"Pass it left to Jack!" "Pass the bloody thing, Tom!" "Tom, pass it left!" "Pass the ball!" "Come on, Tom!" "To Jack!" "Go on, Tom!" "Tom!" "What's that man's name?" "!" "You see the girls, Jack?" "Push on!" "Move it, boys!" "Come on!" "Stand tall!" "There you go... straight." "Go on, Vicar!" "Sean!" "Sean!" "Go on... keep going!" "Break it up!" "I need you on the field, lad." " Huh?" " You're all right." "Behind you!" "Jack!" "Take it, Jack!" "Well done, old chap!" "Well done, Jack." "Is there anything else left in there?" "How long you going to be in that bathtub, Vicar?" "As long as I like." "Stand tall, Vicar." "Idiot!" "Willoughby, you look wonderful, darling." "Princess Willoughby." "Miss Willoughby." "Hey, Tom, there's a hair out of place there, boy." "When are you gentlemen going to grow up?" ""Gentlemen"?" "Did he just call us "gentlemen"?" "I believe he did." " I won't take that from anyone." " Nor will I." "I like when you do this." "Not my hair!" " Willoughby, this is..." " Not the hair!" "Not the hair!" "And don't think we're going to take you any more seriously once you're promoted, Miss Willoughby." " We'll see about that." " Whoo!" "Ladies." "Don't worry, Vicar, they're only women." "They won't bite." "Just be quiet." "Does it hurt?" "Uh... yes." "What are you two lovebirds laughing about?" "His eye." "Don't fall for it." "He colors it in with a pen." "I can draw you one if you're feeling left out." "Go on, then." "What?" "Well, I want a black eye like Jack's." "If you really want one, Harry, I... can facilitate you." "Want a second black eye, Jack?" "No." "That's good." "Are you nervous?" "Stop it." "What?" "What are you two doing?" "Nothing." "I want to dance." "N-Not up there, Ethne." "Now, Ethne, come down from there, please." "Not until you dance with me, Harry." "Oh, dear, yes, come down, Ethne." " For God's sake, be careful." " Oh, please." "Jack, tell her to get down." "When does she ever listen to me?" "Ethne, listen to Jack, please." "Relax, Harry." "Listen to me." "Thank you, Jack." "I will not pirouette." "Dance with me." "Right, right." " Oh, my God." " Scary, isn't it, Harry?" "Don't be such a bore, Harry." "I'm trying." "Ooh!" "Ooh!" "Oh!" "Please be careful, okay?" "It's not very funny, Ethne." "Excuse me, Mr. Faversham, sir." "Your father is asking for you and Miss Eustace." "Oh." "Thank you." " Sir." " Sir." "Colonel Sutch." "Harry, my boy." "How are you, sir?" "Well, well." "Mum." "Colonel Sutch." "I'm sorry to send for you, my dear." "I was hoping to steal you for the last dance." "It'd be my pleasure, General." "Your son won't dance with me." "Where were you?" "Catching a breath of air, sir." "My dear." "She is very beautiful, Harry." "Yes, she is, sir." "I was thinking how proud my father would be if he were here." "An officer who gave his life for his country deserves far more respect than I do." "I wish I'd met him." "Are you ready, my dear?" "With all my heart." "My lords, ladies and gentlemen, the general." "Dr. Johnson once said every man feels meanly about himself for not having been a soldier." "Well, that's something no one here tonight need fear." "Whether or not you've seen active service you have shown yourselves willing to lay down your lives and for that..." "I salute you." " The Royal Cumbrians!" " The Royal Cumbrians!" "Now, in my mind, there is only one sacrifice more noble than pledging one's life for one's country and that is..." "loving... and marrying a man who does." " Marry?" "!" " Marry?" "!" "Harry... and Ethne." "Harry and Ethne!" "Bravo!" "Bravo!" "Bravo!" "Form a square!" "Form a square!" "Well, now that we've had such a public engagement can we have a nice, quiet wedding, please?" "Not on your life!" "I want the full works, the church near my home and then a rousing speech from your father." "Mm." "My father?" " Mm-hmm." " Mm-hmm." ""I'd like to congratulate my son." "When I was his age, I was in charge of a full regiment."" "He doesn't sound anything like that." "Oh, yes, he does." "Besides, you will be in charge of a regiment." "Quiet!" "It'll be Jack and Isabelle's turn next." "Jack?" "Oh, no, Jack will never get married." "He's too much of a soldier." "So are you." "Yes, but not like him." "Yes, you are, more than him, more than any of them." "You're my husband." "Good night, ladies" "Good night, ladies..." "Go away." "Please, ignore them." "Don't act like children!" "Merrily, we roll along, roll along, roll along" "Merrily, we roll along until the morning comes" "Good night, gentlemen, good night, gentlemen..." "Good night, Ethne!" "Good night, Harry!" "Good night, Ethne, we have to take him home!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Come on, Harry, keep up!" "Come on, John!" "Come on, Mr. Castleton, get it out!" "Mr. Trench, carry on!" "Mr. Castleton's dead..." "enemy spear through the foot!" "Come on, get a move on!" "Get it out!" "Come on, let's go!" "Come on!" "Gentlemen, the colonel!" "Gentlemen." "I have some news." "An army of Muhammadan fanatics under the command of their self-proclaimed messiah, the Mahdi has attacked a British fortress in the Sudan." "Our forces there fought a heroic but in the end hopeless, rearguard action." "They were slaughtered to a man." "As a result of these hostilities several regiments, including the Royal Cumbrians will be shipping out to the Sudan within the week." "Congratulations to you all." "This government has finally seen fit to send its soldiers to war." "Finally, we're off." "Gentlemen." "God has endowed the British race with a worldwide empire that they may execute" "His sovereign purpose in the world." "The victories you will have over the heathen are the victories of the nobler soul in man." " God save the queen." " God save the queen!" "All together!" "This is what nerves do to grown men." "If we're going to go to war, I wish we'd just get on with it." "Do you ever think about what it's going to be like when we get there?" "All the time." "Don't you?" "I sometimes wonder what a godforsaken desert in the middle of nowhere has to do with Her Majesty the queen." "What's going on?" "What happened?" "Aren't you afraid you won't come back?" "Did you have a bad dream about me or something?" "Did I get my head lopped off by one of those Mahdi savages?" "Yes, Jack." "Of course, I'm scared." "Then, what what makes you go?" "I suppose..." "I'm going because you're going... you, Trench, Castleton, even Willoughby... but especially you." "There's no one I'd sooner trust my life with." "What is this?" "My papers, sir." "If it's leave you want, there's a different procedure." "Normally I wouldn't consider it in the circumstances but given that you've just got engaged..." "It isn't leave I want, sir." "I wish to resign my commission." "If I were you, I'd think very carefully about what you're saying, Lieutenant." "I've made up my mind, sir." "We'll talk about this when you've spoken with your father." "It isn't his decision, sir." "I do not accept these papers, Lieutenant and I do not accept that one of my men would walk out on his regiment..." " Sir..." "...the very week we are shipping off to war!" "Now, as far as I'm concerned, you were never here." "You can thank your father for that." "Sir..." "I wish to resign my commission." "Please leave these barracks immediately." "Whoa!" "Hello, Miss Willoughby!" "I thought I could smell the scent of fresh roses in the air." "Harry's resigned." "Resigned what?" "His bloody commission, what do you think?" "What did Hamilton do?" "Refuse him leave to marry Ethne?" "Hamilton didn't do anything." "There was no excuse for it." ""Excuse for it"?" "You're talking about Harry." "He's right, Tom." "He's just got engaged." "It's perfectly natural to have doubts." "We're sent to war, and the very next day he resigns?" "There's no doubt about it." "What's that supposed to mean?" "I think it's perfectly clear what it means." " Tom, don't be absurd." " Shut up, Vicar." "It means he's a coward, Jack." "Then say that to his face." "I would've done only he left the barracks before I had a chance." "All right, then, say it to my face." "Easy, Jack." "Harry's a disgrace!" "He's disgraced the regiment!" "Jack!" "He's the best soldier in the regiment!" "Obviously not when it counts." "Get off!" "I will tell him but not to his face..." "he doesn't deserve it." "He deserves to be treated with the same contempt that he treated us." "What contempt?" "Did he talk to you about it?" "Did he talk to any of you?" "He's left our backs exposed and he doesn't even have the courage to tell us." "He was my friend, too, Jack." "He'll be there." "This has to be answered." "Do you, Harry Faversham take this woman to be your lawful, wedded wife?" "Yes, and you may kiss the bride." "You can't jump ahead like that." "You have to let me enjoy my wedding." "Oh." "It's your fault we won't be able to do the real one for another six months." "There's no reason why we can't get married whenever we like, is there?" "I've heard that before." "I've left the army." "No, Ethne, I..." "I have..." "left the army." "Why?" "Well, there was talk they may send us abroad... for a year or two." "I didn't want to wait that long to get married." "Well, I would've waited... or come with you." "My mother did the same for my father." "Yes, I know, but it isn't what I wanted for us." "You're all that matters to me now." "Where were they going to send you?" "They weren't sure." "Mr. Faversham." "Is this your friends' idea of a joke?" "What is it, Harry?" "Feathers of... of cowardice." "Yesterday, we... were informed that our regiment would be shipping out to the Sudan that we would be..." "sent to war." "You don't know where they were sending you... you said so yourself..." "and you did it for me." " Ethne..." " Nobody in their right minds could call you a coward, especially not your friends." "There's been some kind of misunderstanding." "You have to clear it up." "You have to go back to the regiment and clear it up." "No, I can't." "Then I will." "I'll go see Trent, Willoughby and Castleton myself and tell them it's my fault you resigned that you did it for me." "It has nothing to do with you, Ethne!" "Then why?" "I never wanted to join the army!" "I did it for my father." "I thought I'd serve out my commission in a year or two keep everyone happy, and then I could just..." "You'd what, wait till we were married to tell me the truth?" "No, Ethne, l-I never meant to lie to you." "No, but you were quite happy to let me deceive myself." "Do you think people will let us forget this?" "I don't care what people think, Ethne." "All I care about is us." "It's not about us, Harry." "It's not just about us." "What about Jack?" "He would give his life for you." "Don't you think I know that?" "Then go back." "It's not too late." "Tell them you wouldn't have resigned if it weren't for me." "I would... have resigned and I wouldn't have gone to war for anything or anyone." "Then you are a coward." "Fight for England!" ""Avoid drinking local water and spirits" ""avoid local barrooms and brothels and, above all, remember, you're a Christian soldier."" "Why'd they give this to me?" "It must be for you, Vicar." "Father?" "After you." "May I speak with you, sir?" "I don't know you." "I need to speak with you, sir." "British attack the City of Korti!" "British casualties in the Sudan!" "Something wrong, Jack?" "Well, I don't know about you lot but I'm going to get a drink before Mustafa does." "It's probably poisoned." "Mustafa, after you, mate." " Take cover!" " Stay down!" "Take cover!" "Take cover!" "Where is he?" "Get down and stay down!" " Get down!" " Take cover!" "Where is he?" "Where is he?" "Take cover!" "Stay down!" "Stay down, everyone!" "Find him!" "Find him!" "Where the bloody hell is he?" "He's on the roof!" " Where?" "!" " Over there!" "Over there!" "Get him!" "Now!" " Move!" " Right, sir." "Hey!" "Put the gun down." "Put the gun down." "Put the gun down!" "Tell him to put the gun down!" "Put your gun down!" "For God sakes, man, put your gun down!" "Don't." "Hold your fire." "Put the gun down." "Tell him to put his gun down!" "Don't!" "Don't!" "Don't!" "What's done is done, Harry." "No, sir it isn't." "Something like this happens and you're lost." "You don't know who you are anymore or what you're capable of." "Unless I do something... this is how people will always remember me... a feather... and that is how I will always see myself... a coward." "All I know is I can't live with myself like this." "Who gave you the fourth feather?" "Jack Durrance?" "No, sir." "Ethne did." "Dearest Ethne:" "Forgive me for all the shame I've caused you." "I can only imagine the indignities you must have suffered because of me." "I hope my leaving London will at least allow you to begin your life again, free of my shadow." "I have no right to your trust or claim to your love but please believe, I never set out to deceive you." "I don't know if an opportunity will ever arise to redeem myself but I have to believe it will and I have to believe that this time I'll face up to my fears and prove to myself and others, I'm not a coward." "What did he pay you to bring him here?" "Listen, Gustave, I wouldn't bring..." "Take this." "Now get out." "Don't come back." "What do you want?" "Can you take me to the British camp at Korti?" "Across the desert?" "Yes." "Why?" "Can you take me there or not?" "For your time." "Can you speak Arabic?" "I can learn." "Yes, but can you learn to look like an Arab?" "If the Mahdi's men find you..." "I'm taking a caravan of whores up to Korti next week." "Come and see me then." "Left, right, left, right, left, right, left." "Thank you." "Left, right, left, right, left, right, left." "Congratulations, Jack." "I've decided to give you a few weeks' leave." "Every report I receive singles you out for praise." "You and several other officers will be going to London to convince Parliament and the public opinion that it's high time this government ordered us out of Korti to rescue General Gordon." "With your permission, I'd rather stay here with the regiment." "Why?" "I don't feel I've done my duty yet." "I wouldn't want to let the others down." "Permission refused." "Sir, why me?" "Because you're a hero, Jack." "With all due respect, sir" "I don't think we've been fighting long enough to have any heroes in this campaign." "Shut up!" "Keep them quiet, Saadi!" "What do I pay you for?" "!" "They are princesses." "Can you imagine even the savages have royalty?" "But the British soldiers pay me three dirham an hour for them." "Well worth the trip to Korti." "Is this the Mahdi's territory?" "Everywhere is Mahdi territory." " Mm." " Mm." "What is it?" "She doesn't like my manners?" "Savage!" "Stop it!" "You're not to look at me!" "Stop!" "Stop doing this!" "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "I'll teach you manners!" "Stop it!" "Enough!" "That'll teach you manners!" "Enough!" "You think she'll thank you for what you did today?" "I don't expect her to." "Of course you do;" "you saved her life." "Tsk, tsk!" "Tsk!" "They're like children." "They have no concept of gratitude or loyalty." "That's something you British don't understand." "You come here, trying to civilize them with your Christian values." "Now, she'll thank you." "Don't be so proud, my friend." "There are followers of the Mahdi everywhere in the Sudan." "The rebel tribes are gathering forces under the leadership of the Mahdi to fight us." "We do not need more reinforcements." "All we need is for this government to give an order to march and we will route the enemy and preserve the dignity of our empire." "Have you heard from Harry?" "No." "Have you?" "No." "Ethne, you can't blame yourself." "You make a stupid mistake and you pay for it for the rest of your life." "I can't forgive myself." "You had your reasons." "What reasons?" "Pride?" "Because I was afraid of what people would say." "What do I care what people said?" "I loved him." "Ethne, you have to..." "He came to me, Jack." "He came to me and I turned him away." "It's all right." "It won't be like this for the rest of your life." "I'll write to you when I'm gone." "Left, right, left, right, left, right, left." "Left, right, left, right, left, right, left." "Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right left, right, stop!" "Referee, come on!" "That wasn't fair!" "Congratulations!" "Open up." "He's got no teeth." "Get rid of him." "Who's next?" "!" "Come on, keep 'em coming, keep 'em coming." "No, he's too small." "I want to see this man's teeth." "He looks strong enough." "Put him with the baggage porters." "How many more we got?" "How many, Bill?" "Okay, we need another three of them." "What's going on?" "!" "This man comes from a tribe of slaves." "The men will not serve with him, sir." "Look, we need all the help we can get." "Baggage porter!" "Get him through." "I can't believe it." "Come on." "Come on." "Get him through." "Come on, next." "My Dearest Jack:" "I was so relieved to receive your last letter." "While the whole country is celebrating your campaign against the Mahdi all I feel is dread and all I think about are the precious times we spent together: you, Harry, and I." "My father used to say that God takes away what's dearest to our hearts to remind us how much we take for granted." "Now that it's too late, I wish I could turn back time." "How differently I'd do things given a second chance." "Take good care of yourself, Jack." "I don't mind if you don't come back covered in glory." "Just come back safely." "Your friend forever, Ethne." "Thoughtful of General Wolseley to give us these umbrellas, eh, Vicar?" "I burn in the sun." "Come on, now, faster!" "Faster!" "Watch out!" "Abou Fatma." "My name is Abou Fatma." "Vedu." "I was a scout for General Hicks." "There are many in this camp who serve the Mahdi." "When they find out there's a British spy amongst them watching them, they'll kill him." "It won't be long, Vedu." "Why would you warn me?" "For money." "I can't pay you." "What's the feather for?" "First time I killed a man." "Five men." "Wait." "Ten men." "This..." "I will wear soon." "I'm a good soldier." "I... will protect you." "Who did this?" "!" "Who did this?" "!" "Who did this?" "!" "Who did this?" "!" "Keep your eyes to the front." "Why would a British spy be hiding from his own soldiers?" "I'm not a spy." "Is that the same letter you read over and over again or do you get a different one each day?" "He writes them to himself." "Read us a line." "Read your own." "Don't be so coy." "You're amongst friends." "Come on, Jack, you can trust us." ""I'm so glad I came to hear you speak that day in London."" "Come on, more than that." "Don't leave us hanging on..." "elaborate." ""It made me realize how much your friendship means to me." ""Come back safely and soon... my dearest Jack."" "Ooh!" "Well, well done, "my dearest Jack"!" "Who's the lucky lady?" "Ethne." "I'm going to ask her to marry me." "Congratulations, Jack." "That's fantastic, Jack." "She hasn't said yes." "Aah, she will." ""I realize how much I bloody love you."" ""How much your friendship means to me."" "Same thing." "Cheers, Jack." "Congratulations, Jack." "They look like the Mahdi's men." "I need to find out where he's going." "Deserters, sir." "Corporal, cease fire!" "Harry." "Looks like they've stopped for the night." "Why is it so important to follow them?" "The Mahdi spies will report on our troop movements." "Not the spies your friends." "To help them... if I can." "Are you a deserter?" "Something like that." "I was sent to fight, and I ran away." "Why?" "Why?" "Well..." "I just..." "There are many reasons why." "Mostly, I was afraid." "I found you half dead crossing the desert alone." "You say you are afraid?" "It's a different kind of fear." "Why are you protecting me?" "God put you in my way." "I have no choice." "God?" "Hmm." "An Englishman and a Christian." "You must've done something terrible to offend him." "You laugh like an Englishman." "And how does an Englishman laugh?" "Abou... they're leaving!" "They're getting away." "We can't lose them." "All right, I'll..." "I'll just sit here and wait for you." "Take your time." "Oh." "That is the fortress of Abou Clea." "The British reinforcements are stationed there." "Why would the spies be going to a British fort?" "The fort has been taken over by the Mahdi's army." "But this is where our troops are heading." "Abou!" "Abou, warn my friends." "Company, halt!" " Company, halt!" " Company, halt!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Hyah, hyah, hyah, hyah." "Hyah." "Whoa!" "God..." "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Mr. Trench!" "William!" "Get away from them!" "Leave them alone!" "You filthy..." "Sir?" "You leave these bloody men alone!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Come back here!" "Go on!" "Oh..." "Sir." "The Egyptians have captured an enemy scout." "Where did you find this man?" "I came to you myself." "The Mahdi's men have captured your fort at Abou Clea." "This man is lying, sir." "He's the one who stole the camels..." "They will attack you here!" "Tell him a British garrison would never fall to the Mahdi savages!" "Ask him if he knows the penalty for being a spy." "I'm not a spy." "The Mahdi's men have left these bodies to keep you here." "Tell him I'll bury him alive if he speaks another word of English!" "Ask him who sent him here and why." "He says a British officer sent him, sir." "A general, no doubt." "What was his name?" "Come here, son." "I'll show you a British officer." "This is a British officer!" "And this..." "is a British officer's blood." "Now lick it up..." "every bloody drop!" "Look!" "Don't be rash!" "Take him away." "Find out why the enemy sent him." "Use any means necessary." "The Muslims always bury their dead, even the enemy dead." "These bodies have been left here for a reason!" "Come on, you!" "Look, I think you should tell Hamilton." "I agree, Tom." "What for?" "As a precaution, Tom." "This man was trying to mislead us." "I've made my decision." "I'm not going to waste the colonel's time by sending some half-naked savage in front of him with a tall tale." "What is it, Jack?" "There's something up." "Thou God, who reigneth over all the earth who art the Lord of all our salvation give your ear unto my prayer." "Allah!" "For Thou art greater than the common man." "Everything is as you wish it." "Everything is as you will it." "If what we're doing is just... then give us the strength to serve you for that which I greatly feared has come upon me and that which I was afraid of is come unto me." "Form a line." "First company..." "a section, if you please." "One section will fix bayonets." "Fix!" "Ready!" "Present!" " Fire." " Fire." "Fire!" "Reload!" "100 yards!" "Present!" "They're not armed, sir." " Fire." " Fire." "Fire!" "What in God's name are they doing?" "Present!" " Fire." " Fire." "Fire!" "50 yards!" "Present!" " Fire." " Fire." "Fire!" "Thank you, Mr. Willoughby." "Thank you, Sergeant." "Order... up!" "Soldier... arm!" "Left turn." "Left, right, left!" " Form square!" " Form square!" "Form square!" "Bring over those camels!" "Line them up!" "Quickly now, take positions!" "Number Three Section, fall in!" "Steady." "Steady, boys, steady!" "Be calm." "Nice and calm." "Be nice and calm." "Battalion prepare the cavalry, Mr. Willoughby." "Battalion, prepare the cavalry." "Make way for the cavalry!" "Number One Company, prepare for volley." "Number One Company, two rounds volley fire!" "Number One Company... two rounds volley fire!" "Steady on the right, Mr. Castleton!" "Pick your targets!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "Sir, we're being attacked from behind, sir!" "Close in on the right, Castleton!" "Officers to the front!" "Present... aim..." "Castleton!" "...fire!" "Fire!" "Keep your horses a target!" "Hold this line!" "The British Cavalry, sir!" "They're retreating!" "They're running!" "All right, men, cease fire!" "Cease fire!" "Cease fire!" "Congratulations, sir." "Battle's not over yet." "Yes!" "We sod 'em off, lads!" "Send out the skirmishers, Mr. Willoughby." "Send out the skirmishers!" "Well done, Four Section!" "Vicar!" "Come on, Vicar!" "Vicar, come on!" " Close the square!" " Close the square!" "Charge!" "Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God." "It's not the British!" "It's the Mahdi!" "Get back!" "Volley fire, if you please, Mr. Willoughby!" "The skirmishers, sir?" "Hold this square at all costs" "Mr. Willoughby!" "Get back to the square!" "Get back to the square!" "Get back to the square!" "Go!" "Get back to the square!" "Go!" "Go!" "Vicar!" "...my sins deliver before me!" "Volley fire, Mr. Willoughby!" "Now!" "Mr. Willoughby, I gave you a direct order!" "Castleton!" "Save me from my sins!" "Vicar, get back to the four square!" " Go on, Trench!" "Go on!" " Run!" "Present!" "Fire!" "Don't shoot!" "Come on!" "Let's go!" "Vicar!" "Close the square!" "Close the square!" "Mr. Willoughby..." "Jack!" "What are your orders, sir?" "Sir!" "Sound the retreat!" ""My dear Jack..."" "Oh..." "I'm a fool." "I was a fool to think that I could ever go back home." "I can't." "Your friend needs help." "My friend knows how to help himself." "I can't see." "I can't see." "I can't see!" "Oh!" "Don't!" "Don't!" "Don't!" "Don't!" "Who