The Jewel in the Crown (1984): Season 1, Episode 13 - Pandora's Box - full transcript

My good friends,

We are here today

to pay tribute to Colonel Ronald Merrick,

Ronnie, as We came to knoW him
here in Mirat.

Only tWo years after the War
in Which he lost an arm,

We have seen hoW this gallant officer

taught himself to ride again,

leading his detachments
of our oWn States Police,

patient in peacetime
as he had been brave in battle.

We salute that courage,
offering our hearts and prayers

to his young WidoW.



'At Delhi, Mountbatten arrives
to take up his appointment

'as India's Viceroy
and Governor General.

'At a crucial moment in India's history,

'the grandson of Queen Victoria
becomes the 29th and last Viceroy.

'To greet the neW Viceroy
come the Indian leaders.

"Nehru, Oxford-educated leader of the
Congress Party, second only to Gandhi.

'With Nehru, Muslim Abdul Azad,
head of the influential Congress Party.

"Leaving Delhi's Viceregal Lodge
is Lord Wavell, outgoing Viceroy.

"To the Governor General's bodyguard,
Field Marshall Wavell bids fareWell.

"During his term of office,
Britain made the decision to leave India.

"NoW it is for Indian leaders
to decide the future of their country."

- Good morning, sir.
- Good morning.

Is the club secretary available?

The secretary's having breakfast.
Can I help?



Could the club offer temporary membership?

I'm in Mirat for a feW days and Wanted
a bed. And perhaps breakfast noW.

- My name is Perron.
- Oh, Cambridge University!

Yes, sir, of course. You travelled
on the night train from Ranpur?

- Been in India long?
- Just over a Week. Bombay mostly.

Leave your luggage and take breakfast.
Muzzafir, shoW the sahib to the terrace.

- Thank you.
- Welcome.

Mr Perron? Macpherson, club secretary.

- HoW do you do?
- Please.

- I hope you're being looked after.
- Very Well. Thank you.

- Don't have the fish souffl?, incidentally.
- No, your chap's Warned about that.

Ghulam. Thank God for him, anyway.
Staff's difficult noWadays.

Your train Was tWo hours late.
Gets Worse every year.

- Been out here long?
- About ten days.

- Can you put me up for the night?
- As long as you like.

We get more departures than arrivals.
We charge one month's membership.

An old Wartime rule dating from When
officers Were getting posted overnight.

- And forgetting to pay their bills.
- Most of them dead long since, I expect.

- Been out here before?
- A couple of years during the War.

- But this is my first visit to Mirat.
- On business?

I'm a historian.
My interests are academic.

I'm here to study
the transition to independence

and perhaps Write some articles.

Any special reason for choosing Mirat?

- I met the Chief Minister during the War.
- Dmitri BronoWsky?

He kindly invited me to come
Whenever I chose.

He's got a plateful. Things haven't
been too good here this past Week.

We might be back to hoW it Was last year.
Communal rioting.

- It looked quiet this morning.
- In the cantonment, yes.

Across the lake in the city, not so good.

That's Why We don't recommend the
fish souffl?. The fishermen are Muslims.

They've fished the NaWab's lake
since the 18th century

but they haven't dared go out since
a couple of them Were found droWned.

Still, What can you expect?
You draW a line through a country

and say, "By August 15th, one side's
Pakistan, the other side's India."

It's a damn sight Worse in the Punjab.

At least Mirat's a princely state
and can decide things for itself.

Excuse me. Do you think the NaWab Will
sign the Accession to Congress India?

- Before the 15th?
- Uh-huh.

That's anyone's guess. What is it?

A car from the palace for Mr Perron
and this letter, sir, from Mr RoWan.

- What?
- You knoW the AAGG as Well, do you?

Nigel RoWan? He's an old friend of mine.
I didn't knoW he Was in Mirat.

Perhaps you Won't need a bed here,
after all.

(Nigel) 'My dear Guy, We'd been planning
to surprise you at the station

'but, as you'll see,
things haven't Worked out.

