Four Men and a Prayer

The munitions used by the rebels

came up from Nammu to Dowgli Pass.

The revolt was quelled,

but at the cost of 90 lives-

60 natives and 30

of our own lancers.

Ninety dead men.

And why are they dead?

They are dead because the lancers

guarding Dowgli Pass-

the sole gate to an attack

on Jerishtawbi-

were ordered elsewhere

by Colonel Loring Leigh.

I will call Captain Loveland.

Raise your right hand.

Repeat the oath.

I swear by Almighty God that the evidence

which I shall give before this court...

shall be the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth.

Captain Loveland, will you tell the court

about any orders...

received by you from Colonel Leigh

on the night of the 18th.

I received written orders,

delivered to me shortly after 9:00...

to proceed immediately

with my detachment to Tablis.

Orders in Colonel Leigh's writing.

Can you identify the writing?

Yes, it was his writing,

but perhaps-

Perhaps what?

I was about to say the order may not

have been as neatly written as usual.

Of course, this

might have been due to haste.

- Could it have been due to intoxication?

- I cannot judge as to that.

That is all.

I believe you have known Colonel Leigh

for several years.

Have you ever seen him intoxicated?

Not intoxicated.

Have you ever known him

to issue a careless order?

I have not.

Captain Loveland...

in view of all the very strange things

which happened that night...

has it ever occurred to you...

that the order in question

might have been forged?

The question is disallowed.

Unless you intend to offer proof.

That will be all.

I call Colonel Loring Leigh

to the stand.

- Leigh!

- Yes?

This came to your digs.

Thought it might be important.

Thanks.

- Well rowed, Leigh.

- Thank you, sir.

...something more fundamental than

that referred to by the opposing counsel.

As he has so aptly stated,

under ordinary circumstances...

there might be doubt as to the validity

of a claim against the defendant company.

However, in this instance...

my clients have suffered

a loss which can be laid...

directly at the door

of the defendants.

- I have no doubt...

- Anything wrong, Leigh?

The learned counsel's opinions

have been honestly expressed, but I-

May it please Your Lordship, I am called

from the court on urgent private affairs.

By Your Lordship's permission?

- Certainly.

- Thank you.

Message for Flying Officer Leigh.

That's his ship coming in now.

Joan!

- Joan.

- You are late.

Oh, I'm sorry, darling, but it's such a lovely ship,

I hated to come down at all.

- How very flattering.

- But now I'm here, I'm awfully glad to see you...

- and did I ever tell you your eyes are mysterious-

- Pools of limpid twilight?

Heavens, is it Wednesday today?

Oh, did you know each-

Miss, uh- Miss-

- Cable for you, sir.

- Oh, thank you. Most timely.

Well, I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll take you both out to tea

and I'll tell you all sorts of classic things...

that I thought up

in the air, all right?

Yes. Excuse me, darling- darlings.

Christopher, what is it?

I'm sorry.

I've got to go.

Hello.

You again, Lynn.

Look here, you dumbbell,

I might have shot you.

Oh, how divine to be killed

at such loved hands.

The faithful attach decoding messages

of an empire on which the sun never sets.

- What does that say?

- Sorry.

Why, you know, those messages

might shake the world.

Oh, it's so romantic.

It's about as romantic

as reading the last census reports.

My, how you shatter my illusions.

And one illusion was that...

you might have thought enough of me

to come down to that tea fight.

- Good heavens, is it as late as that?

- Mm-hmm.

- I am sorry, Lynn.

- Well, you ought to be.

- We'd better go down now.

- No, you don't. I'm taking you out tonight.

- Those are orders from your boss.

- I'm sorry, Lynn. More work tonight.

Oh, no. You're not gonna

work any more tonight. We're going out.

We're going slumming, dancing. We're gonna

drink champagne and listen to Negro orchestras.

Ah, that's good medicine

for your correct English soul, my son.

Woman's oldest instinct, eh?

Want to make me over?

Ah, and how you need it.

Come on. Let's go.

Look, I'll join you in the hall in,

uh, two minutes. I must finish this work.

Well, I'll tell you what.

I'll stay and help you...

and then you can finish it

that much quicker, huh?

- Come on.

- Help me? No, this is one thing, Lynn...

- that you cannot interfere in.

- Oh, I see.

- Secrets of the empire, huh?

- Yes.

All right, but don't you

keep me waiting.

- I won't. Two minutes.

- Two minutes.

- Oh, what's that?

- A cablegram for you, sir. Personal.

Thank you.

- That'll be all, Benson.

- Yes, sir.

Gad, what a homecoming.

A lifetime of distinguished service,

and chucked out like this.

Never did a dishonorable

thing in his life.

Must you do that?

I've gotta do something.

The trouble is, I've read

the proceedings of the trial...

and I don't see how they could have

reached any other verdict.

What's that? Do you mean to say you actually

believe the governor guilty?

- Don't be an ass.

- Now look here, Nosey, I-

Rod. I've known Dad a good many

more years than you have.

What do you think I believe?

Well, what are you all being

so solemn about? It's like a funeral.

What I'd like to do is find out who's behind

all this and wring his blasted neck.

Oh, chuck the heroics, kid. We all know

there's something funny about this.

Quite. That's why the old man

asked us to meet him here.

Now look here. We've all got to appear

as though nothing had happened...

as though this is a perfectly

natural homecoming.

Do you remember how he

used to come home on leave?

Full of beans, all sorts of plans?

- Mmm.

- Yes. You know how he'll take this, don't you?

You bet.

Head up and smiling.

Here he comes.

Yes, that sounds like the governor.

Manders! Manders,

the colonel's here.

The colonel? Oh!

Hello, Manders.

Back again, huh?

- Welcome home, sir.

- Thank you.

- Your case, sir?

- No, I'll keep that myself.

A bit of weather, sir.

A trifle cold perhaps.

- A trifle damp too, Manders, huh?

- Oh, yes, sir.

- Mr. Wyatt and the others are in the library, sir.

- Right.

Hello, boys.

Good of you to come.

- How are you, governor?

- Hello, Father.

- Hello, lads.

- Welcome home, Dad.

Let's have a look at you.

Squad! 'Shun!

Number!

- Beano, sir.

- Boson, sir.

- Nosey, sir.

- Rodney, sir.

Huh? I didn't quite

get that last one.

Oh, all right then.

Snicklefritz.

- But I think it's a rotten name, sir.

- Well, you chose it yourself.

Remember? You were

going to be a magician.

Snicklefritz the Great.

Unlucky day for me, sir.

Dismissed!

Beano, what happened

to the big oak by the gate?

Why, I had to have it cut down, sir.

It died.

Pity.

One hates to see

staunch old friends go down.

Glad to see you're looking

so fit, governor.

Hmm. You're taking it well, boys.

- I knew you would.

- There's nothing to take, sir.

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