Waterloo Page #3

That gentleman

will spoil the dancing.

- It's Napoleon, sir...

- I know. He has crossed the border.

With all his forces.

He has come between our armies.

- Where?

- At Charleroi.

Charleroi.

- Do you wish me to stop the ball?

- No, I want no alarm.

All officers obliged to ladies

will finish the dance.

Uxbridge, move the cavalry to Charleroi.

Picton, your division marches tonight.

Charleroi.

May I go with the army?

You can ask the Duke.

He allowed ladies in Spain.

We've had so little time together.

- Madeleine, a battle is no place...

- I fear I may never see you again.

What could be simpler than Charleroi?

He has humbugged me.

In a night's march,

he has made us piecemeal.

He has gained a victory

at the cost of bootlaces.

If Blucher stays in Belgium,

I stay too.

On that promise, Blucher would

tie his men to trees if necessary.

- These four roads here...

- Quatre Bras. He'll go for them.

If we can't hold him there,

I will stop him here.

Charleroi.

By God, that man does war honour.

A field of glory

is never a pretty sight.

Nevertheless, 16,000 Prussian dead.

That'll be good news in Paris.

Wellington's on the run at Quatre Bras.

He is retreating.

- Then what are you doing here?

- I came to make my report.

Why didn't you follow him?

Why didn't you pursue him?

- Where are my reinforcements?

- Don't you dare criticise me!

If Wellington's free to choose his

ground, you have lost me everything.

Marshal Blucher, the sector is broken.

I have ordered a retreat.

I am seventy-two

and a proud soldier.

This steel is my word.

I am too old to break it.

If Wellington runs for the coast,

none of us will get home to Berlin.

I do not trust the English.

But because I have served you before. -

- I have ordered the retreat to Wavre.

You may still cooperate with Wellington.

But God help us

if he does not stand.

Grouchy. Gerard.

You take 30,000 men.

You take one third of my army

and pursue Blucher.

Don't let them regroup or consolidate

and don't let them rejoin.

But Blucher might go

in ten different directions.

Blucher is not a scatter of birds.

We will find him on one road.

Enough's enough!

Let's not have any disagreements.

That only leads to disaster.

Grouchy. Gerard. You can go.

Go, go, go.

We'll beat Napoleon next time!

Blucher will win!

Blucher will turn defeat

into victory!

Old Blucher. Damned good licking

and rolled eighteen miles back.

So, we go, too.

I suppose in England

they'll say we've been licked.

Can't help that.

- It's mad. It's all madness.

- They know what they're doing.

If Bony kicked the Prussians' arse,

why are we doing all the running?

A retreating army is never

Rate this script:4.0 / 2 votes