The Sand Pebbles Page #6

Yes, they'd like another incident.

They'd like a war.

Tell them 200.

400!

- You dirty bastards!

- Stand clear of that gun!

- They're killing that coolie!

- Stand clear! Bronson, take over.

Hold station, Holman.

500!

Steady. Hold station, Holman.

- Offer 1,000!

- Holman, get back to your station.

- Do something!

- Get below or I'll have you shot for a mutineer!

- Well, shoot something!

Po-han say

somebody shoot him.

Holman!

Holman!

- Jake-

- Get out!

That man this afternoon-

Who was he?

He was a bilge coolie

I'd trained.

So you became

a teacher too, hmm?

Yeah.

That's good.

If you had killed one of the other Chinese,

there would have been a massacre.

We would have had to open fire, and it

might have been the war the Bolsheviks want.

You realize that, don't you?

As it is, in killing the coolie...

though I can understand your feelings,

I can't condone what you did.

However, I choose

to ignore it officially...

on condition

you request a transfer.

You're opposed to the whole spirit

aboard the San Pablo, Holman.

You've disrupted the morale

of the crew.

You've been directly

or indirectly involved...

in the only two deaths

this ship has ever had...

and the men consider you

a Jonah.

If you won't request a transfer to keep

your record clean, then I'll request it.

I'll request it, sir.

You want me

to keep running the engine?

Yes.

It will be sometime before

a replacement can get here.

That'll be all.

- Engine ahead one-third.

- Engine ahead one-third.

- Prepare to drop anchor out here.

- Aye, aye, sir. Stand by the anchor.

- Stop engine.

- Stop engine.

Let go the anchor!

Did you ever find out

what happened to them engine manuals?

Mr. Jameson says he has them.

Hit those boats with a hose

if they get too close.

Aye, aye, sir.

Get a fire hose up here.

Right.

The boatman's union has declared

a strike on your ship!

When the missionaries go ashore,

send an armed escort with them.

- With what orders, sir?

- The same orders the ship has.

Fire only to save

American lives...

and then only when

everything else fails.

We demand that

you permit us to take off...

the citizens of Republic of China

who you are holding against their will!

You can go to hell!

- Hit them with the hose!

- Aye, aye, sir.

Give us the water.

Your left, right, left.

Your left, your left,

your left, right, left.

Left, left, left, right, left.

Left, left,

left, right, left.

Detail... halt!

Mr. Jameson.

Miss Eckert, how nice to see you again.

How do you do?

Left... face!

Mr. Bordelles,

this is Major Chin...

of the Nationalist

Chinese Army.

What is your mission here,

Mr. Bordelles?

I ask you that,

Major Chin.

This compound

is American property.

It is Chinese soil.

I have authority under Chinese law...

to commandeer part of this place

for battalion headquarters.

You have no right

to be here under arms.

I will have you and your men

escorted back to your ship.

Let me warn you, Major Chin.

Ifyour superior officers are not prepared

to go to war against the United States...

they will undoubtedly disavow

your actions and make amends.

Do you understand my meaning?

It has happened before.

All too often before,

but we've had enough now.

I will quote

your own history to you.

If you mean to have a war,

let it begin here.

Gentlemen, please. Mr. Bordelles,

we're perfectly safe here with Major Chin.

You may have your men

sling arms...

or you may have them

lay down their arms.

You may go under escort

or you may go under full arrest.

That is all the choice I will give you,

and you must make it now!

Sling... arms!

Right... face!

Right

and left about...

turn!

Detail...

forward march!

Don't wash it.

Burn it!

- Burn it.

- Throw that out.

Nobody could wash it clean enough

for me to wear again.

- What the hell happened?

- Shut up!

Wash this,

will you?

Will there still

be liberty, sir?

I have no instructions

to the contrary.

They'll tear

the town apart.

Restrict it to that place

they usually go.

Aye, sir.

- Where you been?

- Nobody would rent me a room for Maily.

- Did you get one?

- Yeah, finally. It cost me an arm and a leg.

- What's going on?

- She's been sitting with them since I got here.

I think they got her drinking.

- Did you tell her?

- I ain't had a chance.

Give me the dough, Frenchy.

- I'll talk to Shu, have him get her away from them.

- Yeah.

Shu... I got the 200 for Maily.

Let's do it quiet.

Just pry her loose from those guys

in a few minutes and bring her outside.

I got the 200.

Outside.

I'll say 210.

How about it, sailor?

210?

You said the price

was 200, Shu.

- I said 210.

- Butt out of this, mister.

- Break it up, you guys.

- You got no authority over me, sailor!

He's right.

Match it.

I'll pay 210.

- 220.

- Auction! Auction!

- How about it, Mr. Shu?

- Yeah, that's a good idea.

We haven't had an auction

here yet. Let's do it.

- Mr. Shu?

- Why not?

Keep clear!

Put her up on the block.

Put her on the block!

Ladies and gentlemen,

now just look at this merchandise.

What am I bid for this clean,

delicious piece of girl flesh?

- What am I bid?

- 230! - And 40!

Boys, that won't

even buy one leg.

Fresh new goods...

untouched

by human hands.

- Let's bid it up here.

- 250!

- 275.

- 275.

More, more!

Boys!

- What?

- Who'll say 300 and we see it all?

Come on.

All right.

Let's take a look at her.

- 300.

- 300. I got-

300!

Now let her go, damn you!

She ain't yours yet, buddy.

- 325.

- 325.

- Do I hear 350?

- 350!

- 350.

- Hey, hey, strip her. Strip her!

- What about it?

- Strip her!

- Go ahead and strip her!

- Strip her! Strip her!

- Strip her! Strip her!

- I said 350! That's it!

- Bid 400 and we strip her.

- Okay, 400!

Strip her!

Let's go.

Hey, come on!

Watch the steps. They're slippery.

It's down this way.

- Anybody after us?

- Nah.

- Let me go back.

- No.

- After all that?

- Please?

Hell, no!

If I get my hands on those guys-

You got enough troubles.

What happens now?

I guess I'll go back tomorrow,

pay Shu the 200.

That's all she owes him.

Okay.

- I'll see you.

- No. Hey, hang on a minute. I'll go with you.

You all right?

Sorry as hell about-

You'll be okay here.

I'm gonna go tomorrow and pay Shu

just what you owe him.

Then I'll get you

on a train to Shanghai.

If I can't get you

on a train right away...

you can stay here.

Maybe I'll, uh...

drop in.

I sure as hell apologize.

I don't know what to say

about those guys. They-

You all right?

Let me go away.

Just let me go away.

No, I want you to go to Shanghai

like you want, but not just away.

I'll do what you want.

You bought me.

No... I didn't buy you.

Sure, I-I'm gonna

pay some money...

but... I'm not buying you.

I don't want it to be-

Well, I don't want it to be...

like that between us.

I want it to be

something else.

It's gotta be

something else.

You'll be all right.

Please- please don't leave me.

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