He even took the Gramophone on safari.
Three rifles...
supplies for a month and Mozart.
He began our friendship with a gift.
And later...
not long before Tsavo...
he gave me another.
An incredible gift.
A glimpse of the world through God's eye.
And I thought...
"Yes, I see.
This is the way it was intended."
I've written about all the others...
not because I loved them less...
but because they were clearer, easier.
He was waiting for me there.
But I've gone ahead of my story. He'd have hated that.
Denys loved to hear a story told well.
You see...
I had a farm in Africa...
at the foot of the Ngong Hills.
But it began before that.
It really began in Denmark.
And there I knew two brothers.
One was my lover, and one was my friend.
- It's too cold for champagne. - It's too cold for anything but.
You said you'd be at Klampenborg.
I thought I'd come, but then I didn't.
Was it fun?
Tanne?
Tanne, come on.
It's not as though you loved him.
You'd like to be a baroness, that's all.
- He lied to me. - Of course.
Would you be in bed with him otherwise?
My brother's only dull, but not stupid.
Pretend it's Hans.
- Where would you go? - Anywhere.
America. Ceylon. I would even go to Australia.
Well, perhaps not Australia. But I've got to be away from here.
I'll give you all I've got.
That should get you into town. God, it was fun.
- You could marry me. - I have to marry a virgin.
I can't stand criticism.
For the money, I mean.
Probably.
Bror, listen to me. I've got no life at all.
They wouldn't teach me anything useful.
Now I've failed to marry. You know the punishment for that.
"Miss Dinesen's at home."
You've gone through all your money. You're off seducing the servant girls.
We're a pair, you and I.
I mean, at least we're friends.
We might be all right. And if we weren't...
at least we'd have been somewhere.
You don't think you're being too romantic?
Am I supposed to think you're serious?
I had a farm in Africa.
I had a farm in Africa...
at the foot of Ngong Hills.
I had a farm in Africa.
- Good morning. - Have you had trouble?
Now and then. Have you?
No. I'm traveling to Nairobi.
Well, you caught the right train.
Get away! Shoo! Shoo!
That's all my crystal. My Lemoges.
They didn't know it was Lemoges.
So you plan to stay, then?
I've come out to marry Baron Blixen. Do you know him?
- Bror? Yes. - We plan to start a dairy.
Are you quite famous? They stopped the train for you.
It's rude not to here.
A dairy. Isn't it a bit soon for milk at the door?
- Aren't you boarding? - No, I'm going on.
On? To where?
Mention the ivory to Berkeley Cole. Bror knows him.
I'm Baroness Blixen!
Not yet.
Finch Hatton, Denys!
Msabu, I am Farah Aden.
We can go now.
- Where is Baron Blixen? - He's at Muthaiga.
Please, come.
Where is Muthaiga?
Muthaiga is a club where British go for drinking.
Please.
Listen. On the train are my crates with china and crystal.
- Do you know china? - Yes, msabu.
China, it can break.
Stay.
Excuse me. I'm looking for Baron Blixen.
Rajiv.
- Yes. I wondered if you might... - Memsahibs must not be here.
- I'm simply looking... - Memsahibs must not be here.
Where have you been?
- Where have you been? - Arranging things.
How was the trip? You can tell me later.
- Would you like to change? - My luggage is still on the train.
Room "D," head of the stairs. I haven't done anything about a ring.
- Do you care? - Did you think I wouldn't come?
I didn't think you'd want to spend the money. You will love it here.
Servants are wonderful. Shall we get a drink?
We've got almost one hour before the wedding.
One hour?
- Is it all right? - I wondered what color you'd choose.
It's ivory. Oh, my God.
- I've got this man's ivory. - Whose ivory?
I'm Sarah, Lady Belfield. Shall I stand up for you?
- Thank you. - Short or long?
Long, please. Give me time to adjust to it.
Settle down, all.
By the authority of His Majesty's government vested in me...
I declare that the Baron Bror Von Blixen...
citizen of Sweden, and...
- What's your name, my dear? - Damn it, Henry, I told you her name.
