The Sleeping Dictionary Page #4

Refuse and you'll spend

the next 1 0 years rotting in prison.

And then

we'll deport you

and you'll never see Sarawak,

or her, again.

You can't do that.

You broke the law.

You can't go around

murdering white men

just because you think

they deserve it.

He could hang you

for that.

But you'd ignore it

if I do as you want?

You've a choice.

Make your mind up.

- I want to see her.

- Send her a letter!

You've taught her

to read, haven't you?

Stop him!

Idiot.

Selima?

Selima!

Where is she?

It's all arranged,

isn't it?

- Isn't it?!

- It's not as I thought.

Th-there's difficulties.

Help me!

I'm ordering you

to help me!

You swore

it would all work out.

Truscott, I am getting extremely

fed up with you.

I'm too old to run through

the bloody jungle all night!

Just give her up now.

- This is your last chance.

- No!

Say you'll give him up.

You know what'll

happen otherwise!

Once I start this,

it can't be stopped.

John Truscott,

I charge you--

- I'll do it.

- No, no.

I'll marry

at the Longhouse.

I told you

it's not possible.

So?

Do you give her up?

I do.

I now pronounce you

man and wife.

You may kiss the bride.

Ready!

We'll remember this song.

Always.

There is something

I should say.

I know about your

sleeping dictionary.

At least, I presume

you had one.

Father thinks we women

don't find out about such things.

But anyway,

I don't mind.

I know how things

are done out there.

And the good thing is...

at least you'll know what to do

because I'm damned if I do.

What happened to her?

Oh, she married Belansai.

Your father

wrote me a letter.

Was that before you

proposed to me, or...

Oh...

No, I think it

must have been afterwards.

Here we go, then.

"Dear Henry,

I talked things over

with Cecilia again,

and we have decided

to return to Sarawak.

She wants to be with you,

and I would be a coward not

to finish the work I started.

I think the only way forward

is to wipe away

the last couple of years

and start life afresh.

I'm determined to make

your daughter happy.

Yours sincerely,

John Truscott."

" East of the sun "

" And west of the moon... "

I thought I'd organize

a welcoming committee.

They're wonderful.

Welcome back to hell.

Shipperly.

Weather forecast

for the next...

is too bloody hot.

Ah.

"...of the moon. "

You're looking at

the first Iban class,

the first Iban school.

Your dad would be proud.

If he saw the Iban choosing what

they were taught, he'd have a fit.

For heaven's sake, he wanted

to teach them Latin and Greek.

You know, I actually wasn't

going to mention this for a while,

but I wondered if you might

like to do some teaching?

Ow!

What in the world?

I thought

that's what you wanted.

I thought that's

what she would have done.

Neville told me

about you and her.

Have you seen her

since we got here?

No!

No, not since...

a year ago, or more.

He said she and her husband

had a little boy.

Apparently

they're very happy.

I want us to be happy.

Then why aren't we?

It's her, isn't it?

Yes.

She's very beautiful.

Isn't she?

In her own way, yes.

- What's that?

- It's Famous, blind drunk.

In fact, blind, legless,

daft, sick, smelly drunk

by the sounds of things.

You've got to fire him.

Cecil...

he's been with me

since I arrived.

He doesn't like me.

He preferred her, I can tell.

Hello?

Who's this?

This is your new cook.

Henry sent him.

Mrs. Truscott

tell Mr. Truscott...

- to give me the boot.

- Thank you, Famous.

Thank you.

Did you do that?

Famous, take her into

the kitchen and clean her up.

You do not do that.

You treat her

with respect.

We're not all in love with our

sleeping dictionaries, you know.

Tipong!

What did you say to her?

Oh, I told Tipong that

if you hit her again,

she should wait

till you're asleep,

then cut off your testicles

with a kitchen knife.

They're very good at

that kind of thing, the Iban.

Probably wouldn't

even wake you. Now--

Henry sent me.

We've got to unbugger up

your last month's work.

Cecil--

you know, I would have

made her happy.

I told him we'd

remember this song.

Don't be so pathetic.

You should forget all about

this love business.

Marriages work

far better without it.

You should concentrate

on the school.

You like that.

He just needs

a little time.

When was the last time

he slept with you?

When was the last time

he even touched you?

That's how you judge men.

Hello, darling.

Good evening,

Mrs. Bullard.

You will excuse us,

won't you?

You kissed me just to get one over

on my mother, didn't you?

No. No, of course not.

Take one more reading

before we go leave.

Right.

- Is the baby mine?

- Oh, yes.

And are you open

to bribery?

Oh, very much so.

So you'll arrange

for us to meet?

I am one step ahead.

I already make inquiries,

and she will not see you.

So you tell her Tipong

has been beaten again

and needs her help.

Shipperly?

Shipperly I will send

on a vital mission somewhere.

Somewhere famed for the size

and quantity of its tiger leeches.

Please.

I want to see

my son.

I don't understand "son."

My child.

Child?

You understand perfectly.

He was born nine months ago.

I don't understand

English anymore.

My son. You have my son.

His name is Mandar.

I left him on the veranda.

I was frightened of Neville.

I'll get him!

You can have one minute,

but they'll kill me

if they see us together.

Selima, stay!

For how long?

Forever?

I didn't know they were going to

treat us like that, I'm sorry.

I don't know

what to say.

He's Belansai's son now.

He marry me even though

he knew I was pregnant.

"Deep, deep beneath the sea...

where the water is clear

as the purest glass,

there lies the palace

of the Sea King.

And there, behind

the walls of coral,

and beneath its roof

of cockleshells

Iived the little mermaid."

So, Truscott.

Is there some good news

you're not telling us?

I presume you've

impregnated my daughter.

Oh... no.

Not yet.

It's just in case.

Let me tell you why

I stayed here with Henry,

and let Cecil grow up alone.

I told you it was duty.

I told myself it was duty,

but it wasn't duty.

I never dared

leave Henry alone...

for fear he'd go back

to his native girl.

So be warned.

I won't let that...

wreck another generation.

- John!

- Ah!

They've cornered him--

at the Longhouse loft

at Baritsai.

The damn fool!

I hoped he'd run over

the mountains to Dutch Borneo.

You caused all this!

Now we're going to have

to execute him.

One of the best men

I know.

Well, you can

damn well be his judge.

He had no choice.

I know that!

I know that.

But he tried to kill

a colonial official

and that has to mean death.

Even though the colonial

official in question

deserved having his throat cut

for sneaking around with his wife!

It wasn't her I was seeing,

it was my son!

My son, who you

never told me about!

Am I supposed to pretend

he doesn't exist?

Yes, you are!

For the rest of your life.

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