Red Dust Page #4

He's really through it?

There's no more chance...

- He'll be outside working in a week.

I don't know what to say.

You'd better think

about getting some sleep.

I know I am.

I mean, when I think of what I

did the first day we came...

slapping you.

And here, ever since...

it's been almost three days,

you stayed with him

practically every minute,

pulling Gary through

this terrible...

Don't you see how ashamed I am?

Oh that. I...

Out here we all slap each

other sooner or later.

You're just getting it out of

your system a little early, that's all.

Well, apologies or even

thanks would be silly now.

I just want you to know that

I owe you a great deal.

I'll take your IOU.

Remember now.

Don't hesitate to call me

if you need me.

I won't, thanks.

- Good night.

- Good night.

What are you doing here?

- I was just roaming around.

- Yeah?

Go to bed. Nobody asked

you to lose any sleep.

- How is he, Denny?

- He's through it.

Oh, gee, that's swell.

He's such a nice kid.

Say, what's this? Some new

kind of an alarm clock?

It doesn't seem to ring

or tick at all. - Hey!

It was a barometer!

I wouldn't swear to it now.

Say listen,

if you're just roaming around,

keep it up, will you?

I'm dead on my feet.

I'm sorry, Dennie, can't I...

Here. Let me get those.

There.

Denny, have you got a headache?

Maybe. I don't know.

Would you like me

to rub your forehead?

No.

Could I get you a drink

or something?

No thanks.

Beat it to bed, will you?

Let's forget about the drink.

I'll just rub your forehead

with sandpaper!

No, we'll just let Willis go out

and look around today.

I thought I'd show him

that roadside and then

where we're going to lay

out the new stand on...

I don't care what you show him! Let him

get his bearings andl know where he's at.

We'll find out soon enough

if he knows his business.

Well, don't bite my arm off.

What's the matter with you?

Hey, aren't you going out with us?

No, I'm not.

You were mean not to awaken me.

I wanted to see you off

on your first day.

You need all the sleep

you can get for a while.

You lost plenty over me.

All the trouble I've been to

everybody around here.

Dennis is a prince, isn't he?

He was rather wonderful.

Believe me, I'm going to

try to make it up to him.

Wish me luck, darling.

You don't need it, you're good.

I've got to hurry, they're waiting.

Bye, honey. Now don't worry...

- Here.

I don't know what

time we'll be back.

What the...

Hey! Hey!

How many times have I told you

to let down those curtains?

Why? They've all gone

off to work.

You heard me. Let them down!

What's the matter?

Afraid I'll shock the Duchess?

Don't you suppose she's ever

seen a French postcard?

You'll let those curtains down or

this is the last bath you'll ever have.

Get out of there!

Hey, what's the idea?

- What?

- Getting in that barrel?

Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm

going over Niagara Falls.

You're supposed to

rinse off with that gourd.

Hey, listen. You know

we drink that water?

Yeah, well you won't this. Unless

you're stubborn and insist on it.

Come on, get out!

Oh, don't, Denny.

I'm in it now, stop!

No, don't, Denny!

Gee! Can't a girl take a bath

in privacy without...

Oh, good morning!

You're just in time to see

the trained seal.

Hey, Denny, scrub my back.

Get back in that barrel.

Don't, Denny! You just said

you didn't want me in it.

One more occurence like this and you'll

live in that shack across the river.

I will not! And if

you think I give a...

Pardon the disturbance. One of

the guests was misusing the plumbing.

I thought you'd gone with Gary.

No, I'm...tied up here this morning.

What are your plans?

I thought I'd take a walk

before it gets too hot.

By the way,

you haven't had much of a chance

to see what goes on here.

Would you like to see

how we make the stuff?

Why...

Why, yes. I'd love to.

Okay.

Should I put on some boots?

No, you're all right.

Thank you.

- Good morning, Bob.

- Good morning, sir.

Here's where we find out

what a bad day we've had.

- Why, it's milk!

- Oh no, just rubber.

But you could drink it if

you care to stretch a point.

I once knew a man

who made a joke like that.

He was run over by a truck.

- Were you driving it?

- Yes!

- You're out of luck here.

We only have ox carts, and

every ox knows me personally.

Here's where the milk

turns to cheese.

You know, it usually takes

three hours or more,

but for your entertainment,

I'll perform a miracle.

You see, nothing up the sleeves...

no trap doors, no mirrors...

All visible to the naked eye.

Just pour in acetic acid.

The more acid, the quicker the

liquid rubber resents the insult,

and stiffens up into

an indignant mass.

There. Crude rubber.

Well, I can't believe it.

But how does it...

Master cook refuses to

roll it thin enough.

You're a strange lot of

civilized barbarians...

working and living

your whole lives out here.

Somebody's got to do it.

But don't you ever miss the people

and the comforts of the outside world?

Don't you ever get tired of this?

We go on fighting it and grumbling

about the life but we're born to it.

Perhaps it's hard for

a woman to understand.

A little.

I just realised that I've seen but

one woman since I've been here.

For instance, where are the

wives of all these natives?

Back country, in the villages.

They've got to sign on

without them.

You mean you don't allow

wives on your plantation?

Women don't belong here,

white or native.

If they're white,

they can't stand the gaffe.

If they're native,

one of them is bound to drift

from the coolies' quarters,

and end up waiting

on you at breakfast.

And that's curtains for

a man in this country.

Here's something

that might interest you.

This is...

what pencil erasers look like

before they're born.

There you are.

See all the little pencil erasers

trying to erase each other?

Yes.

What about that girl...

back at the house.

Vantine, isn't it?

Yes, what about her?

I mean...

Is she a part of the life here?

Very definitely.

If a man wants to be interested.

- Big rain's coming.

- Yeah!

Perhaps we'd better

get back to the house.

- Is there going to be a storm? - Usually

it only threatens this time of the year.

It's a little early for the monsoon.

Look out for the traffic!

I'd have walked right into it.

I was wool gathering.

No profit in wool these days!

What about?

Well, you said...

that a white woman out here couldn't

stand "the gaffe", as you called it.

Perhaps I was thinking

of my mother.

Her grave is on the hill at

the far edge of the compound.

You know, I faintly remember asking

my father if he was digging a well.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I didn't know.

However, I'm not forcasting

any such dark future for you.

But don't you really think

I could fit in out here?

Don't you think that

I could be happy?

Would you mind if I made it

my job to see that you are?

Well, I want everyone

to like me out here.

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