"Vorsicht!" "Rohr eins und zwei." "Klar machen." "Rohr eins." "Klar machen." " Rohr eins." " Los." " Los." " Los." "Right on time." "Yes, a bit out of the way." "I hope we don't miss the news." "No, you won't miss the news." "Right." "For God's sake, slow down, Bill!" "You're a maniac!" "We're late." "To hell with that!" "I'm only having a drink." "I'd like to be alive to enjoy it." "Hello, Bill." "Gentlemen, I want you to know that our commanding officer just tried to kill me." " Man's a maniac!" " Shut up!" "Here's the news with Alvar Liddell." "An official announcement from Washington..." "You'd think we could afford a new radio!" "...shows the Americans landed in Algiers and Oran on the Mediterranean coast of French North Africa." "Hitler said he'd be in Cairo by Christmas." "That'll take the pressure off back home." "They've promised a second front long enough." "American landings were carried out in the night made with British naval and air support." "Many divisions of the British Army are on their way to reinforce them." "The Supreme Commander is General Eisenhower." "Ike'll soon sort that lot out." "Your drink, sir." "Lewis, I didn't see you there." "Haven't seen you for weeks." "Where've you been?" "Here and there." "Another hush-hush scheme attempting to produce petrol from cow manure." "Sound promising?" "We get our best results from sacred cows." "How are things at SOE?" "Splendid." "Nearly every night an electrifying bridge game." "Good old top-secret Colonel Pugh." "You're lucky you're in uniform." "I'm just a bloody tea planter." "What's tea got to do with the war?" "I'm told it's good for morale." "SOE:" "Special Operations Executive." "What the devil do you chaps do?" "Odd jobs." "Come on." "All right." "Unusual operations." "You sound like a ruddy abortionist." "Not a bad description." "I see you're having lunch, so I'll trot along." "God bless." "See you soon." "I hope so." "Thanks for the drink, Bill." "Don't offer me another lift, ever." " Red, don't you owe me a drink?" " What was that about?" "Well, I scared the hell out of him by driving too fast." "My own frustration, I suppose." "I'm just as envious of you as he is." "Being the managing director of a chemical plant is not my idea of a glorious contribution to the war." "What do you want me to say?" "You're classified essential where you are." "If you want to consider me lucky to be doing what I'm doing, go ahead." "What happened to your wife and daughter in Coventry" "Come off it, Bill." "I'm sorry, Lewis." "I didn't mean to open up old wounds but you do have some opportunity for revenge." "Oh, good God." "If I have to kill some poor devils, it's not revenge." "It doesn't really diminish my anger or my grief." "Not one bit." "Now, what do you say we try to have a pleasant lunch?" "I'm sorry, Lewis." " How's Doris?" " She's fine." "She's fine." "Lewis, if you should ever hear of a job that's so odd that nobody else would want to get involved in it do think of the Calcutta Light Horse." "It's not very likely." "No, I know." "We're all civilians these days and a little thin on top and thick in the middle, but I guarantee each of those fellows would pull his own weight." "That's not an intentional joke." "You will remember it, won't you?" "Just in case." "I shan't forget." " Morning, Corporal." " Morning, sir." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Colonel Pugh and Captain Stewart are here." "Thank you." " Lewis, how did things go in Calcutta?" " All set, sir." "By tomorrow night Force 136 should be behind Japanese lines in Burma blowing up various little items." "Good." "All right, let's get down to the new business." "I see you've been studying the Admiralty's urgent request." "Astonishing." "Forty-six freighters sunk by German submarines in the Indian Ocean in the past month." "The U-boats know exactly where and when to strike." "Incredibly accurate information, etcetera, etcetera." "Radio Monitoring finally managed to home in on a powerful transmitter 400 miles south of Bombay just last night." "What do you suppose took them so long, sir?" "Ours not to reason why." "Well, here we go Gavin." "Off to blow up a transmitter." "Not exactly." "The bloody thing's not in India proper." "It's in Goa, dammit." "Somewhere in the Mormugoa Harbour." "Neutral territory." "Portuguese colony." " That's a bit tricky." " Naturally." "Also, our people aren't able to break the code." "If Radio Monitoring are right, and the transmitter is actually in the harbor, it must be on a ship." "You don't suppose it's on one of the three German freighters interned there?" "The Portuguese authorities dismantled the ships' radios when they gave them permission to stay." "How do we know one of them doesn't have another transmitter hidden somewhere?" "We don't." "Here we are with the strictest orders never to violate portugal's neutrality." "What do you suggest we do about it, sir?" "We can sit here and froth at the mouth or find out where the information to those U-boats originates." "I suggest that Gavin and I spend a day or two in Goa poking about to see what we can dig up." "Dig up, or pick up?" " Oh, he speaks for himself, sir." " I speak for myself." "Yes, well I was speaking for you." "Yes, all right, I suppose this is top priority." "Go ahead and dig." "Der Kapitan." "Well, that's the three of them." "Yes, but which has the transmitter?" "There's our old friend." "Gentlemen, a great pleasure to see you again." "Manuel." "Please." "How's the heart, Manuel?" "My heart..." "I never..." " You joke with