Grand Tour (2024)

[bunniefuu]

It was almost midnight when Edward

entered Mandalay railway station.

He was wearing a groom's suit,

was holding

a bunch of tropical flowers,

and was utterly drunk.

He dreamt all night long

as the train traveled to Rangoon,

the capital of Burma.

It was dawn in Rangoon,

and the heavy air

announced a tropical storm.

Although Edward couldn't remember

what he had dreamt,

the anguish of the dream

accompanied him to the port.

Edward hadn't seen his fiance Molly

for seven years.

He tried to remember her face,

but couldn't.

He would have liked to disappear

through one of the countless holes

that were multiplying

along the pier's planking.

He imagined himself floating gently

in the muddy river stream.

The ship from London was

already visible in the distance.

"Arrivals: London, 11.20.

Departures: Singapore..."

After discarding the flowers,

Edward sneaked

aboard the ship to Singapore.

It was January 4th 1918.

Edward!

What a surprise

to see you here, old turtle!

Hello, Reginald.

What brings you to Singapore?

The Rangoon steamer brought me.

You're all dressed up.

How are you, old man?

You look like you're constipated.

How is my beautiful cousin doing?

Fine, I believe.

This is Edward Abbot,

the most illustrious representative

of the British crown in Burma!

Also the fianc of my dear cousin Molly

for over seven years,

without the corollary of an engagement

ever materializing.

So when is the wedding, you rascal?

You look strange, Edward!

Is that right?

Good morning, Mr. Singleton.

Yesterday you forgot

to pay for your drinks.

A lapse.

Mr. Abbot,

here's the tailor at your service.

Your shirts and trousers

can be ready within 24 hours,

and the suit in three or four days.

Is that amenable?

Perfect.

- Good.

The clothes will be delivered

to your room.

What the hell! Haven't you brought

any clothes from Burma?

I fell asleep

without packing my suitcase.

I came to sort out some deadly boring

administrative matters.

Tell me all about

these administrative matters.

A telegram, Mr. Abbot.

Eighteen Singapore Slings?

ARRIVING - STOP - M

You're a spy, Edward!

I believe you have my measurements now.

- Are you?

- Give me a break, Reginald.

What is the furthest destination

I can reach from the station today?

The Bangkok express

leaves in an hour.

Leaving again?

I don't know what you're mixed up in,

but I'm proud to be your friend

I'm so happy to know

you're engaged to my cousin.

Let me hug you.

You can count on my discretion.

God save the King!

See you soon, Reginald.

Edward let himself be carried away

by the jungle's night sounds.

He had a violent erection.

He also felt he was stinking,

and needed a bath.

He closed his eyes

and began to dream.

Edward woke up startled.

He found himself

in the most awkward situation.

What a beautiful morning.

The birds fell silent

as someone announced

that a new train would arrive soon.

Edward entered a village.

The inhabitants

were not very talkative.

I've lived a thousand years,

yet I'm still a virgin.

These fellows

are sleeping and snoring.

What a lack of manners!

What a disgrace!

What a contrast to this lovely couple.

Anyway, today is a good day

to have a husband.

So, the giantess takes the prince

into the peaks.

She sneaks with such determination

into the woods

that, quickly and hidden from view,

she soon withdraws

into her gilded cave.

Edward hired a guide.

His name was Umar.

He knew the jungle well,

and was able to take Edward

safely to Bangkok.

Umar was accompanied

by his three wives.

Boy, what a mess!

Why would any man

want to marry three women anyway?

Having just arrived in Bangkok,

Edward met a Welshman he knew,

a British attache at the embassy.

His name was Godfrey,

a very loud fellow.

Godfrey greeted his friend effusively.

He thought Edward had come from Burma

to attend the prince's birthday.

Godfrey was with other members

of the British diplomatic corps in Asia.

Bobby, who'd come from Beijing,

Mrs. Hughes, from Hong Kong,

Johnson and all the Ceylon staff,

Archie from Tokyo,

and even Fat Turtle,

who spread syphilis

all over the continent.

They dragged Edward to the palace

while singing an old rowing song

at the top of their lungs.

Edward didn't utter a word.

He was as white as a sheet and shaking.

I really appreciate

that you've taken the trouble

to come to this occasion.

Thank you. It means a lot to me.

Edward!

Rice growing and exports are enjoying

an unprecedented boom.

Taxes on these activities

have been channeled

into improving

the provincial administration.

