Against All Flags (1952) Movie Script
That's the full 20.
Take him to his cabin.
Don't trouble to rise, Hawke.
I deeply regret the
necessity for this flogging.
Thank you, sir.
I don't think
the flogger needed
to carry it out
with such gusto.
You requested
the customary lashing.
I know, sir.
Of course, you could have done
me the favor of denying it.
I swear he took
a particular pleasure
in having an officer
under his cat.
Should you fail,
you'll look back on
Flogger Flower's lashing
as a pleasant
afternoon's pastime.
That's another reason, sir, why I've
not the least intention of failing.
Is the longboat ready?
You'll put off at dark.
You should reach
Diego Suarez within 10 days.
Jones and Harris
will accompany you.
Good. And when do you meet
with Sir Cloudsley?
We sail immediately to
rendezvous with him off Cape Town.
I will join him
aboard his man-of-war,
and we'll cruise outside the
northernmost tip of Madagascar
the week agreed upon.
I'll send you the rocket
flare as we arranged.
Should the week pass
and there be no signal,
well, since I've no kin,
there'll be none to mourn me.
Brave men are not forgotten.
Thank you, sir, but...
Sometimes they don't live
long enough to be remembered.
Longboat approaching.
We'll take them to
He'll know what to
do with them. Move.
Swaine.
What's this I hear?
There's no truth
to it, sir.
Now, you know the punishment
for concealing booty.
I swear, Captain
I took only my share.
You lie!
Belike you'll
tell the truth now.
You best speak the truth
or the carrion will feed on
your guts before the sun sets.
I took no booty.
Now, place the truth
on your tongue
or I will place this knife
between the other two.
No, don't!
I did take some.
But I meant no harm.
I'll show you where it is.
All right, tie this
foul-smelling pig below.
Hey, Spitfire!
Keep your distance,
Captain Roc.
That's a terrible
hard thing to do.
Then you'd better learn
or I'll have to teach you.
You were never offended before
when I took a fancy to you.
After last night, I'll do my
own fancy and when the time...
Come on now, Spitfire,
let bygones be bygones.
Caught these cullies
coming ashore in a longboat.
Well,
what have you to say?
We're deserters from the East
India Company ship Monsoon.
Brian Hawke at
your service, ma'am.
This is Jones, topman.
Harris, gunner's mate.
Deserters, huh?
Well, what do
you want here?
Why, to sail against
all flags, naturally.
You're an officer,
aren't you?
You'll excuse our
appearance, I trust, ma'am,
surely, after a week
in an open longboat.
Strip me.
If I'd expected to meet
somebody like you here,
why, I'd have brought
a valet along with me.
I'm not exactly dressed to meet
distinguished company myself.
Blast your guts! I asked
you if you were an officer.
Well, the answer, sir,
should be obvious even to you.
He was an officer,
a lieutenant, sir,
afore they broke him and
give him 20 with the cat, sir.
Got in trouble with
a passenger, he did.
Oh, a passenger, eh?
I don't like
the cut of your sail.
Well, now, come right
down to it, Captain,
I don't much care for
the cut of your own.
Batten your mouth or
I'll batten it for you.
You have the stink
of a spy to me.
Know anyone here
who can vouch for you?
No, sir. We was just
in irons for stealing rum.
Met up with him
in the brig, we did.
Take them to
the auction block.
Bring him tonight before
the Captains of the Coast.
Captains of the Coast?
What do they have
to say about us?
Not much.
Only whether you'll go pirating
or have your throats cut.
Oh.
Well, if there's any
chance of that, ma'am,
I'd like to have
mine shaved first.
You're a regular rooster,
aren't you?
And why not, ma'am?
You seem to be a
high-spirited chick yourself.
I hopes you're finding
the edge smooth, sir.
Smooth as silk,
surgeon.
Usually I uses this one
for throat-cutting,
but seeing this is
a special occasion...
Well, sink me.
You mean to say that
you're the executioner,
as well as the barber,
as well as the surgeon?
Bless me, sir, if it
weren't for the hangings
and the throat-cutting,
I'd starve to death.
Hangings is for crimes
committed aboard ship.
Throat-cuttings is for
the molesting of females
or the hiding of loot.
Course, I don't make
nothing on the spies, sir.
They goes
to the tide stakes.
What a pity.
What are these
tide stakes?
Just some poles they've stuck
in shoal water on the reef, sir.
Gives the crabs
a chance to get at them
afore the water
comes in to drown them.
Crabs are as big
as coconuts here.
I've seen blokes' bones
a- stripped to the hips
afore the water had a chance
to reach their heads.
Archimedes,
hand me that towel.
You seem to lead
a very interesting life.
Oh, yes, sir.
It's barbering
I hankers for, though.
Gets in a man's blood,
it does, sir.
That's why I'm thankful to Spitfire
Stevens for sending me to you.
Spitfire, huh?
There must be
a reason for that name.
You'll find out, sir, if you
ever tries to lay a hand on her.
Not much chance of it.
Might be worth it, barber,
it might be worth it.
That's better.
Thank you,
Master Cruikshank.
Your servant,
Mistress Stevens.
Come along, Archimedes,
and don't forget to tip
your hat to the lady.
How can I tip me hat
with my blooming hands full?
Come on, me lad.
Come on, come along.
I'm much beholden to you,
Mistress Stevens.
So, you had trouble
with a passenger?
A female passenger,
no doubt.
No, ma'am, my oath on it.
I had no trouble with her,
merely because of her.
I never have trouble
with women, never.
You don't?
I've got a feeling that
you're going to and soon.
But I think you'd be a
bad judge of that, ma'am.
I'll warrant, I'll wager that
you've never even kissed a man
without a great bushel
of whiskers on his chin.
Perhaps not,
but it's easily remedied.
I lost.
Well?
I'll survive.
I'll survive.
Of course, if I didn't
have my hands tied...
Of course, of course.
But don't get any
wrong ideas about me.
I may have use for you when
I know that I can trust you.
Otherwise, you'll find
your hands tied again
and not to an auction block
but to a tide stake.
But then that's for us
to decide tonight.
Us?
Tonight?
What do you mean?
You're one of the
Captains of the Coast?
And why shouldn't I be
when I own a ship?
No reason at all, ma'am.
Except that...
If the Captains do
decide to dispose of me,
I shall only regret that I didn't
have the honor of serving under you.
Harris, who are these Captains of
the Coast that have the say about us?
The same crew of cutthroats that
sailed the Spanish Main out of Tortuga.
That right, sir?
Oh, yes. Yes.
Seems that times
are changing, though.
You say you were broken from your
rank as lieutenant on the Monsoon?
Yes, sir, formally broken
before passenger and crew.
But it is a simple affair,
monsieur,
to tear buttons
from a coat, is it not?
So say I.
Why waste our time listening
to his foul-mouth lies?
We'll find out soon
enough whether he lies.
I remember well,
Captain Kidd,
when you'd let the crabs
have their fill of them first
and find out if they
told the truth after.
And well I do, too.
But I was younger then and
consumed with the impatience
and the injustice of youth.
It was during your youth
that your name
was to be feared
along the seven seas.
Meaning, of course, that I
am to be feared no longer?
You can take it
as you wish.
Better to die while
you're still a legend
than to live long enough to
make a mockery of that legend.
Is that what you imply,
Don't you think
you're getting a little...
It's not Captain Kidd
who is on trial here,
but these three men.
Aye.
Proceed, Captain Kidd.
You say you had 20
at the grating?
Yes, sir.
We've only got
your word for that.
I can show you
if it's the truth or not.
Go ahead then, Gow.
Who did you have
20 from on the Monsoon?
From the boatswain,
Flower.
Right. I sailed on the
Monsoon meself, gents.
And I knows that when Flogger
Flower lays 20 to a man's back,
he signs his name with
the last four lashes.
So let's have that shirt off
and see if it's there.
Now, wait,
gentlemen, please.
In the presence of a lady?
He ain't lying, gents.
Leastways not about having
them from Flogger Flower.
Look you now,
Captain Kidd,
a man with the guts
to spy upon us
would have the guts to take 20
on his bare back,
would he not, whatever?
Indeed to goodness.
Undoubtedly, Captain
Roberts. Undoubtedly.
I say we take
no chances.
To the tide stakes
with him.
We may be
making a mistake.
Nothing has been
proved against him.
If there's any mistake
to be made,
I aim to make it in
our favor, not in his.
Nobody asked him
to come here.
There might be a way
of testing the fellow.
sailing master, from below.
Aye, aye, sir.
Mr. Hawke, it's apparent
you're a gentleman.
I've had considerable
experience of your kind.
Now, this fellow Swaine's been
convicted of concealing booty.
You must know
what that means here.
Kill the scoundrel
in any way you please
if you'd have us believe
you've a stomach for pirating.
Belike I've
a stomach for pirating,
but I'm no hangman
to kill a man unarmed.
You've the choice of it.
Or a slow death
along with your mates.
So say we all.
Well, belike I've no
stomach for that, either.
But if it narrows down to
a choice of evils, why then,
I'll fight any man here
with any weapon he wants.
Then fight
the sailing master.
Aye, we might kill two
birds with one stone.
An excellent suggestion,
Captain Roberts, excellent.
What have you to
say to it, Mr. Hawke?
As I said, sir,
any man, any weapon.
Kill him and I'll
give you your life.
I'll fight him.
With what?
Any man, any weapon is what you
said, if I remember correctly.
Well, Swaine,
what weapon do you want?
Boarding pikes.
Take them to the main deck, get pikes.
Three to one on
Swaine for 100 moidores.
I lay you threes.
Hawke for 50 reals.
100 guineas on
the Englishman.
Done.
Stay in close, sir. He's
got too much reach for you.
A fool he is to fight
you with a lower-deck arm.
Are you ready?
Aye, aye, sir.
Aye, ready.
Then would you be good enough to
give them the signal, Captain Death?
Stay in closer!
Stay focused!
I'll wager you 20 moidores
and take your pick.
Mercy, sir, mercy.
I distinctly heard him choose
boarding pikes, not rum bottles.
Mercy it is,
since it was Mistress Stevens
gave me this advantage.
Take Swaine below.
are you satisfied?
I still put
no trust in him.
Well, I do, and enough to give him
my ship as soon as she's re-rigged.
No man is taking
your ship out of here
unless he has a rope around
his neck like any known pirate.
All right,
if he wants to sail,
let him sail on the
Scorpion as my navigator.
I have need of one
and at once.
When he comes back
with blood on his hands,
then he can hoist his own
black flag, but not before.
Your pardon, sir.
I didn't hear you come in.
That's all right,
master gunsmith.
For a moment there, I thought
I was getting a warm reception.
I'm in need of a good blade
and a brace of pistols
to be charged to
I'm only Williams
the foreman here, sir.
I can show you the arms,
but Mistress Stevens will have
to give her word about the charge.
Mistress Stevens?
Is she a gunsmith?
In a manner of speaking,
sir, she is.
And a good one, too.
But her father
was the smith.
When he passed away,
the business came to her,
along with his ship and his
rating as a Captain of the Coast.
That's very interesting. How'd
they come here in the first place?
Try this one
for balance, sir.
Thank you.
Her father was sentenced for
transportation to the Virginias
as a bonded laborer, sir.
