Florence Nightingale Page #4

---

if l may say so.

l brought you this.

You don't have to bring me presents.

Just tell me justice will be done.

May l see?

Sir John Hall, that miserable excuse

for a military surgeon.

Has he been court-martialled,

stripped of his command?

No.

Entered a monastery perhaps,

to do some well-deserved penance?

Not quite.

Black-balled from his club at least?

He's been given a KCB.

A KCB?

Which stands for Knight of

the Crimean Burial grounds, l suppose.

- Flo!

- (Gasps)

What a beautiful brooch!

A bit overdone, isn't it?

But see who it is from!

''ln appreciation of her service - Victoria Reg...''

Her Majesty will be in Balmoral next week.

She wants to meet you and to talk.

l believe she may even be inclined to listen.

Now, this is important, Florence.

The Queen is very interested

in the fate of the army.

You must remember she thinks of it as her army,

that's the way to engage her interest.

Do you follow me?

Do try to be tactful, Florence.

Don't say anything that might upset Her Majesty.

Nothing about maggots and wounds

and frostbite and limbs falling off.

Please.

(Music starting and applause)

You're off to see the queen today!

Oh, do be careful what you say,

or you will quickly be excused

Her Majesty is not amused

by stories set to shock and scare

So listen to Mother and please beware!

We don't want to hear about maggots...

- Maggots!

We'd rather not learn about lice...

- No lice!

Just make everything pretty,

and jolly and happy and nice

- Nice!

We don't want to hear a soldier swear

Or listen to moaning and screams

We don't want to hear a single cough...

(Men cough)

To bother Her Majesty's dreams

WOMEN:
Sweet dreams

Be sure never to tell her

about all the blood and the gore

Surely you know it's not right or polite

to make a queen faint on the floor

She's happy to hear of daring deeds

by soldier, colonel or toff

But never, not ever, no, never discuss...

The fingers that keep falling off!

The hands that keep falling off!

The legs that keep falling off!

The heads that keep falling off!

Cos everything keeps falling off!

(Cheering)

Attention!

May l offer you some tea, dear?

Thank you, ma'am.

- Please continue.

- Yes, ma'am.

We...

We lost 1 0,000 men in six months,

mostly through gross incompetence,

and l came home to find that many of

the officers responsible have been promoted,

given honours, medals, titles.

Crimes were committed, terrible suffering

inflicted that could easily have been avoided...

Yes, Miss Nightingale, but what exactly

entitles you to be the judge of that?

l studied and visited all the hospitals in London,

Dublin, Edinburgh, Paris, Rome and Berlin.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes