The Purple Plain Page #2

Hundreds of miles.

l don't know how any of them

ever got through alive.

l hope l didn't waken you.

l'm sorry, l must have

fallen asleep for a moment.

Several moments.

Where's the doctor?

He and Dorothy went down

to the dispensary.

l'm Anna.

How do you do?

My name's Forrester.

l know.

They sent me up here

to see if you were all right.

They said that you'd gone to sleep

even before you had time to have a drink.

Well, that was very rude of me.

lt was very, very rude.

But no one minded at all.

Please sit down.

Thank you.

That's the best lime

l've ever tasted.

When one is thirsty,

it always tastes better.

- Have you been in Burma long?

- About three months.

- Do you like it?

- Well, l don't know really.

Life's pretty much the same

on an airfield, whatever country you're in.

Except that it's hotter here.

When the cooler weather comes,

you may like it better.

Oh, l don't dislike it.

l just don't know it.

No one knows it,

not all of Burma.

Rice and rubies--

that's about all l knew about Burma

before l came here.

There are stones here

if you wish to buy them, Mr. Forrester.

Well, that's very kind of you.

lt's isn't far.

Well...l think the doctor

will be wanting to get back.

Oh, no, he always goes late.

There's plenty of time.

All right.

l'll be glad.

These are rubies, sir.

Yes.

These are white sapphires.

And these are golden amethysts.

They're very nice.

They say that if you will come tomorrow,

they will try to have a bigger selection.

Zircons and emeralds, perhaps.

That's very kind of them.

Tell them that l'll try to make it.

Thank you.

Please, thank you.

Please. Good-bye, sir.

Thank you very much.

Good-bye.

Good-bye. Thank you.

You didn't really want

to buy the stones, did you?

Not really, no.

You're the first officer who's

come here and not bought jewels.

Am l?

All of them come for jewels,

so l assumed that you had, too.

That is why l took you to those people.

You should have said.

lt was very interesting. lt's just that

l have no one in particular to give jewels to.

No one? l'm sorry.

No need to be sorry.

The doctor tells me that your

sister comes from Rangoon. You too?

Yes. l was

at the university there.

- Studying what?

- The humanities.

lt's not very much use to me here.

But l have learned a little about nursing,

so now l help the doctor

with the sick in the village.

- Are there many sick?

- l'm afraid there are.

How do they feel about us being here?

lt's been explained to them

that it is necessary.

lt's been explained to us, too,

that it's necessary.

Down there's the river.

We swim there.

Any crocodiles?

No, no crocodiles.

Very nice here.

Next time l fly over this place,

it'll seem more friendly.

Didn't it seem friendly before?

Never thought about it.

Most of you people

hate it here, don't you?

You long for home.

l don't.

Not ever?

Nope.

Well, l guess the doctor will

be wanting to get back to camp.

Oy-oy, here he is.

Who's gonna tell him

the good news? You?

Yes, l'll tell him.

- Good morning, Sergeant.

- Good morning, sir.

- How's it coming?

- l'll have her ready for you by tonight, sir.

Fine. By the way,

the oil cooler in this engine--

l meant to tell you yesterday,

you'd better change it.

Not me, sir.

What are you talking about?

Time expired, sir. Due for release.

Came through last night.

Me and Clark,

both going home together.

- Clark? Who's Clark?

- Me, sir.

- Oh, Nobby.

- Yes, sir.

Been together ever since

we first joined, sir, Nobby and me.

Congratulations.

Oh, Forrester, l thought

you were over at Doc's.

l couldn't find you anywhere.

This is Carrington, your new navigator.

Got in earlier by Dak from Komilla.

This is Squadron Leader Forrester.

How do you do, sir?

Who told you to move in here?

Well, the Messing Officer.

They're moving a lot of new bodies in.

Everywhere is full up.

Anyway, it's only for tonight.

l'm being sent up to Meiktila.

l'll be leaving tomorrow.

Everything's in a mess

at the moment.

So l see.

- l seem to have put up a black.

- Oh, he's an impossible man.

Of course, we all feel the heat.

And three in a tent really is too many,

but that's no reason to behave

in such a boorish way.

Still, l suppose it was a bit

high-handed of the Messing Officer

just to stick me in here

without even consulting him.

Yes, but what you don't realize is that

Forrester invites that sort of treatment.

Puts people's backs up.

Thank goodness l'm a wingless wonder.

l don't envy you flying with him.

Why?

Well, everyone knows

he's round the bend. Everyone.

- Ah, well met.

- Hello, Doc.

l was coming over to see you.

- l've an invitation for you.

- Yes?

Miss McNab, the missionary

from the village--

dinner tonight.

No, thanks.

l take over some rice

and a can of meat and they make curry.

lt's delicious.

l'm sure it is, but l can't make it.

l'll pick you up at 7:00.

l said no thanks.

Here, you take this.

l'll take the rice.

We are not divided

All one body we

One in hope and doctrine

Come on.

One in charity

Onward, Christian soldiers

Marching as to war

With the cross of Jesus

going on before

- Good evening, Dr. Harris.

- Good evening, Dorothy.

- Good evening, Mr. Forrester.

- Good evening.

- Something for the kitchen.

- Oh, how good of you.

l'll be in in a minute.

Ah, good evening, Dr. Harris!

Good evening to you.

Good evening, Miss McNab.

Can l introduce--

This will be Squadron Leader Forrester,

l have no doubt.

lt's an honor

and a pleasure, Mr. Forrester.

- l'm glad you were able to come.

- That's very kind of you.

Nobody told me

you were so handsome.

Come on, let me introduce you.

This is Anna's mother.

How do you do?

She can't answer you

because she can't speak.

She hasn't spoken

since the Japs bombed us in Rangoon.

l'm sorry.

- Hello, Mr. Phang.

- A pleasure, Doctor, as always.

- This is Mr. Phang.

- How do you do, Mr. Phang?

Very pleased indeed, sir,

to meet so distinguished an officer.

lt'll be no surprise to you to learn that

Mr. Phang studied English at the university.

English literature

to be precise, Mr. Forrester.

Oh, Doctor,

remember l am relying on you

to have plenty of ideas

about the hymns for Easter.

l've been thinking of nothing else.

Mr. Phang!

Excuse me.

Yes, Miss McNab?

- Get me another glass, please.

- Certainly.

- l'm glad you were able to come.

- lt's good to see you again.

lt was very good

of Miss McNab to ask me.

Mr. Forrester, do you know

that foul, benighted, godless city Katarba?

l'm telling you, the only good thing

that ever came out of it

was the bottle of whiskey

the doctor brought us back from there.

l don't touch the stuff myself.

But l daresay it won't do you

any harm while you're waiting for the dinner.

- There.

- Thank you, Miss McNab.

- And what is it you fly?

- Mosquitoes, fighter-bombers.

l say they are

wicked, devilish things.

True.

l see you are one of the quiet,

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