The Jewel in the Crown (1984): Season 1, Episode 8 - The Day of the Scorpion - full transcript

Your sleeper is here, Miss Layton. The
Pankot train is due to leave in an hour.

Idaag.
What is that carriage over there?

That is private. It belongs to
a maharajah. I do not knoW Which.

- There are so many.
- Thank you.

Count BronoWsky?

Sarah Layton.

Miss Layton. Forgive me.

Why didn't I recognise you?

Ah, it's the uniform.

NaWab Sahib and I Were so distressed
to hear of Captain Bingham's death.

It Was kind of you to Write.
Have you been staying in Ranpur?



No, not staying.

I've just got in from Calcutta.

And that train is going to Pankot?

- Yes, at midnight. I'm going home.
- And you are alone?

My dear Miss Layton, you must join me
in a glass of champagne.

- Oh, Well...
- I am inviting you.

It's an occasion. On behalf of NaWab
Sahib - Who is not here, by the Way.

I invite you
to more compatible surroundings.

We are travelling... HoW shall I put it?

On some private but official business.

With young Kasim.
Do you remember Ahmed?

And someone I think you haven't met.

AlloW me to introduce Captain RoWan.

Miss Sarah Layton.



NaWab Sahib and I had the pleasure
of her company at her sister's marriage.

- HoW do you do?
- Please.

SteWard? Champagne.

We Were going to Wait for Ahmed
but only as an exercise in self-discipline.

- Do you smoke?
- Thank you.

I myself smoke too many
but these are mild.

Thank you.

HoW are your mother and sister?
They're both Well, I hope?

Yes. Both Well.

And the officer Who Was best man
at your sister's Wedding?

Captain Merrick.
Have you had neWs of him?

Actually, it Was to visit him in hospital
that I Went to Calcutta.

Really? Thank you. Why, What is Wrong?

He Was badly Wounded helping Captain
Bingham at the time he Was killed.

My sister Wanted someone to visit him
and couldn't go herself.

I'm afraid he's lost an arm.

He had physical courage.
One could see that.

I'm sorry to hear he Was Wounded.

Which arm?

- The left.
- Ah, that is something.

I observed him picking up confetti.
He Was right-handed.

You may remember the officer
We're speaking of. Merrick.

No, I don't think so.

He joined the army from the Indian police

and featured in the Manners case
in 1942 - an English girl.

Oh, yes. That case.

I had an interesting talk to him.

Are those boys still in prison?

Which boys are those?

The ones he arrested.

I'm afraid I don't knoW, Count.

I hope they're not forgotten
and just left to rot.

The Indians remember, especially one
Who visited me that last year.

I'm sure, Count,
that they are not just forgotten.

Forgive me. It is an uncheerful subject.
Miss Layton should be entertained.

You Will join us in a meal?
You have some time yet.

HoW very kind.
I Was going to the station restaurant.

Oh, We can do better than that.
And We shall not noW Wait for Ahmed,

Who Would probably be interested
only in the champagne.

But a dear boy.
He'll be sorry to have missed you.

He affects not to be susceptible
to the charms of White ladies

but in your case I suspect
this is not Wholly true.

You remember hoW you rode together on
the Waste ground opposite my house?

Yes.

I'm confessing, aren't I, that I
observed you. But not intentionally.

After you had gone, I observed hoW,
on many mornings, he rode there again,

and each time retraced exactly
the course you had taken together.

Cantering along the same stretch,

stopping in the same place,
Wheeling his horse.

But don't misinterpret.

Ahmed remains an observer - detached.

Because he doesn't see Where he fits in.

I remember his father
once Wrote to him from prison.

You knoW his father, ex-Chief Minister
Kasim, is still in prison?

He Wrote, "We are looking for a country
but it is here."

And so am I.

Why shouldn't We stop squabbling
over it and start living in it?

What does it really matter Who runs it -
Hindu or Muslim -

or Whose face is dark
and Whose is White?

Yes. What does it matter?

(BronoWsky) 'Goodbye, Miss Layton.
He'll be sorry to have missed you.

'HoW self-contained you are.
I don't remember that.

'Perhaps Ahmed noticed it.
Something maybe you have in common.

'Both Wondering Whether you belong.

'And to What.'

Dear boy.

- You look very smart.
- What time is it?

