The Tiger and the Snow Page #4

- Finally found you.

You're a marvelous, wonderful person.

Sorry if I pressed you,

but I'm so happy to be here!

Thank you, Doctor,

Sorry if I seemed doubtful in Rome.

So many people want to help

but just end up wasting our time,

but we can't get enough of

surgeons like you.

- Thank you, Doctor.

- Thank you, goodbye.

Let's go!

- Can't you go a bit faster?

- No.

- Shall I drive?

- Why don't you take a nap?

What's the problem?

Doctor Guazzelli, why've we stopped?

We just got the order to go back to Basra.

Back to Basra?

You crazy?

Stop, counter-orders!

- How far is it to Baghdad?

- About 100 kilometers.

Wait, stop.

I've got to get to Baghdad.

- But it's all desert.

- I've got to get to Baghdad.

Thanks, I'll tell Guazzelli, don't worry.

Go, go!

Fuad, it's Attilio.

I'm glad you called,

I've been trying to reach you all day.

I've found a way to get you

to Iraq in a few days.

- I'm in Baghdad!

- What do you mean?

There are two huge hands

holding two scimitars.

- Where's the hospital?

- I don't believe it!

I'll take you, don't move.

Fuad!

You took your time!

- How are you?

- Fine. How'd you get to Baghdad?

By bus.

Where's the hospital? Let's go.

We're off.

Come along.

- Where is she?

- Over here.

- That's odd...

- What?

She was here last night.

- I'm afraid it's a bad sign.

- You're joking!

It's a good sign, they've probably moved

her to a convalescent ward.

Let's ask, there must be a doctor,

a surgeon, a sister a brother...

I'll try and find someone, don't worry.

I'm quite happy.

It's a very good sign,

I'm happy she's recovered,

I'll go look for her...

Vittoria?

Vittoria.

See who it is?

See who it is?

What a coincidence!

You in Baghdad, too!

With that blanket on your face you seemed...

but you're breathing!

You're looking great.

Really great.

They told me you weren't well,

I got a bit scared.

What was that?

Thought you said something.

You know...

Fuad's gone to talk to this doctor

who is just great.

The whole of Baghdad's talking about him.

I said, "Who is he?"

The hospital's empty, he's cured everyone.

I've spoken to him,

I'll have you home in a couple of days,

I promise.

Found her.

Bed stuck away at an angle,

a blanket covering her face,

I thought she was dead.

The doctor doesn't speak Italian,

I've spoken to him.

- The prospects aren't good.

- Why?

Great colour in her cheeks...

Look, Fuad's here, see?

She's all right.

She's better, she can leave now?

She's better?

What did he say?

There's no hope.

Are you nuts, in front of her?

She can hear every word.

So she's better, I knew it.

He said there's no hope,

but he didn't say she's dead.

- Is she dead or alive?

- She's alive but...

What does "she's alive but" mean?

She's alive!

Couldn't be better!

What needs to be done? Ask him.

- What did he say?

- Vittoria has a cerebral edema.

She's not reacting,

we've got no drugs to treat edemas,

this means

she'll die soon.

Unless we find the right medicine,

she takes it, the edema goes

and she'll be up and about.

How long do we have to find the medicine?

- There must be a pharmacy open!

- There are no medicines in Baghdad!

I got that, but...

Ask him how long she's got

without this medicine,

get him to tell you something.

- What's he say?

- It's all written here.

He wrote the name of the medicine?

How long have we got?

No more than four hours.

Four hours!

More than enough!

Give us time to have a coffee too!

Let's go get it, four hours...

Let me say goodbye to Victoria.

The doctor said you could come with us,

but I reckon more bed rest won't hurt you,

get your strength back.

Then I'll find you a better spot,

I saw a fancy spot under the stairs

where no one comes by.

Goodbye.

Okay, Fuad.

Here's one open.

Pharmacist! Anybody there?

Pharmacist!

Clients!

This one's closed too, now what?

Maybe there's one there.

Look!

How do you say in Arabic?

Bazaar, they've got everything.

Give me the prescription, thanks.

They'll have everything there.

Good morning, I'm Italian.

Do you have this medicine?

I need that. I look around, maybe you have

the medicine and maybe you don't remember...

...in this confusion. I have a look.

Where is medicine?

Medicine?

Come along.

You don't have...

They've got Etruscan vases,

diving equipment,

motor-cycle helmets,

and they don't have any medicine!

- It's no use, this medicine...

- What does it do?

- It's an anti-edema.

- Let's get it made!

- Who by?

- Don't you know a pharmacist?

- A pharmacist?

- You're from Baghdad!

I know one!

Al-Giumeili, an old friend of my father's,

a formidable man.

- Is he home?

- Yes.

- I told you so, come on.

- She's gone to ask permission.

He's extremely old,

I wonder if he remembers me.

My father used to hold him up

as an example

of the most noble man he ever knew.

- Why, what did he do?

- He as a real poet.

He was young, fell in love

with a woman and married her.

A few years later while he was

fighting in some war,

he heard his wife and contracted smallpox

and had been disfigured.

So Al-Giumeili said, "My eyes hurt".

And then, "I've gone blind".

When his wife died, 12 years later,

he opens his eyes again.

So as not to upset his wife,

he pretended to be blind for 12 years?

Every person is a chasm,

it makes you dizzy to look down...

He never explained to anybody

I'll go and talk to him first then I'll call you.

For me?

It's a present for me?

It's a beautiful present.

Come.

- Bye.

- Bye.

Attilio.

Hello.

Thank you.

What did he say?

Can we make it in three hours?

I'm sorry,

he can't make the medicine we need,

he hasn't got any of the equipment,

he needs mannitol, cortisone,

and various other things.

It's not possible.

Maybe I didn't make myself clear.

Mannitol, cortisone, what are they?

Can you tell him something else?

Tell him in Arabic, fifty years ago

there was no mannitol or cortisone.

When someone got a bump on the head,

people did say, "He's got an edema,

he'll be dead soon"...

So what did he,

Iraq's foremost scientist, do?

- We tried gastric treatment.

- What did they pump into the stomach?

Glycerine.

Glycerine.

I've heard of that, you see.

Where do we buy it?

Forget it, I know everything's closed...

Can we make some glycerine

and feed it into her stomach?

There's a way.

Really!

He's trying to remember.

What time is it? How long do we have?

Al-Giumeili my old friend,

find me this glycerine.

I know you can,

otherwise she's going to die.

If she dies,

they can close

this whole show of a world...

They can cart if off, unscrew the stars,

roll up the sky and put it on a truck,

they can turn off this sunlight

I love so much,

you know why I love it so much?

Because I love her

when the sun shines on her.

They can take everything away,

these carpets, columns, houses,

sand, wind, frogs, ripe watermelons,

hail, seven in the evening,

May, June, July,

basil, bees, the sea, courgettes...

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