You're different from the others.

Where have you come from?

From Mandalay, in Upper Burma.

And before that, from London.

Very beautiful cities,

which I've heard about,

and which one day

I'll have the pleasure of knowing.

I'm still very young.

I wish you all the best for your reign.

Thank you for your kindness,

although you're greeting me

as if it's my coronation.

It's only my birthday,

and I'm very happy about that.

Is there a way out of the palace?

Yes. Across the room,

at the end of the arcade.

I wish you luck.

The same to you.

I hope the rest of the day goes well.

Edward headed for French territory

as a stowaway on a fishing boat.

He crossed the gulf to Saigon.

Inside the cramped hold

he lost track of time.

He was feverish,

soaked in sweat.

He would fall asleep

and wake up shivering.

The prospect of imminent death

seemed to him to be fitting

in the circumstances.

He was delirious, but serene.

Edward walked aimlessly

around the streets of Saigon.

He entered a dingy hostel.

The owners talked for a long time,

but eventually let him in.

It was the Lunar New Year,

and Edward was very sick.

He received a new telegram.

ALREADY IN SAIGON - STOP - M

What are they saying?

They wanted to kick you out.

They don't want you to die tonight.

It's New Year.

And what did you say to them?

You won't die tonight,

or in the coming days.

They're wishing you a Happy New Year.

Between his convalescence in Saigon

and the bohemian lifestyle

he adopted in Manila,

a few weeks had elapsed.

There didn't seem to be any particular

reason for this change in behavior.

Edward increasingly slept

during the day,

and lived mainly at night.

He drank a lot.

He would win and lose money gambling.

He would get into fights with sailors,

and befriend the night owls

who enlivened

the early morning in Manila bay.

His stint in Manila was a succession

of hangovers and euphoric highs.

He was occasionally swamped

by a wave of melancholy.

He would get emotional.

RUDY AVIL

On a night of utter folly,

Edward boarded an American warship

in the company of some sailors

and four Filipina prostitutes.

He awoke as the ship

was sailing to Japan.

The captain took a shine

to the intruders.

They drank and sang for three days.

They were then put ashore

in great secrecy in Osaka.

Edward sat down beside the Japanese

aligned at the counter.

They slurped their noodles in unison.

A soldier appeared,

asking the Western customers

for their passports.

Edward wasted no time,

and took off.

With the Komuso monks, Edward felt

he was keeping a low profile.

They wandered

from town to town, begging.

You haven't even asked us

where we're going now.

Don't you care about your destination?

I'll go wherever you take me.

My dear sir,

strange as it may seem, I feel at home!

When the monks decided to head north,

to a temple in the mountains,

Edward stayed with them.

But he was unable

to sleep in the temple.

He heard voices, heard footsteps,

and heard whispers,

telling him about horrors

in a language he didn't know.

A shadow does not obscure. It reveals.

The Japanese know this.

They don't run from the shadow,

they look for it.

The shadows I refer to

are of a different order.

I don't like phenomena

that I can't explain.

I like the healthy observance

of natural laws.

And where did you learn

about the laws of nature, Mr. Abbot?

Maybe you don't know them that well.

Damn it, Keita!

I see the shadows of invisible people.

It's enough to put

any normal person's nerves on edge.

Maybe you see shadows

because your nerves are on edge.

Keita, your conversation

is starting to tire me.

If you walk around

with a basket on your head,

you should be more restrained

about judging others!

Climb the mountain.

Watch the monkeys.

Walk under the treetops.

Abandon yourself

to the world, Mr. Abbot.

You'll see how generous it is to you.

Does correspondence

ever reach this monastery?

- Is there a post office in the village?

- A post office?

We know who you are, and how

you entered our country, Mr. Abbot.

Perhaps you can enlighten us

about what you have come here to do.

I'm drawn to this life.

What did you come to Japan for?

Nothing.

I ended up here by accident.

What is your connection

to the U.S. Navy?

I'm running from a woman

who's following me.

Not even the most cowardly

of Western men

would sneak into Japan

to run away from a woman.

What you say is pathetic.

Who do you work for, Sir?

Did you draw that?

Yes.

Mr. Abbot,

I don't understand you.

But we don't want you here.

Tomorrow we will escort you

to the ship leaving for Shanghai.

Edward didn't have to wait an hour

before receiving a new telegram.