It's a little after 4:00.

- We're due in Premanagar.
- Does Captain RoWan knoW?

I hope so. He Was Woken
at the same time as you.

I have kept Watch,
indulging some of my favourite vices -

Wakefulness, Pushkin
and an unfinished bottle.

There's a glass for you.

Or Would you prefer
something stronger?

SteWard.

Bring Kasim sahib
a large Scotch and soda.

Or no soda?

No soda.

Here. I have a garlic for you.

CheW it before you reach the house
in case your father detects the Whisky.

But do not get too close
to Captain RoWan.

He Would be too polite
to turn his head aWay.

No doubt His Excellency entrusted him
With this business for his discretion.

But I noticed,
although he feigned indifference,

his interest
When Miss Layton Was telling me

hoW Captain Merrick had lost an arm.

In due course,
he Will inform the governor.

Bravery in the field
and an amputated arm. What luck.

NoW the arrested boys may go free.

The files are closed
and Mr Merrick's future is assured.

No scandal.

Le diable est mort.

- You understand?
- No, it's too early in the morning.

Oh, and too late. We are here.

Courage, mon ami.

Thanks.

They're here, I think. Don't you Wish to
speak to the divisional commissioner?

Not just noW. Unless it's essential.

Very Well.

Ahmed?

- Ahmed, is that you?
- Yes, father.

Your mother?
What neWs of your mother?

She's Well. You'll see her soon.

They let the Mahatma out
but his poor Kasturba is dead.

I knoW. But it's nothing like that.

Then God is good to me.

You are taller.

- HoW long has it been?
- Almost three years.

You dWarf me. You quite dWarf me.

They told me nothing
until five o'clock yesterday.

Am I free or on my Way to another jail?

- You are free.
- On What conditions?

To go to our kinsman, the NaWab
of Mirat. Mother Will join you there.

You Will be under
the NaWab's protection.

I am the only congressman
to be paroled?

- Yes, Father. As far as I knoW.
- Why?

- Because of my brother.
- Sayed?

- He has died in prison camp?
- No, he Was captured.

- By the Japanese, I knoW.
- Recently. In Manipur.

Mother had a letter.
Sayed joined the INA.

The INA?

The Indian National Army.
To fight alongside the Japanese.

I knoW What the initials stand for.

Sayed? The INA.

No. This is a ridiculous mistake.

He Would not help the Japanese
to invade his oWn country!

Thousands of Indian prisoners
in Malaya and Burma did the same thing.

They felt deserted
by their British officers.

You are speaking up for them?
Calling your brother a traitor?

Am I? It Was Ghandi Who called on us
to do or die against the British.

The situation is changing.

The young men Who grab rifles
and march

may look more heroic
than the old men Who Went to prison.

He Was a King's commissioned officer.
He made a contract.

All of our Muslim laW is based
on the sanctity of contract.

We must suffer, die for it.
It is in our hearts.

What are you telling me?
That it is not in Sayed's?

That he is an opportunist With no
thought of his honour or yours or mine?

Are you telling me this is the kind
of India I have gone to prison for?

If you are, you had better leave me here.

I do not knoW that kind of India.
I do not knoW such men.

Sayed is not my son.

Let me go back to prison.

You can't go back, Father.
They Won't let you.

The plain fact is
they are chucking you out of the fort.

We shall see.
Let them forcibly take me to Mirat.

But then let them stop me from returning
to my home, to Ranpur and to politics.

They Won't arrest you.

It Would suit the British very Well to have
you say What you've just said to me.

You only arrested you last time
because you Were loyal to congress.

You refused to join the Muslim League.

But When a man is suddenly released
from political detention for no reason,

his friends Will ask Why.

There is alWays the truth.

No, Father.
There is only What can be believed.

Can you still call Sayed a traitor?

You might as Well resign
from Congress noW

and apply to Jinnah
for membership of the League.

Not that Jinnah Would come near you
if you tried that line With him.

He Will call Sayed a patriot too if
he values his career as a future minister.

There are hundreds of officers
and thousands of men.

- The British can't hang them all.
- Who have you been talking to?

The NaWab?
Or that European pederast, BronoWsky?

- I've talked to them but not about this.
- No?

Then you are shreWd.
I underestimated you.

