Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant

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Visitors, sir. Spanish colours.

A captain among them.

Inform Captain Pellew,

Mr. Hornblower.

Aye, aye, sir.

Side boys! Boswain's mates!

Drummers! Man the sides!

- Captain, you said?

- Full dress uniform, sir.

I fear the worst, Mr. Hornblower.

A British supply ship

bound for Gibraltar.

Commander Morris!

- A fair wind at last,Commander.

- In our favour, Captain Foster.

You'll see Gibraltar and the

Dreadnought before mid-day.

Nor before time, Commander,

not before time.

Deck there.

Sail fine off the starboard bow!

Allies, thank goodness.

A Spanish frigate.

Spanish? Never trust the Spanish,

Commander Morris.

Steer well clear of her,

Master Figgis.

- How's your Spanish, Hornblower?

- Not good sir.

Then he'll surely understand French.

Ask him below for a glass of wine.

He declines the offer sir, and says

that the letter is

from the Duke of Belcite.

He insists you open it at once.

Oh, does he?

Does he indeed?

I suppose this means that the Spanish

have made peace with France.

They want us to heave to.

I don't like the smell of this.

Luff and touch her, Master Figgis.

We might be able to outrun

her windward.

Outrun her? Are you mad?

She'll be on us in minutes.

His excellency, the Duke of Belchite

grandee of the first class

Commander-in-chief of his

Catholic majesty's forces

by land and by sea,

knight of the Most Sacred Order

of the Golden Fleece,

First minister of his most

Catholic majesty,

- Captain General of Andalusia

- Yes, all right, Mr. Hornblower.

I think we've quite established

our friend the Duke's eminence.

- What else does he say?

- Hold your luff, Master Frigus.

- We may outrun them yet.

- Belay that order!

She'll blow us out of the water.

We must turn and

defend ourselves. Let her go off.

- I am in command of this vessel,sir.

- And I am of superior rank

and I assume command of this vessel.

Hard up on the helm!

We are out-manned and outgunned

this is sheer madness!

What? What is he saying?

According to the rules of neutrality,

we have 6 hours before the Spanish

start firing on us, sir.

You tell him, sir

'Darned if I'll let him see

he's made me angry.

- We must surrender before it's too late!

- Hold your course.

You tell him, sir.

You know the kind of thing

I want said

- don't you, Hornblower?

- Yes sir.

Get him over the side, with dignity.

Mr. Bowles,I want to be underway

within the hour,if you please.

Go and jump, men!

Winds of change, Mr. Hornblower.

How quickly friends become enemies

in the teeth of war.

Enemies, sir? The duke said they

were to be neutral.

A meaningless word. A short step from

there into bed with France

I foresee a day when the

whole of Europe

will be arrayed against us.

We will prevail, sir. They say

we have God on our side.

Really? Then let us pray the Almighty

never chooses to become neutral.

Where is the frigate?

- Where's the frigate? Answer me!

- You killed us all.

Anybody else?

Anybody else?

Wreckage in the water

to larboard, sir!

Inform the captain, Mr. Cleveland.

Poor devils.

Looks like one of ours.

A supply ship, sir.

Must have been returning

to Gibraltar.

The work of a neutral power,

Mr. Hornblower?

Spanish, sir?

That would be an act of war!

I expected nothing less.

Over there, sir. Survivors.

Let me see.

Goodness gracious.

Unless my eye deceives me

- Yes, we have an honoured guest.

- Sir?

- Captain Foster, I believe.

- Dreadnought Foster, sir?

I do not care for such overblown

titles, Mr. Hornblower.

Mr. Bowles, bring us up

to windward of them.

Aye, aye, Captain.

Man braces, stand by to luff up!

You're all right now lad,that's it.

There you go. Come on,then.

Captain Foster.

- Captain Pellew.

- Welcome aboard, sir.

I congratulate you on your

impeccable timing, sir.

An honour to be of service, as ever.

Forgive me if I forego the usual

pleasantries, Captain,

till I have discovered my limbs.

Of course.

Mr. Hornblower, have quarters

prepared for the captain here,

and pass word on to my servant

to find him

- some old clothing of mine.

- Aye, aye, sir.

I would welcome your presence

at dinner in my quarters,Captain

Why, I shall be honoured

to attend, sir.

Pass word on to the other

officers, Hornblower.

Oh, get that off me man.

Take me to the rum.

I fear our captain is not

counted amongst

- our guest's admirers, Mr. Hornblower

- The man is a legend.

Indeed, but there are some who might

consider his methods reckless.

Well, I was merely a passenger

on the schooner

on my way to Gibraltar to resume

command of the Dreadnought

when this, this Spanish frigate

blocked our path.

We were out-manned and out-gunned,

and should we have run,

we should certainly have been

outpaced.

Did they fire without warning, sir?

Oh, they had the decency

to fire a warning shot.

The audacity of them!

Three supply ships taken by

the French in as many weeks,

and now the Spanish think

they can do the same?

Well, this was one ship they

would never take. So...

I assumed command of the schooner,

gave the order we should

attempt to rake her.

Now, of course, I knew our

chances were slim,

but I took comfort from the fact

that they would be forced

to destroy their prize,

and had I not acted,

the schooner and her supplies

would at this very moment

- be in the hands of the Spanish.

- What of the crew?

You have a question, Captain?

I was merely wondering how many of

the crew

- did the Spanish take from the sea?

- I have no idea.

At the time, my mind was engaged

in more important matters

than arithmetic.

Am I to presume Captain Pellew

that you would have surrendered?

This is neither the time or

the place, sir, to discuss tactics.

Nonsense! We're all men

of the sea here.

- You!

- Yes, sir?

How would you have reacted

to such circumstances?

- I think perhaps

- Come on man, out with it.

I am pleased the Spanish have been

deprived of our supplies,sir

I take my leave, sir.

I fancy you shall go far, young man,

I fancy you shall.

- Algeciras.

- Sir?

A cruel hand dealt by the Almighty

to set a Spanish anchorage

six miles off Gibraltar,

don't you think?

Report, if you please.

Eight ships, I think, sir.

- Nine, with their yards crossed.

- Thank-you.

Captain Pellew, sir.

I believe I might have offended

you earlier.

Yes, Mr. Hornblower?

Might I offer my apologies, sir?

Your apology is noted.

Thank-you, sir.

Let go!

- Mr. Hornblower.

- Sir.

When we next meet,I believe

you will have your commission, sir.

- Sir?

- Well, I presume you are putting yourself forward

for examination for lieutenant.

That is my captain's decision, sir.

The port admiral awaits.

You're much taken with our famous

Captain Foster

and he with you.

He's a truly great man, sir.

To be half the man that he is

would see my life fulfilled.

Careful, Mr. Hornblower.

Such greatness always has its price.

Come.

You wish to see me, sir?

Mr. Hornblower. Yes, I hope

you consider this good news.

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