Sharpe's Company (1995) 8.0

Teresa: All men should have daughters. It puts honey on their tongues. Wellington: I think you're a rogue, Sharpe. But you're on my side and one of my rogues. I don't want you dead. [Hakeswill tries to rape Teresa] Hakeswill: Now open your legs ever so wide, and lie still as a dead'un! Hakeswill: What's to happen is, you will become proper soldiers. And draw tunics of the red bright light company of the South Essex, and you will hand in your precious rifle guns and draw proper muskets to go along with being proper dressed. Fit for soldiers at last! [speaks into his hat] Hakeswill: Never thought you'd see it, did you, Mother? [speaks to men] Hakeswill: You hate me, don't you? Well, I hate you. [speaks into his hat again] Hakeswill: I do, I do, I do. I hates 'em! [rounds on men] Hakeswill: Who said that? I heard that. Mad? Oh, no, I ain't mad. Not so's I don't know. Richard Sharpe: That rifle's loaded and rammed, Sergeant. Hakeswill: Sir? Richard Sharpe: Did you know, Sergeant? Hakeswill: Me, sir? No, sir, never, sir! Richard Sharpe: This yours, Sergeant? Hakeswill: No, sir. Not me, sir. Him, sir. Private 'Arper, sir! Richard Sharpe: Well how many more are loaded? [puts rifles under Hakeswill's chin, pulls trigger, nothing happens] Richard Sharpe: Harris! [throws him the rifle] Richard Sharpe: Cooper! Hagman! Perkins! [threatens Hakeswill with Harper's volley gun] Richard Sharpe: They say you can't be killed, Sergeant Hakeswill. It is known. 'Come with me, my lads, for I cannot die. I'm going to live for ever, for they tried to hang me once but did... not... do it.' I could almost believe it. Except in the case of someone you tried to kill, Sergeant Hakeswill... and did... not... do it. I wonder who that might be, Sergeant. You're a dead man, Obadiah. BANG! [while talking to Harper on sentry, Sharpe hands him a bottle of whiskey] Richard Sharpe: Here. St. Patrick's Day. Sgt. Patrick Harper: God save Ireland... you're a grand man. [takes a pull] Sgt. Patrick Harper: For an Englishman. [Harper, framed by Hakeswill for theft, is being flogged] Drummer Boy: Ninety-three! Ninety-four! Ninety-five! [Harper has spit out his gag and is grinning widely as the lash lands] Drummer Boy:

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Ninety-six! Ninety-seven! Ninety-eight! Ninety-nine! One hundred! One hundred and all's done, sir!

f96

[Harper is released. Still grinning, he starts to walk away] Colonel Windham: Harper? Come back here. Sgt. Patrick Harper: Sir? Colonel Windham: You're a brave man. I salute you for it. [He tosses Harper a golden guinea. Harper catches it] Sgt. Patrick Harper: Thank you, sir. Thank you. [He walks past Sharpe] Richard Sharpe: You all right? [Harper's grin remains, but his voice quavers] Sgt. Patrick Harper: [whispering] Jesus, it hurts like hell! I couldn't have taken much more. Richard Sharpe: Sgt. Hakeswill... Hakeswill: Permission to speak, sir! [pause] Hakeswill: I've nothing to say, sir. [drops voice] Hakeswill: Oh my word, what a surprise... Sharpie. Richard Sharpe: You are come to me? Hakeswill: Ever such a long way. I was despairing. Richard Sharpe: LEFT FACE! [Hakeswill obeys automatically] Richard Sharpe: QUICK MARCH! [Hakeswill walks forward until he is facing the wall. Sharpe grabs his head and mashes his face into the wall] Richard Sharpe: You lay a finger on any of my men, Sgt., and I'll bloody kill you. Richard Sharpe: Come smartly to attention now. Atten-SHUN! [Obadiah stands up straight - and Sharpe belts him, hard. Hakeswill bows over] Sgt. Patrick Harper: Oh, now see, you don't move when an officer's talking to you. You should know that. Richard Sharpe: Unless you want to hit me, Obadiah? Sgt. Patrick Harper: Obadiah? Richard Sharpe: Dead, if you strike an officer, Obadiah. Dead. Oh... but he can't die. See his neck? They tried to hang him once, and it didn't kill him. Teresa: I can kill him. Richard Sharpe: In every battle some try. Look how he stands up. Never disobeys an officer, do you, Obadiah? Why, they love him! I would kill him here and now. Except I swore to do it in front of his victims, for all to see. It's been a long time coming. For he is *evil*, is Obadiah! Richard Sharpe: Obadiah, and a blackguardly officer called Morris, once beat a native Indian half to death, until I stopped them. They blamed me for it, and I was flogged. Watch him, Pat. He preys on the men. He'll snaffle kit, belts, frogs, haversacks, all entered or found lost by Obadiah, which leads to floggings unless he gets paid. Then wives. He beats men till their wives come to him, which I call rape. I've seen his like before. An evil man marching in a cloud of pipely. And because he kicks up salutes, obeys every officer, he's bombproof to all but us. We who come up from the ranks, we're smart to him. Sgt. Patrick Harper: We are that.