[ Wind Chimes Jingling ]
[ Man Speaking Arabic ]
[ Men Conversing In Arabic ]
[ Woman Singing In Hungarian ]
[ Hungarian Song Ends ]
[ Woman Vocalizing ]
[ Shouting In German ]
[ Shouting ]
[ Engine Sputtering ]
[ Train Whistle Blows ]
- How are you ? - Okay.
Your leg will be fine.
A lot of shrapnel came out. I saved you the pieces.
You are the prettiest girl I've ever seen.
I don't think so. Here.
- Would you kiss me ? - No. I'll get you some tea.
- It would mean such a lot to me. - Would it ?
Thank you.
- I can't sleep. Would you kiss me ? - Oh.
- You're so pretty. - Will you tuck me in, please ?
[ Laughing ] Very funny. Go to sleep now.
- Where's the doctor ? - Don't ask.
[ Conversing In Arabic ]
[ Conversation Continues ]
[ Gasping, Groaning ]
[ Breathing Heavily ]
[ Camel Grunts ]
[ Man Breathing Heavily ]
[ Fly Buzzing ]
[ Gasping, Gagging ]
[ Chattering ]
[ Indistinct Conversations ]
God, I hate giving blood. Can't stand needles.
Is there anybody from Picton ?
Picton ? I don't know.
I'd like to see somebody from home before I go.
- Do we have anybody from Picton ? - Why Picton ?
He's from there. Edge of Lake Ontario, right, soldier ?
That's where your sweetie's from, isn't it ? Around there ?
Ask him what company he's with.
- Third Canadian Fusiliers. - Third Canadian Fusiliers.
Does he know Captain McGan ?
He bought it yesterday. Shot to bits.
- What did he say ? - Doesn't know him.
[ Shell Whistles, Explodes ]
Hana, get down !
[ Screaming, Shouting ]
[ Sobbing ] He's dead. He's dead.
[ Shouting ]
[ Sobbing ] He's dead.
[ Explosions ]
[ Bottles Clinking ]
[ Conversing In Arabic ]
[ Arabic ]
[ Breathing Heavily ]
[ Chanting ]
[ Continues ]
[ Chanting Continues, Drumbeat ]
[ Arabic ]
[ Chanting Continues ]
[ Breathing Heavily ]
[ Chattering ]
[ Man ] Name, rank, serial number ?
[ Man #2 ] No, sorry.
I think I was a pilot.
I was found in the wreckage of a plane at the beginning of the war.
Can you remember where you were born ?
Am I being interrogated ?
You should be trying to trick me, make me speak German.
- Which I can, by the way. - Why ?
- Are you German ? - No.
How do you know you're not German if you don't remember anything ?
Might-- Might I have a sip of water ?
[ Sea Gulls Calling ]
[ Gulps ]
- Thank you. - It's okay.
I remember lots of things.
I remember her garden, plunging down to the sea.
- Nothing between you and France. - This was your garden ?
- Or my wife's. - You were married then ?
I think so. Although I believe that to be true of a number of Germans.
Look.
[ Gasping ] I have this much lung.
The rest of my organs are packing up.
What could it possibly matter if I'm a Tutankhamen ?
I'm a bit of... toast, my friend.
Sorry I can't help you.
[ Horn Honking ]
[ Breathing Heavily ]
Are you all right ?
I know you hate to be moved. I'm sorry.
- [ Honking ] - Hana !
- Jan ? - Hana !
There's meant to be lace in the next village. The boys are gonna take me.
- You don't have any money, do ya ? - No.
- Just in case there's a sale. - No.
Hana, I know you do. Come on.
- No ! - Oh, come on.
I swear to God, this'll be the last time. I swear.
She's a softie. She loves me.
- I'll pay you back ! I promise ! - [ Laughing ]
I'm not sewing anything else for you.
I love you !
Whoa ! Pienza, boys !
[ Breathing Heavily ]
[ Man ] Get some water over here !
Jan ! Oh, no !
Hana, where're you going ?
- Stay back ! - Stop, Hana !
- Stay-- - [ Crying ]
No !
- Hey ! Hey ! - Don't move !
Don't move ! Don't move !
Stand absolutely still !
You're walking in a mine field !
Good.
That's good.
Just stay still for me...
and we'll be fine.
What are you doing ?
What the bloody hell do you think you're doing ?
[ Hana ] It's Jan's.
