The Charge of the Light Brigade Page #4

You lying scoundrel. Indian rogue.

You will not have a court-martial.

You were born dishonored and a lie,

and you will die in lies.

Come back here!

I have not finished with you.

Try not to hit him, Nolan.

We must remember our rank.

You blackguard, what do you whisper?

I am ashamed that you are not polite

to our rank. We are your own officers.

Officer? Paymaster Duberly!

That ain't a rank, it's a trade.

One day, there will be an army where

troopers need not be forced to fight...

... by floggings and hard reins.

An army...

... a Christian army,

that fights because it is paid well to fight...

... and fights well because its women

and children are cared for...

... an army that is efficient

and of a professional feather.

I must fight for such an army.

Dear friend.

That army will bring the first

of the modern wars...

... and the last of the gallop.

- It does look like war.

- Does it?

I do think the French have been

asking for it for some time...

...ever since they had my arm.

But it won't be the French

this time, will it?

Won't it be the French?

I've got a map somewhere

of who it ought to be.

- Will you see Capt. Nolan, 11th Hussars?

- Yes.

Well, it might be the French,

it might always be the French.

I knew it would be.

Nolan, Capt. Nolan, sir.

- Have you got a map?

- My lord, may I ask...

Speak up, he's a bit deaf when

he's thinking, and that statue doesn't help.

My lord.

You're the chap.

You've been shouting at Lord Cardigan.

Calling him things.

You've put the army in the newspapers.

My lord, I request the privilege

of being granted a court-martial.

Perhaps they could put it over

one of the new railway stations.

Court-martial? My dear Capt. Nolan.

Well, what can we do about it?

You're becoming

a laughing stock, gentlemen.

You're appearing far too frequently

in the newspapers.

In the case of Capt. Nolan, now...

...Lord Raglan refuses his request

for a court-martial...

...that it might be prejudicial to the good

of the service and cause public disquiet.

- Gen. Airey, l...

- lf you persist in this matter...

...you will forfeit the sympathy of

every officer of rank in the service.

As for the conduct of Lord Cardigan...

...Lord Raglan expects that in the future

his lordship will exercise the forbearance...

...and discretion befitting an officer

and a gentleman.

We are being taken towards war

by popular fervor.

There is no reason for war, there is

no real understanding of the issues...

...because there are

hardly any issues involved.

Let us not pretend that Christian England

can find common ground...

...with infidel Turkey

against Christian Russia.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for

they shall be called the children of God."

Restrain yourselves, my friends. Peace.

Peace, my brethren.

Restrain yourselves, my friends.

- So excited.

- Yes.

Everybody is so excited.

I'm not excited.

Is it such an exciting thing to do?

Yes, it is the most exciting thing

in the world.

Perhaps there is no other life for a man,

is there, Lewis?

No, there is not.

How sad.

- Why sad?

- Because it all ends in death.

- I will not have you thinking of death.

- No.

I don't know what has made me

think of death.

War has made her think of death.

I do believe it has.

Dear Clarissa, it is inevitable.

Until such savages are

sufficiently civilized to understand...

...and abide by decisions

arrived at by arbitration...

...we will have, we must have, war.

Yes.

Now, I feel I should propose a toast

or something of the kind.

- I'm not sure what.

- Not the Crimea.

No.

Lewis, what about you?

Your new appointment.

No.

No?

The three of us.

To the three of us.

Lewis.

- I am with child.

- You are. I didn't know.

William has been longing to tell you.

I am so unhappy.

No. You should both of you be happy.

It is a happy thing.

I beg you not to entertain any thoughts

other than...

They're there, Lewis,

like unwelcome guests.

No, not unwelcome, welcome.

Please take my hand.

I long for it to be yours.

My dear, I must join William.

It is some madness in you

that has infected us all.

I shall not be the same from knowing you,

nor William either.

When you are with him, there...

Remember, my heart is...

- Lord Lucan.

- Good afternoon, gentlemen.

Don't treat me as if I was a child, sir.

Sebastopol... Now what is it?

- Lord Lucan.

- Lord Raglan.

Good, good. We have some things.

Do I get command?

You?

Control of the Mediterranean.

That's what the Czar's at, and then

afterwards India, and he will have war.

The Duke of Wellington always

thought of you highly...

...found you very qualified, Lucan.

- He is.

That is fact.

To do it stylish and sicken the Czar...

...we are to put Sebastopol to the flames,

and that is our intention.

Is there something for Scarlett to have?

I think Scarlett should have something.

I'll tell him he'll have something,

but you don't know what.

- I do know what.

- Am I to have the army, or am I not?

Not. I have the army.

I will command the expedition myself.

Of course you will. I would.

It is my earnest hope that you will consent

to assume command of the cavalry.

Very well.

What is Scarlett to have, Airey?

Scarlett will have the Heavy Brigade

and Lord Cardigan, the Light Brigade.

Cardigan? The Light Brigade?

That damned never-out

brother-in-law of mine.

You threaten me with Cardigan?

I'll not have him or his red-shanked

ridgebacks under my command.

I'll not command him.

Capt. Nolan's reporting, sir,

though his regiment is about to sharpen...

...I have persuaded him there is

duty and honor for him with us.

I'm sure you will see

that there is much to be gained...

...by an amicable settlement

of any difference...

...between you and Lord Cardigan,

for the good of your country.

Then make it known to that empty-headed

muff of a brother of mine, that Brudenell...

...that I command the cavalry,

and I command him.

Tell the fool, in simple manner that he'll

understand, he is under my command.

Of course.

- You've got Sebastopol.

- I don't want any damned Sebastopol.

- But I was shown it on the map.

- I told you. No damned Sebastopol.

Sir Colin Campbell, Highland Brigade.

Gen. Scarlett, Heavy Brigade.

Sir Richard England, Third Infantry division.

Sir John Burgoyne,

Superintendent Royal Engineers.

I came to be offered a command.

Not serve under that fool, Lucan.

I knew...

...the moment I saw his biscuit face

sopping up wet around the horse guards...

...he'd be here, starting his wheedling.

I'm sure that after a little while,

Lord Cardigan...

...you may be persuaded such an

arrangement may be made to work.

After all, you will have the Light Brigade.

Dash and fire, eh?

Yes, Cardigan, you'll have the Light

Brigade. Dash and fire it is.

Lucan couldn't make himself fit

to command a tent. Command an escort.

Not fit to command a troop

of knackered tailors on stubbed donkeys.

Airey, those two,

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