 Call all hands beat the quarters is Captain Bush points as on target Lin stop ready for a man of the sea or ratio hornblower I'm absurd now that I should have dreaded a return to England But in spite of my present years and honors. I'm under no illusions as to the fickle nature of the public And neither was I then Whatever it occurred since there was no gain saying the fact that I had lost my ship the Sutherland in battle But I should be called to account for it If the court martial should decide that I was at fault Disgrace or even death might await them My thoughts were as somber as the gray dawn about men as I paced the deck of the witch of Endor In the coast of France fell away over the horizon at the sound of the English voice Words failed me for a moment At least there was no need now to hide in the mist On the other hand it brought nearer all the future which I was dreading I'd fly my colors to the last if my career was to end it would end with a joke In British Captain Horatio Hornblower You think we're mad sir the witch of Endor has been a French prize for a year and you've been dead for six months He's a ren under the stern of that two-decker and bring her to the wind under the leaf As the boat bore me it took a triumph side and I stared at the familiar beauty of a ship of war again The two yellow streaks along her sides checkered with gun ports The pennant of the main the hands on her deck the red coats of the marines I had the distant voice of a potion roaring at the seaman All the familiar sights and sounds of the Navy in which I had grown up. I Was hard put to it to restrain my emotion This was indeed the end of my long captivity in flight Hardy was there on deck his huge bulk towering of everybody. I Saw his expression alter Good God, it is Hornblower Welcome back. Give me a hand sir. Thank you. How did you come here, sir? How did you take the witch? How did I come back from the grave? Is that what you want to ask? Well, it's a long story. Are you better come down to my cabin Hornblower? It must be a pretty difficult time for you. Did you know Leighton was killed? No No, don't worry about me. I I've heard nothing for months. Yes, he died of his wounds at Gibraltar. Oh, I see Have you You heard anything of my wife? Well, I remember reading that she was awarded the civil dispension by the government when the news of your Your death arrived No other news. How did there was a there was a child on the way? Oh, none that I know of But then I've been four months on this ship. I wouldn't hear anything Over the horizon to Leward was appearing a long line of ships close-hauled They were in rigid regular line and as we watched they went about in succession in perfect order as if changed together The channel fleet was a drill Eighteen years of drill at sea had given them unquestioned superiority over any other fleet in the world Victories in the van. Yeah, take my glass signal midshipman Single triumph to flagship Have on board captain Horatio Hornblower While Hardy dictated his message. I looked through the glass The three-decker with her admiral's flag at the main was leading the long line of ships The broad stripes on her side glistening in the sunlight She'd been Jarvis's flagship at St. Vincent hoods in the Mediterranean and Nelson's at travel gar Now she was dismal Jimmy's a tragedy if ever there was one Signal hoists were soaring up her yard arm. Hardy was busy dictating replies. I had no signaling for you to go aboard. I Trust you'll do me the honor of making use of my bar to ratio The triumphs barred was painted primrose yellow picked out with black So were her warblades a crew or primrose colored jumpers with black neck plots As I took my seat I reflected gloomily and that I'd never been able to afford to dress my barges crew in a fancy rigout Our day must be a wealthy man. I supposed with his travel gar prize money and his pension as colonel of Marines. I Could not help contrasting our positions He a bannett wealthy famous Myself poor and distinguished And a waiting trial Welcome aboard captain hold on. I'm calendar captain of the feet his lordship gave instructions for you to be shown to his cabin Will you come this way? Thank you. I don't suppose you remember me But I was first left in it on the Amazon when you were in the Indefatigable on the contrary. I remember very well in fact I was a certain boat till that Oh You remember that do you? Well, I've only been first for a week then I had to throw him away to button somebody Oh, here's his lordship Kevin. Thank you. Will you make yourself comfortable? Will I tell him you're here? Lord Gambia's cabin was not nearly so ornate as hearties had been the most conspicuous item was the big brass band Bible on the table I Sat down on a cushioned locker and stared gloomily out of the stone window The next hour might easily decide my whole fate I am the admiral's clerk His lordship will receive your report shortly In the meantime well What's that you're hiding behind your back? I'm afraid sir that I have bad news for you. What news? Well, come along man out with it The fellow had an art expression on his face and although I spoke up boldly enough my heart sank Was it possible that my case had already been pre-judged was that to be arrested tried? Condemned shot. I remembered having seen this paragraph in the morning chronicle of three months ago sir I showed it to his lordship and captain calendar as they decided it ought to be shown to you as early as possible Well, he's Lordship say look give me the paper. What is the paragraph? I'm afraid it's very bad news What's down and blast you let me see it the Lord give it sir and the Lord take it the way Blessed be the name of the Lord We regret to announce the death in trial bed on the 7th of this month of mrs. Marielle Hornblower Where are the late captain Horatio Hornblower? Burn apart martyred victim The tragedy occurred in mrs. Hornblower's lodgings at South Seat and we're given to understand But the child a fine boy healthy His lordship instructed me sir to inform you of his sympathy He will not expect your report yet, and he thought you might wish to seek the consolation of religion in your cabin And yes the Lord give it sir and In the actual battle of rosas my lord before I surrendered the southern 117 of my ship's company were