"Carry on." "To the victory of Britain!" "Cheers!" "Three cheers!" "Herman Halque." "No bad hats among the passengers." "And the crew..." "I know them all." "We'll try to get you through before they close the boom this evening." "Yes, but you come back." "Later we have one for the gangway, eh?" "May I go through, Captain?" "Yes, everywhere the police have their duties." "You see, Mr Scobie, nothing." "It's war." "How I hate this war." "We have cause to hate it too, you know." "I'm ruined because I write to my daughter." "It's true." "She married a German." "She lives in Leipzig." "Open it." "I can't open it..." "You know the rule about letters..." "I have to leave it to the censorship." "Why didn't you wait till you got to Lisbon?" "Lisbon!" "Lisbon is impossible." "There's a woman, my new wife..." "she's jealous of my daughter." "She comes to the ship, she takes me home, I can't get out!" "She take away all my clothes." "Every day is 3 quarrels till we go to bed at night." "You can understand." "There's nothing I can do about it" "I shall be black-list." "No consul will give the navicert while I am captain." "I shall starve." "I give you English pounds, 50... 100..." "Sorry... can't be done." "My daughter love me so much..." "Sir..." "Do you not got a daughter?" "No." "You may hear no more about this, you know." "Files do get lost." "I shall pray." "Why not?" "Commissioner." "Find anything on the 'Esperanza'?" " No." " No diamonds?" "What do you think?" " Sit down." " Thank you." " I'm retiring after this tour." " Yes, I know." " I suppose everyone knows." " Yes, everyone knows." "Yet you're the 2nd man I've told." "Do they know who's taking my place?" "They know who isn't." "I'm sorry, Harry." "it's grossly unfair, but they're sending up a younger man from Gambia." "What do you want to do?" "Resign?" "Retire?" "Transfer?" "No, I want to stay." "I've been here too long to go." "Besides, I like the place." "I believe you do." "I wonder why." "It's pretty in the evening." "You're the wonder at picking up enemies for yourself." "Do you know what they're saying at the secretariat?" " I'm in the pay of the Syrians?" " Not yet!" "It's "black girls"." "You see, you don't flirt with the wives." "Husbands feel insulted." "Got to think up some gossip about you, poor fellow!" "The Colonial Secretary is not a bad chap." "There's one decent man, eh?" "That's what they hate about you, too..." "You're "Scobie the Just"." "I don't think I'm as "just" as all that." "I'll see you later." "Yes?" "Oh, hello, dear." "So sorry." "Well, I'll be home as soon as I can." "That's right." "Missus too sick for chop?" "Missus belly humbug, Sir." "She's not dried her books today." "You do them." "Yessir!" "How long have you been with me, Ali?" "15 years, Sir." " Year before Missus, come." " And you still do that." "No Sir!" "Ticki!" "Feeling any better, darling?" "Mrs Castle's been, and..." "That's enough to make anyone ill." " She's been telling me about you." " What about me?" "That you've been passed over as Commissioner." "Her husband talks too much in his sleep." "Is it true?" "Yes." "I'll never be able to show my face at the club again." "It's not as bad as all that dear." "These things happen, you know." " You'll resign, won't you?" " I don't think I ca do that." "But you must, Ticki, you can't take it lying down." "You've got to think of ME." "I DO think of you, dear." "But with the Vichy French across the border and so much smuggling going on, they need a younger man." "And we can retire." "You know we can't afford to retire." "You usen't to say that." "There was a time when you wanted to retire." "You used to count the years." "Before Catherine died." "You talk such nonsense." "I can't retire during the war." "Do you love anyone, Ticki, except yourself?" "No dear, I just love myself, that's all." "And Mrs Castle, of course..." "Yes, I'd forgotten about her." "But not you." "Why didn't you come to church this morning." " My morning on duty." " You could have changed it." "You haven't got much faith, have you Tickie." "Then, dear..." "you have enough for both of us." "Listen, darling, why don't you get up and have some food." "Then drive down to Lumley Beach for some fresh air." "The rains will be here soon, and we'll both feel much better." "If only we could go to South Africa." "I can't bear the people here." "It would cost a lot, darling." "Besides, I'd never get leave." "Tickie..." "I can't bear it here any longer." "Perhaps I could arrange a passage for you." "There haven't been any sinkings lately." "Oh, Tickie, would you?" "!" " You promise?" " Yes." "I'll see about it this afternoon." "Oh, Tickie!" " Anything to report?" " No, Sir." " Been down to "bad place"?" " Yessir." "How long ago?" "Just now, Sir" "All quiet, Sir." "Come on, follow me!" "All gone away, Sir." "Bad gang." "Fetch ambulance!" "You stay here till ambulance comes, right?" "Man here alone, Sir..." "bad gang kill him." "If gang boys come back, you kill them, you see?" "Shut the garage, Ali." "Nothing as usual..." "Probably a French reccy plane" " Did you manage it?" " What, dear?" "Tickie, why are you such a coward?" "Why didn't you say at once, it was off?" " What is?" " My trip!" " It wouldn't be true." " What?" "We only got the idea today." "These things take time to fix." "Did you go to the bank?" "Yes, I asked them for 250 pounds." " And you couldn't get the money." " No dear, they can't manage it." "You see, I've no security, darling." "Oh, come on!" "Trust Tickie." "I'll find some way." "Did you go to the club tonight?" "Yes." "It was horrible." "The only one who was nice to me was Wilson, the new Africa Company clerk." "Oh, Wilson?" "At least he can read and talk." "Thank goodness you've found somebody with something in common." "The only time I'm happy is when a company clerk is nice to me." "Tickie, I can't stand this place any longer." "I'll go mad!" "I've no friend!" "Please do something!" "Of course I will dear..." "Just be patient." "What will you do?" "I'm full of ideas, just let them simmer for a while." "Tell me ONE idea, just ONE!" "I've known it for years." "You don't love me." "That's why I treat you so badly." "That's your conscience!" "You never loved anyone since Catherine died." "Except myself, of course" "You tell me today I love myself." "I know you're