "You don't understand the Kalayan native, the legend of the curse." "I have a question for you." "I observed Kendrick and Gibson, and I studied this." "Do you knowthe Glossiter Tripanasoma?" "You're an entomologist!" "Glossiter Tripanasoma, the tzetze fly." "I know, but what are you driving at?" "Sleeping sickness is carried by the tzetze fly." " The symptoms are..." " Not those men." "I would recognize the sleeping sickness!" "I didn't say it was that." " Of course not!" " But it's similar." "No, no!" "Complete nonsense!" "My authority has never been doubted." "Nor do I doubt it, it's just that the symptoms are similar." "I've given you my opinion, I can do no more." "Good night." "Mrs. Peel..." " Steed, where are you?" " In deepest Kalaya." " What?" " Tell me, have Kendrick and Gibson taken a little walk?" " How did...?" " I sawthem" " being brought in." " There's more." "Swain disappeared." " He went out and..." " Have to go now." "Up early, Major!" "always." "Old habits die hard." "Yes... don't they?" "I fiind the same thing myself." "This time of day, if I see something moving it's all I can do to not shoot." "Hard on Kalayan early risers..." "It's not loaded." "Never load a gun unless you intend to use it." " Good maxim." " Very comforting." "Let's go have some breakfast." "Quite a blow, the revolution." "What?" "Oh, yes." "With your plantation and all..." "It's hard to give it up." "Indeed." "I felt frustrated." "I wanted to hit back." "Unfortunately, there's no way to." "Quite." "Morning, Colonel." "Morning." "Fine one too." "Sleep well?" " Fine, thanks." " Capital." "Have a spot of breaker." "a word with you." "Cornflakes are a little soggy." "It's the journey up river." "Might go for a bit of sport later." "Pig sticking." "We might arrange a chase of some kind." "Thank you." "Pardon, Master." "Juniper tree." "Midnight." "Sorry, old chap." "Rasafii," "Lt. Rasafii of the Kalayan Intelligence Service." " How do you do?" " How do you do?" "I've observed you, I think we're on the same side." " I hope so." " Do forgive me." "There's something strange afoot, and dangerous for my country." "Trent and Fleming were thrown out?" "Not thrown out." "They did not choose to remain." " They do bear a grudge." " They're conspiring." "all that about living dead, Sharanzai," " is to cover up the real truth." " Which is?" "Come with me." "Nothing primitive here." "These men are guinea pigs." "Test cases." " Testing what?" " The cunning..." "Get away, old chap." "Go..." "Lieutenant Rasafii." "a spy. a dirty spy." "Good work, I didn't suspect him." "You spotted him and dealt with him." "I like that." " I should do some explaining." " It might help." "I couldn't until we made sure of you." "You understand?" "We were chucked out of Kalaya, but we're going back, and taking this." " Recognize them?" " Flies?" "a new strain of tzetze fly we've developed under these ideal conditions." "It's a very special strain." "Immune to insecticide." "Once released, there's no stopping them." " You're beginning to see." " Yes." "You've seen their effect." " But we're not at risk." " I'm glad!" "a simple innoculation insures complete protection." "But without it..." "Tomorrow we go to Kalaya!" "We're going back, for good." "and taking this along." "a thousand of them is all we need." "Released in such a climate..." " They'll breed..." " Like flies." "The whole country will be paralyzed in a week." "Then we take over." "Pretty plan, isn't it?" "This is the man I told you about." "Meet the brains behind it all." "You look surprised." "The incongruity, I suppose." "all this in England." "That's our strength." "We've covered up our activity with mumbo-jumbo." "Simple, yet effective." "and ruthless." "Other guinea pigs?" "Veterans of Kalaya." "We needed to know if they'd developed an immunity." "They hadn't." "No resistance whatever!" "It needn't bother us." "Your nice innoculation... insures complete protection." "We better get you fiixed." "Olana, get Fleming." "Olana, what is it?" "Losing your wits?" "Take it." "The canister!" "Trent!" "They can't escape!" "What a racket!" "Fleming, what's going on?" "Trouble?" "a local uprising." "Uprising, eh?" "Firm hand, that's what's needed." "Take some coloured beads, always helps." "They have the canister." "Find them!" "Hunting?" "Bring us back a big one." "Or two, Colonel." "Grab them young, the last were tough as boots." "Something a bit tender, I can bite into!" "Mrs. Peel." "You've had your 5..." "Shocking arithmetic." "By Jove, the natives are restless tonight." "Bravo, Major." "Bagged one!" "Come on, we'll have it stuffed." "Excuse me, Colonel." "Ugly looking brute!" "Over here!" "We got her!" "I'll do it." "You almost spoiled it." "all that work ruined because of you." "It aroused me to violence." "Me, Steed." "Me, Emma." "What's the treasure anyway?" "Creepy, crawly, germ laden flies." "Back to the old country." "Good old England!" "Beautiful weather." "If you're dressed for it." "They won't like it though." "If the temperature is below..." " They die like flies." " absolutely."