me." " Not exactly." "Sit down, Manuel." "You look like your feet hurt." "The Germans outside, which ship are they from?" "The Ehrenfels." " Captain Rofer." " A very charming gentleman, actually." "No doubt." "Well, what's been happening?" " Nothing, just the usual." " The usual what?" "People coming and going, eating and drinking." "Everything normal." "How's the...gambling, Manuel?" "A little slow." "Naturally, the police keep asking for more and more." "That's too bad." "Let's get to the point." "My friend here has a nice fat packet of escudos to lose on your wheel." " Personally, I would wish for him to win." " Manuel!" "How much are we talking about?" "All of it." "And then I commit suicide right on your doorstep." "By the same token, I could give it to you here, right now." "No." "No, Senhor, no." "Maybe it'd be more fun to lose it bit by bit." "What do you think?" " Yes, Senhor." " Meanwhile, you and I will have a pleasant little chat in your private office." "Please." "I'll be one minute." "Rien ne va plus." "No more bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Thank you." "Faites vosjeux, messieurs dames." "Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets." " Rien ne va plus." "No more bets." " Good luck." " It's bad luck to say that." " Oh, instantly retracted." "Trente-quatre." "Rouge." "Pair et passe." "Thirty-four." "Red and even." "It must have been the instant retraction." "Or maybe it was the good luck to begin with." "Or how about plain destiny?" " Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets." " I'll think I'll try that again." "Good luck." "No more bets." "I hope so." "How about celebrating my impending loss with a bottle of champagne?" "Thank you, I don't drink when I gamble." "Smoke?" " Tap dance?" " Not recently." "How about tea in the lounge?" "You do hear those little clicking sounds?" "Trente et un." "Noir et impasse." "Thirty-one." "Black and odd." "By the way, my name is Gavin Stewart." "I take it that is a wedding ring?" "That's what it is." " And you are Mrs...?" " Cromwell." "Let me hazard a guess, Mrs. Cromwell." "You are here in Goa on holiday and your husband is a large gentleman probably sitting at the baccarat table." "No, I live here and my husband is dead." " Oh, I'm sorry." "I tend to be" " Over charming?" "I really am sorry." "There's no need to be." "Let's watch our money disappear." "Rien ne va plus." "No more bets." "Manuel, you're not thinking hard enough." " I'm doing my best." " Well, let's try again." "We're talking about Indians who visit your outdoor café frequently." "Yes, quite a few." "I said so." "It's a very popular place." "And we're talking about someone else." "Probably a German who might just pass by at the same time every day." " It's not something I" " Or who might drop in for a few minutes." "Or who might be followed down the street by one of the Indians." "Look, I'd really like to help you, but I don't notice these things." "I'm too busy in the place." "Manuel listen." "Whatever you pay the police to let you keep the gambling going I can double it to have them shut you down." "So, take a bit of friendly advice." "I want you to notice these things." "Faites vosjeux, messieurs dames." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." " Faites vosjeux, messieurs dames." " You have faith." ""Hope" would be a better word." "Would you mind if I ask what you're doing in Goa?" "Losing." "But with incredible grace." "Actually I'm here on business just for the day." "I have to be back in Bombay tomorrow night." "I may sound quaint, but I sell tea." "Vingt-deux." "Noir." "Pair et passe." "Twenty-two." "Black and even." "Well, that does it." "You've lost quite a lot." "I'm sorry." "The way I look at it, I won." "I met you and I'd like to meet you again." "Perhaps you will on your next trip." "I'll be here." "Faites vosjeux." "Place your bets ladies and gentlemen." "Senhor, I'm very frightened." "Manuel, I promised you that no one will ever know you've said anything at all." "You don't even know their names." "All you know is that an Indian with a mole on his cheek and a tall European may be communicating with each other." " Or they may not." " Exactly." "Lewis, we've a long drive." "Senhor." "The gambling...?" "Strictly between you and the police." "Mrs. Cromwell." "May I be of some assistance?" "Manuel, I've been really lucky." "I'm taking home a lot of your money." "I'm so happy for you." "Congratulations." "Well, you probably know I'll come back and lose it all, but just now I feel marvelous." "Manuel, I'd like to give you a little something." " No, I couldn't accept." " Why not?" "Of course you could." "But I never tip you when you lose." "Manuel." "I insist!" "Look, dammit!" "We've got to get rid of that transmitter!" "Do you know how many lives depend on supplies lying at the bottom of the Indian Ocean?" "I think we do, sir." "But we still don't know exactly where it is." "I think our first priority is to find whoever heads the spy ring." "How will you handle that?" "Your lead in Goa is rather fragile." "I'm not so sure." "We know that the man who gave it to us was murdered." "It's worth following up." "And just suppose you discover who the head spy is." "Then what?" "Gavin and I kidnap him and interrogate him rather thoroughly." " In Goa?" " Right, if that's where he is." "Granted, there's a risk of being caught in neutral territory." "We can always plead insanity, sir." "He speaks for himself." "Then do it, but it dislikes me." "If you two are caught God knows what trouble