Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil Page #6

your parole, Mr. Hornblower.

I gave it between

certain hours

of the day, sir.

Beyond that,

as I informed you

it is my duty

at all times

to attempt to escape

and return to my ship.

I do not believe you.

I do not believe

you would lead

such a vicious

and senseless assautt.

You would know

it was doomed to fail.

Give me the instigators,

and I will deal with them.

There are no

other instigators, sir.

Mr. Kennedy is a friend,

is he not, Mr. Hornblower?

He will tell you

I am not afraid to be cruel.

One last time,

who was responsible?

(whispers):

Tell him, Horatio.

It was me, sir.

I am... disappointed.

Your men are confined

to their cells.

And you...

(man shouting

in Spanish)

This is all you, Oldroyd.

You bloody idiot.

Captain told you

not to go for it.

Oh, and how was I

to know, eh?

Course you bloody knew.

Following

a sawdust-for-brains

bastard like Hunter

what do you expect?

Mr. Hornblower would've

got us out of here.

He would.

He'd have walked us

down to the harbor,

nice and easy.

Found a nice little boat.

Sailed us all the way

back home, no problem.

Now look where

you've got him.

(loud groan, gasping)

How is he?

I don't know.

It depends how long

they keep him in there.

It sent me nearly mad

and I could not walk

for a month after.

There.

(shouts)

(crying)

(rat squeaking)

You must eat.

Eat.

Stay strong.

He'll need you.

Come on.

(water falling)

(man talking in Spanish,

metal clanging)

(man speaking Spanish)

(groaning)

Matthews!

Styles!

Over here, quick!

What?

Matthews:

Ah, thank the Lord for that.

Do I have your parole,

Mr. Hornblower?

(strained voice):

You do, sir.

Then your privileges

are returned to you.

(man speaking Spanish)

Horatio.

Are you all right?

Yes, Archie.

Apart from feeling

that I've been bent in two.

How is your leg, Mr. Hunter?

It's well, sir.

Well, thank you.

Good.

Good.

(moaning)

Oh, dear.

(cannon fire)

What ships are they, sir?

Ah.

I know our ship, senor.

Yours.

You must tell me.

It's the Indie.

It's the Indefatigable, sir.

It's my old ship.

Ah.

Your ship has chased ours

far inshore.

But she's not catching her,

I think.

No, sir.

But your is carrying

too much sail.

She must tack soon.

The Indie will have her then.

The Almeria's a good sailer,

senor.

She will be hard

To catch.

The Almeria, sir?

Don't worry.

She has had time to sail

to Oporto and back.

She will have landed

her cargo.

She must tack now.

The topsail's gone.

She is lost.

Look, senor.

Oh, my god.

Will she

Clear the reef?

Not with her topsails gone.

The devil's teeth will have her.

We must launch boats,

try to save them.

In this sea?

The fishermen,

surely they would go?

That would be folly.

I know this beach, senor.

Many have died

in calmer seas than this.

Sir, I beg you.

Give me two carts

some timber and some rope

and as many people

as you can muster.

And, sir, I will need

my own men.

Of course.

This provides you with the perfect

opportunity for escape.

Sir, those men

out there are dying.

The water is bitter cold.

The strength is ebbing

from their limbs

but we can save them.

They are your enemies.

The sea does not

take sides, sir.

I give you my word.

And that of your men?

You have my word, sir.

Go.

God speed you.

(men shouting)

We need barrels.

Small ones, like this.

Lash them under the thwarts

for buoyancy.

Hurry!

You will need a sail,

food and water.

You may have to stay at sea

until the wind changes direction.

Yes, you are right.

Thank you, sir.

Mr. Hornblower, sir.

All is ready.

Thank you, Mr. Kennedy.

No, Mr. Hunter.

Yes.

Let me come.

Please.

Right, lads,

put your backs into it.

Now row!

Row your hearts out, row!

(men shouting)

How many?

Only five.

Now four.

Row, you bastards, row!

Heave!

Heave!

Hold her here, men.

Oldroyd, Styles!

Bail for your lives!

All of you, jump.

We'll pick you up.

(gasping)

All of you, jump.

No, wait!

Now!

I'm all right.

The captain's leg is broken.

Can't you go closer?

No, we would all be lost.

He's jumping, sir!

Can't you help him?

Oldroyd, throw him a rope!

Hunter, no!

(men shouting)

Hold on!

Help, lads!

We got him, sir.

Mr. Hunter.

Give me your hand, man.

Look out!

Mr. Hunter.

Mr. Hunter!

Where are you?

Where are you, Mr. Hunter?

Matthews:

It's no good, sir.

He's gone.

Oh, God!

Matthews:

Sir, we must get back

To the shore.

We'll never make it.

We'll have to stay at sea

and ride this out.

I thought it was you.

As soon as I saw

this little boat

I thought,

that's my Mr. H.

I thought you were safe

at Oporto.

We came nowhere

near Oporto.

The captain insisted

on running

every time he saw

an English sail.

Ma'am, will you allow me

to ask you a question?

I believe I can guess.

I have guarded your dispatches,

safe and sound.

Thank you, ma'am.

Sir.

A sail, sir!

Heading which way?

She's hove to, sir!

Wake up, everybody!

Everybody, wake up!

Wake up, men!

And row.

Row, you beauties!

Sir.

It's the bloody Indie!

(cheering, laughing)

Ahoy! Ahoy!

It's Hornblower.

He's escaped.

Hornblower's escaped!

Mr. Hornblower, sir.

This is a most unexpected

pleasure.

As it is for us, sir.

Your Grace!

(sighs)

Uh... take her below.

Call the surgeon.

Get her out of those...

Uh, Mr. Hornblower, you,

your men and your... friends

below with you, too.

Mr. Bowles,

spirits to warm them.

Double ration,

if you please, sir.

Aye aye, sir.

I must go back

at the first opportunity.

I gave Don Massaredo my parole

and I gave it for my men.

You must do

as your honor dictates

but I do not believe

in this regard

you can speak for your men.

Well, sir, I prom...

No, they must decide

for themselves.

And I will not think

any less of them

If they are not so punctilious in

matters of honor.

(knocking on door)

Ah, I trust Your Grace

is more comfortable.

Oh, I am, Captain Pellew.

But after a night on

Mr. Hornblower's rowboat

I think

I'd sleep easier

on a perch

in a parrot's cage.

(men laugh)

We have orders to make

for England, Your Grace

so God and

a fair wind willing

you should be in London

before the month's end.

Well, in that case

I've got something

to share with you.

Before the dons

took his ship

Mr. Hornblower entrusted

these to my safekeeping.

The admiratty dispatches

you gave me, sir.

You burdened Her Grace

with such matters

Mr. Hornblower?

Her Grace

damn well insisted.

I believe they are important.

Yes, I know

They're important, man.

Gibrattar had me searching

Half the atlantic for them

because you decided

to go missing.

Don't be so hard on him,

Sir Edward.

Your acting

Lieutenant Hornblower

Is an extremely gallant

and resourceful

gentleman.

Pellew:

Is he?

Mm-hmm.

I'm afraid

he is no longer

my acting lieutenant.

As a resutt

of exemplary gallantry

in the fire ship attack

on Gibrattar

an opinion confirmed

by three captains, no less...

captains who

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