55 Days at Peking Page #5

and his forces

are trapped between

Langfang and Anping.

The Boxers do not climb

a tree to look for a fish.

They have done

their work well.

The railway is destroyed.

He can neither

proceed nor retreat.

You see, the Boxers are not

as useless as you believed.

It does not

require courage or skill

to rip up

a few rails.

The Boxers

flee the foreigners.

If Sydney cannot

use the railway,

he will now

march on Peking.

I expect him

within the week.

It is true.

The Boxers cannot

stop such a force.

Only General Jung-Lu's

Imperial troops can do that.

They have no part

in this uprising.

The troops will do

as Her Majesty commands.

Who can make

muddy water clear?

Your Majesty,

first they said the Boxers

would destroy

the foreigners in two days.

Next that no foreign army

would even approach the city.

If we commit the

Imperial Army against Sydney,

we shall be declaring

waron all the Powers.

Our armies,

for all their courage,

could not

win such a war.

The Boxers

have created an opportunity

for a great

Chinese victory.

If our troops

destroy their forces,

it will prove that China

is no longer helpless,

and be

the beginning of freedom.

Each speaks with

the voice of a patriot.

Prince Tuan counsels

a reckless adventure,

General Jung-Lu counsels

prudence and patience.

Prudence and patience for what?

China's condition

can be no worse.

Even if we start

a war and lose it,

what more can

the powers take?

General Jung-Lu,

you will command our troops

and turn back

the foreign armies.

Stop it, Tommy.

- Youll wake the baby.

- You can t talk. You re dead.

Dont play

at that end.

Oh, Tommy!

Tommy!

Mummy! Mummy!

Hell die

without going home.

Funny how he used

to talk about home,

as if he remembered

how it was.

As if hed

actually been there.

Arthur.

He used to ask me about it.

He mustn't die. Poor Tommy.

Yes, and poor us too.

Arthur.

Ive the strangest feeling.

What is it?

Do you think if a child dies

without going home,

that his soul

doesnt rest?

I think

it goes into limbo.

An enormous,

empty Chinese limbo,

wandering there,

lost and crying.

- Hes fine.

- Why doesnt he wake up?

The doctor says

he s in a coma.

It may last several days.

He may not

come round at all...

He may never

come round.

Why? Why?

How did he sin?

Against whom?

What s he doing

in this foreign place?

Whose ambition

is he serving?

Must a child die

to serve the ends of ambition?

Who d gain

from his death?

Who'd be

the happier for it?

How many children must die,

how many people suffer,

before there is an end?

A child s life

is too high a price to pay.

I cant stand it!

I cant stand it!

- Sarah, try to understand

- Understand what? Tell me!

- Tell me!

- I feel the pain too.

Have you ever

been to England?

Yes.

Manchester?

No.

Is it a beautiful city?

I wouldnt

call it beautiful.

But,

you know how it is,

coming from a far place.

Go to sleep now.

Dream of Manchester.

It would be like a visit home.

Litnoff is

the Tsarina s second cousin.

You cannot treat him

like a common soldier.

The bullet

wasnt afraid

of wounding a Count.

Germs wont care

if he s her first cousin.

Hell be treated

like any other man here.

Good day, Baron.

I understand

you are here

early and late.

A true angel of mercy.

- The men won t be...

- Quiet!

...nursed by anyone else.

I've always

had a way with men.

Even with

the German doctor.

He can t do without me.

And the Major?

The American?

What do you want?

I d like to be present

when he finds out

what you are.

Youll be present.

Youll tell him. You're

just waiting for the moment.

Where is it?

Right here.

Open the door.

Hello, Sir Arthur.

A message from Admiral Sydney.

Welcome, Reverend Michaelson.

Heavens.

Where is it?

I hope I haven t lost it.

- Where did you see the admiral?

- Here it is.

Well have to decode it.

Come with me.

With a column

of 2,200 men

we came

by rail to Anping,

where we were driven back

by a large contingent

of Chinese Imperial forces.

Our troops were decimated

and we lost a huge amount

of equipment.

'It is impossible

to march on Peking,

so we must

fall back to Tientsin,'

along the River Peigei.

- 'Signed, Harold Sydney'.

- Is there nothing more?

- What shall we do now?

- What shall we do?

You've eaten nothing.

- Have something now.

- Thank you, Sarah.

Need more light?

No, thank you.

You asked me

why we were here.

Why we hadnt left.

Im sorry.

I shouldnt have.

Sometimes it s

good to wonder why.

These last few hours

it s all Ive done.

What about?

First,

Who am I?'

Second,

What have I achieved

in 20 years of diplomacy?'

Third,

Am I a good diplomat,

or a failure,

only fit for

a minor post in Peking?

Fourth,

Have I honestly tried

to avoid war with China,'

or have I only tried

to make a name for myself?

Fifth,

Am I a fool

in search of adventure,

or a sensible man'

who s taken a risk?

What kind

of father am I

to put my family s

lives in danger?

Am I acting like

some god playing

with the fate or others?

I've been with you

since you started your career.

I know what

Youve been through

and I know you well.

Only an honourable man

says such things.

- Excellency.

- I was just leaving, Major.

We were talking

about the good times.

Dont go.

My brother-in-law is eager

to tell you something.

This is a family matter.

Dont discuss it

- before strangers.

- Dont play games.

Get it over with now.

We were talking about

my dead brother, her husband.

I'm not interested.

How do you suppose he was?

Like me?

Fat, past middle age?

Something like that.

The youngest Colonel

in our army.

With a brilliant future.

The Tsar himself

had taken notice...

Do you know

why he died?

No.

Go on.

I cant...

It suddenly seems...

He was drunk

and had an accident.

Let s forget it.

They said

it was my fault.

His family tried

to take away all I had.

Dont you believe me?

I guess a man

gets what he deserves.

What can I offer?

A soldier s pay?

Yes.

A soldier's pay

buys a soldiers woman.

An urgent message

from Her Imperial Highness.

'Therefore,

in view of the aggression

of the armed forces'

of Great Britain,

Germany, Russia, France,

the United States,

Japan, Italy and Austria

' under the command

of Admiral Sydney,

the Imperial

Chinese Government demands

the immediate

and unconditional surrender

of the armed forces

of these nations

' and of all their weapons.

We will

await your reply.

I believe, Sir Arthur,

that you are

the architect of our dilemma.

What do you propose?

I think you should all

know the military facts.

We have had

almost 100 casualties,

that is about 25%

of our forces.

Over half

our ammunition is gone,

food is low, medical

supplies are non-existent,

and by a reasonable estimate

it will take 4 or 5 weeks

to assemble forces on the coast

to fight through to Peking.

What is your answer?

We are all aware

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