we'll be in." " Yes, all right." "Go ahead and make plans." " Thank you, sir." " Watch it, Gavin." " Why not?" "Helen, get me 641 in Goa." "Compliments of the management." "That's what I call Portuguese hospitality." "Thank you very much." "Thank you." "Welcome to Goa." "Thank you." "That was fast." "The truth is, Mackenzie has a telephone built into his wooden leg." "What does it say?" ""Possible your man is Ram das Gupta." "Indian." "About 32." ""Large mole on right cheek." "Clerk for lnter-Europe Shipping, Bombay." ""Currently living at 197 Cabral Street, Goa." ""Known political activist for Indian independence."" "I think we should meet this fellow." "That means right now." "Hurry up, children, you'll be late for school." "Bom dia." " May I use your telephone?" " Sim, Senhor." "Thank you." "Ishla." " Three, two, nine." " Yes, sir." "He'll be calling me back." "Yes?" "Who?" "Oh, damn." "Is there someone here named Ram das Gupta?" "This call is for a Mr. Ram das Gupta." "Perhaps he's outside." " Senhor Ram das Gupta?" " Yes?" "Telephone." "I'm sure you'd like to go to the toilet." "Now, listen very carefully." "Your name is Ram das Gupta." "You live at 197 Cabral Street." "You work at lnter-Europe Shipping." "Unless you fully cooperate, we'll be delighted to kill you." "Is that understood?" "Listen to this: "The Ennismore Trader." "6,212 tons." ""Cargo varied including tank and plane ammo." ""Approximate latitude: 10.25." "Longitude: 74.15." ""January 27, between 08.00 and 21.00 hours."" "That's one we've saved." "You are a naughty boy." "Now we'd like you to go back to your table and continue with your usual routine." "We'll be watching." "The tiniest false move and you're dead." "Orangejuice." "The Fatherland's No. 1 agent in Southern Asia." "Are you sure?" "I'm sure." "Stay here, I'll be back." "Senhor." "Did that strong coffee upset your stomach?" " No." " Pity." "If you don't keep your mouth shut, our next meeting may not be this friendly." "Mrs. Cromwell!" "Hello...or words to that effect." "Hello." "What a coincidence." "I've been sitting over there waiting for you." "No, you haven't." "I cannot tell a lie." "To tell you the truth, I'm waiting for a business associate who's never been on time in his life." " By the way, it's Gavin." " I remember." "Do I still call you Mrs. Cromwell?" "No, wait!" "Don't answer that." "What's your dog's name?" " You won't laugh?" " Guaranteed." "Hamlet." "But he's not a Great Dane." "He doesn't know that." "And you may not believe this but they named me Agnes." "I'm still not laughing, Agnes." "There I was, a helpless infant..." "Coffee, please." " A human arm for the dog, please." " Pardon, Senhor?" "Just the coffee." "You were saying?" "A helpless infant..." "May I say how spectacularly you have matured?" "But first, is it all right if I continue to call you Mrs. Cromwell?" "That's the best idea I've heard all day." "It's still early, Mrs. Cromwell." "I really must leave." "The beast needs exercise." "Don't forget, we still have that date." "Thanks for the coffee." "Have a lovely walk, Mrs. Cromwell." " Fast work." " Well, man does not live by bread alone." "A man who loves dogs can't be all bad." "Come along, I have some news for you." "There, those two men." "We pay the bill and then wait outside Trompeta's house." "Right." "We could wait there all day and night, too." "Won't the car look a trifle conspicuous?" "I suppose it might, but we can't just break into his house and take him." "We could, except we don't know who else might be there." "I don't like the idea of Gupta running about loose." "I mean, he knows we're not in tea." "All right we'll pick up Mr. Trompeta in the morning." "Well, in that event, Lewis, I have a small favor to ask." "There's no need to look at me like that." "You know my country comes first." "You'd like me to take a long, invigorating walk tonight." "You could sit in the bar." "The walk will do me more good." "Excuse me, Senhor, do you have a light for my cigarette?" "Put your hands on your head." "You're a bloody fool." "You shoot me, your life's not worth a rupee." "Nevertheless, I will also shoot the lady." "You killed him." "Yes, he was about to kill me and you." "That sort of thing tends to make me impulsive." "Did you know him?" "No." "It was a nice throw." "Thank you." "Good God!" "Who's that?" "Well, it's a little complicated." "Where did you get the pistol?" "From him." "That is just perfect." "We have an appointment tomorrow with the lmperial Tea Company not with the bloody police." "What was I supposed to do, Lewis?" "Let him kill us?" "As you've probably gathered, this is my boss." "How do you do?" "A little civility wouldn't be out of place, would it?" "I mean, it wasn't her fault." "I want to go now." " I'll take you." " No, thanks." "I didn't mean to sound rude." "You must be very upset." "Upset?" "Why would I be upset?" "I mean, it was just a simple murder." "I promise you, you won't be involved with the police." "That is, unless you wish to involve yourself." "In Goa?" "That's all I need." "No, this is strictly your problem." "If it comes to it, I'll deny I was here." "As you wish." "Goodnight." "Did you really have to kill him?" "We could have worked on him and perhaps learned something about Trompeta." "Honestly, Lewis, I really had no choice." "What happened to you?" "Two very pleasant chaps tried to kill me at the dock." "Did they?" "Maybe we should have both sat in the bar." "Where are they now?" "They're resting." "What do we do with him?" "As Mackenzie said, "When in