Sharpe

[after an altercation between Sharpe and Lieutenants Gibbons and Berry:
]

Gibbons:
Major Hogan! I have been struck, by a common soldier! I believe the penalty for striking an officer is death.

Hogan:
Death is certainly the penalty for striking that officer, sir. That was Sharpe of the 95th.

Gibbons:
What, the ragamuffin that jumped from the ranks? By God, sir, I'll teach him to touch a gentleman. I'll call him out, sir. I'll see him at dawn.

Berry:
I'll second you, old boy.

Hogan:
A duel? Oh, give me your hand, sir! You've a brave fellow, Gibbons. Sharpe's a killer. Killed three French cavalrymen and saved Wellesley's life. Three seconds, slash, cut, thrust. And that's while he was still a Sergeant. Shall we say six o'clock tomorrow morning in the field behind the camp?

[Gibbons swallows, obviously terrified.]

Hogan:
Or shall we say it was damned dark, and you made a damn bad mistake?

Gibbons:
Silly mistake. Say no more about it, eh?

Hogan:
Good thinking, Gibbons. Sharpe would've shot out your left eye at a minute past six, and you would've spent all day tomorrow looking up at nothing with the other.