Original subtitles

It sounds canny, Steve.

The amount of stimulant I've pumped into him, you ought to be showing some signs

of life by now.

Not a murmur.

Ah, Mrs. Peel.

Good morning, Steve.

Good morning. Mrs. Peel may I introduce Dr. Gibson, Mrs. Peel. Morning.

The gentleman in the bed is a latter -day sleeping beauty. His name is

Jack Kendrick, a local farmhand.

Dr. Gibson found him on the Great South Road and brought him here. I'm not

having him moved.

Not until he shows some sign of recovery. Which suits us very well.

If you want us, we'll be in the next room.

Indeed. What is wrong with that man?

He's in a coma.

But why?

That's what we're here to find out.

Notice something about him? How well he looks?

Yes. Got a good sun tan.

He was wearing these clothes.

Tropical kit.

Strange guard for this climate, don't you think?

Well, he's probably just come back from somewhere.

No doubt about that. Kendrick disappeared four days ago, along with

locals. He's the only one to turn up so far.

Oh, I forgot to mention it. He had that arrow stuck in his back. Only a flesh

wound, that.

It must be some kind of poison, a paralysing drug.

No, Dr Gibson examined it under the microscope.

No trace of a drug.

Intriguing, isn't it?

The middle of the English countryside, up popped the missing man sporting a tan

it would take months to acquire, wearing tropical clothes and with a native

arrow on his back.

Steve!

Kendrick.

Kendrick.

Kendrick.

Four days ago, you left your home.

Where did you go?

Where did you go?

I need it.

I

need

it.

Professor Swain, let me help you.

Oh, thank you, thank you, dearly.

You must be Mrs. Peel. Yes, how do you do? How do you do? It's very good of you

to come down at that short notice. Oh, not at all, not at all.

Something of acute interest to me, you said.

Yes, I believe you're an expert on primitive tribes.

Oh, you flatter me, dear lady, you flatter me. No, it's an interest, an

interest, possibly a passing interest. No, by profession, I'm an entomologist.

My knowledge of primitive peoples is... No, I...

I lectured on entomology at the Calais University until the new government took

over. Then, like so many of my colleagues, I came back here. And very

be back, too.

Professor, do you have experience of Sharon's Eye?

Yes. What do you know about it?

Does Sharon's Eye really exist?

Yes.

An odd admission from a westerner, eh?

Oh, yes, yes, it exists.

A cult peculiar to Calais.

A more dreaded form of, well, for want of a better term, voodoo. With roots as

deep and mystical as the world itself.

Oh, just a moment. I think I might have something here of particular interest to

you. Yes, yes, yes. Here it is, here it is.

Now, you see, sherenzai in the Kalian tongue means the curse of sleep.

A curse inflicted upon evildoers by the ancient gods who resided within this...

Forbidden area protected by these holy men.

Now, to enter the forbidden area was to transgress. To transgress, Sharon died.

Excuse me.

Certainly.

Used by the holy men.

Aradi, the sweet sound of hell.

The inescapable sound that precedes the everlasting sleep.

Professor, you've seen victims of Sharon's Eye.

Oh, indeed, yes.

And you'd recognize the symptoms if you saw them again?

Better than that.

I could tell for sure with this.

You see, one holds it over the victim, and if the Sharon's Eye has taken

Round it goes.

I could give you a practical demonstration if you could find me a

subject.

I think it could be arranged.

My goodness, sir, this is a relic. One of our old mid -tropical five -button

broadweaves. But who was it made for?

It'll be on the file, sir. Off the tropics, are you, sir? Thinking about

Well, you couldn't have come to a better place.

This establishment prides itself on its service.

No matter where you are, steaming jungle, burning bush or arid desert, we

get our order through.

By plane to the nearest airport, motor vehicle to the nearest village, and

thence by native bearer to the very flap of your bivouac.

After big game, are you, sir?

Very big.

We specialize there, too. All the best hunters come here.

