Hornblower: Loyalty Page #4

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"Which are not

mentioned in this act

"Or for which

no punishment

"Is hereby directed

to be inflicted

"Shall be punished

according to the laws

And customs

used at sea. "

mr. Matthews.

Uh!

I've never seen

so much blood.

Bush:
3 dozen, sir.

Take him down,

mr. Bush.

Take him down!

Thank you, mr. Bush.

Dismiss all hands.

All hands dismissed!

I didn't do it, sir.

Man:
clear that mizzen

coming in!

Land ho!

There is no sign of

the eleanor, captain.

Is your contact

reliable?

My contact is the duke of montreuil.

He has always been

a man of his word.

Hornblower:
our arrival has been

noted, judging by that semaphore tower.

It was not there

It'll be part

of a chain.

By now,

they will know of us

In brest and in paris within the hour,

And that battery

will have been reinforced.

Hold on.

This'll sting.

Hold fast.

Hold fast.

Just vinegar

and brown paper.

It'll help

your wounds heal.

Why are you here?

Nothing cheers me up

Like seeing another

poor bugger in pain.

I didn't do it.

I told them.

Styles, you've served

the crown long enough.

What did you expect?

Sail ho!

Flying on

the larboard bow!

Glass.

Is it the eleanor?

Mr. Orrock, we'll hoist

our colors, if you please.

Aye, aye, sir.

Should you not

signal to them?

I would, major,

were she a british ship.

She's a french

frigate, sir.

In the very place at the

very time of our rendezvous?

It may be a coincidence.

She's closing fast, sir.

Shall i alter course?

Keep her steady as she goes, mr. Prowse.

Clear

for action, sir?

We're at peace with france, mr. Bush.

Or we were

when we left england.

Thank you,

mr. Prowse.

She's have us in range

in two minutes, sir.

Thank you.

You don't trust her,

do you sir?

In range of her broadside

in one minute, sir.

So she has twice our guns,

We must clear for action.

No, mr. Bush.

We will render

passing honors.

Passing honors

to a frenchman, sir?

Hornblower:
there's a first

time for everything, mr. Bush.

You do remember

the procedure.

Aye, aye, sir.

All hands man the sides!

Sergeant of marines,

parade your men!

Matthews:
all right!

Man the sides!

Jump to it!

Pick those feet up!

Quietly now,

drummer on the right.

Boatswain's mates,

pipe on my command.

Aye, aye, sir.

Bush:
toe the line there.

Toe the line.

Heads up. Keep still.

Show these frogs

how a british crew behaves.

Let them have it,

mr. Bush.

Drum.

Present... arms!

Pipes!

For what we're

about to receive...

Bush:
order... arms!

Cotard:
the loire.

Well, i'll be damned.

I never thought i'd get

A salute from

a french frigate.

Question is, what was that

french frigate doing here?

And what has happened

to your friend the duke?

Oh, sheer folly.

Hornblower:
major cotard was

supposed to meet his contact

On board

a british ship.

Now there's

no sign of either.

Bony is up to something

along this coast,

And we must find out

what it is.

Yes, but i'm not sure

i trust major cotard

To be the one

to investigate it.

Nor me.

Not enough to let him

go alone, anyway.

Now...

How do i look?

Like a pale, thin englishman

with a poor tailor.

Sir, if they catch you, you'll be

shot as a spy, peace or no peace.

I know, mr. Bush.

Johnny boat

is ready, sir.

She's rigged with

nets and floats.

She should pass

for a fishing boat.

Thank you.

I'll just

get aboard.

Oh, there's no need.

We'll row ourselves.

Begging

your pardon, sir.

Just you

and that frenchman?

Oh, the exercise

will do us good.

Aye, aye, sir.

If i'm not back

by the second dog watch,

You are to sail

to portsmouth

And see that this report

gets to the flagship. Sir...

You are in command,

mr. Bush.

Now take

good care of her.

Aye, aye, sir.

You said the captain

was a clever man.

He is.

Not bloody clever

going ashore

With only that frog

dandy for company.

Better tell him that

when he comes back.

You mean,

if he comes back.

Maybe he'd rather have

a frenchman in front of him

Than an irishman

behind him.

Matthews, half

this navy is irish.

If we were all disloyal, you'd be sunk.

Wasn't so long ago i came across

a paddy serving on a french ship.

Fancied himself

as a rebel.

Hope you won't tar all irishmen

with the same brush, matthews.

Sir, no, sir.

Sorry, sir.

No offense.

Carry on.

All this coastland used to

belong to the duke of montreuil.

I spent my childhood

playing here.

This must be a bitter homecoming.

It breaks my heart

to see a noble nation

Debase itself before

a man like bonaparte.

You find it strange that

i should love my country

And still

fight against it?

As long as you fight

against it, major,

That's all

that concerns me.

Bonaparte has been busy

during the peace.

Peace?

This camp is for an

invasion force, major.

We must get word

to admiral pellew.

For god's sakes,

major!

Hornblower:

you wait here.

Half an hour into the

second dog watch, sir.

I can tell the time,

mr. Prowse.

Now is not the time

to make a stand, major!

Damn semaphore has

started up again.

Man:
deck there! Sail ho!

Where away?

Coming down

the fairway, sir!

It's our old friend

the loire.

We better get

underway, mr. Bush.

We've stayed

too long already.

Mr. Bush? I heard you, mr. Prowse.

She's altered course

towards us, sir.

Sir.

Very well. Come onto the larboard

tack. Set a course for home.

We'll show them

a clean pair of heels.

We'll be lucky

if we can do that.

Set the headsails!

Brace up the mainmast!

Capitaine, look.

The hotspur

is still there.

Thank god for english inefficiency, huh?

She's heading

out to sea.

Hey!

Ahoy!

Hey!

Ahoy!

Prowse:
they're

catching up, sir.

Styles:
sir.

Sir.

Not now, styles,

for god's sake.

Not bloody now?

Styles!

Sir, it's them!

It's the captain.

On the larboard

corner, sir!

Hornblower:
ahoy! Ahoy!

Bush:
my god,

it is them.

All hands

to wear ship!

Mr. Prowse, we'll

stand in towards.

The frigate is cleared for

action, sir, if we're at war.

Bush:
hard aport!

They've seen us.

Capitaine...

The loire.

Put your back

into it, major.

For a moment there, sir, we wondered

which ship you were headed for.

Still here,

then, mr. Bush?

Thought the hour glass was

running a little fast, sir.

We're in range of her bow chasers, sir.

Raise her hard up,

mr. Prowse.

Mr. Bush,

clear for action.

Aye, aye, sir.

Clear for action!

Prowse:
raise up

the mainmast!

Thank you, styles.

Begging

your pardon, sir.

On behalf of the hands,

are we at war, sir?

The frogs know, and

we don't yet, matthews.

Very good, sir.

They're catching us

fast, sir.

We'll have

to come about, sir.

We'll be on the shore

in 5 minutes.

As soon as we come

about, they'll have us.

Hornblower:
mr. Matthews!

Get those halyards reroped!

Aye, aye, sir!

And matthews,

If you think it proper, you can

tell the hands that we are at war.

Come on.

Move yourselves.

Mr. Orrock, i want you

to take 4 men up forward.

I shall be

going about shortly,

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