The Empress
Page 4
VICTORIA:
Send him back?
LADY SARAH:
He cannot stay here. He probably doesn’t even speak English. How will we communicate with him?
VICTORIA:
Do you speak English?
ABDUL smiles coquettishly.
ABDUL:
English is one of several languages I am fluent in, Your Royal Highness.
VICTORIA:
And have you always lived in Agra?
ABDUL:
I was born there ma’am, as indeed my father and his father before him were. My father is a surgeon in the Indian army.
LADY SARAH:
An actual medical physician?
ABDUL:
Yes Your Ladyship.
LADY SARAH doesn’t like the flirtatious nature of ABDUL.
LADY SARAH:
Ma’am, shall I arrange for his transportation back to India?
VICTORIA eyes ABDUL for a while.
VICTORIA:
Indeed not. We have already decided. He will attend us, behind our chair every morning as we take breakfast. We are after all the Empress of India and it is only fitting that we should be waited upon by such a noble gentleman of that land. Besides, look! His turban matches our egg cup.
VICTORIA and ABDUL share the joke and smile at each other. LADY SARAH does not laugh.
VICTORIA:
Mr Karim. What do you have in that box there?
ABDUL steps forward offering the box. LADY SARAH is jumpy.
ABDUL:
It is a gift for you from my country.
LADY SARAH:
Please, Your Majesty, do not open it until I have perused the contents.
VICTORIA is very excited. She takes the box and runs her hands over the gem stones. LADY SARAH stands close by and stares at the box, afraid.
VICTORIA:
Such exquisite workmanship.
ABDUL:
Precious rubies and pearls Your Majesty. All inlaid in gold to celebrate your glorious Golden Jubilee.
VICTORIA:
How thoughtful, how beautiful. Please accept our heartfelt thanks. We think there is something inside?
ABDUL looks at VICTORIA in the eyes.
ABDUL:
Your Majesty need only slip the catch to open it and see.
LADY SARAH:
Your Majesty, I must insist!
VICTORIA does not listen but opens the box.
VICTORIA:
The aroma…it is very…strong…but sweet…
LADY SARAH peers in the box too, unable to hide her curiosity.
LADY SARAH:
What is this?
ABDUL:
Indian spices Your Majesty, so I may cook curries for you. It is a spicebox.
VICTORA:
How wonderful!
LADY SARAH:
Curry will not do at all for the royal digestion.
VICTORIA:
We like curry.
LADY SARAH:
It is not practical ma’am. The Master of the House will be greatly displeased to have to find work for this Indian. And what will the royal chef say?
VICTORIA looks at LADY SARAH with displeasure.
LADY SARAH:
Ma’am?
VICTORIA:
We do not care for the Master of the House and his petty prejudices. He will have to do as we say. And the chef will have to make way for Mr Karim.
LADY SARAH:
But ma’am, we have never before had male Indian servants in the royal household. Surely, this needs some discussion with Prince Edward? There are issues of security and decency.
VICTORIA:
We have decided.
VICTORIA holds up her hand to stay LADY SARAH who realises she has lost the battle. She motions to ABDUL who walks around to stand in attendance behind VICTORIA.
LADY SARAH:
You may only speak to Her Royal Highness when you are spoken to, you may not look directly at Her Royal Highness, you will bow after each sentence communicated with her and as far as possible, you will not turn your back on Her Royal Highness when leaving the room. You will not engage in idle chatter at any time whilst in her presence. You will address her as…
VICTORIA taps her egg cup.
VICTORIA:
(Interrupting.) It has always been a source of major disappointment to us that we have not been able to make the journey to our Indian Empire. At last we have an Indian gentleman who will be able to enlighten us on the habits and customs of our subjects so far away.
I want him to talk to me.
VICTORIA turns and looks at ABDUL who stares straight ahead. She looks delighted. LADY SARAH looks worried.
SCENE 5
Boarding house.
We are in LASCAR SALLY’s boarding house. It is a rowdy place. We can see many lascars – Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, from all parts of the world. Some are drinking and eating at tables. Others are playing cards whilst others are singing traditional songs from their country. There are a couple of women there too – white English as well as black who are very obviously prostitutes and are touting their wares to the men. The scene is of debauchery and poverty.
SONG: SHANTY RAP
Rats and beggars and drunks and whores,
Drinking in the gutters ’til the break of dawn.