'Ronald Merrick died here last Week
after a riding accident.

'Lt Was all very sudden and unexpected.
The family Were here for the funeral.

'Susan and her Aunt Fenny
are still at the palace guest house.

'Sarah's here, too, of course,

'and has promised to be at my bungaloW
to Welcome you and settle you in.

'I may be detained at the palace
but I've organised lunch at my place.

'The bungaloW's one of tWo. Mine and
the one that Was Susan's and Ronald's.

'You're Welcome to stay as long
as you Want. See you soon. Nigel.'

- Hello, Guy.
- Hello.

I'll shoW you the house.

It's rather Spartan.
Nigel asked me to apologise.

What date do you think?
The bungaloW. 1850?

I don't knoW. Shut up too long, anyway.

Watch out for scorpions.

And I don't Want to alarm you
but there Was a snake.

Nigel said the thing to do if you meet
a snake is to ask it to go in peace.

I Will probably yell the place doWn!

It's nice to see you again, Guy.
You alWays made me laugh.

Would you like a coffee?
Then I'll leave you to settle in.

Do you have to leave?

Yes. But I've got time for a coffee.

I've come at rather a bad time, haven't I?

Up until a Week ago, We'd certainly
thought of your arrival differently.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

HoW differently?

Nigel and I and Ahmed
Were going to meet you at the station.

It Was Dmitri's idea.
He likes surprising people.

I thought you'd just come for the funeral.

No, no, I've been here quite some time.

It Was Susan Who had to come doWn
With Father and Aunt Fenny.

Father Went back this morning.
Fenny saW him off.

He had to get back to Pankot
to hand over command.

- What about your mother?
- Went home last month to house hunt.

To England?
So no retirement to Rose Cottage?

We've rented it to the Smalleys.

They're army but staying on under
contract to the Indian Government.

So, back home for you, too.

I don't knoW about me.

Aunt Fenny and I Went back for a month
or tWo last year, after Uncle Arthur died.

- You never got in touch With me.
- When?

When you Were in England.

And you never ansWered
my second letter.

No. I'm sorry.

That Was a long time ago.

You told me once that you felt that India
Wasn't a place you could be happy in.

Yes, I remember thinking that.

I've been very happy since.

Has Susan been happy?

At the moment, she's in rather a bad Way.
Worse than the family realises.

She's never been stable
since Teddie Was killed.

- Didn't Merrick give her stability?
- He's provided it noW.

You'll see What I mean if she talks to you
about him. She talks about nothing else.

It Was a successful marriage, then?

Well, he adored the boy
and the boy adored him.

EdWard doesn't knoW Ronnie's dead,
by the Way.

- Is he here?
- Yes.

Ronnie sent them to Pankot last year
because of the troubles.

He Worked With the States Police
but didn't expect it to last.

Dmitri Was so impressed
by the Way he handled it,

he persuaded them to let him stay on
and overhaul the Whole department.

That Was their bungaloW next door,
Wasn't it?

Yes.

I'll have to go back to Pankot With Sue.
Fenny can't cope alone.

- When do you go?
- Thursday, I think.

When did it happen? Nigel Wrote
something about a riding accident.

He Was jumping a ditch.

He seemed all right. A feW days later,
the servant found him dead.

- Was there a post mortem?
- Yes.

I really must go.
Nigel Will be here as soon as he can.

- HoW long has Nigel been in Mirat?
- Oh, about six Weeks.

The Political Department sent him
to sort things out.

Mirat comes under the Resident
at Gopalakand. Things got difficult.

Nigel Will tell you all about it.

I'll be in touch, Guy.
Probably this evening.

- Tippoo?
- Oh, you're in luck. Here's Nigel noW.

- Hello, Guy. I'm only here to pack a case.
- HoW are you?

I'll see to the case. HoW many nights?

TWo at the most. In Gopalakand.
I ought to be back tomorroW evening.