killed and 145 wounded 44 of the latter died before I was taken to rosas and tragically high Proportion captain good God more than half your crew out of action before you surrendered if you remember the Lord Thompson and the yander and lost 92 out of the 300 off Crete and everyone said what a gallant defense he made I was aware of it, but please go on captain Well, I told how I'd witnessed the destruction of the French squadron how Coyard had arrived to take me to Paris and About escape I made but slight mention of the corn to the grass and our voyage down the Loire But I went into some detail about the capture of the witch of end all as I pointed out a knowledge of harbour arrangements at nont And the navigation difficulties of the lower Loire might be of great future value good Good man. How can you be so cold blooded about it when you Calendar I have requested you before not to all you to the deity in that blasphemous fashion Any repetition will incur my serious displeasure now? Let me see that cut there will be useful as she couldn't carry the dispatches And I shall not have to weaken the main body of the fleet mr. Tenant of yours bush I'll promote him into hardest commander. I Gave a gasp of pleasure Promotion to commander meant almost certain post rank within the year Bush deserved it of course, but admiral's usually had some favorite some nephew or old friend son awaiting the first vacancy But that was by no means all Promotion of my lieutenant to commander was a high compliment to me. It set the seal of official approval on my actions This decision of Gambia's was a public announcement that I had acted correctly Thank you. Thank you. I hope you will continue to be my guest until I sail for Portsmouth next week It would be best. I think yes for all. Thank you But however delicate the illusion I knew that the last remark was a reminder of my position and that I was technically under arrest I Old established custom. I must be under the supervision of an officer of equal rank while under arrest There could be no question of being sent home in the witcher Vendor Yeah, let me take those parcels My heaven is it's good to see your honest old friends again, but look, um have a drink Oh, have you been getting on though? What have you been doing? Did you do easy sir easy? I'll tell you about it sir, but first of all, this is the first chance I've had to thank you for my promotion. So don't thank me. You must thank Lord Gambia I know I owe it to all the same. They're going to post me as captain this week Ah, they won't give me a ship not with this wooden neck of mine, but there's a job at Sheerness waiting for me I'd never have been a captain, but for you sir. Oh rubbish. Well, how are you? Oh, fine, sir. Thanks, sir. You? I was I was sorry to hear about mrs. Hornblower sir. Yeah, I Took the liberty of bringing out your letters. Oh, thank you packages a sword. I'm sure sir. Oh, well Let's open it and see I haven't a pussy I Never expected to see this again. I know that gold scabbard anywhere, sir It's the hundred Guinness sword that the patriotic fund gave you for your defeat of the Latifi dad in the Pacific Yes, you should see the newspapers your famous. So you ought to be and there's plenty more news Oh, what news but there's a witch of indoor sir. Oh, yes, what about the Navy bought a yesterday at the price court All thousand pounds was the price sir. I Was greatly impressed by the tact with which Bush allowed me to assimilate all this I Would not have expected such delicacy from the tough old campaigner But I was already beginning to realize that I still had much to learn about people The first dozen letters were from people unknown to me, but all congratulatory Two were from madmen apparently and two more from peers Then I Saw a letter in a hand, which was known to me and in my heart constricted as I stared at the envelope It was from Lady Barbara Bush and the ship and Portsmouth and all the present world spun and vanished at the sight of the letter. I Was not reading I was listening again to that dear Modulated voice which I had not heard for so many Many weary months It is hard for me to write this letter So overwhelmed am I with pleasure and surprise at hearing that you are free and well? I H hasten to let you know that I have your son here in my care son God bless her When he was left orphaned I ventured to take charge of him and make myself responsible for his upbringing While my brothers Lords Wellesley and Wellington consented to act as his godfathers at his baptism Where at he was consequently given the names of Richard Arthur Horatio Richard Arthur Horatio Wellesley and Wellington behind him The boys fortunes already made Richard is a fine healthy boy with a wonderful Resemblance to his father and he has already greatly endeared himself to me Let me assure you that I shall look upon it as a pleasure to continue to have charge of Richard until the time comes for you to take him away I Can easily guess that you will be much occupied with affairs on your arrival in England But you will be very welcome should you care to call here to see your son who grows in intelligence every day Up to this moment, I'd hardly thought about the child my paternal instincts have not been touched by a child I had never seen Besides they were warped by memories of the little Horatio who had died of smallpox in my arms so many years ago But now I felt a sudden wave of affection for the unknown little chap who had managed to endear himself to Barbara in London Why Barbara taking Was it because we'd owed and childless she had sought for a convenient orphan to adopt him Was it that she still cherished memories of a captain homeblower whom at the time she believed to be dead Time stood still while I stared at the letter and wondered Bush was saying something I Taught myself back to the present with an effort Sorry to interrupt sir They questioned me at white all and I thought you ought to know but they're calling me in evidence at the Court Marshall sir Court Marshall for a few wonderful moments. I had forgotten that threat hanging over my life the court Marshall If that were to go against me not all the sons or lords and ladies in Christendom could help me It was more than my life at stake. It was my reputation my honor Whole future Conducted by Sydney torch