Hornblower: Duty Page #3

If my calculations

are correct, mr. Bush,

Our guests sailed

past here yesterday.

I hope, sir, you are

right and i am wrong.

Mr. Prowse.

Sir?

We'll clear the headland

and look into

The next bay.

Aye-Aye, sir.

Mr. Orrock,

what do you see?

A top mast, sir!

Is it

the "grasshopper"?

Can you make her out?

I can, sir.

What, man?

She's run aground, sir.

No sign of shore

battery, sir?

No.

It's quiet.

Uncomfortably quiet.

Neither your trap

nor mr. Prowse's storm.

Although one

or other such thing

Befell

the "grasshopper. "

Mr. Prowse.

Sir?

How far are we

from brest?

Oh, a day

at the most, sir.

We cannot assume

that bonaparte

Has all his troops

in brest alone.

Mr. Bush, ready

the quarter boat.

Aye-Aye, sir.

We'll search for what

survivors there may be.

Hornblower:

mr. Bush.

Matthews, styles,

you come with me.

Mr. Orrock, you stay here with

the crew and keep a lookout.

Aye-Aye, sir.

To me, marines!

Man:
you heard

the officer.

Maguire.

You stay there, man.

You stay there.

Bush:

poor devils.

No wounds.

Seems the sea killed them,

not the french.

I'll wager

the french

Played their

part, sir.

Orrock:
i can see

something up there!

Some smoke!

I'm sure you do, sir.

Orrock:
sir!

A light along

the beach, sir!

A fire, sir!

No sign of the enemy,

mr. Bush.

I fear he may not be

far away, sir.

Indeed. Mr. Orrock,

matthews, you come with me.

Mr. Bush, keep watch.

Bush:
aye-Aye, sir.

Styles.

I don't think the sea

killed this one.

Take cover!

Quickly, men!

Man:
marines, take cover

behind that boat!

Return fire at will!

Return fire, styles.

What are we aiming

at, sir?

The enemy, man.

Matthews:
another

dead one, sir?

Hornblower:

not quite, matthews.

Bracegirdle!

Bracegirdle!

Hornblower!

Damn! Damn!

Man:
get down!

You should not have

come for me.

I fear some-

I fear it, too,

captain bracegirdle.

It's no good here, sir.

We're sitting ducks.

Orrock, matthews,

give us supporting fire.

I'll get captain bracegirdle

back to the boat.

Ready?

Now!

Orrock:

good luck, sir.

Stay back, sir!

Captain bracegirdle!

Horatio!

They're moving

forward, styles.

We'll have

to lend a hand.

I'm with you, sir.

Good god!

...quarters...

Hard to starboard!

Roll out

the larboard guns!

We've got to

leave soon, sir,

Or we won't have

a boat to escape in.

You're right, mr. Bush.

Marines! Make ready!

Where's maguire?

I don't know, sir.

Present! Fire!

Fire!

Now, men! Run!

Stop!

Man:
watch out!

Get below...

Who's firing at us?

The frogs!

Who'd you bloody think?

Now get below! Reload!

They're throwing

their bloody guns

At us now, sir.

Come on, men.

With me!

Man:
halt!

Attention!

Time to leave,

gentlemen!

Heave!

Wolfe:
these damn french

have let them all sail away.

And what do i get?

I get you.

I know hornblower.

I used to serve him, too.

I was his coxswain,

And i wish he was stood

here before me now,

But as it is,

you'll have to do.

Have you anything

to say for yourself?

Plenty, sir.

Plenty.

Why would captain bracegirdle

risk it, sir?

Taking his ship in

so close?

As i remember him,

he was such a cautious man.

Hornblower:
quite.

Which means

he must have had

A good reason.

The patient

is restored to us,

In body

if not yet in mind.

Bracegirdle:
gentlemen...

Just like old times

on the "indy. "

The 3 of us together.

Like old times.

Do you know where you are,

bracegirdle?

I'm on your ship,

horatio...

Because

i lost my own.

And why were you

so close to shore?

I saw... boats...

Guns mounted...

Rowing along

the coast.

There's something

about them.

So then i kept watch

for days.

And then they...

Disappeared

into an inlet.

I don't remember.

This will restore his wits

quick enough, sir.

"Doughty's patent remedy"

they call it in the...

I'm still working on

Making the taste

of it better.

Enemy frigate, sir.

Her gunports are closed.

Captain bracegirdle

saw gunboats

Paddling to

an inlet somewhere.

Gunboats?

But no frigates.

Captain bracegirdle,

you're with us again.

It seems god had

second thoughts about me.

Gunboats to blast defenders

on the english beaches.

Now they have

a frigate, too. Why?

Mr. Prowse.

Prowse:
aye, sir?

No closer

to the shore

Until we have

the weather.

We'll ride it out

from here...

And wait, and watch.

Prowse:
aye-Aye, sir.

With all due respect,

mr. Etheridge,

And indeed,

to the diplomatic service,

The royal navy is at war.

No, sir.

England is at war.

The royal navy

has but one weapon

In her armory.

And you would have

this weapon sheathed?

For what?

A wild goose chase

Hunting a couple

lost at sea?

Good god,

I have entire ships

go missing.

Hundreds of men.

That letter bears

the authority

Not only of my master, sir,

but also of yours-

Their lordships

at the admiralty.

Or should we send

for more lights?

The better to read it.

What is so important

about this couple

That they must be found?

She is the daughter

Of a wealthy

american merchant

Who has the ear of his

ambassador to london.

The ambassador

has the ear

Of the diplomatic

service and-

Yes, yes, yes.

And the diplomatic service

has the ear of the admiralty.

Everyone's got

each other's ears.

I'm surprised

they're not all deaf by now.

The girl's father

Has grown concerned

for her safety

And he wants her home

for christmas.

Very touching.

And the boy?

He is-

He is her husband.

Is that all he is?

He is also a frenchman.

I regret

that more than that

I am not at liberty

to divulge.

Well, it would make

precious little difference.

The gales this side

of the channel

Are the worst

we've had in 5 years.

I'll send no ship out

if not for battle.

The gales will not last

forever, sir.

No, they won't.

And then i shall wait

for fair weather.

Good.

You do that.

This couple,

They're either dead

or in france.

Or if they're lucky,

If they're very,

very lucky,

They've already

been picked up by

One of our ships.

That would

be good for them,

But not so good

for the ship.

Why?

Why, sir?

Are they dangerous?

Yes, sir edward.

Yes, they are.

Blessings.

If there's one consolation

of this sorry situation,

Your cooking is superb.

Mon plaisir,

monsieur.

Madame.

It's nice

to have someone

Who appreciates it.

He's no bloody american.

I'm sure i don't know

what you mean, styles.

I heard his way

of talking.

He's a frog.

Keep it down, styles.

He's not french.

He's swiss.

Swiss?

I knew things weren't right.

A bad luck, bloody frog.

I said

keep it down, man.

Strangers on board,

ill luck doth afford.

What?

I had this feeling

What with the storm

and all that's happened,

But i let it go

On account of them

being americans,

No danger to us.

But a frog's

a different matter.

There's as good

as bloody jonahs,

And they'll be

the death of us.

It was my fault,

There's no denying.

You did what

you thought was right.

And it was wrong.

My ship...

And half the crew

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