- But Tippoo can do it. Isn't he here?
- Yes.

I'll see he gets it right. Ah, Tippoo...

I really do apologise.

We're in the middle of What
I suppose you'd call a flap.

A couple of States Department people
are at the palace.

Waving the instrument of accession
under the NaWab's nose for signature.

- You knoW about that.
- Is the Resident at Gopalakand

encouraging him not to sign
and stay independent?

Fundamentally, that is the problem but
the Resident has no real interest in Mirat.

- What does BronoWsky Want?
- Honourable integration With India.

- And the NaWab?
- I don't think the poor man knoWs.

After all these years, he's suddenly
resisting Dmitri's advice.

If I can get a letter from the Resident

making it plain that Mirat's on its oWn,
then I think the NaWab Will sign.

- And you Want him to sign?
- Thank you.

Yes... though a feW old hands
in the department

say We're bound by treaty
to defend Mirat -

as a princely state - but it's entirely
surrounded by British India territory.

After the 15th, Indian Union territory.

The NaWab can't live in a vacuum.
He has to sign.

It's been a hard tWo years for you,
hasn't it, Nigel?

- I'm sorry about Merrick.
- Yes, it Was rather sudden.

Not that I ever liked the man. Still,
he seems to have made good in Mirat.

Yes.

And Harry Coomer, any neWs of him?

We exchanged letters last year.

He's still in Ranpur.

He seems quite content,
coaching students privately.

- A defensive attitude?
- No. No, I don't think so.

I suppose noW things might change.

Hm, Will anything in India
ever really change for him?

Isn't Coomer the permanent loose end?

Too English for the Indians
and too Indian for the English.

That's rather Sarah's vieW.

Frankly, I think he's more interested
in being just his oWn kind of Indian.

She's never seen
the transcript of the examination?

God, no. She knoWs nothing about that.
FeW people do except you.

Everything Was destroyed,
except the orders for Kumar's release.

- To protect Merrick's reputation.
- Nobody Wanted a Witch-hunt.

With the INA trials,
it Would've aggravated racial tension,

so Nehru and Wavell put a stop to it.

And Merrick got off scot-free.

Actually, I think it annoyed him.
He felt slighted.

Everything Was done very quietly.
MAK's son Sayed Was simply cashiered.

Of the tWo boys, Ahmed's the one
Who's turned out the best.

The INA heroes are history
but Ahmed has a future.

All set.
Tippoo's taking your bag to the car.

That's good of you.
Guy's going to stay on here.

- Good. Do you ride?
- Off and on.

Fortunately more on than off
but it's pure luck.

Perhaps We could go out tomorroW.
I'll ring you later today.

Yes, that'd be fine.

Again!

Oh!

Minnie, you fool!
NoW it's lost, it's gone.

- I'll get the ball.
- Aayah, you fool!

- Is this yours?
- Who are you?

Just a visitor. Here's your ball.

I'm EdWard Arthur David Bingham.

My name's Guy. My other name's Perron.

- I shall call you Perron.
- Then I shall have to call you Bingham.

Here you are. Girls can't catch.

- Would you like to see my room?
- Yes, very much.

My stepfather can catch.
He only has one arm.

- Can you catch, Perron?
- Uh-huh.

Here's my room but I'm sleeping
at the guest house While Daddy's aWay.

It's a very nice room.

What's this?

Daddy gave it to me.

The JeWel In The CroWn.
That's Queen Victoria.

I knoW.

Receiving tributes
from her grateful Indian subjects.

She's dead noW, of course. I should think
they're all dead. It Was a long time ago.

- Except the angels.
- No, I think angels never die.

It's an allegory. Daddy says Mummy saW
an angel once in a circle of fire.

Perhaps it made her cry.

She cries a lot.

Come on, let's see if she's stopped.

(Shrill, hysterical screaming)

Put me doWn! Put me doWn!

- Sorry.
- Don't go aWay altogether, Guy.

I'll be outside in the garden.

Susan's all right noW.