not happy, either." "Without me, you'll have peace." "You can't give me peace." "That's what I said..." "If I go, you WILL have peace!" "You've no conception of what peace means." "Poor dear..." "You wish I were dead, like Catherine." "You want to be alone." "I want you to be happy." "Well..." "Just tell me you love me..." "It helps a little." "Of course I love you, darling." "I'll fix that passage." "And tomorrow we'll ask Wilson along." "Oh, don't keep on talking about Wilson!" "Does it ever rain?" "Oh, yes... it rains!" "I never expected to find someone like you in a place like this." "What a waste of you." "Why aren't you in the army, Wilson?" "What a very practical question." "There are reasons." "Shall we say health." "Never really met a clerk before." "But you aren't my idea of one." ""Clerk" is just club malice, I'm here as an accountant." "Wilson!" "..." "It'll be all over Freetown!" "I think we'd better go back now." "Ali, what's happened?" "Master, he go on trek." "I was just writing you a note, dear that I've got to go to Bamba." "Oh, hello Wilson..." "Hello, Sir, excuse this intrusion." "Not at all." "Help yourself to a drink." "And don't call me Sir..." "You're not one of my policemen, you know." "What's happened?" "There's some trouble with young Pemberton, the D.C. there." "Can't I come with you?" "I'm afraid not, this time, dear." "Why not send one of the younger men?" "It's just one of those cases you can't leave to a junior." "I wish I could be of help Sir." "You can, Wilson, you can!" "Stay and keep Louise company." "It'll cheer her up." "She doesn't often get the chance to talk to anyone sensible." "Well, goodbye darling." "Look after Wilson." "See he has enough to drink." "And don't mope!" "Good luck." "Sir..." "And thank you." "Don't call me sir!" "Isn't he the typical "second man"." "The man who always does the work." "My head humbug me, Ali." "Boss take plenty aspirin." "More tea, Ali." "Put some whisky in it." "Who's that?" "Assistant Commissioner of Freetown, Sir." "You go and wait down there, you see?" "What is it?" "Army convoy..." "wait for ferry." "Remember, Ali that trek we did..." "10 years ago... 250 miles in 10 days." "250 in 10 days." "Boat goes in 10 days" "Must fix passage in 10 days." "250... 10 days." "At 3.30pm yesterday, Sir, I was woken by DC Pemberton." "I am the Rev. Clay, Mr Scobie." "I thought it my duty to come, when I heard about Mr Pemberton." " He's in there Sir." " Thank you." "See a grave's dug, Sergeant, before the sun gets too hot." "I could do nothing." "He was dead when I arrived." "He left a message." "I put it on the desk." "Do you know anything about what led to this?" "He did not welcome my company, Mr Scobie." "That seems a pity..." "The only other educated man here." " Did he drink?" " Yessir." " Where'd he get it?" " The local store." "One of Mr Yusef's little businesses." " Mr Yusef of Freetown." " Oh, I see." "He may have been in debt." "I conclude as so." "I would not like it to be murder." "But suicide!" "Why is one to consider it?" "!" "Dear Dad..." "Forgive all this trouble..." "There doesn't seem anything else to do." "It's a pity I'm not in the army because then I might be killed." "What do your men say?" ""Lack of moral fibre."" "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do!" "But surely we are faced here with the unforgivable sin" ""Your loving son"..." "Don't tell me there's anything unforgivable there!" "If I did it, it would be unforgivable, because I know!" "But he didn't know a thing." "The teaching of the church?" "Even the church can't teach me that God doesn't pity the young." "I'll get my boy in here." "Ali!" "Bring bed in here, quick you see!" "I'm in for a dose of fever." "I'll have to try and sweat it out." "Yes, Mr Scobie...." "I see you're sick." "Maybe perhaps I'd better take the burden of the funeral from you." "Whatever my feeling.... ...I would not deny the man Christian burial." "May I do this last service?" "Good, thank you..." "ALI!" "Good boy!" "Unforgivable." "Unforgivable." "Blinkie..." "Louise..." "Must be happy..." "Yes, must be happy" "Can I have tea" "Ali..." "Yes, Master?" " I dreamed I saw Yusef." " Yes." "Yes, Master, he is here" "I am sorry to see you poorly, Mr Scobie." "I'm sorry to see you at all, Yusef." "You're well, to make fun of me, Mr Scobie!" "That's right, make yourself at home." "What did you have to do with Pemberton?" "Nothing, Mr Scobie." "It's odd that you're here just as he's killed himself." "He owed you money, of course." "He owed my store manager money." "What sort of pressure were you putting on him, Yusef?" "If the D.C. wants to buy up my store..." "How can my manager stop him?" "With a D.C. like poor young Pemberton there will be a row one day, whatever you do." "And the Syrian is always wrong." "There's something in that, I suppose." "Your sergeant has been looking for bills." "But you won't find any." "Here are the I-O-U-s from my managers safe..." "What are YOU doing with them?" "That's why I came here, Mr Scobie." "Now you burn them..." "He has paid, poor boy." "It might trouble his father." "Sit up..." "let me pat your pillows..." "One needs a long spoon to sup with you, Yusef." "Yes." "My enemies do, but not my friends." "You remember when you put me in court 10 years ago..." "You could easily have had me convicted." "I was astonished." ""Do we have true facts from the mouths of policemen?"" "I said to myself, "Yusef..."" ""...a Daniel has come to the Colonial Police."" "I wish you wouldn't talk so much." "I'm not interested in your friendship." "Yet I interest you." "Why is it those, that are your friends, don't?" "What are you talking about?" "First... the commissionership." "They need a younger man." "Then, the special man they've sent from London." "What do you mean..." "I don't follow you." "They've sent a special man from London, to spy." "And you're only worried about diamond smuggling here." "Nonsense." "Who is it?" "If one policeman can't recognise another..." "I just want you to understand, Mr Scobie..." "I have friendship for you." "In my soul." "Now, let me pat your pillow again..." "No, go away!" "Go away!" "I know the personal difficulty you are in, Mr Scobie." "And if I can help..." "I am a well-off man." "Now if you... want to help me..." "Go away and let me sleep." "I'm