csf.thecommodore-第39部分

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　〃Lieutenant　von　Bulow；　of　the　Fifty…first　Regiment　of　Infantry。〃
　〃French　infantry？〃
　〃Of　the　King　of　Prussia；〃　said　the　officer；　sternly；　with　a　Teutonic　explosiveness　in　the　word　'Prusse'　which　indicated　his　annoyance　at　the　suggestion　that　he　would　be　a　Frenchman。
　So　Macdonald　had　not　risked　French　lives　in　this　highly　dangerous　venture；　that　was　to　be　expected；　of　course。　Bonaparte　had　made　war　largely　at　the　expense　of　his　allies　for　the　last　ten　years。
　〃I　will　see　that　you　are　given　refreshment；〃　said　Hornblower；　politely。　〃Please　order　your　men　to　sit　down　against　the　rail　there。〃
　The　officer　barked　the　order。　It　was　significant　how　at　the　first　warning　'achtung'　the　dispirited　soldiers　came　instantly　to　attention；　standing　stiff　and　straight。　Most　of　them　were　wet　and　bedraggled；　apparently　having　been　in　the　water　before　surrendering。　Hornblower　gave　orders　for　them　to　be　fed；　at　the　same　time　as　the　other　boats　came　back　downwind；　each　with　its　quota　of　prisoners。　On　the　cramped　decks　of　the　Raven　the　two　hundred　prisoners　made　a　fine　show；　Cole　had　the　two　foremost　chase…guns　run　inboard　and　trained　round　upon　them；　a　round　of　canister　in　each　gun；　the　gun…captains　posted　with　lighted　matches　ready　to　fire　into　them。　Seamen；　still　grinning；　went　along　their　ranks　handing　out　bread　and　beer。
　〃See　how　they　eat；　sir！〃　said　Purvis。　〃Look　at　that　one；　layin'　into　his　biscuit　like　a　wolf　with　a　bone。　God　damme；　it's　gone　a'ready。　It's　true　what　they　say；　sir；　about　Boney　never　feeding　his　men。〃
　An　Imperial　army　was　wont　to　gather　its　food　from　the　countryside　as　it　marched；　Macdonald's　sixty　thousand　had　been　stationary　now　for　over　two　weeks；　and　in　a　thinly　populated　country。　They　must　be　on　short　mons。　Every　day　the　siege　of　Riga　could　be　prolonged　cost　lives　in　plenty　to　Bonaparte；　and　although　he　was　ever　prodigal　with　lives　there　must　e　a　time　at　last　when　he　would　have　no　more　to　spare；　not　even　Prussian　ones；　or　Italian　ones。　The　greater　the　pity；　then；　that　the　whole　division　that　had　tried　to　pass　the　river　had　not　been　wiped　out。　Hornblower　told　himself　that　was　his　fault；　he　should　not　have　entrusted　any　vital　part　of　the　operation　to　a　nervous　old　woman　like　Cole。　He　ought　instead　to　have　stayed　on　board　Raven　himself。　Yet　it　was　hard　to　be　sure　of　that；　the　other　end　of　the　line；　which　he　had　entrusted　to　Vickery　in　Lotus；　was　just　as　important；　and　it　was　desirable　that　he　should　be　in　the　centre　in　Nonsuch　to　coordinate　the　activities　of　his　two　wings。　If　Vickery　and　Cole　had　had　their　positions　interchanged　…　as　would　have　to　be　done　…　although　Vickery　could　have　been　relied　upon　not　to　spring　the　trap　too　soon；　could　Cole　have　been　relied　upon　to　keep　it　closed？　There　might　be　five　thousand　Prussians　on　the　farther　bank　of　the　Dwina　at　this　moment　if　it　had　been　up　to　Cole　to　head　them　off。　Hornblower　found　himself　wishing　that　he　had　known　exactly　which　night　Macdonald　would　make　the　attempt；　he　might　as　well　have　wished　for　the　moon。
　〃Mr　Cole；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃make　a　signal　to　Nonsuch；　'modore　to　Captain。　Am　proceeding　to　Riga　with　prisoners'。　Then　the　guard…boats　can　return　to　their　respective　ships；　and　if　you'll　kindly　up　anchor　we'll　start。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY
　
　Hornblower　was　once　more　up　in　the　gallery　that　encircled　the　dome　of　the　church　of　Daugavgriva。
　〃You　see　what　I　was　telling　you　about；　sir；〃　said　Clausewitz；　pointing。
　Out　beyond　the　Russian　works　stretched　a　long　line；　brown　against　the　green；　the　parapet　of　the　trench　the　French　had　thrown　up　during　the　night。　Macdonald　must　be　a　general　with　energy；　for　he　had　had　this　work　done　at　the　same　time　as　he　had　sent　the　Prussians　on　their　risky　endeavour　to　cross　the　river；　so　that　while　one　attempt　had　failed　he　had　made　a　solid　gain；　profiting　by　the　dark　and　rainy　night　to　throw　up　this　entrenchment　far　forward　unobserved。
