"Halt!" "Where are all your Touaregs and the battle, murder, and sudden death?" "You know the Arabs always carry off their own dead, Major." "Wake them up in there!" "Yes, sir." "The lookout tower is empty." "The place is probably bulging with Touaregs, sir." "No, I don't think so." "I'm gonna take a closer look." "Attack if I'm fired on again." "Yes, sir." "Major Beaujolais with a relief column from Fort Tokotu." "Call your officer and tell..." "Give me your rope." "I'm going over the wall." "Attack if you don't hear from me in 10 minutes." "May I ask a question, sir?" "They're all dead." "Dead, sir?" "Exactly." "Dead." "It may be a trap, Major." "Let me go." "You are too important." "May I go, sir?" "Yes." "Go over the wall and open the gates." "Keep your eyes open!" "What about those 2 shots, sir?" "I can ask the questions myself, Dufour." "It shouldn't have taken him this long." "No, sir." "I'm going over myself." "I'll tear the place down if you're not out in 5 minutes." "All right." "Bugler!" "Bugler!" "Bugler!" "Answer me!" "Bugler!" "Bugler!" "Halt!" "I'm glad to see you, sir." "Thanks." "Come here." "Not a soul alive in the place." "No sign of an enemy?" "No, sir." "They're dead." "Yes, sir." "Where's the bugler?" "Look for him if you want to." "I have." "No thanks, sir." "Up here is a young man who died peacefully." "Beside him is a sergeant with a French bayonet through his heart." "Where, sir?" "Never mind." "I have several questions I'd like to ask, sir." "I have a few myself." "We'll camp in the oasis tonight." "Tomorrow, I'll get to the bottom of this if I have to take a trip to the next world." "Touaregs!" "Fall back on the oasis." "Break ranks and fall back to the oasis!" "Dufour, I want 2 men to go back to Fort Tokotu for reinforcements." "Right, sir." "We'll go, sir." "Good." "Now, one of you must get through." "Split up when you get in the desert." "Have Lt. St. Andre bring his mounted Senegalese as fast as he can." "Yes, sir." "Cease firing!" "Cease firing." "Look, Major!" "There goes the evidence." "Of what, sir?" "I don't know." "Dufour, how am I gonna make a report about this?" "If I say exactly what's happened, they'll say I'm mad at Headquarters." "I think this is a silly game!" "For that remark, Ghastly Gussie, you are reduced from captain to a common seaman!" "How much longer do I have to be a common seaman, Admiral?" "Well, it takes time to work up." "You know, Digby," "John's a good worker for a common seaman." "It, uh, it wouldn't be a good idea to promote him." "That's right, Beau." "He might stop working." "I knew something would happen." "Are you hit?" "Y" " Yes, sir." "Well, come ashore." "And bring the ships." "Are you hurt much?" "Yeah." "No." "Are you all right?" "Well..." "Now be careful." "It hit pretty hard." "Don't bump that leg." "Here we are." "Lie down..." "Steady." "...and we'll examine the wound." "Do you..." "Do you want to bite on a bullet?" "That's what they always do in books." "Will... will I get promoted if I do?" "If you don't shout." "I..." "I won't shout." "I'm ready, Captain." "Sit on him." "Yes, sir." "Wait till Aunt Patricia hears about this." "There it is." "Bandage him, Isobel." "Look, Digby." "Oh, that must have hurt going in." "Not half as much as it did coming out!" "You're very brave." "Oh, no, I'm not." "I just wanted to be promoted." "I'm proud of you, John." "You'll be knighted and given a Viking's funeral." "No!" "Really, Beau?" "I..." "I mean, Admiral?" "Kneel." "Ooh." "I dub you Sir John Geste, Knight." "Rise, Sir Knight." "Get a ship ready, Captain." "Right, sir." "Sir John Geste." "Wait a minute." "A Viking always has to be buried with a dog at his feet." "There's one on the table in the study." "I'll go and get it." "Isobel, I think this is awfully silly." "I never speak to common sailors." "John, I..." "Sir John!" "Sir John, I think you're as silly as the rest of them." "Here it is." "Ah." "Very good, Captain." "Put it at Sir John's feet, light the fire and cast off." "Yes, sir." "Hats off!" "Attention!" "Bugler, blow the last post." "Are you crying because you're proud or because you're wounded?" "Because I'm proud!" "There, that's what I want when my turn comes." "I'd give anything to have a Viking's funeral, with a dog at my feet and the last post blown for me." "If it weren't too much trouble." "Beau, it isn't too much trouble." "I'll give you one whenever you like." "Here comes Aunt Patricia." "Wait till she hears about John's leg." "Sir John." "And you keep your mouth shut." "Children." "I want to introduce you to an old friend of mine." "Captain Henri de Beaujolais." "Henri, this is Michael Geste." "How do you do, sir?" "And Digby." "How do you do, sir?" "And John, the youngest brother." "How do you do, sir?" "And this is Isobel Rivers, my ward." "And Augustus Brandon, Sir Hector's nephew." "How do you do, sir?" "Aunt Patricia, John got a bullet in his leg and Beau took it out with a penknife!" "Oh, John!" "It's... it's nothing, Aunt Patricia." "It... it didn't even hurt." "Let me see, John." "An excellent job of surgery!" "We couldn't do better than that in the Foreign Legion." "Which is Beau?" "Oh, I am, sir." "You have a very steady hand." "Well, I'm very glad to have met you all." "Goodbye." "As soon as I get