not offering you a bribe, Mr Scobie." "A loan, any time..." "200 or 300 pounds" "Reasonable interest, 4 percent, say..." "I want to be your friend." "Well, I'm not interested in bribes." "Please go away." "Just go away." "Hello, Louise." "You had fever." "Yes, that's what held me up." "Wasn't much." "How's everything been here?" " Wilson's been quite attentive." " Oh, good... he's a nice lad." "Yes..." "I suppose so." "Is something on your mind, darling?" "Yes..." "Pemberton's suicide, amongst other things." "What other things?" "You." "Tickie... have you done anything about it?" "No... but I'll find a way." "You haven't found one yet?" "No, I'm full of ideas, though." "Darling, what's this?" "That's what I was going to tell you about." "Mrs Halifax has a 2-berth cabin on the next ship for the Cape and she's offered me the other berth." "I'm just writing to refuse it." "Oh, Louise..." "Now you're not to worry any more." "I've baited and baited you..." "It's like fever you know..." "It comes and goes." "But it's gone now and we can forget about it." "I know you can't raise the money." "You can tell Mrs Halifax you'll accept." "Please don't promise something that can't happen, just because you're tired and afraid of a scene." "There won't be a scene, but I can't let Mrs Halifax down at the last moment." "You won't." "I know where I can borrow the money." "Why didn't you tell me when you came in?" "I wanted to give you your ticket." "A surprise." "How wonderful!" "_ You're happy?" " Oh, yes." "Well, you've done the right thing for her, Scobie." "Oh, I do hope so, Father." "You see, I feel responsible for what Louise's..." "What she's become." "Don't develop too strong a sense of responsibility, will you." "Can one?" "God may like to bear a part of it, you know." "Excuse me, Father." "Louise thanks you for the flowers." "Didn't even see her to say goodbye." "It was one of those last-minute things..." "She had a chance of a berth." "She told me she wasn't going." "Come up and have a drink." "Another time, if I may, Sir." "I told you before, you're not a policeman..." "You don't have to 'Sir' me you know." "Sorry, I do it instinctively." "Silly of you." "No peace, Harry, you have to go up to Pende right away." "The French are bringing some British survivors from a torpedoed ship, overland from the coast." "They'll be in pretty poor shape after that trek." " Look after them, Harry." " I will Sir, I'll look after them." "Ali!" "Ali!" "Yessir?" "On trek again, Ali." "Good, Sir!" "The poor souls." "They're alive." "In my profession we have to consider that important." "40 days in open boats." "Does one get over that?" "It's failure people don't get over." "This is a kind of success." "I'm Loder, Chief Engineer." "Welcome home, Mr Loder." "This is Doctor..." "I don't need any doctors." "I want to make my report to the proper official." "I'm the District Commissioner..." "You can make your report to me." "It's 2 months since the U-Boat..." "I've a lot of responsibility on me." " The captain's dead." " Come along to my bungalow." "I'm responsible to the owners, you see." "I quite see that, but you can dictate the report and I'll write it down." "Forbes, Sir." "Muir." "Thank you, the doctor has far more serious cases than me to attend to." "This is Miss Malcot." "This is a rest-house Miss Malcot." "Would you like to lie down." "That's the last thing I'd want to do." "I'm not in the least tired." "I'm not hungry." "I'm not nervous." "I want to get out." "Where to, Miss Malcot." "Lagos..." "to the Educational Department." "There may be some delay" "I have been delayed 2 months." "I can't stand delay." "Work won't wait." "Perhaps we can get you there right away." "Come to the house and do some telephoning." "Certainly." "There's nothing that can't be straightened on the telephone." "Take Forbes and Newell to the rest house." "I'll wait for the launch." "Penny for your thoughts, Sir." "I was thinking it might have been Louise." "I was thinking that, too." "What are you doing in Pende, Wilson?" "I'm inspecting our company's store here..." "There's been some trouble over a Syrian manager." "Tallit's his name." "Police trouble." "He's suspected of smuggling diamonds across the river into French territory." "Warn the doctor the stretcher cases are here, will you." "May I say, Monsieur Commissario..." "I have 3 sick for you here on stretchers." "My signal said 5." "One died the other night and one died last night." "You don't mind if my chaps get on with it?" "Bring stretchers on shore..." "Go shuffle... shuffle." "Come and have a drink." "Thank you, no..." "I will see that all is well here." "Both her parents were lost." "But it's alright..." "She will die." "How on earth did she manage to survive till now?" "The others often gave up to her their drinking water." "There is another child." "He doesn't look so bad, eh?" "Well done, fella!" "Who's this?" "This one is a refugee from Austria." "She married an English man." "Her husband was lost." "Her passport says she's 19." "She may live." "She still has some strength left." "Carry on." "her name is Helen Rolt." "What was the book she was clutching?" "Her stamp collection." "Thank you for bringing them over, Lieutenant." "Goodbye." "Is she dead?" "The little girl?" "She will be by morning." "She keeps calling for her father." "Probably thinks she's still on the boat." "Won't she take you for her father?" "And Mrs Rolt?" "The other woman, with the stamp album?" "If she gets through the night." "Have you come to look on or to help?" "Can I do anything?" " Can you read aloud?" " Yes, I suppose so." "Read to the boy... he's bored, and boredom is bad for him" "Not too loud..." "We don't want to disturb Mrs Rolt." "Hello." "Mrs Bowles has asked me to read to you." "Are you a soldier?" "No, a policeman." "Is it a murder story?" "No, I don't think it is." "What's it called?" "A bishop among the Bantu." "What does that mean?" "Bishop is the name of the hero." "You said "A" bishop." "Yes, his name was Arthur." "That's a soppy name." "But then, he's a soppy hero." "Heroes aren't soppy!" "The real heroes are the Bantus." "What are Bantus?" "They're a ferocious gang of pirates." "Does Arthur Bishop pursue them?" "Yes, he's a secret agent..." "He dresses up as a seaman..." "And he sails away on a merchantman so