　〃That　is　his　first　parallel；　sir；　and　in　the　centre　of　it　is　the　battery　he　is　constructing。　And　see　there；　sir？　That　is　where　he　is　sapping　forward。〃
　Hornblower　stared　through　his　telescope。　At　a　point　towards　the　end　of　the　face　of　the　first　parallel　he　could　see　something　that　looked　like　a　wall　constructed　of　bundles　of　timber。　The　guns　in　the　Russian　works　far　below　him　were　firing　at　it；　he　could　see　earth　flying　as　the　shots　struck　round　it。　At　the　end　of　the　wall　of　timber　was　something　that　looked　strange　…　a　sort　of　shield　on　wheels。　He　was　studying　it　when　he　saw　it　moved　out　suddenly；　leaving　a　narrow　gap　between　it　and　the　end　of　the　timber　wall；　in　which　for　a　fleeting　moment　he　saw　a　couple　of　men　in　blue　uniforms。　It　was　only　a　fleeting　moment；　for　immediately　the　gap　was　filled　with　a　new　bundle　of　timber。　Above　the　new　bundle　he　could　see　the　blades　of　spades　rising　and　then　disappearing；　apparently　the　bundle　of　timber　was　hollow；　barrel…shaped；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　in　position　the　men　sheltering　behind　it　set　to　work　to　fill　it　up　with　earth　dug　from　behind　it。　Homblower　realized　that　he　was　witnessing　the　classic　method　of　sapping　towards　an　enemy's　position　with　'gabion'　and　'fascine'。　That　big　timber　basket　was　a　gabion；　now　being　filled　with　earth。　Farther　back；　under　cover　of　the　line　of　filled　gabions；　the　besiegers　were　revetting　their　breastwork　with　fascines；　six…foot　bundles　of　wood；　and　farther　back　still　they　were　building　the　whole　thing　solid　with　earth　dug　from　a　trench　behind　the　breastwork。　As　he　watched；　the　shield　was　suddenly　pushed　forward　another　yard；　and　another　gabion　was　put　in　position；　the　French　were　three　feet　nearer　the　earthworks　which　guarded　Daugavgriva。　No；　not　a　yard；　a　little　less；　because　the　sap　was　not　pointing　straight　at　its　objective；　but　out　at　its　flank　so　that　it　could　not　be　enfiladed。　Soon　it　would　change　its　direction；　and　point　towards　the　other　flank；　approaching　the　fortress　in　zigzag　fashion；　ruthlessly　and　remorsely。　Of　all　operations　of　war　a　scientific　siege　was　the　most　certain　if　relief　did　not　arrive　from　the　outside。
　〃See　there；　sir！〃　said　Clausewitz　suddenly。
　From　behind　a　high　embankment　had　suddenly　emerged　a　long　string　of　horses；　looking　like　ants　at　that　distance；　but　the　white　breeches　of　the　men　who　led　them　showed　up　clearly　in　the　sunshine。　The　horses　were　dragging　a　cannon；　a　big　piece　of　artillery　when　its　apparent　size　was　pared　with　that　of　the　horses。　It　crawled　towards　the　battery　in　the　centre　of　the　first　parallel；　a　myriad　white…breeched　specks　attending　it。　The　high　breastwork　of　the　first　parallel　screened　the　operation　from　the　sight　of　the　Russian　gunners　and　shielded　it　from　their　fire。　When　the　guns　had　all　been　brought　into　the　battery；　Hornblower　knew；　openings　…　'embrasures'　…　would　be　made　in　the　breastwork　through　which　the　guns　would　open　fire　on　the　village；　silencing　the　return　fire　of　the　defence；　and　then　hammering　a　breach；　meanwhile　the　sap　would　be　expanded　into　a　wide　trench；　the　'second　parallel'；　from　which；　or　if　necessary　from　a　'third　parallel'；　the　stormers　would　rush　out　to　carry　the　breach。
　〃They　will　have　that　battery　armed　by　to…morrow；〃　said　Clausewitz。　〃And　look！　There　is　another　gabion　put　in　place。〃
　Siege　operations　had　the　remorseless　cold　inevitability　of　the　advance　of　a　snake　on　a　paralysed　bird。
　〃Why　do　your　guns　not　stop　the　work　on　the　sap？〃　asked　Hornblower。
　〃They　are　trying；　as　you　see。　But　a　single　gabion　is　not　an　easy　target　to　hit　at　this　range；　and　it　is　only　the　end　one　which　is　vulnerable。　And　by　the　time　the　sap　approaches　within　easy　range　their　battery…fire　will　be　silencing　our　guns。〃