ARRIVING - STOP -

MISS YOU SO MUCH - STOP - M

Edward smiled.

He left the hotel,

booked a ticket at the theater,

bought new clothes

and had his hair cut.

The show didn't arouse his interest.

He thought about Molly,

and her face came very clearly to him.

Back in the hotel, he stood in front

of the mirror and drew a self-portrait.

He wasn't faithful to his reflection.

He drew himself ugly and decrepit.

He went to the lobby, and asked when

the boat going upriver would leave.

It was the last boat

to go up the Yangtze

before the long months

when this journey became impossible.

He paid his bill, and left

his self-portrait at reception,

asking that it be given to the lady

who would come looking for him.

A Chinese family was playing

mahjong on the boat deck.

Edward thought he understood the rules.

He took the place of an old man,

and made some preposterous moves.

The old man laughed.

Edward was very serious,

totally focused.

He was pleased.

Edward left the river at Chongqing.

He hired some coolies

to take him into the mountains.

The coolies were surly types,

but he found them

experienced and trustworthy.

If they kept a good pace,

they'd arrive in under two weeks.

They would have to cross

a vast bamboo forest.

Edward thought it would be

a wonderful journey.

Edward would've understood

if he spoke Mandarin:

"She's a bride going

from her parents' house

"to the house of her husband-to-be."

She was dramatizing the heartache

of leaving her parents' house

to start anew.

During the night

the coolies robbed Edward and fled.

Edward woke up with only the clothes

he had on and his sketchbook.

Nothing else.

Perhaps he was walking in circles.

When the sun went down,

Edward felt

he would never find a way out.

He slept deeply.

Edward was taken

to Horace Seagrave's house,

in the small village of Wangyu.

It was a large but decrepit house,

with a few ruined pieces of furniture

and broken windows.

Seagrave was the consul in Chengdu,

but he rarely set foot

in the consulate.

When Edward awoke,

Seagrave was playing

a strange stringed instrument,

a guqin.

The consul introduced himself

and explained

that in this village

the tune was called "Endless Passion,"

but that the next village

called it "Infinite Sadness."

Wangyu was surrounded

by a bamboo forest.

On clear days you could see

the mountains of Tibet.

Edward, Seagrave,

and his old Tibetan maid

left behind Wangyu's alleys

and entered the forest,

carrying a picnic basket.

They're lovely beasts, don't you think?

There.

There!

Can't you see the panda?

Will you take an opium pipe?

The old woman prepares it excellently.

Thank you.

But I don't have the courage for it.

The end of the empire is inevitable.

It's a matter of years, maybe months.

We will leave

without having understood a thing.

The white man is totally unable

to understand Oriental culture.

It transcends him.

But I don't see myself

returning to London.

I couldn't stand it

for more than three days.

But the prospect

of continuing in my duties here

is very painful to me.

I hate my job

but I love this country, Mr. Abbot.

I know people

who smoke over forty pipes a day.

That's too much. They're doomed.

I rarely smoke more

than seven or eight per day.

In the last few days

in recent months...

I've been receiving telegrams

from a friend.

Or, rather, from my fiance.

Molly. f

She came from London to marry me.

But I lost my nerve and ran away.

I traveled to Singapore

I've been running away from her

like a coward.

She's been following me,

guessing my route,

sending me telegrams...

The stubbornest woman in the world!

She's a very determined girl.

She's incredible, Molly is!

It's a mystery to me

how someone can be so tenacious.

I imagine it'd be difficult to find

anyone else like that, like Molly.

But I haven't heard anything

from her for a while.

I have no idea what's become of Molly.

I hope she's all right.

Molly.

This story of yours

is one of the saddest I've ever heard

"Dear Molly, unexpected business

has forced me to leave Rangoon.

"It's an unpleasant setback

beyond my control.

"You should return to London

on the next ship.

"I'm so sorry.

Much love, Edward."

Molly entered

the Port Authority building,

and asked to see the passengers'

registrations for that same day.

She found out that Edward had boarded

a ship to Singapore

only minutes earlier.

She bought a passage

on the Singapore ship

leaving the following day.

She also asked to send a telegram,

but hesitated.

Where should she send it?

"To the Raffles Hotel, of course!"

a middle-aged Indian man told her

as he cleared a camera from customs.

His name was T. H. Kapoor,

and he was a camera operator

for the Warwick Trading Company.

Everything Molly saw in Rangoon

seemed amazing to her.