he can be captured by the Bantus..." "And he discovers all their secret hiding places so that when the time is ripe, he can betray them." "Sounds a bit of a cad." "He is." "He falls in love with the daughter of the captain of the Bantus." "That's when he turns soppy." "But there are bags of murders before that." "Sounds alright." "Let's begin." "Yes, begin it." "I'm not very good at reading." "Anyone can read aloud." "From the moment they left Bermuda..." "A low lean craft had followed in their wakes." "Can it be, Arthur Bishop wondered that I am about to meet the object of my quest, Blackbeard?" "Or his bloodthirsty lieutenant?" "Go on." "Davis...." "Batty Davis, so called, because of his insane rages." "Suddenly over the water came the boom of a gun." "And a cannonball struck the water, 20 yards ahead of them." "Bullo had his glass to his eye and called down from his bridge to Arthur Bishop..." "Arthur... the Jolly Roger, by heaven." "That's quite enough for today." "I hope you enjoyed it." "It's wizard!" "A very sensible boy." "Goodnight." "Thank you." "Goodnight." "Will you read again tomorrow?" "Don't worry Mr Scobie, Helen..." "He's got to get back to Freetown." "They'll all be murdering each other without him." "I think I could read tomorrow" "I've got to stay a day or two over a police case." "I knew a policeman, once." "In our town." "Helen, from her loving father, on her ninth birthday." "We'll have to get her some new stamps, won't we." "I've been..." "I've been questioning some of the fishermen." "What about?" "About this alleged diamond running, by my store manager." "Isn't that a police job?" "One would have thought so." "But somebody has to get justice for Tallit." "Why don't you wear a hat, Wilson?" "Why don't you go back to Freetown?" "Well, that's hardly your affair." "But perhaps I should like to know the outcome with Tallit, too." "It may interest you to know that Tallit says the package came from you, Sir." "And that he passed it on innocently." "I could have guessed that." "Supposing it isn't true?" "Supposing there was clear evidence that Yusef's guilty, would the police prosecute?" "Why's that?" "The rumour is that Yusef's protected." "Well you've been here long enough to know what rumours are worth." "They say that you and Yusef are on visiting terms." "Of course it's a lie." "It's perfectly true, but then I'm on visiting terms with my sanitary inspector and it doesn't prevent my prosecuting him." "I've no intention of defending myself to you, Wilson." "I just thought you ought to know." "You're too young for your job." " My job?" " Whatever it is." "You sent Louise away because you were afraid of me." "No hat, you see..." "It's the sun, old boy!" "She couldn't stand your stupid unintelligence..." "You don't know what a woman like Louise thinks." "I don't suppose I do, but then nobody wants anyone to do that, do they?" "I kissed her, I kissed her that day..." "It's a colonial sport, my dear fellow." "She's too good for you." "For both of us." "How did you get the money to send her away?" "That's what I want to know!" "Isn't that enough?" "It's printed in the Colonial List." "Let's talk about that tomorrow, shall we." "Don't think I haven't got my eye on you." "You really are crazy, Wilson." "Go and lie down." "I'm afraid you're showing a light." "Mrs Rolt!" "What are you doing here?" "Do I know you?" "I saw you at Pende..." "I'm the policeman." "I'm sorry." "I don't remember much what happened there." "Of course not..." "Shall I fix your window?" "Thank you." "I didn't expect a blackout here, or the sirens." "Is there any danger?" "None at all." "Nothing ever happens." "They haven't done you very proud, have they?" "I wish I'd known." "I could have helped." "Everyone has been very kind." "Mrs Carter gave me this." "Good." "I heard they sent you down to Freetown, but I thought they'd put you in hospital." "I wanted to come out..." "people kept coming in to see me..." "I wanted to be alone." "I see..." "Well if ever you want me, I live just down the road." "Can't you stay until the rain stops." "I don't think I'd better..." "They go on till September." "What a noise." "You'll get used to it." "Anyway, they'll be sending you home soon." "Would you like a drink?" "Mrs Carter gave me a bottle of gin, too." "Oh, then I'd better help you drink it." "I'll get it." "Where do you come from?" "From Austria." "But now from Bury St Edmunds." "In Suffolk." "I was here 8 weeks ago." "Oh no you weren't..." "You were in the boat." "Yes, I forgot the boat." "They should never have let you out of the hospital." "It's not 6 weeks yet." "I'm right." "They had to have my bed..." "I wanted to be alone." "The doctor said I should do what I wanted." "You only need to say the word, and I'll push off." "I'd rather you waited until the all-clear." "I'm a bit rattled, you know." "When you've thought things out, will you go back to Bury St Edmunds?" "I don't know." "Perhaps I get a job." "You see..." "I only left school a year ago." "Did they teach you anything at school?" "I was best at netball." "You haven't got the build for a gym instructress." "Oh, these aren't mine..." "Mr Carter gave them to me." "Where was your school?" "It was in the downs, just behind Seaport." "The headmistress could red Greek just like English." "Virgil." "I thought Virgil was Latin." "Oh yes, I mean the other one..." "Homer." "I wasn't any good at classics." "Were you good at anything else besides netball?" "I think I was next-best at mathematics." "But I couldn't do trigonometry." "What nonsense..." "my telling you all this." "I like it." "But you haven't asked me about..." "You know." "I know." "This is more interesting." "I was miserable when I left school." "It was really my home." "It was the end of July and I cried in a taxi all the way down to the station." "What a lot I've talked." "Do you know what?" "I really think I shall sleep tonight." "Haven't you been sleeping?" "No, it was the breathing all round me at the hospital." "When the lights went out it was just like on the boat." " You know?" " I know." "You should sleep alright here." "No need to worry about anything." "There's a watchman always on duty" "I'll have a word with him." "Good night." "You've been very kind." "I like you so much." "I like you, too." "Goodbye." "Tomorrow I'm going to