　Another　siege…gun　had　made　its　appearance　from　behind　the　high　embankment；　and　was　crawling　towards　the　battery；　its　predecessor　was　at　that　moment　being　thrust　finally　into　its　position　at　the　breastwork。
　〃Can　you　not　bring　your　ships　up；　sir？〃　asked　Clausewitz。　〃See　how　the　water　es　close　to　their　works　there。　You　could　shoot　them　to　pieces　with　your　big　guns。〃
　Hornblower　shook　his　head；　the　same　idea　had　already　occurred　to　him；　for　the　long　glittering　arm　of　the　Gulf　of　Riga　which　reached　into　the　land　there　was　very　tempting。　But　there　was　less　than　a　fathom　of　water　in　it；　and　even　his　shallow　bomb…ketches　drew　nine　feet　…　seven　at　least　if　he　emptied　them　of　all　their　stores　save　those　necessary　for　the　action。
　〃I　would　do　so　if　I　could；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃but　at　the　present　moment　I　can　see　no　means　of　getting　my　guns　into　range。〃
　Clausewitz　looked　at　him　coldly；　and　Hornblower　was　conscious　that　goodwill　between　allies　was　a　frail　thing。　Earlier　that　morning　British　and　Russians　had　been　the　best　of　friends；　Essen　and　Clausewitz　had　been　thoroughly　elated　at　the　turning　back　of　Macdonald's　attempt　to　cross　the　river；　and　…　like　the　unthinking　junior　officers　in　the　squadron　…　had　thought　that　the　annihilation　of　a　half…battalion　of　Prussians　a　notable　success；　not　knowing　of　the　far　more　far…reaching　plan　which　Hornblower　had　made　and　which　Cole's　nervousness　had　brought　to　almost　naught。　When　affairs　went　well；　allies　were　the　best　of　friends；　but　in　adversity　each　naturally　tended　to　blame　the　other。　Now　that　the　French　approaches　were　moving　towards　Daugavgriva　he　was　asking　why　the　Russian　artillery　did　not　stop　them；　and　the　Russians　were　asking　why　his　ships'　guns　did　not　do　the　same。
　Hornblower　made　his　explanation　as　fully　as　he　could；　but　Clausewitz　turned　an　unsympathetic　ear；　and　so　did　Essen　when　the　matter　came　up　for　discussion　as　Hornblower　was　saying　goodbye　to　him。　It　was　a　poor　showing　for　a　Navy　whose　boast　was　that　nothing　was　impossible；　Hornblower　was　irritable　and　snappy　when　he　returned　that　afternoon　to　the　Nonsuch；　and　he　had　no　word　for　Bush　who　came　hastily　to　greet　him　as　he　came　up　the　side。　His　cabin　was　unfriendly　and　inhospitable　to　his　jaundiced　eye　when　he　entered　it；　and　it　was　'make　and　mend'　day　on　board；　with　the　hands　skylarking　noisily　on　the　deck；　so　that　he　knew　that　if　he　went　up　to　walk　the　quarter…deck　his　train　of　thought　would　be　continually　interrupted。　He　toyed　for　a　moment　with　the　idea　of　ordering　Bush　to　cancel　his　order　to　make　and　mend　and　instead　to　put　the　hands　to　some　quiet　labour。　Everyone　would　know　that　it　was　because　the　modore　wanted　to　walk　the　deck　in　peace；　and　might　be　properly　impressed　with　his　importance；　but　there　was　never　a　chance　of　his　acting　on　the　notion。　He　would　not　deprive　the　men　of　their　holiday；　and　the　thought　of　swelling　his　importance　in　their　eyes　acted　as　a　positive　deterrent。
　Instead；　he　went　out　into　the　quarter　gallery；　and；　bowed　below　the　overhanging　cove　above；　he　tried　to　stride　up　and　down　its　twelve…foot　length。　It　was　indeed　a　pity　that　he　could　not　bring　his　ships'　guns　to　bear　on　the　siege…works。　Heavy　guns　at　close　range　would　play　havoc　with　the　French　breastworks。　And　behind　the　high　dyke　from　which　he　had　seen　the　guns　being　dragged　must　lie　the　French　park　and　train　…　a　few　shells　from　the　bomb…vessels　would　wreak　havoc　there；　and　if　only　he　could　get　the　ketches　up　the　bay　it　would　be　easy　to　drop　shells　over　the　dyke。　But　over　most　of　the　bay　there　was　only　three　or　four　feet　of　water；　and　nowhere　more　than　seven。　The　thing　was　impossible；　and　the　best　thing　he　could　do　was　to　forget　about　it。　To　distract　himse