Simon Trent, for one.

Oh, yes. One of our very best customers.

Spend it, chap, sir.

One shot a bull elephant with a single barrel at 40 paces. Or, um, was it 30?

Too much shooting, sir? On occasion.

I once shot a bull elephant myself.

Really? What did you use?

F8 at five hundredths of a second and a small roll of film.

Oh.

Oh, yes.

Ah, yes, here we are, sir. The shirt was made for Colonel Rawlings. 17 Battalion

Fusiliers, dispatched to him by steamship.

Where? Um, Calais.

When? May 14, 1929.

This is mumbo -jumbo quackery. Dr. Gibson, we can at least try.

Oh, that's mine. The car seat's very uncomfortable.

Now, first, I must anoint the afflicted man with this.

Well, this is ridiculous.

What do you expect to achieve with this nonsense?

Well, you must admit so far conventional medicine has had no effect.

Very well.

But it's your responsibility.

I'll have no part of it.

Sharon's Eye.

Sharon's Eye.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Peel. There's nothing more I can do.

I have diagnosed the sickness. I do not hold the cure.

He sleeps the sleep of the living death.

There's no awakening him.

Not by any means I have at my command.

But surely there must be something.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Peel.

Professor Swain, we're not living in a primitive jungle. This is Hertfordshire,

England.

Yes, yes. That's the puzzling part.

How the poor chap came to offend.

Offend whom?

A curse that follows across continents, across the world.

The Kalayan gods.

This is their punishment.

The man is doomed.

He'll sleep and eventually he'll rise and walk the dark forests of hell for

eternity. Walk? That man couldn't take a single step.

There's no response, no reflex action.

Nevertheless, that is the legend.

The dark forests of hell for all eternity.

Professor, are there any members of this tribe living in Britain?

Students, perhaps, or emigrants?

Well, I really couldn't say.

Well, perhaps I can phone the Calais embassy and find out.

Well, you can try, but my experience of that government is that they are

extremely unhelpful.

Well, I shall try.

Well, goodbye, Mrs. Peel. Thank you, Professor.

Oh, get me the Kalayan Embassy, please.

No, Kalayan.

K for Katie, A for Apple, L for love.

Yes, I've got that. Ex -serviceman's club.

Is that all?

All right, thank you.

I've heard of 40 Winks, but this is ridiculous.

Same as Kendrick? Not a moment since I found him.

I'll have to get someone in to help you.

Pity, though.

I wanted to keep this quiet.

I can handle it.

Mrs. Peel, I wouldn't dream of leaving you here all on your own. Really, Steve,

I can manage.

Oh, don't worry. I'm an insomniac.

But, Swain, did you believe what he told you?

Well, it all sounded pretty fantastic, but taken in context of what's been

happening here.

Under some ancient Calaian spell.

It could be.

Kendrick was in the army once, served most of his time in Calaia. So did the

other three locals who disappeared.

A curse that follows one across continents.

That's what Professor Swain said.

And you know, I'm beginning to believe him.

What else did he say? Oh, nothing much. I took the trouble to phone the Kalayan

embassy and find out how many nationals there are living over here. And?

Actually, there are very few.

Three or four work in restaurants and the rest are servants in the Kalayan Ex

-Servicemen's Club. It's a weird sort of organisation run by a man called

Rawlings. Rawlings?

A Colonel Rawlings? Yes.

Why? Well, that tropical gear.

That was bought in 1929 by a Colonel Rawlings.

Well, he's probably dead by now.

No, I checked up at the war office.

He's one of those old stages. He did his entire military service in Calais.

In fact, he stayed on there after he retired. But when the Calaisans took

the country, he was turfed out.

Hang on, I've got his file in my car.

Had a spot of bother with the natives.

A full -blown savage with a very unfriendly disposition.

Oh, come now, Steve. It's the truth. He was wearing war paint.

Sacrificial knife for luck.