Karen Christentze Dinesen.
Karen Christentze Dinesen...
a female subject of the King of Denmark...
are henceforth united man and wife.
God save this company. God save the king.
Thank you for this.
Did you hear about Shuttleworth? No, I said.
"He's living up country," he says "in a tree with a baboon."
"Male or female?" I said to him.
"Female, of course." he says.
"There's nothing queer about old Shuttleworth."
Sarah, where's your muddle-headed husband?
The governor's at the punch bowl hoping to avoid you.
Would you like to meet the bride, or did you just come for the whiskey?
Not for the company, God knows.
Lord Delamere, may I present Baroness Blixen?
Baroness Blixen, Lord Delamere, such as he is.
Baroness. A Swede, are you?
No. Danish, actually.
The little country next to Germany.
If it comes to war, where will Denmark stand?
On its own, I hope. We do have that history.
Is there something we can call you that gets around this "baroness"?
What do they call you?
"D," if I'm lucky.
My stupid name's Felicity, but I do like your dress.
Oh, thank you.
That's not much of a hat, though.
It's meant to be stunning.
We die of sunstroke here.
At least I'm safe from the mosquitoes.
The big ones.
- Good Lord. - You nervous?
Should I be?
You know.
Wedding night and all that.
So they're both naked and not a shrub in sight.
Karen, have you met Vicky Gresham?
Hello, Baroness. I'd curtsy, but I'm drunk.
- May I see you, please? - Excuse me.
If you want any friends, I'd make them here.
- There's no one else. - I want to see my house.
You may want to change.
It's a two-hour ride.
Excuse me.
My God, these people drink.
I'm sorry. I was just...
- I'm afraid... - No, it's all right.
I'm afraid you've caught me snooping.
It's not my room. It's Denys's. And Denys won't mind.
That's the thing about Denys.
Are you Cole?
Berkeley Cole.
I brought the ivory with me on the train.
Well, thank you.
- You taking your quinine? - Oh, yes.
He has got lovely books.
- Does he lend them? - We had a friend...
Hopworth, he'd got a book from Denys and didn't return it.
Denys was furious. I said to Denys...
"You wouldn't lose a friend for the sake of a book."
He said, "No, but he has, hasn't he?"
- Did you come out through London? - No, from Rome, actually.
I thought you might have a newspaper.
No. Sorry.
Oh, nothing in them anyway.
I had a friend who I used to take to the dances at Oxford.
They were in June by the river.
She always wore a new silk dress.
I think you're wearing her perfume.
It's very nice, but it's not the same.
We can go now.
This is Belknap.
- He runs the farm. - Good evening, ma'am.
This is your cook. Name's Esa.
And this is Juma. Houseboy.
Come. See your house.
When you leave me, I'm going to marry Berkeley Cole.
- A man in trade. - Is that what he does?
He's thick with the Somalis.
There's a crowd of them on his land who think he's a prince.
He sells Finch Hatton's ivory.
Belknap is a cheery sort.
Had a place of his own. Went belly up trying to grow flax.
- Does he know cattle? - I didn't buy cattle.
We're going to grow coffee instead.
That's not what we planned.
You were in Denmark. I had to decide.
We made a decision.
We don't know anything about coffee.
- You plant it, it grows. - We said a dairy. My mother...
Your mother doesn't care if it's cows or coffee as long as it pays.
You have to be with a herd or things go wrong.
I didn't come to Africa to sit with silly cows.
Just tell her we changed our minds.
Next time you change your mind...
you do it with your money.
They bought you a title, Baronessa. They didn't buy me.
Fetch some wine for my lover's brother.
I think you're tired.
Be careful.
Did I tell you Hans came to say good-bye?
Where is Baron Blixen?
- He's gone to hunt. - Did he say when he'd return?
He says he can come before the rain.
Is it going to rain today?
It can be many days before the rain, msabu.
In Ohio we put up scarecrow to keep the birds away.
Here, you hope there's enough leopard to keep down the baboon.
They'll take your dog too. But that's Africa.
- How much will we plant? - A thousand acres.
