"Hey, Ito." " Come here." " Go away, Rattu , I'm busy." "Hey, Ito." "I have something to tell you ." "Haven't you got any work to do, Rattu;" "Thank you , lto." "Right over my back." "See who that is, lto." "Tell Connelly memsahib I wish to speak with her." "Get rid of your servant." "Ito ;" "Nearly a week ago I presented you with an ultimatum." "I'm still waiting for your answer." "I've thought about your ultimatum, Captain Boyd." "I intend to convey it to Robert Case on his return." "That should be at any moment." "You 've made a wise decision." "You leave me with no alternative, of course." "Why are you so vindictive ;" "I don't like wives who cheat." "Especially with half-castes." "And I don't like half-castes who masquerade as officers." "I suggest you complain to the War Office who appointed them." "Your behaviour has made that quite unnecessary, in this instance, at any rate." "It's ironical that your husband should volunteer for special mission... with your lover." " Don't you think;" " Will you leave me, please ;" "Ito, help me to dress." "What is it;" "I think it's Lieutenant Case." "Any sign of Connelly;" "No, sir." "Warn the sentries and send Case to me as soon as he gets in." "Sir." "Hmm..." "Case." " Where is Captain Connelly;" " He was captured, sir." " Alive ;" " Yes, sir." "We were ambushed and became separated." "And you escaped, eh ;" "How;" "I got away under cover of darkness." "I see." "All right, make your report." "Their numbers are growing daily and the Gilzhai now have a new and formidable leader." "They call him Eli Khan." "So they are getting organised." " What do you know of this man ;" " Very little, sir." "Except that he was educated in England." "He's reputed to be slightly mad, but wily as a fox." "His headquarters are a closely guarded secret." "We're badly under strength." "To meet a full scale attack, we'll need help from Fort Lakhan." "They're about three days' ride from us." "I don't think Eli Khan is ready yet, sir." "But when he is, he'll attack one fort at a time, beginning with Kandahar." "If I may suggest sir... I think there is still time to evacuate the civilians." "I don't require your advice, Mr Case." "You may go." "One moment." "You say you were separated from Captain Connelly;" "Yes, sir." "Then how do you know he was taken ;" "Iused these." "You saw him, but you didn't go his aid;" "Are you saying that an officer of your resources failed to conceive any action that might have resulted in Captain Connelly's rescue ;" "Answer my question." "Why did you send me on this mission, Colonel;" "To die like a hero or to bring back the information you require ;" "I ordered you to answer my question!" "There might have been one chance in a thousand." "I considered I had no right to take that chance." "Thank you ." "May I presume to say, sir;" "Well;" "He's the only officer at Kandahar who could have failed to come to Connelly's aid." "That surely was his first duty." "He had every right to take the chance, however slim." "Then, what can we expect from a half-caste ;" "I was also wondering..." "Go on, Captain Boyd." "...whether his concern for the civilians extends beyond the wife of Captain Connelly." "Elsa ;" " Rattu , leave us." " Sahib." " Elsa, you shouldn't have come here." " l'm sorry." "The other day, Captain Boyd came to see me." "He told me he was going to inform Tom about us unless you resign your commission." "Captain Boyd said that;" "You haven't a chance, Robert." "You never did have - they hate you ." "Resign my commission ;" "Forgive me, Robert, but I've decided that I want to try and save my marriage." "It's too late, Elsa." " What do you mean ;" " Tom isn't coming back." " You mean..." " He was taken by the Gilzhai." "Oh..." "God!" "Mercifully, he was killed instantly." "Are you telling the truth ;" "Yes." "Robert..." "Oh, Robert." "Elsa." "He had no idea of what was between us." "We didn't cause his death by falling in love." "He went out on a special mission and he was taken." "It was his time to die." "Spoken like a true soldier!" "You came back!" "You condemn me because I don't inflict myself with conscience." "It was you who came back." "A coincidence or a convenience ;" " ls that what you really think;" " That's what everyone will think." " Elsa!" " l wish I'd never set eyes on you ." "Because of Tom ;" "Or because people