He practically ruined my bowler hat.

Didn't do this much good either.

What's missing?

Colonel Rawlings' file.

Fortunately, he overlooked my cucumber sandwiches. Oh, good.

Mmm. What about Colonel Rawlings? Oh, that's no loss. I read the thing twice.

Got enough of the details?

Enough.

to infiltrate the Kalayan Ex -Servicemen's Association and meet

Rawlings. By the way, what's the address of the organisation?

Oh, that's no problem.

See that house at the bottom of the garden?

That's the Willows, the home of Colonel Rawlings and the headquarters of the

Kalayan Ex -Servicemen's Association.

Now, isn't that a coincidence?

Isn't it just?

Take me to your leader.

Should have tried the front door.

It's far less hazardous.

Find time to tell me who... Steed.

Major Steed.

For identification purposes.

Thanks. Can I pick your pocket now?

Trent. Simon Trent.

Of course.

Your reputation precedes you.

Shot a bull elephant at 50 paces, isn't that so?

That's not all I've shot in my time.

But there can't be much hunting around here.

You'd be surprised.

It's amazing what turns up in the trap sometimes.

Isn't it? And then the only thing to do is to put it out of its misery.

Are you here to see the colonel?

That was the idea.

What about?

I tell you what.

You join us.

You eavesdrop.

Major, you're not very grateful.

After all, if I hadn't turned up when I did, you might have been stuck up there

for days.

I'll show you my gratitude. If I hear of anyone being pestered by a bull

elephant, I'll let you know, all right?

Now, perhaps we'd better find the colonel.

And if you want to see him, you'd better dress for the occasion.

Hardly the thing to wear where you're going, old boy.

I think we can find something to fit you, Major.

You'll soon get acclimatised, won't you?

The tropical temperature is maintained by underspoiled heating.

The humidity, by spraying.

And the growth, by filtered ultraviolet.

One really might be back in the Calaen jungle, mightn't one?

One might indeed.

Let us stick close, Major.

Jungle can be treacherous.

I suppose we can turn you as a guest, Major.

The colonel.

Oh, yes.

Colonel, sir.

Mornings is a visitor for you, sir.

Well,

this

blasted place is like a crematorium.

The fans turning, are they?

Are they?

Yes, of course, sir.

Rain, you can smell it.

Monsoons are on the way.

That means mud.

Filthy mud everywhere still.

Imperius, Prius, Hypsae.

Empire before self.

Someone to see you, sir.

Oh, well, who?

Oh!

Ah, we're Emil Cullors.

Emil Regiment.

Presented after Matter King.

You aren't there, are you?

Oh, no, of course not.

Sir, I know you. Yes, yes, yes. It's, um... Major... Abdallah!

Don't tell me. Don't tell me. No, no, no, no.

Never forget a face for a name.

I used to know all of Kitchener's staff.

Could recite them backwards.

Yes, yes, you're a major... I know it's major.

Steed. Steed.

Steed? Is it?

Yeah, of course it is.

I knew you at once.

Yes, number four company, wasn't it? Number two, sir. I met you at Salunda.

Salunda. Regimental dinner.

Farewell party.

Oh, and who's?

Yours, sir.

Yeah, of course, of course, of course. All right.

It's a bit easier. There's no ceremony in the mass.

What have you been up to? Oh, I got my gratuity. I got a plantation.

Rubber. Wise, wise lad.

Sound investment.

Can't lose.

I did the lot the lot when the new government took over.

What new government?

This is British territory.

Nobody's taken over here.

And we'll fight to the last man.

To the last man, won't we, Trent?

Yes, indeed, sir.

Do you know Trent?

He's a splendid fellow.

He's got guts.

He's armed a bull elephant at 20 paces.

Or at 10.

A drink for you, Colonel? Yeah, I'm as dry as a bone.

Major? It's on my mess, Bill. What's your tipple?

Brandy, sir. In this heat?

You'll lacerate your liver.