bring you some more stamps for your album." "How do you know about my album?" "I told you..." "I'm a policeman." "Good morning, Colonel Wright." " This is the Colonial Secretary." " How do you do." " Good trip?" " It's hot out here, isn't it?" "This is the cool season, Colonel." "Excuse me." "I think I'll take the chair." "Colonel, would you come and sit on my left here, please." "This is Mr Scobie." " Col. Wright." " How do you do, Scobie." "It's about this diamond smuggling of Tallit's." "Col. Wright's come out from England to hear about it." " From Home Sir?" " Col Wright's MI5." "I'm afraid the whole thing has been most unfortunate." "I don't think the police should have acted as they did." "Not without consultation with the Secretariat." "I have always understood it was OUR duty to stop diamond smuggling." "The evidence against Tallit was too slender for an arrest." "He wasn't arrested." "He was interrogated." "His lawyers say he was brought forcibly to the police station." "His lawyer's a liar..." "Surely you realise that much." "You see the sort of things I'm up against." "Personally I much prefer to take Tallit's word against Yusef's." "I can't hear what you're saying." "I said personally I prefer to take Tallit's word against Yusef's." "That's because you've only been in this territory 5 years." "How many years have you been out here, Mr Scobie?" "15." "Col. Wright wants to know the source of your information." " You know that, Sir." " Yusef?" "Do you find Yusef trustworthy?" "Of course not, Sir." "But one has to act on what information is available..." "And this information proved correct, up to a point." "Up to what point?" "The diamonds were found in Tallit's possession." "Do you get much information from Yusef?" "This is the first time." "We're not cross-examining you, Scobie." "I was under the impression Sir, that these gentlemen were." "Let's boil it down to one question..." "Tallit, Mr Scobie..." "has made counter-accusations." "Tallit claims Yusef planted the diamonds on him and has made accusations against YOU." "He said in effect, that Yusef has given you money." "No, Sir." "Yusef has given me nothing." "Naturally, sending your wife to South Africa was well within your private means." "You don't answer." "I didn't know you'd asked a question." "Yusef has given me nothing." "He's a man to beware of, Scobie." "Perhaps when you've been here as long as I have you'll realise the police are meant to deal with people who are not received at the Secretariat." "We don't want our tempers to get warm, do we." "May I go, Sir?" "If these gentlemen have finished with me, I have an appointment." "I'm sorry to have bothered you, Scobie..." "I received the reports and had to take the measure up officially..." " I'm perfectly satisfied." " Thank you, Sir." "It's just a matter of discretion, you see... that's all." "If I'm wanted during the next half-hour, Sir..." "I shall be at Yusef's." " Is the master in?" " Master is out." "I'll go wait for him, Druce." "No good come just now." "You go find him then." "Is not in the house." "I go look." "Where's Uncle Yusef?" "Mr Scobie!" "I wanted to have a word with you about Tallit." " Tallit?" " And the diamonds." "Yes, you're all crazy about diamonds." "Did you frame Tallit, Yusef?" "You were saying something about Tallit, Mr Scobie?" "Tallit won't be prosecuted." "Never mind." "One day he will go too far." "Were they your diamonds, Yusef?" "MY diamonds?" "I should like to trust you." "Tell me the truth." "Were the diamonds yours or his?" "I always want to speak the truth to you, Mr Scobie." "They were yours." "Yes, Mr Scobie." "Nice fool you made of me." "If I had a witness, I'd run you in." "I didn't want to make a fool of you, Mr Scobie." "Tallit is a bad Syrian." "It would be good for everybody if he were out of the way." "And the diamond-smuggling in one pair of hands." "Every month of course, I shall pay you the interest on your loan." "But this ends our relationship." "Mr Scobie..." "You have taken my little joke too much to heart." "Goodbye, Yusef." "You're not a bad chap, but goodbye." "You are wrong, Mr Scobie..." "I AM a bad chap!" "My friendship for you is the only good thing in this black heart." "I cannot give it up..." "We must stay friends, always." "I'm afraid not, Yusef." "Mr Scobie..." "Did you ever tell the commissioner about our little business arrangement." "Ask him yourself." "I think I will." "My heart feels rejected..." "and bitter." "Always obey your heart, Yusef." "Of course, I shall not." "One day you will come back and want my friendship." "And I shall welcome you, Mr Scobie." "Hello." "I've brought you some more stamps." "I scoured the Secretariat." "There's a complete set of Liberians..." "surcharged for the American occupation." "And a South American pack." "Why do you collect stamps?" "It's an odd thing to do, after 16." "I don't really collect..." "I just carry them around." "They're so portable." "You've never told me about your husband." "No." "You see, people who collect china, they can't carry it around." "Or books." "It's easier to get over a thing if you talk to someone about it." "That's not a trouble." "The trouble is, it's so terribly easy to get over it." "He's been dead..." "Is it 8 weeks here?" "And he's so dead." "What a little peace that must be." "You needn't feel that way." "It happens to everybody, I think." "When we say to someone, "I can't live without you"..." "What we mean is... "I can't live feeling you may be in pain."" "Or unhappy." "When they're dead, our responsibility ends." "There's nothing more we can do about it." "I didn't know it was so hard." "So horribly hard." "I had a child who died while I was out here." "My wife sent me two cables." "You see, she meant to break the thing gently." "I got the first one in the morning." "It read..." ""Catherine died this afternoon."" ""No pain." "God bless you."" "I got the second one at lunchtime." "It read..." ""Catherine seriously ill."" "Doctor has hope." "How terrible for you." "No, the terrible thing was, that when I got the second telegram I was so muddled in my head, that I thought she still must be alive." "And for a moment I was disappointed." "That's the terrible thing." "I thought..." ""Now the anxiety begins."" "And the pain." "But when I realised what had happened..." "It