Seems hard to think of a man and
his child being sold to slavery
for no more than the poaching
of a rabbit in Windsor Park.
It doesn't quite
come to hand for me.
Maybe the blade's
a little long.
Try this Toledo, sir.
When Captain Roberts
took their prison ship
and gave all as wanted
the chance to come here,
it was the best day's work
he ever did.
Yes, this is much better.
It's a beauty.
I'll take it. Why do
you say that, Williams?
It was Master Stevens
who fortified this port.
I didn't see any
fortifications when I came in.
Naturally not, sir.
Master Stevens did a
right clever job, he did.
Masked batteries, sir.
Every pair of them
set to cross fire.
I see.
That must be why the Portuguese
lost three ships of the line
when they tried to come in.
You heard
about that, sir?
What sailor hasn't?
This place is said to be
a veritable deathtrap.
That it is, sir.
That it is.
That's why Master Stevens was
made a Captain of the Coast.
If you've
a liking for these, sir,
we'll try them
in the clamps.
I don't think the clamps
will be necessary.
Got himself a ship, too.
Said a captain
ought to have one.
Of course,
he never went to sea.
Only had his share
in her ventures,
same as
Mistress Spitfire does now.
So that's how it was, huh?
They're all right.
I'll take them.
You've a hand, sir,
and an eye.
Thanks, Williams.
I've also an eye to inspect
those batteries one time,
having once been
an engineer myself.
You'll need permission from
the Captains of the Coast, sir,
seeing as how they're
guarded at all times.
If you could only see
the map of the port
in Mistress Stevens'
bedchamber,
you'd get an idea
of the master's cleverness.
It were the original plans
for the fortifications
which Mistress Stevens,
sentimental-like,
had framed after
her father passed on.
Williams,
if I'm ever
permitted the honor
of Mistress Stevens'
chamber, I'd...
Well, hello.
What are these?
Belonged to
Mistress Stevens, sir.
Not the ones
she carries, though.
I should think not.
They're much
too heavy for her.
Satin Jack Sabin wouldn't
agree with you
if he were here,
which he ain't, sir.
Stood back-to-back
with him, she did.
Walked 10 paces, turned and
shot him through the head.
You mean they fought
a formal duel?
That's impossible, man.
Spitfire's a proud gal, sir.
Could have had his throat cut for
molesting her if she'd wanted to.
But instead, she asked for her
rights as a Captain of the Coast.
And it being the law
of the brotherhood,
there was none
that could deny them.
Satin Jack had to fight her.
Blew his head off,
she did, sir.
I suppose
you might say that
there was a man who really
lost his head over her, huh?
Yeah.
I'll thank you
not to fire those.
As you wish, ma'am.
Can it possibly
be 6:00 so soon?
What do you...
I should like to have a word
with you, Mr. Hawke, in private.
Your servant, ma'am.
Perhaps it would be more
private in your private chamber.
Won't you sit down?
Why did you ask me
if it was 6:00?
Because, ma'am,
surely nobody wears
a dress like that
before 6:00.
Captain Roc brought it
to me from New England.
It's beautiful.
With other things.
I wanted to ask you if...
If...
If you knew
what this is.
Surely, ma'am.
It's a patch box.
What are they for?
If you care to sit in front
of the mirror, I'll show you.
A patch, ma'am, is worn by a
lady to point up her best feature.
The arch of an eyebrow,
the curve of a chin,
the line of a throat, the
roundness of her shoulder.
And why does she
do that?
Why, to attract the attention
of the gallants, naturally.
I should think that a dress like
this would do it sufficiently.
Yes, but not amongst
a dozen others.
Now, I should say that in
your case, let me see...
I think on the left cheek
would be the place.
Thus.
You see?
I like that.
My word on it, ma'am,
a lady attracts attention to
herself wherever she may be.
For instance, if she's
getting into her sedan chair,
she's always very careful to show a leg.
A discrete amount,
of course,
and it must never
look deliberate.
Everybody knows
it is deliberate,
but it must never
look it. Thus...
Try it.
Uh-huh.
Excellent, ma'am.
Excellent.
I've rarely seen better.
Then, when she's
dining at the Swan,
she always curses the waiter
in her loudest voice.
And, of course,
at the dances at Vauxhall,
she curtsies lower than anybody
else in the room. This way.
Try that.
Oh, no.
No, strap me, ma'am.
Sink back on your heel.
Try that all over again.
Way low.
Now, that's excellent. I
doubt if I've ever seen better.
The next thing, of course, is
when she goes to the theater,
her box at the theater,
she screams so shrilly
that not even the actors
can hear
what they're saying.
And at the
gaming tables later,
she laughs louder than
any other female present.
If she wins.
Of course, if she loses,
why, she puts her
little hands together
and pouts so winsomely
that, of course, you want
to give her her money back
to start all over again.
And what then?
Well, by then, it's late.
Well, it's about
2:00 in the morning.
Late, and...
Pardon me.
My blunder, ma'am.
Of course, I was only
demonstrating, wasn't I?
You are a very
beautiful girl, you know,
and I was simply
carried away, ma'am.
You're lucky that
you weren't blown away.
I kiss when I feel
like kissing, Hawke.
And see that
you remember that.
Oh, I will, ma'am.
Now.
I said that I might
have use for you
when I knew that
I can trust you,
which isn't yet, Mr.
Hawke, by a long way.
But when you return,
I'll give you the Shark
for a venture
that I have in mind.
The Shark?
She's a brigantine
of 20 guns.
And now, perhaps you'd
better get your arms.
I'd deem it
another favor, ma'am,
if you'd do what you can for
Jones and Harris, my shipmates.
For instance, Harris might be very
useful to you for an odd day's work.
He's a fine
gunner's mate.
I'll keep them in mind.
And now I suppose
it's goodbye, Mr. Hawke.
Keep an open eye while you're
sailing with Captain Roc.
Oh, yes. Thank you,
ma'am. I will, indeed.
But I have a feeling
that the good captain
will be as gentle
as a mother's kiss.
After all, he can't
navigate back without me.
Your very humble servant,
ma'am.
You've been a Jonah
to us so far.
Cargos of spices, cocoa and
cotton is nothing to brag about.
You never know your luck till
the ball stops rolling, Captain.
Deck ahoy!
Ship five points
off the port bow.
Here.
What do you make of it?
Why that's...
What is it?
That's the Qutabuddin.
Aurangzeb's own
ship of state.
Who might be
this Aurangzeb?
He might be the Grand Mogul,
the Emperor of India.
She's heading out
for the Red Sea.
On a pilgrimage to Mecca,
doubtless.
Bunged to the hatches
with offerings, I'll wager.
Jewels, moidores,
plate, carpets!
Looks like you brought
us luck after all, cully.
Are you insane, Captain? You so
much as train a gun on that boat,
and you'll have John
Company's Army down here
and half the British Navy to
blast us all out of Madagascar.
Batten your lip.
Who's to know
if we sink or burn her?
The devil with Madagascar.
There's enough treasure
aboard that ship
to keep us rotten rich
for the rest of our lives.
Standby to man the ship.
Pirates! Pirates!
Memsahib! Memsahib! Memsahib!
Memsahib!
Memsahib MacGregor.
Memsahib MacGregor!
Silence, you hussies!
Silence!
Stop that screaming till I
can hear what Hassan's saying.
Pirates? You lummox.
Quiet, all of you!
What pirate would dare to harm
the Great Mogul's own ship?
Call yourself a man,
do you?
Come in here to terrify
these poor lambs.
Pooh on you
and your pirates.
The nerve of the monsters.
Unspeakable effrontery
of the scoundrels.
Stay where you are.
Princess. Princess.
What is the matter,
MacGregor memsahib?
Patma, my lamb,
listen to me carefully.
I will,
MacGregor memsahib.
Go into the
prayer closet.
Take off your pearls, your ring,
your robe, everything that shows
that you're the daughter
of the Emperor of India.
Hide them and
wear this instead.
You know I love you, me
lamby, so don't ask me why.
I will do what you say,
MacGregor memsahib.
Stay in the prayer closet
till I come for you.
Now, go,
and be quick about it.
And who might
you be, ma'am?
Who might I be?
I am Molvina MacGregor,
governess to these lambs.
And if you lay
a finger on them,
I can scratch your eyes out
with me own hands, Captain Brasal,
or whatever your name may be.
You will hang in chains with
the rest of your monstrous breed,
if it takes every man
in John Company's Army
and every ship
in the British Navy
to smoke you out of your
rat hole in Madagascar.
See, Captain, she took the very
words right out of my mouth.
Well, cast off and
be quick about it.
What do you intend to do
with these lambs?
Now, ma'am,
I don't mean them no harm.
They'll bring fancy prices
as lawful wedded wives.
Of course you've got
nothing to worry about.
And may I enquire
of you, sir, why not?
Set the torches to her.
Burn her down.
Close haul
the starboard lines.
Close haul our
starboard lines.
My lamb, my lamb.
Wait.
There's nothing to...
Let me go, you murderer.
Let me go!
What, you mean there's
a girl aboard that ship?
In the prayer closet
with a carpet over its door.
In the small cabin.
You may be a pirate, but
you look like a man to me.
Save her, the Lord
will reward you.
Save her!
Well! Come.
No.
I am afraid.
I am very much afraid.
Don't be, little one, don't be.
There.
My lamb. My lamb.
Is she... Is she...
Oh, no, ma'am.
Merely swooned away.
I'll take her, Tom.
South-southwest, sir.
South-southwest it is.
And a fair night.
Never saw her fairer, Tom.
Why don't you turn in?
No point in both of us
being on deck.
That's very good of you,
Mr. Hawke.
Thank you, sir.
Psst!
What are you doing here?
I came to find you.
All right, little one.
I'll take you back
to the rest of the girls.
Again.
No, no. You must not
come on deck alone.
Again.
Again what?
I will give you
the Kohinoor.
Oh, that.
There. Now, come on.
Are you a prince
from the Arabian Nights?
No, little one.
No, I'm just a man.
I've known
but two men.
Hassan has no hair
on his head,
and my father has
hair on his face.
Do you mean
to tell me that
I am the third man you've
ever seen in your life?
Tell me, what was that
you said you'd give me?
The Kohinoor.
Do you mean...
Do you mean
the Grand Mogul's big diamond?
Yes, he will give it to me,
and I will give it to you.
He'll give it to you?
Tell me, little one,
what's your name?
I do not remember what
MacGregor memsahib said.
But I must not say that I
am Patma, Princess of Hormuz.
Princess of...
No, no, little one.
No, you must not say that.
No, we'll find
a name for you.
Something easy
for you to remember.
A lovely name, as lovely
as you are yourself.
Yes, but first, again.
Anything
to keep you happy.
Curse him. I've searched everywhere
for him and no sight of him.
Has he been here?
Has who been here,
Mistress Stevens?
Who? His Royal Highness
Brian Hawke.
You go get your dinner.
I'll take care
of the shop myself.
Yes, Mistress Stevens.
Rot him. Blast him.
Spitfire! How's the
flower of Diego Suarez?
So it's you.
Well, you could
look more delighted
seeing as I come
to bring you a favor.
Indeed.
Here.
There weren't nothing finer
in all the loot we took.
You don't have
to tell me that.
Yeah, I'd like to see it
around your neck.
Look here, Spitfire,
there's no future here
for a girl like you.
I've got all the riches
a man could want.
Come with me to
Genoa or Venice,
outside the reach
of English law and...
Oh, by Judas,
I'll even marry you.
Why?
There'll be plenty
of fine women for you
in Genoa or Venice,
won't there?
Yeah, but could I trust them not to
vanish with my treasure some night?
So it's because you can
trust me that you're asking?
Well, there's only
one thing wrong with that,
and that is that
I can't trust you.
No, thank you, Captain
Roc. I'll go my own way.
I've told you
I've a fancy for you.
Now, I'll remind you, I am a
man that gets what he wants.
Tell me where
you want it.
It's this popinjay Hawke
that's turned your head.
The last time I saw him,
he got a muzzle in his belly,
and the next time he'll get a bullet
in it, if there is a next time.
Because anytime I see him
again will be too cursed soon.
You won't set
eye on him so soon,
seeing as I gave orders
for him not to leave the ship
till he finished
the accounting.
Psst!
Lieutenant, sir.
We took this job of painting
ship to reach you, unseen belike,
seeing as how we had no idea
how long you'd be kept aboard.
I have no idea myself.
I've been confined to ship.
Were you able to get
a copy of the map?
Aye, sir. Harris has it.
Better open
the other port, sir.
He'll be along
any minute now.
Happy to see you, sir.
Thanks.
Have you got the map?
Aye, sir.
Here it is.
Good man.
That's excellent,
excellent.
Have you memorized the
positions of all the guns?
Aye aye, sir. We can
find them in the dark.
That's when we're gonna
have to find them.
Come in.
I'd expected to see you
before now, Mr. Hawke.
I seem to remember having
offered you the command of a ship.
Yes, and so
you did, ma'am.
But, you see, I've been
confined aboard this one
to make an accounting
of all the treasure.
As I am sure that Captain
Roc must've told you.
How did you know
I saw him?
Well...
Let's see. "One necklace, pearls, rubies
and sapphires, to value 5,000 guineas,
"delivered to Captain Roc. "
I hardly thought the Captain
would want to wear it himself.
Well, you can put it
back on your list.
I will.
Won't you be seated,
ma'am?
Smells like
a joss house in here.
Yes, it does a little,
doesn't it?
But there's something
oddly fascinating
and exotic about
those Eastern perfumes,
don't you think?
You can put these back
on your blasted list, too.
Yes, of course.
Of course.
Rather nice quality
though, isn't it?
You see, we had
to give this cabin
to Miss MacGregor and all
the young ladies because...
Incidentally, what did the captains
decide to do about the Scotswoman?
They put her in my keeping.
Oh, good.
Then perhaps you could
return these to her.
I have a venture for you
on the Shark.
Oh? When?
In about two weeks.
Oh, I know you've taken
a rich spoil, but...
Would it interest you
a little more
if you knew that I was going
to be aboard her myself?
Yes. Yes, it would.
I told you
that I would kiss
when I had a fancy for
kissing myself, didn't I?
Well, I have a fancy now.
You boasted about what you
could do with your hands untied.
So...
Get to it, Mr. Hawke.
Well, I hope you'll forgive
me, Mistress Stevens,
but, you see, as you see, I am very
much occupied at the present moment.
What?
Yes, I regret that
I cannot put pleasure
before the press
of business affairs,
but I had strict orders
from Captain Roc
not to let
anything whatsoever
interfere with the accounting.
First things first,
I always say.
I never in all
my born days...
But, of course, if you wish
to put a ball between my eyes
merely because I'm trying
to be conscientious...
Blast you.
Are you trying to say
that it will take a threat
to compel you to...
Oh, no. By no means,
Mistress Stevens.
I'm merely trying to
say that I should be
most happy to accede
to your request
at some more favorable time.
Some time when I can put
myself fully to the task at hand
without all of this
ridiculous accounting.
And I am so bad
at figures, too.
Come to my house
when you've done here,
and we will talk of
the venture on the Shark.
Oh, again you must
forgive me, ma'am.
When I am done here,
I shall be otherwise engaged.
With a woman?
No.
Not with a woman,
with 10 of them.
Hear ye, hear ye!
By order of the Brotherhood of
the Coast, these Moorish females,
well-found and fully rigged,
will be sold here and now
without inspection
for lawful wedded wives.
What do I hear
for this little rig?
50 moidores.
50 moidores.
70 moidores.
Do I hear 80?
Speak up, my lonely lads.
80. 80.
80, 80.
Do I hear 90? 90?
80 it is, then.
To Crop-ear Collins.
Going to
Crop-ear Collins for 80.
Going, going, gone.
Come up here and get her.
I now opens
the lucky bag.
Take her away, me boy,
and be happy.
Now that I got her,
what does I do with her?
What does he do
with her he asks!
Take her away
before I gives you
a mother-in-law
to go with her.
Well-found and
fully rigged, me boys.
That will be 80 moidores,
103 guineas or 540 reals.
You got a real bargain there,
Crop-ear. A real bargain.
And now, gents,
as you knows well,
fine goods comes
in small packets.
So, speak up,
me lucky lads.
What am I bid
for this trim little cloth?
Do I hear 50 moidores?
I'll make it 50.
There ain't enough
beam to her.
50. Thank you, sir.
Going at 50.
Do I hear 60?
Going at 50.
Going, going...
1,000.
Must be quite a prize if she
be worth that much, laddie.
At 1,000 moidores,
first and last call.
Going, going, gone.
I will send Williams
over with the payment.
I think I'd prefer you
as a bachelor.
Curse me if I can
blame you too much.
Miss MacGregor.
Your servant, ma'am.
It's you, Mr. Hawke.
You startled me.
Mistress Stevens and
her men are away today.
Yes, I saw them
rowing out to the Shark.
As a matter of fact,
that's why I'm here.
Indeed, Mr. Hawke?
Tell me, Miss MacGregor, do
you know how to fire a pistol?
How would I know that?
That's what
I was wondering.
What possible use
can you make
of the one you've got
in your underwear?
Underwear?
I'll have you know, I've no
pistol concealed in my underwear.
Of course, if you wish to
be technical, your petticoat.
I think you better
let me have it.
It's liable to go off
at any moment, you know.
Aha! Bad girl.
I suggest that if you must carry
a weapon, you make it a knife.
It's far less
likely to explode.
Where's the Indian girl's
bedroom?
Bedroom.
You philandering scoundrel.
You make the slightest
attempt to approach her
and I will put her beyond the
reach of you and your kind.
I suppose you'll tell the
Captain she's the Princess?
Merciful heavens.
Miss MacGregor,
you've got to trust me.
You've got to help me
get her away from here.
You were trying
to buy her.
I'd no more trust that lamb
to you than I'd trust myself
Ah, me. If only I had as much of
the game as you give me the name.
Let's be forthright.
I'm the only one
you can trust.
Well?
Well, I'll trust her to you.
But not alone.
Wherever you take her,
you take me, too.
Agreed. There are certain
details to be completed.
I'll let you know
when all's ready.
Well, I hardly expected
to find you here.
Why not, ma'am?
Since it's by your
invitation that I am here.
Of course, there may be
another reason for the honor.
Has he seen the girl,
Miss MacGregor?
He has most certainly not.
That seems
very unkind.
After all,
he did save her life.
Besides, I have a fancy
to see them together.
This is the gentleman
who tried to buy you.
Yes.
It's the same gentleman
who saved you on the ship.
I know.
You must
thank him for it.
Thank you very much.
Again.
No, no, not again,
my sweet.
Yes, again.
Mercy honest!
That's enough.
Quite enough,
Miss MacGregor.
Take her to her room.
Why do you think you
can talk to me like that?
I'll have you...
No, no, lamby, she's
being kind to us. Come now.
Sweet child.
Let me see. There was...
Oh, yes, there was to be some
word of the venture, ma'am.
Yes, there was.
Sit down.
To what port can I go
from which
I can reach England
as a passenger
on a lawful ship?
Why, Rio, Bahia, Pernambuco,
any port in Brazil.
I've come to the belief that
there's nothing left for me here.
Why, ma'am, that's
very sound of you.
Why, in London you'll have
every gallant in town
at your feet
in no time.
And I'll warrant before the
rest of the season's out,
a fine, handsome
husband, too.
If you'll take me to Brazil,
I'll give you the Shark.
And then you can go pirating
to your heart's content,
until they hang you in chains
from Execution Dock,
for which occasion
I shall have a front seat.
Ma'am, I shall be delighted to toss
you me garter from the scaffold.
The hangman will
charge you a guinea.
And I'll give you
the girl, too.
Now, what would
I do with her?
Put her on the mantelpiece under
a glass cover like a Geneva clock?
What did you intend
to do with her
if you'd succeeded
in buying her?
I was a fool to think that you
might be different from the others.
Swaggering,
misbegotten bullies
who think that a girl is
without pride of her own.
Just something to satisfy
their selfish lusts and vanities
because she's weaker.
Well, I'm not weaker!
I go after what I want,
just like they do.
And I can defend
my own self-respect.
And if any man dares
to damage it,
I'll shoot the eyes
out of his head.
Both of them, Brian Hawke, both of them!
I'll accept the venture,
ma'am, but I'm warning you,
you draw
one more pistol
and you're going to find
yourself across my knee.
Why did you try
to buy the girl?
Maybe because I wanted to
keep her out of rough hands.
My father taught me how to
defend myself against rough men.
But he told me that he could
only warn me against gentlemen.
He said that a girl like me
should never put her trust in one.
And now it seems
that I'm about to.
Whoever said that
I was a gentleman?
It might be an opportune
time tonight, sir,
seeing as how most of the
pirate ships put out to sea.
I'll signal the man-of-war just
as soon as we fix the cannon.
If all goes well, she should
sail in at dawn tomorrow.
First, we have to get
the Princess aboard.
If I may be
so bold, sir,
why can't we put the Princess
aboard after she comes in?
No, no, no. We can't
take a chance on that.
If any of these cutthroats
were to find out
that she's
the Mogul's daughter,
they'd hold her to hostage, do away
with her, anything could happen.
It'd mean the death of
every Englishman in India.
So you two see that the
longboat is ready by night.
It ain't my affair, sir, but
what's to become of Miss Spitfire?
She treated us
most kind, she did.
Yes. I'll come ashore
with the landing party.
See that no harm
comes to her.
Now, pretend to go about
your business as usual.
Aye, sir.
Hawke!
Early this morning I saw
Mistress Stevens and her hands
putting off
with the Shark.
Yes. She's outfitting for
a new venture in two weeks.
Rightwise, I've no cause to
keep you from sailing on it.
Certainly not.
Providing you
sail on it alone
without Mistress Stevens.
Come now,
Captain, claw me.
I was never much of a one
for me own company.
I'm giving you
fair warning, Hawke.
That's very generous
of you, Captain.
I'll give it the fair
attention it deserves.
No, no, wait.
It's Crop-ear.
Hold there!
Well, Crop-ear.
Split me sides, I never
expected to see you out tonight.
I'd have wagered
you'd be home,
finding out if that little
bride of yours could cook or not.