Keep it long and cool. With a touch of soda.

I'll have the same, thank you, sir.

I'll see Brandy, sir.

Not that one, the other one.

He couldn't survive the winds of change.

Shock softened his brain.

He's like a tropical plant. He'd die in any other conditions.

This is an exact replica of the old clubhouse. He still thinks he's there.

And you play him along?

Yes, and in return, we have an ideal retreat.

He has a nice line in au pair.

We've got a whole tribe of them out there.

It adds a little reality.

How did you get here, Major?

Came up river, I suppose.

I said you come up river.

Yes, sir. Ah, tricky journey, that.

Especially during the rainy season.

Ah, that's better.

It's always better after sundown and blistering heat. You know, at times like

these that I long to be back in my old country.

Yes, back in old Mother England.

Often dream about it, a little house of my own somewhere in the country.

Hertfordshire. Yeah, I'd plant for Hertfordshire.

The English countryside.

Oh, there's nothing to beat it, you know.

You been back home recently, Major?

Uh, fairly recently, yes, Colonel.

The clouds are still as green as ever.

It's a country. I'm civilized.

Sometimes I wonder why I stay here.

So, duty, you know.

Ah, talking of duty, it's time I inspected the club area.

Yes, we've got to have it swept clean and tidy, you know. Just because we're

here, there's no lowering of the standards. No, no, no. We like to do

though we were back home in England.

Ah, Fleming. Evening, sir.

Trent, I've just been out to the cottage. Both of them are there.

Fleming, I don't think you've met John Steed, have you?

An old compatriot. He's only just arrived. Hasn't had time to settle down

How do you do? How do you do? Fleming's our pet rubber expert.

Experimenting with some new strains, aren't you, Fleming?

Yes, well, of course, this is about the only place with ideal conditions.

I would have thought Kalea had the tiniest edge over it.

Yes, well, I mean the only place in this part of the world, of course. Well, it

seems a very strange place to grow rubber, isn't it, England? Is Calais a

to you?

Steed, would you excuse us? Fleming, would you come with me? I want to talk

you about those test trees on the north side. I'm rather worried about those, of

course.

You darn fool. I told you to be more careful. I'm sorry, Trent. I didn't see

him.

Did you play polo, Major? When I can, sir. I played first team, number three

myself. We got through to the army finals of Jedra. Did you?

You know Jedra? A passing acquaintance. Astonishing place.

White man's grave. I used to be sticky.

Don't worry, sticky.

I got a snap of me strutting a pony pony somewhere. I want to see.

Yeah, of course you do.

here somewhere.

There we are.

It's the Army Team of 31.

A fine bunch of fellows, isn't it?

And it's Tubby Johnson now.

Behind that bloodied thumb, that dast man never could take a decent

Yeah, we'll go through to the finals. Ah, terrific fight. We got it all sewn

in the final chocker when Johnson came swishing through.

You listen, Major.

Yes, Colonel, I'm listening.

Your play, Colonel.

You think you've got me, don't you?

It's not as easy as all that.

Cards are my strong point.

I've got a mathematical turn of mind.

Yes.

A very pretty move on your part, but...

Snap!

Tell me, Colonel, have you known Trent for a long time?

Trent? Ah, yes, plenty of fellow.

Do you know he once downed a bull elephant at... 20 paces, yes, I know.

How did you get to know him?

Two more.

Poor devils. What's wrong with them?

Asleep. We've had a bad outbreak of it lately.

Sleep? Asleep of the living death.

I see you've spotted our little charade.

It all helps with the illusion.

Needn't bother us, though.

And it amuses the old boy.

Convincing illusion.

Well, Colonel, I really think I'd better be getting back.

Getting back?

Upriver. Oh, we can't allow that, can we?

Tell him, Trent, if the river floods at this time of the year, you'd have great

difficulty in getting anyone willing to take a boat out onto it.

But really, I'm perfectly capable of... It's far too dangerous, old chap.