was alright..." "She'd be dead." "I could begin to forget her." "And have you forgotten her?" "I don't remember her often." "You see, I escaped seeing her die." "My wife had that." "I don't know what I would have done without you." "A guardian would have looked after you." " They are scared of me!" " No!" "They are!" "Just because I am not happy, and because of my husband." "When the rain stopped this afternoon Flight Lieutenant Baxter took me down for a bathe, and..." "Everybody on the beach was pretending to be happy." "And I just sat there in Mrs Carter's bathing dress and grinned." "But it didn't work." "And Baxter stroked my hand." "I wanted to go home" "You'll be going home soon." "I don't mean that home..." "I mean here." "Where I can shut the door and not answer when they knock." "I don't want to go away yet." "I'm so afraid of the sea." " Do you dream about it?" " No." "But I dream about John sometimes, because that's worse..." "I've had always dreams about him and I still go on having dreams about him, and  we quarrel in drams and go on quarrelling." " Did you quarrel?" " No." "he was very sweet to me." "But we only had been married 2 months, you know." "I wonder what you'll do when you get home." "I suppose they'll call me up." "You could get a job here, I think." "All the wives work at the Secretariat." "There still aren't enough." "I'd like to stay." "Let's have a drink on it." "Now you've gone and spoiled the poor old stamps." "I'll have to give you some more." "No, they go in as they are." "Whenever I see them I shall remember this room." "It's so good to talk to you." "I can say anything I like." "Oh, I feel so safe with you!" "It's only Baxter." "It's only me, Freddy!" "Don't answer." "Oh, let Freddy in." "Be a sport, Helen!" "Only Freddy Baxter." " I was just passing." " I'll get you a bottle of beer." "Just a small one." "You busy?" "Well, I'm dining with the Commissioner..." "But not yet." "Have you heard from Louise, lately?" "Not for 2 weeks now but then there've been some more sinkings in the south" "I was just writing to her." "Thanks." "Well, the rains are almost over." "Yes, I hope they are now." "Will you be taking your leave in south Africa?" "I've postponed my leave..." "The young men need it more." "Everybody needs leave." "You've been 12 years without it." "That's different." "Sometimes I don't think I'm a working man at all." "No one works harder than you do, Father." "The dying..." "That's what I'm here for." "They send for me when they're dying." "I've never been much use to the living, Scobie." "You talk such nonsense." "No..." "When I was a novice, I used to think that people spoke to their priests." "I thought that God somehow gave the right words." "But god doesn't always give the right words, Scobie." "Don't listen to me, it's the rains." "They always get me down about this time." "I've never had much talent for loving God, as other people do." "I just want to be of use, that's all." "Oh, they ask me to dinner, to hear the gossip." "When they're really in trouble, they go to you, not to me." "And if you were in trouble...." "where would you go?" "I'm not the kind of man to get into trouble, Father." "Well..." "I'd better be getting along." "I saw you at the beach, this afternoon" "You didn't even talk to me." "I was busy." "I was looking for the field-security man." "You are so careful, always." "For once, I wasn't thinking of you..." "I had other things in mind." "Your work is much more important than I am." " Yes, but I'd sacrifice it for you." " Why?" "I suppose, because you're a human being." "One can love a dog more than any other possession..." "But one wouldn't run over even a strange child, to save a dog." "If you knew how tired I am of all your caution!" "You come after dark and you go after dark." "It's so ignoble." " Yes." " I don't want your pity!" "Can't you ever risk anything?" "You go on trek for days and you never write a line to me." "I can't even have a photograph, to keep the place human." "I haven't got a photograph!" "I suppose you think I would use your letters against you." "You think I'm a child!" "You keep bringing me stamps." " I'm trying to protect you." " You're not protecting ME!" " You're protecting your wife." " It comes to the same thing." "Oh, to couple me with her!" "My dear, it's too soon to quarrel." "You'd never leave her..." "would you?" "We're married." "And if she knew of this, you'd go back like a whipped dog." "I don't know." "You'd never marry ME!" "My dear, I can't... you know that." "I'm a Catholic." "Oh, it's a wonderful excuse, it doesn't stop you making love to me..." "It only stops you marrying me." "Yes." "Go on, justify yourself!" "It would take too long." "One would have to begin with arguments for a God." "What a choice you are!" "I've been such a failure." "I'd do anything in the world just to make you happy!" "My darling-darling-darling!" "I'd go right away!" "I'd stop coming here." "You'd be so glad to get rid of me!" "It would be the end of life." "Go away if you want to!" "I don't want to.." "I want to do what YOU want." "Then go if you want to.." "or just stay." "I can't move, can I!" "?" "I'd get you on the next boat if you want to." "So glad you get rid of me!" "Go away!" "Get out!" "And don't come back!" " Something interesting?" " Yes... very." ""I'm on my way home." "Love, Louise."" "She must be on the "Esperanza"." "Boy!" "Deliver to Major Scobie's office." "That's alright, boy." "Send it along later, to his house." "Mr Carter." "Mrs Rolt, splendid!" "My wife said you wouldn't come to parties." "Well, I think it's time I did." "Helen, dear!" "Oh, that looks simply nice on you!" "Come along in and meet everyone." "Mr Scobie, you know Mrs Rolt." "Yes indeed, I was up at Pende when she was brought across." " Dr Sikes." " How do you do." "This is Mr Harris..." "from the Haigwood Centre..." "Mrs Rolt, cocktail..." "Thank you." "You know Wilson of course, you're neighbours." "We haven't met, though." "I don't know what's come over all you men." "You're near Mr Harris, you're all neighbours..." "But none of you seem to see anything of Mrs Rolt." "Scobie's scared of you, Mrs Rolt." "All we married men are." "We were talking about the Pemberton case." "Extraordinary way to kill himself." "I'd have taken an overdose of sleeping