The Ottoman Lieutenant Page #3

I was attached to no one.

But you have a fam ily.

My brother Frank was the only one

who really understood me.

- You told me he passed away.

- Tuberculosis. (SIGHS)

I'm sorry, Lillie.

He was training to be a doctor.

So when he died,

I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

Frank would have loved this.

And you?

(MAN SHOUTS IN TURKISH)

- (GRUNTS)

- (WOMEN SCREAM)

(GUNSHOTS)

- Come on!

- What is it? I don't understand.

It's begun.

They're killing each other now.

LILLIE:
Full-scale war

was raging in Europe.

It became known as the First World War.

"The war to end all wars."

We read news about

the horrors and atrocities.

Trench warfare. No man's land.

Poison gas.

Dogfights in the air.

And often the battles took place

weeks or even months

before the news reached us.

Though it all seemed so very far away,

we knew we wouldn't escape

its bloody reach for long.

At ease, Lieutenant.

I believe you are acquainted

with Miss Rowe.

- Lieutenant Veli.

- Miss Rowe.

Miss Rowe will be returning a patient

to a village nearby in two days' time.

And I'm assigning you

as her official escort.

It'd be a great honour

to accompany you.

I'm pleased to hear it.

That'll be all, Lieutenant.

I'll make the proper arrangements.

(HORSES' HOOVES)

WOMAN:
Aghavni!

- Yaya!

- (SOBS)

What happened here?

Men came. Many men.

With guns and swords.

- Were they dressed like him?

- No. They were not soldiers.

- Have you any wounded?

- Yes.

JUDE:
Your friend, Lieutenant Veli,

isn't here to protect you.

He's here to gather information

on the outlying villages.

We can't leave Aghavni here.

We don't have a choice, Lillie.

The children are all they have now.

(DOGS BARK IN THE DISTANCE)

(DOGS BARK)

- (ISMAIL SPEAKS TURKISH)

- (MAN REPLIES)

Is everything all right?

It's all right,

but we need to leave soon.

Of course. You need to report back

to your superiors.

You have your mission, Doctor,

and I have mine.

JUDE:
My mission is saving lives.

And what? Mine is taking them?

Just because I wear a uniform

and carry a gun, that makes me a killer?

Yes.

This wasn't done by my army.

These people are under your protection.

If you allow things like this to happen,

then you are supporting their cause.

ISMAIL:
What cause?

Driving all of the Christians

out of Anatolia!

- I would never support that.

- You already are.

You're a soldier

and soldiers take orders,

no matter how many

innocent people are killed.

You don't know who I am.

I know it's men like you

that spill the blood

that men like me

are expected to clean up.

LILLIE:
Please, both of you, stop!

We're leaving.

Now that you've seen it up close,

the way these people live and die,

no one would blame you

if you wanted to leave.

- You think I want to leave?

- No.

But now you understand

why the Armenians have to fight.

Is that why you're hiding guns for them?

In the chapel?

You think it's hypocrisy.

I can see you believe

it's the right thing to do.

ISMAIL:
Don't you?

I'm not sure.

Lillie.

(SIGHS) In the short time

you've been here,

I have begun to wonder.

- Maybe this is a kind of...

- (DOOR BANGS)

Ah!

I'm interrupting.

- Have you had your supper?

- No, I don't suppose I have.

Well, here, sit down.

I'll get it for you.

You should eat something, Garrett.

I'll take the evening rounds.

He's in love with you.

Would that be wrong?

I'd hate to see him disappointed.

I told you the first time I saw you.

This is no place for a woman.

I'm not afraid, Dr Woodruff.

No.

You're not afraid.

Neither was she.

I don't know your approach...

(CLEARS THROAT)

..to medicine, Miss Rowe.

Possibly you overflow with the nobility

of relieving human suffering.

You know my approach?

It's a game.

A bloody game.

In which we pit

our puny brains and skills

against the forces of destruction

and disease and lose.

We are drowning in death.

I don't expect you to understand.

But you will.

- (MAN YELLS)

- (WOMAN SHOUTS IN TURKISH)

(SPEAKS TURKISH)

JUDE:
The shard of glass is close.

He'll lose the eye if we're not precise.

(INHALES)

Dr Gresham.

Garrett, let me finish this.

Perhaps, yes.

It's, erm... good training for you.

JUDE:
Hold his head.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

LILLIE:
Dr Woodruff?

(LABOURED BREATHING)

WOODRUFF:
Don't touch that.

Typhus.

I couldn't save them.

- I understand.

- You... (LAUGHS HUMOURLESSLY)

You... You don't understand.

You want to believe in a God

that's good and just.

He's not just. He's cruel.

He's cruel beyond imagining.

Let's get you to sleep.

All right.

What was your wife's name?

Marie.

And you started this hospital

with her?

I did, yes.

Would she want you

to punish yourself like this?

(BELL CHIMES)

(BOTH LAUGH)

(SIGHS)

- Good.

- Good.

How did you find me?

- Erm... I saw you from the fortress.

- You were watching me?

I was admiring

the beauty of the landscape.

- LILLIE:
Is that an island?

- Yes. It's called Ahtamar.

LILLIE:
From here,

it looks like a mirage.

ISMAIL:
There's an old church there.

It's beautiful.

As a Christian, you'd be welcome.

With an official escort, of course.

Of course. Let's go.

For a few coins,

he m ight let us borrow his boat.

Being on the water always makes

the rest of the world go away.

It's like being inside God's thoughts.

LILLIE:
It's beautiful here.

ISMAIL:
Thank you. It's my land.

(BOTH LAUGH)

Are you glad you came?

- To the island?

- No. To this.

- You're very brave.

- I was running away.

Why?

I couldn't be what other people

wanted me to be.

LILLIE:
What about you?

Have you always wanted to be a soldier?

ISMAIL:
Well, I had no choice.

It's the family business.

You go too.

Nice.

Wouldn't you like to break free?

Freedom is an illusion.

We... we all take the role we're given.

I don't believe that.

Do you?

Less and less, every time I see you.

ISMAIL:
So much for a homeward breeze.

I don't mind floating for a while.

I've wanted to touch you

almost from the moment we met.

But I'm a Muslim and you're a Christian.

We share so little.

Were Adam and Eve Muslim?

- Or were they Christian?

- They were neither.

But they shared the same God.

How do you say "kiss" in Turkish?

Buse.

Buse, then.

(SAIL FLAPS)

Ha! It looks like we have wind.

- We were worried about you.

- I can assure you I was fine.

I'd like a word with Lieutenant Veli,

if I may.

Good afternoon, Miss Rowe.

Lieutenant.

Ah! Thank you.

You understand that the young lady

is under our care and protection.

Except when she leaves the city,

and then she's under mine.

Let's be clear. Your religion frowns

on socialising with Christian women.

Miss Rowe and I are friends. Or is that

something your religion frowns on?

- I don't want her misled.

- Misled?

You know what I'm talking about.

Don't worry, Dr Gresham.

Her honour is intact.

What does that mean?

(BOTH GRUNT)

(YELLS)

(FIRES SHOT)

This is unacceptable.

I won't have it.

I want this dressing changed

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