Since one of my sons
turns out to be a traitor,

it is a compensation that the other one
is not as stupid as I thought.

I'm sorry.

You did not deserve this. Forgive me.

In prison, you forget
that circumstances change.

Sayed is Wrong.
But this time I must be silent.

Thank you for having saved me
from making a useless gesture.

Then you accept the terms.
Shall I tell them you are ready?

Unfortunately, I have only one life to live

and only one notion
of What makes it Worth living -

alWays to speak the truth.

It isn't easy to Write that notion off
as a mistake.

- I knoW.
- Do you?

You are too young.

It Was Sayed,
alWays it Was Sayed that I trusted.

And you?

Why are you Waiting?
Tell the officers I'm ready.

Your Congress cap. They pretend
to laugh but they're afraid of it really.

If they see it lying on the table, they
might come to the Wrong conclusion.

No.

Straight and firm.

Like a croWn of thorns.

'The first sight of India after years of War,

'and no Words can express
What they felt.

'The commander-in-chief said
What We feel -

"'What you've done
Will long be remembered."

'Let's remember it noW.

'Eritrea. Syria.

'Tunisia. Italy.

'Lt's all summed up in the Words,
"The Famous Fourth".

'Eight, for the Eighth Army -
another famous number.

'And these men helped to make it so.

'Just before they landed,
aWards for gallantry Were announced.

'But this Was the best reWard of all -
to be home again.'

I'm going up to see Susan noW.

Aren't you coming?

You knoW she Won't even look
at the baby.

Frankly, I've had enough.

Tell her I'll come tonight.

I'll say you're resting.

It's room nine.

(Nurse) There's a lovely boy.

Mrs Bingham, your sister's here.

Hello, Sue.

Sorry I Wasn't at the time.

Will you see him noW?

Is it Whole? Is it?

Why, Mrs Bingham, of course it's Whole.
He's a lovely boy.

TWo of everything.
Well, everything he should have.

And look hoW Well your sister holds him.

Don't you Want to hold him noW?

Come on, Sue.
Think hoW proud Daddy Will be.

He might be home for Christmas.

That's What they say noW.

HoW lovely. Anyway, for us.

It's a bit unfair for him. He'll Want peace
and all he'll get is a screaming baby.

He Won't mind because he's a grandson.

What Will you call him?

I don't knoW.

A name's so important.

- HoW can I choose that on my oWn?
- Not on your oWn.

There's me and Mummy, too.

She's resting noW but she'll look in soon.

You're not alone.

Thank you, Clarissa.

Oh! Another caseful.

Shoes.

I must confess, I'm fond of my shoes.

I think there's little left to bring
from Rose Cottage noW.

Is anything Wrong, Clarissa?
The amount of luggage?

- It is a bit more than I thought.
- No, it's not the luggage.

Though it there's more to come
you'll have to ask for storage elseWhere.

But I shouldn't Want my things
to moulder in a storehouse.

Arthur and I place little value
on possessions.

Our strength is in the love of God.

We'll say no more about the luggage.

There's something I have to ask.

I Was at the club this afternoon.

Yes?

Not alone. With others.

People I respect
but Whom I shall not name.

It Was said... Well...

What a pity it Was you couldn't remain
at Rose Cottage for a While

to help Mildred With Susan and the baby.

Hmph. I don't think it's a suggestion
that Mildred Would approve.

May I ask Why?

Yes, Clarissa.

Since I accept your hospitality,
though as a paying guest, of course.

Mildred does not approve of me
or What she terms my interference.

So... What Was said at the club?

It Was accepted
that the idea might be impractical.

But there Was something more.

It Was suggested...
it Would be unsuitable.

Especially unsuitable
With tWo pretty young girls in the house.

I could not, simply could not believe...

The moment had gone before
I understood exactly What had been said,

to refute it.

I do not propose, Barbara,
to refer to this again,

inside or outside this house.

But I require... For my oWn piece of mind,
I require from you some Word.

Some Word?

- What Word, Clarissa?
- A Word of refutation,

of assurance that there are no grounds
at all for such a Wicked implication.

I see.

Naturally you require to be reassured.

But What can I say?

If it Were true I should probably deny it.
I've noWhere else to go.

It's a difficult thing
for an elderly spinster to refute.

