Khartoum Page #6

confirm or deny...

Gordon's total disobedience?

- It confirms it.

- It's blackmail!

A man... one man...

in the middle of Africa...

is blackmailing

the British government...

into a course of action...

it wouldn't otherwise

choose to take.

I don't agree, sir.

You don't agree?

Is it really blackmail

when one man...

a long way off

in a besieged desert town...

calls to you and says...

"Allow these tens of thousands

of human beings...

"to be slaughtered,

if you will.

"It's your decision.

But allow me the privilege...

"of being slaughtered

with them"?

You see, sir, if Khartoum

is allowed to die...

then Gordon will die with it.

It may be blackmail...

and if it is,

then I'm for blackmail.

Send in Lord Wolseley.

When I think how history

will record someday...

that the decisions

of an empire were made only...

by greedy businessmen,

scheming generals...

and conniving politicians...

It's up the Nile for you,

Wolseley.

Up the Nile to save

one stubborn madman.

But let me tell you,

if you do a Billy Hicks on me...

if you take a British army

into central Africa...

and present me with

any portion of a disaster...

then don't come back.

Am I clear?

You are clear.

Colonel Stewart,

inform your General Gordon...

that a British army

will be sailing...

as quickly as possible

for Cairo.

Thank you, sir.

Sir.

Khaleel.

Get me Colonel Stewart's man,

Khaleel.

Sir.

We didn't want

to come to the palace.

This is informal,

but it's serious.

General, people are afraid.

They have a right to be.

What about this relief army?

Why the hysteria?

There's still enough food.

What we're short of isn't food.

It's hope.

Power, you're English.

You know the government...

how long they take

to make decisions.

You all know how many weeks

it is to London...

how many weeks back.

It could be another month

before we have word.

I'm an old friend,

you believe me.

I tell you, in the bazaars,

I hear things.

It isn't good.

What am I supposed to give them,

promises I can't keep?

Tell them lies

to keep up morale?

Maybe small lies. Just a few.

Little ones?

Khaleel!

Yes, master? Good morning.

It is such a pleasant thing to...

Khaleel,

what are you doing here?

Where is Colonel Stewart?

Yes, master, I do not know.

But as I was saying,

that little place, Debba...

by the river,

is the most boring place...

- Khaleel!

- I'm to be home.

Yes, the Major Kitchener

sends his greetings.

Most interesting man,

the Major Kitchener.

It's Stewart.

He's sailed from England...

with Wolseley and 7,000 men!

They're coming!

The British are coming!

I do not have the ingredient

here, Gordon Pasha...

but if you will come back

to the palace...

I will make you a B & S.

Squad, attention!

Stand the camels.

Mount!

You... did you come here

on holiday?

You think you've come

to Egypt on leave?

Look at those buttons... filthy.

Look at this. Disgraceful.

What would Her Majesty say?

You there, stand up.

I don't say

it isn't necessary, sir...

but we've been in Egypt

for six weeks now...

and the Nile is falling.

What I feel I must point out...

is that the fall of the Nile

in Khartoum...

comes two months earlier

than here in Cairo.

And that when the Nile

has fallen sufficiently...

Khartoum will be defenseless.

Thank you, Colonel Stewart.

But you know as well as I do...

that men who have not been

fully conditioned...

to the tropical climate

simply cannot fight.

They'll die... by the platoons,

by the company.

I agree, sir,

but couldn't you send ahead...

a detachment

of your best-conditioned men?

No, Stewart.

I'm sorry.

Excuse me.

Don't be too hard on Wolseley.

You haven't seen

his instructions yet.

I was there.

He's to relieve Khartoum.

Colonel, I've seen the orders.

He's to bring out Gordon.

There's no mention of Khartoum.

Wolseley knows.

He's to proceed up the Nile

as slowly as possible.

He'll move up to Wadi Halfa

shortly, yes, but he knows.

He's to give Gordon every

chance at the last minute...

to come out by his own choice.

But Gordon won't come out.

You know it.

I now know it.

I'm sure

that Wolseley knows it.

They've been friends always.

That's why I say...

don't be too hard on him.

It's the government

that's unconvinced.

I can well understand why you

haven't told me this before.

Why do you tell me now?

Because it's on the cards,

Colonel...

that this expedition

will be too late.

Gordon should come out.

There's no one to tell him

but you.

Didn't he say where

they're mounting them?

He does not know, Excellency.

He saw the guns arriving,

that is all.

You were Gladstone's gesture

last year.

This year, it's Wolseley.

Sir, I failed.

I thought

I'd made it clear to them...

that you'd never come out.

- I didn't.

- You probably did.

Gladstone's a gambler.

He's gambling.

No, they all think

you should come out.

So do I.

Sir...

what's the absolute limit

of time we can hold out here?

I don't know.

The Mahdi's brought up the guns

he captured from Hicks.

That means he'll start

a bombardment.

- How low is the ditch?

- It's low.

And the news'll be

all over town by morning...

the steamer arrived and no army.

There'll be a panic.

Sir, you haven't got a chance.

I haven't got a choice.

If Wolseley's orders are to save

only me and not Khartoum...

I'm left with no choice.

How could I leave? Tell me.

What purpose is served

if Wolseley's too late...

and Mahdi attacks?

There are worse ways to die.

Many.

That's the essence of it,

I suppose.

Every man has a final weapon...

his life... and if he's

afraid of losing it...

he throws that weapon away.

That's what they

can't quite grasp...

that I'm not really afraid.

And that's what they must

understand, isn't it?

No one can make them

understand it except me.

You must be tired.

Meet me at the dock

tomorrow, early.

Good night.

Good night, sir.

To get her through the blockade,

we'll have to armor the rail...

set up troop guns here,

another one up forward.

We'll carry the extra fuel

behind in a couple of luggers.

I want every European

in Khartoum on this boat...

the wives, children,

counsels, too...

Frank Power and Herbin...

and every Egyptian civilian

you can stack on board.

You must get them all out.

You mean I go with them,

and you stay here?

Khartoum is my problem.

Getting these people out

is yours.

How else can I convince London

that I will not leave?

But you'll be completely alone.

It's a gesture.

Come, little lady.

We'll take you back home.

Mr. Gladstone must understand...

that I am capable

of gestures, too.

Hassan!

I don't ask you to be unafraid,

simply to act unafraid.

How are you going

to handle Khartoum...

when the word gets around

that we're gone?

How are you going

to handle Berber...

if Mohammed al Khalia

has heavy guns?

We sink.

We'll both take our chances.

There are several letters

in here...

appeals to Her Majesty

the Queen, the Pope in Rome...

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