And you wouldn't want to upset the colonel, now, would you?

No, I wouldn't think of sending my worst enemy out on that river during the

rainy season.

Now, now, we can put him up, can't we, Trent?

Oh, yes, indeed, sir.

Delighted to have you stay, Major.

Would you care for another drink?

The dark forest of hell for all eternity.

Well, I did warn you, Mrs. Peel. Professor Swain, both those men were

of walking, and the windows were firmly locked.

You know, the European mind is a literal one.

It demands explanations, logic.

Now, I've lived a great part of my life in the Far East, and I've come to accept

the inexplicable.

I didn't say it was inexplicable.

I was in the next room. I dozed off.

It would have been perfectly possible for someone to enter the cottage, take

both these men and walk out right past me.

You really think that's what happened?

I think it's possible. It's hard to make you understand the ways of the native

Kalayan, this legend of the sleep of the living death.

Now, that was something I wanted to ask you.

While Kendrick and Gibson were still here, I had an opportunity to study

also had an opportunity to study this.

Professor, are you familiar with...

Glossida trypanosoma.

Come now, Professor, you're an entomologist.

Glossida trypanosoma, the common or garden sestifly. Oh, yes, yes, I'm aware

that, but what exactly are you driving at?

Sleeping sickness, a disease carried by the sestifly. And according to this

book, the symptoms... Not those two men.

No, you don't honestly believe that I wouldn't recognize sleeping sickness if

saw it.

Well, I didn't say what sleeping sickness.

Of course it isn't.

But I said it could be something like it. No, no, no. Nonsense.

Complete nonsense. I can assure you that my authority in this field has never

been doubted. I do not doubt it now, Professor. I was merely trying to point

that the symptoms are similar.

Mrs. Peel, I have given you the benefit of my experience. I'm afraid I can be of

no further service to you. Good night.

Professor Swain?

Hello? Mrs. Peel.

Steed, where are you?

Deep in wildest Calais.

What? Listen, Kendrick and Gibson, they haven't by the smallest chance taken a

little walk, have they? How did you know?

They turned up here last night. I saw him being brought in.

It is something else.

Swain's just disappeared.

He walked out of the cottage and... Have to go now.

Steed?

Steed!

Bright and early, Major.

Morning constitutional.

Old habits die hard.

Yes.

Don't they?

I find the same thing myself, you know.

This time of day, if I see something moving, it's all I can do to stop myself

from shooting it.

Very upsetting for the early risers in Kalea when you were there.

Oh, it's not loaded, Major.

Never load a gun.

Unless you intend to use it.

A good maxim, I think. And very comforting.

Well, if we get a move on, we should be in time for breakfast.

It must have been quite a blow to you when the Calaisans took over.

What? Oh, yes.

Well, I mean, you had your own plantation and all that sort of thing.

want to give that up, did you? I didn't, indeed.

I remember how I felt.

Frustrated. I wanted to hit back.

Unfortunately, there is no way of hitting back, is there?

Quite.

Ah, good morning, Colonel.

Ah, morning, morning.

Fine morning, it is, too. How do you sleep, Major?

Very well, thank you, sir. Oh, capital, capital.

Have a spot of Brekker.

Thank you, sir.

A word with you, Captain.

Sorry about the cornflakes being soggy.

It's a journey upriver.

It affects them, you know.

Might go on a bit of sport later on, eh? Sir? Pig sticking, you know.

Yeah, we might be able to arrange a little chase of some kind.

Well, thank you, sir.

A thousand pardons, master.

It's Uniper 3, midnight.

Sorry to startle you, old chap.

Rosafi. Lieutenant Rosafi of the Calais Intelligence Service. Oh, how... How do

you do? How do you do? I've been observing you, Mr. Steed. It would

we are working to the same end.

I sincerely hope so.

Oh, do forgive me.

There's something very strange going on here, Mr. Steed.

Very strange and threatening to my government.

