Elephant Walk Page #4

and you are attached to it.

- Very amusing.

- John, maybe your friends could help.

How? They're all fighting time

and the monsoons themselves...

and he picks this time to lay me up.

- Good night.

- You're a quack!

If you come in here,

I'll have you thrown out!

Master, please.

He never was a doctor. Few weeks!

He'll be a difficult patient.

He's his father's son.

Did you know John's father?

You see this scar?

Tom Wiley threw his water carafe at me

once when I said he had a temperature.

I can believe it.

You should get yourself some sleep,

young lady.

I'll be all right. Don't worry about me.

I've given your husband a strong sedative.

He'll rest very well.

There's no reason

why you shouldn't do the same.

- I will. I promise.

- Good.

- I'll be back in the morning. Good night.

- Good night.

She has brought evil spirits.

The master lies hurt.

There is sadness in my heart.

Since her coming here, I have felt it.

She does not belong to Elephant Walk.

- How is he, Doctor?

- Awake. Very loudly awake.

I'm afraid this may take longer

than we first expected.

Why do you say that?

Even broken bones require some cooperation

during the mending process...

from their owner, that is.

If only we could relieve

his concern about the plantation.

I wish I could help.

I wish there was something I could do.

Doctors are notoriously pessimistic,

Mrs. Wiley.

It's possible that just having you around

may be all the prescription required.

- Goodbye for now, Mrs. Wiley.

- Goodbye.

Look here. Elephant tracks all over.

Here. There. Ruined tea fields all over.

They sure did a good job

of ruining this field.

Hello, Ruth.

Hello.

The elephants got in here last night

and trampled a few hundred young plants.

- You can see how much you were needed.

- John know I'm back yet?

Appuhamy told him first thing this morning.

He's very grateful.

He should be.

I was halfway up the gangplank.

- Are you coming up to the house later?

- As soon as I get cleared away here.

When you speak to John,

would you do me a favor?

Don't tell him I sent for you.

Let him think it was your idea,

that you heard about the accident and came.

Dick Carver to the rescue?

Okay, Ruth. I understand.

Thank you, Dick.

- I'll see you at the bungalow.

- My regards to the patient.

- Come on, boys. What's holding us up?

- Need more men. Not enough.

Get them.

- Patrols were on the job, John.

- What were they doing?

Relax, man.

You couldn't check on them from your bed.

They've all been alerted.

They'll stay that way.

What am I, a blasted contortionist?

What do we do about the young plants

before the monsoons?

We put back more than a third this morning.

How?

We stopped the pickers

and put them to planting.

You stopped the pickers?

It makes sense.

Nothing much to pick anyway, till the rains.

Everything's drying up.

There's been a rule here for 50 years.

Pick while there's flush to pick.

Weather and elephants don't change it.

You put those pickers back to work.

Okay, John.

You're giving the orders.

- What's this?

- Your lunch. Cold chicken and fruit salad.

The menu said roast pork.

I thought it was too heavy for you

in this weather.

Appuhamy, will you get what's ordered?

But, darling, it's not good for you.

Having to lie...

Ruth, once and for all,

will you stop interfering in a household...

that's been running smoothly

for a number of years. Do you understand?

I order you to stop interfering.

May I leave now, master?

If this is the kind of ideas you have,

you ought to have them more often.

Playing nurse to John

has kept you inside too much.

Have you lost your voice?

Not really. It's just that...

Rather just ride?

For a while, yes.

Okay. Let's go.

Where are we?

Polonnaruwa,

capital of the ancient kings of Ceylon.

Or what's left of it.

Pretty impressive, isn't it?

This is a very sacred place to all Buddhists.

That's the Sleeping Buddha

of Polonnaruwa...

and his faithful disciple Ananda.

It's so beautiful, still.

I feel like we're trespassing.

They like company.

These are fake.

I keep the real ones in a vault.

They're lovely.

Ruth, you remember once I offered to help?

- The offer still holds?

- Just try me.

You're the only one I can try...

the only one that doesn't

worship at the shrine.

Then it's Tom Wiley.

I know you told me to try

and get him out of my mind...

but it's not that easy.

He's all around me.

The house, the servants, Appuhamy.

Sometimes in John.

- What made you say that?

- Anyone can see it.

Old Tom Wiley still rules Elephant Walk,

even from his grave.

Do you know anything about John's mother?

As far as the house is concerned,

there's not a trace of her.

Not even a picture.

It's as if she'd never been to Elephant Walk.

All I know is what the natives tell,

local gossip.

They blame Tom Wiley for her death,

say he killed her.

- Killed her?

- I don't mean out-and-out murder.

The doctors in London said

if he brought her back to Ceylon...

she might die.

Tom Wiley insisted

his son must be born in Elephant Walk...

so he brought her back.

The doctors were right.

A few days after John was born, she died.

- What was she doing in England?

- She ran away.

I guess she couldn't take

Elephant Walk anymore.

He brought her back.

I'm sorry, Ruth. I didn't mean to upset you.

Also, I said it was just local gossip.

We'd better get back.

Dick.

Now you know why I came back.

Dick, I love John.

I want our marriage to last.

Dick!

You wait here.

Old Lop-Ear and company.

It's all right now. They're under control.

- Hello, John.

- There you are.

Don't I get a kiss now

that I'm all spruced up?

Sit with me for a minute.

I was riding this afternoon with Dick Carver.

- We ran into elephants...

- Yes, I heard them.

Just as well Dick was with you.

Ruth, forgive me...

for barking at you like that.

I've missed you.

John, I'm tired, and messy.

Let me clean up.

Yes, of course.

You watch this.

- Crutches.

- Darling, do be careful.

The old place looks good. I've missed it.

Come on. That wasn't very good.

How do you manage these?

Darling, don't you think

you should sit down?

- Yes. Appuhamy.

- Master.

Sit up.

There you are.

Darling, how can I ever thank you

for all you've done in the past few weeks?

I've been spoiled before,

but never so beautifully.

I haven't finished spoiling you.

I have a wonderful idea.

What is it?

The cruise boat comes into Ceylon

on Saturday.

Why don't we get on it and go to Gibraltar,

then fly back?

- I'm sorry, darling.

- John, it would be so good for you.

It would be good for both of us.

I've asked Dr. Pereira already.

It's a wonderful idea,

but you know I can't leave now.

Besides I'd have to put off the surprise

I have for you.

- Surprise?

- Yes. Next weekend.

That's why I had to get up

and get this leg right.

- Tell me what it is.

- Not a chance. It's a surprise.

- John, what is it?

- I told you I had a little surprise for you.

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