Hornblower and his Neck Tie

 

This scene takes place in episode one while Pellew is giving Hornblower an earful about issuing challenges, which has cost the navy two men

 

Before dismissing Hornblower after shouting at him, Captain Pellew entrusts him with the key to his own cabin, and says, “one more thing before you go, Mr. Hornblower. I want you to go into my cabin this afternoon and make sure I have everything I need for the expedition tomorrow. Books, spyglass, chart and compass if you please.”

 

“Aye aye, Sir,” and he ruefully takes the key from him.

 

* * * *

Late in the evening Pellew comes back into his cabin to ensure everything is set up as he ordered it. He walks in and stops dead with horror, mouth gaping wide open. The place is trashed. Chairs and tables are turned upside down, there are battered books with torn pages, food littered everywhere, and his beloved spyglass smashed to pieces.

 

Pellew quickly recovers, but still eyeing the appalling mess shouts, “HORNBLOWER!! COME AT ONCE TO MY OFFICE!!” Hornblower arrives at once and says, “What is it, sir?” and on seeing the mess, he too stops in amazement.

 

Pellew (growling): “Did you do this? Did you do this, sir?!”

 

Hornblower (astonished): “No! I-I set up everything like you asked me too.”

 

Pellew paces back and forth when something catches his eye. It is Hornblower’s necktie. He knows it’s his because of his initials. Hornblower looks astonished and gasps, “my tie!!”

 

Then Pellew walks right up to Hornblower: “You were the only man on board that had the key to my cabin. Am I to presume, sir, that this is your way of taking out revenge on your captain?”

 

Hornblower: “No, sir! I don’t know how it got there.”

 

Pellew (roaring): “QUIET!! WHAT KIND OF MAN ARE YOU?! HA? That would trash his own Captain’s cabin.”

 

Hornblower: “What will you do, sir?”

 

Pellew: “I’ll tell you what I’ll do, Mr. Hornblower,” (saying his name as if it were filth). “I’m going to make you get down on your hands and knees and scrub every single midshipman’s cabin from top to bottom until you learn to respect other people’s property on board this ship.”

 

* * * *

So in the next scene you see Hornblower getting his elbows bruised with all the work. Then one evening, while Hornblower is scrubbing away, he sees a pair of legs before him. He looks up, and it’s Simpson. Simpson is giving him a wicked smile, and he moans, “You’ll be careful, won’t you Snotty, not to lose your tie again? The Captain says he’ll hang you next time he finds it in his cabin…...”

 

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