The Bitter Tea of General Yen Page #2

Have you never been

curious about singsong girls?

General, will you please

give me that pass?

Look here, doctor.

I'm not supposed

to be in Shanghai.

If my name is seen on a pass,

it will do me great harm

with the foreign authorities.

If you don't give me that pass, general,

I'll tell the foreign authorities you're here.

Here's to your

very good health, doctor.

General, I think the boys

are about ready

to talk turkey

on those provinces now.

Why bother me with affairs of state

when I have orphans to consider?

Oh, hello, doc. How's

the missionary racket?

Say, I heard you were thinking

of getting married tonight.

Yes. I postponed it

to come here.

What?

You mean to say that you left the

prospect of a beautiful woman's loving arms

for some nameless brats?

I certainly hope she never

finds that out.

Please, please,

write that pass, general.

Able to read Chinese yet, doctor?

Not yet, general.

They escaped the fire anyway.

But the place looks deserted.

Maybe they've gone.

Miss Reed wouldn't go.

Soldiers.

What do they want?

Well, they're laughing,

so it must be all right.

Stand back from the door, dear.

They're liable to shoot.

Where are the children?

In the next room.

There are only six left. The

rest were taken away by friends.

Good. We can take

them all in one trip.

All right, Dr. Strike.

Bob, I don't trust that pass.

Do you think we ought to risk

taking the children out now?

They've taken our car.

Well, never mind. We'll have

to take a chance on foot.

No, doctor. I'm responsible

for these children.

They were placed in my care.

I can't risk their lives on foot.

But the fire's only a block away. We

can get rickshaws at the North Station.

Oh, please. We ought

to do what Bob says.

Megan. Megan.

Megan, I think you better take

this pass in case we get separated.

Come on, now.

Keep close together.

Straight ahead, Megan.

Megan, get back here.

Get back here.

Come on,

let's get out of here.

Come on, baby.

Go straight ahead.

Megan, there's the

North Station over there.

I cannot give you help, doctor.

Bob?

Bob!

Feeling better now?

Do you feel better?

I believe I do.

Then drink some tea.

I don't think I can.

Please try.

You mustn't be frightened.

No one will hurt you here.

Please. Try drink some tea.

The general thinks

it will do you good.

The general?

I'm terribly sorry for you.

But you are all right now. I'm charging

myself personally to take care of you.

Haven't I seen you

someplace before?

You were kind enough

to offer me a handkerchief.

Oh, yes.

How did I get here?

My car arrived just as you were

being roughly handled by the crowd.

And you rescued me?

If you wish to put it that way.

Are we on a train?

My troop train.

Oh.

I believe I'm well enough

to get off at the next station.

I'm sorry. Only military

trains are running.

There is a civil war,

you know.

Will I be able to let

my friends know I'm safe?

Everything will be arranged.

Please try to sleep now.

I will have you called

when we arrive.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Yeah, uniforms, I know.

All you guys think of is uniforms.

Hello, Jones.

Hi, Yen.

You raise that money?

Did I raise that money?

See, I got a whole boxcar full of it.

I had to hock half your province

to get it, but I got it.

Have you heard from General Feng?

Not yet.

He's still got another day

to make up his mind.

You may have to convince him

with lead instead of silver.

Oh, keep your shirt on. I had to sell

half your ammunition to get that dough.

I'll tell you when to go. I haven't

steered you wrong yet, have I?

How long will it take me

to put my boat in commission?

Boat? You ain't going anywhere

until you get rid of this Feng deal.

What's the matter? Aren't you

interested in this war anymore?

Say, where are those invoices? Say,

snap out of it, some of you guys.

Haven't got something new

on the string, have you?

I want to send a missionary

back to Shanghai.

Well, send him

back in a freight car.

My propaganda budget's

about exhausted.

I'm going to send this

lady back in my yacht.

Aha. I had a hunch

it was a female.

Who is she?

Bride of a lamb.

"Bride of a lamb"?

Young lady who was

going to marry Dr. Strike.

I found our famous

safe-conduct pass in her pocket.

Say, this isn't anything to laugh at.

We gotta get rid of her pretty quick.

We've had enough trouble

with that guy Strike.

I think you have

underestimated the good doctor.

He seems to have excellent

taste in some things.

Yeah, never mind that. I'm not gonna

wait to put any boat in commission.

She goes back to Shanghai tonight if I

have to send her back in a freight car!

Jones, Jones, Jones. I'm afraid

gallantry is not one of your vices.

Open the door.

Open the door.

MAH-LI Good morning. Are you better?

Where are we?

What is this terrible place?

This is General Yen's

summer palace.

General Yen? The bandit?

Good morning.

I hope you slept well.

Oh, I'm sorry.

It was terribly stupid of me

to disturb your morning like this.

But there is a famine

in my province,

and I have no rice

to feed my prisoners.

I assure you it won't

happen in the future.

They are taking the rest of them

down the road, out of earshot.

A cigarette? I have both

Turkish and Virginia tobacco.

I've never heard anything

so cold-blooded in all my life.

But isn't it better

to shoot them quickly

than let them starve

to death slowly?

Don't go, please.

Please sit down

and have your breakfast.

Why did you drug me on the

train? I don't remember a thing.

You were in great pain,

and sleep makes

a long journey very short.

You didn't have to bring me here.

Why don't you send me

back to Shanghai?

I intend to, but it isn't safe

to send you back by rail.

Please sit down.

I don't believe you.

You're lying.

I'm sorry, but you are

making a mistake.

Dr. Strike told me all about you.

You yellow swine,

if you think that...

I advise you to send me back to

Shanghai just as soon as you can.

You will always find me

your most humble servant.

Did you see this?

What are you laughing at?

Ten to one she goes back

to Shanghai in a freight car.

You lose.

She's not going back at all.

Are you nuts?

Do you want that guy Strike

to turn your province upside down?

Haven't you seen

the Shanghai newspapers?

They think she's dead.

I think I'll shave.

Say, wait a minute, wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Listen.

I've never interfered

in your private affairs before.

But don't forget,

this is a white woman.

That's all right. I have no

prejudice against her colour.

Well, it's no skin off my nose.

Come in.

Good evening, Miss Davis.

General Yen...

Sends his compliments and humbly

requests the honourable presence

of Miss Megan Davis

for dinner for the third time.

And for the third and last time,

Miss Megan Davis says no.

Mah-Li.

Were you able to send

that note to Dr. Strike?

Yes.

Do you think you could send another?

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