Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters Page #3

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You can depend on it.

Captain, landing beach in sight, sir.

Very good, Mr. Bowles.

All hands shorten sail.

Aye, aye, sir.

All hands! Shorten sail!

Mr. Hornblower,the beach is in sight.

-Prepare to disembark, if you please.

-Aye, aye, sir.

-Mr. Hornblower.

-Sir.

You will be on foreign soil with

the enemy all around.

Be on your guard, take care.

And do not assume a situation is

safe until you can-

-convince yourself that it is so.

-I will keep it in mind, sir.

Good. I trust you will not abandon

your prudence of yesterday.

-Oh no, sir, I will not.

-Carry on, Mr. Hornblower.

You are concerned for his safety,

Captain.

I am concerned for the safety of

all my men, General.

But, the lieutenant in particular.

He is one of my best officers,

and despite his lack of years, I...

I would regret his loss.

Then let me reassure you.

I am confident that within a few days

the whole of France-

will be behind us, and then your

young lieutenant

will be able to tell his

grandchildren how he helped restore-

the flag of King Louis to

its rightful place,

to fly once more over

the sacred soil of France.

Number One Company, fall in!

Fall in on the right!

Number Two Company, over here!

Forward, right!

So how does it feel to be

back on this side of the channel?

Better with a pistol and cannon

to hand. We're gonna need-

some kind of transport to get

the guns and powder to the bridge

I'll see what Colonel Moncoutant

has in mind.

He worries more about that machine

than anything else.

At this rate, it will be the only

thing to reach Muzillac.

Are your men ready to move,

Mr. Hornblower?

-Yes, my lord, save for our cannon.

-My goodness,-

if that's any of ours,

I'll have them flogged.

Those are the French troops,

I believe.

It would be.

What do they think they're here for?

-Gentlemen, you are ready to advance?

-My men are ready, sir!

-What? What are you saying?

-Colonel, I believe-

we still require transport

for our cannon.

That is already taken care of.

When you are ready, we will proceed.

Muzillac awaits, gentlemen.

This stuff bloody stinks.

The least they could have done

was clear it out.

Styles, let's have less

griping there.

Just be glad you're not carrying

those cannons-

all the way to the village.

From acting lieutenant to commander

of a dung cart-

in no more than a step.

My career's looking up.

Mr. Hornblower, as you and I are

the senior British officers,

I think we should advance together.

Come sir, unless you prefer

the dung cart.

I see now why you chose the Navy.

All men and supplies ashore sir,

all boats returned.

Thank-you, Mr. Bracegirdle.

Signal all ships to make sail.

Mr. Bowles, set course

for Quiberon, please.

We shall head west to land General

Charette's main force.

-Course, Mr. Bowles?

-West by north, sir.

We'll be there by noon with

this wind, sir.

'Could've been sent for us.

Perhaps.

When we get to Quiberon, Mr. Bowles,

I want you-

to heave to as close in shore

as possible.

Once unloading is complete, we shall

remain there on station.

-Remain, sir? I thought

-The Sophia, Dunbarton and Catherine-

will return home to England.

But, we

we stay.

Well, Mr. Hornblower,

there is our objective.

Do you think you can hold it?

We must.

Either hold it or destroy it.

-General Charette is counting on us.

-Well, in that case

Major Edrington, you will find

a ford-

half a league upstream beyond

the village.

You will station your men there

in due course.

I only hope we're up to it, Colonel.

Mr. Kennedy, have the men set up

the cannon to cover-

the southern approach. We'll see

about setting the gunpowder-

-when I return from the village.

-Aye, aye, Mr. Hornblower.

-You heard, Matthews.

-Aye, aye, sir.

Quiberon Bay, sir.

Very good, Mr. Bracegirdle.

-Take us in shore and heave to.

-Aye, aye, sir.

Now my people will welcome me home.

Captain, a signal from the Catherine.

They are ready to begin disembarking

the troops.

Very good, Mr. Bracegirdle.

Make our own preparations.

General, I would deem it a favour if

you would allow one of my-

officers to accompany you ashore

to send back regular reports.

-Reports?

-Yes. Admiral Lord Hood has ordered-

that we remain here until

your progress is assured.

-But, why?

-I believe the admiral-

wishes us to remain here

as a place of retreat

in case you meet heavier resistance

than anticipated.

Very well, Sir Edward.

Thank-you for your honesty.

But, I can assure you that

these reports,

-they will carry only good news.

-I pray so, sir.

I pray so.

He says he is the mayor.

You are the linen merchant.

Your business is underwear.

Not any longeur, monsieur.

And by authority of

Authority? You have no authority.

I am the marquis.

-Take off that ridiculous thing

-I regret, monsieur

You regret!

I want the people brought out here

to welcome me home.

Gentlemen, if you please.

Arrest them.

You have no right to arrest them.

They know nothing.

No right! By what right have

you destroyed my home?

Monsieur, this house has been

commandeered for-

-the use of the people.

-Silence!

Where are the rest of my paintings?

-My...art collection?

-Monsieur marquis

Where?

They had no practical use.

They were used as fuel for the fires.

Burned.

Remove those flags.

-Non, monsieur, I regret

-Remove them.

-Give me your pistol.

-Colonel

-Give me your pistol.

-Non, monsieur, please!

He is a child, he doesn't understand.

Then I will make him understand.

-No, please! Please!

-Colonel, for God sake.

The town is yours.

Why waste powder on a child.

He can do us no harm.

All is well.

Mademoiselle, take

this children away.

Thank-you, monsieur.

Uh, thank-you.

I take it the welcoming

ceremony is now over.

Quiberon. The main Royalist force

marches inland.

You see Monsieur Bowles,

the people are happy to see us.

Aye, sir. I thought we'd meet

more resistance than this.

The Republicans, they have

no stomach to fight.

That's right bit more, Styles.

That's three barrels already

placed, sir;

and this will be the fourth.

I reckon that'll be enough-

to bring this down when

the time comes.

I think we'll put two more barrels

over the side here,

-just to be sure.

-Beggin' your pardon, sir, but-

if the enemy's expected from

that side; and when we blow-

the bridge up, we're gonna

be that side,

-how do we get back to the beach?

-We don't.

Our orders are to hold this position

at all costs.

Surrounded by frogs and nowhere

to go.

Yes, sir; sorry, sir.

There's more than bloody frogs

down here, sir.

-Carry on then.

-Yes, sir.

Archie!

Yes?

I think I'll go see how Major

Edrington is faring at the ford.

-Will you take charge?

-Yes. Yes, of course.

Matthews is right, though, Horatio.

If we have to blow up the bridge,

we will be cut off.

-I know.

-A fine thing, to die in someone

else's war.

Sargent, send pickets at front and

flank and across the river-

-to act as lookouts.

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