Hornblower: The Even Chance Page #6

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They must

have cut her out by now.

Sail to windward!

My goodness, French corvettes!

It's not too deep. Head wounds

always bleed terrible bad, sir.

I expect it hurts like the devil,

but you'll mend, praise the Lord.

What about Mr. Kennedy?

He was still in the boat.

She came adrift when we

went about, sir.

That's what Mr. Simpson said.

I swear, you were born

to hang, Mr. Hornblower.

It's a good thing these Frenchmen

are such a poor shot.

French be cursed, I was

shot by Mr. Simpson.

It is a serious accusation,

Mr. Hornblower, and one I trust

you would not make without

the evidence to support it.

I have the evidence of

my own eyes, sir.

This is hardly the time or the place

to do anything about it.

Get back to your division,

Mr. Hornblower.

I will address the matter when

we get back to the Indefatigable

- Mr. Chadd?

- It's Mr. Hornblower, sir. Surgeon!

Surgeon!

Where is Mr. Chadd?

I regret that Lt. Chadd

is dead, sir.

The ship is yours, Mr. Hornblower.

Take command.

Get us back to the Indy...safe.

I'm senior here, the ship is mine.

Lt. Eccleston instructed me

to take command.

You heard him, Mr. Bowles.

Mr. Simpson is senior,

Mr. Hornblower.

Styles, Matthews, confine

Mr. Simpson below.

You heard me, Mr. Simpson is

under close arrest.

Who do you think you are? I have

command here!The ship is mine!

Any man, any man,

stands against me,

he will regret it!

Now, get to work shoring

up this damage.

Get back to work, do you hear?

I have command!

Mr. Bowles, you will carry

out my orders.

If Mr. Simpson resists, you have

my permission to shoot him.

Come on!

- Helmsman, hard to starboard.

- Hard to starboard, sir!

Sir, the Papillon!

My goodness, it is the Papillon.

- God!

- Mr. Bowles, engage the corvette to larboard.

Engage? Sir, we can't take on

three French corvettes.

We can give the Indy an even chance.

We've a third of her crew

aboard this vessel.

If any of the Frenchmen get

close enough to board her,

- she's finished.

- Aye, aye, sir.

Why don't they fire at us, sir?

It may have escaped your

notice, Mr. Bowles,

but we are still flying

French colours.

Shall I have them run down, sir?

If you want me to shoot you

where you stand, by all means.

Sir, it goes against all

articles of war.

When we have leisure, you must

show me where it is written

and I will gladly concede the point.

Until that time, please confine

yourself to following my orders

Fire!

Fire as you bear!

Starboard side!

Fire!

Fire!

My goodness!

Poor devils!

Mr. Hornblower.

They're surrendering, sir!

They are surrendering!

Three cheers, men.

Launch boats to pick

up survivors, Matthews.

Mr. Bowles,

you may raise the Ensign.

Timely, Mr. Hornblower, timely.

I take it by your appearance,

Lt. Eccleston is indisposed?

I regret to inform you, sir, that

Lt. Eccleston is dead.

Lt. Chadd is also among the fallen.

I see.

Who then had command of the

Papillon during the action?

The honour fell to me, sir.

How so? What of Mr. Kennedy,

Mr. Simpson?

Mr. Kennedy was left behind after

the boarding of the Papillon.

- And Mr. Simpson?

- It's a darn lie, sir!

Begging your pardon...

but he's had it in for me ever since

that incident in Spithead.

Mr. Simpson, are you

saying Mr. Hornblower

brought this charge against

you purely out of malice?

He's impeached my honour,sir,and

for that I demand satisfaction

There, you see, he's afraid.

Mr. Simpson, I would be very

wary of calling a man

only lately distinguished

in battle, a coward.

Oh, I do call him a coward,

and a liar.

If he spoke the truth, he would not

hesitate to face me.

Mr. Hornblower's reluctance to accept

this challenge is, I fear

the result of an order

I gave him when

he first came aboard Indefatigable,

is that not so?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Hornblower, I remove

that impediment,

but I must caution you against

accepting this challenge.

I maintain the charge against

Mr. Simpson, sir.

However, since I cannot prove it

other than with my body,

I have no choice but to accept

his challenge.

For the last time, gentlemen,

cannot you be reconciled?

I'm going to kill you, Snotty.

Just as I killed Clayton.

And your little pal, Archie.

- Kennedy?

- Very well.

You may step out

the distance.

And, one, two, three, four, five.

Are you ready?

One,

Two

I did not say, "fire", sir!

It just went off. It's a misfire,

I assure you.

Is he dead? Did I kill him?

No, you did not!

Mr. Hornblower, you will

return fire at will.

Return. I shot him.

The duel is over.

You must stand your ground and

attend fire, Mr. Simpson!

Don't shoot!

No!

For the love of God,

please don't shoot.

Don't shoot me!

I beg you!

You're not worth the powder.

Not worth the powder?

Exceptionally fine shot, sir,

if I may say so, sir.

You may, Mr. Bowles,

you may.

- Sir.

- Mr. Hornblower.

You have fought your duel,

that is well.

Never fight another, that is better.

I owe you a debt of gratitude, sir.

I dispensed justice as I saw fit.

I told you, Mr. Hornblower,I judge

a man by what I see him do.

Nevertheless, you saved my life.

As you saved the life of every man

aboard this ship, sir.

Come on man, no false modesty now.

I see something in you,

Mr. Hornblower.

If you continue in this service

as you've begun,

- a great future awaits you.

- Thank-you, sir.

Carry on, Mr. Hornblower.

Aye, aye, sir.

Styles, coil those cables

down properly now.

Matthews! Lend a hand there.

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