Don Alfredo
Masseredo allows all the English prisoners to take showers the next morning
because ‘they evidently smell bad.” He comes in with his guards and tells them
the news while they are all outside during their lunch break. But there are two
conditions: 1) they are only to be in there for approx. 15 minutes each, and 2)
they are to go in there two at a time, in the stony shower chambers.
Next morning, a guard opens
up all the cells of the English prisoners. A few minutes later Hornblower
awakes and goes outside, only to see Styles and Matthews playing noughts and
crosses in the dirt. Hornblower says, “Stop that men, we have to have our showers
now.”
Styles says, “But Sir-“
“I don’t want to hear it –
you can either have your shower, or you lie here like a stinkpot,” replies
Hornblower swiftly.
“Aye aye, Sir.”
Kennedy and Hunter wake up
and look out the window. Hornblower goes back into his cell, and says, “You
too, men.”
Hunter gets up and gives him
the evil eye as he walks out the door. Kennedy just lies in his bed again,
facing the wall.
“Well come on, Kennedy.”
“No – never.”
“…You will feel much better
and-“
“I don’t want to feel
better.”
“…Come, Kennedy…I want you to
get better so we can get us out of here…”
No answer…So Hornblower tears
off his blankets and grabs him out of bed, and says, “You’re coming with me!”
while Kennedy groans as they walk out of the door.
Next scene, and they are all
lined up in a queue outside the showers. Hornblower teams up with Kennedy and
they both go in first.
All is going fine until
Kennedy has a fit because he sees a rat. Hornblower jumps in his defence, and
after several attempts, he finally grabs the rat and pushes it out the window
in haste, with some difficulty. Then he spends some time comforting Archie…
“Archie, it’s all right…”
Meanwhile, Styles, Matthews,
Oldroyd, Hunter and the rest are waiting impatiently outside…Hunter then says,
“I’ve had enough of this” – and bangs loudly on the door: “Hornblower,
hurry up!!!,” but the door accidentally opens, and they all see Kennedy
and Hornblower crouching down together, while the water from the showers are
still running. Hunter hastily shuts the door again.…goodness knows what they’re
talking about….and Hornblower rolls his eyes and head back, and then closes his
eyes in embarrassment (just like he did when he left the Colonel and Duchess
together later on). He and Kennedy then get up and get dressed.
They come outside, and
Kennedy rushes back to his cell after the gruelling experience. Hornblower
explains what happened. “Kennedy was having a fit because he saw a wretched
rat, and I was comforting him. Do you understand that?”
“Aye aye, Sir.”
*****