Horatio Hornblower - The French Are Stopped

Call on hands, big to quarters.

I have to go, turn by this table better.

One broadside into it, if you please, Captain Bush.

Point to them target.

Lin's stuff's ready.

I have it all, I give!

Fire!

Death was everywhere, then, summer.

Both our side regained, and within our defense lines.

And bodies floating down the river bore grim testimony to battles,

400s of miles away.

I long to be rid of the sickening stench of war,

and to be home again with my wife Barbara, and Richard, my little son.

The cutter clam I've just arrived with mail,

and Barbara's latest lesser sharpened my own sickness.

My beloved husband, the household here at Smallbrett,

has undergone an important transformation.

Little Richard is no longer a baby,

but has been put into small clothes.

Bridges, if you please.

But if you could see him, I think you would agree that your little Richard carries himself like a gentleman,

except that he sits down rather suddenly,

and usually in mud puddles, and he still loves to dig holes in the ground around the shrubbery.

He exhibits both physically and morally a partiality for the soil,

which appears odd in the sound of such a distinguished sailor.

But in other ways, he reminds me more and more of you each day.

If your first wife was still alive,

she could not possibly love him better than I do.

Let us forget the word Stepson ever existed.

When I have completed this letter,

I shall have him a fix his mark,

and I dare say he will add such crubby finger princes

who will further identify his signature.

I fought down the longing that her words brought,

but I couldn't repress a surge of hope as I picked up the dispatches

which have been delivered to my cabin with Barbara's letter.

New orders from the Admiralty and London.

Perhaps at last I was to return to England.

This could mean my release.

Their lordship's desire me to advise you

that the government attaches the greatest importance

to maintaining the defense of real.

They instruct me to inform you

that they consider the safety of your squadron

as secondary to the fate of Riga and its Russian defenders.

Riga is the single most defensible point

of Bernaparte's road to St. Petersburg,

and it must be protected to the last man and ship.

They charge you on your peril to remain in your present position

and to dwell in your path to prevent the enemy

from continuing his march.

On my peril, I suppose that means they've shook me if I don't.

A big part is it?

Nothing, nothing.

I was just reading between the lines.

Who the hell is you?

Chaking, sir.

Where's Brian?

In thick quarters, sir.

Well, nothing serious, I hope.

No, sir.

A pack of eggs.

You were saying, sir?

Nothing, nothing.

Give me my help, please, and my pistols.

I'm going to shore again.

All of a way to Riga.

Possibly.

But the village of the River Mount is in ruins, sir.

You'll be in it right line of fire before you can reach it.

I want to, sir.

It's the last I've posed to protect the border.

Besides, the Russians have dug trenches

from cellar to cellar.

It's safe enough.

I hope, sir.

What I do say is that when I see that mess over there on the land,

sir, I'm very glad to be afloat.

I know what you mean, Jenkins.

Compared with these infernal land operations,

sea fighting is ever really quick and clean.

We'll see what can be done to clear up that mess you'd refer to.

And as soon as the better Jenkins will all hands.

Huh?

I ordered my gig and had myself rode ashore.

I took along one of my young officers from the non-sutsch left tenant first.

We reached the badly shut up village of the river's miles

and we're picking our way through the ruins when...

I don't know.

That was close.

Would you be able to make for that trench over there?

No, the bullets are merely ricocheting over here from the bombardment

on the ramparts, sir.

They're not shooting at us.

We'll use this trench.

Yes, sir.

Now, this should take us to the cellar of the church.

I think having the old church is still standing.

Clies of it's in his starboard.

Never find another headquarters in this trembles.

French guns are nearer.

They must have advanced their positions.

Well, Colonel von Clasovitz will give us all the details.

Complete, you may be sure, with a mathematical forecast of the enemy's intentions.

I keep hearing about this Prussian von Clasovitz, sir.

And here the Prussians are allied with Bernabaud.

He's here.

On Clasovitz left his own country in order to fight Bernabaud.

