- Detective Sergeant Lawson: She didn't look that type to me, sir.
- Chief Inspector Mitchell: Lawson, I envy you. You've got a very beautiful mind.
- 1st Paratrooper: [sarcastically] What did you do in the world war Daddy? Don't tell me - firewatching!
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: Hmm, nice little place you got here, Burden. Better than the glasshouse, eh?
- Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown: Well, what do you intend to do?
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: Well, I might do nothing. All depends. What made you desert, Burden? If you'd hung on a bit longer, you'd have been out now.
- Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown: I had my reasons. Very good reasons.
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: So did thousands of others. And look at them today; on the run, all of 'em. Like you. You ever thought of giving yourself up?
- Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown: What for? No, the war cost me everything I ever had, Newman. If they want me, they've got to catch me. They talked about clemency some time ago, didn't they? Made a deadline for us to give ourselves up. Well I know a man who fell for that. And what did he get? Two years hard labour in a detention barracks and his sentence reviewed every three months. Does that make you want to give yourself up? This was a man with a wife and two kids and three years overseas service to his credit. No, I've done my share. - nearly four years of it. The war's over now. I just want to be left alone.
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: Well, if that's how you feel - what's it worth to you?
- Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown: What's it worth to me?
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: Now let's keep this straight, Burden; you're nicely fixed up here. And it's 10,000 to 1 against anyone else of our lot ever coming within a hundred miles of the place. They're mostly from the north anyway. So there's no reason why you shouldn't go on in peace and quiet indefinitely. That is, if you're sensible.
- Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown: Peace and quiet? Huh! You don't really think that, do you?
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: Why not?
- Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown: Why not? I'll tell you why not; phony identity card, phony ration book, five pounds to a man up north every time there's a new issue. Always on edge...
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: But you still prefer it to the glasshouse, don't you?
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: Now listen, Burden, we've all got our troubles. Take me: before the war, I was down the mines. I've no intention of ever going back. I've been too long above ground now and I like it. The only other trade I know is killing. And that's gone out of fashion. Besides, I'm sick and tired of the army. I want a bit of freedom. But, like you, I've got to earn money. So until something better comes along, I've taken a job at the local manor. My sister's married to one of the gamekeepers and he's fixed me up as a sort of general man. But the money's bad. And that's where you come in. To help me out. I'll settle for twenty pounds down and two pounds a week.
- Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown: Blackmail!
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: Call it what you like. But that's how it is.
- Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown: How much do you think I earn for heaven's sake?
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: I don't know and I don't care.
- Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown: Well I haven't got twenty pounds to start with.
- Corp. Newman the Blackmailer: Then find it. You can if you want to. And if you don't - I'll turn you in. I'll come back tonight.