[ Sighs ]
[ Hana ] Are you in pain ? Do you need something ?
- Yes. - Okay.
Are you okay ?
- You and Jan were-- - We keep moving him in and out of the truck.
Why ? He's dying. What's the point ?
We can hardly leave him. Do you mean leave him ?
No, no, I don't mean leave him.
This will help you.
I must be a curse.
Anybody who loves me... [ Sighs ]
anybody who gets close to me--
Oh, I must be cursed.
Which is it ?
[ Single Piano Key Plays ]
[ Grunts ]
- When he dies, I'll catch up. - It's not safe here.
The whole country's crawling with bandits and Germans and God knows what.
- It's madness ! I can't allow it. - The war is over.
How can it be desertion ?
It's not over everywhere. I didn't mean literally.
This is normal, a shock, for all of us, Hana.
I need morphine, a lot. And a pistol.
If anything ever happened to you, I'd never forgive myself.
We're heading for Leghorn.
"Livorno," the Italians call it.
We'll expect you.
Fine.
- Thank you. - You're welcome, ma'am.
- Oh, Hana. - I'll be okay.
I'll catch up. Good.
[ Sighs ]
[ Muttering Song Lyrics ]
[ Continues ]
[ Engines Droning ]
[ Grunting ]
What-- What was all that banging ?
Are you-- Are you fighting rats, or the entire German army ?
No. I was repairing the stairs.
I found a library, and the books were very useful.
Before you find too many uses for those books,
you might read some to me.
I think they're all in Italian, but I'll look, yes.
- What about your own book ? - My book ?
Oh, yes, the Herodotus.
Yes, you can read him.
Oh. I found plums.
We have plums in the orchard. There.
We have an orchard.
Herodotus is the father of history.
- Do you know that ? - I don't know anything.
Hmm.
It's a--
It's a very plum...
plum.
[ Thud ]
[ Man Speaking Arabic ]
[ Responds In Arabic ]
[ Arabic ]
A mountain the shape of a woman's back. Good, good.
- Hello, Geoffrey ! - Madox, hello !
- Welcome to the expedition. - How do you do ? Geoffrey Clifton.
Splendid to finally meet you all.
This is Dante D'Agostino and Diggy Bermann, our archaeologist.
- Beautiful plane. - This is Sharif Al Fouad, Egyptologist.
- And this is my wife, Katharine. - Hello.
We're your new apprentices.
-Welcome to the International Sand Club. -[ Laughing ]
- To the International Sand Club. - I'll get cups.
- Marvelous plane. Did you look ? - Yes.
Isn't it ? A wedding present from Katharine's parents.
We're calling it Rupert Bear.
- Hello. Geoffrey Clifton. - Almasy.
We can finally consign my old bird to the scrap heap.
Mrs Clifton, I'd like to present...
- Count Almasy. - Hello.
Geoffrey gave me your monograph and I was reading up in the desert.
- Very impressive. - Thank you.
I wanted to meet the man who could write a long paper with so few adjectives.
Well, a thing is still a thing, no matter what you place in front of it.
Big car, slow car, chauffeur-driven car.
- [ Madox ] Broken car. - It's still a car.
- Not much use, though. - [ Katharine ] Love ?
Romantic love, plutonic love, filial love.
- Quite different things, surely. - Uxoriousness.
That's my favorite kind of love. Excessive love of one's wife.
- Now there you have me. - [ Men Laughing ]
- They're tourists. - Absolute rot.
They're highly recommended by the Royal Geographic Society.
She's charming and has read everything.
- He's meant to be a ruddy good flier. - We don't need another pilot.
He can make aerial maps of the whole route.
You can't explore from the air, Madox.
If you could explore from the air, life would be very simple.
Contact.
I should try and move the bed.
I want you to be able to see the view.
It's good. It's a view from a monastery.
- I can already see. - How ?
- How can you see anything ? - No, no, not the window.
I can't bear the light anyway.
I can see all the way to the desert.
I'm turning you.
Exploring before the war, making maps.
Is there sand in my eyes ? Are you cleaning sand from my ears ?
No sand. That's your morphine speaking.
I can see my wife in that view.
Are you remembering more ?
- Could I have a cigarette ? - Are you crazy ?
[ Coughing ]
Why-- Why are you so determined to keep me alive ?
[ Sighs ] Because I'm a nurse.
[ Sound Of Hana's Feet Hopping ]
[ Drumbeats, Chanting ]
[ Continues ]
[ Arabic ]
Bravo.
