When Joey sees that Albert is leaving he becomes upset. Joey is taken away.

Joey. Joey.

Song: ‘The Scarlet and the Blue’ (p. 94).

Keep that hundred pounds to buy him back when the war’s over. How much will it be to buy Joey back?

Nicholls I can’t say, yet.

Albert That money’s for Joey.

Exit Albert.

Nicholls He’ll come around.

Ted It’s good business, Rose.

Rose Your heart must be stone.

Ted We’re at war, Rose.

Rose Aren’t we just.

Exit Rose.

EIGHT

Military stables. 6 November 1914.

Nicholls (to Joey) Training’s nearly over but you’re not ready for war yet.

Nicholls suddenly fires a round from a pistol near Joey’s head. Joey reacts. Nicholls is intending to ‘desensitise’ Joey – make him used to it.

Good boy. This is a gun. The smell is cordite. Try again.

Fires another round.

Joey reacts.

Good boy.

Fires another. Joey reacts.

Good boy, Joey.

Enter Captain Stewart.

Nicholls fires two or three rapid rounds.

Good boy. You’ll get used to it … Imagine if these creatures suddenly evolved – that they became as warlike and violent as us.

Stewart That’s an odd thought.

Nicholls You think I’m odd?

Stewart Oh, no, I didn’t mean that, I mean I’ve never thought that about horses.

Nicholls I hadn’t until just then. (Calls.) Trooper Warren?

Enter Ned.

Ned Sir!

Nicholls (to Stewart) We’re posted to France in the morning.

Stewart In the morning it is.

Nicholls Tell the men to stop polishing.

Ned What, zur?!

Nicholls Battle orders; no polishing – buttons, cap badges, buckles, stirrup-irons – let them all go dull. We don’t want anything to flash in the sun and give us away. – I know, Warren, after all that hard work.

Ned Sir.

Exit Ned.

Nicholls How’s your troop?

Stewart Ready for battle, sir.

Nicholls I was pleased with the practice charge today. Were you and Topthorn far behind?

Stewart We were breathing right down your neck, as you well know. I wouldn’t like to be on the wrong end of our charge. My uncle says men tend to go to pieces when our cavalry bear down on them. He’s seen men flee or press themselves into the ground. And even if they keep their positions, there weren’t many who could face our cavalry and keep their composure – to aim straight as it were. We’re going to cut a swathe through Fritz, he won’t know what’s hit him. He’ll wish that he’d never been born, he’ll –

Nicholls Well, we’re about to discover if all that’s true, aren’t we? I’m not casting aspersions on your uncle’s experience, but every generation has to discover things for themselves, don’t they? There’s some things that can be understood through telling, but other things have to be experienced before they can be fully apprehended. War is one such thing. How do Joey and Topthorn get on?

Stewart They’re a bit snippy, sir.

Nicholls I wasn’t imagining it, then. What’s that about?

Stewart Two proud animals, sir.