Despite the height difference -- and this odd and obvious game of sounding each other out by dint of military philosophy -- Sharpe chided the giant man with a tip of his chin. "I'm a soldier, not a bleeding churchman. That they live? Aye. My responsibility. And if they break policy and martial law, they'll be hanged. Or else flogged to the point of dyin' anyway. When it comes to living rightly, the bishop preaches and the officer punishes."
But only for that which is worth punishing. Sharpe had many criminals in his regiment, but it took an active mind to sort out what was worth coming down hard upon and what was merely acceptable.
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Despite the height difference -- and this odd and obvious game of sounding each other out by dint of military philosophy -- Sharpe chided the giant man with a tip of his chin. "I'm a soldier, not a bleeding churchman. That they live? Aye. My responsibility. And if they break policy and martial law, they'll be hanged. Or else flogged to the point of dyin' anyway. When it comes to living rightly, the bishop preaches and the officer punishes."
But only for that which is worth punishing. Sharpe had many criminals in his regiment, but it took an active mind to sort out what was worth coming down hard upon and what was merely acceptable.
"There are rules, of course. Rules of my own."