[holding a loaded Nock gun under Hakeswill's chin] They say you can't be killed, Sergeant Hakeswill. It is known. "Come with me, my lads, for I cannot die. I'm going to live for ever, for they tried to hang me once but did... not... do it." I could almost believe it. Except in the case of someone you tried to kill, Sergeant Hakeswill... and did... not... do it. I wonder who that might be, Sergeant. You're a dead man, Obadiah. BANG!
All S1
S1 E15Unfinished Business
Sir?
Sharpe?
I would like to be given command of the Forlorn Hope, Sir.
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.
You may not be given the Forlon Hope. I shall not countenance it, no!
[An aide rides to Wellington to report the first assault has failed.]
[aside] He cannot order them to storm the breach again, Fletcher.
[reads the dispatch and sighs] Send Garrard to the 4th and Light Divisions. Tell them to re-form and storm again.
AAide
Yes, My Lord.
[To Patrick Harper, the only man with his jacket on] You, there, Sergeant!
A Colonel. Oh, my God.
Stand up, there, fellow!
[To Sharpe, who attempted to rise.] No, sir, you stay down. [he pushes Sharpe's head down, so that his face isn't visible to Sir Augustus] Stay down. [to the colonel] Coming, Colonel! Coming, sir! Here I am, sir. How ya doin', sir?
Name? Rank?
Sergeant Patrick Harper, sir. 95th Rifles.
I heard you swearing, Sergeant harper. How dare you swear in front of an officer!
Yes, sir, I'm very very sorry, sir. Must a just slipped out, so it did.
[indicating Sharpe and remaining Riflemen] Who are these - scruffy savages?
They are Chosen Men, sir. Picked out for their special skills. That's why they wear the white cords of courage.
Well, not for much longer they won't. Nor will you have those stripes on your sleeve, Sergeant. As soon as I see Lord Wellington, I'm gonna have you all up on a charge for disorderly conduct.
[can't stand still any longer] Begging your pardon, sir, but these men were acting under my orders, sir.
Your orders, sir? And who are you, to give orders?
I'm an officer, sir.
You are an officer?
Yes, sir. Captain Sharpe, 95th Rifles, sir.
Sharpe...Sharpe. I believe I heard something about you in Lisbon, Sharpe. Are you the fellow Wellington raised from the ranks?
Yes, sir.
Well, I've always thought it was a bad idea, and now I've got proof of it. When I see Lord Wellington, I'm going to speak to him about your conduct, Sharpe.
Is that you, Sir Augustus? Major Nairn, Lord Wellington's staff, sir. I take it you are Sir Augustus Farthingdale.
I am he, Nairn. I should like to complain about the conduct of one of your officers.
Lord Wellington is waiting for you, sir. He's most anxious to allay your anxiety on the matter you alluded to in your letter.
I should like to bathe, and change first. Where's my tent, Nairn?
Last but one on the right, sir, I've water on the boil for you.
You see that Colonel, Sharpe? That Colonel came here to make you a Major, would you believe that?
No, sir.
Right hand up to God, Sharpe.
That's your left hand, sir.
[raises his other hand] I swear to God, Sharpe.
You mean I missed being made Major?
Maybe not.
Captain Sharpe and I have met. You are late, sir, and I cannot abide unpunctuality.
I'm sorry I'm late, my Lord, the inspection of the rocket battery ran to a full hour, sir.
I am not happy you did not get me my horses, Sharpe. You think there may be something in these rockets, Sharpe?
Not as to accuracy, sir, but they play merry hell with the morale of poorly led men, sir. The sound is shocking.
Scared you, did they?
[deadpan] I was terrified, sir.
Are you...uh...sure that Captain Sharpe is the right man to send with the ransom? He won't cut and run if somebody lets off a gun, will he?
Who is this fool?
I have not come here, my Lord, to hear this man explaining about his rockets. What about my wife, sir?
You have the money?
Five hundred golden guineas.
Good. The deserters have demanded that the ransom be delivered by Captain Sharpe.
Oh, I wonder why, sir. It's probably because he knew one of the ruffians when he was a private soldier. That's what comes of raising from the ranks. Personally, my Lord, I don't hold with it.
My Lord if I may speak? [Wellington nods] Sir Augustus is probably correct in speculating that whoever asked for me served under me in the ranks. I was a Sergeant and a stickler for duty, so it's fair to assume that whoever it is wants to settle a score and slit my throat. But, if Sir Augustus does not trust me, I am more than willing to step down, and let him take the gold himself, sir.
[looking uncomfortable] Well! I am willing to accept Captain Sharpe as a messenger if you are, my Lord.
Let's have it Nairn.
What do you say, Sharpe?
We leave at dawn, sir.
Does that suit you, Colonel?
Well, naturally, I had hoped to go myself.
No, Colonel. These dogs would merely take you hostage and increase the ransom.
Well, that being so, I have some concerns as to the correct conduct of Captain Sharpe, and his men. My wife is a lady. I must ask you to impress on Captain Sharpe the need to adopt certain standards which are not necessarily his by birth.
How dare he speak of Captain Sharpe in such a fashion! We Morenos are of the blood. We know who is a man of manners and who is a man of the mouth, and you, Sir Augustus, are a man of the mouth. Take my advice and shut it, before someone shuts it for you!