But do you trust him?

Oh, yes, it's a man of principle.

And talented, besides.

Oh, well, I shall never get used to land operations.

I'm afraid these correct soldiers were the correct tactic.

And the way they come to send the ships, huh?

Oh, yes.

A direct hit on the trench, sir.

Just over there.

Well, that's like when we're approaching the church cellar anyhow.

Yes, sir.

There it is, just ahead.

He's good to see you.

Colonel von Clasovitz, how goes the defense?

Will you help?

Oh, please consider it.

Of course, the French are making progress.

No matter what we do, this village is due.

Huh?

If you would care for prediction,

or the enemy's exact position,

it will be tomorrow's sundown.

I wonder if you don't mind.

I'm rather more interested in the enemy's exact position

as it is today.

Very good.

If you will climb up into the tower with me,

I will point out that it is Dean's.

It is Terry, over here.

We'll take us up into the building.

Excellent. Come along, sir.

Aye.

You will see that the French servals

have approached dangerously near our efforts.

All we can hope to do is to delay the inevitable.

Then, the regga will be...

Oh, come on, don't censor cheerful.

After all, we sure will be able to do a little better than that.

You would think so.

Wait until you see.

The village is already more than half-surrounded.

Here we are in the tower.

The gallery on which he stood before is gone.

You will know, sir.

But if you've come to his window, you will have served.

As you can see, the village is a mess of reds.

But why is this a little firing

from your own battery, sir?

Too many of our guns have been killed.

Too many of our guns destroyed my young friend.

Since our men and equipment are so scarce,

he must preserve them for the enemy's final assault.

And when they will estimate that assault will come, girl?

According to my calculations,

they will be ready to storm the newest breach they have made

in half-defincies.

A...

A...

A...

A...

A...

A...

A...

A...

I...

I might not be...

He must be realistic.

L.A.

Navy officer, you've made up your eyes.

C.

You're there.

It is...

A...

18-backed hundreds of years.

I'm sure you're right.

But can't we leave the schoolbooks out of it?

This time, I'm concentrated on the Frenchman-Obola.

Our next move at this point is obviously

to make a limited socking against the besiege.

If only to the lay that assault pay a few hours.

What?

All the authorities would agree the task is the correct procedure.

And no one ever breaks the rules, is it?

Well, confounded man, if the French know a sortie is due,

one they prepare for one.

Of course, the...

Well, then, what's the point?

It's...

Sock.

It is our one logical cut.

Lock it.

Lock it.

Their move arm moves.

It's like a chess game, that's it.

Can't we move out of turn?

For once do something they won't expect.

Well, I...

You have perhaps a better suggestion, Colonel.

Well, I...

Hmm...

Perhaps I happened after all.

My men are fighting a losing battle, and they know it.

But they are fighting bravely all the same.

My own life is perfect.

The moment the enemy enters the task.

As you know, I am a person.

A person is fighting with the French, called me...

Fighter.

If I saw any chance to break this siege,

do you not think I would do it?

Of course, of course.

I understand.

I only wish they were the way to interrupt their preparations.

Observe.

They have competed their second parallel.

Not more than 200 yards in my defense.

Their factories, they are in the middle,

who cut up any force attacking friendly.

How about their flanks?

Are they also secure?

One thing is guarded by the river.

The other, by the bay,

and those big guns,

push it up to sea.

The guns, which make impossible,

anymore for me,

from your ships.

For the water of the bay,

is still our strongest position.

Do you realize that, Colonel?

Water.

That's not good, is it?

To us.

In the end,

these other ways,

the infantry.

On which one was to pay in the yield?

Why not?

Why not?

Why not?

When you say,

come with your own hands,

it's perhaps that's good,

because the infantry and the ships

they can stop us from using bomb vessels

over the bay, yes,

by daylight.

But can they stop an infantry attack

from both the bay?

Not.

You understand the orders, Mr. Duncan?

At dawn, we strike the fence,

thank for his resting on the bay.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Freeman?

Yes, sir.

Remember what I said about keeping

the landing force together?

Almost reached the shore at once,

no landing in the riverblitz.

How the truth allocates

to particular barges?

Well, they will be done,

as soon as I can confer with the Russian staff.

Where do we pick them up, sir?

Well, there'll be much at that point on the river,

which I indicated on our chart, remember?

Well, of course,

our own boat's crews will man the bodies.

Well, captain, for you,

if you look as if you had to,

I have, sir.

Mr. Hamilton, this is just a turn

from his mission in recap.

It's just the river barges

you asked the Russians for

or being ready to the good captain,

but...

Hey, you understand what's wrong?

She's flying the Russian girl.

Excellent.

That must be the Russian general,

some recap.

I got word to them before I came aboard.

And so, at dawn, we surprise the fence,

just here, from the bay.

You understand?

From the bay, here's general.

My man will handle the barges,

which will carry in your truth,

and I'll tell you what,

I'll tell you what,

I'll tell you what,

I'll tell you what,

I'll tell you what,

I'll tell you what,

I'll tell you what,

hey, here's general.

My man will handle the barges,

which will carry in your truth,

now here is a fence flank,

where they set up their shore battery.

Will you attack their general,

swept off, is that understood?

Yes, understood.

And storming of the earth is wix,

far but not for sure.

May we entrust that face

to general GradENCEky?

Yes, yes.

What, I thought you spoke

no English, general Gradenceky.

That Up...

Yes, it's the only book he knows

of either structural GradENCEky.

Yes, yes.

But, you will make sure

he understands it.

Oh, understood.

Well, I need to tell you the importance of preventing regas fall.

Even if Napoleon's forces are turned back before Moscow,

where the last block on his road to St. Petersburg.

Veebel, stop them in the south.

Veebel, stop them in the north.

The great spirit of Russia will rise up and destroy

if the real last Frenchman on the Russia's holy soil.

Staring words, General Chef's touch.

You'll remember I have a chance to put them into action very soon.

Sir!

Yes, come in, boys, why is it?

Yes, the Governor is not from rehearse, sir.

Look, I just brought him up from the shore.

He says he tried to catch up with the General's.

He's in quite flustered, sir.

Anything wrong?

He's coming down.

He'll tell you himself.

Oh, no, no.

Oh, no, no.

Oh, no, no, no.

Yeah.

Something must terrible has happened.

Oh, what is it, Governor?

terrible news.

It has just gone.

Moscow has fallen.

What?

Moscow.

You're Jensky.

Moscow.

Moscow.

Well, all the more important that we do our job well, gentlemen.

Stop the fence here, and you save St. Petersburg.

It's bad news, but we must hold firm to our plan.

I don't want to attack.

After a few final details have been arranged,

the Russians left us gloomily.

Bush seemed worried.

It looked like the heart went right out of it.

Sir, I do suppose they'll fight now that Moscow has fallen.

Why shouldn't they?

The Tsar hasn't surrendered.

Russia is a big country, remember Bush?

There will be English lives at stake tonight, too, sir.

I'm aware of that, and I always are.

I had more than a few misgivings myself,

but I planned as carefully as I knew.

Back on shore, I discussed the scheme with Klasovitz

and by midnight all arrangements were completed.

There were, of course, too many imponderables

about the whole affair.

My body and brain felt unspeakably weird.

I'd paste around the church bell frame

and stare out into the blackness.

Klasovitz was not inclined to be very helpful to us then.

It is indeed a novel idea

and attacked lunch in this fashion

in the face of a deceiving army,

but they could never venture to predict its success.

Still, the waiting was difficult.

I think my imagination

was at a strange tension about the French camp.

If you'll build a backfire as dotted the night,

everyone else might still miss another certain day.

And it's very silent.

The enemy seemed to crunch waiting.

How was that, Klasovitz?

I never simply heard it.

No doubt you're right.

Are you men alerted for anything that may happen?

Of course.

Good.

There is nothing we can do until dawn.

Why would you not question yourself anyway?

When he depended to straw over there in the corner.

Sleep is out of the question, Klasovitz.

I am tired.

First time.

You know the stars seem three times their properties.

My knees.

Yes, I...

I will just sit down and rest a moment.

Rest my eyes, too.

I regret he had no better accommodation.

This straw does nicely.

How was that?

That one almost hit the church.

You feel the whole tower?

This is a slightly risky purchase.

I must take care of it.

So the fence decided to break the rules of the same time.

We did, huh?

How could you...

These two are...

These two are super there.

Thank you, Klasovitz.

I shall stay here.

I'm not of this kind of bettering in a defensive stand, but...

If you think you're fighting to storm the Brits, they made no effort to you.

I just sit more men to the victory.

The army hold every short time.

But...

Well...

No, I appreciate your strategy in conserving guns and men.

Hey, a man of fighting well down there is quite a dark person.

Surprise, congratulations.

Thank you, comrade.

And I, since you are generous,

I was a bit for you.

My calculations were somewhat incorrect.

Oh, wow.

You must think the French assault would come so soon.

Well, if your men could hold out until our landing force attacks.

I do our best.

Even after they stormed reach.

And then you do, of course.

Well, my sir, have you any news?

No, sir.

I went to the riverbank and sit up as far as the bay shores I could.

No sign of apologies, yet?

It was too dark to see, father.

Well, I'll keep an eye open for a signal grab from the bay.

That'll mean I'm in and I'm starting in.

Well...

Oh, quite a show, am I, sir?

I've never seen anything like it, sir.

There are fewer flashes from the...

The starboard section of our lands, remember?

Yes.

What does that mean, sir?

It means the most of our gunners are dead.

I'll tell you about that breach.

Can't we?

Can't you show up on a hasty second line behind it together?

To take my glass out of the next platter with the human error.

But...

Do you think...

There's natural cover there.

It's a few ruins.

Yes.

And the breach is still not open.

Yeah, that would be a thin line over there.

I'm here, sir.

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

I don't know.

I have to be a finnal, I know.

You don't have men to spare.

I'll let the French believe they've taken it and then fall on their first way from behind

cover.

Are you all right?

Ah, he made it.

See?

The French are coming to beat Slough.

He far-first life will only hold.

I see their torches.

They're going through that.

Ah.

Ah.

And it's all right.

I bless those my lars.

The chargers float.

Your men are holding them.

Good lads.

Can I be very long, Matthew?

Here's a speak of gray in disguise.

It won't be long you don't.

Why don't those barges come?

Sir, look.

There's one French soldier down there in the square.

I've got to go through for the others.

He seems crazy, isn't he?

He's seen this, sir.

He's fighting up here.

Yeah, take one of my pistol.

Real pepper in the necessary.

Aye, aye, sir.

Are you here, sir?

Well, no.

Just my hand.

See, captain, cockhead.

It's not too practical out here.

Ah.

Get the hell out.

T-1!

T-1!

Got him.

Just in turn.

I suggest we're accomplishing nothing up here.

Why?

Why don't we go down to the breach and organize a second line ourselves?

It's the idea.

In this coming soon.

I have no other rules.

I prefer to die down there than we take it.

This isn't a fight against my only country.

I'll be caught.

Must rule it.

Yes.

Let us go down.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't rock in a French prison.

I don't know.

Okay.

We'll go down and work then.

We'll do it.

Ready the men's spirits at least.

Are you ready?

Sir, wait.

Look over there.

Just wait a little bit.

I need to go down.

I need to go down.

I need to go down.

I need to go down.

I need to go down.

Just wait a little bit.

We could be.

I'll signal flare.

It is.

It is.

It's landing.

Run somewhere.

There's no more fighting in the breach.

The French shall need to go through to the bay.

The bay is in.

The bay is in.

The bay is in.

The bay is in.