Man of the Moment Page #4

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What harm could it do us

if other people went there?

We'd lose our peaceful way of living.

Then what would the riches be worth?

Now, what's this about?

"Dear Queen,

"I just heard

everybody's trying to get your island.

- "And I thought..."

- Who's the letter from, Mother?

"Affectionately yours, Norman."

(Explosion)

Mahoola speaks!

An omen! A good omen!

Who is he that writes

and wants nothing from me?

He is the one to trust.

What he counsels, so will I decide.

But Mr Jackson said I could be

a delegate till Mr Mitchell got better!

You did enough damage on your first

and last appearance for our country.

You said there were six and I...

Norman, one thing

seems to have escaped you.

You are finally and definitely dismissed.

You can't give me the sack!

I won't take it!

I'm a civil servant!

I'm acting chief filing clerk!

I'm as good as you.

I have a bath every Sunday.

Why should I be messed about?

Take a running jump.

(Phone)

Hello? Hello.

What is it?

No. No.

- Well, he ain't.

- (Knocking)

Isn't.

Hello, Miss Penny.

I was in the chamber.

I thought you were ill or something.

I did have a pain in me stomach

so I couldn't vote.

- Did you?

- It's not the truth, really.

Mr Jackson won't let me be

a delegate any more.

Oh. I see.

- (Knocking)

- Come in.

Oh, hello!

- This is Miss Penny Harvey.

- Er...your woman?

Well, er...

Greetings to

Honourable Sir Norman's woman.

My queen sends this reply to your letter.

"Her Most Excellent Majesty,

the Queen of Tawaki,

"requests me to thank

the Honourable Sir Norman

"for his most considerate letter,

"and is very content to leave the

interests of Tawaki in his good hands.

"Until he advises her

to agree to any nation's requests

"for the right to establish a base

on her island of Mahoola,

"she will maintain a steadfast refusal.

"Tahou Tanahoola,

Secretary to Her Most Excellent Majesty."

The love of the people of Tawaki

is with the only white man

who has written to their queen

without hope of gain.

Would Honourable Sir be gracious

enough to give photo to take to queen?

Such humility for so great a man

to carry so small a photograph!

It will be easy for the queen

to carry with her always.

Oh, yes, yes. She will be happy.

Honourable Sir Norman,

may your days be many.

And may you have many sons,

all like Honourable Sir Norman.

Farewell.

When he said about you having...

If Sir Norman doesn't wipe

that grin off his face,

Sir Norman's woman

will wipe it off for him.

The leader of the Brodnian delegation

is expecting to see you.

Until Honourable Sir Norman say yes,

my queen say nobody come to Mahoola.

- But he is waiting!

- If Honourable Norman say no,

nothing doing.

- Well?

- Nothing doing.

Except through this

Honourable Sir Norman.

It seems that the queen of Tawaki

trusts him implicitly.

It would be better if this Honourable

Sir Norman would be out of the way.

(Ship's whistle)

Hello, Penny.

- Am I late?

- No, I just got here.

- Good. True?

- True.

- What would you like?

- Coffee, please.

- Monsieur?

- Two coffees.

- Black or white?

- Just brown.

- OK.

- Bags of sugar.

Do you have to

chain that case to your wrist?

Well, as a delegate,

you've got to be careful.

Excuse me, have I the honour

to address Mr Norman?

That's right.

I have been requested to hand this

into your own safekeeping.

- What is it?

- A small token of appreciation

from the conference committee.

- Thank you.

- In the meantime, may I suggest -

it is very valuable -

that you put it in a safe place.

Perhaps it would be best

in the despatch case, no?

That's a good idea.

Allow me.

Thank you. Now it's as safe

as the Bank of England.

Excellent. Mademoiselle. Monsieur.

- That was very nice of him, wasn't it?

- I'm not so sure.

(Ticking)

- Hey, Norman! Listen!

- What are you doing?

- It's ticking!

- Yes. Perhaps it's a clock!

It's a bomb!

Where's the key?

I don't know! I had it a minute ago!

That man! He pinched the key!

- Can't you undo the chain?

- That one's in the hotel!

- It's going to explode!

- You go away! Run for it!

- No, or I shall never see you again!

- It's making a funny noise now!

(Shrieking)

It's still ticking! Stay where you are!

- What are you going to do?

- Get the other key!

(Shrieking) Get out, everyone!

It's a bomb!

Get out of the way, everybody!

(Gibbering)

Sir, no! Excuse me, sir.

Please, use the lift.

The manager says you can.

- Hurry up.

- You are going up, sir?

Yeah, any minute now.

Wait for me!

Where's the key?

I'm going to get blown up in a minute!

Oh, got it! I got it!

Argh! Oi! Oi!

I'll see you on the ground floor.

- Not using the lift?

- Not me.

- This is making a funny noise.

- It'll do better than that in a minute.

The lift! Hey! Hey! It's a bomb!

It's a bomb! Look out! Look out!

Stay clear! Bomb! Hey!

Monsieur!

- No!

- Vous avez laiss quelque chose!

I don't want it! It's a bomb!

We'll both get killed!

Oui, oui, oui.

Leave it on the seat

and mind your own business!

Monsieur!

Out of the way! It's a bomb!

lt'll go off in a minute!

Oh, no! Shoo! Shoo!

Shoo! Shoo!

Get out of it! Shoo!

Watch out! Oh, no!

Go away! Go on! Hop it!

Go on! Go!

Get out of it! lt'll go up in a minute!

Go away! Go on, hop it! Go on!

Oh, God!

- Go away!

- I thought you got rid of it!

No! Run! Run!

- What did you do with the bomb?

- Threw it on that waste ground.

- It'll go up in a minute.

- (Ticking)

What's that?

Sounds near, doesn't it?

- Well?

- It didn't work.

What do you mean, it didn't work?

- The bomb worked, but he escaped.

- You...you moron!

You...you fool!

Oh, darling, would you come here

a minute, please?

Yes, right away.

Believe me, Chief, it wasn't easy.

It was an important job

and you bungled it, you useless idiot.

- Well?

- Darling, I have a job for you.

OK.

(Norman laughing)

I'll tell you what. I'll get packed

and then we'll have some dinner.

- In our little caf?

- Yes, in our own little caf.

How lovely, Norman.

That'll be wonderful.

Yes. Then we'll catch a plane

for London together.

- Good.

- So you get packed.

But I have packed.

- Have you stuck your labels on?

- Oh, no!

Stick your labels on,

then I'll meet you at 9:00 as we arranged.

All right. Goodbye.

Bye.

(Mouthing)

Won't you sit down?

I want to apologise to you, little man.

- Yeah?

- I want us to be friends.

Real friends.

That suits me!

Oh, I'm so glad!

Shall I go and get you

a bottle of ginger beer?

I have a better idea, my friend.

You shall have dinner with me.

Oh, I couldn't do that.

Alone.

Oh, yeah!

Oh, I've...I've got a date.

I've got to go back to...London.

- There is plenty of time for all that!

- Yeah?

Tell me...

have you ever seen the view

of the lake from the mountainside?

- No.

- Oh, you must.

I will show you everything this evening.

(Gurgles)

My car will call for you, then, at 8:30.

Goodbye.

(Doorbell)

- It's me.

- Well, come in!

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