- How long will that take? - That depends on Kinanjui.
He's chief of the Kikuyu. Gotta deal with him to get your help.
- When will be our first harvest? - Well, these are seedlings.
It'll be three, maybe four years.
- Four years? - If they bear at all.
No one's ever tried coffee this high.
- What will we live on for four years? - I'm working to get home.
If you haven't got it, be good if you could tell me right now.
We will plant 500.
Chief Kinanjui, I've heard you're wise...
Not now, please.
And I look forward to our dealings.
Your Kikuyu are good workers...
and I look forward to dealing with them...
honestly and fairly.
Msabu, this chief has no British.
- Tell him I am Baroness Blixen. - Chief knows that, msabu.
Well, then tell him what I said.
What did he say?
He says this Kikuyu can do this work.
What else did he...
Your leg is very sick.
You must come to the house for medicine.
- Does he understand me? - Yes, msabu.
If you don't come, the other boys will say you are afraid.
I, myself, will think only that you are foolish.
This boy must come to my house for treatment.
See that he does.
What else did Kinanjui say?
He says coffee must not grow this high.
Never mind, msabu. He's a chief, but he's a Kikuyu.
If you put a dam here to stop the water...
then I can make a pond here.
- Do you know how... - This water must go home to Mombasa.
It can go home after we make a pond.
Msabu, this water lives at Mombasa.
Come, then.
I wouldn't run.
If you do, she'll think you're something good to eat.
Have you... Do you have a gun?
She won't like the smell of you.
Shoot it.
She's had breakfast.
Don't...
- Please, shoot her. - No, let's give her a moment.
Oh, my God, shoot her!
Just how much closer did you expect to let her come?
A bit.
She wanted to see if you'd run. That's how they decide. A lot like people.
- She almost had me for lunch! - It wasn't her fault. She's a lion.
- It wasn't mine. - Doesn't that outfit come with a rifle?
It's on my saddle.
Better keep it with you. Your horse isn't much of a shot.
For Berkeley. He's brought you presents.
We stopped by your house and them came looking for you.
Good Lord, you're sweet.
On the road, actually. We're off to Magadi to shoot some ivory.
Now, at least, I have something good to offer you.
Did you intend to tell Berkeley what a fool I was?
- She had a lion a bit interested. - A bit?
But not enough to bite.
It's all right to take a chance...
as long as it's you who'll pay.
- Wouldn't you say so? - It's the sort of thing you'd say.
- Thank you. - Not at all. Where's Blix?
- Hunting. - Has he been out long?
Yes.
You'll need a good chat, then. Shall we stay to supper, Denys?
- Blix will have jackets we could use. - Do I have anything to say in this?
- Not really, but we'll hear you out. - Then I would like you to stay.
Good. Denys.
I don't know. Do you sing?
Never.
Can you tell a story?
I happen to be very good at stories.
I believe that.
What's happened to the cows, the dairy?
We changed our minds. We'll grow coffee instead.
- A bit risky, this high. - So I've been told.
- Didn't seem to bother you. - I think they just haven't tried.
Every time I turn my back, it wants to go wild again.
It will go wild.
- Your man... - Kanuthia.
- He's not Kikuyu. - No.
Shall I see that he's given supper?
Don't do anything for him, thank you, Baroness.
It's true of all Somalis. They're the only tribe that knows horses.
They don't drink, charge interest or chase other men's wives.
Got to go to town for that.
Did you know that in all of literature...
there's no poem celebrating the foot.
There's lips, eyes, hands, face...
hair, breasts...
legs, arms, even the knees.
But not one verse for the poor foot.
- Why do you think that is? - Priorities, I suppose.
Did you think you would make one?
Problem is there's nothing to rhyme it with.
- Put. - It's not a noun.
Doesn't matter. Along he came and he did put...
upon my farm his clumsy foot.
We should have a story now.
When I tell a story to my nieces at home...
one of them always provides the first sentence.
- Anything? - Absolutely anything.
There was a wandering Chinese named Cheng Huan...
living in Limehouse...
and a girl named Shirley.