old enough," "I'm going to join the Foreign Legion." "That's exactly what I was thinking." "Me, too." "But of course, we'd have to leave Aunt Patricia." "Oh." "That's right." "Oh, I suppose we'll have to give it up." "She'll always need some men around to protect her." "I like your family, Patricia." "Especially the Gestes?" "Yes." "Why do you ask?" "Everybody does." "Who are they?" "Orphans." "Three young gentlemen of fortune that I've adopted." "And Augustus is Sir Hector's heir, I suppose?" "Mmm-hmm." "If Sir Hector leaves him anything to inherit." "Has he really managed to go through everything?" "Only the sapphire is left." "I'm sorry, Patricia." "Oh, I don't mind for myself." "It's the children." "I want to raise them and give them a chance in life." "I'm a little desperate about that." "And I suppose Sir Hector will be a little desperate the next time he comes home?" "Mmm." "He has to be desperate to come home." "Incidentally, before I go, may I see this fabulous sapphire of Sir Hector's?" "I've been hearing about it clear across the world." "Of course." "You know, I read this in a book somewhere." "Do you mean to tell me in the Foreign Legion they read adventure stories?" "This gets better and better." "This is called the Priests' Refuge." "In Oliver Cromwell's time, the Brandons used to hide them here." "Hmm!" "Takes your breath away." "That's the great-great- grandfather of all sapphires." "It's the one thing Sir Hector really loves." "Everything else he has but the estate has been gambled away." "Hasn't it a history?" "Isn't it supposed to bring bad luck to its owners?" "Bad luck?" "Do you think you could ever make any Brandon believe there was bad luck in having 30,000 pounds?" "Well, we're not going to get out today." "Let's play something in the house." "What could we play, Beau?" "We could play King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table." "How do you play that?" "Well, I'm King Arthur." "First, you put me in this suit of armor..." "Aunt Pat wouldn't like that." "I'll take the blame if she finds out." "Digby, you're Sir Lancelot." "John, you're Sir Gawaine." "Isobel is Queen Guinevere." "And, Gussie, you can be Sir Mordred." "Who's Sir Mordred?" "He's the knight who betrayed King Arthur." "Oh, I like that." "Digby, John, and Gussie will have to get swords and helmets." "Now, help me into this suit of armor before you go." "Can you manage?" "I..." "I think so." "Oh!" "Oh." "We'll be back in a minute, Sire." "Can you breathe all right?" "Fairly well." "Go, my people!" "That will be all, Burdon." "Ram Singh." "Aunt Pat!" "Well, there goes our king." "Thank you, Ram Singh." "Beau, Beau, are you all right?" "Yes." "Help me out." "What was that man with the towel on his head doing here?" "I don't know." "You were close enough to hear what he was saying." "Oh, I suppose I'll have to tell you." "He was from the Arabs." "He wanted me to fight on their side against the Foreign Legion." "And... and he asked Aunt Pat if I could go." "What did Aunt Pat say?" "Well... well, no." "It sounds like a big lie to me, John." "Just a moment, Digby." "Are you doubting the word of King Arthur?" "Why, no, Sire." "Are you, John?" "I didn't say a word, Sire." "Excuse me." "I hope I'm not intruding." "Oh, no, Aunt Pat." "We were just..." "Please go on, Isobel." "May I?" "Aren't you a little old for those childish games, Beau?" "Aren't you a little young for those grown-up cigars, Gussie?" "Is he still there?" "Yes." "Don't make so much noise." "What's the difference?" "He knows we're after him now." "All right." "Then let's get to work." "Let's not act hastily." "This requires some preparation." "All we need to do is move the couch." "He'll move fast." "We gotta watch out for him." "Well, one of us on each side." "And have him walk out right between us?" "I can see you haven't done much of this sort of thing, Digby." "Now, you move the couch and I'll cover the ground." "The minute he shows his head, I'll be on him like a tiger." "Now look, I flushed him," "I stood watch while you armed yourself." "It's up to you to move the couch." "Sorry, old boy, I don't see it your way." "Well, then we'll need a third party to move the couch while we do the dirty work." "John." "No, he's too busy." "We can't disturb him." "What's more important than this?" "When you get a little older you'll realize." "Love." "Love?" "You mean he's in love with Isobel?" "Horribly." "Worst case I've ever seen." "Well, he has my blessing." "Here he comes!" "Cute little fellow, isn't he?" "Probably been here for years." "Has a family, too, I suppose." "Well, go ahead, Beau." "After all, it's your room." "It must be your mouse." "Digby, we can't go down and face all the others with blood all over our hands, can we?" "No." "Remind me tonight to bring him up some cheese, will you?" "Did you have fun?" "Think of him behind that couch." "Same form of rodent." "Thank you." "The Gestes are such witty fellows to themselves." "Ghastly!" "If I could only..." "Shush!" "Don't argue with the heir, Digby." "Thank you." "A telegram." "First one in 5 years." "Who's it for, Burdon?" "Her Ladyship, sir." "I wonder if anything's happened to Sir Hector." "Now, please don't start reciting the will, Gussie, until we find out definitely." "Telegram, Madam." "Oh, thank you, Burdon." "Sir Hector is well, I trust?" "Quite well, Augustus." "And we are going to have a visit from him." "Oh." "That's splendid." "I don't understand." "He never comes home this time of year." "Only because he's never needed money at this time of the year before, Augustus." "Well, I don't see what more he expects to get out of the estate." "You forget the Blue Water." "Why, he wouldn't sell the Blue Water, would he, Aunt Pat?" "I'm afraid that's what he intends doing." "Why, there wouldn't be anything left!" "Excuse me." "Aunt Pat, would you show us the Blue Water before you go?" "We may not get another chance to see it." "Very well." "Burdon." "Yes, Madam?" "Will you come to the Priests' Refuge with me, please?" "And bring a candle." "Yes, Madam." "Well, why are we all so glum?" "Selling the Blue Water isn't the end of everything, is it?" "It is for Gussie." "Poor Aunt Pat." "She probably doesn't mind losing the Blue Water." "It's having Sir Hector around again." "Well, that's a splendid way to talk about your benefactor." "Where would you be if it weren't for him?" "I don't know, Ghastly, but not with you, at any rate." "We couldn't quietly arrange to dispose of Sir Hector in some way before he gets home, could we?" "Oh, nothing gory, of course." "Thank you, Burdon." "It looks like a piece of sky that had become solid, with sunlight imprisoned in it." "Cold sunlight." "Cold as the unhappiness it has brought so many people." "Well, must have blown a fuse." "Isobel, you're the closest." "Try the switch." "So somebody turned them off." "Another Geste joke?" "It's..." "It's gone!" "Why... why, it's impossible!" "Somebody in this room took it." "Now, don't be any more of an ass than you can help, Ghastly." "There's no one in this room but the family." "Well?" "It seems there's someone here with a sense of humor all his own." "Your joke, Augustus?" "Me?" "No, Aunt, really." "I..." "I swear it." "You, John?" "No, Aunt Pat." "Digby?" "Positively not." "Beau?" "I didn't take the Blue Water." "Surely not..." "Oh, no, Aunt." "I'm very much afraid someone is lying." "Put it back, John." "I said I didn't take it." "Suppose you put it back." "Suppose you do." "Whatever the humor of the joke, it's rather bad taste to prolong it." "I think we're agreed on that." "Perhaps our humorist wouldn't mind returning the Blue Water the way he got it, in the darkness." "Turn off the lights, Isobel." "Turn them on, Isobel." "I was trying to catch the thief." "So was I." "Whoever took the Blue Water has had his chance." "I don't want a scandal in Brandon Abbas." "I will leave the box on the table until morning." "If the Blue Water is not back by then, of course, I shall have to call the police." "Good night." "Have we a magician here?" "Or is Brandon Abbas haunted?" "Well, there's Augustus." "What about you?" "Please don't quarrel." "Somebody's just joking." "You don't joke about 30,000 pounds." "But this is dreadful." "It's got to be a joke." "You go to bed, Isobel." "We know it wasn't you." "Gussie," "I hate to do this, but it's necessary." "Now, then, n-n-n-now, wait a minute!" "Now... now, wait a minute!" "Wait a minute!" "I..." "I..." "Wouldn't it be wonderful if he really did have it?" "Be sure and look in his mouth, Digby." "You know, I'm really very sorry you didn't have it on you, Ghastly." "I wish I could search you." "I'd wager I'd find the Blue Water." "And if one of you is to blame, then all of you are because you always stick together." "Well, what's the next step?" "We all search each other?" "No, if I have a brother who's a thief," "I'd rather not know about it till he sends me my share of the loot." "Let's go to bed." "Quite an evening." "Yes." "Isobel didn't do it." "No." "Burdon didn't." "No." "Gussie?" "You searched him, didn't you?" "Well, there's just us left." "Well, I didn't take the thing." "Neither did I." "It'll probably be back in its little box in the morning." "Get some sleep." "Good night." "What are you doing?" "Searching the room." "I thought Gussie might have hidden it somewhere when the lights were out." "We needn't bother any more." "Read this." "When did you get it?" "It was under my door when I woke up this morning." "He must have left it in the night." "Yes." "Where do you think he went?" "Where would you go if you wanted to disappear completely and still have some excitement?" "Foreign Legion." "So would Beau." "Pardon me, Mr. John, but, uh, Mr. Digby left me this note to deliver to you at 9:00, sir." "Thank you, Burdon." "Yes, sir." "Isobel," "Beau left a note for Digby last night and now Digby has left a note for me." ""Dear John:" ""It wasn't Beau, but me." ""Love to Isobel," ""a sneer to Gussie, and a command to you." ""Grow up to be a credit to those two criminals," "Beau and Digby. "" "Why did they run away?" "Beau did it to shield Digby and me." "Digby wouldn't let him take the blame alone." "I should have known what Digby was going to do last night." "What are you going to do?" "Don't you know?" "I think at least one of the Gestes ought to kiss you goodbye." "I've been in love with you for a very long time." "I just didn't know how to say it." "Now that I do know, I..." "It's too late." "It's not too late." "But I couldn't ask you to wait for me." "Yes, you could." "Goodbye, Isobel." "John." "John, may I ask you a silly question, just once and for all?" "I know the answer, but I want to hear you say it." "All right." "Did you take the Blue Water?" "If I'd have stolen anything from Brandon Abbas, it would have been you." "Section, halt!" "Right face!" "Attention!" "Company, attention!" "Present arms!" "Dismissed!" "Show me your hands." "Turn them over." "Higher!" "Never have done a day's work in your life, have you?" "Yes, sir." "I'll manicure those before we're through." "You'll do to carry water." "You're not big enough to be a soldier." "You think I'm big enough to be a soldier, Sarge?" "Shut up!" "Well." "A countryman of mine." "So you decided to re-enlist, eh, Rasinoff?" "Yes, Sergeant." "You must be as big a fool as you are a thief." "Discipline makes the strength of armies." "It is necessary that superiors obtain from their subordinates immediate obedience without murmuring." "Discipline will be firm, but it will also be fatherly." "Officers must use psychology in dealing with men." "Any questions about the regulations?" "I am Sgt. Markoff." "I make soldiers out of scum like you and I don't do it gently." "You're the sloppiest looking lot I've ever seen." "It's up to me to prevent you from becoming a disgrace to the Regiment." "And I will prevent that if I have to kill half of you with work." "But the half that lives will be soldiers." "I promise you." "Corporal, take them to the barracks." "Yes, Sergeant." "Left face!" "Follow me!" "Forward march!" "Markoff!" "I just witnessed that little exhibition of yours, Markoff." "I don't like it!" "You have to be strict with scum like that, sir." "They're men!" "They have their rights, guaranteed with the regulations." "I'll keep within the regulations, sir." "You're a good soldier, Markoff, but I doubt if you're a good sergeant." "If you're not, you won't last long in the Legion." "Watch your step, or I'll break you." "That's all." "Is this Markoff gonna be our sergeant from now on?" "Yes." "He's a madman." "He was expelled from the Siberian penal colonies for cruelty." "Then he entered the Legion and rose from the ranks." "Enter the third robber." "Beau!" "Dig!" "How are you?" "I'm glad to see you." "You confounded nuisance!" "You wouldn't do anything original like staying at home, would you?" "Not without my older brothers to take care of me." "Why couldn't you join the Royal Northwest Mounted Police?" "We just ran out so we wouldn't have you on our hands anymore." "You mean you ran out on me and left me to face the police." "Well, have it your own way." "We're stuck with you for five years now." "Say, how's everybody at home?" "Well, but not happy." "Oh, that's too bad." "Say, wouldn't it be horrible if Ghastly Gussie should suddenly appear here, too?" "Ooh, horrible!" "Well, the Three Musketeers." "One for all, and all for nothing." "Ahem, ahem, ahem." "Oh, excuse me, two of my friends," "Mr. McMonigal and Mr. Miller." "My brothers, Beau and Digby." "How do you do?" "Glad to meet you." "And... and I am Rasinoff." "He was Rasinoff!" "You know, he hasn't been the same since he found out your brother could buy a drink." "Well, I guess this calls for a drink on me." "Will you join us?" "Don't be foolish!" "May... may I accompany you?" "If you insist." "Well, I insist." ""For France beneath Sahara's sky"" ""For France, no matter whether"" ""we live or we die"" ""Noble birth"" ""Or beggars of the earth"" ""Men of disgrace and of glory"" ""Low or great, we share an equal fate"" ""No Legionnaire tells his story"" ""For France"" "Shh." "Sounds worse than a battle." "And they fight it every night." "Wait till Hank joins in." "It'll sound like a massacre." "Aw, you just give me a couple of nights to get tuned up." "Shh." "Listen, Beau." "We can't talk in here." "Talk?" "We can't even sleep." "Then let's take our blankets and sleep outside." "Think we'll get picked up by the guard?" "Let's humor the child." "This is no place for high-class jewel thieves." "Good night, gentlemen." "Say." "Ain't you gonna stay for the concert?" "Listen, we've got to draw the line someplace and you ain't gonna sleep next to us." "Did you hear what the one called John said?" "Who?" "Get that man out of our boudoir." "They're jewel thieves!" "Well, what'd you expect to meet in the Legion, bankers?" "Good night." "Good night." "Well, isn't anybody going to say a word?" "You young pup, we're both so disgusted with you we're speechless." "I'm no worse than either of you." "There's something in what he says, Beau." "I insist I'm worse than he is, he didn't steal the Blue Water." "Neither did you." "No, as a matter of fact," "I've got it." "I'll be frank with you, gentlemen." "I've got it." "I intend to sell it for 30,000 pounds sometime in the future and live a life of ease in Paris, surrounded by whiskey, ladies and laughter." "Well, that's funny." "I'm going to sell it and go to Paris, too." "Only I don't want any laughter." "One thing I counted on was my younger brother leading an upright life while I spent my ill-gotten gains." "Yes, I was counting on him, too." "If you don't mind my saying so, the great sapphire is in my possession." "And as soon as I can arrange to sell it," "I'm going to the South