 Call all hands, speak to quarters. Broadside into her, if you please, Captain Bush. Pointes on target. Linz thoughts ready? Aye, aye, sir. C.S. Foresters, indomitable man of the sea, a ratio hornblower. All should see fit to relieve me. In the meantime, a clear head and an iron hand were needed. For instance, the matter of the fisherman's deputation was but one of many where firmness were essential. But, Your Excellency, we are innocent fish or men. Indeed. My Captain reports that just before he captured your boat, you'd just slipped out from Horn Fleur across the estuary. Horn Fleur is still under the rule of Bonaparte and is under blockade. I've no doubt that your soldier catch there at three times the price you could have obtained here in La Havre. That, most sure, is trading with the enemy. And it's within my power to have all three of you hanged without trial. I wish to retain the goodwill of all citizens of La Havre. So, on this occasion, I shall let you go. But your boat will remain with the prize court. Captain Howell, what was that about a prince? A note from the Foreign Office. They are sending the Duke D'Angioulin. Oh, are they? What am I supposed to do with him? Who is he, anyway? Eldest son of King Louis' brother, he married Marie Therese, daughter of Louis XVI. Oh, yes, sir. He is the eventual heir of the Bourbon line. He must be about 40 now. Though I hadn't enough worries. Still, I suppose it might be useful to have a figurehead and the royalists love a figurehead. When's he coming? He will arrive tomorrow, sir, if the wind is fair. To the triumph of March, salutes roared from the guns. Seamen and soldiers with guns. And I stepped forward to receive his royal highness. Sir, au ratio. I am for issue. Ah, France. Not then, France. Anything less beautiful than the waterfront of La Havre in a freezing nor'easter, I could not imagine. But it sounded well. And on that note, the carefully trained Duke continued through all the wearisome and frigid ceremonies which followed the presentations, the processions, the dedication service and the final reception of the Hotel de Ville. It was during the latter that I became aware of Brown, my coxswain, discreetly twitching my sleeve. Big pardon, sir. Colonel Dobbs sent me in. He says he'd like you to see a dispatch, what's just come in. Yes, very well. Tell Colonel Dobbs I'll join him in my office when I can slip away without attracting notice. Glad you managed to get away. I think the frogs are on their way out at last, sir. This message came through from Paris. Message from Paris? It was folded up in a button on the messenger's coat. He left Paris, yes. What does it say? This morning, Siege artillery left the artillery park at Sablon by river going downstream. It included the 107th Regiment. The guns were 24 pounders and I believe there were 24 of them. Three companies of sappers and a company of miners were attached. It is said that General Keough will command. I do not know what other forces he will have. Colonel Park is still fighting desperately on two fronts, yet he still complies to scrape a force to deal with us. Because he knows we represent the deadliest menace to his power yet. However, it's useless to stand and complain. It's time for us to take the offensive. Sir, I want a report on the roads between here and Rouen. Rouen? Of course. Don't you see? The same is the answer to this. By water, those heavy guns can be moved far more quickly than by road. The barges are being towed downstream night and day, and they must already be nearing Rouen. Brian, come here. Go and get Captain Bush away from the reception. Aye, aye, sir. Colonel Dobbs, send a message down to the squadron and give orders for the following to be assembled. Let me see. We shall require... This is in your favour tonight, and I am banking on the fact that you're dealing with soldiers. All their victories have been on land. They'll hardly expect an attack by water on their flank. And your landing party can burn and destroy to its heart's content. Captain, wish you the best of good fortune now, Bush. I wish I were coming with you. Oh, that's impossible, sir. Oh, it doesn't long boats on a river is no sort of command for a corridor. It's a perilous venture, Bush. It'll be all right, sir. Don't you go worrying about us, sir. Won't worry with you in command, Bush. Is all ready now? Oh, goodbye, Bush. Quiet in the town sheets, sir. But it was one thing to make comforting plans and quite another to watch men go off in the darkness to execute them. As I walked back through the darkness to the Hotel de Ville, I could not stifle a feeling of uneasiness, but I put it aside and looked forward to reading again for the hundredth time the latest letter from Barbara and my wife. This