Who spoke perfect Chinese...
which she learned from her missionary parents.
Cheng Huan lived alone in a room on Formosa Street...
above the Blue Lantern.
He sat at his window...
and in his poor listening heart...
strange echoes of his home and country...
They found them there the next morning...
in their room above the Blue Lantern...
the dead child and the warlord...
with Cheng Huan's love gift coiled about his neck.
Had you been to those places?
I have been a mental traveler.
- Till now. - Yes.
Was this England? Excuse me. Denmark?
I like my things.
When you traveled before in your mind...
did you carry so much luggage?
A mental traveler hasn't the need to eat or sleep...
or entertain.
You're right.
Anyway, aren't you pleased that I brought my crystal and china?
And your stories, yes.
The conquering heroes come
Sound the trumpets
Beat the drums
- I want you to come often. - I'd like that very much.
- And you must promise it will be soon. - I promise.
Did you save my life, Finch Hatton?
No. The lioness did that. She walked away.
So I'm not indebted, then?
Ah, but I am.
We pay our storytellers here.
It's lovely.
But my stories are free...
and your present's much too dear.
Write them down sometime.
Take care, Finch Hatton.
You wouldn't rather call me Denys?
Baroness.
Good-bye.
What are you doing?
I want you to come home.
We never spoke about children.
Did you...
Do you?
Yes. Is that all right?
These Kikuyu want to be sick now.
Good Lord.
Your leg has got worse.
You should go to hospital.
This leg may be foolish.
It may think not to go to hospital.
This leg will do as it pleases.
But if you will take it to hospital...
I will think that you are wise.
And such a wise man as this, I would want to work in my house...
for wages.
How much wages would come to such a wise man as that?
More wages than come from tending goats.
I will speak to this leg.
- What about air raids? - Quiet! One question at a time.
The war is in Europe. How do we know they're going to reach here?
German East is only 200 miles south. General von Lettow is there.
I don't want to wait until he joins us at the bar.
- Would we engage them? - Blix, this is our war.
You don't have to be involved, but thanks.
I've got crops coming in. How long's this thing gonna last?
We just have to stay and go as we must.
They won't fight if we won't fight.
We could always arm the Masai and point them south.
Do you want the job of collecting rifles from the Masai when this is over?
What about our women and children? Should we bring them into town?
We will deal with that problem as it arises.
- Will they use native troops? - I'd assume so, but not Masai.
Berkeley, what about your Somalis?
They'd make very good scouts. We could cover the area from here to the border.
We could gather information for when the regulars arrive.
What's it about? Have you any idea?
- Not really. - Then why do you want to get into it?
- Well... - It's got nothing to do with us.
They've made agreements we know nothing about.
Victoria and the Kaiser were relatives, for God's sake.
They've divided Africa between them. Do you know why there's a border?
Because she had two mountains, and he had none.
So she gave him Kilimanjaro.
It's a silly argument between two spoiled countries.
The sooner it ends, the sooner we pick up where we left off.
It may end...
but we're not going to pick up where we left off.
You don't have to go.
- You want to go. - We've got to live here.
They have made it plain they don't want you.
- I'll have to show them where we stand. - I'm not so fond of their empire...
I'd have you shot for it.
More likely chewed on than shot.
The farm will take care of itself, and you've got Belknap.
The farm will not take care of itself.
That's not the point.
I didn't expect to like you so much.
You're not going to go falling in love, are you?
Not with someone who's always leaving.
If you need me, send a runner to find Delamere.
That's where I'll be.
That's a fine kiss good-bye.
I am better at hello.
It's an odd feeling... farewell.
There is some envy in it.
Men go off to be tested for courage.
If we're tested at all, it's for patience...
for doing without...
for how well we can endure loneliness.
But I had always known that.
It didn't require a war.
I said good-bye to Bror.
Denys left without a word...
which was quite proper.
Hello, the house!
Felicity!
I thought you might want some meat.
- Is there any word? - No, nothing new.
Not much fighting. Awful fever, though.
I've got time for tea, I should think.
Are you for the Germans?
Did they send you out to ask me this?