Rot me for
a two-headed baboon,
but it be my turn
to guard the cannon.
Though why it need be
guarded is for someone
with more wit than me
to figure out,
since there ain't no possible
way a spy could get here
without getting his
throat slit first.
Of course not.
It does seem a shame, though, and
such a pretty little thing, too.
It's not fair to that poor
girl to be left at home.
Not fair to her?
Well, what about me?
Well, it's not fair
to you, either.
By thunder!
Look, I've no wench
to entertain tonight.
Why don't I
stand guard for you?
Then you can go home and
give her an extra kiss for me.
Would you, Hawke?
Would you?
Why certainly, old friend.
It'd be a pleasure.
Of course, if I'm on guard
the night I get married,
I'll expect you to do
the same for me.
That I'd be most happy
to do, Hawke. Most happy.
You are a friend,
Hawke, a real friend.
Do a good job,
me lads.
These are cared for, sir.
Then tend to the others.
I'll go tell the MacGregor
woman, then give the signal.
Hurry!
Strike me
if it ain't Hawke.
Where's Crop-ear?
I thought that
a man's place
on his wedding night
should be with his bride,
so I offered to take his place
on guard and sent him home.
Well, now, that's the very same
reason that brought me up here.
My old shipmate
Crop-ear and me is...
Hello, what's that?
What's what?
I'd swear I heard
some hammering.
Hammering?
If you heard any hammering, it must
be the rum pounding in your ears.
I suppose that's it. I...
Now, don't be telling me that's
the rum pounding in me ears.
I'm gonna have a look.
By all means,
take a look.
Take a look at this.
Well, skulk me if you ain't
a blasted spy.
Be at the gate
at midnight.
We're leaving here
tonight in a boat.
I do not want
to go tonight.
None of your
nonsense, girl.
And you can save
your deceptions
for you'll have
no need of them.
He's going with us.
Then I will come, too.
You'll do
as you're told.
If you try any more
of that "again" business,
I'll box your ears.
If you do,
I will have you thrown in
the pit with the cobras.
You and your cobras.
The kisses
you've had from me,
you've had freely
because I wanted them myself.
So there's no need
for lies between us.
There's no need
for you to say
that you love me
if it isn't true.
Because if you lied to me now
when you don't have to...
But wait.
How can I say I love you when
I don't even know your name?
What is it?
You won't laugh,
will you?
Laugh?
Why should I laugh?
Because it's...
It's Pru. Prudence.
Prudence?
Mmm-hmm.
Sweet darling, Pru,
I do love you.
And you've
a lovely name.
Why, it's as lovely as the dew
on primroses in the morning.
I'm sorry for what I said.
It's just that I'm not used
to trusting anyone.
Then I'll just
mention one thing.
That the time for trusting is
when you've a doubt in your mind.
Promise me
you'll remember that?
Good night, my love.
Sweet dreams.
Answer him.
Aye, aye, sir.
Midnight.
They should be here.
I hope there were
no slip-ups, sir.
So do I. I have no desire
to visit those tide stakes.
The best we can expect
is to have our throats cut.
No question
about that.
Harris,
got everything ready?
Aye, sir. All seen to.
The longboat's
ready to cast off, sir.
Good.
You wait here.
Hawke.
You needn't bother. No one's
coming through that gate tonight.
Keep those two covered.
I'll take care of him myself.
Don't be a fool, Roc.
Listen to me.
I've listened to you
for the last time.
Now, will you listen?
It's not Spitfire I want.
It's the Indian girl.
Why?
You Judas.
Now, where were you going?
I don't know.
In a boat.
I thought he was
taking you on the Shark.
Where were you going?
She doesn't know
and I don't know.
You're a liar.
I'm not one that lies,
Mistress Stevens.
I wanted to get her away from
you and your men of blood,
as any decent
woman would.
I had a feeling I could
put my trust in Mr. Hawke.
So had I,
Miss MacGregor.
Now, now, Spitfire, a man's
fancy falls where it will.
There's no
holding of it.
Let him have the girl
and forget him.
Give her to him?
After I told him that he
had no need to lie to me.
After I told him
that I'd shoot the eyes
out of his head if he
dared to. And he did.
And for what? So that
he could steal her?
Blast and curse him.
So that he could steal a
china doll, a porcelain puppet,
who is no more
use to herself
than she is
to any other man.
Give her to him
and forget him?
I will have you thrown
into the cobra pit,
bound before a buffalo
and torn into four pieces,
trampled under the feet
of the Great Mogul's elephant
for putting your hands
on the Princess of Hormuz.
Princess of Hormuz?
The Mogul's daughter.
And you knew it.
So it was a ransom
you were after?
Miss MacGregor,
you'll bear witness to this,
that neither I nor
neither of me two lads
had any knowledge
of this from you.
That I'll swear to,
Mr. Hawke.
Then I'll swear
it came as just as big
a surprise to me as
any one of you here.
And as big
a disappointment, too.
Why, that little baggage,
she's just bewitched me.
She must have
if you couldn't wait
two weeks to get her
and the ship.
What was that,
my lass?
I offered him the girl and
the Shark if he'd take me to...
To Brazil
in two weeks' time.
What was
your hurry?
I don't know,
just springtime.
There's more to this
than we know,
much more
I'm thinking.
Take them
into the shop.
I'll loosen
their tongues.
Keep him here.
Where were you going?
For the last time,
where were you going?
Must we put
the coals to you?
Wait.
We found a map of the
fortifications on him.
Curse you.
So you are spies.
Just like I said when
I first laid eyes on you.
So you came here to
spy out the batteries?
Cut them down!
Take all three
to the tide stakes.
You, take the MacGregor woman
and the Princess to the Scorpion.
Keep them under guard.
It may never matter,
ma'am,
but some time, amid all the
hate you say you're cherishing,
I hope you'll remember a
promise you made to trust me.
Trust you?
The only thing
I'll ever remember
is that I didn't kill you
with my own hands.
Louder, me hearties, louder.
Soon enough, we will
be screaming in earnest.
Curse him.
Now, now, now,
Spitfire.
There's no need
to be put out.
You'll be
taken care of.
Now, it's not
a fair sight to see,
so we best go and
leave him be, huh?
Give me your knife.
Well, if that's
the only way
you can get him
out of your skin,
I'd just as soon
leave you do it.
I never thought
I could hate you more
than when I heard
what you said at the gate.
But I was wrong,
I hate you more now.
Not because of what you
did to me, curse you,
but because of what
you're making me do now.
Sag down, you fool.
Don't move until we leave.
Get to the cannon at once.
Hurry, hurry, my lads.
Let me have that.
It's a British man-of-war.
She's a fool, she is.
She'll end up like
the other ships
that tried to come in,
at the bottom of the sea.
So that's why Hawke was
putting out in the longboat.
To meet the man-of-war and give
her the plans of the fortifications.
If that was the idea,
we'll put a quick stop to it.
Let her come in now, without
knowing where our cannon be,
and the crabs will
feed on her, too. Hurry!
Rot my guts! The cannons are blowing up.
Hawke did his
work well, Morris.
Prepare for broadside
at harbor ships.
Prepare for broadside
at harbor ships!
Point.
Point!
Fire.
Fire!
Well, the end's in sight
for us here.
We'll all be taken off
as prisoners.
No one's taking
I'm putting off
for Venice or Genoa.
Will you come
with me, lass?
I don't care where I go
or what happens to me.
But with that man-of-war in the
harbor, how can we go anywhere?
Leave it to me, lass.
Bring the MacGregor
woman here!
She'll take a message
to the British man-of-war.
Prepare to put over side.
Abdullah, get a move on.
Lower the boat!
Haul in those bowlines.
All right!
Stand by to come about.
All hands stand by!
Lower the boat.
Easy there. Easy now.
Blast my guts,
get a move on.
Longboat approaching
with passenger.
Confound me! But do
you believe that this...
What's his name?
This fellow would really
hang the Princess?
Aye, Sir Cloudsley.
will hang her
at the sound of
your first gun.
Ma'am, that would mean the massacre
of every Englishman in India.
The pirate's signaling for
an answer, Sir Cloudsley.
Give him none.
Prepare to broadside. But we'll hold
all fire until I give the command.
Aye, aye, sir.
Prepare a broadside!
Give him a hand, Jorge.
It's been too long since they
picked up Miss MacGregor's boat.
Why don't they answer?
If we wait any longer,
we'll lose the tide.
We're going
through anyway.
Where's my glass,
Morris?
Have I forgotten
the infernal thing again?
Take mine, sir.
Gad, sir.
He's using the Princess
as a shield.
That scoundrel means
to run by us.
Hold your course,
blast you.
Steady.
Steady as she goes.
Well, my lass, in a
minute it'll be to Genoa
or the devil for us.
What did I tell you?
Now it's to Genoa for us
and the devil with them.
I outwitted them,
I did.
Sailed by with every
gun brought to bear
and them afraid
to fire a shot.
This is a moment
I'll not forget.
Nor will they.
Here, my lass.
Let's drink to your
future and mine, huh?
Although, from now on, they'll
both be one and the same.
Here.
Again.
Not now.
Well, it's just
you and me now, me lass.
Just you and me.
We'll live like
a king and a queen.
You're a smart one, Spitfire,
for casting your lot with me.
Or would you rather it was
Hawke you were sailing with?
Blast you!
You mention his name again, and
I'll run you through. I hate him!
Hate him worse than the lowest
viper that ever crawled...
But then he's dead.
So why talk about him?
A hate such as that is usually
held for someone we fancied
with every bone
on our body.
Any feeling
I had for him
died when I found him trying
to steal the Indian Princess.
Oh, then prove it.
I will when I feel like it,
and not until then.
I'm tired of waiting
till you have the fancy.
For once let it be
when I have the fancy.
There's time enough for that
when we get to Genoa.
Genoa is still
a long ways off.
A man's blood would have
to be full of bilge water
to be with you for the weeks
to come and keep his distance.
I've done my waiting.
Blast and curse me...
So you couldn't get him
out of your skin, huh?
No man has ever
struck me and lived.
No woman's ever
betrayed me and lived.
Take her below!
Sir, I envy you.
I really...
Again!
I beg your pardon?
Again.
I'll give you
the Kohinoor
and an elephant with
an ivory howdah. No, no.
And a peacock with ruby...
What is she talking about?
Miss MacGregor,
please.
And a beautiful...
In front of
the British Navy!
Sweet child.
As you were saying, sir.
I envy you.
What the merry old Mogul,
what the government will do
for you for saving the Princess.
Poor girl.
Yes, as a matter of fact,
Sir Cloudsley,
you're in a position to do more
for me than both the government
and the Grand Mogul
put together.
My word, Hawke,
just how?
By forgetting about
Mistress Stevens.
Well, well,
so that's how it is, eh?
Young once myself,
you know.
Where is that
infernal snuffbox?
Take mine,
Sir Cloudsley.
Thank you, Morris.
Thank you.
Forget about her,
you said.
Wouldn't surprise me
if I did.
Putrid memory,
you know, Hawke.
Forgot to put my blasted
breeches on for dress parade once.
Thank you, Morris.
Thank you, sir.
Mistress Stevens,
appearances are sometimes
a little difficult to explain.