suspect that you love a half Indian officer who had the impertinence to push his way up from the ranks ;" "I have orders to place you under close arrest." " On what charge ;" " Cowardice in the face of the enemy." "Bring in the prisoner." "Prisoner escort, shun." "Shoulder arms." "Quick march." "Halt." "This court finds you guilty of an act of cowardice in the face of the enemy in that you deliberately and with malice aforethought deserted a brother officer relinquishing him to the mercy of the enemy." "Have you anything to say before sentence is pronounced;" "The accusation is false." "I am innocent." "The Court pronounces upon you the sentence of ignominious discharge and a term of ten years confinement in one of her Majesty's prisons." "Remove the prisoner." "Prisoner and escort about turn." "Quick march." "Left wheel." "Halt!" " Who goes there ;" " Rattu ." "What is it, Rattu;" "Up there the air whispers softly." "You fellows have an odd way of asking for a breath of fresh air." "Help yourself." "Ten years in the glasshouse, eh, Mr Case ;" "Must be hard on a man who's used to his freedom." "Still, if it's any consolation they do say they may take you back into the ranks - afterwards - whether you like it or not." "[Laughs ] I wouldn't mind betting' there'll be a reception committee waiting for you ." "You know, it's quite a novelty, being able to talk to a..." " Quickly, sahib." " But Rattu ..." "No talk now, please come." "Hurry, sahib." "Sahib." "We rest, sahib." "I think we'd better start heading south." "We're too close to the Gilzhai territory for my liking." "The horses very tired, sahib." "A few minutes ;" "All right." "It is all right, sahib." "He is not to be harmed." "He is a friend of the Gilzhai." "Is this the man Eli Khan wants to meet;" "It is." "Hitala wants you to know he's your friend." "I'd like to know why." "You will find out when you meet Eli Khan." "Eli Khan ;" "My master." "My name is Eli Khan." "Yes, I gathered that." "And yours..." "Robert Case." "Sit down." "Condemned by your own people to ten years in prison." "Of course, I find the English such a barbarous race." "We ourselves do no such things." "We just..." "kill each other." "These are two of my chiefs." "You wonder why they fight;" " Yes." " They quarrel." "One of them will die, perhaps two." "And that will please my people." "Do you not think it is an interesting idea ;" "It's a pity the English do not supply such good sport for their people." "All the time I'm thinking of something new." "It keeps my people happy." "You 're not very talkative." "I was wondering what you had in mind for me... by way of sport." "We will discuss that later." "In the meantime I want you to accept my hospitality." " Eli Khan ;" " Mm-hmm." "You seem surprised;" "I'm surprised at being alive for so long." "Do not gaze on the dark side of the moon, my friend." "So." "You 're alive." "Be thankful to Allah." "You seem to know a lot about me." "I have eyes and ears..." "and my servant Rattu ." "I was under the impression he was my servant." "He helped you to escape from prison, didn't he ;" "Be thankful, Englishman." "That is my sister Ratina." "Do you wish to be introduced to her;" "She is as wise as she is beautiful." "But she is deceptive." "She has claws and teeth like a mountain cat." "Ratina!" "This is the Englishman I was speaking to you about." "He wishes to be introduced to you ." "I am deeply honoured." "Would you be interested to know why you are still alive ;" "Very interested." "Because you 're a good soldier." "But you have no one to fight for and no friends to return to." "True." "There are always new friends." "You 'll find many amongst the Gilzhai." "I make you a proposition." "Join me in my fight against those who betrayed you ." " Join you;" " Why not;" "There is hatred in your eye, Englishman." "Yes, there is hatred." " But not for me." " No." "This is where you belong, Englishman." "You belong amongst the people of the Gilzhai." "I adopted the British." "On the contrary." "My informants tell me that the British adopted you ." "And then betrayed you ." "If they catch you now they'll kill you regardless of whether you join me or not." "Do you want to die, Englishman ;" "I have no fear of death." "This I believe." "If I join you ..." "I shall want mercy for the civilians and all prisoners taken." "Allah has