简介：Winter1813 Apro-BourbonNoble,theComptedeMaquerreisinWellington'scamp,arguingthatBordeauxisripeforrebellion,butMaj.Gen.Rossisdubious.HesuggestsusingtheCompte'scastle,60milesbehindenemylines,asabase.Maquerreisreluctant,sayinghismotherandsisterhadturneditovertoNapoleon,soitmustbecaptured.Col.HoraceBampfyldeistoleadtheattack,withSharpeinsupport. ThereissicknessinthecampandMaj.Gen.RossandSharpe'snewwife,Jane,succumbtoit.Theonlycureisquininewhichisinshortsupply.Whentheyreachthecastle,Col.Bampyldewantstheglory,hesendsSharpe,Capt.FredericksonandtheRiflesscouting,sohecantakethecastlealone.Hefailsinhismission,butgainsheavycasualties. Sharpeseeswhatishappeningfromafar.HeinfiltratesthecampandforcestheFrenchtosurrender.BampfyldereturnstothecastleandsendsSharpeandhismenaway.Maquerrereturnswiththemayor.TheytellBampfyldethattheregionhaschangedsides,Gen.CalvetisonhiswayandSharpeisdead.BampfyldeispersuadedthathehasaccomplishedhismissionandreturnstotellWellington. SharpeandhismenambushaFrenchconvoyandcaptureasmallsupplyofquinine.HealsofindsoutthattheregionisfarfromreadytoriseagainstNapoleon,andconcludesthatMaquerreisadoubleagent.Whenhereturnstothecastle,hefindsitdesertedexceptforthewounded,alongwithMaquerre'ssisterandsickmother.Gen.Calvetisheadingtowardsthecastle,andSharpeandhismenaredesperatelyshortofammunition.…