She hardly noticed the time ticking by.

She stopped thinking about Edward,

and by late afternoon

she was feeling exhausted but happy.

In the evening Molly went to the club.

She sat at a table

and had some fish soup.

It was hot, sour and delicious.

Molly devoured it greedily.

Molly laughed uncontrollably

at the elephant dance.

She was laughing so hard

that everyone was looking at her.

Welcome, Miss Singleton.

Please meet Mr. and Mrs. Cooper.

Mr. Cooper is vice president

of the Rubber Growers Association.

Facing Mrs. Cooper are Major Brown

and his daughter, Miss Lucy.

Mr. Sanders, opposite you,

is a successful cattle trader,

who comes from

one of those American regions

with a proven track record

for cattle breeding.

Finally, I introduce you

to a Neapolitan artist,

Signor Farnese,

a talented operatic tenor

touring the region.

He is destined for a bright future.

Miss Singleton has just arrived

from London.

My dear lady, you must be suffering

terribly from the heat.

like the heat.

And I thought Rangoon was great!

So much the better.

Rangoon makes a certain impression

in the early days.

Then you feel, especially the ladies,

the inconveniences of the climate.

And of the natives.

They're controllable, Mrs. Cooper.

Nothing can be done about the weather.

There's a stink that produces asthma.

There's been progress in recent years.

Poppycock!

And speaking of stink, Captain,

I must say that the smell of the gases

from Mr. Sanders' cows

is extremely unpleasant,

and it rises disgustingly to our cabin.

Nothing your husband isn't used to.

This man is revolting!

Donald, do something!

Miss Singleton, tell us why you came.

For the Grand Tour?

Rangoon, Singapore, Bangkok, Saigon...

I came to get married.

My fianc is an official in Mandalay.

We've been engaged for seven years.

But he ran away.

He abandoned me on the pier

and embarked for Singapore.

I'm going after him,

to see if I can grab him by the throat.

You're quite the joker, aren't you?

In fact, he left me a message,

saying that he had

urgent professional commitments,

and that I should go back to London.

Absolutely not!

I'll hunt him down, whatever it takes.

My dear girl,

have you considered the possibility

that what you're describing

so nonchalantly could be seen as...

a human disgrace?

Don't you think that your fianc

may be telling you

that he has no desire to marry you?

How can you be so sure?

Because I know Edward.

1 trust him.

My dear,

men are a tragedy.

Pig!

Come on, Donald!

We want to return

to Rangoon immediately!

I hope you have the decency

to go straight to the engine room!

But, Mrs. Cooper... the engine room...

Excuse me.

She's being a real b*tch today.

But, frankly, you were out of line.

Yes?

Miss Singleton...

I will speak to you

frankly and bluntly.

I believe

there's something rare in you.

Your unshakable certainty

in your fianc's moral rectitude,

when all indications

are to the contrary,

advises me against

launching this approach.

However, it is your blind faith

that leads me to tell you

that we were made for each other.

Are you mad?

I too see quite clearly

how to do things and judge others.

Nothing shakes my conviction.

Until today I had never met

a like-minded woman.

Miss Singleton...

right now you are in no condition

to consider my proposal,

but I still want to tell you

that I would like to marry you.

You odious man!

Creep!

Hello there, Reggie!

Cousin?

What the hell are you doing here?

I came to get married, cousin.

But Edward embarked to come here

just before I arrived in Rangoon.

Give me my glasses.

Reginald Singleton,

what are you doing?

He said he had to travel

for professional reasons.

He advised me to return

to London, the fool!

l advise you to do the same.

Reggie!

Molly Singleton, listen to me.

We both have the idea

that Edward's job is quiet and boring,

an administrative posting

in a remote Burmese city.

But you know what?

We might have

a false perception of things.

Maybe Edward is too busy.

Furthermore, he may need to be alone

in order to do his job.

The last thing he needs now

is a woman chasing him.

Even if he loves you dearly.

Okay, Reggie,

what you're saying is absurd.

Tell me what you know

or I'll have you committed

Damn it, Molly!

You can't know everything.

It's a pity

you came here for nothing, but...

go back to London!

For your sake and for Edward's too.

A Singapore Sling!

Reggie, you're going to tell me

what's going on with Edward!

Sit down.

I saw Edward. Don't interrupt me!

He was evasive

about what he was doing in Singapore,

but he gave enough clues for me to come

to the obvious conclusion.