and a pile of other papers kept my mind fully occupied, and the night was well advanced when Colonel Dobbs knocked at my door and entered. All the papers say that your capture of La Havre is the beginning of the end for a born apart. Handles jumped. It was an explosion. That could be a code net. It would seem that Bush has been successful and has blown up the French part of arches. A hundred tons of gunpowder. That would be a considerable explosion. And through the glass. I don't think the others from none such, but I can't be sure. Very good, Captain. I'll join you in a moment. A portion of the French siege train would be well worth the loss of the whole flotilla. I could not totally balance the profit and loss if my old friend Bush were among the losses. One boat's coming to the quay, sir. I'll have the officer here in 15 minutes. Officer of the Camilla, take a seat, Mr. Livingston. Make the report, please. Thank you, sir. We went up the river without incident, sir. We could see the lights of Koderbeck before we were challenged from the bank. Captain Bush's longboat was leading. Where was your boat? Last in the line, sir. We went on without replying according to orders. I could see two barges anchored in midstream and clusters of others against the bank. My orders were to run alongside the one farthest downstream, which I did. Go on. There was a lot of musketry fire higher up, but only a few Frenchies where we were. So we chased them away. On the bank were two 24-pounder guns on carriages. I had them spiked and then levered them off the carriages and into the river. Good. One fell on the barge underneath and went right through it, sank it like a stone. Yes, yes. Then what? Well, I led my party along the bank. There was a lot of shot there, just landed from the next barge. I left a party to scuttle the barge and roll the shot into the river and went on myself with about 15 men. The boats crew of the flame were there fighting, but the French ran away when we joined in. There were guns on shore and on barges. We spiked them all through the ones that were landed in the river and scuttled the barges. Oh, well, excellent work. They'll be difficult to recover and put into commission. Yes, there must have been a fierce and bloody struggle in the dark on the river bank. Oh, it was, sir. Just then we heard drums beating and a whole battalion of infantry came down on us. My orders were to retire if opposed in force, so we ran back to the boats and the soldiers were firing at us from the bank when the explosion came. Yes, sir. The explosion. What was that? It was the powder barge that hired up the river, sir. I don't know who set them up. Maybe it was a shot from the shore. Maybe Captain Bush... I've been in touch with Captain Bush since the attack began. Oh, no, sir. He was at the other end of the line. Yes, I see, I see. Well, you better go and get some rest, Mr. Livingston. You've done splendidly. I shall see that an account of your actions reaches the proper quarters. Thank you, sir. I only obey orders. The operation had been brilliantly successful. Deprived of his siege train and munitions, General Keough would not be able to proceed to La Havre. It would probably be long before the Bonaparte could scrape together a similar force. But the loss of Bush was a crushing price to pay. It was hard to think of a world without Bush in it. The future where I should never see him again. It was part of my life. But the very sympathy of Dobbs and Howard had the effect of nerving me to carry on. Your Royal Highness, Sir Horace, your horn blow, I'll keep it. Good morning, Sir Horace. You wish to see me? Yes, Your Royal Highness. I don't know if you're acquainted with the circumstances that brought me to this part of the coast. You may tell me about them. Well, there was a mutiny in one of our ships. I was sent to deal with it and succeeded in capturing the vessel and most of the mutineers. Excellent. Some twenty of them were tried and convicted and sentenced to death. I'm glad to hear it. I would be glad not to carry out those sentences, Your Royal Highness. Indeed. Well, it is impossible for me to pardon them without grave prejudice to discipline, but if Your Royal Highness were to intervene on their behalf, well, I could deny Your Royal Highness nothing. And why should I intervene, Sir Horace? In the name of common humanity. Because twenty good men will be invaluable. Your Royal Highness could say that it was unfitting that the first days of the return of the dynasty should have been marred by the shedding of blood of Englishmen, even guilty ones. Good men, useful men, mutineers, presumably Jacoban revolutionaries, equalitarians, even perhaps socialists. It would be a fine beginning to the Regency if my first