But...
Again.
Again!
Take him to his cabin.
Don't trouble to rise, Hawke.
I deeply regret the
necessity for this flogging.
Thank you, sir.
I don't think
the flogger needed
to carry it out
with such gusto.
You requested
the customary lashing.
I know, sir.
Of course, you could have done
me the favor of denying it.
I swear he took
a particular pleasure
in having an officer
under his cat.
Should you fail,
you'll look back on
Flogger Flower's lashing
as a pleasant
afternoon's pastime.
That's another reason, sir, why I've
not the least intention of failing.
Is the longboat ready?
You'll put off at dark.
You should reach
Diego Suarez within 10 days.
Jones and Harris
will accompany you.
Good. And when do you meet
with Sir Cloudsley?
We sail immediately to
rendezvous with him off Cape Town.
I will join him
aboard his man-of-war,
and we'll cruise outside the
northernmost tip of Madagascar
the week agreed upon.
I'll send you the rocket
flare as we arranged.
Should the week pass
and there be no signal,
well, since I've no kin,
there'll be none to mourn me.
Brave men are not forgotten.
Thank you, sir, but...
Sometimes they don't live
long enough to be remembered.
Longboat approaching.
We'll take them to
He'll know what to
do with them. Move.
Swaine.
What's this I hear?
There's no truth
to it, sir.
Now, you know the punishment
for concealing booty.
I swear, Captain
I took only my share.
You lie!
Belike you'll
tell the truth now.
You best speak the truth
or the carrion will feed on
your guts before the sun sets.
I took no booty.
Now, place the truth
on your tongue
or I will place this knife
between the other two.
No, don't!
I did take some.
But I meant no harm.
I'll show you where it is.
All right, tie this
foul-smelling pig below.
Hey, Spitfire!
Keep your distance,
Captain Roc.
That's a terrible
hard thing to do.
Then you'd better learn
or I'll have to teach you.
You were never offended before
when I took a fancy to you.
After last night, I'll do my
own fancy and when the time...
Come on now, Spitfire,
let bygones be bygones.
Caught these cullies
coming ashore in a longboat.
Well,
what have you to say?
We're deserters from the East
India Company ship Monsoon.
Brian Hawke at
your service, ma'am.
This is Jones, topman.
Harris, gunner's mate.
Deserters, huh?
Well, what do
you want here?
Why, to sail against
all flags, naturally.
You're an officer,
aren't you?
You'll excuse our
appearance, I trust, ma'am,
surely, after a week
in an open longboat.
Strip me.
If I'd expected to meet
somebody like you here,
why, I'd have brought
a valet along with me.
I'm not exactly dressed to meet
distinguished company myself.
Blast your guts! I asked
you if you were an officer.
Well, the answer, sir,
should be obvious even to you.
He was an officer,
a lieutenant, sir,
afore they broke him and
give him 20 with the cat, sir.
Got in trouble with
a passenger, he did.
Oh, a passenger, eh?
I don't like
the cut of your sail.
Well, now, come right
down to it, Captain,
I don't much care for
the cut of your own.
Batten your mouth or
I'll batten it for you.
You have the stink
of a spy to me.
Know anyone here
who can vouch for you?
No, sir. We was just
in irons for stealing rum.
Met up with him
in the brig, we did.
Take them to
the auction block.
Bring him tonight before
the Captains of the Coast.
Captains of the Coast?
What do they have
to say about us?
Not much.
Only whether you'll go pirating
or have your throats cut.
Oh.
Well, if there's any
chance of that, ma'am,
I'd like to have
mine shaved first.
You're a regular rooster,
aren't you?
And why not, ma'am?
You seem to be a
high-spirited chick yourself.
I hopes you're finding
the edge smooth, sir.
Smooth as silk,
surgeon.
Usually I uses this one
for throat-cutting,
but seeing this is
a special occasion...
Well, sink me.
You mean to say that
you're the executioner,
as well as the barber,
as well as the surgeon?
Bless me, sir, if it
weren't for the hangings
and the throat-cutting,
I'd starve to death.
Hangings is for crimes
committed aboard ship.
Throat-cuttings is for
the molesting of females
or the hiding of loot.
Course, I don't make
nothing on the spies, sir.
They goes
to the tide stakes.
What a pity.
What are these
tide stakes?
Just some poles they've stuck
in shoal water on the reef, sir.
Gives the crabs
a chance to get at them
afore the water
comes in to drown them.
Crabs are as big
as coconuts here.
I've seen blokes' bones
a- stripped to the hips
afore the water had a chance
to reach their heads.
Archimedes,
hand me that towel.
You seem to lead
a very interesting life.
Oh, yes, sir.
It's barbering
I hankers for, though.
Gets in a man's blood,
it does, sir.
That's why I'm thankful to Spitfire
Stevens for sending me to you.
Spitfire, huh?
There must be
a reason for that name.
You'll find out, sir, if you
ever tries to lay a hand on her.
Not much chance of it.
Might be worth it, barber,
it might be worth it.
That's better.
Thank you,
Master Cruikshank.
Your servant,
Mistress Stevens.
Come along, Archimedes,
and don't forget to tip
your hat to the lady.
How can I tip me hat
with my blooming hands full?
Come on, me lad.
Come on, come along.
I'm much beholden to you,
Mistress Stevens.
So, you had trouble
with a passenger?
A female passenger,
no doubt.
No, ma'am, my oath on it.
I had no trouble with her,
merely because of her.
I never have trouble
with women, never.
You don't?
I've got a feeling that
you're going to and soon.
But I think you'd be a
bad judge of that, ma'am.
I'll warrant, I'll wager that
you've never even kissed a man
without a great bushel
of whiskers on his chin.
Perhaps not,
but it's easily remedied.
I lost.
Well?
I'll survive.
I'll survive.
Of course, if I didn't
have my hands tied...
Of course, of course.
But don't get any
wrong ideas about me.
I may have use for you when
I know that I can trust you.
Otherwise, you'll find
your hands tied again
and not to an auction block
but to a tide stake.
But then that's for us
to decide tonight.
Us?
Tonight?
What do you mean?
You're one of the
Captains of the Coast?
And why shouldn't I be
when I own a ship?
No reason at all, ma'am.
Except that...
If the Captains do
decide to dispose of me,
I shall only regret that I didn't
have the honor of serving under you.
Harris, who are these Captains of
the Coast that have the say about us?
The same crew of cutthroats that
sailed the Spanish Main out of Tortuga.
That right, sir?
Oh, yes. Yes.
Seems that times
are changing, though.
You say you were broken from your
rank as lieutenant on the Monsoon?
Yes, sir, formally broken
before passenger and crew.
But it is a simple affair,
monsieur,
to tear buttons
from a coat, is it not?
So say I.
Why waste our time listening
to his foul-mouth lies?
We'll find out soon
enough whether he lies.
I remember well,
Captain Kidd,
when you'd let the crabs
have their fill of them first
and find out if they
told the truth after.
And well I do, too.
But I was younger then and
consumed with the impatience
and the injustice of youth.
It was during your youth
that your name
was to be feared
along the seven seas.
Meaning, of course, that I
am to be feared no longer?
You can take it
as you wish.
Better to die while
you're still a legend
than to live long enough to
make a mockery of that legend.
Is that what you imply,
Don't you think
you're getting a little...
It's not Captain Kidd
who is on trial here,
but these three men.
Aye.
Proceed, Captain Kidd.
You say you had 20
at the grating?
Yes, sir.
We've only got
your word for that.
I can show you
if it's the truth or not.
Go ahead then, Gow.
Who did you have
20 from on the Monsoon?
From the boatswain,
Flower.
Right. I sailed on the
Monsoon meself, gents.
And I knows that when Flogger
Flower lays 20 to a man's back,
he signs his name with
the last four lashes.
So let's have that shirt off
and see if it's there.
Now, wait,
gentlemen, please.
In the presence of a lady?
He ain't lying, gents.
Leastways not about having
them from Flogger Flower.
Look you now,
Captain Kidd,
a man with the guts
to spy upon us
would have the guts to take 20
on his bare back,
would he not, whatever?
Indeed to goodness.
Undoubtedly, Captain
Roberts. Undoubtedly.
I say we take
no chances.
To the tide stakes
with him.
We may be
making a mistake.
Nothing has been
proved against him.
If there's any mistake
to be made,
I aim to make it in
our favor, not in his.
Nobody asked him
to come here.
There might be a way
of testing the fellow.
sailing master, from below.
Aye, aye, sir.
Mr. Hawke, it's apparent
you're a gentleman.
I've had considerable
experience of your kind.
Now, this fellow Swaine's been
convicted of concealing booty.
You must know
what that means here.
Kill the scoundrel
in any way you please
if you'd have us believe
you've a stomach for pirating.
Belike I've
a stomach for pirating,
but I'm no hangman
to kill a man unarmed.
You've the choice of it.
Or a slow death
along with your mates.
So say we all.
Well, belike I've no
stomach for that, either.
But if it narrows down to
a choice of evils, why then,
I'll fight any man here
with any weapon he wants.
Then fight
the sailing master.
Aye, we might kill two
birds with one stone.
An excellent suggestion,
Captain Roberts, excellent.
What have you to
say to it, Mr. Hawke?
As I said, sir,
any man, any weapon.
Kill him and I'll
give you your life.
I'll fight him.
With what?
Any man, any weapon is what you
said, if I remember correctly.
Well, Swaine,
what weapon do you want?
Boarding pikes.
Take them to the main deck, get pikes.
Three to one on
Swaine for 100 moidores.
I lay you threes.
Hawke for 50 reals.
100 guineas on
the Englishman.
Done.
Stay in close, sir. He's
got too much reach for you.
A fool he is to fight
you with a lower-deck arm.
Are you ready?
Aye, aye, sir.
Aye, ready.
Then would you be good enough to
give them the signal, Captain Death?
Stay in closer!
Stay focused!
I'll wager you 20 moidores
and take your pick.
Mercy, sir, mercy.
I distinctly heard him choose
boarding pikes, not rum bottles.
Mercy it is,
since it was Mistress Stevens
gave me this advantage.
Take Swaine below.
are you satisfied?
I still put
no trust in him.
Well, I do, and enough to give him
my ship as soon as she's re-rigged.
No man is taking
your ship out of here
unless he has a rope around
his neck like any known pirate.
All right,
if he wants to sail,
let him sail on the
Scorpion as my navigator.
I have need of one
and at once.
When he comes back
with blood on his hands,
then he can hoist his own
black flag, but not before.
Your pardon, sir.
I didn't hear you come in.
That's all right,
master gunsmith.
For a moment there, I thought
I was getting a warm reception.
I'm in need of a good blade
and a brace of pistols
to be charged to
I'm only Williams
the foreman here, sir.
I can show you the arms,
but Mistress Stevens will have
to give her word about the charge.
Mistress Stevens?
Is she a gunsmith?
In a manner of speaking,
sir, she is.
And a good one, too.
But her father
was the smith.
When he passed away,
the business came to her,
along with his ship and his
rating as a Captain of the Coast.
That's very interesting. How'd
they come here in the first place?
Try this one
for balance, sir.
Thank you.
Her father was sentenced for
transportation to the Virginias
as a bonded laborer, sir.
