A Countess from Hong Kong Page #4

You met him this morning

in the bathroom, I believe.

- How do you do?

- Well, I see you've been playing chess.

- Alone?

- Yes.

I took the liberty of putting on

another pair of your pyjamas...

after the other one

had been ripped off.

- Where's the torn one?

- I hid it. I didn't think

you wanted anyone to see it.

- You think I give a damn who sees it?

- You spoilt my move.

Now, now, Ogden. Let's settle

this thing without any bitterness.

Natascha, I understand

you want to go to America.

- Yes.

- Good.

Now, Ogden tells me you have

neither a passport nor a visa.

- I don't need them.

- What makes you think

you don't need them?

- Because I haven't got them.

- Fair enough.

- See, she's insane.

- Because I haven't a passport?

What's the use

of arguing with her?

Don't you realize

that you'll be caught?

I have no intention

of being caught.

- Who is it?

- Chief Steward, sir.

Excuse me. Do you mind

closing all your port-holes, sir?

Yes, it seems to be

blowing up out there.

Just a little sloppy. Nothing serious.

Yes.

All clear.

- What are you hiding for?

- Me? I don't know.

However, let's get down to business.

Natascha, I like you.

And I think

I'm a good judge of character.

You mustn't mind Ogden.

He's a little abrupt, but he means well.

Well, you mean well, but he hasn't

approached you in the right way.

I'm sure you don't

want to ruin his career.

All I want is to get to America.

Well, that can be arranged, if you'll

get off at Tokyo and take another boat.

If you get off at Tokyo,

I'll give you $25,000.

You don't seem to understand.

I don't want money.

This is a trick and you're

not getting away with it.

Natascha, how much

do you want?

- I don't want money.

- And I don't want this.

- We'll give you $50,000.

- There's no use in arguing.

Best thing to do is go to the Captain

and tell him the whole story.

Then I'll tell him my side. How you

kidnapped me, locked me in your cabin...

and after attacking me,

tried to get rid of me.

Do you think I give

a hoot for your threats?

Now, wait a minute.

This is getting us nowhere.

Ogden, you can catch

more flies with honey...

than you can with...

With what?

Well, I'd say mustard or vinegar.

Mustard and vinegar?

What's that got to do with it?

Well, you can get more

with honey. Honey, huh.

Now, listen, "Natischa."

If Ogden goes to the Captain...

he'll believe him before he'll believe

you, and you'll be sent to jail.

If you'll get off the boat at Tokyo

without a scandal, we'll give you $ 75,000.

I don't want money.

Ogden, you're dealing

with an odd character.

This is a hold-up.

I'm going straight to the Captain.

Don't do anything rash, Ogden.

Ogden?

Ogden, before you do anything...

Out!

What do you think

you're doing? Oh.

Harvey, ring for some ice water.

You leave this cabin immediately.

- Well, good morning, Ogden.

- Hello, Harv.

- How do you feel?

- Wonderful.

Good. Say, you had

quite a siege of it.

For a while there,

I thought it was serious.

It was a touch of the old malaria.

I get it every once in a while.

- But now I feel great.

- Good.

- Say, uh, how's

the situation down below?

- I don't know what to think.

She stayed up two days and nights

dosing me with quinine...

and taking my temperature.

She wanted to send for the ship's doctor

when she thought it was serious.

Of course I stopped her.

Three days we arrive in Honolulu,

then she says she'll disappear.

- I'll miss her.

- So will I.

I'll miss the tension,

the excitement of it all.

We were wondering

what had become of you.

- Well, l...

- I hope you haven't been seasick.

- Actually, it was quite something else.

- Everybody's been seasick.

At least it'll give them

something to talk about at dinner.

How sick they were,

what they ate.

Daddy says it's surprising

what people will talk about

to make themselves interesting.

- I can't do that.

- Oh, yes, you can.

I'll show you.

There. Isn't it wonderful?

I think dancing

stimulates conversation.

Wasn't it Aristotle who used to walk

and lecture around the Lyceum

and talk of the soul?

Though Daddy says he never had

a clear idea of what the soul is.

But Daddy has.

He says the soul is desire.

And that the whole of life is desire.

I think it's a wonderful idea.

Well, if you can't shimmy,

we'll just dance ordinary.

Do you believe

in the immortality of the soul?

- Well...

- Daddy does. He believes

that when we die...

our souls go on until they're

reborn again through love.

- Love?

- You don't believe in love?

- Well, l...

- Daddy does.

He loves everybody,

except the Communists.

- You're in the Diplomatic Service,

aren't you?

- Yes.

How boring it must be

to be diplomatic to everyone.

- But you're Ambassador

to Arabia, aren't you?

- Yes, l...

- Have you been there before?

- Oh, yes.

- Do tell me about it. I adore Arabs.

- Well, the Arabs are very inter...

Quite a crowd tonight.

You'd never suspect that most

of them have been seasick.

Her empty chair is next to mine

in the dining room.

I'm so intrigued to see

what she looks like.

It's Harvey!

Peek-a-boo.

Well, l-I see you're

enjoying yourself.

I thought I'd come see that you

weren't getting into any mischief.

- Mischief?

- Well, it's a difficult situation.

I'll be glad when it's over.

- You really think you'll be able

to land in the States?

- Oh, yes.

I sincerely wish you all the luck

in the world. I know Ogden does.

Ogden?

Oh, yes, he...

He speaks very well of you.

That's surprising.

Well, it's all difficult.

These close quarters. He's very

suspicious. You're very attractive.

That's what he's fighting against.

He seems to have won.

Unfortunately,

it started out the wrong way.

But he'll miss you.

Hmm.

Oh, yes. He said so himself.

He'll be only too glad

to get rid of me.

I don't know.

- What's he doing upstairs?

- Dancing with some young blonde.

- Is she pretty?

- Well, she's young.

Hey, what are you doing?

You put the five in the wrong place.

Electrician to fix the lights

in the sitting room and bedroom.

- Could you come back in half an hour?

- Very well, sir.

It's the electrician to fix the lights

here and in the bedroom.

They've been here every ten minutes,

rapping on the door.

- Now they have a passkey.

- I don't like that passkey business.

I think you'd be safer upstairs dancing.

- Ogden would be furious.

- Not when I tell him about

the electrician with the passkey.

Well, if I'm caught, it's better

to be upstairs than down here.

Now that's the spirit! If you stay

down here, you'll go stir crazy.

- You stay here. I'll find Ogden.

- Don't leave me alone!

No. No. I'll only be a minute.

- Excuse me. May I have this dance?

- Harvey!

No, it's all right. How do you do?

I'll meet you back here.

Why aren't you dancing, Captain?

I was just about to ask

this very attractive young lady.

You better be nice to him.

We're all under his control.

I've been wondering about

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