Sharpe quotes from Sharpe

You fight dirty, Harper.

So do you, sir.

Hope you slept well, miss.

Teresa

I slept safely, thank you. [leaves]

Now there's a woman worth fighting dirty for, sir.

Can I ask you a question, sir? Where did you learn to fight so dirty, sir?

Same place as you, Cooper: Saturday night in the gutters.

Long way from home, sir.

Never was much of a home, Cooper.

No, sir. That it weren't.

Did you volunteer for this lot, Cooper?

Erm, no, not exactly, sir. I was "invited" to join... by a magistrate. [singing softly] Here's adieu to all judges and juries / justice and Old Bailey too / for they bound me to King George's army / so adieu to old England, adieu...

[singing softly] Now it's over the seas that I wander / to stand 'neath the red, white, and blue / for they gave me the old King's hard bargain / so adieu to old England, adieu...

Gimme a pick-lock, Cooper.

Pick-lock, sir? Catch me with a pick-lock!

They did, Coop. But when you got out of Newgate prison, you got another set, and that's the one the officer wants.

Do I get it back, sir?

Trust me.

It's very hard to trust a man who wants to borrow your pick-lock, sir.

You'll make a grand killin' officer, sir.

Killin' officer?

Huh. You comin' up from the ranks, I thought you woulda known. There are two kinds of officers, sir: killin' officers and murderin' officers. Killin' officers are poor old buggers that get you killed by mistake. Murderin' officers are mad, bad, old buggers that get you killed on purpose - for a country, for a religion, maybe even for a flag. You see that Major Hogan, sir? That's what I call a murderin' officer.

Who fired that shot?

[looks him up and down] Give him yours, Harper.

[to Perkins] Take a tip Perkins, give it back.

Wellesley's gonna take the army into Spain. It'll be bugles, battles and bags of glory. Stick with me, Richard, I'll see you right.

You'll see me dead, sir.

[laughs] Oh, that's my boy.

They're flogged soldiers, sir. And flogging teaches a soldier only one lesson.

What's that, Richard?

How to turn his back.

Sir Henry says it keeps the chin up.

[disgustedly] There's better ways to keep a chin up.

Sharpe isn't it? Made a name for yourself in India. Battle of Assaye, if I recall. I was there myself with the 78th.

I saw the 78th advance at Assaye. Man who made a name for himself that day was a major of the 78th. Man by the name of Lennox.

Ah, a long time ago. I had a life soldiering, then they retired me. My wife died. The South Essex was the best I could get. But thank you for reminding me I used to be a damn good soldier. Now wipe your boots and I'll take you to meet a damn bad one. [Meaning Simmerson]

Wellesley, ha! Wellesley don't know what makes a good soldier! Not many do. Do you know what makes a good soldier Mister Sharpe?

Yes, Sir.

And what makes a good soldier, Sharpe?

The ability to fire three rounds a minute in any weather, sir.

At a place called Assaye I saw a whole army ready to turn and run. Then a Major of the 78th took a step to his front and steadied the line. Major Lennox.

I thought he was just an old man.

For what crime were you flogged?

Who are you, then?

Who are you, then, damn you? Gad, I'll have you flogged again, for you've not learned a lesson it seems.

Eh? Nah, I command the Light Company. You?

[backpedaling] I regret, I am Matthews, sir, William. Ensign the South Essex.

Sharpe, Richard, Captain the 95th. I command the Light Company of the South Essex, for the time being. [His voice falters at the end, because the officer riding past is his replacement.]

I do beg your pardon, sir.

You saw my back, Matthews. I was flogged for something I never did. You will often be blamed for something you might not have done. But, being an officer, you will never be flogged. Even for something that you will do.

Obadiah, and a blackguardly officer called Morris, once beat a native Indian half to death for sport, until I stopped them. They blamed me for it, and I was flogged. Watch him, Pat. He preys on the men. He'll snaffle kit, belts, frogs, haversacks, all entered or found lost by Obadiah, which leads to floggings unless he gets paid. Then wives. He beats men till their wives come to him, which I call rape. I've seen his like before. An evil man marching in a cloud of pipeclay. And because he kicks up salutes, obeys every officer, he's bombproof to all but us. We who come up from the ranks, we're smart to him.

We are that.

I'm a soldier, sir, not a bloody clerk! I fetch, I forage, I count shovels and I take punishment drills! It's "yes sir, no sir, can I dig your latrine sir?" and it's not bloody soldiering!

Nairn

It is bloody soldiering! What the hell do you think soldiering is? Just because you've been allowed to swan around like a bloody pirate for years...!

Listen, sir! When they fling us up against those walls, you'll be glad there's some pirates there, and not just bloody clerks!

Nairn

But how to get there, Mr. Sharpe? Lists! And how to be noted you were there? Lists! And what does he send home but lists of dead, dying, sick, honoured and gazetted Captains?

[gives Harper a bottle] Here. St. Patrick's Day.

God save Ireland. You're a grand man. [uncorks the bottle and takes a pull] ...for an Englishman.

Sir?

Wellington

Sharpe?

I would like to be given command of the Forlorn Hope, Sir.

Wellington

I think you're a rogue, Sharpe. But you're on my side, you're one of my rogues. I don't want you dead.

May I offer my reasons, Sir? They are pressing. I have a... I have a wife in the city, and a child. I want to be first in and by their side, before you will sack the city, Sir.

Wellington

You may not be given the Forlon Hope. I shall not countenance it, no!