INT. SHEPHEARD'S HOTEL. CAIRO. EVENING
The LONG BAR. The Exploration Team is drinking at a table. They are not entirely off-duty--Almásy and Madox, as ever, ponder the maps.
MADOX: By car? Impossible. If we try and drive north of Kufra by car, we'll leave our bones in the desert.
ALMÁSY: Disagree
MADOX: You're Hungarian, you always disagree.
Geoffrey Clifton appears.
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CLIFTON: Good evening, Gentlemen! He sits down. Madox hails the waiter. |
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D'AGOSTINO: How
is your charming wife?
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CLIFTON: Marvelous.
She's in love with the hotel plumbing. She's either in the swimming
pool--she swims for hours, she's a fish, quite incredible--or she's
in the bath. Actually, she's just outside.
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(responding to their bewildered
expressions)
Chaps Only in the Long Bar. |
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EXT. SHEPHEARD'S HOTEL TERRACE. NIGHT
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The Explorers, embarrassed,
march out onto the terrace. Katharine sits, reading, exquisite in her
evening clothes.
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There is dancing inside, and couples walk to and from their tables. Madox approaches to collect her. Katharine manages to produce a dazzling smile which includes everyone except Almásy.
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MADOX: Mrs.
Clifton, you'll have to forgive us. We're not accustomed to the company
of women.
KATHARINE: Not at all. I was thoroughly enjoying my book. |
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CLIFTON: The team is in mourning, darling. KATHARINE: Oh really? |
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MADOX: I'm afraid we're not having much luck obtaining funds for the expedition. KATHARINE: Oh. What will you do? |
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MADOX: A more modest expedition,
or even wait a year. Remind our families we still exist.
CLIFTON (astonished): Good heavens, are you married, Madox? MADOX: Very much so. We all are, save my friend here. |
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He nods at Almásy.
Clifton appears tremendously relieved.
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CLIFTON: I
feel much better, don't you darling? We were feeling rather self-conscious.
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Let's toast, then. To absent wives. D'AGOSTINO (toasting Katharine): And present ones. |
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KATHARINE (toasting
Almásy): And
future ones.
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