THE ENGLISH PATIENT

Caravaggio: In Italy, there's always chickens, but no eggs. In Africa there's eggs, but never chickens. Who separated them? Almásy: I fear Madox knows about us, he keeps mentioning Anna Karenina Madox: I have to teach myself not to read too much into everything. It comes from too long having to read so much into hardly anything at all. Almásy: Swoon. I'll catch you. Almásy: This... this, the hollow at the base of a woman's throat, does it have an official name? Madox: Good God, man, pull yourself together. Almásy: There is no God... but I hope someone looks after you. Madox: Just in case you're interested, it's called the supersternal notch. Come and visit us in Dorset when all this nonsense is over. [Heads away but turns back.] You'll never come to Dorset. Almásy: What do you love most? Katherine Clifton: Water. Fish in it. Hedgehogs, I love hedgehogs. Marmite. Baths, but not with other people! Islands. I could go on all day. Almásy: Go on all day. Katherine Clifton: Your handwriting. My husband. Almásy: And what do you hate most? Katherine Clifton: A lie. And you? Almásy: Ownership. When you leave, forget me. Almásy: It is a very plum plum. Almásy: I just wanted you to know: I'm not missing you yet. Katharine: You will. Caravaggio: Ask your saint who he is. Ask him whom he's killed. Almásy: When were you most happy? Katharine Clifton: Now. Almásy: When were you least happy? Katharine Clifton: Now. [Asked what he hates most] Almásy: Ownership. I hate being owned. Almásy: I once traveled with a guide who was taking me to Faya. He didn't speak for nine hours. At the end of it he pointed to the horizon and said, "Faya!" That was a good day. Katharine Clifton: I'm surprised that you can sew. Almásy: Good. Katharine Clifton: You sew very badly. Almásy: Well you don't sew at all. Katharine Clifton: A woman should never learn to sew, and if she does know how she shouldn't admit to it. Katharine: Do you think you are the only one who feels anything? Count Laszlo de Almásy: The heart is an organ of fire. Count Laszlo de Almásy: How can you smile, pretending as though your life hadn't capsized? Laszlo: I once heard of a captain who wore a patch over a good eye. The men fought harder for him. Katharine Clifton: Promise me you'll come back for me. Almásy: I promise, I'll come back for you. I promise, I'll never leave you. Katharine Clifton: Am I K in your book? I think I must be. Count Laszlo de Almásy: I am a just a bit of toast, my friend. Katharine Clifton: You speak so many bloody languages, and you never want to talk. Katharine Clifton: I wanted to meet the man who could write such a long paper with so few adjectives. Hana: There's a man downstairs. He brought us eggs. He might stay. Count László Almásy: Why? Can he lay eggs? Hana: He's Canadian. Count László Almásy: Why are people so happy when they collide with someone from the same place? What happened in Montreal when you passed a man in the street? Did you invite him to live with you? Count László Almásy: There is no God, but I hope someone watches over you. Katharine Clifton: Will we be alright? Count László Almásy: Yes. Yes, absolutly. Katharine Clifton: "Yes" is a comfort. "Absolutely" is not. ~ Home ~ Movies ~ Songs ~ Anonymous ~ Women ~ ~ Friendship ~ Life and Success ~ Poems ~ Shakespeare ~ Star Trek ~