I believe your future husband

is involved in top-secret activities

for the good of England.

Dear Reggie, you're still a fantasist.

Uncle Eli's inheritance

has done you harm.

You have too much time

for bar-room ravings.

And you're as pigheaded as ever.

Wake up, Molly!

Do you think that spies

announce that they're spies?

Reggie, where's Edward?

You have to help me.

I swear I won't stand in his way,

but I need to talk to him.

1 think I'm in my right,

for heaven's sake!

Molly.

Could Edward have decided

he doesn't want to get married?

Reginald Singleton, how dare you?

How could you think that Edward

could behave so cowardly?

You know him. You introduced us.

"Coward"...

is too strong a word.

Marriage must be a really scary thing

for any healthy man,

now that I think about it.

He wouldn't be capable

of such wickedness.

I perfectly understand

that a man may dread a moment

that could ruin his life.

Where's Edward?

Tire that I lan

CANADIANS

Was Edward on that train?

How terrible!

Check all my luggage to Bangkok!

In her prayers,

summoning spirits and angels,

the princess with the giant lady

now battles.

My prince!

The giantess is dead.

Really? Why did you k*ll her?

It was an accident,

it wasn't my intention.

Let's continue our journey.

I pity the giantess, such a sad life.

Let's go.

Are you looking for someone, girl?

You'll hardly find him here.

They all got on the next train.

I know how unpleasant it is

to be on such a crowded train,

but it hardly justifies

breaking down in tears.

Living through the last thirty hours

was much worse, I assure you.

I'd certainly have preferred

to have spent them alone.

Humanity is a tragedy.

My fiance was on this train,

but I can't find him anywhere.

Don't worry, girl.

No one was badly hurt

in the derailment.

Although certain people deserved it.

If your fianc isn't here, then he found

other means to go on his way.

I'd have done the same

if.I could have.

My name's Molly Singleton.

I recently arrived from London.

I came to get married.

I'm Elizabeth Smith,

but everyone knows me as Lady Dragon.

Because of my smoking, I assume.

Fortunately, I never got married.

I find men...

Well, women are...

Be quiet, you...

These Chinese are...

I ran away from London,

and I have no intention of going back.

Not that this is much better

most of the time.

But still...

Edward is stationed in Burma.

I went through Rangoon and loved it.

I'm very excited

about the idea of living in Asia.

Yes?

And if you find that you don't like it

after all, you can always move away.

You have character.

Do you find everything unpleasant?

No, girl.

I like flowers.

Siam has some of the most

beautiful flowers in the world.

Bougainvillea.

Heliconia... Heliconia rostrata.

Mimosa and impatiens.

Etlingera.

One of the most beautiful

is the porcelain rose.

Or torch ginger.

Canna indica,

better known as Indian shot.

That venerated flower the orchid.

Frangipani, of the Plumeria genus.

And, of course, the lotus.

I was asked to supervise

the floral arrangements

for the prince's birthday party

in Bangkok.

I'm late because of the incompetence

of the Siamese railways.

Molly followed Lady Dragon to

the prince's palace in Bangkok,

but she soon lost sight of her.

A competition was being held

in the courtyard,

involving teams of British, German,

French, and Japanese contestants.

The participants wore masks,

and were tied to each other

by the ankles.

The Siamese just watched the games,

laughing in amazement.

As the British team had lost a member,

Molly's arrival was heartily welcomed.

They asked her to enter the race.

As she was being tied to her teammates,

Molly asked insistently about Edward.

Just before the starting signal,

someone answered:

"You mean Edward,

that old ape from Mandalay?

"I saw that jolly monkey leaving

less than half an hour ago!"

Molly scouted Bangkok

for two days and two nights.

She found no signs

of Edward's presence in the city.

She wasn't discouraged.

She went to inquire in the port

and found out that Edward had traveled

to Saigon aboard a fishing boat.

Molly wasted no time

and bought a ticket for a ship

of the company Les Messageries

Fluviales de Cochinchine.

When she arrived at the Saigon

post office, her heart was racing.

You want to send a telegram

to every hotel and hostel in Saigon?

Yes.

Sorry, Madame, but the recipient

is a Western gentleman, correct?

There are only two hotels

in the city where Westerners stay.

It would be very unusual to...

To all of them, I said!

Certainly.

Get out of the way!

Timothy Sanders' house

was in the Mekong Delta.