Seems hard to think of a man and
his child being sold to slavery
for no more than the poaching
of a rabbit in Windsor Park.
It doesn't quite
come to hand for me.
Maybe the blade's
a little long.
Try this Toledo, sir.
When Captain Roberts
took their prison ship
and gave all as wanted
the chance to come here,
it was the best day's work
he ever did.
Yes, this is much better.
It's a beauty.
I'll take it. Why do
you say that, Williams?
It was Master Stevens
who fortified this port.
I didn't see any
fortifications when I came in.
Naturally not, sir.
Master Stevens did a
right clever job, he did.
Masked batteries, sir.
Every pair of them
set to cross fire.
I see.
That must be why the Portuguese
lost three ships of the line
when they tried to come in.
You heard
about that, sir?
What sailor hasn't?
This place is said to be
a veritable deathtrap.
That it is, sir.
That it is.
That's why Master Stevens was
made a Captain of the Coast.
If you've
a liking for these, sir,
we'll try them
in the clamps.
I don't think the clamps
will be necessary.
Got himself a ship, too.
Said a captain
ought to have one.
Of course,
he never went to sea.
Only had his share
in her ventures,
same as
Mistress Spitfire does now.
So that's how it was, huh?
They're all right.
I'll take them.
You've a hand, sir,
and an eye.
Thanks, Williams.
I've also an eye to inspect
those batteries one time,
having once been
an engineer myself.
You'll need permission from
the Captains of the Coast, sir,
seeing as how they're
guarded at all times.
If you could only see
the map of the port
in Mistress Stevens'
bedchamber,
you'd get an idea
of the master's cleverness.
It were the original plans
for the fortifications
which Mistress Stevens,
sentimental-like,
had framed after
her father passed on.
Williams,
if I'm ever
permitted the honor
of Mistress Stevens'
chamber, I'd...
Well, hello.
What are these?
Belonged to
Mistress Stevens, sir.
Not the ones
she carries, though.
I should think not.
They're much
too heavy for her.
Satin Jack Sabin wouldn't
agree with you
if he were here,
which he ain't, sir.
Stood back-to-back
with him, she did.
Walked 10 paces, turned and
shot him through the head.
You mean they fought
a formal duel?
That's impossible, man.
Spitfire's a proud gal, sir.
Could have had his throat cut for
molesting her if she'd wanted to.
But instead, she asked for her
rights as a Captain of the Coast.
And it being the law
of the brotherhood,
there was none
that could deny them.
Satin Jack had to fight her.
Blew his head off,
she did, sir.
I suppose
you might say that
there was a man who really
lost his head over her, huh?
Yeah.
I'll thank you
not to fire those.
As you wish, ma'am.
Can it possibly
be 6:00 so soon?
What do you...
I should like to have a word
with you, Mr. Hawke, in private.
Your servant, ma'am.
Perhaps it would be more
private in your private chamber.
Won't you sit down?
Why did you ask me
if it was 6:00?
Because, ma'am,
surely nobody wears
a dress like that
before 6:00.
Captain Roc brought it
to me from New England.
It's beautiful.
With other things.
I wanted to ask you if...
If...
If you knew
what this is.
Surely, ma'am.
It's a patch box.
What are they for?
If you care to sit in front
of the mirror, I'll show you.
A patch, ma'am, is worn by a
lady to point up her best feature.
The arch of an eyebrow,
the curve of a chin,
the line of a throat, the
roundness of her shoulder.
And why does she
do that?
Why, to attract the attention
of the gallants, naturally.
I should think that a dress like
this would do it sufficiently.
Yes, but not amongst
a dozen others.
Now, I should say that in
your case, let me see...
I think on the left cheek
would be the place.
Thus.
You see?
I like that.
My word on it, ma'am,
a lady attracts attention to
herself wherever she may be.
For instance, if she's
getting into her sedan chair,
she's always very careful to show a leg.
A discrete amount,
of course,
and it must never
look deliberate.
Everybody knows
it is deliberate,
but it must never
look it. Thus...
Try it.
Uh-huh.
Excellent, ma'am.
Excellent.
I've rarely seen better.
Then, when she's
dining at the Swan,
she always curses the waiter
in her loudest voice.
And, of course,
at the dances at Vauxhall,
she curtsies lower than anybody
else in the room. This way.
Try that.
Oh, no.
No, strap me, ma'am.
Sink back on your heel.
Try that all over again.
Way low.
Now, that's excellent. I
doubt if I've ever seen better.
The next thing, of course, is
when she goes to the theater,
her box at the theater,
she screams so shrilly
that not even the actors
can hear
what they're saying.
And at the
gaming tables later,
she laughs louder than
any other female present.
If she wins.
Of course, if she loses,
why, she puts her
little hands together
and pouts so winsomely
that, of course, you want
to give her her money back
to start all over again.
And what then?
Well, by then, it's late.
Well, it's about
2:00 in the morning.
Late, and...
Pardon me.
My blunder, ma'am.
Of course, I was only
demonstrating, wasn't I?
You are a very
beautiful girl, you know,
and I was simply
carried away, ma'am.
You're lucky that
you weren't blown away.
I kiss when I feel
like kissing, Hawke.
And see that
you remember that.
Oh, I will, ma'am.
Now.
I said that I might
have use for you
when I knew that
I can trust you,
which isn't yet, Mr.
Hawke, by a long way.
But when you return,
I'll give you the Shark
for a venture
that I have in mind.
The Shark?
She's a brigantine
of 20 guns.
And now, perhaps you'd
better get your arms.
I'd deem it
another favor, ma'am,
if you'd do what you can for
Jones and Harris, my shipmates.
For instance, Harris might be very
useful to you for an odd day's work.
He's a fine
gunner's mate.
I'll keep them in mind.
And now I suppose
it's goodbye, Mr. Hawke.
Keep an open eye while you're
sailing with Captain Roc.
Oh, yes. Thank you,
ma'am. I will, indeed.
But I have a feeling
that the good captain
will be as gentle
as a mother's kiss.
After all, he can't
navigate back without me.
Your very humble servant,
ma'am.
You've been a Jonah
to us so far.
Cargos of spices, cocoa and
cotton is nothing to brag about.
You never know your luck till
the ball stops rolling, Captain.
Deck ahoy!
Ship five points
off the port bow.
Here.
What do you make of it?
Why that's...
What is it?
That's the Qutabuddin.
Aurangzeb's own
ship of state.
Who might be
this Aurangzeb?
He might be the Grand Mogul,
the Emperor of India.
She's heading out
for the Red Sea.
On a pilgrimage to Mecca,
doubtless.
Bunged to the hatches
with offerings, I'll wager.
Jewels, moidores,
plate, carpets!
Looks like you brought
us luck after all, cully.
Are you insane, Captain? You so
much as train a gun on that boat,
and you'll have John
Company's Army down here
and half the British Navy to
blast us all out of Madagascar.
Batten your lip.
Who's to know
if we sink or burn her?
The devil with Madagascar.
There's enough treasure
aboard that ship
to keep us rotten rich
for the rest of our lives.
Standby to man the ship.
Pirates! Pirates!
Memsahib! Memsahib! Memsahib!
Memsahib!
Memsahib MacGregor.
Memsahib MacGregor!
Silence, you hussies!
Silence!
Stop that screaming till I
can hear what Hassan's saying.
Pirates? You lummox.
Quiet, all of you!
What pirate would dare to harm
the Great Mogul's own ship?
Call yourself a man,
do you?
Come in here to terrify
these poor lambs.
Pooh on you
and your pirates.
The nerve of the monsters.
Unspeakable effrontery
of the scoundrels.
Stay where you are.
Princess. Princess.
What is the matter,
MacGregor memsahib?
Patma, my lamb,
listen to me carefully.
I will,
MacGregor memsahib.
Go into the
prayer closet.
Take off your pearls, your ring,
your robe, everything that shows
that you're the daughter
of the Emperor of India.
Hide them and
wear this instead.
You know I love you, me
lamby, so don't ask me why.
I will do what you say,
MacGregor memsahib.
Stay in the prayer closet
till I come for you.
Now, go,
and be quick about it.
And who might
you be, ma'am?
Who might I be?
I am Molvina MacGregor,
governess to these lambs.
And if you lay
a finger on them,
I can scratch your eyes out
with me own hands, Captain Brasal,
or whatever your name may be.
You will hang in chains with
the rest of your monstrous breed,
if it takes every man
in John Company's Army
and every ship
in the British Navy
to smoke you out of your
rat hole in Madagascar.
See, Captain, she took the very
words right out of my mouth.
Well, cast off and
be quick about it.
What do you intend to do
with these lambs?
Now, ma'am,
I don't mean them no harm.
They'll bring fancy prices
as lawful wedded wives.
Of course you've got
nothing to worry about.
And may I enquire
of you, sir, why not?
Set the torches to her.
Burn her down.
Close haul
the starboard lines.
Close haul our
starboard lines.
My lamb, my lamb.
Wait.
There's nothing to...
Let me go, you murderer.
Let me go!
What, you mean there's
a girl aboard that ship?
In the prayer closet
with a carpet over its door.
In the small cabin.
You may be a pirate, but
you look like a man to me.
Save her, the Lord
will reward you.
Save her!
Well! Come.
No.
I am afraid.
I am very much afraid.
Don't be, little one, don't be.
There.
My lamb. My lamb.
Is she... Is she...
Oh, no, ma'am.
Merely swooned away.
I'll take her, Tom.
South-southwest, sir.
South-southwest it is.
And a fair night.
Never saw her fairer, Tom.
Why don't you turn in?
No point in both of us
being on deck.
That's very good of you,
Mr. Hawke.
Thank you, sir.
Psst!
What are you doing here?
I came to find you.
All right, little one.
I'll take you back
to the rest of the girls.
Again.
No, no. You must not
come on deck alone.
Again.
Again what?
I will give you
the Kohinoor.
Oh, that.
There. Now, come on.
Are you a prince
from the Arabian Nights?
No, little one.
No, I'm just a man.
I've known
but two men.
Hassan has no hair
on his head,
and my father has
hair on his face.
Do you mean
to tell me that
I am the third man you've
ever seen in your life?
Tell me, what was that
you said you'd give me?
The Kohinoor.
Do you mean...
Do you mean
the Grand Mogul's big diamond?
Yes, he will give it to me,
and I will give it to you.
He'll give it to you?
Tell me, little one,
what's your name?
I do not remember what
MacGregor memsahib said.
But I must not say that I
am Patma, Princess of Hormuz.
Princess of...
No, no, little one.
No, you must not say that.
No, we'll find
a name for you.
Something easy
for you to remember.
A lovely name, as lovely
as you are yourself.
Yes, but first, again.
Anything
to keep you happy.
Curse him. I've searched everywhere
for him and no sight of him.
Has he been here?
Has who been here,
Mistress Stevens?
Who? His Royal Highness
Brian Hawke.
You go get your dinner.
I'll take care
of the shop myself.
Yes, Mistress Stevens.
Rot him. Blast him.
Spitfire! How's the
flower of Diego Suarez?
So it's you.
Well, you could
look more delighted
seeing as I come
to bring you a favor.
Indeed.
Here.
There weren't nothing finer
in all the loot we took.