draught." "It wouldn't be easy to get one in Bamba." "Besides, it was probably a sudden decision." "If a chap must take his own life, he should do it without any fuss." "I agree with Wilson..." "an overdose of sleeping draught." "Insurance companies never like sleeping draughts." "How can they tell." "Take luminal, for instance." "Nobody could really take enough luminal by accident." "Suicide... what a horrid thing to talk about." "Why?" "Are you a Catholic, Mrs Rolt?" "No." "Oh no..." "I'm not a Catholic." "They take very strong views, don't they?" "Mr Scobie?" "We're taught it's the unforgivable sin." "You mean, you'll go to hell?" "Yes." "Do you seriously believe in hell?" "Yes I do" " In flames and torment?" " No, not quite like that." "It may be a permanent sense of loss." "That kind of hell wouldn't worry me." "Perhaps you've never lost anything important." "Could I please have another drink?" "I'm afraid dinner's rather late." "And to show I'm not scared of you, Mrs Rolt..." "How about a breath of fresh air?" "Yes, do, Helen!" "Is this wise?" "It would look odd if we didn't." "I thought I was never going to see you again." "Didn't you get my letter?" "What letter?" "I pushed it under your door, that night." " I didn't get a letter." " You didn't get it?" "What did you say?" "My darling, I love you more than myself..." "More than my wife..." "More than God..." "They've sent me to fetch you in to dinner." "I hear you've had a cable from Louise." "No..." "Oh yes... she's coming home." "How stupid of me." "I'm sorry, I don't feel very well..." " I think I ought to go home." "I'll run you down." "I don't want to break up the party..." "Mr Wilson, haven't you got a car?" "Yes, of course, I'd be delighted." "Mrs Rolt isn't feeling well." "May I drive her home?" "Oh, I AM sorry." "They should have kept Mrs Rolt in hospital a while longer." " Why?" " Nerves." "I could feel it when she shook hands." "Cable come." "Why you not leave it on desk?" " Master there." " What master?" "Yusef master." "I tell him go away, but him stay." "Mrs Rolt leave letter." "That's alright." "Go to bed." "My darling..." "When I heard your wife was coming back..." "I was angry." "It was so stupid of me." "Nothing is your fault." "All your promises belong to your wife." "Will you excuse me Mr Scobie, for intruding?" "That's alright.." "Do you want a drink?" "May I send you a case of whisky?" "I always forget..." "I must not send you things." "What do you want, Yusef?" "No, finish your letter..." "I can wait." "All your promises belong to your wife." "Nothing you said to me is a promise." "Goodnight." "Don't worry." "When I lent you money... it was for friendship." "Just friendship." "But this is very, very important." "What is it that's so important?" "!" "Mr Scobie, I have got after all to ask you a favour." "It has nothing to do with the money I lent you." "If you could do this for me it would be friendship." " Just friendship." " What is it?" "The "Esperanza" will be in, in a few days." "I want this small package given to the captain..." "What's in it?" "Don't ask me, I am your friend." "I would rather have this be a secret." "It will harm no one at all." "I can't do it, and you know it." "Mr Scobie, I assure you on my word..." "The package contains nothing." "Nothing for the Germans." "No industrial diamonds." "You can't seriously believe that I'd agree?" " Remember Pemberton?" " Naturally." "Why?" "Pemberton's boy is now Mrs Rolt's boy." "Well?" "Mrs Rolt's boy brought me a letter." "What made you write such a letter, Mr Scobie?" "We cannot be wise all the time, Yusef." "You see, it has put you in my hands." "I wouldn't mind that, much but to put 3 people in your hands..." "If only you would have done an act of friendship." "Go on Yusef..." "Complete your blackmail." "It is not for me!" "For my father, my mother, my half brother, my 3 sisters..." "Quite a family." "The war is going badly, and if the English are beaten I shall be ruined." "What do you propose to do with the letters?" "I am told that your wife is on the "Esperanza"." "I thought I would have the letter handed to her as she lands." "And if I give your package to the captain?" "Then my boy will hand you the letter instead." "Suppose I demand the letter first, and give you my word?" "The penalty of the blackmailer, Mr Scobie is that he has no debts of honour." "Nothing you say to me is a promise..." "You would be quite right to cheat me." "I wish you goodnight." " Suppose you cheat me?" " That wouldn't be right." "I was your friend." " You very nearly were." " I am the base Indian." "The what?" "Who threw a pearl away, richer than all his tribe." "Your friendship..." "It's Shakespeare." "Tickie..." "Tickie darling!" " Hello, dear." " I was a fool to go away!" "But everything's going to be different now." " Let's go ashore." " I must call on the captain, first." "Still searching for diamonds?" "Do be quick, just this once!" "Will you come back again as usual, for one for the gangway?" "No thank you." "Sit down Mr Scobie, please." "You see, I'm still here." "I told you paper's get lost." "I can guess how, eh?" "I have here, a little token of my..." "It's a saint..." "Don't even know the name." "An obscure... deals only with hopeless cases." "Thank you..." "I have something here for you, too." "For me?" "Someone will come on board with the pilot at Lisbon and ask you for American cigarettes." "You'll give him that package." "Oh, this is government business?" "The government don't pay as well as this." "You have put yourself in my hands." "You were in mine." "I don't forget, nor my daughter." "We both pray for you." "And when the moment of grace comes our prayers will rise all at once, together." "Like a flock of birds." "Thank you." "Give me a receipt for that, will you." "After that, I'll search your cabin." "Why did you knock?" "Harris was watching me from his bungalow." "I didn't think you would come today" "Something worrying you?" "Have things... gone wrong?" "No, it's nothing of that kind..." "Do you remember when you came here the first night?" "You weren't worrying then." "Doesn't it seem odd?" "Yes, it's a mistake to mix up the ideas of happiness and love." "Sometimes you are so old." "Tell me..." "What is it?" "Louise wants me to go to mass with her." "Communion." "That means that first I