are you?" "I have letters." "Oh..." "Who are you?" "I can't see." "I can't see." "Shh." "I can't see." "Shh." "Shh." "Shh..." "Hello, Jack." "Ethne." "How are you?" "I wanted to ask your advice, General." "My advice?" "Jack Durrance has... has asked me to marry him." "You don't need my advice." "Jack Durrance is a good man." "I haven't answered him yet." "I was wondering if you'd heard from Harry." "I've heard nothing and, uh..." "I don't think I shall hear from him again." "I should've listened." "I miss him." "My son loved Jack Durrance like a brother." "I know he'd want you to be happy." "A few more weeks and he'll be able to ride without help." "Will that be the end of your penance?" "Jack." "Oh-ho-ho-ho." "Not bad." "You should see me on a camel." "Lavender... and onions." "Sunday lunch." "Take the horse to the stables and you can have some." "Thank you, Robert, it's quite all right." "It's me, Jack." "Tom." "They finally made you captain, Miss Willoughby." "All those decorations." "You must have a few, yourself." "How'd you know I was visiting today?" "I, uh..." "I saw Harry, Jack." "Where?" "In the Sudan." "I was following our retreat." "We had a terrible time of it." "The enemy hounded us all the way." "The desert itself seemed to side with them." "We ran out of water, medical supplies... even had to leave stragglers behind." "Finally, our own native scouts turned on us." "We lost more men on that retreat than we did at the battle." "Get out!" "Didn't you hear what I said?" "I said get out or I'll have you whipped you filthy wog!" "Like you had my friend whipped?" "Harry?" "I sent a man to warn you and you had him tortured for his pains." "I..." "What would it have cost to listen?" "I didn't know it was you." "You should've taken precautions, Tom." "I didn't know it was you." "For God's sake, what are you doing here?" "And afterwards?" "He, uh... he asked me for some money and left." "To come back?" "No." "No, there was a..." "there was a rumor going around that some of our surviving soldiers had been captured and taken to prison." "Harry thought Trench might be one of them." "He went after him?" "I tried to stop him, Jack." "I told him they were only rumors that the chances of survival were... virtually none." "He wouldn't listen." "Did you come here to tell Ethne Harry was dead?" "I don't know that he's dead, Jack." "So you've come to give her hope?" "What would you do in my place?" "Keep it to myself, Tom, until I was sure." "What did he say?" "Your friend is dead." "I saw Trench taken alive." "Prisoners were taken to Omdurman last month." "Your army abandoned them." "The shame is no longer yours." "You're responsible to yourself and to God not to them." "I am responsible to my friend." "I will find him." "You have learned nothing." "You've done enough." "It's never enough, Abou." "Look, if the Mahdi's men find out I'm British they'll take me to their prison." "It's the only way I'll find my friend." "They will hang you." "Abou, you must help me get into the prison." "I will not be responsible for your death." "How could you be responsible for my death?" "I will die if it is God's will." "Yes?" "You English walk too proudly on the earth." "You are a fool my friend." "Trench!" "Trench!" "Trench!" "Trench!" "Ibrahim!" "Trench!" "Don't lose our space!" "Come on, son." "You mustn't fall." "You mustn't fall." "All right..." "T-Trench." "Harry?" "Harry... if you didn't come with the army, then who sent you?" "You did." "All this way... for a feather." "I brought some money." "How much?" "A hundred." "Hundred?" "What's going on?" "Who are those women?" "They're all relatives of the men in here." "They bring them scraps of food." "Let's see if we can get you something to eat." "What can we do with this money?" "Well, there's no chance of bribing Idris." "His entire family was wiped out by one of our artillery attacks." "Now, Hassan, on the other hand, is infinitely corruptible." "For 100 dirhams, he'll either help us escape... or he'll stab us in the back and keep the money." "I'll see if I can talk to him." "The first thing I do when I get back is book a table at Wilton's..." "a private room." "No bloody crowds." "Two pints