Suez Page #5

---

I see.

Your canal.

Look here, Ren.

You don't believe that I...

Lackey, I'm ready.

Ren!

Ren.

Ren.

Ren.

Your father will be proud of you

for this.

Where's my father?

In his room, monsieur.

Sir Malcolm.

A stroke, monsieur.

Sir Malcolm.

Sir Malcolm...

you were my father's best friend.

You must believe me.

Because I was his friend, I will spare you

my opinion of yourself.

A high price to pay...

for a ditch.

Toni. Where are you going?

Shhh.

But, no, no, mademoiselle.

Mr de Lesseps cannot be disturbed

at this hour of the night.

Especially after what has happened.

Perhaps tomorrow.

But mademoiselle, mademoiselle...

Oh, dear,

I'm so sorry.

At least he died thinking it was

a dream.

You mustn't.

Sit down.

It's late.

Try to sleep.

Sleep.

I will tell monsieur that you are here,

mademoiselle.

Yes, thank you.

Monsieur.

He won't see you.

But he must. It's terribly important.

No. I won't let you.

But why?

Who are you?

His friend.

The only one he has left.

How could you do this to him?

First you break his heart,

then you make everybody hate him.

What kind of a woman are you?

Get out. Go away and keep away

from him

Toni.

Ferdinand, don't listen to her.

No, no.

I didn't know.

I swear I didn't.

Louis promised me

and then he broke his promise.

You do believe me, don't you?

Yes, I believe you,

if it makes any difference.

It does, of course it does.

You see...

I...

I have a message for you.

He wants to make amends.

Amends?

Can he bring my father back to life?

Will he tell Paris the truth

and clear our name?

He can't. You see, it might...

It might show the savior of France

in a rather bad light.

Now, will you go?

Please.

Ferdinand, there's one thing

we can do.

There's nothing anyone can do.

Have you forgotten your dream?

The canal?

What about it?

Louis has promised me to withdraw

his objections.

He'll do anything you want.

And suppose I accept.

Then everyone in Paris will be convinced

that what they're already

whispering is true.

That I sold my party, my friends...

and my father's life for a ditch.

Tomorrow they'll hear the truth if I have

to spend the rest of my life in prison.

What do you care what they think

or what they say

as long as you know you did

nothing dishonorable.

I never want to hear of that ditch again

as long as I live.

You're very fond of him, aren't you?

Well, so am I.

And perhaps I know him

a little bit better than you.

He's a dreamer, a creator.

He was put on earth to do

great things.

This mustn't stop.

He owes it to the world and to himself

to go through with his plans.

Oh, my dear...

He believes in you.

Don't let him give up.

You must make him realize that he's got

to go on whatever the cost.

He never will. He's beaten.

No, no, you're wrong.

There's something in him

that'll never let him stop.

It's a fire a greatness that isn't

in you or me.

Oh, keep that lighted.

You can do it.

You've got to do it.

Look. The riot is all over.

Isn't it a beautiful morning?

What can you do?

If you try to make people believe you

it means prison.

To be in prison

these days is a guarantee of honor.

Don't you understand?

I can't go on forever having people

think I'm a traitor, a Judas.

I know you're not.

And you didn't have to tell me.

You're a stubborn little imp,

aren't you?

It's because I believe in you.

This has just arrived

by special messenger, sir.

It looks most important.

I'll read it for you.

I can read very well now.

Te-le... Telegram.

Telegram.

Oh, yes, telegram.

From His Highness...

Said Pacha.

It's your friend.

Go on.

Vice... viceroy.

Muhammad Ali is dead.

Said is Viceroy of Egypt.

Really?

He wants to know when I'm coming

to start work on the canal.

You can begin at once.

There is nothing to stop you now.

No.

There's nothing to stop me now.

But I can't do it.

So you can do it.

I thought you were going to do

this

wonderful thing for the world

as you said.

And the old Viceroy trusted you.

And Said trusted you.

But you don't care anything

about them any more.

Only about your honor and

what people say.

I know you are honorable.

But I want you to be more than that.

I want you to be great.

And when the day comes

I want to stand beside you

and see the ships go through the canal

and know you built it

for all the people in the world.

Our line runs a little East of Sour till we reach

the Ballah Lakes.

Soft sand most of the way.

Send word to Port Said

that we

start digging tomorrow morning.

Mr de Lesseps, we just had news

that the Viceroy

is shipping 20.000 labourers

from Alexandria.

Splendid. My compliments to

Captain le Duc.

And see that housing is prepared

for the men immediately.

Yes, sir.

Mr de Lesseps...

I've just heard that our last consignment

of blasting powder

from Port Said was captured

by Arab raiders.

Arabs.

Have we enough to carry on?

For a little while, sir.

Order another ship from Marseilles.

Yes, sir.

We'll deal with the Arabs when

the Viceroy arrives.

This Arab is no Arab.

He is a Turkish soldier.

Turkish?

But the Sultan promised us

he wouldn't intefere.

No, not openly.

But there are ways of interfering.

When there is trouble,

you can count on me, my friend.

It is good to see my people happy.

You have done much for them.

Much more than giving them work,

you have given them hope.

They know your canal will bring

new life to Egypt.

They have their ruler to thank

for that too.

Letter from Paris, sir.

It's from Toni.

You remember her, Your Highness.

Ah, yes, the little one.

She's been studying her lessons.

Look how her handwriting's improved.

Don't go, Sargeant.

You'll want to hear what's

in here too.

Yes, sir.

I miss you very much.

I hope you miss me too.

The Emperor and Eugenie were...

married last week.

All we girls from the the school

went and stood outside the church.

She loked very beautiful and

the crowd cheered.

I cheered too.

I was so glad she was married.

Give my love to your...

She sends Your Highness her love.

Oh, thank you.

Tell grandfather that I am sending

him a bottle of his...

hair tonic, Sargeant.

They've pardoned all the political prisoners

to celebrate their wedding.

including your friend Latour.

So I celebrated too.

I ran away from school and...

now I'm his secretary.

That little rascal.

He writes things against the Emperor and

we have them printed secretly.

I will send for her at once, sir.

No.

There's no place for her here...

She's in good hands with Ren.

First thing he knows

she'll be writing his pamphlets for him.

She's very fierce, the little one, eh?

Yes. Takes after her grandmother.

The Emperor abandons the Suez Canal!

The Emperor abandons the Suez Canal!

The Emperor abandons the Suez Canal!

Who is it?

Toni.

I thought it might be the police again.

Do you know what this means?

Yes...

I was afraid this would happen.

But what does it mean?

It means Louis Napoleon expects trouble

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes