Black Narcissus

Sita, go and tell Sister Clodagh I wish to speak to her.

Therefore, "X" is equal to 5...

or minus -

Reverend Mother wishes to speak to you, Sister Clodagh.

Joya.

Continue the lesson.

Sister Clodagh...

we may proceed with our plans at Mopu.

It will be called Saint Faith.

Saint Faith.

And you have been appointed to take charge of Saint Faith.

- I, Reverend Mother? - You.

You will be the youngest sister superior in our order.

Thank you, Reverend Mother.

The agent at Mopu is an Englishman.

He seems a difficult man.

You won't get much help from him.

Dear Madam. My name is Dean.

I am the agent of General Toda Rai at Mopu...

and I am writing to you in that capacity.

I understand the general has offered you the old palace at Mopu...

to make a school and a dispensary for the natives.

It's not the first time he's had such ideas.

He's asked me to tell you about the place and the people.

It's not a comfortable spot, and it's at the back of beyond.

First you have to get to Darjeeling...

and then I have to find you ponies and porters to take you into the hills.

Mopu is 8,000 feet up.

The peaks on the range opposite are nearly as high as Everest.

The people call the highest peak Nangu Delva.

It means "the bare goddess."

I live down in the valley, out of the wind.

So does the general, and so do the people.

Mopu Palace stands in the wind on a shelf on the mountain.

It was built by the general's father to keep his women there.

It's called a palace, but there may be a slight difference...

between your idea of a palace and the general's.

Anyhow, there it is.

The people are like mountain peasants everywhere - simple, independent.

They work because they must, they smile when they feel like it...

and they're no respecters of persons.

The men are men - no better, no worse than anywhere else.

The women are women. The children, children.

Up on the mountain above the palace, we have our holy man...

who sits there day in and day out in all weathers.

All the people around are very proud of him...

and bring him food and little offerings.

The wind up at the palace blows seven days a week...

so if you must come, bring some warm things with you.

Nobody has lived there for a long time, except Angu Ayah...

who's always been there and stays on as caretaker.

As a caretaker, she's a bit of a failure...

but she's a faithful, dirty old bird and goes with the place.

She lives there alone with the ghosts of bygone days.

Ayah! Ayah! Ayah! Ayah!

Ayah! Ayah! Ayah! Ayah!

Ayah! Ayah! Ayah! Ayah!

Ayah.

Ayah.

Ayah! Ayah!

Ayah!

Ayah! Ayah!

- That's Mr. Dean. - Never mind Mr. Dean. He will find us.

Now listen, Ayah.

I have invited some ladies to stay here at the House of Women.

Ladies! Oh, that will be like old times!

It will not be in the least like old times.

They are not that kind of lady at all.

- Then they won't be any fun. - They are not coming for fun.

These are nuns.

Do you know what a nun is?

They kneel and pray all day like the monks you invited last year.

I am going to give them this house to make a school and a hospital for the people.

You know nobody here wants a school...

and I'm sure they don't want a hospital!

How do they know what they want until they try?

The people have all kind of diseases.

- They have ringworm. - They don't mind having ringworm.

Then they ought to mind. And it will all be free.

It was free last time, and nobody came.

They will this time. Mr. Dean!

You will receive them for me...

and you will do everything for them that they want doing.

You too. You will engage servants for them...

and you will both look after them until they care to look after themselves.

What do they eat? How do I know what nuns eat?

I have remembered that.

Do you see that crate?

Sausages. They will eat sausages.

Europeans eat sausages wherever they go.

They will eat them when they come...

and until they can tell the cook what else they want to eat.

Now remember, Ayah.

If you give any trouble, you will be sorry.

I'm sorry now!

- -

A convent in this house. What do you think of that?

The brothers only stayed five months.

Perhaps the sisters won't stay long, either.

The house is 9,000 feet up -

very cold, but good air.

General Toda Rai, who has invited us to Mopu, has promised us every help.

He was a little afraid when he learned...

that we are bound to our order only by yearly vows.

- I explained this rule to him. - Yes, Reverend Mother.

For more than a century...

to serve voluntarily has been one of the glories of our order.

And our greatest strength.

Exactly.

He understands now.

- Is there anything you would like to ask? - Who am I to take with me?

Remember, a community is not a class of girls.

The sisters won't be easy to manage or to impress.

Now, let me see.

I'll give you Sister Briony. You'll need her strength.

Thank you, Reverend Mother.

Sister Philippa for the garden.

- Sister Blanche. - Sister Blanche?

- You know what the others call her? - Sister Honey.

Yes - Honey. I think you'll need Sister Honey.

She's popular, and you'll need to be popular.

And Sister Ruth.

- But Sister Ruth is ill. - That is why I want her to go.

Forgive me for saying so, Reverend Mother...

but do you think our vocation is her vocation?

Yes, she's a problem.

I'm afraid she'll be a problem for you too.

With a smaller community, she may be better.

Give her responsibility, Sister. She badly wants importance.

Do you think it's a good thing to let her feel important?

Spare her some of your own importance... if you can.

Mother, are you sorry that I have been appointed to take charge of Saint Faith?

Yes.

I don't think you're ready for it, and I think you'll be lonely.

Never forget we are an order of workers.

Work them hard.

And remember - the superior of all is a servant of all.

I understand.

- - It was a good, good idea.

One thing about them, they keep good time.

- Go! -

Dear!

The whole garden's so terribly overgrown, I don't know where to begin.

Please come and help the fat lady who asks questions.

Sister Briony? Ayah, you must learn our proper names.

Anyway, there aren't any patients yet.

Oh, aren't there? There are dozens waiting.

And more coming every minute.

Now tell them to go away and come and help me with the ones that are left.

Sister Blanche, these girls are to work in your lay school.

They were sent by the general.

Oh, don't they look nice.

But, Sister, you ought to see the children.

The schoolroom's full of them already.

The little ones are so sweet.

Some of them can scarcely do more than toddle.

Joseph Anthony has come.

Ayah, you must knock before you come in.

- Who is Joseph Anthony? - Who is Joseph Anthony?

He's the son of the general's cook. He's going to interpret for you.

He speaks English.

Come in.

- Has the general sent you? - Yes, lady.

She isn't a lady. She's a sister.

Say, "Yes, Lemini."

Yes, Lemini. I have my books and my bedding outside...

because I shall live here with you.

Oh.

Would you like to see my books and my bedding, lady?

Sister? Lemini?

Would you, Auntie? They are new.

- How old are you? - Six to eleven.

What did you say?

I can remember that I'm six...

but my father married my mother 11 years ago...

so that I may probably be about 10.

Sister, the schoolroom is overflowing with children.

We've nothing unpacked yet.

No one understands the language. There are too many of them, and they smell.

- I don't know what to do with them. - Why don't you tell them to come back later?

- Start with some of the older ones. - They won't go away, Lemini.

- Oh, why not? - They were paid to come, and so they can't go away.

- Paid? -

Sister, the general's clerk has orders to pay everybody who comes to my dispensary.

So of course, they all want to come.

- Excuse me, Sister, may I suggest? - Yes, Sister.

Wouldn't it be a pity to send the children away now they've come?

- They were paid to come. - Yes, but if they like it this time, they may come again.

What can you do with them? They look very stupid to me.

Remember, they can't speak a word of Hindustani or English.

Joseph can.

You'll help us, won't you, Joseph?

The brothers left a blackboard in the school.