trouble, call room service."" "Bis heute nachmittag." "Sehr gut. lch bereite alles vor wie versprochen." "Could I trouble you for a match?" "I don't smoke." "Would you please look at the white car over there?" "I think you might find it interesting." "If he has to kill you here and now, he will." "Let's you and I get into the car very quietly." "Just relax, sit back." "That's a good boy." "Help!" "They're kidnapping me help!" "Dammit!" "There's no longer much point in delivering him to intelligence." " Let's dump him here." " No." "Wait till we've crossed the border." "We can't have him found in Goa." "A vossa identificaçao, se faz favor?" "Your papers, gentlemen?" "Yes, of course." "Turned out nice again, hasn't it?" "Thank you." "And that gentleman?" "Here it is." "I'm sure you'll find everything in order." "Perfectly, sir." "Have a good trip, gentlemen." "You got away with killing Trompeta and a fat lot of good it did us." "We did find out the transmitter's on the Ehrenfels." "I understand your feelings." "No you don't." "You took one hell of a risk for next to nothing." "Whoever Trompeta's No. 2 man is took over immediately." "We still haven't been able to break the code." "While you were on the train back to Delhi three more ships have been sunk." "Did you hear what I said?" "Three more ships have been sunk." "I'd like to go into that harbor with commandoes and blow the place up." "But we can't, which is rather frustrating." "I've got no suggestions, which may account for my unpleasant disposition." "If the professionals can't do it, we might have to turn to amateurs." "And what does that mean?" "What if a group of British civilians managed to board the Ehrenfels?" "If they were caught, it might be taken as a drunken escapade." "You know, businessmen on holiday in Goa without their wives having a smashing good time." "A little chancy with the Portuguese government." "That's a masterpiece of understatement." "London would have our heads." "It might just succeed, sir." "And which civilians did you have in mind?" "The Calcutta Light Horse, sir." " The what?" " It's a part-time territorial unit." "They haven't seen action for 40 years." "Lewis, you're talking about a mixed bag of boozing, middle-aged pot-bellied businessmen." "No argument, but when the war started every man Jack of them volunteered for active service." "Those not accepted for whatever reasons are all ex-soldiers." "They know weapons, they know tactics." "They'd give their right arms to help." "It's insane, Lewis, and you know it." "Put together a plan and let's see it." "Thank you, sir." "Well done!" " Have you seen Bill?" " No." "Probably in the bar." "Obviously everything we've told you, the operation, the destination all of it is for your ears only." "Do you expect my men to volunteer without any idea of what for?" " Right." " I thought so." "All that the men must know is that it couldn't be more important." "It'll be quite risky and it's top-secret." "Unfortunately, there'll be no pay in it, no pensions if anyone's killed or wounded, and no credit." "It all sounds unbelievably attractive to me." "I take it, no medals if all goes well?" "No medals." "No recognition at all." "I love it and so will they." " Melborne again." " Bit early for casualties, isn't it?" "He'll be all right." " You okay, Dicky?" " Damn fool!" "Are you all right?" "Yes, I think so." "Just knocked all the wind out of me." "Well, there's enough of it in there, Dicky lad." " That's tremendously amusing." " Must be a relief to your pony." "Robin, old chap once I've adjusted my truss, I'll be happy to thump you on the head." "Come on, Dicky, just a bit of fun in a cold, cruel world." "I've told you everything about this operation that I'm allowed to." "The Light Horse has not been in action as a unit since the Boer War in 1900." "But I hope and believe that we soon will be." "I'm calling for between 15 and 20 volunteers." "One here, sir." "I was afraid of that." "Thank you, gentlemen." "I appreciate it." "Now, those of you who are selected will leave in about seven days." "You'll be gone for two weeks." "It's best to tell your wives you're ordered to Ranchi for a two-week training period of local defence, that sort of thing." "So, now will you all please give your names and telephone numbers to Sandy Lumsdaine." "Here we go." "Sorry, Jack." " Bill, I'm going on" " We'll talk about it later." "God bless us, everyone." "Or help us." "Take your choice." "Move that game further down the beach if you don't mind." "It starts off like a Hungarian omelet." "First steal one egg." "We're actually stealing an entire ship." "We can't rent one and naturally the Navy has nothing available." "Then I have to sail the bloody thing the whole way round India from Calcutta to Cochin." "Yes, you're the only one of us with any experience at sea." "And all I get is five Light Horse for crew, plus three hired lascars." "We are not stealing the Queen Mary." "We're not exactly looking for a rowboat either." "Charlie Wilton knows engines and I can navigate." "Well, suppose we make it." "Then you bring the others across by train to Cochin I pick you up and we sail right in to Mormugoa Harbour and blow up everything in sight." "Just like that." "Right." "Nothing to it." "For a grand finale, we escape." "Twenty of us against maybe 120 of them." "There won't be 120 of them." "Gavin will see to that." "He'll be in Goa arranging all sorts of brilliant diversions." "Come in." "I think it's Jack." "He wants to see me." " Come in, Jack, take a seat." " No