The English Patient Page #6

45EXT. THE MONASTERY. HANA'S GARDEN. DAY.

Hana has been reviving a vegetable patch. She comes to garden. CROWS

are feasting. She's furious, shouts, runs at them. Nature, wildness,

insisting on invading her peace.

46*.EXT. THE MONASTERY. GRAVEYARD. MORNING.

Hana appears from the Cemetery, dragging A METAL CRUCIFIX. It's bigger

than she is, and she drags it, as if approaching Calvary. A MAN

WATCHER HER FROM A BICYCLE. He's approaching fifty, grizzled and

attractive, and could be Italian. His hands are bandaged. Hana aims

the cross at the soil, but is not quite bit or strong enough. The man,

CARAVAGGIO, chooses this moment to introduce himself. He drops the

bicycle on the ground with a clatter.

CARAVAGGIO:

(very cheerful)

Buon' Giorno!

Hana turns, startled and suspicious.

CARAVAGGIO:

Are you Hana?

HANA:

What do you want?

CARAVAGGIO:

I met your friend Mary. She said I

should stop and see if you were okay.

Apparently we're neighbors - my house

is two blocks from yours in Montreal.

Cabot, north of Laurier. Bonjour.

HANA:

(unraveling this information)

Bonjour.

He goes to her and - putting a bandaged hand behind her ear - PRODUCES

AN EGG. He beams, as does Hana.

CARAVAGGIO:

I'd like to take credit, but it's from

Mary. My name's David Caravaggio,

but nobody ever called me David.

Caravaggio they find to absurd to

miss out on.

During this he attempts the same thing with his other hand to Hana's

other ear. THE EGG DROPS TO THE GROUND. Cursing, he gets on his knees

and starts to scoop it up, preserving it.

47*.INT. THE MONASTERY. KITCHEN. DAY.

Hana has taken his eggs and put them into a bowl. She beats them with

a knife picking out the bits of shell. Caravaggio watches, takes in

how little food there is otherwise. The table seems useful more as a

sewing area than for cooking - it's STREWN WITH ALTAR CLOTHS being sewn

into drapes. On a tray on the table are TWO PHIALS OF MORPHINE from

the Patient's room. As Hana turns to the stove, he's moved and covered

them with his bandaged hands, a second later and he's juggled them into

his pockets with the slightest clink. Hana looks at him. He shrugs,

nods at the eggs.

CARAVAGGIO:

They're fresh. I haven't eaten an egg

in...have you noticed there are chickens?

You get chickens in Italy but no eggs.

In Africa there were always eggs, but

never chickens. Who separates them?

HANA:

You were in Africa?

CARAVAGGIO:

Yeah, for a while.

HANA:

So was my Patient.

CARAVAGGIO:

I'd like to stay. That's the long and

short of it. I mean, you know blah-blah

if it's convenient, if there's room

blah-blah-blah. I have to do some

work here -I speak the language.

There are Partisans to be -

(trying to paraphrase)

#NAME?

relieve them of their weapons, you

know - while we hug. I was a thief, so

they think I'd be good at that.

HANA:

So you can shoot a pistol?

CARAVAGGIO:

(showing his hands)

No.

HANA:

If you said yes I would have had a

reason. You should let me redress

those bandages. Before you go.

CARAVAGGIO:

I'm okay. Look, it's a big house. We

needn't disturb each other. I can shoot

a pistol! I'll sleep in the stables. I

don't care where I sleep. I don't sleep.

HANA:

Because we're fine here. I don't know

what Mary told you about me, but I

don't need company, I don't need

to be looked at.

CARAVAGGIO:

Fine. I'm not looking.

48INT. THE PATIENT'S ROOM. DAY.

Hana carries in a tray. There's OMELETTE on the plate.

HANA:

There's a man downstairs. He

brought us eggs.

(shows him the omelette)

He might stay.

THE PATIENT:

Why? Can he lay eggs?

HANA:

He's Canadian.

THE PATIENT:

(brittle)

Why are people always so happy when

they collide with someone from the same

place? What happened in Montreal when

you passed a man in the street - did you

invite him to live with you?

HANA:

He needn't disturb you.

THE PATIENT:

Me? He can't. I'm already disturbed.

HANA:

He won't disturb us then. I think

he's after morphine.

(she's cut the omelette

into tiny pieces)

There's a war. Where you come from

becomes important. And besides -

we're vulnerable here. I keep hearing

noises in the night. Voices.

The Patient says nothing. She puts a spoonful of the omelette into his

mouth. He grunts.

49INT. THE MONASTERY. STAIRS. DAY.

Caravaggio is in the shadows on the stairs. HE LISTENS.

50EXT. CAIRO MARKET. 1938. DAY.

A STREET MARKET in full sway, a locals-only affair, blazing with noise

and bustle and barter. Emerging from a thicket of women and begging

children, KATHARINE CLIFTON carries her purchase of an exotic-looking

RUG. From nowhere she is joined by Alm�sy.

ALM�SY

How much did you pay?

KATHARINE:

(delighted)

Hello! Good morning.

ALM�SY

They don't see foreign women in this

market. How much did you pay?

KATHARINE:

Seven pounds, eight, I suppose. Why?

ALM�SY

Which stall?

KATHARINE:

Excuse me?

ALM�SY

You've been cheated, don't worry,

we'll take it back.

KATHARINE:

(bristling)

I don't want to go back.

ALM�SY

This is not worth eight pounds,

Mrs. Clifton.

KATHARINE:

I don't care to bargain.

ALM�SY

That insults them.

KATHARINE:

(turning to face him)

I don't believe that. I think you are

insulted by me, somehow. You're a

foreigner too, aren't you, here,

in this market?

ALM�SY

(of the carpet)

I should be very happy to obtain

the correct price for this. I apologize

if I appear abrupt. I am rusty at

social graces.

(tart)

How do you find Cairo? Did you

visit the Pyramids?

KATHARINE:

Excuse me.

He stands as she continues, pushing past him, shrugging off the

children, boiling.

51INT. SHEPHEARD'S HOTEL. CAIRO. EVENING.

THE LONG BAR. The Exploration Team are drinking at a table. They are

not entirely off-duty - Alm�sy and Madox as ever ponder the maps.

Geoffrey Clifton appears, arms waving.

CLIFTON:

Gentlemen, good evening!

He sits down. Madox hails the waiter.

D'AGOSTINO

How is your charming wife?

CLIFTON:

Uh, marvelous. She's in love with

the hotel plumbing. She's either in

the swimming pool - she swims for

hours, she's a fish, quite incredible -

or she's in the bath. Actually,

she's just outside.

(responding to their

bewildered expressions)

Chaps Only in the Long Bar.

MADOX:

(standing, embarrassed)

Of course. Well, we should all go

out onto the terrace.

CLIFTON:

Oh no, really. She has her book.

MADOX:

I won't hear of it. None of us will.

52EXT. SHEPHEARD'S HOTEL TERRACE. NIGHT.

Katharine appears with Geoffrey to join the arriving Explorers. She

looks exquisite in her evening clothes. Madox brings her to her seat.

There is dancing inside, and couples walk to and from their tables.

Katharine manages to produce a dazzling smile which includes everyone

except Alm�sy.

MADOX:

Mrs. Clifton, you'll have to forgive

us. We're not accustomed to the

company of women.

KATHARINE:

Not at all. I was thoroughly

enjoying by book.

(indicating they should all sit

and then nodding at Alm�sy

before greeting the others)

Please. Signor D'Agostino, Herr Bermann.

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