- We had a row about it in town. - Because of my bad English.
And whose side were you on?
Yours.
They want to send me home to school. Mother says I'm growing up wild.
- I wanted to ask you about it. - Me?
You've been round and about.
Someday, I'd like to run my own show the way you do.
- Is that what I do? - You don't seem to need us much.
Baroness, may I ask you something?
I don't know much about men.
I want them to like me, but I...
I want to be let alone too.
I'm supposed to want to be taken, aren't I?
I've got this book.
But how do you know when to do what they want you to...
and when not to?
I suppose you ought to call me Karen.
They need paraffin and tinned food, enough for 300 men.
He wants you to send a white man with the wagon.
- Is he all right? - Well enough to send the message.
And where would my husband like this wagon sent?
He's with Delamere on the border near Lake Natron.
That's confidential, of course.
I will bear that in mind, Lieutenant.
I only meant it wouldn't do for it to be talk around Nairobi.
And we're going to have to move you into town. We can't protect you here.
What do you mean move me into town?
With the men gone, we're worried about the native element. We have orders.
Women and children into town.
That is internment, Lieutenant.
Women and children, Baroness.
- Is that one category or two? - You'll want time to gather your things.
I'll send an escort for you Thursday.
And I'm a captain, Baroness.
I'm not paid to fight, Mrs. Blixen.
No.
Where is Lake Natron?
It's south, bush country.
It's no place for a white man.
We should have crossed the Sand River today.
I may have got us lost.
God is great, msabu.
- What the devil are you doing here? - I'm on my way to Delamere.
Ridiculous. We don't send women to war.
I'm going.
We haven't time for this. You don't even know where you are.
I do now.
- You'll just get lost again. - I'm going on.
- Talk to her, will you? - No.
- She could be hurt or worse. - I imagine she knows that.
Right. I tried.
Here.
Find a spot on the horizon each morning and steer by it.
South, southwest. About three days.
I see.
Don't worry about us. We'll be all right.
- What is it? - Masai.
Ismail! My rifle! Where's my rifle?
Get away!
Msabu's bleeding. She does not have this ox.
This lion is hungry.
He does not have this ox.
This wagon is heavy.
It doesn't have this ox.
God is happy, msabu.
He plays with us.
Tell Blix his wife's here.
I've brought you some things.
You've changed your hair.
- You needed supplies. - Send someone, I said.
You were lucky to get through.
- It was really foolish. - But I did get through.
And it was fun.
When are you coming home?
Not just yet.
You're not going to help at all with the farm.
I could force you. I could cut you off.
I'll just hunt professionally.
I might do it anyway.
It's not the way we thought it would be.
Is it?
But I like it that you're honest with me.
I like you too.
Very much.
I had a compass from Denys.
To steer by, he said.
But later it came to me...
that we navigated differently.
Perhaps he knew, as I did not...
that the Earth was made round...
so that we would not see too far down the road.
You've got syphilis.
That's not possible.
Your husband is not ill?
Not the last time I saw him.
That was three months ago. He's on the...
He's on the border with Delamere. He would have come home.
These cases vary.
He may have just a touch.
You're very ill.
Is he the only possibility?
Yes.
You'll have to go home to deal with it.
The treatment's difficult, but they have a thing called salvarsan.
Arsenic.
And if I'm not cured...
then I will be insane, won't I?
You ought to go soon.
I'll have to see your husband.
I will send for him.
These ought to help with the fever till you get home.
And what are my chances?
About even, I'm afraid.
It's not what I thought would happen to me now.
- What? - Your letters, msabu.
Excuse me.
I heard you'd made it.
I'd have paid anything to see their faces.
- Would you join us for a drink? - I can't.
How is it that you are home?
I brought Berkeley back.
- Has he been wounded? - Fever.
More than usual, but he'll be all right as long as the gin holds out.
And you? How is it with the fighting?
We're taking a beating.
It's likely to last for a while.
- I still have your compass. - Why don't you keep it?
You've earned it.
Besides, I don't always want to know where I'm going.
Please don't let me keep you.
