The African Queen Page #2

O Lord, I've tried so hard.

So they been here, too, eh?

After I left here the other day,

the drums started in the forest.

Pretty soon, my boys was moaning

and rolling their eyes.

I asked them what the trouble was,

and they told me the drums said

the soldiers was rounding up

their people

and marching them off

and burning their villages

so they wouldn't have

no homes to come back to.

Sure enough, when I got to the mine,

everything was a shambles.

My boys took one look

and bolted into the forest.

The way I look at it,

they plan to make soldiers of the natives

and take over all Africa.

Where's the Reverend?

He's in there. He's dead.

Well, now, ain't that awful?

If they'd up and shoot a reverend

couldn't do them a bit of harm,

- well, there ain't nobody safe.

- They didn't shoot him, Mr. Allnut,

but they may as well have done.

That's certainly too bad, miss.

That's all I can say.

- When'd he die, miss?

- He died early this morning.

Excuse me, miss. What I mean to say

is, what with the climate and all,

the quicker we get him

under the ground, the better.

If you don't mind my saying so.

You got a spade?

Behind the bungalow.

I expect he'd like to be buried

in the shade.

I'll tell you what.

While I'm digging the grave,

you get your things together,

all the things you want to carry,

and then we can clear out of here

in a hurry.

The Germans might come back anytime.

- Why should they?

- They'll be back, all right,

looking for the African Queen.

They'd give a lot to get their hands

on her, you bet.

And what's in her, too.

Blasting gelatin, tinned grub,

cylinders of oxygen and hydrogen,

heaps of things them Germans

could use. You can trust them for that.

The Germans.

See, I figure we could go somewheres

behind an island where it's quiet

- and we can talk about what to do.

- I'll get ready.

Fine. I'll be as quick as I can.

Let's go, miss.

Let's go while the going's good.

Pardon me.

Mind taking the tiller, miss? Come on.

- But I can't steer.

- Come on.

A little to starboard, miss.

No, no, the other way.

So far, so good.

Here we are, safe and sound,

as you might say.

- The question is, what next?

- Quite.

We got heaps of grub here, miss,

so we're all right as far as that goes.

Two thousand cigarettes.

Two cases of gin.

We could stay here for months

if we wanted to.

It's not a bad place to sit out a war,

then, is it, miss?

All the comforts of home,

including running water.

We simply can't remain here

in this backwater

until the war is over, Mr. Allnut.

Can't we, miss? You got the map.

Show me a way out and I'll take it.

The British will certainly

launch an attack.

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes