Horatio Hornblower - Disguised As The Flame

0:00Call all hands, beat the quarters. One broadside in order to please get in bush. Point of them pockets, bring stocks ready. Eyes more ready, fire! Presenting Michael Redgrave at CS Foresters in Dumbledore, Man of the Sea, Horatio Hornblore.

1:30SI M perpendhant injeoliti vacations In my somewhat dull retirement, I often live again the details of my active career. But no single episode of that career stands out more vividly than that dusky autumn evening. Then I stood on the deck beside Captain Freeman and sailed into the enemy's stronghold. The bad-stphort-obsulid had been bent on, the name brought a jelly-painted out, and the name Flane substituted. A force might open the main calm and apparently unmoved. But Freeman, beside name, had given up all potential as excited as a schoolboy.

2:35There's the harbour, there. And there's that French-West indian man we saw going this morning. Oh, there's a lighter beside her. Of course, they wouldn't unload her of the key. They'd put her cargo into lighters and send them up river to ruin her on Paris. At the moment, I'm more interested in the town's defenses on the shipping. Near the ports of address and turn bill on its deep fifth. Between light hises on Captain La Have, the battery's there on that low ground beside the jetty. The battery's going to be our greatest danger. I don't expect the ports to find out what's going on in time to open fire. I don't see why anyone should find out. The ships disguise and we've got plain P jackets over our uniform. Oh, looks, look, there's a lot of shipping further in. Might even be ships of the line. They haven't got the yards, it's crossed. Well, I've never been in this close as this before. It'll be dark soon. I hope the weather doesn't clear any more. It's just light enough to find our way in and it'll be dark enough to cover us as we come out.

3:37Let's sail on the leaves, sir. Oh, that's the pilot flagger coming out to us. They think we're the French, sure enough. Very good. Well, that's the man that's sailing at the port side. Secure the pilot when he comes on board. I'll calm the ship in. Fire, I don't know. Now then, you man. You're a gang of beauty deer sailing your ship to the enemy as a prize. Now, come on, it's here from you. Shout, sing, dance! Thanks, the name of the fool. Here's the logger, sir. Here's the pilot coming aboard. Leabras is over with the wheel and on into the harbor. Yes, please. Mr. Freeman, have you taken care of the pilot? I have that, sir. I put my children with back and shot him down the hatchway. We were nearing the big India, man, ma. Chile with loose sail, swinging to a single anchor. In the fading light, I could just make out a dozen of her crew at her side, staring curiously at us. You may hoist out the boats.

4:37Hi, I say. You shall I send the men into room? Well, only the picked men as a rain. It's remember. They have to take the Indian boat. They have to take the Indian boat. They have to take the Indian with out the pilot. Once we're on the shore, we're lost. Only on the sensor. They've been well drilled. Don't away! The boat is coming back, sir. The men put a boardeness of dumb-natured hopes on it. Look, look, here comes the Indian man, too!

5:48There he is, you go. Mr. Freeman, my hand at the lad, you go, please. I'm afraid we'll forget no more time. The short authorities will be fully alert in a moment. Yes, the cattle signaling, the short of the rental. Yes, and firing a musket to attract their attention. Stand by to go, a bite. This is going to be the most ticklish moment of our actual damage. So why are you going to go, we bow? There he is, you go. Here she goes. Here he is, sir. Now the cutter must have cleared and loaded out, J. Sir. Six pounder from the side of it. Yes, there's the flame of it. She can't see us very clearly. I can feel the Indian man, no. She's coming round very neatly. That master made of yours is a good man. Ah, this will be a different matter. The 32 pundits on the jet here in action now. We shall be right in their range as we run to jet in. Should I reply to that master? No. No, six pundits will make no impression on that solid batter then.

6:50The clashes will reveal up to this. Well, why aren't they firing again? Well, they've had time with several silvers. I imagine Bernaparte stripped his short evidences of seasoned gunners for his army in Germany. These gunners are probably out in train recruits and working in the dark is making them unhandier than ever. Look out, sir! That's all dinner, hey! We'll, uh, stay steady. Make no effort to avoid it. It's a pilot, lucker. I can see it's meaningful. I'm trying to block out his cape. She's coming, space-forward! And let the weakest go to the wall. Stand past everybody. You can't, sir! You can't have a pose or smash like an angel! Look what's pouring into her! Hm, that was closer. They fired at the noise. I need the ball! Hey! We're getting into deeper water. Lay it on the other side of the basement to premen.