thanks, sir, I'll stand." "Forget the "sir."" "I can't make a speech, but this is the only chance I'll have to settle accounts for my boy." "Your boy?" "He was killed in Burma." "I didn't know." "Sorry." "Well, that's really what I came about." "God knows, I know how you feel, but you must realize" "I don't think you do at all." "But you don't understand the operation." "I don't know how to say this, but..." "We just can't risk your old ticker." "There's nothing wrong with it." "I have my pills." "I'll take him." "No liability at all." "I do have some strange deals to make and I'm sure he'll handle some of them better than I can." "Well, Bill?" "All right, Jack. lt's all yours." "God, I'm dying." "Hell, I'm dead." "I've been dead nearly 20 minutes." "I thought I smelled something strange." "Good God, what are you doing?" "Just toning up." "What on earth for?" "My health." "Well, mind your hernia, dear." "Why the hell don't you whistle or something before you come out here?" "Mr. Melborne!" "Are you all right?" "No." "I'm just having a private heart attack." "Get out, Miss Wentworth!" "Come in." "Lewis!" "Delightful to see you." "Is that Gavin?" "By george, it is Gavin." "If you mean the one with blood rushing to his feet, you're right." " Glad to see you back in one piece." " It was a lovely mission." "There are some parts of Burma that won't be the same again." "Anything new coming up for Force 136, sir?" "No, just for you." "Marvelous." "What can I do for you?" "How would you like to blow up two or three enemy ships in a neutral harbour?" "Delighted." "Give me a couple days' notice to get my gear ready." "It'll be in and out fast." "There'll be no second chance at these targets." "I haven't needed one yet, have I?" "The one thing I can't abide is a lack of confidence." " We'll be in touch, then." " Fine." "Onward and upward." "Anything new in the papers, Yogi?" "Yes, the world's upside down." "That wouldn't sail across the Serpentine, let alone around India." "It's a bloody riverboat." "It's the right size, and there won't be any great uproar when it's found missing." "There's something very peculiar going on, Bill." " What is it?" " What's what?" "You never shave at night." "Rather a novelty, I thought, for once." "Not to shave in the morning when I'm still asleep." " That's not it." " Not what?" "Bill, you can really be the most exasperating..." "Well, I'm probably being even more exasperating." "A good wife does not pry." "You can pry as much as you like." "No, the reason I'm shaving now is because I have to get up tomorrow morning at 4:00 and go charging up to Ranchi in a bloody truck to do two weeks of incredibly boring training." "Whatever it is, it's far too important to you." "Oh, really." "It's another woman, isn't it?" "Isn't it?" "Another woman?" "Me?" "I have never loved, nor will I ever love, anyone but you." "Now you've gone and got me all lathered up." " Hold it!" " What the hell is this?" "No questions, just answers." "Now, if you create any problems, we shall have to kill you." "Have you taken a look at the engine?" "No, but I have a general idea." "It belongs in a museum." "So do some of us." "Well, cheer up." "Let's take a stroll on the promenade deck." "Oh, my God." "I've got this end, you take care of the other." "I've been saving this for a long time." "Now I know why." "To us." "To us." "To us." "To the operation." "Amen." "I haven't got the faintest idea what makes this thing work." "Do you?" "See you in Cochin." ""The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."" "Get up and..." "Not into the wind, Robin." "Oh, God, he's done it again." "For God's sake, don't describe it." "I'm going down below to hit myself over the head with a hammer." "Remember I've still got to cook." "What an industrious chap." " You wouldn't, you sadistic" " What wouldn't I?" "You know, Yogi, when we get to wherever it is we're going I'll kill you." "Mind over matter, Robin." "Think digestively." "I must have been a damn fool to have taken on this job." "Grab one." "Well, Jack old chum, if anyone has to swim for it, this is where you'll be." "Jack Cartwright, the entire on-shore rescue and first-aid team." "You'd better put a lorry up there." "Should you pick anyone up, they're to be taken straight out of Goa." "If you must drive through the border barricades and take over that river ferry, do it." "Oh, sorry." "Thank God, you're not my wife." "Any kind of physical contact brings on the most outrageous sexual demands." "The woman's insatiable." "You're a lucky fellow." "She bites, it's bloody undignified." "At my age, I prefer a bit of grateful whimpering even if it's only from me." "I may never survive the train ride." "Talking of survival, Lewis I swore to myself I'd never ask this which is why I'm asking, but all those explosives we loaded onto that ridiculous Phoebe what on earth are they for?" "It's my opinion we're going to storm a mountaintop convent with bowler hats and varicose veins." "And umbrellas." "And the nuns'll shoot our tails off." " Or someone will." " Let's play bridge." "Old Lovecroft must have melons for adenoids." "The next round's on me." "Cromwell." "C-R-O-M-W-E-L-L." "Hold on." "Who is it?" "Jack." "It's open." "Hello?" "Yes, you have it?" "What do you mean, you can't give it to me?" "It's unlisted?" "Well, where are you?" "I'll come down and pay you." "We all have to learn to live with the odd insult, don't we?" "Try and beat that combination." "An incorruptible telephone operator and a woman with an unlisted telephone number." "A