- Are you all right? - Yes. Take good care.
- We're behind a story or two. - Yes. When I get back.
Back? From where?
When you get back, I meant.
- I thought it was malaria. - Well, it wasn't.
You may be all right, but you have to be seen.
And the others, whoever they are.
I hope they've got it.
It's my fault. No one else's.
I want to go with you.
No. Someone has to stay here and run things.
And the factory must be finished.
- Can you do that? - That's little enough.
I'm sorry.
Where is memsahib?
She can come soon enough.
Later that day, I left for Mombasa...
and the voyage home to Denmark.
It was a longer journey this time.
The war went on.
I fought my own war.
Arsenic was my ally...
against an enemy I never saw.
I stayed in the room where I was born...
in Rungstedland...
and tried to remember the colors of Africa.
There was only the medicine...
and walks with my mother...
along a deserted stretch of beach...
and this room in my mother's house.
Denmark had become a stranger to me...
and I to her.
But my mother's house I came to know again.
And knew I would come back to it...
sick or well...
sane or mad someday.
And so I did...
after Tsavo.
Almost everyone's got them now.
I am cooking now, memsahib.
Yes, I have heard about this.
Are you well, Farah Aden?
I am well enough, msabu.
Then I am well enough also.
- What will you do? - I have been thinking I'll hunt.
Safari sort of thing.
They say it'll be quite a business once the war is over.
You wouldn't want to teach?
I would like these Kikuyu to have a school.
There will be a fight about that.
Are you all well?
They say I'm cured.
I won't have children.
Have you thought about us?
Of course.
Belknap says the coffee will flower after the next rains.
If it does...
you'll have start thinking about hiring for the harvest...
and how you'll get to market.
- Where would Berkeley be? - He must be here.
Who won the match?
Have you got a story for me?
I've been demoted. I was Denys last time.
Would you care for some champagne?
They said you went home for a while.
Yes. Where is Berkeley?
It's good to see you.
He's still down with fever. He'll be all right.
Who are all these people?
Bror says we'll be a colony soon.
Yes. They want it settled now.
There's a lottery. Buy a ticket, win a farm in Africa.
Did you really think it would stay the way it was?
I thought it might.
- Where is Kanuthia? - He's dead.
How are you? Would you join us for a drink?
It's time to find a pillow.
- Another night then? - Yeah.
Have a good Christmas.
Christmas.
So it is.
This Chief says children higher than this...
must not learn to read.
Tell him all the children must go to school.
No. This is a chief.
- You are not a chief. - That's absurd.
It's not good for tall people to know more than this chief.
When these children are tall...
then this chief can be dead.
Bror, yes. But Denys hired out to tourists? I can't imagine.
He's got no other trade. Besides, we've got no choice.
The government's put a stop to the ivory.
- What will you do? - I'll concentrate on the farm.
Hello, the house!
Felicity! How is it you're home?
I'm out. Look.
I didn't learn a thing, but I'm wonderfully clean.
I'll come see you. You save me a dance, Berkeley.
What's this nonsense I hear about a school?
I've taken on a young missionary.
He's promised me to do the alphabet first and save God for later.
Wogs can't even count their goats.
- It's none of your bloody business. - Who the devil are you?
I wonder if you'd dance with me?
I think you are about to apologize.
You do stir things up, Baroness.
When they said they liked to read, how did they put that, exactly?
Do they know they'd like Dickens?
You don't think they should learn to read?
I think you might have asked them.
Did you ask to learn when you were a child?
How can stories possibly harm them?
They have their own stories. They're just not written down.
And what stake do you have in keeping them ignorant?
They're not ignorant.
I just don't think they should be turned into little Englishmen.
- You do like to change things. - For the better, I hope.
I want my Kikuyu to learn to read.
"My Kikuyu." "My Lemoges." "My farm."
It's a lot to own.
I have paid a price for everything I own.
What is it, exactly, that's yours?
We're not owners here. We're just passing through.
Is life really so damn simple for you?
Perhaps I ask less of it than you do.
- I don't believe that. - Happy new year!
Should auld acquaintance be forgot