We have an old-fashioned tomato
A Long Island potato
But yes We have no bananas
We have no bananas today
[ Arabic ]
[ German ]
[ Italian ]
[ Arabic ]
- Next ! - Katharine !
[ Hana ] "The King insisted that he would find some way...
"to prove beyond dispute...
"that his wife was fairest of all women.
"'I will hide you in your room where we sleep,' said Candaules--
- said Candaules." - Candaules.
"Candaules."
Candaules.
Candaules tells Gyges that the Queen has the same practice every night.
She takes off her clothes...
and puts them on the chair by the door to her room.
"'And from where you stand,
you will be able to gaze on her at your leisure."'
And that evening, it's exactly as the King has told him.
She goes to the chair,
removes her clothes one by one,
until she's standing naked in full view of Gyges.
And indeed, she was more lovely than he could have imagined.
But then, the Queen looked up...
and saw Gyges concealed in the shadows.
And although she said nothing, she shuddered.
And the next day,
she sends for, for Gyges and challenged him.
- And hearing his story, this is what she said. - Off with his head !
[ Laughing ]
She said, "Either you must submit to death...
"for gazing on that which you should not,
"or else kill my husband who has shamed me...
and become King in his place."
So Gyges kills the King,
marries the Queen and becomes ruler of Lydia for 28 years.
The end.
Shall I spin the bottle ?
[ Madox ] So, Geoffrey, let that be a lesson to you.
- [ Katharine ] D'Agostino ! - D'Agostino !
Are you asleep ?
Yes.
No. I'm dropping off.
[ Cawing ]
Go away !
Go ! Go !
[ Grunts ]
Buon giorno.
- Hana ? - What do you want ?
I met your friend Mary.
She said I should stop and see if you were all right.
Apparently we're neighbors. My house is two blocks from yours in Montreal.
Cabot, north of Laurier.
- Bonjour. - Bonjour.
For you.
I'd like to take credit for it, but it's from Mary.
My name is David Caravaggio, but nobody ever called me David.
Caravaggio they find too absurd to miss out on.
Oh !
[ Snickers ] Oh !
Oh, shit. Stupid hands.
Let me do that.
They're fresh.
I haven't had an egg in--
Have you noticed there are chickens ?
In Italy, you get chickens but no eggs.
In Africa, they're always eggs but never chickens.
- Who's separating them ? - You were in Africa ?
Yes, I was.
So was my patient.
Look, I'd like to stay for a while.
I have to do some work here.
I speak the language. There are partisans to be disarmed.
We embrace them and see if we can relieve them of their weapons,
you know, while we hide.
I was a thief, so the army thought I'd be good at it.
- So you can shoot a pistol ? - No.
Do you have a problem with those ?
No.
- I should look at them before you go. - Look.
It's a big place. We needn't disturb each other.
I'll sleep in the stable.
It doesn't matter where I sleep. I don't sleep.
I don't know what Mary told you about me, but I don't need company.
I don't need to be looked after.
There is a man downstairs.
He brought us eggs. He might stay.
Why ? Can he lay eggs ?
He's Canadian.
Why are people always so happy when they collide with one from the same place ?
What happened in Montreal when you passed a man in the street ?
Did you invite him to live with you ?
He needn't disturb you.
He can't. I'm already disturbed.
[ Sighs ]
There's a war. Where you come from becomes important.
[ Patient ] Why ? I hate that idea.
Ah ! It's gonna work.
Gently.
[ Knocking ]
Can I help ?
It's finished.
So, you're our Canadian pickpocket ?
Thief I think is more accurate.
I understand you were in Africa. Whereabouts ?
Oh, all over.
All over ?
I kept trying to cover a very modest portion and still failed.
- Are you leaving us ? - Yes.
Now's our opportunity to swap war wounds.
[ Laughs ] Then I'm definitely going.
Does she have war wounds ?
I think anybody she ever loves...
tends to die on her.
- Are you planning to be the exception ? - Me ?
[ Laughs ] I think you've got...
the wrong end of the stick, old boy.
So...
Caravaggio.
Hana thinks you invented your name.
And you've forgotten yours.
I said that no one would ever invent such a preposterous name.
And I said you can forget everything,
but you never forget your name.
Count Almasy.
That name mean anything to you ?
Or Katharine Clifton ?
[ People Chattering ]
Oh, I'm sorry.