guided your decision." "The people of the Gilzhai are slow to anger but mighty in their wrath." "Together we shall stamp the English Raj into the dust." "We shall show mercy for civilians." "And all prisoners taken." "What are these games he is teaching them ;" "That is not a game, my beautiful." "It is a military formation known as the British Square." "It is good to learn some of the tricks of the enemy." "You trust this man ;" "Like my own brother." " You killed our brother." " That is why I trust him." "Six men watch him every day and every night." "One wrong move and he will join our brother." " How long do we wait, Eli;" " Until I am ready." "Our people are growing restless." "There is an English saying, Ratina." "'Run not..." "until you have learned to walk.'" "Allah will tell me when to run." "One way or the other." "A troop of Lancers has been sighted heading towards the fort." "It's probably a relief force from Lakhan." "How many;" "A hundred men." "It is nothing." "All the more to die when we destroy Kandahar." "I have no intention of waiting to be attacked." "On the open plain one Lancer is worth twenty Gilzhai." "I intend to send our patrols deeper into enemy territory and draw them out." "Remember this, gentlemen, the enemy isn't ready for an all out fight but they can never resist a skirmish." "In this way we will drain away their strength." " Captain Boyd." " Sir." "A and B Troops will proceed at dawn to Khyber Pass." "Case..." "My compliments to Colonel Drewe." "Is it possible that this brigand is training them ;" "Yes, sir, I think this is possible." "They're certainly using some of our tactics." "Mmm..." "As I suspected." "A savage will always return to his own kind." "All the time he was in the hills he was conspiring with Eli Khan." "With him has gone knowledge of our dispositions, our strength and our methods." "At all costs he must be found and brought to justice." "I want villages searched, destroyed if necessary, prisoners taken and questioned, extreme measures to be used to discover this man's hideout." "No sign of him here, sir." " How many prisoner;" " Six, sir." " All right, we'll move on." " Sir." "Connelly!" "Rattu , come here!" "Sahib ;" "Where does this man come from ;" "He lives in the pits, sahib, where we keep the prisoners." "That was one of your men, in case you didn't recognise him." "I did... just." "I asked him whether he'd prefer to fight a starving tiger or fight for me." "He preferred to fight the tiger." "Oh, he fought very well, but when he lost the use of one of his arms," "I decided to spare his life, so I... shot the tiger." "That was magnanimous of you ." "I'm curious to know why you didn't make me the same proposition." " Why should I challenge your pride ;" " It isn't too late." "I have made the same mistake before." "You 'll be of far more use to me with your heart full of hatred for your own people." "Oh, but..." "Perhaps you 'd care to come and look at some more of my prisoners." "Nobody can escape from here unless they go into the camp." "If they reach this far, then my people throw rocks at them." "Oh, they all like an escape." "It gives everybody such great entertainment." "Except for the prisoner." "We had another British soldier who was here for a long time." "I gave him the chance to fight for me." "He said he'd rather die." "So he died." "Eli Khan, this man is suffering a living death." "Let him die, too, swiftly - with a bullet." "No, my friend." "While he lives he serves as a warning." " You think I'll betray you;" " No." "But not because you don't love me." "If you did love me, I wouldn't trust you ." "I trust only hate." "I trust your hatred for the British." "Not for the British." "For one man." "That wouldn't be Colonel Drewe ;" "Do you wish to kill him ;" "I intend to kill him." "You 're a man after my own heart." "We will grow to love each other." "Like I love my brother." "Ratina!" "Come on, hurry it up." "Get a move on, look lively." " Prisoners ready to move off, sir." " Thank you , Colour Sergeant." " We'll move on to the next village." " Sir." "Message received from Peshawar, sir." "Well, I thought you said this man had already arrived;" "Yes, sir." "He's outside now, but you know how they are at Peshawar." "The event first, then the information." "All right, Colour Sergeant." "Send him in." "Sir." "The Colonel