North West Frontier Page #3

(Speaking Urdu)

- Morning, Mr Peters.

- Morning.

Here. Sorry, it's a Lee Enfield.

The rival firm. Ten rounds.

I've never used one of these

before in my life.

They're for killing people with.

Why do fighting men pretend

to despise those that sell their tools?

- A soldier's job is not to kill.

- No?

We prevent your customers

from tearing each other to pieces.

- You really believe that?

- I wouldn't say it if I didn't.

What I dislike is that you sell

without discrimination.

To the other side?

You think we should be like God?

Only on the side of the British?

The Germans, the Japanese

and the Hottentots

all think God's on their side.

And so do these rebels.

They're children.

Would you give this to a child?

They are not children.

They are grown men.

Uneducated men yes, but fighting

for the freedom of their country.

- You see?

- You may feel differently

when you get one of your own bullets.

If you think I'm ashamed, you're wrong.

Men make wars, not guns.

Before there were guns, men used

swords, spears, stones, anything...

- Oh, go away. I'm sleepy.

- Here.

Or can't you shoot either?

Oh, yes. I can shoot.

Newspapermen have to be able

to protect themselves.

Especially if their reports differ

from the truth as much as yours.

- You read my reports? I'm honoured.

- Of course.

But truth is like God -

not always on the side of the British.

It pleases you to mock us. We're used

to that. Half the world mocks us.

And half the world is civilised

because we have made it so.

Good for you, ma'am.

Excellent! Excellent!

Already we split into factions.

Our little train

trundling across this desert

is like our little world

trundling through space.

Mr Peters will sell us guns

and we can fight each other.

Delighted.

Men are absurd. You stand around

arguing and who does all the work?

We do, as usual.

Wait a minute.

This journey's dangerous enough.

Arizona isn't England.

From the time I was 13 my father

never let me out without one.

Could I have one? I doubt I could hit

anybody but I could frighten them.

- Here, Mr Bridie.

- I've never shot anyone in my life.

With luck, you won't have to.

I once won a cigarette case

with one of these on Brighton pier.

You did better than me.

All I ever won was a bag of sweets! Here.

I should think Gupta and the Sergeant

are ready for this. Would you mind?

With pleasure.

(Speaking Urdu)

Thanks, sahib. Much thanks.

This is very nice engine, sahib.

Your friend did not admit, eh?

Here. You may need this.

Gun for Gupta? Oh, no, sahib.

Gupta only engine driver.

Very good engine driver.

30 years in the railway service.

It may be this or no more years

in the railway service.

No, sahib. Gupta Indian.

Indian to kill Indian, not very good.

Maybe sahib think Gupta foolish?

No. I don't think you're foolish.

If other man has other religion,

why should Gupta mind?

Gupta don't mind.

Sahib! Sahib!

Pull up, Gupta!

Sahib, on the other line.

Shutters up? Good. Don't leave the train.

- No trouble, I hope.

- Nothing for you to worry about.

Kumar? (Speaks Urdu)

Gupta, if you hear firing,

get back quickly. Don't wait for us.

Yes, sahib. Gupta will do that

but sahib also to look after himself.

(High-pitched squawking)

I'm glad to see it makes you sick.

I told you to stay in that train!

I'm a newspaper reporter.

It is my duty to look.

- To look and to report.

- All right, Van Leyden. Have a look.

Have a good look!

And see what happens when

the British aren't around to keep order.

Keep order? You?

You divide.

You set Moslem against Hindu.

You divide in order to rule,

that's what you do.

The Moslems were fighting the Hindus

for hundreds of years before we came.

And well you know it.

Get back on that train!

All right. I'm going. I've seen enough.

You call this keeping order?

Kumar! (Speaks Urdu)

Hey, Kumar. (Speaks Urdu)

- Kishan, do stop playing with that.

- Have something to eat.

It's dangerous to stay here so long.

What does Scott think he's doing?

He's supposed to be protecting us.

- What is it?

- What's happened?

- Come along. We can't all look.

- Don't.

Please, Mr Van Leyden,

tell us what's going on.

- It's the refugee train.

- It ought to be miles away.

- Is something wrong?

- Can we help?

- Is there anything we can do?

- No. There is nothing you can do.

Any of you! Except go home!

And keep order at home and stay there!

For good.

I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do.

They're all dead.

But there were hundreds of people

on that train.

- How do you know they're all dead?

- We're moving on.

Somebody may be alive.

We cannot go without being sure.

Please believe me. I've seen this before.

When those devils do a job,

they do it properly.

Gupta! Move on!

Hold it! Mrs Wyatt, please

get back on the train! Mrs Wyatt!

You can't court-martial her.

She's not one of your soldiers.

And neither are we.

If the sahib permits, Gupta to try

bringing back the memsahib?

No, Gupta. Let the memsahib

find out for herself.

Come on. We'll move up.

(Baby gurgles)

Let's get on the train.

It was a chance in a million.

He was completely hidden.

The mother had covered him. Nobody...

Please don't make excuses.

I was wrong and that's that.

Where's Kishan?

(Music box tinkles)

I thought it better

that he, er, shouldn't see the um...

We must find somewhere

to put the little blighter.

I have just the thing. Come and look.

That was a very courageous thing

to do, my dear.

The fellows always used

to pull my leg about this case.

"There goes Bridie with the baby."

Looks as if they were right.

What do you think? A perfect cot.

Put in some of these to make it soft.

How's that?

Excellent.

One life saved...and thousands lost.

Shall we give him a pillow for luck?

Laska. The driver of that engine

was a friend of mine, sahib.

30 years on the railway train service.

He had four small children, sahib.

You know, sahib.

Sometimes I want to get hold

of my people - all my people -

and beat their heads together

to put little sense into them.

Come on, Gupta. She's hardly moving.

She can do better than this.

- She's totally doing her best.

- Her total best isn't good enough.

There is no more of the steam.

Then you must find some.

Gupta! You can't stop wherever you like!

You're under army orders.

She cannot do it! She will not do it!

- You promised she'd get to Kalapur.

- Yes! But not with this!

Is that all? Don't you ever frighten

me like that again.

We'll soon get that off.

(Speaks Urdu)

We're stopping

to do some minor repairs.

We seem to stop every few miles.

I don't know when Scott

proposes to get us there.

He'll get you there all right, Mr Peters,

that's all you need worry about.

Mr Van Leyden, would you mind passing

me my case? It's just above your head.

Yes. That's it.

Thank you.

Ah. Thank you. I think the boys on

the engine could do with a drop too.

I'll bring it...

I'm sorry.

About the baby? You needn't be.

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