She'd like it if you came in
and had a Word.

What upset her?

The Whole afternoon mainly.

She insisted on sorting out
some of Ronald's things.

I had to come
because Fenny's not feeling very bright,

then EdWard insisted on coming, too.

It Was a mistake from the start.

Will you come and have dinner
With me tonight at Nigel's?

I'd like to but I'd better not.

Let's go out tomorroW morning.
I'll try and rope Ahmed in.

- Can you be ready early?
- Uh-hm.

Let's go in. The car from the palace
Will be here soon.

I Want to get Susan and EdWard aWay
before the light goes.

We met, didn't We? That time in Pankot
after Ronnie and I became engaged.

Yes.

You knoW I've lost him.
My son doesn't knoW.

Why don't you leave it all, Sue?
Khansamar can put it aWay.

We could have a drink outside.

No, I don't Want a drink and I don't Want
Khansamar touching anything.

Then I'll help you start
putting things back.

HoW little there is When you think
of the time a man spends out here.

- Will Daddy have as little as this?
- I don't expect there'll be much more.

- You didn't knoW my husband long.
- No, a very short time.

Anyone in Mirat Will tell you
What a fine man he Was.

Please, Sarah, don't put things back.

It's all that's left of Ronald except
his ashes, and it's not even all here.

Oh? What's missing?

His arm, for one thing. I mean
the artificial one, Mr Perron, his harness.

We alWays called it his arm.

"Where's my arm?" he used to say.
He took it off every night.

Nobody knoWs the discomfort
he Was in from the chafing.

The first time I saW his poor stump,
I cried.

It Was so inflamed and raW
but he never spared himself.

- What's this, then?
- The one he couldn't Wear, the neW one.

I hope this doesn't embarrass you,
Mr Perron, talking about his arm.

But he never, never Wore it in bed.

I knoW What a relief it Was
to get out of the harness

and What torture it Was
to put it on in the morning.

He Wouldn't have Worn it
While he Was laid up after his accident.

It may explain Why it's not here. It might
have been damaged and sent for repair.

Oh, I hadn't thought of that.

They Wouldn't put it on to take his body
to the mortuary for the postmortem.

There Was a clot of blood, they said.

I blame Dr Habbibullah,
but Daddy says I shouldn't.

No-one can foresee a clot of blood.

Khansamar Would knoW about Ronnie's
harness, Whether it Was damaged!

- We ought not to Worry her over that.
- Why?

When you ask servants things like that,

it sounds as if you think
they've stolen something.

- I'll ask Dr Habbibullah if you really Want.
- Yes, I do!

And What about his other things?
Where are his Pathan clothes?

He Was very fond of his Pathan clothes.

The embroidered Waistcoat
and the sash and the little axe.

He probably gave them aWay.
It must be years since he used them.

Oh, no, he Went out in them in Mirat
With one of his spies.

He had to have spies, Mr Perron.

You have to go into the bazaars
and hear What people say.

Ronnie Was prepared to do that.

It Was very dangerous.
That's Why he never told me.

But I found out.

- Shall I tell you hoW?
- Only if you Want to.

I haven't been very Well
for a quite a long time.

I can't sleep Without taking something
but the pills don't alWays Work.

And one night...
Ronnie Was Working late.

There Was a flap on so he Was sleeping
in another room so as not to disturb me

but still I couldn't sleep.

'And that's terrible. You start imagining
all kinds of silly things.

'There's this awful temptation to take
enough to make you sleep forever! '

'So I decided to go to Ronnie's room
to tell him of this awful temptation I had.

'Because you see, Mr Perron,

'he understood everything about me
Without ever being told.

'Things that no-one else had ever knoWn.

'And then I saW the light Was on...
at four o'clock in the morning.

'Lt Was as if he'd stayed aWake
just in case I needed him.

'But When I opened the door... '

That's Why I screamed just noW - When
I saW EdWard in his Pathan clothes.

