That Hamilton Woman Page #4

The Dance Of The Nymph

goes beautifully with a night on a ship

I'll wear a long tunic of pale blue cashmere.

No high coiffure. Just loose hair.

Like a Greek Goddess Gavin we're to have

a party on the battleship tonight

Get out the Chinese lanterns

to send to the harbour.

And ask the chef to make big steak pies,

100 of them.

And get some rum for the sailors.

It is rum they drink, isn't it, Captain?

It will be magnificent, stupendous.

- Won't I be wonderful, William?

- You will.

I'm sorry to be ungallant, but I've just been

summoned to weigh anchor immediately.

May I present my son,

midshipman on the Agamemnon?

Such a big son.

- My step-son.

-Your wife lives in England?

Yes, sir, in Norfolk.

And this young man is your chaperone.

Precisely. He keeps a good watch on me.

- Goodbye, Sir William.

- Goodbye, Captain.

Goodbye, Lady Hamilton.

May I say,

you've done good service for your country?

It's been rather fun, hasn't it? If you're passing

Naples again, I hope you'll come and see us.

And next time, there's no need to blow off

your cannons, just knock at the door.

Goodbye.

What was your name?

Nelson.

William, did I seem very silly,

talking about the party in the moonlight?

Silly? Of course, my dear.

But delightfully silly. My Emma at her best.

I wonder.

He was so serious.

All of a sudden, I began to feel foolish.

I don't think a woman can be at her best,

playing the fool with news of war.

Don't think about it, my dear.

War is a sordid, ugly thing,

so there's no need for them to bother you.

My Lady, your dancing master's here.

- Shall I show him to the dancing room?

-No, send him away.

- But, Emma.

- I don't feel like dancing.

William, you've left certain gaps in my

education. This war, for instance.

- I know nothing about it.

- But my dear...

Every time I ask you a serious question,

you begin shuffling about.

Tell me about it. How did it happen?

- It's very dull, my dear.

- I don't care how dull it is. I want to know.

Well...

here's England.

Such a tiny little bit.

Where are we?

Here at Naples.

But why should England fight?

Because all through these centuries,

she has built up a commonwealth,

in which every little spot has its purpose

and value to the balance line of life.

And there are always men,

who for the sake of their insane ambition,

want to destroy what other people build.

And therefore, this tiny little bit,

as you call it, Emma,

has to send out its ships again and again to fight

those who want to dictate their will to others.

EMMA:
Then came five years of war

We fought alone with no allies

The whole of Europe in deadly fear

of Napoleon Bonaparte

Nothing between him and the conquest

of the world but a few ships

And Nelson

MAN:
His Majesty is pleased to award you

the Knighthood of the Bath

and you are promoted to Rear Admiral

of the Blue

Sir Horatio, that's wonderful.

The men will be delighted.

Oh, yes.

We'll catch Bonaparte in a week,

if we have an extra button on our coat tails.

Five years of this war and gentlemen in London

think that men can go on without water or food.

And I can fight the enemy without ammunition.

Even His Excellency the Ambassador here

sees fit to ignore our plight.

What's the matter with the lamp?

It's nearly empty, sir. No more oil on board.

Well, turn it down.

NELSON:
Hardy?

- Yes, sir.

Sir Horatio from now on, sir.

Oh, not to you, Hardy.

Captain always, I hope.

Captain or Sir Horatio,

I can't stand this any longer.

What's Sir William Hamilton doing?

Why don't we sail up to Naples

and blow 'em out of their beds?

They'd give us water and meat then.

- Do you expect me to fire at a neutral port?

- Neutral?

Neutral against England?

Yes. Things were different when we were here

five years ago, weren't they?

Our braid was shining in those days.

Today they won't even let us anchor

in the harbour as though we had the plague.

They're so scared of Bonaparte,

they daren't help the people who fight him.

Starboard!

What a wonderful way to get upstairs.

How exciting.

At last I'm on a battleship.

NELSON:
Trowbridge, did you get anything?

Sir, there is someone here with me.

- The Ambassador.

- No sir Lady Hamilton

Is there no light? I can't see anything.

Everything's so dark.

Where's Horatio?

Turn up the lamp Josiah

NELSON:
How is Sir William? Ill, I presume?

You must please forgive me

if I seem a little abrupt.

We've been living here under great difficulties.

No food or fresh water.

No rum no tobacco

The Neapolitans have forgotten that they're our

allies and that we're fighting for their cause too.

That is why I sent Trowbridge to ask Sir William

to remind the King...

What is the matter?

Oh... Why, I'm sorry, yes.

You must please excuse these little souvenirs

of Calvi and Tenerife.

I had no idea.

They told us of your victories,

but not of the price you had paid.

Do not distress yourself, please.

Tell me your news. Did Sir William see the King?

- The King refused to see him.

- Refused to see the British Ambassador?

I ought to have said

he was too terrified to see him.

You cannot realise how Naples has changed.

Have they gone out of their senses?

What do they think I am trying to do?

Bonaparte's fleet is in Egypt.

For the first time I know where they are.

If I can smash them up,

Europe has a chance to breathe again.

And it's the first time he's been stopped.

And yet they will not give me food or water

for my ships.

When I saw that William was wasting his time,

I took the liberty of seeing the Queen.

I've never had such a time in all my life.

She's terrified of the French.

- But I got it.

- What is that?

A mandate, signed and sealed

by the Queen's own hand,

for the full watering and victualling of the British

fleet in any port in the Kingdom of Naples.

There.

Look out, Bonaparte.

By gad, we shall lick you now.

Tell the Queen I kiss her letter.

Tell her I hope to kiss her hand

when we return from our victory.

Won't you sit down? You must be tired.

Do you remember the picnic we planned at

Capri on your ship?

When I was going to dance in the moonlight

with my hair down five years ago.

Or was it five centuries?

When I rudely sailed away.

And now you're going to rudely sail away again.

How's it been with you all these years?

Alone, you know.

You've done a great many things.

How is your wife?

Oh, she's well enough, I believe.

And when are you going to meet Bonaparte?

- Soon, I hope.

- He's got haIf of Europe

Now it's Egypt.

Tomorrow it may be lndia.

We are alone, but unafraid.

SAlLOR:
Haul away!

You long to leave, don't you?

Never lose an hour or waste a wind

Goodbye, Sir Horatio.

It's a bit of a mouthful, isn't it?

Yes. Goodbye, Lady Hamilton.

You've helped us for the second time.

EMMA:

He didn't lose an hour. He didn't waste a wind.

He met his great opponent

and he defeated him on the Nile

And when the battle was over

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