You don't have
to tell me that.
Yeah, I'd like to see it
around your neck.
Look here, Spitfire,
there's no future here
for a girl like you.
I've got all the riches
a man could want.
Come with me to
Genoa or Venice,
outside the reach
of English law and...
Oh, by Judas,
I'll even marry you.
Why?
There'll be plenty
of fine women for you
in Genoa or Venice,
won't there?
Yeah, but could I trust them not to
vanish with my treasure some night?
So it's because you can
trust me that you're asking?
Well, there's only
one thing wrong with that,
and that is that
I can't trust you.
No, thank you, Captain
Roc. I'll go my own way.
I've told you
I've a fancy for you.
Now, I'll remind you, I am a
man that gets what he wants.
Tell me where
you want it.
It's this popinjay Hawke
that's turned your head.
The last time I saw him,
he got a muzzle in his belly,
and the next time he'll get a bullet
in it, if there is a next time.
Because anytime I see him
again will be too cursed soon.
You won't set
eye on him so soon,
seeing as I gave orders
for him not to leave the ship
till he finished
the accounting.
Psst!
Lieutenant, sir.
We took this job of painting
ship to reach you, unseen belike,
seeing as how we had no idea
how long you'd be kept aboard.
I have no idea myself.
I've been confined to ship.
Were you able to get
a copy of the map?
Aye, sir. Harris has it.
Better open
the other port, sir.
He'll be along
any minute now.
Happy to see you, sir.
Thanks.
Have you got the map?
Aye, sir.
Here it is.
Good man.
That's excellent,
excellent.
Have you memorized the
positions of all the guns?
Aye aye, sir. We can
find them in the dark.
That's when we're gonna
have to find them.
Come in.
I'd expected to see you
before now, Mr. Hawke.
I seem to remember having
offered you the command of a ship.
Yes, and so
you did, ma'am.
But, you see, I've been
confined aboard this one
to make an accounting
of all the treasure.
As I am sure that Captain
Roc must've told you.
How did you know
I saw him?
Well...
Let's see. "One necklace, pearls, rubies
and sapphires, to value 5,000 guineas,
"delivered to Captain Roc. "
I hardly thought the Captain
would want to wear it himself.
Well, you can put it
back on your list.
I will.
Won't you be seated,
ma'am?
Smells like
a joss house in here.
Yes, it does a little,
doesn't it?
But there's something
oddly fascinating
and exotic about
those Eastern perfumes,
don't you think?
You can put these back
on your blasted list, too.
Yes, of course.
Of course.
Rather nice quality
though, isn't it?
You see, we had
to give this cabin
to Miss MacGregor and all
the young ladies because...
Incidentally, what did the captains
decide to do about the Scotswoman?
They put her in my keeping.
Oh, good.
Then perhaps you could
return these to her.
I have a venture for you
on the Shark.
Oh? When?
In about two weeks.
Oh, I know you've taken
a rich spoil, but...
Would it interest you
a little more
if you knew that I was going
to be aboard her myself?
Yes. Yes, it would.
I told you
that I would kiss
when I had a fancy for
kissing myself, didn't I?
Well, I have a fancy now.
You boasted about what you
could do with your hands untied.
So...
Get to it, Mr. Hawke.
Well, I hope you'll forgive
me, Mistress Stevens,
but, you see, as you see, I am very
much occupied at the present moment.
What?
Yes, I regret that
I cannot put pleasure
before the press
of business affairs,
but I had strict orders
from Captain Roc
not to let
anything whatsoever
interfere with the accounting.
First things first,
I always say.
I never in all
my born days...
But, of course, if you wish
to put a ball between my eyes
merely because I'm trying
to be conscientious...
Blast you.
Are you trying to say
that it will take a threat
to compel you to...
Oh, no. By no means,
Mistress Stevens.
I'm merely trying to
say that I should be
most happy to accede
to your request
at some more favorable time.
Some time when I can put
myself fully to the task at hand
without all of this
ridiculous accounting.
And I am so bad
at figures, too.
Come to my house
when you've done here,
and we will talk of
the venture on the Shark.
Oh, again you must
forgive me, ma'am.
When I am done here,
I shall be otherwise engaged.
With a woman?
No.
Not with a woman,
with 10 of them.
Hear ye, hear ye!
By order of the Brotherhood of
the Coast, these Moorish females,
well-found and fully rigged,
will be sold here and now
without inspection
for lawful wedded wives.
What do I hear
for this little rig?
50 moidores.
50 moidores.
70 moidores.
Do I hear 80?
Speak up, my lonely lads.
80. 80.
80, 80.
Do I hear 90? 90?
80 it is, then.
To Crop-ear Collins.
Going to
Crop-ear Collins for 80.
Going, going, gone.
Come up here and get her.
I now opens
the lucky bag.
Take her away, me boy,
and be happy.
Now that I got her,
what does I do with her?
What does he do
with her he asks!
Take her away
before I gives you
a mother-in-law
to go with her.
Well-found and
fully rigged, me boys.
That will be 80 moidores,
103 guineas or 540 reals.
You got a real bargain there,
Crop-ear. A real bargain.
And now, gents,
as you knows well,
fine goods comes
in small packets.
So, speak up,
me lucky lads.
What am I bid
for this trim little cloth?
Do I hear 50 moidores?
I'll make it 50.
There ain't enough
beam to her.
50. Thank you, sir.
Going at 50.
Do I hear 60?
Going at 50.
Going, going...
1,000.
Must be quite a prize if she
be worth that much, laddie.
At 1,000 moidores,
first and last call.
Going, going, gone.
I will send Williams
over with the payment.
I think I'd prefer you
as a bachelor.
Curse me if I can
blame you too much.
Miss MacGregor.
Your servant, ma'am.
It's you, Mr. Hawke.
You startled me.
Mistress Stevens and
her men are away today.
Yes, I saw them
rowing out to the Shark.
As a matter of fact,
that's why I'm here.
Indeed, Mr. Hawke?
Tell me, Miss MacGregor, do
you know how to fire a pistol?
How would I know that?
That's what
I was wondering.
What possible use
can you make
of the one you've got
in your underwear?
Underwear?
I'll have you know, I've no
pistol concealed in my underwear.
Of course, if you wish to
be technical, your petticoat.
I think you better
let me have it.
It's liable to go off
at any moment, you know.
Aha! Bad girl.
I suggest that if you must carry
a weapon, you make it a knife.
It's far less
likely to explode.
Where's the Indian girl's
bedroom?
Bedroom.
You philandering scoundrel.
You make the slightest
attempt to approach her
and I will put her beyond the
reach of you and your kind.
I suppose you'll tell the
Captain she's the Princess?
Merciful heavens.
Miss MacGregor,
you've got to trust me.
You've got to help me
get her away from here.
You were trying
to buy her.
I'd no more trust that lamb
to you than I'd trust myself
Ah, me. If only I had as much of
the game as you give me the name.
Let's be forthright.
I'm the only one
you can trust.
Well?
Well, I'll trust her to you.
But not alone.
Wherever you take her,
you take me, too.
Agreed. There are certain
details to be completed.
I'll let you know
when all's ready.
Well, I hardly expected
to find you here.
Why not, ma'am?
Since it's by your
invitation that I am here.
Of course, there may be
another reason for the honor.
Has he seen the girl,
Miss MacGregor?
He has most certainly not.
That seems
very unkind.
After all,
he did save her life.
Besides, I have a fancy
to see them together.
This is the gentleman
who tried to buy you.
Yes.
It's the same gentleman
who saved you on the ship.
I know.
You must
thank him for it.
Thank you very much.
Again.
No, no, not again,
my sweet.
Yes, again.
Mercy honest!
That's enough.
Quite enough,
Miss MacGregor.
Take her to her room.
Why do you think you
can talk to me like that?
I'll have you...
No, no, lamby, she's
being kind to us. Come now.
Sweet child.
Let me see. There was...
Oh, yes, there was to be some
word of the venture, ma'am.
Yes, there was.
Sit down.
To what port can I go
from which
I can reach England
as a passenger
on a lawful ship?
Why, Rio, Bahia, Pernambuco,
any port in Brazil.
I've come to the belief that
there's nothing left for me here.
Why, ma'am, that's
very sound of you.
Why, in London you'll have
every gallant in town
at your feet
in no time.
And I'll warrant before the
rest of the season's out,
a fine, handsome
husband, too.
If you'll take me to Brazil,
I'll give you the Shark.
And then you can go pirating
to your heart's content,
until they hang you in chains
from Execution Dock,
for which occasion
I shall have a front seat.
Ma'am, I shall be delighted to toss
you me garter from the scaffold.
The hangman will
charge you a guinea.
And I'll give you
the girl, too.
Now, what would
I do with her?
Put her on the mantelpiece under
a glass cover like a Geneva clock?
What did you intend
to do with her
if you'd succeeded
in buying her?
I was a fool to think that you
might be different from the others.
Swaggering,
misbegotten bullies
who think that a girl is
without pride of her own.
Just something to satisfy
their selfish lusts and vanities
because she's weaker.
Well, I'm not weaker!
I go after what I want,
just like they do.
And I can defend
my own self-respect.
And if any man dares
to damage it,
I'll shoot the eyes
out of his head.
Both of them, Brian Hawke, both of them!
I'll accept the venture,
ma'am, but I'm warning you,
you draw
one more pistol
and you're going to find
yourself across my knee.
Why did you try
to buy the girl?
Maybe because I wanted to
keep her out of rough hands.
My father taught me how to
defend myself against rough men.
But he told me that he could
only warn me against gentlemen.
He said that a girl like me
should never put her trust in one.
And now it seems
that I'm about to.
Whoever said that
I was a gentleman?
It might be an opportune
time tonight, sir,
seeing as how most of the
pirate ships put out to sea.
I'll signal the man-of-war just
as soon as we fix the cannon.
If all goes well, she should
sail in at dawn tomorrow.
First, we have to get
the Princess aboard.
If I may be
so bold, sir,
why can't we put the Princess
aboard after she comes in?
No, no, no. We can't
take a chance on that.
If any of these cutthroats
were to find out
that she's
the Mogul's daughter,
they'd hold her to hostage, do away
with her, anything could happen.
It'd mean the death of
every Englishman in India.
So you two see that the
longboat is ready by night.
It ain't my affair, sir, but
what's to become of Miss Spitfire?
She treated us
most kind, she did.
Yes. I'll come ashore
with the landing party.
See that no harm
comes to her.
Now, pretend to go about
your business as usual.
Aye, sir.
Hawke!
Early this morning I saw
Mistress Stevens and her hands
putting off
with the Shark.
Yes. She's outfitting for
a new venture in two weeks.
Rightwise, I've no cause to
keep you from sailing on it.
Certainly not.
Providing you
sail on it alone
without Mistress Stevens.
Come now,
Captain, claw me.
I was never much of a one
for me own company.
I'm giving you
fair warning, Hawke.
That's very generous
of you, Captain.
I'll give it the fair
attention it deserves.
No, no, wait.
It's Crop-ear.
Hold there!
Well, Crop-ear.
Split me sides, I never
expected to see you out tonight.
I'd have wagered
you'd be home,
finding out if that little
bride of yours could cook or not.
