Sharpe (TV Series)

Sharpe's Waterloo (1997)

Hugh Fraser: Wellington

Quotes 

• [as Wellington sits down to dinner, the night before the battle] 

  Uxbridge : What do you do tomorrow?

  Wellington : What do you eat, Uxbridge?

  Uxbridge : [impatiently]  Much the same.

  Wellington : Does the army want for anything?

  Uxbridge : Damn it, what do you do tomorrow? What plans have you?

  Wellington : Plans?

  Uxbridge : I am second in command! I ought to know!

  Wellington : As soon as Napoleon Bonaparte tells me what *he's* going to do, I shall know what *I'm* going to do, and I shall tell you. But as Boney has not yet confided in me, I cannot confide in you. So, to your beef, Uxbridge.

  [Uxbridge exits in a huff] 

  Wellington : [under his breath]  Adulterous rogue.

• Wellington : The Prince of Orange. They wanted to give him command over me. Better counsel prevailed.

• Prince William of Orange : It's the French. Oh my god. Now they have guns.

  Wellington : Oh, they've always had guns, your royal highness. What they haven't always had is you as a target.

• Wellington : Your Regiment, Sharpe!

  Richard Sharpe : Prince of... South Essex! ADVANCE!

  [regiment walks off towards the French] 

  Richard Sharpe : South Essex Charge!

• [the Prince of Orange rides to Wellington's side] 

  Prince William of Orange : Good day to you. We're fighting Boney, you know. Indeed we are. This day, at the cross roads of Quartre Bras... He's been seen.

  Wellington : [skeptically]  Has he been?

  Prince William of Orange : We're holding the woods, I do believe... yes.

  Uxbridge : [looks around]  Where are your men?

  Prince William of Orange : Fighting... fighting.

  [the Dutch troops stream past, clearly running away] 

  Uxbridge : I stand corrected, highness. I know very little about uniforms, other than me own, but I could have sworn these was yours as is running. Ain't they?

  Prince William of Orange : [draws his sword]  Some of them, Lord Uxbridge, some of them.

  [spurs after them] 

  Prince William of Orange : Come back here, you cowards!

  Wellington : I never mind men running as long as they come back.

• Wellington : [to the retreating Dutch troops]  My lads, you look blown from your run. Come, do take breath a moment. Then we will go back and try if we can do better. Take heart, soon have some guns up. Uxbridge!

  Uxbridge : Wellington?

  Wellington : When?

  Uxbridge : Oh, they do come, I assure you. What of the Prussians. Any word at all?

  Wellington : I told the Prussians we'll support them but only if not attacked here. They'll have to fight without us today.

• Wellington : If your corps is coming up, as you assure me, how close do you think they are? I want them to clear that road, I want it handsomely arranged with guns.

  Uxbridge : Very close.

  Wellington : How close?

  Uxbridge : Close. Coming up.

  [He turns around to look for them] 

• Wellington : [after Sharpe and his men repulsed the French troops and forced them to retreat]  Sharpe!

  Richard Sharpe : Your Grace!

  Wellington : What are you waiting for? Forward, and complete your victory! Don't let them stand, see them off our land! - Your battalion, Mr. Sharpe!

• Wellington : [after Sharpe told him that Napoleon has tricked Wellington with a ruse]  Humbugged! Damn well Humbuggered!