The Last Emperor Page #4

Head up and eyes forward!

As in math!

My mother is dead, is she not?

Yes, Your Majesty.

I'm profoundly sorry!

I'm not.

She killed herself.

She swallowed the ball of opium.

I'm going to see her, and my brother.

Open the door. Open the door.

Open the door.

Fallen devil and fallen machine.

Trouble! Nothing but trouble!

Look where you lead him!

And you are an old, cruel, ignorant man.

The boy's mother is dead,

and he's not even allowed to see her!

I want to go home!!

I want to go home!!

Stop it, stay where you are!!

I want to go home!!

Stop it, stay where you are!!

You fool!! Stay there!!

Chang!

Hunchback, Bigfoot!

Sir? Give me your hand, sir.

Give me your hand, sir!

Can you not see?

Look at my left ear, please, sir.

Thank you, and my right.

Thank you.

Would you follow my finger, please, sir-

Well it's perfectly simple,

Johnson. The emperor needs spectacles.

Like Harold Lloyd!

Impossible!

An emperor does

not wear spectacles!

That can't be allowed!

Time have changed,

Your Highnesses!

If His Majesty doesn't get spectacles,

Johnston, he could lose his sight.

Your Majesty.

If the Emperor does not get

spectacles, I will resign.

Unfortunately,

our decision is final.

And unfortunately, what I have to say will be

published in every newspaper in China.

What do you have to say,

Mr, Johnston?

The Emperor has been a prisoner

in his own place since the day

that he was crowned and has remained

a prisoner since he abdicated.

But now he's growing up. He may

wonder why he is the only person in China

who may not walk out of

his own front door.

I think the Emperor is the

loneliest boy on earth.

It would be conveniently sad

if he becomes blind.

Blind, Mr, Johnston?

To the expense, Your Excellency.

To the cost of maintaining one

thousand two hundred eunuchs,

three hundred and fifty

ladies-in-waiting.

and one hundred and eight-five

cooks to buying one hundred.

and twenty sable furs a month

and three thousand chickens a

week.

To the fast that eight hundred

and forty guards and employees

of the household department,

plus one Lord Chamberlain,

care only about one thing!

Filling their own rice bowls!

You are very good at accounts,

Mr, Johnston!

The Emperor may have abdicated,

but he is still a symbol

of great importance to many people.

If I did not agree with that,

I would not be here.

And some of us believe that one day soon,

he may be more than a symbol.

The spectacles are a detail.

What do you really want,

Mr, Johnston?

Ah-Just the spectacles.

The Princess Wan Jung,

Your Majesty.

Seventeen years old.

Princess Wu Chang,

fifteen years old.

The princess De Li,

Your Majesty.

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