Seas, buy a plantation and start trading in copra." "He puts us both to shame, doesn't he, Beau?" "Let's put him to death and keep his share." "All right." "Oh, we'll have to find it first." "Let's wait till the morning." "I don't like searching people in the dark." "Good night." "Good night." "Good night." "What the..." "Thief!" "I..." "I..." "I lost my way." "I..." "I was going for a drink." "Liar, you were trying to rob him." "No, I didn't know where I was going." "I was walking in my sleep." "You were trying to rob him, I know you from before, Rasinoff!" "No, I..." "I..." "I..." "I wasn't!" "Thief!" "Quiet!" "On the table with him!" "He's had enough!" "Get out of here!" "Take it easy, Beau, there's too many of them." "Shh." "The guards." "You didn't wait very long to start your old tricks, huh?" "But Sergeant, they had..." "Silence!" "An accident." "Yes, Sergeant." "Go to the washstand and bathe your hands." "Yes, Sergeant." "Save your first-aid treatments for yourselves after this." "You'll need 'em." "I promise you!" "Who were you trying to rob?" "The one named Beau." "Of what?" "He has money." "You lie." "You wouldn't take that risk for a little money." "Well, he has a jewel." "Tell me the truth." "It is the truth, I swear it." "They have a great jewel, worth 30,000 pounds that they stole." "They?" "The other two." "They are brothers, and they're waiting for a chance to sell it." "But he is the leader." "He carries it." "I've watched him." "What about the two Americans?" "Well." "They are just friends." "Make sure you're telling me the truth." "I am." "I am!" "You know," "I think I can help you get that jewel." "Why..." "Why, that's what I hoped." "I'm sure you did." "In a week we go to relieve the garrison at Fort Zinderneuf." "It can be arranged there." "But there are three of them, and... and the two friends." "Some of the company go to Fort Tokotu for mounted infantry training." "It can be arranged." "And if there's no jewel, you'll get a wooden jewel box." "I promise you." "But... but he has it." "I'm sure of it." "Go back to the barracks." "Today marks the end of your training." "You are now soldiers, in the service of France." "We are here on the desert as guardians of 20 millions of natives." "They look to us for the protection and justice that is the tradition of the Foreign Legion." "Yours is a high duty, and a hard one." "The odds are great." "It is our allegiance to France and our debt to civilization to uphold that tradition." "Some of you are assigned with me to Fort Zinderneuf." "Another detachment will go to Fort Tokotu for further training in the mounted company." "Select your men for Tokotu, Sergeant." "McMonigal, 3 steps forward." "Miller!" "Benoff!" "Personne!" "Andre!" "Diggs!" "Costaud!" "Baker!" "Noyaki!" "Lacoste!" "Brun!" "Schmidt!" "Vandenecker!" "Laumange!" "Ruclous!" "Dirla!" "Aloof!" "Corporal Golas, take charge of the detachment." "Tokotu party, fall in!" "Right shoulder arms!" "Right face!" "Forward march!" "Present arms!" "Present arms!" "Center dress!" "Front!" "Count off!" "Three." "Four." "One." "Two." "Three." "Four." "Right shoulder arms!" "Detail in order, sir." "Right by fours, right!" "Forward march!" "Present arms!" "Present arms!" "Right shoulder arms!" "Look where you're going." "I'm sorry." "Do that again, blubber-face, and I'll brain you." "He'll be gibbering like Krenke in a little while." "We all will." "I wouldn't mind if it would annoy Markoff." "Come on, bring on that coffee!" "Coffee!" "Let's try to get Krenke to drink a little." "So this is the cafard!" "Did the Captain back in Paris tell you about his red, white and blue skull?" "Yes." "He was lucky." "Can't we do something for him?" "We can help him to die, that's all." "How's Lt. Martin?" "Worse." "I haven't prayed in a long time, but I'm going to pray for him." "You'd better!" "Think of Markoff in command!" "I wonder where Renault and Renouf are this morning?" "Dead, with their mouths full of sand." "It's no use to desert." "Oh, what's the difference whether you get death inside the walls or out?" "There's a chance inside." "Not if the Lieutenant dies." "You don't have to be the pigs." "You can be the butcher." "And then what?" "Morocco, all of us." "We leave that pig Markoff well stuck." "And you'd be well stuck before you ever got to Morocco." "The Arabs would never dare attack so large a group." "No, but the French Army would." "Do you know what I think of the French Army?" "After we kill Markoff and you," "I'm gonna tear off this uniform..." "Cut it out." "What's going on in here?" "Schwartz was trying to eat too fast again." "Everybody out on the parade ground." "Renault and Renouf are back!" "Any orders this morning, sir?" "No, you take over, Markoff." "The scouts brought back our two deserters, sir." "Lock them up." "We'll send them to Tokotu for court martial in a few days." "The men need a lesson, Lieutenant." "Locking them up won't..." "Who's in command of this fort?" "You are, sir." "Don't make the mistake of forgetting that or you'll join the deserters in the cell." "That's all." "Yes, sir." "Attention!" "Stand aside!" "Where are they?" "They're outside, sir." "Bring them in." "Bring them in!" "Attention!" "So you decided to come back to us, huh?" "Yes, Sergeant." "After