These streets aren’t paved with gold,
Just pigeon shit and pea-green mould.
Always raining and it’s damn bloody cold,
So stoke up the fire and shovel in the coal.
In London town by the banks of the Thames,
There’s the flute and the fiddle of the dirty old men.
When the snow calls and the cold wind blows,
I’ll be dreaming of me Chori and the shores of home.
So I’ll take my chances on Tilbury docks,
Last one on board is bound to get flogged.*
LASCAR SALLY, the owner is cussing a sailor in fluent Hindi.
LASCAR SALLY:
(In Hindi.) Mené tum ko bola, aapne besurat shakal. Yahan sé lejan har sa mé hangama or tamasha. Dafa ho jao. Haramzada! Sala! Kamina!
(I told you, I don’t want to see your ugly face in here again. Always fighting, always causing a commotion. Now get your sorry arse out of here! Bastard! Time waster!)
AND DON’T COME BACK!
The sailor shouts abuse back in Hindi before stumbling out.
* Lyrics by Dom Coyote
HARI leads RANI in just as LASCAR SALLY is bundling a sailor out. RANI looks around her in horror.
HARI:
This is where I stay when I am on land in England.
RANI looks around her speechless.
HARI:
We can get a room for the night here.
Some lascars come forward to greet HARI. They pull him in, delighted to see him. There is much camaraderie and back slapping, a lot of cheering. RANI slips off to one side and sits quietly out of sight.
LASCAR SALLY:
Hari! Good to see you!
LASCAR 1:
Hari! Look at you! Skinnier than ever.
HARI:
Sameer, drunker than ever. Is that Mohammed?
LASCAR 3 has his head in a bandage.
LASCAR 3:
No, it is Mohammed’s Uncle. Who d’you think it is?
HARI:
Last time I saw you…
LASCAR 3:
A year and a half ago, down in Madras. That bloody ship full of Chinamen and illegal opium. Remember?
HARI:
What happened to your head?
SALLY:
The ship’s Captain decided to use it as a punch bag.
LASCAR 3:
Accused me of stealing his pocket watch!
Me?
Can you believe that?
LASCAR 1 pulls out a gold pocket watch from LASCAR 3’s pocket.
HARI:
Mohammed!
LASCAR 3:
He refused to pay me. I took my own wages.
LASCAR 2:
I heard your ship had docked. How was the voyage?
HARI:
This time, not so bad. Serang Ali was a devil though. My backside is sore from the kickings he gave me.
SALLY:
As long as it was just kickings he gave your arse and nothing more…
Everyone laughs. HARI looks embarrassed for RANI’s sake.
LASCAR 3:
He thinks he is the King of the Seas.
LASCAR 1:
On that ship he is.
LASCAR 2:
You mean that bucket? It has more holes in it than your brain.
HARI:
How long are you all here for?
LASCAR 1:
Tomorrow I set sail for the West Indies.
LASCAR 2:
And next week we sail for the Cape.
LASCAR 1:
Hey, Hari, you hear that the Brittania was wrecked off the coast of Madagascar?
HARI:
No?
LASCAR 1:
Almost all the lascar crew drowned. Not enough lifeboats and they were so weak, they could hardly swim, even though the shore was near.
HARI:
How many?
LASCAR 2:
Officially twenty-five, unofficially, one hundred and twenty-five.
HARI:
But wait! Akbar was on that ship wasn’t he?
LASCAR 3:
Yes…
HARI:
Any word from him?
All the LASCARS look around at each other and shake their heads.
HARI:
Maybe he survived. He was a strong swimmer, a good sailor…he will have swum to shore – No?
LASCAR 2:
They were a weak and starving crew. There was dysentery and cholera on board. No food and what little there was – went to the English officers.
HARI looks upset.
HARI:
I hope Akbar made it – we had some good times together… Have you seen him Sally? Has Akbar been here?
SALLY:
Sorry love – no. Actually Hari you look like you need a good meal.
HARI:
Starving.
LASCAR 3:
And a stiff drink. Sally has concocted some special fire water for us today. Heats you up.
SALLY:
I brewed it extra strong – just how you like it Hari.
HARI:
No drinking.
LASCAR 1:
Why not?
HARI:
I have a guest I must look after.
LASCAR 3:
Guest?
All the LASCARS turn at once and see RANI as if for the first time.
