Comrades Page #5

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Thank you, ma'am. Bless you, boy.

For what we're about to receive,

may the Lord make us truly thankful.

Amen.

We will...

(Voice echoes several times)

.. be free!

(Echoing)

We will be free!

(Echoing)

(Insects chirrup and frogs croak)

(Dingoes howl in distance)

One, two! One, two!

Keep together, you!

One, two! One, two!

One! Come on, you lazy shower of shits!

Put some muscle into that.

You want my boot up your arsehole?

One, two! One, two!

One, two!

(Clattering of tools)

If I catch any man shirking...

And don't look at me like that.

You'll be eating your own sh*t for breakfast.

(Mutters)

Stay. Stay, boy.

Stay.

Take it nice. There's a good boy. Take it nice.

Come on, take it nice.

Take it nice. Come on, take it nice.

Take it... Aagh, you bastard!

Bite me, would you?

Bite me, you bastard?

If I ever meet up with him back home,

I'll show him where my foot will roam.

It won't be where it ought to be,

but up his arse and all for free.

Keep up with us, Brine.

Don't let this bastard road be our memorial.

Water!

Who shouted?

He needs his boots.

He says somebody stole 'em.

Let him steal another pair.

(Harmonica plays mournful tune)

Are you all right there?

(Drunken laughter)

- Do you love me?

- Of course.

- Do you love me?

- What do you think?

- Do you? 'Cos I love you.

- You're a sight, mate.

(Woman laughs)

(Man shouts)

You remind me of Ned Ludd.

Who was he?

He became a she

went he went machine-breaking.

(Man and woman bickering)

(Coins jangle)

Ah... like a nice time, Bertie?

(Chuckles)

Huh?

(Laughs drunkenly)

There's not a man among you. (Cackles)

Whatever you do, don't do it alone.

One man is nothing. I've learned that.

We're here to help each other.

Go to sleep.

Wait.

How much?

Too much.

(Cicadas singing)

(Grunts)

Do you not like to be entertained?

Hagh! Hagh! Hagh!

Hagh! Hagh! Hagh! Hagh! Hagh!

(Chuckles cockily)

Yargh!

What's this? What's this, eh?

What's this?

Look what I've got for you.

Soldier.

Come on, sweetie, come on. That's it. That's it.

That's my boy.

That's it.

(Mouths)

Good dog! Good boy, good soldier.

Good soldier.

If you dig any deeper, you'll reach England.

(Laughs)

MAN:
You there!

Yes, you!

Not you, you imbecile!

Don't they understand the plain English?

Our Father, which art in heaven

Hallowed be Thy name

Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors

Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

Amen.

Tell me something more about yourself

for identification, monsieur.

I was born William Moncrieff Norfolk,

New Year's Day in the year 1790.

Educated at Harrow and Oxford.

Commanded a regiment at Waterloo.

Great times. (Clears throat)

I came to New South Wales

as governor of this province.

My wife finds the climate here oppressive,

suffers from the vapours.

Longs to go back to Grantham.

Pines pathetically for the values

of the mother country.

Women are happier at home, of course.

They shouldn't meddle in the outside world.

Our daughter, Flower,

has adapted rather better.

She's taken to horses.

She'll make an excellent marriage one day.

I sometimes feel the urge

to have more children -

a son.

But my wife and I...

It's like a square peg in a round hole.

(Norfolk sighs)

Now I regard the subjects of this province

as my family.

I'm a martyr to duty, public service,

diplomacy.

It's generally acknowledged

I have promoted a measure of stability

where before there was none.

Merci, monsieur.

It is obvious you possess

a very liberal turn of mind,

a quality that is greatly appreciated

in my country.

You will of course be familiar with

les raisons d'tre of the French Revolution:

libert, galit, fraternit.

Your aperitive, sir.

Apritif!

Sacr bleu!

Tell me another one of your wonderful stories,

Stanfield.

I don't think I know any more.

But you must! You promised me!

I know you were only pretending.

I don't always understand what Jesus says.

Do you?

If Papa said such things, he would become

a laughing stock, wouldn't he?

I have a daughter...

.. just about your age.

Don't forget to clean my shoes.

You must learn to read,

to write,

and think for yourselves.

You must use this...

.. not this.

If we fight amongst ourselves,

we perpetuate our serfdom...

.. because they know

we will never stand together against them.

You're becoming quite famous, Mr Stanfield,

quite the celebrity.

People in high places

are championing your cause.

I envy you.

You should read about yourself.

Tell me...

.. what is this Society of Friends,

the wisdom of which you are so eager

to bestow on others?

To whom, I may say, I've already extended

the hand of friendship.

Perhaps you could wish to share it with me?

I am, as you know,

as indeed all must know, a fair man.

Why, I'm willing to talk to anyone

who'll listen to me.

You won't read about yourself?

You should.

Mr Stanfield...

we are not uneducated men, are we?

The field was my university.

Stanfield, I respect your homespun philosophy.

But I cannot have you preaching insurrection.

The native population

are little more than savages,

in spite of my efforts to rescue them

from extinction.

Surely you must realise the impropriety of er...

.. arousing them?

I know that we are all God's children.

You imbecile!

You snivelling workhouse guttersnipe!

How dare you?

How dare you fetch your filthy stench

to foul the air?

You contaminating labouring scab!

Get out!

Get out, before I send you back

where you belong, inside your whore's belly!

(Sobs)

(Branches crack)

Hurry?

Well, I was beginning to think there were

no more people living in the world.

You're the first person I've seen in a week.

I'm making for the Governor's

country residence.

Have you got anything to eat?

Here.

See for yourself.

You want to go that way.

Which way are you going?

That way.

Where have you come from?

That way.

Why are you going so fast?

You want to get there, don't you?

I'm going to see my father.

I haven't seen him in three years.

(Charlie moans softly)

Hey, don't fret now.

We'll find something to eat tomorrow.

You know, when I get home...

.. I'll not go hungry again, that's for sure.

I'll forget about this place.

No child of mine will know

what I've been through.

Now, if I was the Lord Mayor...

.. I'd get rid of the old way of life.

There'd be no more bowing and scraping.

I'd build a new world.

Do you hear me, Charlie?

(Charlie snores)

Oh, well.

Look!

Oh, it's beautiful.

- Good?

- Mm.

See them up there? They're the biggest.

That's the boy. A few more.

That's good.

Charlie!

Charlie?

(Shrill whistle)

Come here! Come!

Bring 'em round. Bring 'em back.

(Whistling and sheep bleating)

Come on! Go! Turn 'em round!

Bring 'em back.

- Good night, ma'am.

- Good night.

- Good day's work, yeah?

- It was.

(Plays tune)

Are we saying good night, then, ma'am?

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