But for What it's Worth, Clarissa,

as far as I knoW,

my affection for Sarah and Susan
is not of an unnatural kind.

Unless it is unnatural
to take pleasure in their company

and to care What happens to them.

And noW I... I must put these roses
on Mabel's grave.

Such a Wicked thing to say.

Am I expected tomorroW, as arranged?

Thank you, Clarissa.

Mabel!

HoW can I face it alone?

And Without God.

Mabel...

I'm going noW.

Thank you.

Memsahib!
Memsahib, you Want buy floWers?

Memsahib, you Want buy floWers?

I take your bag rickshaW Wallah.

- Oh, it's Ashok, isn't it?
- Yes, memsahib.

You carried my parcel in the bazaar.

Why aren't you in the bazaar today?

The other boys threaten you?

Perhaps they're jealous.
Too many baksheesh for you.

It's empty.

You're not a Pankot boy.

- I come Ranpur.
- Ah!

A stranger. An outcast.

Well, that gives us
something in common.

Not many baksheesh for you in
the churchyard. Simply a place of refuge.

I go tomorroW.

You go tomorroW?

Ashok, did you see a lady come out
of the church just noW, before me?

... in a topi?

Well, it doesn't matter.

The important thing is
she seemed to be there.

She appeared to me.

I'm going to sit doWn here
and take a little breather.

- Where do you go tomorroW, Ashok?
- I go to maharaja.

You serve a maharaja? Where?

Many, many maharaja.

I go ride elephant for maharaja.

Well, there are certainly no elephants
in Pankot,

so you'll have to go
if you Want to be a mahout.

If you Were an English boy,
you'd Want to be an engine driver.

If no elephants, memsahib.

Do you knoW
What those floWers here are for?

- For puja.
- No.

I bring them for my friend.

I am your friend, memsahib.

Yes. I mean my other friend.

He come from Pankot?

From Pankot? Yes.

He is my friend, too?

She is. Yes.

But you Won't see her.
Like the friend Who loves us both.

You remember the song
I tried to teach you? About our friend?

There's a friend for little children...

There's a friend for little children...

Bright blue sky

His love Will never die.

Oh, my little untouchable. My Harijan.
One of the children of God.

NoW tell me, Ashok. What am I?

No.

I am a servant of our Lord Jesus.

He is our mother and our father.
Maa baap.

You don't understand.

It's too long ago and far aWay.

The World We live in is corrupt.

I offer you my love
and you take it as fortune smiling.

But your heart is beating
in expectation of rupees.

Mine hardly beats at all.

It's very tired and old and far from home.

Ashok.

You take my case
and find a rickshaW Wallah.

Jaldi.

My little unknoWn Indian.

Memsahib. Sarah mem.

Hello, Barbie.

I... must look a... a sight.

I'm clearing up. Trying to create
some sort of order. It's quite a task.

Oh, I am sorry.
Is there anything I can help With?

We'll have some tea.
Unless you're in a hurry.

I should love some tea.

Aziz has probably anticipated
tea outside, have you not, Aziz?

Haan, Barbie mem. Tea.

Thank you, Aziz.

My last day at Rose Cottage.

I shall be out of here
after breakfast tomorroW.

Aziz Will be ready to go, too.

He'll Wait behind to hand over the keys
to Captain Coley.

Yes, I see. I'll tell Mother.

Will you pour?

Susan's home again, With the baby.

- She's Well?
- They both are.

Mother's brought in an ayah
to help look after him.

She's our houseboy's niece.
Only a child herself.

Her name's Minnie.

Susan's giving the baby
all Teddie's names,

so he'll be EdWard Arthur
David Bingham.

And shall you be happy out here,
all of you?

I don't knoW, Barbie. I don't knoW at all.

You Wanted once to get aWay.

Yes, I did. Perhaps in a Way I have.

- What about you?
- Oh, I shall be all right.

I've Written to the mission.
No doubt they'll have something for me.

Something to do.

Clarissa...

told me your neWs
about poor Captain Merrick.

Yes, it's sad.

I forgot to tell you.
He talked a bit about Miss Crane.

EdWina? What did he say?

He Went to her bungaloW after her death

and found the picture of Queen Victoria,
the one you have.

The JeWel In The CroWn.

He seemed to think in some Way
it Was to do With Teddie's death,

the kinship betWeen
sepoys and officers.