Because you see, Mr Perron,

Ronnie's missing clothes
and his missing arm

are like the dog
that didn't bark in the night.

Sherlock Holmes.

You knoW that story?

My favourite Was The Speckled Band -
because of the snake.

When Aunt Fenny told me last Week
that Ronnie Was dead,

I thought first of a snake...
or a scorpion.

- I've alWays been terrified of scorpions.
- I'm afraid of both.

Ronnie Was afraid of nothing.

I depended on him, Mr Perron, you see.

I'm terrified of almost everything.

And he Was Wonderful With EdWard,
Wonderful With servants.

Week after Week, young boys
Would come here looking for a job.

He had a reputation for fairness.

Stern, but fair.

Where are all the servants, Sarah?
I've only seen Khansamar.

Thank you for your kindness, Mr Perron.

For being here. For knoWing Ronald.

Thank you, Guy.

- Where are the horses?
- We're not riding, after all.

We're going to Watch Ahmed.

We can Watch from over here.

NoW you can see something of old India.
There.

Her name's Mumtaz. Come and meet her.

But don't shake hands With Ahmed.
She's very jealous, aren't you, Mumtaz?

I'm not alloWed to touch her
cos I'm female,

but if Ahmed tells her it's all right,
she'll let you tickle her throat.

You may touch her noW, Mr Perron.

Ah, she liked that.

You'd better keep an eye on her,
Ahmed, I think she's a bit of a rover.

- Are you going to ride?
- I thought not today.

I'm glad you came in time.
Is everybody hungry?

If you Wait a moment
While Mumtaz goes to sleep.

- Are you glad you came?
- Not glad, enchanted.

I meant back to India.

The ansWer's the same.

Come on, breakfast,
then back to the palace, if that's all right.

Do you alWays take the soldiers
to go haWking?

It's neW to them.
I think they get a bit of a kick out of it.

I'll take you to see Dmitri at the palace
but I'll have to leave you for a While.

I'm giving a sWimming lesson to Shinaz.

- Who's Shinaz?
- The NaWab's daughter.

Drop us off at the gatehouse, all right?

- Shinaz?
- Yes, Shinaz.

Tell me, before I meet BronoWsky,
What did happen to Ronald?

Was it a riding accident?

Don't ask me, Guy.

Ask Nigel... or Dmitri.

Or, better still, nobody.

My dear Mr Perron!

Sir.

Sarah, Will you go to NaWab Sahib
before Shinaz's lesson?

- He Wants to say goodbye.
- Of course.

HoW can I sufficiently apologise
for not having greeted you before?

Please.

Sarah and Nigel have done their best
to cover up for me,

but I am very conscious
of my personal failing.

- Please forgive me.
- Not at all. Thank you.

I had your letter from England.

You mentioned Writing something
on the subject

on the transfer of poWer
as it affects states like this.

I've forgotten the name of the paper.

It's a neW quarterly revieW -
the NeW English Forum.

It probably Won't survive. My journalistic
credentials are entirely spurious.

But not your academic ones.

You Watch Indian history being made
as a break from teaching it to students,

Who might With profit study
this morning's Ranpur Gazette...

on the future of India.

"Pandora's box."
You've read the editorial?

"With independence, the British
electorate is in the unfortunate position

"of opening Pandora's box,

"letting out all the evils
that have afflicted India in the past,

"Which until noW have been imprisoned
under the lid of British poWer and laW."

- It's a shreWd comment.
- Take it With you When you go.

- Read it at your leisure.
- Thank you.

I suppose Nigel told you What he hoped
to achieve in Gopalakand?

He gave me a rough outline.

He phoned to say
he'll be back this evening

With the necessary letter
from the Resident.

I haven't told NaWab Sahib,
so don't mention this When you see him.

No.

But one hopes noW that he Will sign.

Miss Layton Will cheer him up.
She is remarkably persuasive.

Yes. I hear she's giving sWimming
lessons to the NaWab's daughter.

Yes, quite remarkable. At last,
little Shinaz has come out of her shell.

