Viceroy's House Page #4

compounded by a famine

which the people think we are doing

precious little to relieve.

The sooner we can hand over

to an Indian government...

the better.

But what government?

These wretched Indian leaders

won't agree.

If the Muslims are denied their Pakistan

my province will have all-out civil war.

The same in the Punjab.

The Hindus won't tolerate a Pakistan

they haven't voted for.

Oh, God! Gentlemen...

Our saviour is here.

He walks among us.

Off the record, Pug,

we're not sure Dickie Mountbatten's

the man for this job.

Look, he has amazing ability

to get along with people.

But these Indians are as slippery

as eels.

The Indians have to believe

that whatever the future of India is,

it is their idea.

And trust me,

if anyone can get them to agree,

it's Dickie.

He could charm a vulture off a corpse.

Nothing will stop the violence now, Pug.

It's already far too late.

And if Mountbatten thinks charm

alone can do it, then he's a fool.

Thank you for your candour.

- Your Excellency...

- I know how grave the situation is.

I'm meeting the leaders

and all the maharajas,

who of course have their own fears

about what a transfer of power

will bring.

There is a great deal to do.

I want to hear from all of you.

The growing conflict between Muslim

and Hindu

has left 40,000 dead.

The new Viceroy arrives in India

amid scenes of terrible death

and destruction.

It would be a disgrace

and an everlasting slur on Britain's

standing in the world

if we were to abandon 400 million

primitive Indians to their fate.

Do it nicely.

You have to cut neatly.

It has to be neat.

They all have to be the same size.

This is most irregular.

The staff will not understand.

I want them to know who we are.

Lady Mountbatten.

Your Excellency.

Aap door!

Get the chickens from the oven now!

Our head English chef left us rather

unexpectedly with Lord Wavell.

We are awaiting his replacement

from England.

Meanwhile, may I present

our acting head chef,

Ram Lal Chandra,

He has been fully trained

in the finest European cuisine

and should meet your requirements

sufficiently.

I do believe we can save the new

English chef the journey.

Mr Chandra will do

a perfectly good job.

That wonderful dinner you served last

night put Claridges to shame.

Lady Sahib, the credit must also

go to my staff

and my sous-chef, Jinnah Abdul Malik.

He prepares a most excellent

Lamb Wellington

and bread and butter pudding

with the finest marmalade.

That's all well and good, but with

your agreement, Chef Chandra,

I'd like to make a few changes.

From now on there'll be more Indians

of all faiths round our table.

Their culinary needs must be waited for.

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