Hornblower: Duty Page #7

If that ship isn't ready

to sail by noon tomorrow,

I'll make you all swim!

No wonder you're

still in this war...

Horatio:

so that's what

Mr. Bracegirdle

must have seen.

Sir?

And that's

the reason for

The cannons

in the farmhouse.

The frigates,

mr. Bush.

You see how high

They ride

in the water

They've had their

guns removed.

How many men

Will a 40-Gun

ship hold,

If it's stripped bare?

1,000, maybe?

Packed tight.

3 ships, 3,000 troops.

Well-Trained frenchmen

under orders of

The fervent

united irishmen.

Those frigates will not

be fighting, mr. Bush.

They were

troop transports,

And by the look

of things,

Ready to set sail.

In brest,

200,000 frenchmen

Wait to invade england,

And all our fleet

sit waiting.

Leaving the back door

unguarded.

The invasion of ireland,

mr. Bush.

And enough men to make

the troubles of '98

Look like a tavern brawl.

First they take ireland,

then they take england.

We shall sail

the "hotspur,"

In close enough

to smell them,

Like a terrier

to a rat's hole.

Bloody big rats, sir.

Bloody fierce terrier.

You can hardly see

one end of the ship

From the other, sir.

Shall i take her

out to sea?

No, mr. Prowse.

Quite the opposite.

We will enter the inlet.

Sir, there's rocks as

sharp as razors here,

And it's as shallow

as a puddle.

We'll be beached

like the grasshopper.

Not if we're careful.

And lucky.

We'll need a good man

in the lead line.

Standing by, sir.

Horatio:
very good,

mr. Orrock.

Matthews, cast loose

the guns

And keep

the men quiet,

Or they'll answer-

Aye-Aye, sir.

Take us in under

Topsails alone,

mr. Prowse.

Aye-Aye, sir.

Pull up the mainsail!

By the mark 5.

Quietly.

Sorry, sir.

By the mark 5, sir.

Steady as she goes,

mr. Prowse.

Steady it is, sir.

Steady as she goes.

Prowse:
there's the first one

attempting to leave.

It'll be like shooting

fish in a barrel, sir.

We'll be the fish if

we don't find that

Channel soon, sir.

Quite right,

mr. Prowse.

Try her 2 points

to starboard.

Aye-Aye, sir.

2 points to starboard.

2 points to starboard.

Aye-Aye, sir.

Mr. Matthews,

stand by with

Those larboard guns.

Aye-Aye, sir.

And a quarter

less four.

A quarter less four.

We're shoaling fast, sir.

Steady as she goes,

mr. Prowse.

Steady as she goes.

Aye-Aye, sir.

Deep 6.

Deep 6.

It's better, sir.

Horatio:

where would you say

Their lights were?

Lined up above the

mizzen tops, sir.

Match them.

Hoist 3 the same,

But keep them

covered until

I give a signal.

Horatio:
i wish

to deceive them.

If we have

the same lights,

They'll think we're

part of their fleet.

Very clever, sir.

Thank you,

mr. Prowse.

A compliment

at last.

Listen.

Get those lights

ready, mr. Bush.

No bottom with this line.

No bottom, mr. Bush.

Shhh.

It's not our only

concern, mr. Orrock.

I want you aloft.

I want you

on those lights.

No bottom, sir.

I heard. Full and by,

mr. Prowse.

Aye-Aye, sir.

Full and by.

Man:
aye-Aye, sir.

Full and by it is.

How close shall i

take her, sir?

How close can you

get her, mr. Prowse?

As close as you

like, sir.

Then make it so i can't

See the water

between us.

Aye-Aye, sir.

Stand by the guns.

Man:
run out.

Quietly!

Lights on

the larboard bow.

2 sets, sir.

Mr. Bush.

Let's confuse them.

Man:
what the hell

is happening-

Fire!

God damn it-

Fire on that bloody ship,

or i'll fire on you!

Get a line on this.

Move yourself.

They're still

coming, sir.

The grating's smashed

through, sir.

Get below, and

secure that cannon.

Aye-Aye, sir.

Mr. Prowse.

Aye, sir.

As close as we can

to the other ships.

Aye-Aye, sir.

Come to port.

Man:
aye-Aye, sir.

Man:
hold tight, man.

We'll have you out of there.

The other 2 frigates

are going about.

They've guessed

who we are.

Come on, man.

We'll have to close

with them, sir.

If they reach

open sea,

We'll have no hope.

No need, mr. Prowse.

Look.

Man:
2, 3... heave!

Come out, quick!

I can't!

Prowse:
listen.

They've hit bottom, sir.

And each other.

Sir.

Ow! Uhh! Uhh...

I've had my share of

Prisoners aboard

this ship,

So if you wish

to die a martyr...

I would.

And joyfully, hornblower,

But not by your

sorry hand.

That'd break my heart.

Your heart, wolfe?

And where might

that be found?

I admire you, hornblower.

I really do.

But i loathe and despise

Every bloody thing

that you represent.

Merry christmas, sir.

Yes, it is.

Thank you.

And the same to you,

mr. Bush.

Matthews asked me

Why he and styles

Troubled to save doughty

from a 12-Pounder

Dropping on his head,

When he'd have had

a cleaner, quicker death

Than hanging on

the end of the rope?

And what did you

tell him, william?

Honor, fellowship, duty.

And did he

understand?

Do you?

Man:
"liberty!" Ahoy there!

You marines, wait outside.

A good name

for a ship.

"Liberty. "

Sir?

Sailing for america.

She can't be more than

100 yards away.

I, uh, i can't remember

Why i asked you

here, doughty.

It'll come to me,

i'm sure.

Enter.

Her boat's ready

to take the lady, sir.

You asked

to be informed?

Oh, yes.

I'd forgotten.

Thank you.

You're a good

steward, doughty.

You cook

And you swim.

Good day to you.

Thank you, sir.

You were damn heartless,

mr. Hornblower.

When i met you,

i thought of you

As a hero.

I was wrong to.

Madam, if your husband

loves you,

He will follow you.

Eventually, he will.

Don't talk to me of love.

You know nothing of it.

I pity your

poor wife, sir.

Come, come.

Man in water, sir.

Second man:
put a bold

course for it.

I pity her, too.

But i am

the man she married.

It's doughty.

Damn it, he must have

gone through the window.

Hold your fire, man.

Hold your fire.

That's a neutral ship.

I am a fool, mr. Bush.

He's a fine man,

doughty,

And a good cook.

Please accept him as

my apology for...

For being

so damned heartless.

I will, mr. Hornblower.

Etheridge:
the husband will not

see the wife again.

Bonaparte's envoy is

heading to the vatican,

Demanding that

their marriage

Be annulled.

Those brutal french.

The girl's well rid

of him, hmm?

Just as we are

well rid of

That criminal,

doughty.

Pellew:
seems to have

concluded for the best.

Etheridge:
the diplomatic

service is thankful,

Captain hornblower.

Your work for us

has been exemplary.

Now, i'm sure you gentlemen

have much to discuss.

It's been a pleasure.

And both of you, sir edward,

captain hornblower,

Good day to you.

Hornblower?

Sir.

Mr. Etheridge

seems to think

We have something

to discuss, sir.

I'm leaving.

I'm hauling down

my flag.

Retiring, sir?

No, no,

not retirement.

Promotion. Yes.

But it means

leaving behind

The...

and all the men

Who've served me

so well.

Now, that is good

news, sir,

But i regret it

all the same.

I'm beginning to

regret it myself.

Anyway, come on.

Let's be cheerful.

Does this not mean

anything to you?

No, sir.

Only what i've said,

And that it has

been an honor

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