of stout, please, guvner!" "Ha!" "Not long now, Harry!" "Not long now!" "Trench." "Please, Trench, get up." "Trench, come on." "I have some money." "Money's no good for me." "I can't bribe the guards anymore." "I have nothing left to lose nothing left to live for but still, I'm frightened." "Fear always remains." "Pray for me, Abou." "Take as long as you like." "I don't walk too proudly now." "Stop." "Have some food." "You're looking better." "You may not feel it, but you look it." "When I get better, will I look as bad as you?" "We'll get you through this, Trench." "I don't want to get through this, Harry." "I don't think I can take it anymore." "I had a visitor today." "He brought us a gift." "The poison will take a few hours to work." "You won't feel any pain." "That'll make a change." "Careful." "I didn't mean to be a pig about it." "How about we give them one last night of hell?" "I'll drink to that!" "Oh, Trench." "I can't feel anything in my legs." "The poison has paralyzed your body." "It'll wear off soon." "I thought it was supposed to kill me." "Only for a while." "You mean, you knew?" "I couldn't be short-changed." "That's the last time I let you buy the drink." "How many bullets?" "One." "Better make it count." "No." "I can't carry him." "You can." "Save my friend." "Save my friend." "Look after your friend." "What will you do now?" "Whatever God has chosen for me." "Do I look that bad?" "Everyone said how..." "much you'd changed." "I didn't believe them." "May I have it back?" "That isn't why I came." "I'd still like it back." "I'm almost sorry to let it go." "It's brought me a lot of luck..." "over these past few months." "Have you heard our news?" "Yes." "How is Jack?" "I think he's happy." "Good." "He deserves to be." "So do you." "It will pass." "You will meet someone soon." "Then you and her and Jack and I..." "Yes." "...will set up tea and chat politely as if... as if nothing ever happened with us before." "That won't happen, Ethne." "It has to happen." "It has to because I love you..." "Harry." "I love you and I can't..." "I'm sorry." "Was that Ethne's carriage outside?" "She is giving me a ride to the station." "Why didn't she come out?" "I think she wanted to give us a minute or two alone." "Do we need a minute or two alone, Harry?" "I came to thank you, Jack." "For what?" "For standing by me." "If you're talking about the feathers" "I wasn't there." "Willoughby told me you were." "You don't owe me anything, Harry." "The wedding isn't for another month." "Ethne is free to make up her own mind." "She's made up her mind." "You should trust her judgment." "To Castleton and all the others we left behind." "Indeed." "You remember the first time we led a cavalry charge in public?" "Yes, I do, Jack." "You wiped the floor with me." "I believe most of my horses ended up in the bandstand." "Yes, I did, and..." "yes, they did." "Ethne was there... watching." "Yes, I remember." "You should." "You're the only one she danced with." "I've never been so jealous." "I wanted to prove to her that I was the better soldier." "Well, you always were the better soldier, Jack." "Yes, of course, but..." "She was the first person I looked for in the crowd... and she was staring at you." "Everyone else was applauding me... and she was staring at you." "Nothing's changed." "She's beautiful... isn't she?" "Yes, she is." "You may be lost..." "but you are not forgotten." "For those who have journeyed far to fight in foreign lands know that the soldier's greatest comfort is to have his friends close at hand." "Welcome home, Harry." "Thank you, sir." "In the heat of battle it ceases to be an idea for which we fight... or a flag." "Rather... we fight for the man on our left and we fight for the man on our right and when armies have scattered and when the empires fall away... all that remains is the memory of those precious moments..." "...we spent side by side." "Forgive me." "I did you a great wrong." "There is nothing to forgive." "Yes, there is." "I should've stood by you, Harry." "I should've understood." "I used to be so sure about everything." "We both were, Ethne." "And now?" "And now..." "Well... well, now I have no choice, Ethne." "God put you in my way."