the desert, Zinderneuf doesn't seem so bad, huh?" "No, Sergeant." "Speak up!" "No, Sergeant." "The punishment for desertion is death by the firing squad." "But I'm going to be merciful." "You can escape again." "Oh, no!" "You mean you want to stay here and be executed?" "Water!" "Water!" "On your feet!" "I insist that you escape." "No... no, let us stay!" "Yeah, give us a..." "Get out!" "Out!" "Drive them out where you found them." "Keep them away from the oasis." "I'm glad Digby isn't here." "I wish you weren't." "Any more of you want to desert?" "If you do, you can go now." "I won't stop you." "Later you may wish you had taken my offer." "I promise you." "Rasinoff!" "You can close the gates now." "How do you feel tonight, Lieutenant?" "I'm dying." "I hope not, sir." "I'm going to die and be buried under the sand and forgotten." "When I was a little boy," "I thought soldiers always died in battles." "I didn't know there were so many soldiers and so few battles" "and so many fevers." "Get word to Beaujolais at Tokotu." "Have him send another officer." "You'll be in command until then." "Yes, sir." "The men must be led, not driven." "Remember, you'll answer to the man who takes my place." "Yes, sir." "Sergeant!" "Have you..." "Attention!" "Lt. Martin is dead." "I am now in command." "From this moment on, discipline at Fort Zinderneuf will be severe." "I promise you!" "Don't tell me he took your appetites away." "He'll take more than that away before long." "Glock, go to the door, warn us if anyone comes." "Markoff has been asking for it, and now he's going to get it." "Can't you see a mutiny is what Markoff wants?" "If he puts it down, he'll be a hero." "And you're the one who would help him put it down, Maris." "Let him hang himself." "Lt. Martin's death gives him enough rope." "When his superior officers learn what he's already done, he'll go to prison for life!" "Listen to our little Sergeant-lover." "Our troubles are all over if we bring Markoff a bunch of posies every morning." "You don't want to stay here and die like rats in a trap, do you?" "No!" "And let that madman squeeze every drop of blood out of you and drive you out on the desert like he did Renouf and Renault, do you?" "No!" "We're 50 against one." "How long are you going to keep on licking the boots that kick you?" "Those stripes on his sleeve won't stop a rifle bullet." "Let's get him now!" "I'm with you!" "You fools!" "Don't listen to him!" "He'll never get away with it!" "50 against 2!" "50 against the legion!" "Shut up, you yellow liver!" "Wait a minute." "I don't know much about mutinies, but I do know it isn't good form to plan them at the top of your voice." "Where do you stand?" "Well, I don't like Markoff, but also I don't like you." "50 against 3!" "Make it 4." "Who else?" "These 3 won't bother us." "Rasinoff?" "He's with Markoff, and he goes with Markoff." "After you kill Markoff, what?" "We'll get out of this hole, and we go to Morocco." "Markoff has two Arab scouts outside." "The minute they see anything's wrong, they'll ride to Tokotu for help." "We'll have too much of a start." "Not for the camel corps." "Talk, talk, talk!" "Let's decide!" "You're right." "All those with me, on your feet!" "I give you one more chance to change your mind." "Schwartz, there'll be a flag flying out there in the morning that I swore to uphold." "Armies of good men have died for it, gladly." "It's a battle flag and it's a flag of victory." "I'm rather proud to be under it." "And I wouldn't want to go out in the morning like you and know that I was going to be a traitor to it." "We have a patriot!" "He wouldn't be so patriotic if he had a slit in his belly." "Would you like to try putting one there?" "I will!" "Wait!" "If Markoff hears, he'll send his scouts to Tokotu!" "We'll get him right now!" "No, we can't march at night." "Wait until morning." "Voisin's right, get back!" "We'll get him in the morning on parade." "The man nearest Markoff shoots him." "The next one shoots Rasinoff, then these three." "That's right." "Suppose one of them sneaks out and warns Markoff?" "I'll warn the guards, if anybody sticks his head out they'll shoot." "You're full of plans." "Let's get 'em right now." "Shut up, Renoir!" "Go ahead, Voisin!" "Nobody leaves this room!" "What can we do?" "Outside of prayer, I can't think of a thing." "You're the older brother, it's up to you." "When the shooting starts, we just shoot at everybody, it makes it simpler." "Who?" "Voisin!" "Well?" "They mutiny in the morning, on parade." "All of them?" "The English brothers and Maris are faithful." "I'm supposed to warn the guards." "Never mind the guards." "Go on back and go to sleep." "I'll pay you a quiet little call later." "Glock will be on the door." "Now, but not later." "Are they with us?" "To a man." "You'd better take him out." "Nobody leaves this room, not even Krenke." "Put your clothes on." "Leave your boots off." "We're going to put down an attempted mutiny." "We'll disarm the sentries first." "Before this is over, we'll have the jewel." "Come on." "Get up." "Quietly." "One sound out of you and it'll be your last." "Wake Maris, Voisin, and the brothers." "Rasinoff, stay here." "Shoot anyone that moves." "The rest of you gather up the rifles and bring them out." "And don't drop any of them!" "Maris, Voisin, go back and get the rest of them." "There's another little matter I almost forgot." "The jewel you stole." "I want it." "I have no jewel." "I know you have." "I haven't." "Are you sure?" "Quite sure." "I advise you to change your mind." "Otherwise, when this is over, I may have to shoot you to make sure." "I understand, Sergeant." "You mean you'd rather not hand it over now and save your life?" "No, Sergeant." "That's very unfortunate, for you." "Arm yourselves." "Open fire on them if they attempt to rush us." "Attention!" "The attempt at mutiny is over, my children." "You bungled it so much it wasn't really a mutiny." "But you'll be punished as though it were." "Maris, Rasinoff." "You two, cover them in the yard!" "Anyone that makes a false move won't have to stand trial." "By twos, fall in!" "Forward march!" "Pig!" "You're the pig!" "Column left." "Section halt!" "Close in!" "Left face!" "And now, you scum, it's my turn." "I'm going to give you a lesson in putting down an attempted mutiny that'll be the last thing you'll ever see." "Maybe this'll make you die happy." "Markoff thanks you." "When he's an officer and has the Legion of Honor, he'll think often of the stupid, blundering pigs that put him where he is." "Smith, Jones, fall in here." "Schwartz, Renoir, line up, backs to the gate." "Now, my children, you're going to see the regulations carried out to the letter." "The punishment for mutiny is death." "Silence!" "You two, about face." "These 2 pigs deserve to be first." "And the honor of killing them belongs to the two most loyal men in the fort." "Ready!" "Aim!" "Do you hear me?" "Very plainly!" "Then do your duty!" "It's not our duty to shoot down unarmed men." "Maybe you'd rather be on the other side, ahead of Schwartz and Renoir?" "I'll give you one more chance." "Ready!" "Aim!" "You refuse to obey your superior?" "I don't think you'll shoot, Markoff." "You haven't enough men behind you now." "You forget I wanted an excuse." "Here's your excuse." "Very well." "You each get three in the belly." "Keep them covered." "Touaregs coming, a great harka." "We were surprised!" "Get through to Fort Tokotu and tell them we must have help!" "It will be done." "Prepare for action." "The Arabs." "Bugler, sound the alarm!" "Pass out the arms and ammunition." "Get your rifles." "Take your posts." "Maris, Voisin, Rasinoff." "Follow me." "Here." "Thanks." "Oh, those beautiful Touaregs." "Didn't I tell you not to worry?" "I suppose you had this all worked out." "Everything but having to fight in our underwear, and I apologize for that." "Keep it up, you scum!" "Keep shooting!" "You'll get a chance yet to die with your boots on!" "Bugler!" "Run up the colors!" "Now we've got something to fight under!" "Rapid fire, you scum!" "Rapid fire!" "Bugler, sound cease firing!" "Anybody hit?" "No, Sergeant." "They'll get down to sharp-shooting later." "Schwartz." "Voisin." "More ammunition." "Maris." "Renoir." "Coffee and bread for everybody." "Rasinoff." "Take half the men below." "Get them properly dressed." "Then the other half, if there's no attack." "Fall out." "Go below." "Fall out." "Go below." "At least the indecent part of this fight is nearly over." "Fall out." "Go below." "Fall out." "Go below." "Maybe the Arabs will save me the trouble." "You're in this, too, Sergeant." "Silence!" "Three hours since their first attack." "Maybe they are digging in, Sergeant." "When they return, it'll be slowly and taking aim." "Schwartz." "Yes, Sergeant." "Get up in the tower." "Watch the palm trees in the oasis." "They can shoot down on us from there." "Maybe you can see the route to Morocco before they get you." "That's the place for our mutineers." "Up on a roost like pigeons." "If I could only afford to waste them all." "Why don't they come?" "Here they come!" "Bugler, sound the alarm!" "Turn from your place again, and I'll blow your head off." "Bugler, sound cease firing!" "Everybody does his duty at Zinderneuf, dead or alive." "We'll make those Arabs think we've got a thousand men." "The rest of the bullets you stop won't hurt as much as that first one." "That settles the big pig." "Would you like to take the position of honor next, Rasinoff?" "No, Sergeant." "No?" "No." "Voisin." "Up in the tower." "I'm rewarding you for betraying your friends." "You can see them all from the tower." "On the double." "All right?" "All right." "Here they come!" "Stand to!" "Rapid fire!" "Rapid fire!" "They've had enough again." "Give it to them!" "Rapid fire!" "Rapid fire!" "Bugler, sound cease firing!" "Charming fellow, our Sergeant." "A trifle uncouth, but the best soldier we'll ever see." "Rasinoff, how many left?" "12, Sergeant." "You'll all be with these others in a little while." "You'll do your duty better dead than you ever did alive." "Take 10 minutes below for food and rest." "Two men at a time." "Smith." "Jones." "Go first." "If you hear the bugle, come back on the double." "Quick." "Rasinoff." "Go up in the tower." "No!" "No, no, Sergeant, please." "Up in the tower and dream about the jewel in the moonlight." "March!" "Now you can see." "Tired?" "A little." "Looks rather bad, doesn't it?" "Rather." "Do you mind?" "A little." "Isobel?" "Yes." "I'm sorry, John." "Let's