public act should be to pardon a parcel of revolutionaries. I've never known the world to be offended by an act of mercy, Your Royal Highness. You have strange ideas of mercy, Sir. It appears to me that this remarkable request of yours has some meaning other than its apparent one. Perhaps you are a liberal yourself, hm? One of those dangerous men who consider themselves thinkers. Perhaps you think it would be a good stroke of policy for you to persuade me to brand myself as one who is willing to condone revolution. Sir, I protest. Your Royal Highness... This is a monstrous insinuation. I see fit to exceed your requests. Sorry, query! There you are. Be good enough to conduct a ratio out. As I strode with burning cheeks past the courtyards and sentries, I was almost blind with fury. I stamped into my office, flung myself into my chair, sprang up again, paced the room. I hardly knew what I was doing as I struggled to restrain my anger. Dobbs and Howard gave one astonished stare at me and then bent studiously over their desks. But as my anger began to subside, a plan formed in my mind. I sat down again at my desk and addressed Captain Howard. I want those French fellows brought in here, the ones who came with the duke, the equity, the Chevalier Donner and the Armina. You fetch them in now, will you? I'll give them right away, sir. Colonel Dobbs, I'll trouble you to make ready to write at my dictation. Please show no surprise at anything I may ask you to write. Oh, that was quick work, Howard. I met them in the corridor, sir. Good. Well, gentlemen, I've asked you to come to hear the letter. I'm about to dictate and send to my prime minister. I think you understand English well enough to get the gist of it. Ready, Colonel Dobbs? Quite ready, sir. Well, to the right honorable Lord Liverpool. My lord, I find I am compelled to send back to England his royal highness, the Duke d'Angerlain. But, sir, I'm sure... You kindly do not interrupt. Now, go on, Colonel, please. I regret to have to inform your lordship that his royal highness has not displayed the helpful spirit the British nation is entitled to look for in an ally. Sir, this is impossible. It is not... Good day, Colonel, please. During the few days in which I have had the honour of working with the royal highness, it has been made plain to me that his royal highness is not of the tact nor the administrative ability desirable in one so high a station. Sir, I must speak. You cannot send that letter. No, why not? And you cannot send his royal highness back to England. You cannot. You cannot. No, he cannot. Yes, that's so, gentlemen. Do you know who holds the power in this city? Do you know that I've only got to give the word that my ships and men would abandon La Havre to the wrath of Bonaparte? But, but, sir... I do not tell me that his royal highness would physically oppose an order. Have you ever witnessed a dessert being brought in? Well, the frog march is an undignified and painful method of progression. But that letter would discredit his royal highness in the eyes of the world. It might even endanger the succession. You will never send it, please. I can only assure you that I can and that I will. I... Well, perhaps, sir, there has been some misunderstanding. If his royal highness has refused some request of your excellences, it must have been because he did not understand how important it was. If your excellency would allow us to make further representations to his royal highness, I know him. Yes, sir. If you would allow that, I'm sure his royal highness would understand. Ah. And, um, what do you think, Colonel Dogg? I'm sure he would somehow Edward intelligent men. They took their cues without a word and added their pleadings to those of the Duke's staff. Nevertheless, it was only after considerable persuasion that I at last reluctantly allowed myself to agree that further representation should be made by the staff. Those worthy gentlemen shot out of the room in panic haste when I at last consented to allow them to approach their master. Then I sat back and relaxed. This would like to come and see you, sir. If your excellency could kindly spare a few minutes. He's coming to you. My words, sir. He must be in a panic. I'm thanking you, pardon, sir, but I've got a peep into his royal highness's room. He was hoping about like a monkey and, ha-ha, using language, I wouldn't have thought the royal highness would have known. Yes, thank you, Colonel. That's enough. Captain Hyde, be so good as to wait upon his royal highness. Inform him that I have to go. Inform him that I'll receive him in 15 minutes when I have disposed of my war urgent business. Based on the novels by C. S. Forrester. Music composed and conducted by Sidney Torch. Harry Allen Towers.