will see you now, sir." "Mr Marriott, this is Colonel Drewe." "How do you do, sir;" "Well, sit down, Mr Marriott." "Thank you ." "I have been requested to accord you certain facilities." "Perhaps you 'll enlighten me about yourself." "Yes, sir." "Thank you ." "My newspaper sent me out here about a year ago on a roving commission." "Most of that time I spent on the north-west frontier, just travelling around from one outpost to the other." "With an idiot servant as a bodyguard." "Up to now we've been ambushed twice, but somehow we're still here." "In short, sir, I'm here to report the war and any side issue that might be of interest to our readers back home." "Such as the court martial of Lieutenant Case." "See who that is, lto." "May I speak to Connelly memsahib ;" "The gentleman may come in, lto." "I'm sorry to trouble you ." " My name is Jed..." " Mr Jed Marriott of the London Times." "News travels fast at Fort Kandahar." "Yes, Mr Marriott." "News travels fast when there's little else to do but talk." " Do sit down." " Thank you ." "I hope you 'll excuse this intrusion..." "and the subject I'm going to broach." "It's, er, a subject I'm sure that's still quite painful to you ." "Go on." "I refer of course to the sad loss of your husband." "Is the death of one soldier of such great interest to readers of the London Times ;" "Iunderstand that your husband was deserted by a fellow officer who has since defected to the enemy." "That is correct." "You knew this man ;" "I did." "May I ask how well you knew him ;" "I mean, did you know him well enough to form a judgement of his character and the justice of his sentence ;" "What are you insinuating, Mr Marriott;" " Well, nothing, but..." " Let us get to the point, shall we ;" "You are a news reporter." "You are searching for a good story." "You 've already heard something to whet your appetite." "I suggest that you continue to probe for information in the officer's mess." "You will hear more gossip there than you will ever experience in Mayfair tea parties." "I'm sorry, I..." "I seem to have given offence." "I don't quite understand why..." "or how." "Unless of course I have accidentally touched on something intimately personal." "All I hoped to hear from you was an opinion." "Quite unofficial, of course." "Just something to give me a lead." "You see, some of the officers have suggested that Lieutenant Case was not the sort of man to desert a brother officer." "The evidence was circumstantial." "I... just wondered." "If I would verify that opinion ;" "Or not." "According to your just views." "According to my just views, Case is guilty." "I see." "I must say, your reference to gossip intrigued me." "But I really am only interested in the basic facts." "The hard facts of life..." "and death... here on the frontier." "Thank you for your help." "I have twenty prisoners for questioning, sir." "I'll join you in the guardhouse in a few minutes." "You 've never seen this man, but you 've heard of him ;" " No, sahib." " You 're lying." "Some of your people have seen him." "Haven't they talked about him to you;" " No, sahib." " Next!" "If you don't tell me the truth I'll fine you 200 rupees." "I am a very poor man, sahib." "I have no money." "Then I'll have you beaten in front of your wives." " Sahib, I know nothing." " All right, next man." "If you tell me where the Englishman is hiding" " I'll give you 200 rupees..." " I don't know, sahib." " ...and a herd of goats." " I know nothing, sahib." "Take him away, Colour Sergeant." "If you don't tell me the truth I'll fine you 200 rupees." " No, sahib..." " Where is the Englishman ;" "If you tell me where the Englishman is hiding" "I'll give you 200 rupees and a herd of goats" "I'll give you 200 rupees if you tell me where the Englishman is." "If you don't tell me the truth I'll fine you 200 rupees." "You 've never seen this man, but you 've heard of him ;" "You 're lying." "Some of your people have seen him." "Well;" "They're too scared to talk." "They know if we find Case we'll find Eli Khan." "That is precisely why they must be made to talk." " Give me your pistol." " Sir;" "Your pistol." "Pistol!" "Colour Sergeant, bring me a prisoner - any prisoner." "Stand him up against that wall." "Stand aside, gentlemen." "Now... I want to know where the English sahib is hiding." "I don't know, sahib." " Talk." " I