Sharpe's Challenge Page #8

The jatropha, it's a medicinal plant.

And this is the Bodhi tree.

Mahatma Gautam Buddha sat under this tree

and attained divine enlightenment

-thousands of years ago.

-Thousands of years?

All Hindus worship this tree.

You Europeans like to think yourselves

very enlightened.

But beside a civilisation so ancient

and great as this,

you are what your Mr Swift called it.

Yahoos, no?

No more than a rude intrusion

upon the history of this land.

This culture was here long before you,

and will doubtless be here long after you're gone.

Pardon me.

Excuse me, madam.

SHARPE:
Miss.

Miss.

Mr Sharpe.

-Are you well, ma'am?

-Thank you.

Well enough.

You have news?

Our army is encamped

on the plain beyond these walls.

When the bombardment against the fortress

begins, it may begin as early as tonight.

When it does, I'll come for you.

I understand.

You'd better go.

Until tonight, Godspeed.

(SCREAMING)

-Has it started then?

-Right.

You get yourself away to the gate.

I'll bring the lass along as soon as I can, all right?

-Listen...

-No, you listen.

Whatever it is, it'll wait till we're on the boat

back home. It'll keep till then.

You just make sure you get that lass to her father,

all right?

HARPER:
Richard.

Mind yourself.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING IN HINDI)

Sergeant Sharpe.

-What are you doing here?

-Sorry, sir, I was just looking for an officer.

Orders, sir.

Well, now you've found one.

-Can you ride?

-Aye, sir. A bit.

Good. Then follow me.

The British are taking the wood

to the west of the fortress.

Come, what are you waiting for?

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

(MEN SHOUTING)

Fire!

(MEN SCREAMING)

(EXPLOSION)

Your old friends are trying to drive

our rocketeers from the wood.

-I want you to confuse them.

-Sir?

Shout orders at them.

An English voice will confuse them.

I wouldn't mind a rifle, sir.

You're not here to fight, Sergeant.

Just to mix them up.

We shall lead them in a quadrille, no?

Shout at them to come this way.

Forward.

Nineteenth.

Forward.

Louder. Try a name.

(MEN SCREAMING)

Bickerstaff!

SHARPE:
Sergeant Bickerstaff!

To me!

(MAN SHOUTING IN HINDI)

Bickerstaff.

Who's there?

Good. Bid him come.

Over here, Sergeant.

Where are you?

Happen if I get a bit closer, sir.

Of course, gentlemen, in those days

His Royal Highness was still very much

with Mrs Fitzherbert.

Yet, for all that, he had turned his eye

upon Lady Isabelle.

Well, like her mother, Lady Isabelle

was always given to a good swining

and would go after it

like a vixen at eggs in the henhouse!

There was an appetite

to make Messalina blush, eh?

By God, gentlemen,

was ever cheek and chin born to...

Excuse me!

Damn it, sir, damn it!

I will not have my story interrupted so.

The devil take your anecdote!

An attack stands upon the balance, man.

The duty officer sends for another company

to reinforce the assault.

Sir.

Perhaps you didn't hear me right.

-The duty officer sends for...

-He may send for what he pleases, sir.

There will be no reinforcement.

Let him use better that which he has.

The fewer men, the greater the glory.

Now gentlemen, what was I saying?

Bickerstaff. Bickerstaff, where are you?

Bickerstaff!

Bickerstaff, you miserable bastard!

Where are you? Get your arse over here.

Bickerstaff. Come...

Oh, Christ. Am I ever glad to see you.

What are you doing, man?

-It's me!

-I knows you, Colonel.

I'd know you anywhere.

Twisting a skirt like some

Eastcheap dollymop, I know.

But wait!

Shadrach, wait.

Look, I've got news,

I've got news for General Simmerson.

It'll have to keep then, won't it?

Me eyes. Me eyes.

(GROANING)

(BICKERSTAFF GRUNTING)

Bastard.

This bastard is mine.

Fire!

Sharpe, leave him. Sharpe, leave him.

(MEN SCREAMING)

I told you to leave him.

This is the bastard

who set us up for a flogging, sir.

I don't care! Keep him alive. He may prove useful.

(SHOUTING)

You took a terrible risk.

You could have been shot by your friends.

But it worked, eh?

Take him back.

(MEN SPEAKING IN HINDI)

I'll make sure His Highness hears of your bravery.

No doubt he'll want to reward you.

Gave them a beating, eh?

SHARPE:
Oh, aye.

We gave them a beating, all right.

Now, go and get drunk. You've earned it.

General Simmerson was told of the request.

So where were the reinforcements, Colonel?

Why didn't they come?

(MEN CHATTERING IN HINDI)

Well, McRae, is it done?

I regret to report, sir,

that our attack has been repulsed,

with heavy losses.

Well, I always said a night attack was folly.

We'll clear the tope in the morning.

I understand, Sir Henry,

that you have late sent a rider to Agra

for reinforcements and further orders.

-General Burroughs, sir.

-I think it would be well,

if you took yourself after him

to see how the request progresses.

My place is here, sir, at your side,

lest the ague ever take you again.

I had thought, Sir Henry,

to spare you further ignominy.

But since you are determined to prove

as dull-witted and thick-skinned

as a hippopotamus, let me speak plainly.

I have no wish to die

beside such a bloody fool as you.

Hie, sir.

Hence, sir.

Get you hence!

-Bickerstaff.

-The bastard tried to kill me, didn't he?

I told him, an important word to Simmerson,

and he still come at me.

Did you do him?

-I don't think so. Gudin pulled me off.

-Gudin.

Took Bickerstaff prisoner,

along with a dozen more of our lads.

Our only hope is that the bastard dies,

or else that you've rattled his brains to shite.

'Cause he'll sell us out,

certain sure, first chance he gets.

I know. It's a right bloody mess.

-Arrack.

-Simmerson's attack failed.

Khande Rao's men still hold the woods.

And Gudin's recommending me a medal

for my part in the victory.

Oh, well! It wasn't an entirely

unprofitable evening then.

I let Burroughs' lass down. I know that.

Oh, come on. You're being too hard on yourself.

Yet again, you answered

the first rule of soldiering.

You survived. No man can ask for more.

We can. We have.

-We must again.

-And will again.

But not tonight.

No, no. Not tonight.

I'm beat. I've never been so beat.

Not the piss and vinegar I once had.

Which of us has, Richard? Which of us has?

(PRIEST CHANTING IN HINDI)

Sergeant Sharpe, Your Highness.

Colonel Gudin tells us you fought bravely,

and have proved yourself to be a worthy soldier.

We are proud to number you amongst our forces.

You are now a hero of Ferraghur.

-Gone?

-MOHAN:
I've covered the entire grounds, sir.

Apart from those killed in last night's action

the tope's completely free from enemy forces.

They must have fallen back to the fortress

under cover of darkness.

But why?

Whatever their reasoning, Colonel,

I'm not about to decline the gift.

Major Stokes, be pleased to bring your cannon up

and begin work against the western ramparts.

Aye. Very good, sir.

Pray our luck holds a short while longer, McRae.

By God's grace, we'll breach the west

before the rains are upon us.

Amen to that, sir.

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