7:52I tried hard to keep any trace of doubt or excitement from my voice. I knew that success or failure depended on the chances of the next few minutes. I felt weak with apprehension. Not merely for the physical danger that we were in, but for the danger to my reputation, it was what I avail. Men would not stop the think of my real motive. They would say I tried to take advantage of the mutinatal feather my own nest by capturing a prize. My honor, as well as my life and liberty, will at stake. There it is, he goes. We're not a range of the batteries. What a shock for him, sir! A loaded indian man taken out of harbor right under their very noses! Very good piece of work, Mr. Bremen. I'm sure that you'll be at the rubble. Oh, no! Holy! Holy! I am in silence! I'll flow, gangy man, who will disrespect for the commoner. I'll leave them alone, Mr. Bremen. They mean well and they're excited. It sounds as though our prize crew on the end of the immense air they're feeling.

8:52They end their reason too. Oh, hands for getting my share of prize money. And all of a sudden, at least a thousand pounds in it for use, eh? You have to go below, Mr. Bremen. A leveled old man, Mr. Bremen, please be good enough to wish you a grog to all of hand. Following morning, dawn fairly clear, but with slight patches of mist and a wind backing south by west. As I came on deck for my bath under the pump, I noted that we were hoped to with the captured indian, Mr. Bremen. I knew that I should send her back to England at once, but I could not do that without writing an report. I was a newtamous flamethrower to deal with, but when I could think about reports... No! It's the French flamethrower!

9:52Oh, yes, there she is, sir. Just coming out at Miss Bank. There's only one thing to do, we'll have to fetch her out. Clear the ship, sir. Hi, I'm... And he was must have got a round on shore now that the brig with the patched sail is playing a double game and they'll be watching for another move. We delay the mute of mirrors, might get in touch with the shore again and explain. Yes, so if they see from the shore there's two brigs with patched sails, they may guess what's been done. It's quite so. Well, see if the men have some breakfast first and they'll be best of the guns, we'll not run out yet. Hi, very good, sir. I'm not going to be late.

10:55Running out the guns would warn the flame that we expected the fight. That might tell them that escape to the French was not so easy as they thought. I got to little, as I realised that within a hour the deck I thought would be swept with the caronades of the flame. Within that hour, I might be dead or shrieking under the surgeon's knife. Deck there! There's a lot of small craft putting out from the bea-sir. Hidden for the flame, I think, sir. This should be interesting, Mr. Freeman. The mutineers are heading in rather than fight. They think those cars are coming out to welcome them. They didn't wear a shock, they didn't say. Oh, hello. Well, they're not so sure. They're hesitating. Look, you can see them spilling the winds on their mains off. Probably an argument going on a board between those who only want to keep out of our range. The gunmen are always wanting to go over to the French. Their argument will be so resolved. Those craft are gunboats, and that luggers full of men. I asked the flame. A warning shot to make the frogs keep their distance.

11:58Look, sir. Look. Look. The flames realise the craft are hostile. She's wearing round and too late. They're closing in on her and opening fire. Look, sir. Look. Look. Look from the men from the lugger aborting the flame. They'll take her. Run the guns out quickly. At least we shall fight against Frenchmen and not Englishmen. Listen, they're going in among those gunmots and they must be sunk. Aim true with the base of their masks and don't find until you're sure you can hit. All right, very good. We were among the gunboats then. Our caronades went off on both sides. On our starboard side, I had one gunboat under my eye, half a dozen men by her tiller, two men at each sweep of midships. A dozen at the big gun for it. Our shots came smashing in. The fire, the extreme depression, they smashed straight through the frail shell of the boat. The sides caved in. The sea surged over her. The big gun slued and couldn't move directly.

13:01And only a few bobbing men in the water showed there she had been. Same on the board side. The web was responsible for exposing her small boat to our fire was a fool. But now the lugga and the flade were close ahead. Mr. Freeman, load with canister if you please. We'll be around alongside the French lugga. One broad side and then we'll board it in the smoke. All right, sir. Come on, sir! I shall want every available man in the boarding party. You, Mr. Freeman, will stay here. Oh, but, sir, you'll stay here. Pick six good seamen to stay with you and work the rigout if we don't come back. Is that clear, Mr. Freeman? Yes, sir, is he? There he is, sir. Downsman, players alongside that lugga. Gunners, you'll see that every shot tells. Borders, you ready to come with me? I'll be there, sir. Call the men. In turn, no further.

