Elephant Walk Page #3

- Good night.

- Did you like them? They're all nice chaps.

- Yes.

- They're delighted with you.

- Are they?

- Will you come up soon?

- Darling, we both can't leave our guests.

I won't be long.

Good shot!

Right-o. Pass him.

- To the Governor.

- To the Governor.

John!

Master, mistress is calling.

What's the matter?

I heard all the noise, and I was...

I got frightened.

Frightened of what?

You're not a child, Ruth.

You wanted to go to bed, go to bed.

I don't enjoy being embarrassed

in front of my friends.

Forgive me. I don't want to hurt you.

John, darling.

I don't know why I said what I did.

I shouldn't have brought you here.

Don't say that. I belong with you.

John?

John?

Old master, hear me, I beg you.

Your servant,

this beginning of a new work day...

...but concerning the new mistress,

my thoughts are troubled.

...as was the woman,

your honored wife, before her.

She is not one of us...

and her ways are cold and strange.

Appuhamy.

Good morning, mistress.

Good morning, Appuhamy.

Where's Mr. Wiley?

The master has left for the workday.

At this hour?

The workers of Elephant Walk

muster every morning at 6:00.

As long as I have known...

the master of Elephant Walk

is always present to give them their orders.

Shall I bring you your morning tea now?

- Yes, thank you.

- Yes, mistress.

- Edward.

- Yes.

- Get as many pluckers as you can.

- I'll make it for you, sir.

- Remember, we want a record year.

- We make, master.

I hear you've had a record year

yourself. Triplets?

Yes, sir. Three big boys.

You're quite a boy yourself.

We'll go down to the factory.

How's your new humidifier working?

Fermentation's improved considerably,

I think.

- You know, you're a good tea maker.

- Thanks.

- Why don't you stay?

- Next boat that hits Colombo, I'll be on it.

Pity.

I hate changes around Elephant Walk.

I wouldn't say that.

You've got yourself quite a change

at the bungalow now.

Ruth? She's no change. She'll fit in.

It's a pity she never knew the Governor.

She will.

- Good morning, mistress.

- Good morning. What's this room?

Old master's room, mistress.

It is always locked, mistress.

Ever since old master died.

Only Appuhamy goes to clean

once in a while.

Will you tell me where I can find Appuhamy?

In kitchen, mistress.

Mistress.

Looks like we're feeding

the whole of Ceylon.

I beg your pardon, mistress?

- Who are all of these men cooking for?

- The household, mistress.

Excuse me, mistress.

I've never seen so much food in one place.

The estate is remote, mistress.

- We must buy in bulk.

- Yes, of course.

Madeira, Appuhamy? Who drinks Madeira?

I know my husband doesn't like it.

The old master was very fond of it, mistress.

- Appuhamy!

- Mistress.

About those cigars.

My husband doesn't smoke them.

- Must we be so wasteful?

- They are for his guests, mistress.

His regular guests.

There was only one man that I saw

smoke a cigar on Saturday night.

The old master always smoked cigars.

Excuse me.

Hello.

Please don't stop singing.

Don't run away.

- Whose children are those?

- Their parents work in the nearer tea fields.

And they're left alone all day?

They're quite safe, mistress, and very happy.

They seem afraid of me.

What they do not understand,

they are suspicious of.

Appuhamy.

- Mistress.

- Why are they throwing away all that food?

Nothing once cooked at Elephant Walk

is ever used again.

What shocking waste!

Why, that's six months' ration in England.

There's no rationing

at Elephant Walk, mistress.

Nevertheless, I'd still like to cut down

on the waste.

Perhaps we could work

on the menu together.

I have just completed

the menus for the coming week.

Appuhamy.

Mistress.

I've decided to continue my inspection

of the house alone.

- May I have the keys?

- There's no need for keys, mistress.

All doors are open.

All but one. May I have the key?

I am sorry, mistress.

It is the old master's study you refer to.

I cannot give you the key to that room.

Is there anything else?

That will be all.

Ruth!

Ruth, where are you?

Hello, darling. I just got in.

- Carver's called in for a farewell drink.

- Hello.

- Come down and charm us, will you?

- I'll try.

I've been looking forward

to this drink since 3:00.

I'm feeling the heat since I got back.

That's one thing I won't miss

when I leave here: that afternoon sun.

Dick, there's a refreshing sight.

- That makes a drink almost unnecessary.

- Steady now, man, don't go too far.

- Letters? Is that what you've been doing?

- Just this afternoon.

I see. Complaining about me already.

"Dear Mother,

I married the most dreadful man."

Of course!

- Drink, darling?

- No, thank you.

Know why I don't write letters?

You write, they answer,

you answer their answer...

they answer your answer, and so on...

Stop teasing and tell me how to post these.

Give them to Appuhamy. He's going

to Colombo at the end of the week.

- I'll be glad to mail them for you.

- Yes. Give them to Dick.

- Thank you. That's fine.

- He's leaving tonight.

- Darling, tell us about your day.

- There's nothing much to tell, really.

- It's just kitchen talk.

- We don't mind.

I thought you were going to work

with Appuhamy. Did you?

- Yes, I did.

- How did it go?

What's the matter, Ruth?

Don't you think this is rather boring

for Mr. Carver on his last night?

Dick? He's practically one of the family.

It's pretty late.

- I'd better be getting along.

- You haven't finished your drink.

Now I have.

Thanks, John. Thanks for everything.

- Same here.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye, Ruth.

- We'll miss you.

Don't be nice to him.

Tell him he's an idiot to go. I did.

There's just the possibility I may be back.

I understand you can run out of money

pretty fast in Paris.

Do it as quickly as you can.

- Okay.

- Goodbye.

Goodbye.

- All the luck in the world, Dick.

- Thanks.

My letters.

Dick!

I forgot to give you my letters.

For a moment,

I thought you were going to ask me to stay.

Why should I interfere with your life?

Maybe you have already.

- Goodbye, Dick.

- Bye, Ruth.

If you should ever need me for anything...

you can always get in touch with me

at the American Express in Paris.

- If I should need you?

- That's right.

So long.

Where is it now? Where is it?

Right.

Come on. Monkey in the middle?

All right.

Come on now.

Don't ever startle me like that again.

Excuse me, mistress. A harmless insect.

Please don't kill it.

Appuhamy!

What is it?

What's happened? John!

I can't get the bicycle free.

- What happened?

- He hit the wall.

Appuhamy, call the doctor at once.

- I'd say a few weeks in bed will do it.

- A few weeks?

I'm being optimistic.

It's a compound fracture.

But I can't lie here,

I've got a plantation to run!

Then you'll run it from your bed.

- If I can't trust you, I'll put you in traction.

- Traction.

I've got a new crop,

and the monsoons are due.

Unfortunately, the leg must stay there,

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