raving beauty, dammit." "Come on, you have to put that in a safe-deposit box at the Portuguese National Bank." "My God, they'll chuck me overboard." "There's a periscope out there!" "Periscope!" "It's off the starboard bow." "I don't see a thing." "Where is it?" "Look...there!" "That's the port bow, idiot!" "Well, whatever it is, God help us, we're dead." "I'll take the wheel." "Give me those glasses." "Where is it?" "On the..." "On the port bow." "If we're blown up, everybody get a bit of wreckage and cling to it." "That's hilarious." "Wait a minute." "I've got it." "What an incredible piece of camouflage." "It looks exactly like a shark fin." "They're clever devils, I'll give them that." "It's a shark, Mr. Manners." "Is that all you can say? "Oh?"" "Sorry." "You know I..." "Sorry." "I prefer "Oh."" "Damn fool." "Six days each week of government bureaucracy taxes the mind and body to the limits of endurance." "It's good of you to see me, Senhor Montero." "Not at all." "You want to enjoy your day off and my time is limited so may we drop the formalities?" "As you wish." "I want you to use your influence to persuade the governor to have a reception." "Among the invited guests will be every port official from Mormugoa and the officers from every ship at anchor in the harbour." "You will, on the same night, arrange a carnival which will attract the crews of all the ships." "Well?" "You mentioned my sons." "Yes, I can arrange that your sons continue to enjoy their schooling in India and that their fees are paid directly into a bank there." "Yes or no?" "A wise decision." "The invitations have already been printed." "The date is March 8." "The time: 2100." "Your reason for this, Senhor?" "That is a question you do not ask." "It is simply a display of your country's hospitality and neutrality." "Now, these are for your immediate use." "I'm sure your list of expenses will be very imaginative." "And one more thing:" "I'd hate like hell to see anything go wrong." "For your sake, and the children." "Mrs. Cromwell." "I don't know what comes first the hello, the apology, or the explanation." "None of them." "Excuse me." " Well, I owe you at least two out of three." " Please." " How's Hamlet?" " Dammit!" "I prefer not to make a scene here." "Why don't we sit down?" "How is Hamlet?" "Look, I don't appreciate it." "Some wine champagne, a lovely cigar?" "Later." "Hello, Mrs. Cromwell, and I can't tell you how sorry I am." "That's two." "I find all that charm unbearable." "Quite truthfully, so do I." "The best I can do is apologize." "If you would accept that, we could talk." "It was an ugly...incident." "You killed a man as though it were nothing." "He was about to kill us both." "You've done it before, haven't you?" "Yes." "I was an officer in the Army for a while and then the Bengali police made me a better offer." "And now you're a tea merchant." "Yes." "I didn't like being a police officer and I don't wander around killing people." "Next you're going to accuse me of killing the poor, unfortunate owner of this place." "It had crossed my mind." "Mrs. Cromwell, I really would much rather talk about you, and possibly even me." "You know it wouldn't take a great deal for me to fall in love with you." "No comment?" "All right, I have one." "Why don't we pick up where we left off be exceptionally wary of each other and see what develops?" "No comment." "Yet." "Wine, Mrs. Cromwell?" "Wine." " Whose deal is it?" " Yours." " Did you order us a beer?" " Yes." "I wonder why they asked us if we could swim." "One thing's certain:" "This is better than thumping round the coast in that dirty old bucket." "I pity Breene." "Awful bloody sailor, you know." "Suffers hell." " So did Nelson." " Nelson?" "Admiral Nelson, you fool." "You know, "England expects..."" "Over here, chaps." "If they've been lucky, the Phoebe should be outside Cochin Harbour tomorrow night and we'll be off on a lovely sun-drenched cruise." "You'll each receive a boarding schedule and detailed instructions." "Please memorize them and destroy them." "No one is to carry any letters or documents that might associate him with the Light Horse." "Tomorrow you will each go separately to the bazaar and buy two bottles of whisky which you will keep in your luggage unopened." "You're to be packed and ready by 1700 hours." "I can't give you any details on the operation itself until we're safely at sea." "Any questions?" "No, sir." "Good. lf any of you might be thinking of getting sozzled tonight...splendid." "I expect to." "End of briefing." "Desapareça daqui sujo...porco canalha." "Senhor, ha-de perdoar esse zaragateiro." "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" "No, Senhor." "English..." "Ja." "Yes, Senhor." "You perhaps wish something?" "We can give you anything you should desire." "Anything." "This is your house?" "Yes, Senhor." "All clean girls and all beautiful." "I have an unusual request." "Nothing is strange here, Senhor." "Many years ago I was a sailor." "Now I am a rich man." "But always a sailor in your heart." "I understand." "You wish something special, yes?" "I would like to give every sailor in the port a gift to celebrate my good fortune in life." "Now, you will tell every nationality of sailor in the harbour that for three days, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, they can come to this street and do with girls at no cost." "What a beautiful thing you do, sir." "I'm glad you think so." "Now, can we agree to the price?" "Please come, Senhor." "You know this is exceedingly odd." "I hardly