don't know, sahib." "The next bullet is for you ." "Talk." "No, sahib. I have a wife and many children, sahib." " Then talk." " Not here, sahib." "They'll kill me." "Not here, sahib." "Take him to my quarters, Colour Sergeant." "Gentlemen, this is Mr Jed Marriott of the London Times." "He's come to the north-west frontier to report our activities." "I hope he won't find life here too dull." "Colonel." " May I ask you a question ;" " You may." "Would you have killed that man if he hadn't been prepared to talk;" "Yes, Mr Marriott." "I would have killed him." "This is undoubtedly where Eli Khan has pitched camp." "A cave, high up in the hills, due west from Kandahar." "If it's approached from the south along the goat track there is a good chance of penetrating it without being seen." "According to him this area isn't patrolled because it's almost inaccessible." "Well, I won't deny that whoever undertakes the operation may stand only one chance in three of survival." "I shall want six volunteers." "One officer, one N.C.O. and four men." "The objective - to eliminate the traitor, Robert Case, and if possible Eli Khan himself." "I should remind you , gentlemen, that the death of Eli Khan and his accomplice, Robert Case, might shorten the war on this frontier." "Any questions ;" "I imagine the number required will be exceeded by volunteers." " I request permission to draw lots." " Granted." " I have a request to make, sir." " Well;" "Permission to accompany the expedition." "Colonel, I've knocked around the frontier for over a year." "I can handle a gun, and I have no dependants." "Very well, but I accept no responsibility for your safety." "Dismissed." "Right, come on!" "You shall decide how they will die, Englishman." "We made a bargain." "Have you forgotten ;" "Oh, yes." "Mercy to all prisoners taken." " Starting next week." " Starting... now." "Rattu !" "They're not to be harmed, do you understand;" "The noble sahib has spoken." "Take them away." "May I talk to you;" "My name is Marriott." "Of the London Times." "First I'd like to thank you ." "Don't be over-elated." "Eli Khan has a convenient memory." "I'm a born optimist." "I ought to warn you ." "If you 're planning to make one move I wouldn't approve of you might as well start writing your own epitaph." "I came out here to write about the war." "To report the facts." "Incidentally, I've heard quite a lot about you , but I want your side of the story." "Drewe calls you a brigand and a traitor." " I'd like to find out about that." " Hitala." "Give this man a place to sleep." "Put a guard on him." "If he or anyone tries to escape..." "shoot them." "Sahib." "It was one of the prisoners." "He disobeyed your orders." "I shot him." "Was that one of our men ;" "No." "One of yours." "There's no doubt whose side you 're on." "You talk too much, Marriott." "It's only be talking to people that I can draw the truth out of them." "Look, I heard about your court martial." "I thought it was a tough verdict." "But does that justify what you 're doing now - as a soldier;" "I am no longer a soldier." "I was degraded on a trumped up charge that would never prevail in a civil court of law." "The judges were my enemies." "I'm curious about one thing." "You tried to fit into a society to which you only half belonged." "Didn't you know they'd never let you make it;" "I believed there was justice." "But you were proud of your uniform, sir;" "Very proud." "But the vultures started pecking away at that pride." "Right." "Now I'm back where I started with the people who won't blame me for being half white." "Did Elsa Connelly blame you;" "What are the facts about Elsa Connelly and the husband that went away with you on special mission ;" "I see." "The vultures have been talking to you ." "Get back to your quarters, Marriott." "Do you know what I've been doing for last twelve months ;" "I've been writing about puppets." "Soldiers in uniform to be killed." "Or to kill." "To love, to hate, to obey the noble British Raj." "Well, I've had all that, Case." "And so have you ." "Now, give me something I can write about." " Something that might help us both." " I've nothing else to tell you ." "Connelly was reported "missing believed killed in action"." " Now, is that the truth ;" " Yes." " Good night, Marriott." " Did you at any time..." "Good night!" "I hope we can talk again." "ln-between battles perhaps." "Good night." "Englishman!" "The pit must have a fascination for you ." "You come here every day." "And every day you pass my cave." "I don't wish to disturb you ." "Why do you come so much to the pit where there is only the smell of death ;" "Each day brings us nearer to the final battle!" "Good news." "Rattu tells me that 400 men from Gaza have moved into the hills north of Kandahar." "The men from Ghaza are men of peace, Eli." "They are no good to us." "I write to teach them the ways of war." "If they don't wish to learn then they will make good rifle practice for the Gilzhai." "When will you return ;" "Before the new moon!" "The men of the Gilzhai are tired of waiting." "If I give them the word, they will follow you ." "Have you the courage to lead them ;" "Why do you want to destroy him ;" "He's your brother." "So was the brother he killed." "You can do what you like now." "I heard there was a British officer down here." "Why did you kill him ;" "If you were like he was would you want to live ;" " Did he beg you to kill him ;" " He couldn't beg." "So you did it to save him from further suffering;" "Yes." "Did the fact that he was Elsa Connelly's husband help you in this painful decision ;" "So he was the husband;" "I thought so." "Connelly was reported missing three weeks ago." "This man was taken prisoner around about that time." "I hope you can settle your conscience." "I have no problem with my conscience." "Would you like the widow to know;" "I'll show you you 're wrong, Marriott." "Before Eli Khan returns I'm gonna send you back to Fort Kandahar." "You can tell Colonel Drewe that he can have safe conduct for the evacuees." "That includes Mrs Connelly." " He won't believe you ." " Then it's up to you to persuade him." "I'll have to convince myself first." "Anyway, what is this going to prove ;" "It proves that if I shot Connelly to get him out of the way" "I'd hardly put Elsa beyond my reach for all time." "She deserted you too, didn't she ;" "But I don't think you 've forgotten Elsa Connelly." "That's why I don't trust you ." " I've forgotten her, Marriott." " That'll be to be hard to prove." "See..." "I've met her." "And she's quite a lady." "Hard to get out of the system." "You were so flattered to be loved by a lady." "You are a very serious image." "You must learn to smile." "That's better." "I'm waiting for your answer." "You remember;" "Ratina, your brother spared my life." "I know what it feels like to feel betrayed." "It won't be you who has betrayed him." "Rattu has gone with him." "And Rattu hates him as much as I do." "Eli will never return." "But you have returned to your own people." "I'd like a word with you ." "I've decided to agree to your proposal." "You can leave at sun-up." "I'll give you an escort as far as the plain." "Englishman." "I'm trusting you ." "I hope I won't be sorry." "Give me one good reason why I should trust him!" "I think I can satisfy you , Colonel." "He's not interested in killing civilians." "Just you ." "We share a mutual ambition." "All right, Mr Marriott, I'll give the matter my consideration." " Now, will you excuse us ;" " Certainly." "Gentlemen, I have some news for you ." "A relief force left Peshawar yesterday at noon." "In view of this circumstance" "I feel I can spare an escort party to accompany the civilians." "Do you think that Case will keep his word, sir;" "After what Marriott's told us, I'm inclined to believe he will." "Murdering a few civilians holds no military objective." "Arrange for them to leave immediately." "Detail one N.C.O. and six Lancers to accompany them as far as Keela." "Yes, sir." "Sahib!" "Many people..." "people from Kandahar." " Soldiers ;" " Yes, sahib." "Civilian people, also." "Who are they;" " Mostly civilians." " English ;" "Traders from the fort and their families." "I said they could go free." "Those who come from Kandahar belong to the English." "No one from Kandahar shall live." "We fight soldiers, not women and children." "Only I will decide who will fight who." "Go and destroy them, Englishman." " Go now." " l said no!" "Then I will." "I said they will follow you ." "But when I tell them and not until." "Now release me." "Hitala!" "Bring my horse and thirty men to go with me." "You don't love the British." "So why do you try to protect them ;" "Halt!" "Dismount!" "Tired;" "I'm all right, thank you , Mr Marriott." "Ambush!" "Take cover!" "Fire!" "Mr Marriott." "Mr Marriott!" "One prisoner, Englishman." "Murderer." "I didn't order the attack, Elsa." "I was powerless to prevent it." "You gave Marriott your word." "I believed I could keep my word, but circumstances were against me." "Circumstances don't make you a murderer, and I'm referring to Tom now." " Marriott told you;" " Yes." "Then he must have told you why I killed him." "He told me what he believed, but you were guilty of Tom's murder from the moment you allowed him to be taken by these savages." "You were powerless to prevent that too, weren't you;" "You 've never been powerless to save your own skin." "Hitala." "Take the woman and shoot her." "is she your woman ;" " No." " Then why must she live ;" "Eli Khan!" "Don't you think you should welcome your brother;" "And how are the claws of my sweet gentle sister;" "My claws are always sharp, Eli." "As sharp as Rattu 's knife ;" "Keep out of sight as much as you can." "Don't attempt to leave." "You wouldn't stand a chance." "300 men are on their way, Englishman." "More are soon to follow." "He died with the knife he used to try to kill me." "Somebody must have offered him a reward." "I wonder who that could be." "Today the civilians tried to leave Fort Kandahar." "And how many did you kill my gentle one ;" "All." "Except an Englishwoman." "Hitala, wine." "She is very beautiful." "I think you should see her." "Giusep, bring the Englishwoman." "We ride against the British!" "When, Eli;" "When do we attack;" "Before the next sun rises above the hills!" "She's mine." "Take her away." "She stays." "With me." "You 've changed since I've been away." "I don't think I like that." "I'll give you a chance to keep your woman." "We fight." "Bring swords!" "I'm gonna kill you slowly, Englishman." "It's all right." " It's all right." " How the devil did you get away;" "Too busy watching the fight." "Case and Eli Khan." "Mr Marriott, the Gilzhai are riding against the fort tomorrow." "Come on." "Hey!" "Enough!" "The woman ran away during the fight." "English!" "Why did she desert you while you fought for her;" "She has no love for me." "You regret this ;" "No." "She was the last link with people I imagined were my own." "Now she's gone the link is broken forever." "It is Allah's will." "Welcome." "You are chief of the Gilzhai." "When you are ready we attack!" "I'm ready." "Tomorrow then." "Tomorrow!" "I pray to Allah that we will be together." "Allah always answers my prayers." "We'll be together." "Always." "If what you and Mrs Connelly tell us is correct, we must assume a full-scale attack." "And you will be out-numbered at least ten to one, Colonel." "Thank you , Mr Marriott, I'm aware of it." " Colour Sergeant." " Sir." "Request all officers to report to me immediately." "Sir." "Company, halt!" "Take aim!" "Fire!" " Colour Sergeant." " Sir." " Signal both flanks to advance." " Sir." "Forward!" "Get to your horse, Englishman." " Save yourself." " Look." "Colour Sergeant, get your section and follow me." "Sir!" "Number one section, On the double, move!" "Spread out!" "Colour Sergeant, come with me!" "Sir!" "Get the others!" "All of you !" "Over here!" "Deploy the men around the base of the rock." " And start climbing." " Sir!" "You take the left, Jones and Cooper to the right." "You two follow me." "Hold your fire!" "You 're leaving now, Mr Marriott;" "Yes, Colonel." "Well, I wonder what memory you 'll take back with you of Fort Kandahar." "Just the memory of one man." "A man whom I saw destroyed, piece by piece." "A man who served his regiment well, but had the audacity to believe that his allegiance would be recognised." "Especially by his commanding officer." "A man who had the temerity to love, but committed the sin of being discovered and whose shade of skin set the seal on his betrayal." "Oh, it's all right, Colonel, I shan't be sending that story to my paper." "In fact, I shan't be writing about you at all." "I shall write about the brave men who serve under you ." "The men who think that you are great, who trust you ." "The men who fight for what they believe is right." "And who will carry the flag as long as they are alive to breathe the free air." "That's something worth writing about, don't you think;" "Goodbye, Colonel."