At first Molly didn't go near the river

or see the house's owner.

She'd walk

from the bedroom to the salon,

and after that short distance

she would be out of breath.

One day Sanders paid her a visit.

You have been very generous.

I'll never be able to repay you.

I probably owe you my life.

I know I'm in no condition

to continue my journey.

But this doesn't change my mind

about what I came here to do.

Miss Singleton...

I have no intention

of accepting your proposal.

It wasn't the first time

you've had such an attack, right?

Did you see a doctor

before leaving London?

Weren't you told that it's serious?

es.

Look...

the doctor was very clear

about the need for complete rest.

He said you're lucky to be alive.

Your convalescence will be long,

but you'll never hear me

make that proposal again.

You have my word

Here you will have all the conditions

needed for rest.

Please let me know

if you need anything.

As long as you need it,

this house is yours.

And I'm your guest.

If you don't want to see me, you won't.

Mr. Sanders..

I'm constantly traveling.

Tonight I'll be in the city, in Saigon.

I just came to see how you were,

and if you needed anything.

Maybe I should try to find your fianc

and inform him of your situation.

He mustn't know.

You're very beautiful.

Mr. Sanders likes you a lot.

But I do not like him.

Oh! He'll make a very good husband.

- Did he say we're getting married?

- No, but it's obvious.

Otherwise

he wouldn't treat you like this.

What's your name?

Ngoc, Miss.

Listen, Ngoc,

I'm engaged to another man.

Oh! I like men a lot too.

But if someone like Mr. Sanders

wanted to marry me,

wouldn't think twice.

He's very rich and likes you very much.

He asked me to take you for a walk

in the garden when you feel better.

In a few weeks

there'll be even more flowers

and huge fruit on the trees.

It looks beautiful.

Then, when you have more strength,

we can go see the river.

And the market.

As soon as I'm back on my feet

I'll be leaving.

You're very funny

It's time for the "little souls,"

Miss Molly.

They always arrive at this hour.

Come and see.

The souls of the dead of this house.

They're very dear.

I like them very much.

Time went bys

The garden changed.

A wave of sensuality

engulfed the world.

Molly regained her energy.

She'd whistle like the birds.

She'd utter words in Vietnamese

that she'd never learnt.

She'd wake up wet

from dreams she couldn't recall.

I don't know where Ngoc is.

I'd like to teach her to dance.

Where's everyone going?

Do you want me to make them come back?

That would be absurd, wouldn't it?

Back home they organize cricket fights

around this time.

Men and women sing the Quan Ho

for days on end.

Things of love!

And during the harvest festival

all the boys in the village

seem more attractive.

Ngoc...

you like everything.

But, especially, everyone.

Not everyone.

Several... many.

I have a lot of love to give.

Giving only to one would be selfish.

Miss Molly?

How is your love?

Is he handsome?

To me... yes, of course.

Silly!

Does he have fair hair?

Dark.

Well..

maybe he's going bald by now.

I haven't seen him in so long.

Ngoc,

why did you leave your family

and your village?

Oh, Miss Molly!

I consulted the B Dong.

She told me I should come south

to find a good life.

So I did.

Who is she?

The priestess of the three worlds.

The spirits speak through her.

They advise us on what is best for us.

There are many B Dong in the north.

Here too?

There are some. But fewer.

Ngoc,

will you take me to one?

Molly asked the B Dong

if she'd ever be cured.

Her reply bought tears to Ngoc's eyes,

Molly would die soon.

After another pronouncement

by the B Dong, Ngoc got angry.

She accused the B Dong

of not being clear.

"Now she's saying, Miss Molly,

that there's a spirit at your side,

"that protects you from danger."

Molly was pale but not crying.

She asked the B Dong

to talk about Edward.

The B Dong explained

that Molly had not one but two men.

"One is rich

and likes you very much.

"The other is in China,

in a big city by the river."

Molly started to cry.

"Dear Mr. Sanders, the time has come

for me to continue my journey.

"It is an untimely departure,

with no goodbye,

"which you certainly do not deserve.

"I apologize to you.

"PS: I've taken Ngoc with me."

At the hotel in Shanghai,

Molly was given

Edward's decrepit self-portrait.

Seeing Molly's distress,

the receptionist explained

that the subject

was in much better shape.

Molly inquired

about Edward's movements.

"He went upriver,"

the receptionist said,

adding that it was no use

for Molly to follow him.