know anything about you." "I don't know where you live." "I don't even know your phone number." "You don't have to." "All we've done is enjoy each other." "I am falling in love with you, Mrs. Cromwell." "I'll go better than that." "I have." "Gavin, I don't want to go home now, but I'm going to." " All right, I'll take you." " No." "I still can't know where you live?" "Not until I understand how I feel." "I'd like to get dressed now." "You do love me?" "Give me time to think." "I promise to call you." "They're the last two." "Come along." "Come along." "Sorry, Sandy, we got held up." " Adeus, Senhor." " Adeus." "Gavin!" "Hello, Jack." "How was your second visit with your friendly whorehouse keeper?" "Absolute cert." "Every sailor knows all about it." "As he was taking the rest of the money he called me a true benefactor of all whores and seamen." "Rather appropriate play on words, don't you think?" "I'm also his life-long friend for whom he'd shed blood and brandy." " He shed the brandy, didn't he?" " He did." "Why don't you go to your room and lie down?" "There's nothing else to be done until tonight." "I was going to." "I may even pray a bit." "Where are you going?" "Talking of praying, to church." "The phone call I waited for two days for finally came." " I'm glad to hear it." " So was I." " Did you say church?" " Yes." "Warte hier." "Gavin?" "Who are you?" "I'll need a table." "Will you bring that up here for me, please?" "That's fine, thank you." "Now then, we're on the last lap of our little trip so I can now give you our destination and tell you what we're going to do when we get there." "We're headed for the neutral port of Mormugoa." "I told you so." "ln that port, at anchor is a German ship, the Ehrenfels." "Our job is to seize that ship." "Good Lord." "And hold a dance aboard?" "Or sink her where she is." "Also in that port are two other German ships so if we can knock them off at the same time, so much the better." "But first, the Ehrenfels." "Here is her deck plan." "Study it very carefully and then I'll deal with any questions." " Bill?" " Yes?" " We've got problems." " What's wrong?" " The main bearing is overheating." " Can you do anything about it?" "Only if I stop the engine." "It's a question of dismantling the bearing and fitting a new shell." "If I can." "How long would it take?" "Two to three hours." "And, sir, I said, "lf I can."" "Yes, I heard you, Charlie." "Can we keep going as it is?" "Not for long." "All right." "Stop your engine." "See what you can do." "We desperately needed that." "We have a little leeway." "Not much." "Carry on." "Now on the foredeck, here..." "I didn't want to push my luck on the telephone, but why a church?" "I didn't want to meet you in a café again." "Or in a hotel room." "No comment." "I'm glad you called." "I don't know whether I am or not I just know I'm afraid to trust my own feelings." "Which are?" "Terribly confused." "I'm afraid I don't understand." "Try." "We can start tonight at the governor-generaI's party." "You mean the governor-general of Goa?" "Why would he invite me to a party?" "I don't even know the governor-general and I'm sure it's mutual." "I'm invited." "Would you take me?" "All right, I'll take you." "9:00. 21 da Gama Street." "Now you have my address." "The progress is astonishing." "Are we leaving?" "You are." "Alone." "Please." "Well, I am available the rest of the day." "Conversation only." "Tea planter's honour." "9:00." "That may do it, and it may not." "Two and a half hours." "All right, let's find out." "Ready to move, Bill." "Right." "What can you get out of her at full speed?" "Six knots, maybe seven." "Try ten." "That's it." "Your turn, Sandy." "Good." "Underhill..." "Limpet mines attach magnetically to the hull of the ship below the waterline." "They work on a pre-set timer." "You mean this, this knob here?" "Yes, that's right." "Now, Finley, you'll take the Drachenfels." "Sloane, you take the Braunfels." "Right." "Jack!" " Senhor Stewart?" " Yes." " Good evening, sir." "Please." " Thank you." "Please, sit down." "Mrs. Cromwell shall be..." "Ready soon?" "Yes." "Not good English." "Excuse, Senhor." "Where is she?" "Thanks to Charlie Wilton, we should be alongside the Ehrenfels on schedule by 0100 hours." "I don't have to tell you how crucial this operation is or how many allied lives it might save." "Our cover story once again." "We are businessmen on holiday." "We rented this old tub in Bombay, sailed down to Goa for the fun of it and on a drunken dare, boarded the Ehrenfels." "Of course, authentic drunken businessmen seldom run about with machine guns." "Should any of you find yourselves in a tight spot, if it's the last thing you do throw your guns over the side." "If any of you have to swim for it you know the location of Cartwright's beach." "Jack will be there waiting for you." "Charlie, you will remain aboard to nurse the engine." " Sir" " That's an order, Charlie." "Yes, sir." "Shit, sir!" "Charlie, you really do have a way with words." "John you'll stay at the wheel." "No arguments." "Can I say, "shit" as well, sir?" "If you like." "All right, let's open up the whisky." "About time." "One big swig now, and no more until further orders." "Cheers." "Down the hatch." "Your Excellency, Gavin Stewart." "Hadley's of Bombay Limited." "Mr. Stewart, how nice to see you." "Darling, may I present Mr. Stewart." "A pleasure." "And my daughter, Teresa." "Senhorita." "And Mrs. Cromwell." "Mrs. Cromwell and I already know each other." "In fact, with your permission, I'm going to steal her away from you." "Please do." "Enjoy yourselves." "Thank you, sir." "Shall we?" "You look absolutely beautiful." "I don't blame you for being angry." "I wouldn't have waited for me either." "I can't begin to apologize." "Don't be silly, it's accepted." "Where were you?" "Well, you won't believe me." "It's really a sort of tragedy of errors." "First, a puncture in the middle of nowhere, then I nearly ripped the sleeve off my jacket trying to change the wheel." "A mad dash for a replacement jacket, which doesn't fit..." "So I see." "And naturally, they're still not giving out your phone number, and finally when I got to 31 da Gama Street, there was no one at home." "Gavin...it's 21." "Not 31?" "There you are, I am an idiot." "Agreed." "But a rather nice one." "I'd left by then anyway." "I called your hotel." "They said you'd gone out quite early." "How did you get in here without an invitation?" "And I'm glad." "Well, I crossed the majordomo's palm." "Shocking." "Now, to show you the stuff I'm really made of I'd like to apologize properly." "First, I'd like to kiss you, Mrs. Cromwell." "I'd like that." "Lipstick doesn't become you." "Let me." "Would you care to join her?" "Then, I assume you've seen nothing." "Am I correct?" "Then start laughing." "Laugh." "You'll remember your children, Senhor." "All right, take your weapons." " Any problems?" " No, sir." "Mr. Cartwright?" "Buried there, sir." "Take my car and park it near the hotel." "Yes, sir." "Are you all right, sir?" "Yes, fine thanks." "There we are." "The first of Gavin's brilliant diversions." "I never had a moment's doubt, old bean." "I did." "If we'd relied on this compass, we might've wound up in the Grand Canyon." "What a lovely sight." "Reminds me of Brighton when I was about 10 years old." "Dickie, I find it hard to believe you were ever 10 years old." "Chuckle, chuckle." "Gentlemen..." "Mr. Finley, Mr. Sloane, time to get ready." "Right, sir." "If any of you have any final questions, now would be a splendid time." "When do we get another drink, sir?" "Right now, as a matter of fact." "I want each of you to take another big swallow, just one." "Next, rinse your mouths thoroughly with whiskey and spit it out then take what's left and pour it over your clothing." " All of it, sir?" " All of it." "I want every man here to smell like a distillery." "All right." "Get on with it!" "Anybody got any soda?" "I didn't mean to do that, I swear it." "This is the noblest sacrifice of all." "The fumes alone are getting me tiddly." "You may save your second bottle for our celebration on the way to Bombay." "When we board I want no firing unless it's absolutely necessary." "Should anything unpleasant happen and we sustain dead or wounded, they are not to be left aboard the Ehrenfels, nor any equipment." "Nothing which could identify us as British." "When I blow this whistle three times, everybody off immediately." "You'll do." "Take your stations." "All weapons loaded." "Safety catches on." "Check our watches." "When you set your mines, remember, give us 30 minutes." "That's still not much time." "You surprise me." "We'll have all the time in the world." "Now, do get on with it." "You're the boss, Lewis." "My God, you breath is awful." "Well, might as well." "Won't help me see in the dark, will it?" "Yogi, the mine." " Klasse." " Wundervoll." " Fantastisch." " Herrlich." "Come on, move." "Was ist?" "Hands up." "Silence!" " Sandy, come with me." "You two stay here." " Right." "This way." "Come with me." "Stay where you are." "Not a sound." "I'm glad we're not staying on board." "Come on, let's go." "You!" "Hold on." "Blow this one!" "Are you okay?" "I think I'm still standing!" "We've found it, Bill." "Get everyone organized to leave." "Sandy, look after Yogi." " Come on, let's go." " Barker, in here with me." "The code books." "Get them on board the Phoebe." "Hurry." "Right." "Let's get it done and leave." "God!" "My fault, Bill." "Never mind that." "Get ours to the Phoebe quick and the Germans to the afterdeck with the others." "Back on the Phoebe, everybody." "Back on the Phoebe." "Damn fools." "I mean, why don't they hurry up?" "Good God." "Get them on the Phoebe, Bill." "Williamson!" "Sir." "Look after Dennison." "Red, put those with the others." "Come on my bonnie lads, move it!" "Turn around." "I'll be watching you from the top deck." "Make no mistake, I'll shoot the first man who moves." "Where is Lovecroft?" "Second deck." "Wardroom." "In the Phoebe, Robin." "Red, take these weapons." "Okay, I'll take him." "Everybody, over the side." "This ship is going to blow up." "Spring uber Bord." "Das Schiff ist in der Luft." "Start engines!" "Start engines." "Push off!" "Push off!" "Spanner, now let's see..." "That's okay." "Bill, don't stand about!" "Get us underway!" "Right, right." "Get them below." "Help me up." "I'm all right." "Get out of here." "Lie down somewhere." "There's nothing to lie down on." "The timers aren't that accurate." " Charlie, give me an answer!" " I'm working." "You'd better have this." "This'll put pain to my polo for a bit." "You'll be playing polo with St. Peter if this ship goes up." "Ram, help Mr. Pugh." " Somebody, what the hell's gone wrong?" " I'm working very hard, Billy." " How long have we got on those mines?" " A couple of minutes, maybe." "Well..." "Hold your breath." "Ease her up to full speed, Bill." "She's going up!" "Good God!" "Poor devils." "Bill, I wouldn't know how to begin to thank you and the Light Horse." "I have a feeling they'll be thanking you." "I know I am."