55 Days at Peking Page #4

- All around us.

Their purpose is

to make us nervous.

Once the shooting starts Youll

see them outside that wall.

Who's nervous?

No!

You cant have them!

But Sarah, we agreed.

We need the books

for barricades.

Not the Set of

the Napoleonic Wars.

Mother sent them

for your birthday.

I must confess

that French history bores me.

English history? Bah!

- Go away. The shop is closed.

- It s Baroness Ivanoff.

I thought all Peking's

doors were closed to me,

that I d lost face

in the Chinese streets.

Our Empress has

those same fears, Baroness.

The Boxers.

It is hoped

her wisdom will prevail.

I got your message, old one.

Your friend thinks

you should leave Peking.

- Which friend, old one?

- General Jung-Lu.

It was not possible before.

We would have been accused

of meddling in

Russian affairs.

And now?

Now...

it makes no difference.

The Boxers will attack.

If you disappear

in the confusion who d be left

to point a finger?

At 5 p. m. the fighting

will have begun.

Youll meet a man at the corner

of the French Legation.

Hell be wearing

a green peasant jacket.

You will be there?

- Go up on the ramp and take a look.

- Yes, sir.

- I dont like this.

- Dont worry.

Tell those men

to get their backs into it.

Whoa there.

- Where are you going?

- Im getting out of Peking.

Those Boxers

out there are angry.

- Not with me.

- We have 200 rounds each.

- That s 20 per man per day.

- Enough for warming up.

They d better start out warm.

Yes, sir.

Ill tell them.

Get out

before I get mad!

Mad Americans inside, mad Boxers

outside, mad Russians there...

Ill risk going out.

I split the men in 2

platoons. 4 hours on, 4 hours off.

The sergeant will take

the first watch.

Right.

I wanted to go to Tientsin

but you prefer to stay.

I wear a uniform.

They pay me for that.

Go on then.

And get out of my way.

Have a nice war, soldier,

a real nice war.

Where do these go?

Where do you think?

Get up on that wall!

Fire!

Fire!

Let s go!

Forward!

Forward!

- Cease firing.

- Cease firing.

We did it!

We beat them!

What if they come back?

Weve used

over half our ammunition.

Are you good

with a slingshot?

A friend of yours?

Soldier.

- Can you open the door?

- You cant go through, ma'am.

That was bad luck.

- Ill be all right.

- Ill be right back.

- What do you make of her?

- This is quite a weapon.

What would you call it?

Across between

an alligator and an ostrich.

We call her Betsy

after the Empress.

It s an old German barrel

with Russian shells

of approximately

the same caliber.

The carriage is Italian,

the wheels French,

and that boy's

fool enough to fire it.

Would it be safer

in front or in back?

The point is where is

Betsy going to be fired?

-Major...

- Please, gentlemen.

- Captain Marshall...

- What's up?

The Chinese

are on top of the wall.

- Now we know where Betsy goes.

- You! Over here!

Come on, bring it along.

Run!

Cone on, Andy, run!

Sergeant, get in.

Take cover.

Damn it!

What happened?

We tried but they re too many.

They keep coming.

Major.

- How many did we lose?

- Turner and Spencer.

5 wounded.

The Germans got it even worse.

Why dont they

rush us right now?

We wouldnt stand a chance.

Maybe they think

Weve got millions of men.

Come morning

they'll think different.

Theyll roll down

those ramps like Niagara Falls.

We must get them

off this wall...

We can t.

Or Theyll shoot

into the Legation area.

Like fish in a barrel.

We might just as well

open the gates and let them in.

Take the French priest

to the Legation.

Right.

They wont start

up here till morning.

Just hope they dont.

- No sign of activity?

- No, sir.

They're all asleep.

Well, we'd better not be.

- Better wake them all up.

- Yes, sir.

Wake up.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Here they come!

Keep rolling!

Keep rolling!

Andy, get down.

Major, what

are we doing here?

- Why didnt we get out?

- I dont know.

I really dont know.

Handley told me

you re-took the wall.

I suppose you heard...

He died too.

The Minister

can tell us why.

And Marshall, too.

He has all the answers.

That s all, sergeant.

Get on back.

He s a good soldier.

When he knows

why hes fighting.

When it s

something you can see...

a wall, a hill,

a river, it s easier.

But how can you explain

it s for a principle?

You cant.

Not here in China.

It s too far from home.

I know.

I wont stay.

No!

I won t stay!

Dont let...

Dont let them take my leg.

Tell them...

Tell them not to...

Please!

Please!

- Tell them!

- There, there.

I dont want

to live like half a man.

He s only fainted.

You can go now.

Can you save his leg?

May I stay with him?

Your dress is

a breeding-ground for germs.

What re you waiting for?

Take it off

and put on a uniform.

Thank you, doctor.

Who'll tell her?

The captain s little girl.

It s pretty late now.

Tell her in the morning.

But she might hear

about it from somebody else.

I guess not.

- Let s get a drink first.

- No, later.

Coming?

- Im going back to the wall.

- Wait.

All right.

Where'll I find her?

With the orphans in the Fu.

How do I tell her?

Like she was

your own, I guess.

Like someone

telling your own kid.

- Do you know which one she is?

- No.

So many new children

came in today.

Havent you met her?

Just once.

I cant remember

what she s like.

I didnt pay much attention.

Major Lewis.

We re looking for

the Marshall girl.

Ah, of course.

Yes, Teresa... I heard.

I guess she must

be sleeping, eh?

Please tell her

in the morning.

It s important

you tell her, Major.

She knows you were

her father s friend.

I'll wake her.

Here she is.

A friend of your father's

to see you.

Teresa...

You...

- Do you remember me?

- Yes, Major.

I have something to tell you.

Why dont the two of you

stay here and talk?

You know

there s been some fighting?

Well,

I have something to tell you.

Is it about my father?

Yes.

Is he... dead?

Did you know?

Well...

you knew

he was a soldier.

It could happen at any time.

Youll be taken care of.

You won't have to worry.

Well,

Youll be

all right now, huh?

Wont I be going home then?

Home?

To America.

He said he d take me home.

He did?

When?

Every time.

And just today again.

Well...

I don't think

you d like it.

Everything's

very strange.

Things are all different.

The people,

and the food,

the houses, the schools.

If you want, we can talk

some more in a few days,

when things quiet down.

I promise.

All right.

Bye.

Think she understood?

When a mother dies,

a child feels deserted.

When a father goes away,

a child feels abandoned.

She s had more than her fair

share. She understands too well.

What else

could I have told her?

A child understands

only one language...

love.

Well, she isnt mine.

They say that

every man is the father

of every child.

I suppose

it's only true

if you really feel it.

The British Admiral

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