King Solomon's Mines Page #2

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...before we've gone a tenth of the way?

- Yes.

- You expect me to back out, don't you?

- Frankly, yes.

I'll pay the 5000 in advance and a bonus of

500 at the end, whether I back out or not.

You're weakening, aren't you?

You half-decided to go.

Oh, I've fully decided to go.

And my reasons are entirely mercenary.

Nobody's been in the region

beyond the Kaluanas before...

...but I'm willing to try

for cold, hard cash.

Apparently you're not certain after all

that we'd never return.

- I'm just as certain as ever.

- And yet you'd go?

Mrs. Curtis, the average life of a man in

my profession is approximately eight years.

Now, I've been at it for 15.

So you see I'm living on borrowed time.

My wife died here six years ago.

Sooner or later, an animal or an unfriendly

native or a tropical disease will get me.

I have a son in England...

...but there'll be very little money

for him if anything should happen to me.

The money you're offering would provide

for him until he can take care of himself.

- I see.

- So I'll take on your safari.

But before we leave, I'd like to send

the 5000 to London.

You can pay me the bonus

when we return.

- You mean if we return.

- From now on we'll say "when."

What I privately think mustn't color

the mood of this fine safari.

It isn't just the danger of the undertaking

that's making you so antagonistic.

There's something else.

What is it, Mr. Quatermain?

I don't understand your motives.

- You mean you don't believe them.

- Well, frankly, I don't.

Why?

- Well, it's wiser if we don't discuss this.

- Why?

Well, because on a safari, it's better

to travel with people one likes.

You better tell me now and give me time

to recover. What about my motives?

Very well.

Since your husband's body

was never found...

...you can't inherit his money

until you prove that he's dead.

That could be the reason for this visit.

One of the reasons my husband

went looking for that mine...

...was the possibly foolish hope

of finding a fortune of his own.

You see, I hold all the wealth

there is in the family.

Well, then I still don't understand.

What? That I'd be willing to risk my life

for my husband?

That you're proposing to throw it away.

It's not normal. It smells of sickness.

I happen to love my husband.

Perhaps that's an emotion...

...you are incapable of understanding.

- Perhaps.

Perhaps you've never known

a woman in love.

Perhaps. But I have known people

who make elaborate sacrifices...

...for reasons they don't understand.

Sometimes it's to expiate guilt.

Sometimes, it's...

If I were you, I'd examine

my own motives.

A man who doesn't care whether he lives or

dies is not exactly a wholesome specimen.

I'm risking my life for a man I love.

You're doing it for money.

- Mrs...

- No, no, no, not your son.

There are things you can do for him

other than toss your life away.

What's your sickness, Mr. Quatermain?

Nothing to live for?

I'll meet you in Eric Masters' office

in the morning.

I haven't thanked you

for taking on this safari.

What made you change your mind?

I didn't know Elizabeth was that persuasive.

There's something very persuasive

about 5000 pounds.

She's quite a nice girl, really.

Of course, she has ideas of her own about

certain things. Those clothes, for example.

I gather from the way you looked

at them, you don't approve.

- I don't.

- Why didn't you tell her so?

No need. She'll find out.

- What's wrong?

- Mrs. Curtis is sick.

What's the matter?

- I think I'd like to walk for a while.

- You all right, Beth?

This old wagon. It's not

very comfortable. It rocks.

- She's seasick.

- I'm perfectly all right.

Let's go on.

Now, just a moment.

What are you doing?

Out here, perspiration needs to be given time

to evaporate, or you won't last two hours...

...and you're sealed up like a tin of pears.

Khiva, get that box!

This may be the costume

for shooting pheasant in Sussex...

...but it won't do here. Go behind the

bushes change. Take off those corsets.

Impertinent, wretched man.

To think I would just... Terrible.

Unbearable behavior. Really.

- That's a very becoming outfit, Beth.

- I hate it!

If you'll keep absolutely still...

Don't shoot. Stand still.

That was a close call.

Not really. They're not dangerous

unless hungry.

How do you know

when they're hungry?

- Well, if they eat you, they're hungry.

- Seriously, how did you know?

Look.

Why didn't you shoot?

- Why, you want a trophy?

- It might have killed us.

Well, if it had tried, I'd have shot it.

Otherwise, there's not much point.

I didn't tell you to run!

A man's heart

can stand still, so can you.

- How far have we gone?

- Well, we started here.

Now we're somewhere about here.

That took us seven days?

We have to head

for the Kaluana Village there.

Curtis' map starts where

the large map ends, at the village.

That in itself is a long trip.

We know where the Kaluana

tribe is but little else...

...except that they're said

to be dangerous.

- You've never been among them?

- I'm not an explorer.

In fact, to my knowledge, no white man

has been near the Kaluanas for five years.

They're feared as much by natives

as they are by whites.

We'll have trouble getting

our boys that far.

- We can't be sure that Henry got that far.

- No.

We'll inquire of other tribes, of course,

but we've got to go to the Kaluana.

It is the only place we know

Curtis was trying to reach.

- How long will it take?

- Weeks. Months, perhaps.

I don't know. I've never taken a woman

on safari with me before.

Have I been a handicap?

Why, no, Mrs. Curtis,

but the fun hasn't started yet.

When it does, I'm sure we'll all enjoy it.

What do they sing about?

Oh, all sorts of things.

About their work. The money

they're gonna earn on this job.

About wives and sweethearts, everything

they're gonna do when they get home.

What are they singing about now?

Now they're singing about Mrs. Curtis.

They call her:

That means "the lady

with the flaming hair."

What else?

They say you're very fortunate

because Bwana Allani...

...will protect you from lions, leopards,

elephants, all the terrors of the jungle.

What are they saying now?

Well, they say that I'm

very fortunate too.

I'm sorry. I couldn't help it.

It was one of those...

It was a dream again.

I'm sorry, truly I am.

- Where are they going?

- They're going back.

I wondered how we

were gonna get over that.

From now on, we do without luxuries.

Oh, by the way,

did you hear anything last night?

I thought I heard a scream.

A human scream, as a matter of fact.

I didn't hear anything.

You must have been dreaming.

Come on, let's get going.

Beth.

You sure you don't wanna go with them?

Lovely, isn't it? It has a sort of majesty.

A feeling of forever.

Forever's quite correct.

- Looks completely peaceful.

- It isn't.

It's been tearing its own thread

for a million years.

In this one small area here,

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