Well, I understand that Trent and Fleming were thrown out of Calais. They

not thrown out, I do assure you.

They just did not choose to remain under our rule. All the same, they do bear a

grudge. They're planning something.

All that business with the cops.

The sleep of the living dead.

Terenza. It's a lot of trickery to cover the real truth.

And what is the real truth?

Come with me.

You see, Mr. Steve, there's nothing primitive about all this.

These men and the others who disappeared are just guinea pigs.

Test cases.

Testing what?

Well, this is the cunning king.

You... You get away, old chap.

Get away.

Lieutenant Razzafi.

A spy.

A dirty spy.

Well, old boy, I've got to hand it to you. I didn't suspect him for a moment,

but you spotted him right away and dealt with him quickly and quietly.

I like that.

I suppose it's about time I did some explaining.

It might help.

Couldn't at first, you know, not until we made sure of you. You do understand,

don't you?

They chuck people like us out of Calais, indeed.

But we're going back, and we're taking this with us.

Recognize them?

Flies?

Hmm. A new strain of tsetse flies.

It's taken a long time to develop under these ideal conditions.

It's a very special strain. We've made them immune to all forms of insecticide.

Once they're released, there's no stopping them.

I think you're beginning to understand.

I am indeed.

Well, you can see for yourself how effective they can be.

They won't affect us, of course. I'm very glad to hear it. A simple secret

inoculation ensures complete protection.

But without that inoculation... Tomorrow we fly back to

Kalea, Steed.

We're going back.

Back.

And we're taking this with us.

One thousand of the little beauties, that's all we need.

And once they're released in a climate like that, they breed like flies.

Yes, they breed like flies.

The whole country will be paralyzed within a week.

Then we take over.

A pretty plan, don't you think?

Professor, this is the chap I was telling you about.

Major Steed.

Meet the brains behind the whole thing.

Professor Swain.

You look surprised, Major.

It's the incongruity, I suppose.

All this happening in England, that's been our strength.

We've been able to cover up our activity with a little mumbo -jumbo.

Simple, yet so effective and ruthless.

There were other guinea pigs?

Oh, yes, a few local men who had served in Calais.

We had to make sure they hadn't developed an immunity to our nice new

lye. They hadn't.

No resistance.

No resistance, whatever.

It didn't bother us, though.

Your nice inoculation ensures complete protection.

We'd better get you fixed, by the way.

Oh, Lala, get Mr. Fleming, will you, please?

Lala, what is the matter with you?

Losing your wit, you mean?

They can't get away.

What's all that racket?

I mean, what's it all about? Trouble. That is just a local uprising, sir.

Uh, you know Lucy?

Uprising, eh?

Firm hand.

That was needed.

Firm hand.

Take him some colored beads.

Always seems to help.

He and the woman have taken the canister. Now spit up and track them

Nijagulu. Kinwalai.

to hunt in, eh?

Bring us back a big one. I'll bring you back a couple, Colonel.

Well, grab them young if you can.

The last lot wear as tough as old boots. I like something a bit tender,

something I can get my teeth into.

Now it's a single barrel. You've had your five. My arithmetic is shocking.

By

Jove.

The natives are restless tonight.

Well done, Major. Back to Big O, eh?

Have the boys bring him back. We'll have it stuffed.

Excuse me, Colonel.

Ugly -looking brute.

Over here.

We got her.

I'll do it. You almost spoiled it, Mrs. Peel. All that work almost in jeopardy

because of you.

That arouses me to violence.

Me see.

Me Emma.

Then it's anyway the crown jewel.

Creepy, crawly, germ -laden flies.

Let's get back to the old country.

Ah, good old England.

Beautiful weather, don't you think?

Well, if you're dressed for it.

These little beauties won't like it, though.

If the temperature falls below subtropical... They die like flies.

Absolutely.

Steady as she goes.

Full speed ahead.

In that case, we'll have to start the other engine.