14:12A figure of brandishing a cutlass that leaped past me on the lugga. It was brown. I saw him striking left and right. Then I was beside him in the struggling, slashing mass. I stumbled over a pile of dead and wounded men who had been caught in the blast of shot from our drake. And that stumble saved my life for a flade snicked past my head as I pitched. An upward truster that recovered disposed of my attack and I fired the pistol in my left hand at a blue uniform figure which bloomed through the smoke at me. And now the wind blew the smoke clear, fighting around me every way. And I could see again. Our master's mate was running down the picole of from the mast head. On the starboard side was the flade. I could see French infantry shakers over her boar. The second wave of borders came reporting in from the port at Leigh. Come on, man. Report the frame before they can organize the defense.

15:13Nowhere! Pull over now, sir. Never enough. You won't be turned. No, Brian. Help me up this list, fellas. Here, be easy. And on top of me. Hey, hurry. Thanks, thank you. Well, Brian, what's the situation? Sir, some of them are riding below there. Have we left them out, please? That load of disarmed and guarded and some went over such a. It's kept ours, sir. Where do the other mutineers come below our French troops? Now some of the French troops are down there, too, sir. Cowards? They'd rather die on deck than scuttle into a hole like a rat. We'll have them out of it. Where are you, boy? We're all drifting ashore.

16:14The quest for mission to cost up and make flail. No, wait a moment. We must do this. No, sir. The remaining gunboats. I forgot them in the heat of the battle. Now I saw the two of the man cut a couple of cables, links away in show water. The flame, the lugger and the porter trailing, whole lofts together made a huge target. Another shot crashed into us, and then another.

17:15The 24 pound balls were smashing through the whole frail length of the brig. Tearing their way through the cowarding newtonneers and French below decks. Haste was essential, if we were not to be sunk where we lay. Time to get those hatches back and put a sensory over each. Just to get them straight. Secure your hatches. Get ready to make sail. All right, sir. What top man are they? A man to hell, you'd put a man on the wheel. Hello, Mr. Freeman. Car stop and make sail. rendezvous at the end of the man. I'm a chef. I lied to you. Now, who is to wear that sail? We'll hire hardest stubborn. They're gonna support the trailing, sir. And the place crew's working the lugger away. We'll all be out of range with the gun books in them in each. Thank heaven the wind is offshore. Hello. What's all that going on, oversight? Come, he's right. It's the prisoners. You can hear them from each. They're scrambling out through the shadows and jumping ever siding. I'll let them go. Half of the darned of the mutineers who were saved will get no mercy from the French after this. Wait a minute. Where's the ringleader? Where's Nathaniel sweet?

18:15He must not escape. He must be brought to trial or killed. He waspilosa. Look, he got his arm over there. Where? Swimming. Yeah, there. You could see his wrong white hair. Nathaniel sweet. I call one of your surrender and stand at trial. I just love in the swine. Hey you. You want sentry, the hats. Pick me off that white hair swimmer with your mask. Oh, yeah. Look at that splash. Not willing to. You're giving me the mask. We load quick. All the villain will escape. I'll have him if I have to jump over and swim to him. He's not the mask of church. Thank you. Let me out. Wait. I was a good shot myself. I'll do it to me. Go inside. Don't you think he won't lead no more than the grave? Well, well, well, well, he's gone. No, no, no, no, he's, look. Just see his hair, trailing. There. Ah, now he's gone. Yeah. That's a horrible thing to have to do. There was no way. You were a bad witness, but I called on him to surrender.

19:17Let's just search the waste of breath. He's better off too. He'd only hang if he was too. It was true that white hair trailing like a horrible weed on the scene was to haunt my dreams for long to come. Newtonary was suppressed. The flame retaken, the bench defeated, and Vanuble prices secured. Father and Richard and a small bridge seemed close again. Yet there was no joy in my heart as we sailed to rendezvous. Only a nightmare vision of long white hair trailing on red-tinted water.

20:22Oh, a ratio hornblower starting Michael Redgrave is based on the novels by C. S. Farristers. Music compares and conducted by Sydney Torch, produced by Harry Alan Towers.