- How much did you pay ? - Oh, hello.
They don't see foreign women in this market. How much did you pay ?
Um, 7, 8 pounds, I suppose.
- Which store ? - Why ?
You've been cheated. Oh, don't worry, we'll take it back.
I don't want to take it back.
- This is not worth 8 pounds. - It is to me.
- Did you bargain ? - I don't care to bargain.
That insults them.
I don't believe that. I think that you're insulted by me somehow.
I'd be very happy to obtain the correct price for this.
I apologize if I appear abrupt.
I'm rusty at social graces.
How do you find Cairo ?
- Did you visit the pyramids ? - Excuse me.
Or the Sphinx ?
[ Almasy ] Latitude, 25, 33. Longitude, 25, 16.
We attempt to drive northeast of Kofer, we'll leave our bones in the desert.
- I disagree. - You're Hungarian. You always disagree.
- Good evening, gentlemen. - Good evening.
- How is your charming wife ? - Marvelous.
She's in love with the hotel plumbing.
She's either in the swimming pool. She swims for hours.
She's a fish. It's quite incredible. Or she's in the bath.
- [ Laughing ] - Actually, she's just outside.
Chaps only in the Long Bar.
Mrs Clifton.
You'll have to forgive us. We're not accustomed to the company of women.
Not at all. I was thoroughly enjoying my book.
- The team is in mourning, darling. - Oh, really ?
I'm afraid we're not having much luck obtaining funds for the expedition.
Oh. Well, what'll you do ?
More modest expedition, or even wait a year.
- It's a disaster. - Remind our families we still exist.
Good heavens, are you married, Madox ?
Very much so. We all are.
- Save my friend Almasy here. - I feel much better.
Don't you, darling ? We were feeling rather self-conscious.
Let's toast, then. Absent wives.
- [ All ] Absent wives. - And present ones.
And future ones.
[ Jazz ]
[ Song Ends ]
Thank you.
Excuse me. May I ?
[ Slow ]
- Why did you follow me yesterday ? - I'm sorry. What ?
After the market, you followed me to the hotel.
I was concerned. A woman in that part of Cairo, a European woman.
- I felt obliged to. - You felt obliged to ?
As the wife of one of our party.
So why follow me ? Escort me, by all means.
But following me is predatory, isn't it ?
[ Snoring ]
Could I ask you to move ?
I'm sorry, but I--
I'm sorry. Of course.
- It's just when you move. - It was too rude of me.
- I can't really bear the pressure-- - Are you all right ?
I was dreaming. Awful.
[ Crying ]
[ Sobbing ]
Hana.
Hana, are you all right ?
Leave me alone.
[ Sobs ]
You're in love with him, aren't you ?
Your poor patient.
You think he's a saint because of the way he looks.
I don't think he is.
I'm not so in love with him.
I'm in love with ghosts.
So is he. He's in love with ghosts.
What if I told you he did this to me ?
How could he have ? When ?
I'm one of his ghosts, and he wouldn't even know it.
- I don't know what that means. - Ask your saint who he is.
Ask him who he's killed.
[ Sobbing ] Please, don't creep around this house.
See, I don't think he's forgotten anything !
I think he wants to forget !
[ Clifton ] Gentlemen, to map making.
[ All ] To map making !
And a special thank you to Geoffrey and Katharine,
without whose fund-raising heroics, we'd still be kicking our heels.
- To arm-twisting. - [ All ] Arm-twisting.
Did Katharine say Geoffrey has to fly back to Cairo ?
Return the favor. Take a few photographs for the army.
Oh, um, what kind of photographs ?
Portraits.
The brigadier, the brigadier's wife,
the brigadier's dog, brigadier by the pyramids, brigadier breathing.
And I shall, of course, be bereft.
I'll finally be able to explore the Cairo night life.
I shall produce an authoritative guide to the zinc bars and--
I want to say hareems. Are we in the right country for hareems ?
[ Madox ] Harems.
- Bye, my love. - Travel safe.
Catch up in a week.
Clifton, safe journey.
You too. Good luck. Glad the funds have turned up.
Clifton.
This is probably none of my business.
Your wife.
- Think it's appropriate to leave her ? - Appropriate ?
Well, the desert is, it's, uh-- for a woman, it's very tough.
I wonder if it's not too much for her.
Are you mad ? Katharine loves it here. She told me yesterday.
- All the same, were I you-- - I've known Katharine since she was three.