Rot me for
a two-headed baboon,
but it be my turn
to guard the cannon.
Though why it need be
guarded is for someone
with more wit than me
to figure out,
since there ain't no possible
way a spy could get here
without getting his
throat slit first.
Of course not.
It does seem a shame, though, and
such a pretty little thing, too.
It's not fair to that poor
girl to be left at home.
Not fair to her?
Well, what about me?
Well, it's not fair
to you, either.
By thunder!
Look, I've no wench
to entertain tonight.
Why don't I
stand guard for you?
Then you can go home and
give her an extra kiss for me.
Would you, Hawke?
Would you?
Why certainly, old friend.
It'd be a pleasure.
Of course, if I'm on guard
the night I get married,
I'll expect you to do
the same for me.
That I'd be most happy
to do, Hawke. Most happy.
You are a friend,
Hawke, a real friend.
Do a good job,
me lads.
These are cared for, sir.
Then tend to the others.
I'll go tell the MacGregor
woman, then give the signal.
Hurry!
Strike me
if it ain't Hawke.
Where's Crop-ear?
I thought that
a man's place
on his wedding night
should be with his bride,
so I offered to take his place
on guard and sent him home.
Well, now, that's the very same
reason that brought me up here.
My old shipmate
Crop-ear and me is...
Hello, what's that?
What's what?
I'd swear I heard
some hammering.
Hammering?
If you heard any hammering, it must
be the rum pounding in your ears.
I suppose that's it. I...
Now, don't be telling me that's
the rum pounding in me ears.
I'm gonna have a look.
By all means,
take a look.
Take a look at this.
Well, skulk me if you ain't
a blasted spy.
Be at the gate
at midnight.
We're leaving here
tonight in a boat.
I do not want
to go tonight.
None of your
nonsense, girl.
And you can save
your deceptions
for you'll have
no need of them.
He's going with us.
Then I will come, too.
You'll do
as you're told.
If you try any more
of that "again" business,
I'll box your ears.
If you do,
I will have you thrown in
the pit with the cobras.
You and your cobras.
The kisses
you've had from me,
you've had freely
because I wanted them myself.
So there's no need
for lies between us.
There's no need
for you to say
that you love me
if it isn't true.
Because if you lied to me now
when you don't have to...
But wait.
How can I say I love you when
I don't even know your name?
What is it?
You won't laugh,
will you?
Laugh?
Why should I laugh?
Because it's...
It's Pru. Prudence.
Prudence?
Mmm-hmm.
Sweet darling, Pru,
I do love you.
And you've
a lovely name.
Why, it's as lovely as the dew
on primroses in the morning.
I'm sorry for what I said.
It's just that I'm not used
to trusting anyone.
Then I'll just
mention one thing.
That the time for trusting is
when you've a doubt in your mind.
Promise me
you'll remember that?
Good night, my love.
Sweet dreams.
Answer him.
Aye, aye, sir.
Midnight.
They should be here.
I hope there were
no slip-ups, sir.
So do I. I have no desire
to visit those tide stakes.
The best we can expect
is to have our throats cut.
No question
about that.
Harris,
got everything ready?
Aye, sir. All seen to.
The longboat's
ready to cast off, sir.
Good.
You wait here.
Hawke.
You needn't bother. No one's
coming through that gate tonight.
Keep those two covered.
I'll take care of him myself.
Don't be a fool, Roc.
Listen to me.
I've listened to you
for the last time.
Now, will you listen?
It's not Spitfire I want.
It's the Indian girl.
Why?
You Judas.
Now, where were you going?
I don't know.
In a boat.
I thought he was
taking you on the Shark.
Where were you going?
She doesn't know
and I don't know.
You're a liar.
I'm not one that lies,
Mistress Stevens.
I wanted to get her away from
you and your men of blood,
as any decent
woman would.
I had a feeling I could
put my trust in Mr. Hawke.
So had I,
Miss MacGregor.
Now, now, Spitfire, a man's
fancy falls where it will.
There's no
holding of it.
Let him have the girl
and forget him.
Give her to him?
After I told him that he
had no need to lie to me.
After I told him
that I'd shoot the eyes
out of his head if he
dared to. And he did.
And for what? So that
he could steal her?
Blast and curse him.
So that he could steal a
china doll, a porcelain puppet,
who is no more
use to herself
than she is
to any other man.
Give her to him
and forget him?
I will have you thrown
into the cobra pit,
bound before a buffalo
and torn into four pieces,
trampled under the feet
of the Great Mogul's elephant
for putting your hands
on the Princess of Hormuz.
Princess of Hormuz?
The Mogul's daughter.
And you knew it.
So it was a ransom
you were after?
Miss MacGregor,
you'll bear witness to this,
that neither I nor
neither of me two lads
had any knowledge
of this from you.
That I'll swear to,
Mr. Hawke.
Then I'll swear
it came as just as big
a surprise to me as
any one of you here.
And as big
a disappointment, too.
Why, that little baggage,
she's just bewitched me.
She must have
if you couldn't wait
two weeks to get her
and the ship.
What was that,
my lass?
I offered him the girl and
the Shark if he'd take me to...
To Brazil
in two weeks' time.
What was
your hurry?
I don't know,
just springtime.
There's more to this
than we know,
much more
I'm thinking.
Take them
into the shop.
I'll loosen
their tongues.
Keep him here.
Where were you going?
For the last time,
where were you going?
Must we put
the coals to you?
Wait.
We found a map of the
fortifications on him.
Curse you.
So you are spies.
Just like I said when
I first laid eyes on you.
So you came here to
spy out the batteries?
Cut them down!
Take all three
to the tide stakes.
You, take the MacGregor woman
and the Princess to the Scorpion.
Keep them under guard.
It may never matter,
ma'am,
but some time, amid all the
hate you say you're cherishing,
I hope you'll remember a
promise you made to trust me.
Trust you?
The only thing
I'll ever remember
is that I didn't kill you
with my own hands.
Louder, me hearties, louder.
Soon enough, we will
be screaming in earnest.
Curse him.
Now, now, now,
Spitfire.
There's no need
to be put out.
You'll be
taken care of.
Now, it's not
a fair sight to see,
so we best go and
leave him be, huh?
Give me your knife.
Well, if that's
the only way
you can get him
out of your skin,
I'd just as soon
leave you do it.
I never thought
I could hate you more
than when I heard
what you said at the gate.
But I was wrong,
I hate you more now.
Not because of what you
did to me, curse you,
but because of what
you're making me do now.
Sag down, you fool.
Don't move until we leave.
Get to the cannon at once.
Hurry, hurry, my lads.
Let me have that.
It's a British man-of-war.
She's a fool, she is.
She'll end up like
the other ships
that tried to come in,
at the bottom of the sea.
So that's why Hawke was
putting out in the longboat.
To meet the man-of-war and give
her the plans of the fortifications.
If that was the idea,
we'll put a quick stop to it.
Let her come in now, without
knowing where our cannon be,
and the crabs will
feed on her, too. Hurry!
Rot my guts! The cannons are blowing up.
Hawke did his
work well, Morris.
Prepare for broadside
at harbor ships.
Prepare for broadside
at harbor ships!
Point.
Point!
Fire.
Fire!
Well, the end's in sight
for us here.
We'll all be taken off
as prisoners.
No one's taking
I'm putting off
for Venice or Genoa.
Will you come
with me, lass?
I don't care where I go
or what happens to me.
But with that man-of-war in the
harbor, how can we go anywhere?
Leave it to me, lass.
Bring the MacGregor
woman here!
She'll take a message
to the British man-of-war.
Prepare to put over side.
Abdullah, get a move on.
Lower the boat!
Haul in those bowlines.
All right!
Stand by to come about.
All hands stand by!
Lower the boat.
Easy there. Easy now.
Blast my guts,
get a move on.
Longboat approaching
with passenger.
Confound me! But do
you believe that this...
What's his name?
This fellow would really
hang the Princess?
Aye, Sir Cloudsley.
will hang her
at the sound of
your first gun.
Ma'am, that would mean the massacre
of every Englishman in India.
The pirate's signaling for
an answer, Sir Cloudsley.
Give him none.
Prepare to broadside. But we'll hold
all fire until I give the command.
Aye, aye, sir.
Prepare a broadside!
Give him a hand, Jorge.
It's been too long since they
picked up Miss MacGregor's boat.
Why don't they answer?
If we wait any longer,
we'll lose the tide.
We're going
through anyway.
Where's my glass,
Morris?
Have I forgotten
the infernal thing again?
Take mine, sir.
Gad, sir.
He's using the Princess
as a shield.
That scoundrel means
to run by us.
Hold your course,
blast you.
Steady.
Steady as she goes.
Well, my lass, in a
minute it'll be to Genoa
or the devil for us.
What did I tell you?
Now it's to Genoa for us
and the devil with them.
I outwitted them,
I did.
Sailed by with every
gun brought to bear
and them afraid
to fire a shot.
This is a moment
I'll not forget.
Nor will they.
Here, my lass.
Let's drink to your
future and mine, huh?
Although, from now on, they'll
both be one and the same.
Here.
Again.
Not now.
Well, it's just
you and me now, me lass.
Just you and me.
We'll live like
a king and a queen.
You're a smart one, Spitfire,
for casting your lot with me.
Or would you rather it was
Hawke you were sailing with?
Blast you!
You mention his name again, and
I'll run you through. I hate him!
Hate him worse than the lowest
viper that ever crawled...
But then he's dead.
So why talk about him?
A hate such as that is usually
held for someone we fancied
with every bone
on our body.
Any feeling
I had for him
died when I found him trying
to steal the Indian Princess.
Oh, then prove it.
I will when I feel like it,
and not until then.
I'm tired of waiting
till you have the fancy.
For once let it be
when I have the fancy.
There's time enough for that
when we get to Genoa.
Genoa is still
a long ways off.
A man's blood would have
to be full of bilge water
to be with you for the weeks
to come and keep his distance.
I've done my waiting.
Blast and curse me...
So you couldn't get him
out of your skin, huh?
No man has ever
struck me and lived.
No woman's ever
betrayed me and lived.
Take her below!
Sir, I envy you.
I really...
Again!
I beg your pardon?
Again.
I'll give you
the Kohinoor
and an elephant with
an ivory howdah. No, no.
And a peacock with ruby...
What is she talking about?
Miss MacGregor,
please.
And a beautiful...
In front of
the British Navy!
Sweet child.
As you were saying, sir.
I envy you.
What the merry old Mogul,
what the government will do
for you for saving the Princess.
Poor girl.
Yes, as a matter of fact,
Sir Cloudsley,
you're in a position to do more
for me than both the government
and the Grand Mogul
put together.
My word, Hawke,
just how?
By forgetting about
Mistress Stevens.
Well, well,
so that's how it is, eh?
Young once myself,
you know.
Where is that
infernal snuffbox?
Take mine,
Sir Cloudsley.
Thank you, Morris.
Thank you.
Forget about her,
you said.
Wouldn't surprise me
if I did.
Putrid memory,
you know, Hawke.
Forgot to put my blasted
breeches on for dress parade once.
Thank you, Morris.
Thank you, sir.
Mistress Stevens,
appearances are sometimes
a little difficult to explain.
But...
Again.
Again!