Sharpe's Peril Page #7

I've heard benefit of your word

before.

Meantime...

I advise you to spend the rest of

the day in consideration.

WHIMPERING:

(SPEAKS NATIVE TONGUE)

Argh!

With or without your help...

..be assured, Colonel,

I shall find the rest of your

company.

WHIMPERING:

Mr Harper, the men are of the

opinion

we should parlay with Count

Dragomirov.

What measure of mercy are the men

hoping to receive?

The same as we got off Dragomirov at

the river?

The same as Major Tredinnick?

We're for Calcutta.

You go back to your section

and you tell them so.

This is a fool's errand.

And damned fools be we for following

Sharpe.

That'd be Colonel Sharpe to you,

Wormwood.

Colonel or no, he's gone.

You'll not see him again.

For all his high cockalorum,

good riddance to the bastard.

You keep your tongue behind your

teeth.

As you were, you sons of whores.

Attend me now!

If there is any man here

who wants to turn back

and seek quarter with Dragomirov,

then he should step forward.

And I will gladly argue the same

point with him.

So get this into your thick skulls.

We, all of us,

know far too much about Dragomirov

to be allowed to live.

Now get him on his feet.

And let's go to... Argh!

Mr Harper.

Sergeant Harper, what's wrong?

Stones, inside, stones.

It must be cut from him.

No, no cutting.

There's another way.

RAPID DRUMMING:

APPLAUSE:

Ah, Mademoiselle Bonnet.

What a picture you are.

Please.

You all right, lass?

You will take wine?

A sherbet water perhaps, then?

When I leave this country, Colonel,

I will do as a rich man.

You could do the same.

In Major Joubert,

you have robbed me of a useful ally.

And I must find a replacement.

Me?

Why not?

You have served the best years of

your life

in the service of a mad, old king

and a country which knows you not.

To what reward?

Rank?

The grudgeful tolerations of your

betters?

PIPING:

Ah, now this fellow you should

enjoy.

For which he will require the

assistance of a beautiful woman.

Mademoiselle, if you would be so

good.

He wishes for you to stand upon him,

my dear.

APPLAUSE:

Ma'am?

Richard.

Wine...will revive her.

I'm quite sincere, Colonel.

A soldier of your resourcefulness

and renown

would be an asset to my enterprise.

I'm a soldier.

Not a murderer.

And what is soldiering, Colonel?

But legal murder.

Huh?

I can see you are still reluctant

to tell me where I might find your

fellows.

I can understand you might be

stubborn enough

to allow yourself to suffer.

But Miss Bonnet?

Believe me,

in her present state,

she will do exactly as they please.

The sherbet water, Colonel,

was laced with opium.

All right.

All right, damn you.

Where are they?

I'll take you to 'em.

Just tell me where they are to be

found.

You must let me negotiate terms.

Patrick Harper won't surrender

to anybody but me.

Argh!

All right, all right.

Let him rest a while.

Take your ease, sahib.

You're killing him.

It is the stone that is killing him.

It must be passed or he will die.

It'll burst his heart.

Yet it must be tried.

Mr Harper, sahib,

once more if you will.

What good do you think I'll do you

dead?

Ach, you'll be safe enough.

Provided you don't give the serpents

cause to strike.

I wish you an uncomfortable night.

HISSING:

Enough music now.

Leave off your goddamn caterwauling.

See her to her quarters.

Yes, sahib.

(GROANS)

HISSING:

CRACKS:

Ma'am. Ma'am!

Come on.

Come on, lass.

It's time we were gone from this

place.

Water, sahib?

How are you this day?

I must say you look much improved

for your labours.

How did I get here?

I've no recollection of the journey.

We carried you, sahib.

As you have carried us all so far.

And in such discomfort.

Is it gone?

You are rid of the stone, sahib.

Thank you.

All by your own effort.

No cutting was necessary.

How?

My grandfather was once taken

of the stones, sahib.

A wise man in the village cured him

and imparted to me the secret

by which he was delivered.

Indian magic.

No, sahib. Indian medicine.

Really, sahib, the Europeans

are a very superstitious people.

I suppose.

Shh.

Do you hear that?

HORSE WHINNYING:

Horses.

Company!

Stand to!

Stand to.

I weren't expecting flags,

but I thought to find a warmer

welcome than this.

Colonel Sharpe.

Alive. By God, sir,

we had took you to be lost.

I don't understand, sir.

Lance-Naik Singh had it off Major

Tredinnick that you were dead.

And why should Major Tredinnick think

so?

What?

Where is the major?

I'm grieved to learn of your loss,

ma'am.

Truly.

You are restored to us

as my husband would have wished.

In that there is comfort.

And not some little hope.

The major was as fine an officer as

I've met, ma'am.

Thank you, Colonel.

For his part, I know,

he held you in like esteem.

By all reports,

it would seem that you have struck a

blow for our cause.

In that there is some justice.

In truth, ma'am,

what justice he had

were of Miss Bonnet's doing.

Well, I will give her my thanks.

God, Richard, you gave us a rare

fright.

Best get moving.

Pat.

An hour, would you say?

Less.

Watch it, lads. Look out.

Look out.

How much powder have we got?

When I draw my blade.

You don't have to tell me twice.

Not before. Understood?

On your way, then.

So...

you have found your friends.

It was thoughtful of you to lead me

to them.

I told you, I should hunt you down,

Colonel Sharpe.

And here we are.

Turn your men about, Dragomirov!

Go back!

While you've still got a chance.

I offered you friendship,

a share of the spoils.

What do you think you can achieve?

One sword against 50.

Aye, one sword,

but warranted never to fail.

Come on, then, you yellow bastards.

What are you waiting for?

Cavalry?

I've sh*t 'em.

No.

It's too easy.

Wait, you fools, rein in.

Rein in!

EXPLOSION:

SHOUTING AND WHINNYING

Clear the way, Goddamn you, clear

the way.

Get it cleared!

Send out a scouting party,

see if there is another way around.

Praise God.

Praise God.

Lance-Naik Singh.

Sir.

Take a couple of Company troops

and find the head man.

Have him understand we intend him no

injury.

We wish only to resupply.

All and any goods to be paid for.

Sir.

Take what rest you can.

We must be on our way again shortly.

Our way, Colonel?

But this is my mission.

If Dragomirov finds you here,

he'll kill you.

He must do what he must do.

As shall I.

You'll do as you're damn well told.

Reverend.

Argh!

Madame?

My child.

My child is coming.

Come on.

Colour Wormwood!

Secure the village.

You heard him. Get on with it.

Deever, lost your monkey.

The child is good with me, Colour.

It's against King's Regulations.

I ain't leaving her!

You'll do as I damn well say!

Or you'll find yourself on a charge!

It's all right, Private Deever.

She can bide with me.

I'll find some women of the village

to look to her.

See she's took care of.

I will.

Argh!

I'm...I'm anxious to know how soon we

might be on our way, ma'am.

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