We were practically brother and sister before we were man and wife.
I think I'd know what is and what isn't too much for her.
I think she'd know herself.
Very well.
Why are you people so threatened by a woman ?
[ Piano ]
[ Tapping ]
I have come to love...
that little tap of the fingernail against the syringe.
Tap.
[ Continues ]
- [ Gunshot ] - Stop playing ! Please, stop playing.
I don't have the key to that door. You--
The Germans were here. The Germans were all over this area.
They left mines everywhere.
The pianos were their favorite hiding places.
I see. Sorry.
Then maybe you're safe as long as you only play Bach.
He's German.
Is something funny ?
No. I'm sorry.
I've met you before.
I don't think so.
Look. See ?
Move that, and no more Bach.
Lieutenant ! Are you all right, Sir ?
Fine, Sergeant.
So you're working with the Italians.
Yeah, trying to get them to give up their weapons.
I was a thief, so the army thought I'd be good at it.
I like the Italians.
[ Hana ] He wants us to move out.
He says there could be 50 more mines in the building.
[ Hana ] He thinks I'm mad because I laugh at him.
He's Indian.
- He wears a turban. - No, he's Sikh.
If he wears a turban, he's Sikh.
I'll probably marry him.
Really ? That's sudden.
My mother always told me...
I would summon my husband by playing the piano.
[ Breathing Heavily ]
- I liked it better when there were just the two of us. - Why ? Is he staying ?
With his sergeant, a Mr Hardy.
We should charge. Doesn't anyone have a job to do ?
They have to clear all the roads of mines. That's a big job.
In that case, I-- I suppose we can't charge.
No, we can't.
Thank you.
[ Engines Drone ]
[ Muttering Song Lyrics ]
Flat foot floogee with the floy, floy
[ Humming ]
Flat foot floogee with the floy, floy
I've been thinking. How does someone like you decide to come to the desert ?
What is it ? You--
You're doing whatever you're doing in your castle, or wherever it is you live,
and one day you say, "I have to get to the desert," or what ?
I once traveled with a guide who was taking me to Faya.
He didn't speak for nine hours.
At the end of it, he pointed at the horizon and said, "Faya."
That was a good day.
Actually, you sing.
- What ? - You sing.
All the time.
- I do not. - Ask Al Auf.
Al Auf !
- [ Arabic ] - [ Al Auf Laughs ]
[ Arabic ]
[ Al Auf Singing ]
[ Katharine ] You'd better be ready about half past 8:00
Remember, honey Don't be late
'Cause I'll be there when the band starts playing
Gonna dance off both my shoes
When they play the jelly roll blues
Tomorrow night at the dark-town strutter's ball
[ Al Auf Singing ]
[ Chanting In Arabic ]
[ Chanting Continues ]
Give me your hand.
Thanks.
[ Chanting Continues ]
[ Chanting Response ]
[ Chanting Continues ]
Madox !
- Come quickly ! I've found something ! - What is it ?
D'Ag ! Bermann ! Quick !
My God.
They're swimming.
[ Madox ] They're swimming.
[ Man Talking: Indistinct ]
[ Men Speaking Arabic ]
Ow !
- You okay ? - Yeah.
[ Giggling ]
How do you explain...
to someone who has never been here,
feelings which seem quite normal ?
I don't know, my friend.
I don't know.
- Aaah ! - Kamal !
Bermann, what are you doing ?
Bermann !
Watch out ! Watch out !
[ Men Shouting In Arabic ]
- Get them out of the car ! - Let me help !
Almasy, are you all right ?
Yes, yes, I'm fine.
My wrist ! Ah !
[ Men Speaking Arabic ]
I'll be back as quick as I can, 36 hours at the outside.
Try to get an additional radiator.
We can store it between here and Pottery Hill. And a better jack.
- We planned badly. - Bermann ?
[ Engine Starts ]
[ Arabic ]
Safe journey.
Now what ?
[ Madox ] Let's get all this stuff off.
- I'll stay behind, of course. - Certainly not.
- I caused the problem. I shall stay. - You can't. None of you can.
No, I insist. There clearly isn't room for all of us.
I'm the least able to dig, and I'm not one of the walking wounded.
It's only one night.
If I remain, it's the most effective method of persuading my husband...
to abandon whatever he's doing and come and rescue us.
- All right. - Come on, let's get going.
[ Engine Starts ]
I thought you might like to paste them into your book.