Oh, for years I tried, NaWab Sahib tried.

She threatened to go into full purdah,
can you believe?

NoW she's riding, sWimming,
Wearing modern clothes.

Even Ahmed is shoWing an interest
in her. And it's all Sarah's doing.

I fear We shall miss her at the palace

but one must look forward
Without regrets.

TomorroW, let us hope,
the States Department people

Will be on their Way back to Delhi
With their signed bits of paper.

Perhaps you Will be my guest
and come to dinner in the evening?

- I should enjoy that very much.
- I don't knoW if Sarah Will be With us.

She is to travel next day With
her aunt and sister. Ahmed is going, too.

He promised his father to be in Ranpur
for the August 15th celebrations.

Since the Laytons Were going to Pankot,

he may as Well accompany them as far
as Ranpur. It is a good opportunity.

Well, come,
the editorial Will tell you more than I.

I Will introduce you to NaWab Sahib.

If you have time, you might also care to
read another item in the Ranpur Gazette

by a Writer Who signs himself
Philoctetes.

Curious sobriquet, don't you agree?

I alWays read his pieces.
He has a very English style.

But the editor is also an Englishman,
so perhaps he Writes these, too.

NaWab Sahib... Mr Perron.

Mr Perron.

HoW do you do?

I have been speaking to Miss Layton
about the lake.

We Watched the fishermen.
Do you knoW the meaning of the name?

- Izzat Bagh Lake, lzzat Bagh Palace?
- No, Your Highness.

Long ago, my ancestor declared that
the honour of our house - the "izzat" -

shall be maintained
so long as the lake did not dry up

and so it is called the lzzat Bagh.

The fishermen
have fished its Waters ever since.

I'm glad to see they fish again today,
Your Highness.

Yes, it pleases me, too, Dmitri.

They fish again today.

"Watch out for snakes and scorpions,"...

Sarah says.

Did Merrick...

use this place?

Did he stay here?

"Alma Mater by Philoctetes."

(Guy) "'I Walk home
thinking of another place,

"'of seemingly long, endless summers."'

'I suppose you Were
at public school before university.

- 'At Which public school? '
- Chillingborough, sir.

Perhaps you remember an Indian boy
there Who called himself Harry Coomer.

24, please. The palace guest house.

Hello. May I speak to Miss Layton?

Who is it?

Oh, hello, Mr Perron!
It's her aunt, Mrs Grace.

I'm afraid Sarah's not here.
She's at the palace. Can I be of any help?

Yes. Some felloWs here With a truck are
removing things from the bungaloW.

- I suppose that's all right?
- Oh, yes, it's quite in order.

I expect it's the luggage that's going
With us to Pankot. It's coming here first.

Shall I tell Sarah you rang?
She's only out to dinner.

You might.
I may be travelling to Ranpur myself.

I Wondered if We might make a party of it.

We're going on Thursday. You mustn't
cut your visit short - unless it suits you.

- It Would suit me very Well.
- Oh, Well, I'll tell Sarah What you suggest

or leave her a message.

By the Way, Mr Kasim is
coming With us to Ranpur.

- 'Yes, I knoW.'
- And some people called Peabody.

An extra man Would be very nice.

'Lt's stupid, but since Colonel Layton
Went back to Pankot,

'I've been feeling out of my depth.'

- If I can be...
- I'll look forward to meeting you.

- I've heard so much about you.
- Thank you.

'Goodbye, Mr Perron.'

An extra man.

Thank you very much, Sarah.

'Perhaps you remember an Indian boy
there Who called himself Harry Coomer.'

Well played, Harry!

'I don't remember him being
interested in anything except cricket.'

Cricket? I'm afraid his interest in India
extended beyond that.

- Oh.
- Hello, Guy. Have you eaten?

Er... l've been reading.

Dinner in half an hour.

Well... it's done.

The NaWab signed? Congratulations.

- Let me top up your drink.
- Thank you.

I've been at the palace.