not go into that, Beau." "Nobody asked me to come here." "I remember what Ghastly Gussie said one time:" ""The Gestes always stick together. "" "Hmm." "Digby's probably on his way here now." "He'd better be." "John." "Somebody always gets out of these things." "It might be you." "The Gestes always stick together." "Well, if they shouldn't, would you do me a favor?" "Of course." "Thanks." "In my coat are two letters and a packet." "One letter and the packet goes to Aunt Pat." "The other letter stays here with me." "All right." "Could I do you a favor, if, uh, things happen to be the other way around?" "Just tell Isobel that..." "Just tell her something." "Older brother takes care of everything." "I promise you." "Let's get some rest, John." "Yeah, all right." "No attack since dawn." "That's a long time for them." "Are they still there, Rasinoff?" "Yes, Sergeant, but they're..." "they're moving around a lot." "That means the holy men are arguing for one more attack." "They've lost their stomach for it." "The next attack will be the last one." "No sign of any relief from Tokotu." "Well, we'll show them we're not only awake, but merry and bright." "Bugler." "Yes, Sergeant." "Blow every call they ever taught you!" "Now, my children," "I want some happy laughter." "Lots of it." "Seven is going to sound like 70." "Laugh, Renoir!" "Maris, pick it up!" "Bugler!" "Jones." "Smith." "Rasinoff, what's the matter with you?" "Me?" "Yes, you!" "Laugh, you human jackal!" "Run from embrasure to embrasure and fire!" "We'll make them think we're still fully manned." "Bugler, sound the alarm!" "Beau." "Keep firing, or I'll blow your back out!" "March!" "Cease firing!" "They won't come back again." "They've had enough of Zinderneuf." "But just in case." "Leave my brother's body alone." "Go below and bring me some bread and wine." "If you touch him, I'll kill you." "Do as I tell you." "I'm still in command here." "Look." "Look at them." "They come when I want them." "They go when I don't need them anymore." "They're beaten." "But they've put down a mutiny for me." "They've given me the Legion of Honor, and they've made me an officer." "So he had no jewel, huh?" "I told you to leave my brother's body alone." "This is all I wanted." "I'm a rich man now, thanks to you and that..." "Good." "Armed attack on a superior in the face of the enemy." "I court martial you myself." "I find you guilty and I sentence you to death." "You get six in the belly." "Listen to me." "I haven't got much breath." "Leave the public letter in Markoff's hand." "Take the packet and the other letter home to Aunt Pat." "Yes, Beau." "Go to Egypt." "Promise?" "I promise." "Tell Digby I was sorry I couldn't wait for him." "Lovely sound, but a little late." "John." "John!" "John!" "Bugler." "Bugler." "Bugler, answer me!" "Bugler." "Bugler!" "Halt!" "I'm glad to see you, sir." "Thanks." "Come here." "There's not a soul alive in the place." "No sign of an enemy?" "No, sir." "But they're dead." "Yes, sir." "Where's the bugler?" "Look for him if you want to." "I have." "No, thanks, sir." "Touaregs." "Fall back on the oasis." "Cease firing." "Cease firing!" "John." "Dig!" "Dig, Beau's dead." "I know." "I was there." "Someday, John, we'll be able to talk about him." "Not now." "Look." "What's that?" "That?" "That's a Viking's funeral." "I knew you wouldn't forget." "He wouldn't have, if it had been me." "Well, what do we do now?" "I've been playing Arab, but they're over their surprise now." "We've got to get out of here." "Where?" "Egypt." "Dig." "Did he have a dog at his feet?" "Markoff." "That burning fort makes a pretty sight, don't it?" "Not if our friends are in there being roasted instead of hiding out here in the sand hills like I think they are!" "Friends!" "You mean Beau!" "Digby!" "John!" "Hank!" "Hank!" "Buddy!" "I knew we'd find you if we rode around and talked loud enough." "We wouldn't have any more company, would we?" "He's in the fort." "Oh." "God rest his soul." "Come on." "How many would you say?" "40 or 50." "Look at that water." "Well, let's start shooting." "No, wait a minute." "I'll go up there and start blowing the bugle." "You three open fire from here." "I'll wave as if there were men behind me." "They'll think they're being attacked by the whole legion." "We hope." "Don't shoot until I give you the signal." "Good luck, Dig." "Good luck." "Dig!" "Mr. John." "Hello, Burdon." "I beg your pardon, sir, but I was so glad to see you." "I'd have been insulted if you hadn't." "How is Miss Isobel?" "In splendid health, sir." "Unmarried, of course?" "Of course, sir." "Well, may I see Lady Brandon at once?" "Yes, sir." "I'll call her." "Pardon me, sir, but, uh, how are Mr. Beau and Mr. Digby?" "They're both dead." "John." "Isobel." "John." "You're alone, John?" "Yes." "Beau asked me to bring you these." ""My dear Aunt Pat." ""I was inside the suit of armor in the hall" ""the day you sold the Blue Water to the Maharajah's agent" ""and received an imitation to take its place." ""When the wire from Sir Hector came," ""I thought I'd repay your devotion to us" ""by giving Brandon Abbas its first robbery." ""So the lights went out, and so did Beau." "Lovingly, Beau Geste. "" "Beau Geste." "Gallant gesture." "We didn't name him wrongly, did we?"