Well, we--
We took photographs.
There's no need.
No, really. I'd like you to have them.
Well, there's really no need. This is, um--
This is just a scrapbook. They are too good.
I should feel obliged. Thank you.
And that would be unconscionable, I suppose, wouldn't it ?
To feel any obligation.
Yes, of course it would.
[ Men Speaking Arabic ]
You should come into the shelter.
I'm quite all right, thank you.
- Look over there. - What am I looking at ?
Do you see what's happening to them, the stars ?
- They're so untidy. I was trying to rearrange them. - No, no.
Over there.
In a few minutes, there'll be no stars.
The air is filling with sand.
[ Wind Howling ]
[ Shouting ]
[ Panting ]
[ Coughing ]
- This is not very good, is it ? - No.
[ Coughing ]
- We will be all right ? - Yes.
Yes.
Absolutely.
"Yes" is a comfort. "Absolutely" is not.
Let me tell you about winds.
There is a, a whirlwind from southern Morocco,
the Aajej,
against which the Fellahin defend themselves with knives.
And there is a, a Ghibli from Tunis.
- A Ghibli ? - A Ghibli.
Which rolls and rolls and rolls and produces a--
- a rather strange nervous condition. - [ Laughing ]
And then there is the, the Harmatten,
a red wind, which mariners called "a sea of darkness."
And red sand from this wind...
has flown as far as the south coast of England,
apparently producing...
showers so dense that they were mistaken for blood.
Fiction !
We have a house on that coast and it has never, never rained blood.
No, it's all true. Herodotus, your friend.
- My friend. - Your fri--
He writes about it...
and he writes about...
a, a wind, the Simoon,
which a nation thought was so evil,
they declared war on it and marched out against it.
In full battle dress.
Their swords raised.
[ Engine Running, Horn Honking ]
Katharine, Katharine, I need to get out your side, quickly.
A car ! Let me out !
Of course. I'm sorry.
Ridiculous to fall asleep !
Unforgivable !
Damn ! The flare !
Stop ! Over here !
- [ Honking ] - Here !
- Stop ! - [ Honking ]
- Madox ! - [ Flare Gun Fires ]
Madox ! Madox !
Our tracks have disappeared.
Madox will calculate how many miles. He'll soon turn around.
Could I ask you, please, to...
paste your paintings into my book.
I-- I should like to have them.
I should be honored.
- [ Muffled Honking ] - The others !
- Oh, God. - Quick !
[ Honking Continues ]
Oh, how awful ! Are we going to get them out ?
Quick ! Get the other shovel !
[ Honking Continues ]
Am I a terrible coward to ask how much water we have left ?
A little in our can. We have, uh, water in the radiator, which can be drunk.
And, uh, that's not cowardly at all. It's extremely practical.
We, uh-- Oh, come on ! Come on !
- [ Honking Continues ] - There's also a plant.
I've never seen it, but I believe you can cut a piece the size of a heart from this plant,
and the next morning it'll be filled with a delicious liquid.
Find that plant, cut out its heart.
[ Honking Continues ]
Here.
[ Men Shouting ]
Here's the window.
Clear the glass. I'll clear the door. Mind your hands.
- [ Shouting ] - It's okay. We're here.
Come on, clear it quickly.
[ Shouting ]
Hang on. Coming.
[ Shouting In Arabic ]
- I've got it. I've got it. - Help them out. Here.
[ Arabic ]
Katharine.
Water.
[ Flare Fires, Explodes ]
[ Katharine ] Geoffrey's not in Cairo.
He's not actually a buffoon.
The plane wasn't a wedding present.
It belongs to the British government.
They want aerial maps of the whole of North Africa.
So I think he's in Ethiopia.
In case you're counting on his sudden appearance.
And the marriage.
Is that a fiction ?
No, the marriage isn't a fiction.
[ Men Shouting In Arabic ]
- Oh, thank God. - [ Shouting Continues ]
Thank God.
Madox. It's Madox.
[ Shouting ]
Am I K. in your book ?
I think I must be.
[ Man ] Chapter one.
"He sat in defiance of municipal orders astride the gun Zamzammah--"
I can't read these words. I can't read them. They stick in my throat.
[ Almasy ] Because you're reading it too fast.
- Not at all. - You have to read Kipling slowly.
The eye is too impatient. Think about the speed of his pen.
What is it ? "He sat, comma,
"in defiance of municipal orders, comma,
"astride the gun Zamzammah...
on her brick--" What is it ?