have to go to confession." "Is that all?" "All?" "If I don't go she'll know there's something wrong." "But... can't you simply go?" "To go to communion in mortal sin..." "To me, that's damnation." "Can't you confess everything?" "After all, it doesn't mean you're not doing it again." "It's no good confessing, if I don't intend to ry." "Well, then be hung for a sheep!" "You are in mortal sin, so you think, now..." "What difference does it make if you add just one more?" "There is a difference." "There's a big difference." "You see..." "Now, I'm just putting our love above my own security." "But the other thing is really evil..." "It's striking God when he's down." "I don't understand a word you're saying." "It's all hooey to me." "I wish it were to me." " But I believe it." " I suppose you do." "Or is it just a trick?" "I didn't hear so much about God, when we began." "I hope you're not turning pious on me, just to..." " Just to give you an excuse to..." " To leave you?" "It's just not possible." "They've been careful, but not as careful as all that." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Your Tickie and Helen Rolt." "That's for calling him by that name!" "No one can do that except me." "I shouldn't have said that." "Is she beautiful?" "No, not really." "Is anything wrong?" "I..." "I'd better go." "He's in love with you, of course." "He says he is." "He made me angry." " He's spying on you." " I know that." "Is he dangerous?" "He might be." "It would be my fault." "You never get furious at anyone." "Don't you mind him making love to me?" "Is it our fault that we fall in love?" "Here's Father Rank." "You didn't ask him to come here?" "Of course not." "Do see him." "I'll leave you alone." "Hello, Scobie..." "I just called in to welcome Louise back." "Oh good!" "Have a drink." "Help yourself." "She's still unpacking." "Don't disturb her." "Did she have a good trip?" "Yes..." "They were chased by one U-Boat." "Well, she's home now." "Yes." "Father..." "You remember I said I wasn't the kind of man to get into trouble?" "And I said I'd better be getting along." "Father... will you hear my confession?" "Here?" "Yes." "Very well then." "Since my last confession, 3 months ago I have committed adultery..." "many times." "Is it one woman?" "Yes." "Also, I've lied..." "I've failed in my duties..." "A lot of other things I can't remember now." "Do you think you could avoid seeing her?" "No." "Well..." "Could you avoid seeing her alone?" "You must promise that." "I'm asking you to promise God, not me." "It would be no good promising, Father, she needs me." "So does your wife." "I know." "You MUST promise." "I don't need to tell you there's nothing automatic in the confessional" "It depends on your state of mind, whether you're forgiven." "I think it's a mistake to have brought it up at all." "I don't think so." "I think you're beginning to move towards what is right." "I don't want to refuse you absolution, but you tie my hands." "Think it out carefully, and come to me later, in a better frame of mind." "Yes." "I pray for you." "I hope I'm not interrupting." "I was just leaving." "Welcome home." "I hope I see you both soon." "Yes, father, tomorrow morning at mass..." "We're both coming to communion." "God condemn me but give rest unto them." "What are you doing out in the sun without a hat?" "I was looking for you." "Get into the car!" "You'll get sunstroke." "You went to communion?" "Yes." "You confessed?" "No." "So you've damned yourself." "Yes." "I've given up hope." "Darling..." "I've thought about this for a long time..." "This is the end of us." "I don't understand anything you say about your religion." "But I do understand you can't go on betraying Louise." "With us it has to be all or nothing." "It's got to be nothing." "I'm going away." "Don't think it's easy..." "I've never done anything so hard." "Oh, it would be so much easier to die." "You see, you..." "I can never see a Nissen hut again hear rain on the roof see a car like this a black face, you know..." "Even a bed!" "One has to sleep in a bed." "It's no use saying in a year or two it will be alright..." "It's that year I have to get through..." "All the time knowing that you are somewhere..." "I came to find you to say goodbye, too." "But there are things I can't do." "Don't say anything, darling." "I'm being good." "Can't you see I'm being good?" "You don't have to go away from ME." "I'm going away from YOU." " You'll be alright." " No!" "You'll see." "You'll go back to your religion again." "That's what you really want..." "Isn't it?" "Not a pack of women!" "I want to stop hurting people." "You want peace, and you'll have peace" "Don't come up to the hut." "We say goodbye here..." "And you just drive home or to the office, if you'd rather." "Don't worry about me." "I'll be alright." "Open the car door for me..." "It's stiff." "There's no objection to a goodbye kiss, is there?" "We haven't quarrelled, have we?" "Darling, darling..." "This isn't the way." "Now I'm going to do it." "Turn the car quickly darling and just drive." "Shut your eyes!" "I don't want to see you go..." "Shut your eyes!" "I won't leave you." " I promised that." " Nothing you say to me is a promise." "You're not leaving me..." "I'm leaving you." "Darling, we love each other..." "It won't work." "I'd be up this evening to see how you were." "I wouldn't be able to sleep." "You're always able to sleep." "I've never seen such a sleeper." "Oh, my darling!" "You see..." "I've started laughing at you again just as though we weren't saying goodbye." "We aren't." "Not yet." "Don't you see, it's you I have to hurt." "Not Louise or Helen." "Why don't you let Helen go, and save Louise?" "Why don't you say goodbye to Louise and go to Helen." "One of them will suffer." "But can't you trust that the suffering won't be too great." "No." "I have no such trust." "Tickie..." " Can't you come up to bed?" " Not sleepy." "Neither am i, so I'll go fetch my book." "What are you reading?" "Something you wouldn't like..." "Poetry." "Say goodnight to me now." "You may be asleep, when I..." "You know I love you." "Of course." "I love you, too." "Yes." "Goodnight, Louise." "I want to stop hurting people." "Suicide..." "What a horrid thing to talk about!" "Master!" "Going on trek, Ali." "Tell Missus God make it alright."