How dare you, Madame!
Sir Augustus has a point, Sharpe. You and your men can be a little rough and ready. Sir Augustus has written a book on the proper conduct of the Spanish Campaign, I suggest you study it tonight, Sharpe. Full of good things, listen, "During the day's march, the men should keep their files, no indecent language or noise to be allowed." Be sure to read that particular part to the Chosen Men tonight after prayers.
Wild horses wouldn't stop me, sir.
Don't talk about horses, Sharpe. Dismissed!
[to Sir Augustus] If you were a man, I would call you out, force you to fight a duel, and kill you. [leaves]
Close call, there, sir. They call her 'the needle', don't ask me why.
[looking a trifle alarmed] Am I in danger?
[impatient] Escort Sir Augustus to his tent.
SSarah
Don't worry. I'm married to a French colonel. We fell in love before this war began. He's a brave man and he'll come for me soon, I know he will.
IIsabella
I'm married to an English colonel. He's a coward, and he won't come at all.
KKelly
[about Sharpe] I stood with him for a few seconds at the battle of Talavera when he took an Eagle off the Frogs. Not that he'd remember. Officers don't see lower ranks.
[Sharpe storms into the courtyard of Adrados.]
I have a message from General Wellington.
[Pot-au-Feu and the deserters laugh, as Pot-au-Feu lifts a ladle of stew to his mouth. Sharpe raises his rifle and shoots it out of his hand.]
General Wellington promises that he will hang every man who does not present himself at our outpost by New Year's Day.
[about Kelly] I know you. Battle of Talavera. I'll know your name in a tick.
Ducos is a very bad boy. Has the ear of Bonaparte himself. Where Ducos rides, dirty work is soon to follow.
Can you imagine what this will do to the morale of our troops, coming up to a cold Christmas? A scuttlebutt tells you there's a garden of Eden in the hills, good food, good grog, no foot drill or flogging. Wouldn't you say, "I'll be damned to it," and desert? I know I would.
Disciplined troops desert, sir? Nonsense.
Don't be a damn fool, sir! Discipline is only a rabble-rouser's shout from anarchy, sir! Mark me close, Colonel. What do you think the supreme virtue, sir? To the Frenchman in his recent revolution, it is liberty. To the Whig puffing in Parliament, it is licence to do anything, provide it do not disturb his pleasure. But to the common soldier, it is anarchy, to do whatever he please and be damned to his fellow. But to me and Bonaparte, the supreme virtue is order. We are not Whigs. We know that a man may love his neighbour over Monday and massacre him over Tuesday unless society keeps him in order! These deserters, if not secured and shot, will destroy my army more surely than Bonaparte! And I'll thank you not to forget it.
60th Rifles, reporting for duty, sir!
Your men are dirty and scruffy and a damned disgrace! What's your name, Mister?
Captain Frederickson, sir.
No apologies on the condition of your men?
Men are dirty, sir! Rifles are clean.
Sharpe What are you smiling at, Sergeant?
RRossner
[stops smiling] Nothing, sir. Sorry, sir.
A good soldier should have a reason before he suffers himself to smile. Name!
RRossner
Rossner, sir!
Do you know what makes a good soldier, Rossner?
RRossner
Yes, sir! The ability to fire off three rounds a minute in any weather, sir!
[Sharpe walks back over to Frederickson, smiling a little.]
What are you smiling at, Fredrickson?
I'm not smiling, sir. A musket ball broke my jaw. I have false teeth. The sawbones stuck on the smile for free, sir. He also stuck on my hair. Hair belongs to a horse, sir.
Do you know what makes a good soldier, Frederickson?
Yes, sir. Keeping his mouth shut when he's asked damn-fool questions by a superior officer, sir.
[smiling] You don't give a damn, do you Frederickson?
No, sir. I just do my duty.
You'll do fine.
Tell General Chaumier we will fight him to the death.
[scoffs] Major Sharpe is not well. We outnumber you ten to one. There will be no terms if you do not surrender within the hour, Monsieur.
[Sharpe plucks off Ducos's glasses, drops them on the ground and crushes them with his boot.]
To the death.
FFarthingdale
I'm in charge here, Major Sharpe! We will discuss terms immediately.
[Sharpe pulls Farthingdale aside.]
Your wife was a whore, sir. I know, for I was once her lover. [Farthingdale blanches.] Let that get out, and you'll be the laughingstock of Lisbon, and then of London. Leave now, and on my honor, no word of it will pass my lips.
FFarthingdale
[stammering] But... but I do love her, you know.
You're a damned liar.
Tell General Chaumier I have horse, foot, and artillery. Tell him what Voltaire said: Dieu ne pas pour les grand battalions, mais pour sequi teront le meillur.
("God is not on the side of the big battalions, but of the best shots.")
CMCol. Michel Dubreton
You told me you didn't speak French.
I lied. My wife taught me. She taught me many things. Above all, how to say goodbye.
[Dubreton salutes Sharpe smartly and rides out of Adrados, carrying Sarah on his horse. Sharpe returns to Ducos and seizes the front of his coat.]
Someday... I'll say goodbye to you.
[sneers] Certainly.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Sharpe pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.