"Brick platform, opposite the old Ajaib-Gher."
"The wonder house, comma,
as the natives called the Lahore Museum."
It's still there, the cannon, outside the museum.
Made of metal cups and bowls taken from every household in the city as tax,
then melted down.
Then later, they fired the cannon at my people,
comma, the natives.
Full stop.
[ Slurping ]
What exactly is it you object to ?
The writer, or what he's writing about ?
What I really object to, Uncle,
is your finishing all my condensed milk.
And the message everywhere in your book, however slowly I read it,
that the best thing for India is to be ruled by the British.
Hana, we have discovered a shared pleasure, the boy and I.
- Arguing about books ? - Condensed milk.
One of the truly great inventions.
I'll get another tin.
I didn't like that book either. It's all about men.
Too many men. Just like this house.
You like him, don't you ? Your voice changes.
No, I don't think it does.
Anyway, he's indifferent to me.
I don't think it's indifference.
- Hana was just telling me, you're indifferent... - Hey !
to her cooking.
Well, I'm indifferent to cooking.
Not Hana's cooking in particular.
Have either of you tried condensed milk sandwiches ?
[ Coughing ]
They're very good with salt.
[ Horns Honking ]
[ People Chattering ]
[ Honking ]
Welcome back, Madam.
Will you not come in ?
No.
- I should go home. - Will you please come in ?
Mrs Clifton.
Don't.
I believe you still have my book.
Thank you.
[ Chanting In Distance ]
[ Knocking ]
[ Hinges Creak ]
You still have sand in your hair.
It wouldn't be make believe
If you believe in me
Without your love
I'm impressed you can sew.
Good.
You sew very badly.
Well, you don't sew at all.
A woman should never learn to sew,
and if she can, she shouldn't admit to it.
[ Snickers ]
Close your eyes.
It makes it harder still.
Hmm.
When were you most happy ?
Now.
And when were you least happy ?
Now.
- What do you love ? - What do I love ?
- Say "everything." - Let's see.
- Water. - Mm-hmm.
[ Water Splashing ]
- Fish in it. - [ Chuckles ]
And hedgehogs. I love hedgehogs.
And what else ?
Marmite. I'm addicted.
And baths. But not with other people.
[ Laughing ]
Islands.
And your handwriting.
- Mmm. - I could go on all day.
Go on all day.
My husband.
And what do you hate most ?
A lie.
What do you hate most ?
Ownership.
Being owned.
When you leave, you should forget me.
- [ Hana ] Who is this ? - [ Almasy ] Don't you recognize me ?
[ Laughing ] Is it you ? So fat.
[ Chuckles ]
- Hmm. - That's a Christmas cracker.
Firecracker.
- This isn't your handwriting, is it ? - Yes, it is.
"December 22nd.
"Betrayals in war are childlike...
"compared with our betrayals during peace.
"New lovers are nervous and tender...
"but smash everything.
For the heart is an organ of fire."
"For the heart is an organ of fire."
I love that.
I believe that.
K ?
- Who is K ? - K...
is for Katharine.
[ People Chattering ]
Merry Christmas ! Merry Christmas !
- Say you're sick. - What ? No.
Say you're feeling faint. The heat.
- No. - I can't work.
- I can't sleep. - Katharine.
Coming.
I can't sleep. I wake up shouting in the middle of the night.
- Geoffrey thinks it's the thing in the desert, trauma. - I can still taste you.
- Fill up this. It's empty. - Oh.
I try to write, with your taste in my mouth.
Swoon.
I'll catch you.
- Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho ! - [ Child Yelling ]
[ Santa Shouting ]
[ Santa Laughing ]
- Come along with me now ! - Merry Christmas, everyone !
Merry Christmas !
- Katharine ! Oh, my goodness ! - Oh.
[ Woman ] Fetch a chair.
No, I'm fine.
- It's this heat. It's terrible. - Is she all right ?
- She's quite all right. - Oh, good.
- Are you pregnant ? - Oh, I don't think so, no.
[ Laughing ] How romantic.
With Fiona, I fell over every five minutes.
Ronnie christened me "Lady Downfall."
Do you know, I think I might go inside and sit down for a few minutes.
- I'll come with you. - No, I'll be all right. You stay here.
Are you sure ?
[ Bagpipes ]
Silent night
Holy night
All is calm
All is bright
Round yon virgin
And her child