简介：Franco-SpanishBorder,1813 AcarriagetravellingthroughthecountrysideisambushedbytheFrench.Onlyayoungnunescapeswithherlife,struckdumbwithshock.Later,thesameFrenchcompanyisattackedbytheBritish.TheFrenchcolonelshootshiscaptainanddisguiseshimselfinthecaptain'scoat,claimingheisCapt.Dumas.Sharpeissuspicious,themanclaimstotradeinhorses,butcarriesthebestswordevermade-aKliegenthal.Heisalsocarryingpaperscoveredinfigures,whichhesaysarebills,butcouldjustaseasilybecodes. Col.BerkeleyoftheSouthEssexarrivesandacceptsDumas'parolethroughaninterpreter,Capt.LordJackSpears.TheyoungnungivesherselfuptoSharpe'sprotection.Unabletospeak,sheisgiventoRamonatocareforandgiventhename'Lass'.SharpeistoldthataFrenchcolonel,Leroux,hadbeensenttocaptureaBritishagent,knownonlyasElMirador,whoseidentityisunknown.SharpeisconvincedthatthecapturedcaptainisCol.Leroux,butheremainsonparoleinsteadofunderguard.SharpeisalsoconvincedthatthescrapsofpaperareacodeandthatthekeyliessomewhereinVoltaire'sCandide,acopyofwhichwasfoundwhenDumaswascaptured. AtVillafranca,Sharpeisre-unitedwithhisoldadversarySirHenrySimmerson.WhenSimmersonstatesthenearbyFrenchfortisnothreat,acannonisfiredandDumasescapes,provingheisLerouxafterall.Inthetown,SharpemeetsFatherCurtiswhorunsthehospital. Whenthefortisstormed,Sharpeisterriblywounded,LassandRamonarefusetogiveupandnursehimtowardsrecovery.Meanwhile,HarrisworkshardinthelibrarycrackingtheVoltairecodeandHarperforgesanewswordforSharpe.IfSharperecovers,therewillbeaspytobefoundandaFrenchagenttodispatch.…