"No boat will go upriver in the next

four months because of the currents."

Molly burst out:

"Nothing is impossible, my dear sir!"

Someone's coming.

It's a pastor.

Good evening.

It's surprising and pleasant

to find a Western lady

in these remote parts.

I'm Reverend Carpenter.

Molly Singleton.

- Are you going downriver?

- Up.

Really? I thought it was impossible

at this time of year.

Almost impossible.

I see.

Impressive!

"I say unto you, if ye have faith

as a grain of mustard seed,

"ye shall move this mountain,

and nothing shall be impossible to you."

Matthew 17:20.

And what is the reason

for such an unusual trip?

I'm going to meet my fianc.

And where is he?

I don't know.

Very interesting.

And you?

I'm going to Chengdu.

It's a long journey by land.

Maybe I lack your faith

to get there any faster.

Or simply the means to travel this way.

Isn't it dangerous?

The road is too, isn't it?

I was about to ask you

if you'd like to come with us.

Shorten your journey.

You seem very determined.

I'd entrusted my soul to the Lord,

but now that I've met you,

I transfer the responsibility to you.

What will you do in Chengdu?

Talk to the bishop.

I wrote him a letter announcing

that I'm renouncing my diocese.

I want to go back to Yorkshire,

to read the newspaper,

to eat toast with blueberry jam...

It may seem a little futile

as a life project,

but I'm convinced that it won't be

any less useless than what I do here.

It's not for me to judge you, but...

I find it very disheartening

to hear you speak like that.

It must be very sad to abandon

the convictions of a lifetime.

Not at all, my girl.

It's very liberating.

The crew made preparations

during the night

to accommodate the reverend

and his donkey.

The donkey, however,

never got to embark.

Before dawn

it broke its tethers and ran away.

The journey went steadily, but the crew

was showing signs of exhaustion.

Molly seemed indifferent to this,

She was in a hurry.

She hardly slept and had nightmares.

"She coughed a lot

and was getting paler every day.

The dullness of the river banks

was broken by the unexpected vision

of a giant Buddha.

Reverend Carpenter was silent,

but looked moved by this apparition.

Molly thought

that all was not lost for the pastor.

She smiled at him.

Tell me, Reverend, are you sure

about what you'll to say to the bishop?

Aren't you afraid you'll regret it?

I'm slow, my child.

It took three years from thinking

about the letter to acting on it.

So, if I regret it,

it won't be for a while.

But life is full of surprises,

unexpected comings and goings.

It's true.

He says they'll tie up here.

It's night and the next section

is full of currents.

It's bad for ten miles.

We've wasted too much time.

Ask him

if they can pull the boat at night.

- So? Can they go on?

- Not at night.

It's very dangerous.

They need to go into the water often.

Into the water...

Tell him we must continue! I say so!

Reverend, if you want,

we can stop to let you get off.

If you keep going, I'll go with you.

But maybe we should go on

in the morning.

We'll go on now. Tell him, Ngoc!

- But, Miss Molly...

- Do you want to get out, Ngoc?

God willing, everything will be fine.

There are riots in the region.

It's too dangerous to stay here.

We must go on.

That's solved, then!

That stretch of river

never gave up the bodies.

The bodies of the boatmen and

Reverend Carpenter never washed ashore.

Molly didn't drown

because Ngoc rescued her.

In the morning, cold and shivering,

Ngoc couldn't stop sobbing.

Molly put up with the sobbing

as long as she could.

But she finally lost patience.

She grabbed her violently

and pushed her away from the bank.

They walked in silence

through the forest.

They entered a tiny village.

In the center of the village

some men had been sentenced to death

and were shackled to a post.

They were in Western attire.

They were accused

of robbing a Westerner

whom they had probably m*rder*d

Molly and Ngoc were informed

that they'd be ex*cuted that day.

"So much the better!" Molly said.

Molly left the village,

followed by Ngoc.

Both were exhausted,

but Molly had fallen

into a trance that was all her own.

She didn't even blink.

She walked slowly, in silence.

She only spoke once.

She asked Ngoc:

"Sing, Ngoc.

"So I know you're walking beside me

even if the fog thickens further."

Ngoc started to sing,

but Molly was no longer listening.

She stopped walking.

She closed her eyes.

a 5 ha

When Molly was found, she was frozen.

She was blue.

She had been dead for several hours.