He used a phrase -
"I am your mother and your father."

Maa baap.

Mother and father.

The relationship betWeen us and India.

What else?

And death by fire.

The Way that Teddie died
and the Way Miss Crane killed herself.

Was that to do With maa baap too?

- No.
- What Was it?

Despair.

Yes, that fits.

It reminded me of something, too.
The scorpion.

The scorpion?

Years ago,
When Susan and I Were children.

We had another houseboy then.
He Was alWays telling us stories.

He told us a scorpion Would kill itself

if it Was cornered
and there Was no Way out.

I don't think We really believed him.

Till one day, Susan and I Were
in the garden, he called us over.

He poured a pot of something in a circle
on the ground and set it alight.

We saW the scorpion strike...
and kill itself.

Or that's hoW it seemed.

In a ring of fire.

Years later, Auntie Mabel told me that
it Wasn't true, that it's the fire that kills.

But it alWays seemed to me a brave thing
to do if there Was no Way out.

I am sorry, Barbie, about Auntie Mabel -
that I Wasn't here.

I don't suppose you've heard yet.

- She remembered you in her Will.
- What?

Only a small annuity
to help With the pension.

You'll get a letter soon
from the bank in Ranpur.

- She shouldn't have.
- Why not?

It's taking it aWay from the rest of you.

I didn't expect...

It's very kind.

Very kind.

Oh, Barbie, don't.

And I have no problems,

except What I think you'd call noWadays
a problem in logistics.

My little room at Clarissa's, it has
its limitations. And I have my trunk.

I had thought of leaving it here
in the shed until I could send for it.

But if I Were to ask permission
of your mother it Would be refused.

Would honour be satisfied, do you think,
if I Were to ask it of you?

I should think so.

It only contains bits of my past.
My years in India.

My shadoW, as you might say.

I'll tell the mali to keep an eye on it
so there Will be a minimum of fuss.

And I can come and visit you
at Clarissa's.

It might be better if you didn't.

My room is very small
for entertaining guests.

And I don't Want to push my luck,
as the saying is.

Not for a While, at least.

Not for a While.

Captain Merrick.

Get out!

God rot this stinking piece of tin!

Oh. Did you ring, sir?

This damn thing doesn't fit!
I told those idiots in Poona.

What the hell do you Want?

Well, I Was hoping for
a bit of peace and quiet, sir.

But if this goes on, I shall ask
to be put back on active service.

Better be raped by yelloW ones in Burma
than be picking glass out of me perm.

Get out, Dixon. I'm not amused
by your song and dance act.

I'll get a sWeeper.

I said get out!

One ashtray, officers, for the use of.

Sister's not going to like this at all.

Got a fearful temper, that one.

Frightens the life out of us ladies
When she's roused.

- If you'll excuse me, sir.
- Yes, Corporal.

Maybe you've tried to do too much, sir,
too soon after.

You ought to get out of doors.

After all, that's What they sent you
up to Pankot for, sir -

the fresh air of the hills.

I don't supposed it's occurred to you

that I might not choose
to exhibit myself in public yet.

Has such an unlikely idea
occurred to you?

No, sir.

There noW. Almost forgot Why I came.

A letter for you, Captain Merrick.

Been all round the houses, too.

From Pankot,
doWn to the hospital in Cal

and forwarded
all the Way back here again.

- Shall I?
- Yes, all right.

Oh. It's from a corporal.

Corporal S somebody.

Could it be... Sandra?

Or could it be Sophie, like me?

Nah. Some other bird.

Miss Layton.

Get out, Dixon.

Very good, sir.

'Dear Ronald.
Excuse the army issue.

'Susan asked me to let you knoW
that she has a baby son

'and both seem to be doing Well.

'We are not sure
When the christening Will be,

'and Susan has not chosen
his name yet.'

I said to Sister,
"Wasn't that careless of me?"

I might have done myself
a serious injury.

Mind you, not so nasty
as my first accident this morning.

- You all right, sir?
- Yes, of course.

Who do I bump into
but our senior surgeon,

me With a bedpan in me hand.

Well, she Was drenched,
and me flat on me bum and all.

"Is that Corporal Dixon?" she says.
"Yes," says Matron.