LASCAR 2:
Hari! Who is this pretty flower of a guest you have brought with you?
LASCAR 3:
A princess.
LASCAR 2:
A dancer?
LASCAR 1:
Does she like two at a time?
HARI rushes to RANI’s side.
HARI:
Oi!
Gradually everyone crowds around RANI who tries to make herself as small as possible. A couple of the women come forward and touch her hair, her dress and someone tries to pull her bundle of clothes away from her. SALLY shoos everyone off.
SALLY:
(In Hindi.) Béchari ko saas lené do hato, hato! (Stop crowding ’round the poor girl… c’mon, give her some air…move, move!)
Who is this poor creature Hari? Why you brought her here?
HARI:
She is my friend…Rani…her employers abandoned her at the docks.
LASCAR 1:
Ayah?
HARI:
Yes.
SALLY:
Poor darlin’, she’s just a child. She looks terrified.
RANI:
I’m sixteen.
LASCAR 1:
(Nudges HARI.) Old enough then eh?
Everyone laughs.
SALLY:
Are you in love again Hari?
LASCAR 2:
She’s prettier than the last one.
HARI:
Please…
SALLY:
(To RANI.) Did he offer to marry you too?
LASCAR 1:
He makes marriage proposals to everyone.
HARI squirms. RANI looks upset.
HARI:
Don’t listen to them.
SALLY:
Word of warning petal – they all beg for your hand and then they leave you when they’ve got what they wanted.
HARI:
(To RANI.) They are just pulling your leg.
SALLY:
Sailors eh?! I’ve had enough of them as husbands, so I should know.
LASCAR 2:
Four husbands.
LASCAR 4:
Four husbands – the other hundred were just men.
SALLY:
Shut up! Have some respect. If it wasn’t for me, you’d have to sleep in the streets. No one else will put you lot up.
LASCAR 3:
Sorry Sally. You know we respect and adore you.
LASCAR 2:
Adore you.
HARI:
Sally, please look after Rani for me…she is lost.
SALLY:
I can see that for myself. This your first night in England?
RANI nods.
SALLY:
Poor love’s trembling like a leaf. Don’t be frightened child. No harm will come to you here. My name is Sally. I will look after you. Come, we’ll get some nice warm broth inside you.
The WOMEN both pull RANI to one side, they shoo the LASCAR aside.
SALLY:
(In Hindi.) Kya dekh rahé ho?
(Stop gawping will ya?)
Can’t you see the girl’s frightened?
SALLY leads RANI away to the side. RANI goes with them warily. HARI cranes his neck, anxious about RANI but then gets pulled away by his fellow lascars. He resists and keeps trying to go back to RANI but his friends are persistent and they ply him with drink. They sing a bawdy song.
LASCARS:
(Sings.)
There’s nothing for dinner, there’s nothing for tea,
And that Second Steward keeps winking at me.
He and the cook are a bloody disgrace;
Just see the look on the galley-boy’s face!
The Mate is a bastard, the Second’s a drunk
The Third reads dirty books in his bunk;
As for the Old Man, no one can say;
No bugger’s seen him since we sailed away.
SCENE 6
We are in a tiny room/hovel with a threadbare mattress on the floor. The sounds of the LASCERS’ revelry can be heard from below. HARI is lying drunk on the mattress singing a song. RANI is crouched in the corner looking scared and miserable.
HARI:
(Humming.)
There’s nothing for dinner, there’s nothing for tea, And that Second Steward keeps winking at me. He and the cook are a bloody disgrace;
Just see the look on the galley-boy’s face!
How are you?
RANI does not speak.
HARI:
Hai, hai Rani. Come on…cheer up. You’re in London now…
HARI slaps the space on the mattress next to him.
RANI smarts and turns her face to the wall. She cries. HARI sits up on his elbow and tries to focus on her.
RANI:
It smells in here…
HARI:
That’s just the damp…old building…
RANI:
And you’re drunk.
HARI:
Yes…yes…I think I am.
HARI starts to giggle.
RANI:
This place…bad people…bad women…I am not that kind of woman.
HARI:
No one says you are a bad woman Rani. Come, lie down, get some sleep…I am tired too.
RANI:
How could you bring me to this place…how c
ould you think…? I want to go home.
HARI:
We all want to go home. But what is there? Poverty, people dying of starvation, no jobs, nothing.