The States Department chaps
have got their bits of paper.

Everything's fine.

- Soda?
- To the top, please.

Well, then, I gather you feel you've
learned as much as you need in Mirat.

I hope to have another chat
With Dmitri tomorroW night.

But you Want to go With the others
the day after?

I saW Sarah at the palace.
She'd had a phone call from her aunt.

She says she's sorry she Wasn't in
and they'd be delighted.

- Are you going With them to Pankot?
- Only to Ranpur.

I hope Ahmed can Wangle an intervieW
With his father for me.

With MAK? Oh, I'd forgotten about
your journalistic assignment.

- It's hardly that.
- Cheers.

Cheers.

- Tell me about the snake.
- The snake?

- The one found at the back.
- It Wasn't at the back, it Was in the bath.

- In my bath?
- In our bath.

By Merrick? He slept here, didn't he?

In that room.

For a month or tWo before Susan
joined him. What made you think that?

It has a resonance.

What happened in the end, Nigel?
What did he do?

Cut his Wrist? Take an overdose?
DroWn in the bath?

- He didn't die in the bath.
- Nor from a riding accident.

No.

Dmitri and I feel you ought to knoW...
and Sarah agrees.

She's the only member of the family
Who knoWs that Ronald Was murdered.

- HoW?
- Strangled.

In his bedroom.

Everything's been properly recorded

but a murdered Englishman at this stage
is the last thing anybody Wants.

The police are busy on it, of course,

but I doubt if the man or men Who did it
Will ever be caught.

- It Was carefully planned.
- By Whom? Pandit Baba?

The CID say, for the past month, he's
been on a pilgrimage in the Himalayas.

What about the other Bibighar suspects?
Then men he arrested after the rape?

TWo are still in Mayapore.
They've been cleared by the police.

One died of tuberculosis a year ago
and tWo are Working in Calcutta.

What about Hari? What about Kumar?

He's still in Ranpur...
and also in the clear.

Dmitri told me this evening.

I'd rather not say any more, Guy.

The details are pretty horrifying.

Even Sarah doesn't knoW it all.

Incidentally, I've got Kumar's address.

If you Want it.

Yes. Yes, I'd like his address.

And noW I'm going to take a bath.
I'm feeling travel stained.

- Will you be all right?
- Yes, I've got the Ranpur Gazette.

Watch out for snakes.

By the Way... Who Was Philoctetes?

What?

Philoctetes. You're a classics man.

A friend of Hercules, an Argonaut.

They put him ashore at Lemnos.

- Why?
- I think he Was Wounded.

Anyway, he stank. The others couldn't
stand the smell so they abandoned him.

That fits. Did he ever get to Troy?

Eventually. They needed him in the end.

Why are you so interested
in Philoctetes?

Just a name I came across.
You look tired. Go and have that bath.

Dinner in half an hour.

'Alma Mater... by Philoctetes.'

(Hari) 'On Sunday, When the extension
of Ranpur Government College

'had been opened
by His Excellency the Governor,

'I Wandered round, hoping to pass
as someone With business to do.

'I need not have Worried.

'No-one Was there to challenge me.
The place Was empty.

'No desk, no chairs,

'only rectangular spaces Where
blackboards have yet to be installed.

'Spaces Where students Will sit and
teachers stand on the bare platforms,

'blackboards becoming grey
from the Wiped-off chalk marks

'of demonstrated equations.

'Subdued, I left the college
and Walked aWay.

'A feW shade trees
have already been planted.

'I try to picture the neW extension
as it Will be 10, 20, 50 years from noW.

'And I Walk home,
thinking of another place,

'of seemingly endless summers... '

'... and the shade
of different kinds of trees.'

'And then of Winters When the branches
of the trees Were bare.

'So bare that, recalling them noW,

'it seems inconceivable to me
that I looked at them

'and did not think
of the summer just gone

'and the spring to come as illusions,

'as dreams never fulfilled,

'never to be fulfilled.'