The surgeon says, "It Was not entirely
his fault so We Won't blame him."

As to that,
I think chance'd be a fine thing.

- Are We ready, sir?
- Just get on.

You knoW the idea, sir.

Toughen up the bits
that aren't too tender,

if yours truly can avoid the bits that are.

Mind you, that's a lovely stump.

And I've seen one or tWo, sir.

Someone in Calcutta's
very proud of this,

or my name's not Sophie Dixon.

Sorry, sir.

In point of fact, Corporal Dixon,

I've been finding out
quite a bit about you.

There are some fearful gossips, sir.
You shouldn't pay attention.

I've been hearing about your
active service record in the AraKan.

According to my informant,
you Were the one Who kept on joking,

risking your neck
to bring in the Wounded under fire.

They should have
given Sophie Dixon the MM.

- That's What I've been told.
- That Would never do, sir.

And Where Would they pin it,
cheeky things?

So What I'm Wondering, Dixon,
is hoW all this adds up.

Still getting a bit of pain here,
are We, sir?

Pity you're not staying With us
a little longer.

I knoW a thing or tWo about this job.

Very good With my hands, sir.
Massage. Manipulation.

- Helps you relax.
- So What's the truth, Dixon?

Are you a hero?

Or a bloody pansy?

I don't think that's the kind of question
We ought to ask ourselves. Do you, sir?

I remember What
our dear Winnie Churchill told us -

"Give us the tools," she said,
"and We'll finish the job."

Almighty God,

Who art a strong toWer of defence
unto Thy servants against their enemies,

We yield thee praise and thanksgiving

for our deliverance
from great and apparent dangers.

And especially today for our deliverance
from the Japanese

and their expulsion from the soil of India.

We acknoWledge it, Thy goodness...

- Aren't We going home?
- I think We're going to the club.

I don't Want to be too long.

Dicky, have you got the roses?

I brought them for Auntie Mabel's grave
because I missed the funeral.

HoW very thoughtful.
Who's looking after little Teddie?

The ayah. She's quite capable
of seeing the brat comes to no harm.

- Are you coming on to the club?
- Mm. Madras curry!

It's Minnie's first time in charge,
so We shan't stay for lunch.

And I'm calling him EdWard, not Teddie.
I hate diminutives for men.

Let's take the floWers.

Is Susan all right?

Susan's fine.

- Goodbye.
- Goodbye, Sarah.

I hope you've all got your bibs
and tuckers ironed for the christening.

I've got a neW dress, but We're not
getting all starchy about it, are We?

Far from it. I'm afraid the party
afterwards Will be very informal.

We're surrounded by packing cases.

- When do you move to Rose Cottage?
- 0900 hours on Tuesday.

NoW that Woman is finally out.

I've got it all Worked out. The little spare
Will make an excellent nursery.

EdWard's even more effective
than a bugle for getting us up.

All on parade at 6am prompt.

- Isn't it, Sue?
- Most children Wake at six.

- I did.
- But then you're army.

Yes.

Relax, darling.

You simply must learn to trust me
and stop thinking about next feed time.

Are you cold? I thought you shivered.
I hope you're not sickening for anything.

No. I'm relaxing.

HoW has your dog taken to the baby?
Sometimes they're jealous.

Oh, Panther's taken
quite a shine to him. We're...

That Was clumsy of you, Wasn't it?

Do you Want a mop?

You'll have to change
When you get home.

- Aren't you madly uncomfortable?
- No, Mother.

Well, go to the cloakroom
and use a toWel.

- Then you can have another nimbu.
- I don't Want another nimbu.

Well, go and dry off.

- Do you Want any help?
- No, it's all right.

(Man) Do you think I ought
to run her home?

My dear boy. Finish your drink in peace.
It's only a broken glass.

- (Baby cries)
- There! There, there.

There, there.

It's all right.

It's all right. I'm here noW.

Don't Want Panther.
Silly dog. Getting fat.

Don't Want Minnie, silly girl.
Won't understand.

Do you knoW What this is?
Auntie Mabel's christening goWn.

She gave it to me.

See? Butterflies...

caught in a Web.

Poor prisoners.

Poor prisoners.

We'll set them free.

- Free, little prisoner.
- Mahmoud!

Go free.

- Go free.
- Mahmoud!

Go free.

Go free.