“We are both soldiers, you and I. Unfortunately my duties are no longer all of a purely military type. I am required to play the politician. Do you know what a politician is? It is a man who must compromise his character in the service of power. Irksome for one who has put on the king’s uniform. Would you agree?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You were on the retreat.”

“I was, sir.”

“That was a bloody mess.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The gallant Sir John described the army’s conduct as infamous beyond belief. Those were his exact words. Infamous. Beyond belief. But perhaps Sir John himself was responsible?”

“I couldn’t say, sir.”

“Forced the pace of the retreat. Pushed men beyond what they could bear. Made them strange to themselves. Wild. Well, Sir John is killed. The army, the most part of it, has escaped to lick its wounds in England. Time, you may think, to draw a veil. After all, it is not as if such things are unknown. No ancient and honourable institution without its ancient and honourable crimes. But our Spanish friends are in a dither. They are striking attitudes. They say they would be better off with the French. It is fanciful, of course, a childish rage, but the trust between us has suffered and must be recovered. There is, I can tell you, no more talk in London of peace treaties. The war will go on, must do. And because of this we must all be firm friends again. You are still following me, Corporal?”

“Yes, sir.”

“So let us come to particulars. The village of Morales belonged, before it was burned to the ground, to a certain high-strung gentleman with a seat on the great council, the Junta Suprema. He is, I fear, unimaginably offended by what became of his village. And though the village was perhaps one he rarely set foot in, the offence cannot be simply put aside. His voice in the Junta is influential and his voice in this matter has become the voice of the Junta itself. There will be gifts of money, naturally, but something more than that is required. Indeed, it has been insisted upon. They want a man. A guilty man or one who can be taken as such. Who do you think we should offer them?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“No idea?”

“No, sir.”

“Why, Calley, do I find myself wondering exactly when, during the destruction of this most unfortunate village, you arrived upon the scene?”

“You heard how it was, sir.”