csf.thecommodore-第47部分

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ther　side　of　the　river　was　for　the　Spaniards　to　brought　over　…　they　were　the　nearest　formed　troops　and　I　intended　to　use　them　as　garrison　for　the　warehouses　on　the　quay。　I　have　no　doubt　they　are　there　already。　You　would　like　them　marched　in　this　direction？〃
　〃If　you　would　be　so　kind；　sir。〃
　Hornblower　was　casually　waiting　for　nothing　in　particular　at　the　jetty　when　the　boat　touched　at　it；　and　Lieutenant　von　Bulow；　of　the　Fifty…first　Regiment　of　Prussian　Infantry；　stepped　ashore　under　the　escort　of　Mr　Tooth　and　Brown　and　his　men。
　〃Ah；　Lieutenant；〃　said　Hornblower。
　Bulow　saluted　him　stiffly；　clearly　puzzled　at　this　new　development；　which　had　snatched　him　from　his　confinement　aboard　ship　and　dumped　him　at　a　moment's　notice　in　the　ruined　village。
　〃There　is　an　armistice　at　the　moment；〃　explained　Hornblower；　〃between　your　army　and　ours。　No；　it　is　not　peace　…　merely　to　clear　the　wounded　from　the　breach。　But　I　was　going　to　take　this　opportunity　of　returning　you　to　your　friends。〃
　Bulow　looked　questions　at　him。
　〃It　will　save　much　formality　with　cartels　and　flags　of　truce；〃　explained　Hornblower。　〃At　this　moment　you　have　merely　to　walk　down　the　breach　and　join　the　men　of　your　own　army。　Naturally；　you　have　not　been　properly　exchanged；　but　you　can；　if　you　wish；　give　me　your　word　that　you　will　not　serve　against　his　Britannic　Majesty　nor　against　His　Imperial　Russian　Majesty　until　an　exchange　has　been　effected。〃
　〃I　give　you　my　word；〃　said　Bulow；　after　a　moment's　thought。
　〃Excellent！　Then　perhaps　I　might　give　myself　the　pleasure　of　walking　with　you　as　far　as　the　breach？〃
　As　they　left　the　jetty　and　began　the　brief　walk　through　the　ruins　of　the　village　Bulow　was　darting　the　quick　glances　of　a　professional　soldier　about　him；　he　was　perfectly　entitled；　under　any　military　code；　to　take　every　advantage　of　carelessness　on　his　enemy's　part。　His　professional　curiosity　would　have　led　him　to　stare　about　him　in　any　case。　Hornblower　made　polite　conversation　as　they　strolled。
　〃Your　assault　this　morning　…　I　daresay　you　heard　the　hubbub　even　on　board？　…　was　made　by　picked　grenadiers；　as　far　as　I　could　judge　by　the　uniforms。　Most　excellent　troops　…　it　is　indeed　a　pity　they　suffered　such　loss　of　life。　I　trust　that　when　you　rejoin　your　friends　you　will　convey　to　them　my　deepest　condolences。　But　they　had　not　a　chance；　of　course。〃
　At　the　foot　of　the　church　tower　there　was　a　Spanish　regiment；　the　men　lying　down　in　their　ranks。　At　the　sight　of　Hornblower　the　colonel　called　his　men　to　their　feet　and　saluted。
　Hornblower　returned　the　salute；　conscious　as　he　did　so　that　Bulow　at　his　side　had；　suddenly　changed　his　gait；　stealing　a　glance　out　of　the　tail　of　his　eye　he　saw　that　Bulow　was　ponderously　goose…stepping　as　long　as　the　salutes　were　being　exchanged。　Yet　it　was　very　noticeable　that　even　though　Bulow's　formal　training　forced　him　into　a　goose…step　at　a　moment　of　military　courtesy；　he　had　not　failed　to　notice　the　troops。　His　eyes　were　bulging　with　unasked　questions。
　〃Spanish　troops；〃　said　Hornblower；　casually。　〃A　division　of　Spaniards　and　Portuguese　joined　us　from　Bonaparte's　main　army　a　little　while　ago。　They　fight　well　…　in　fact　they　were　responsible　for　the　final　repulse　of　the　last　assault。　It　is　interesting　to　notice　how　Bonaparte's　dupes　are　falling　away　from　him　now　that　the　hollowness　of　his　power　is　revealed。〃
　Bulow's　astonished　reply　must　either　have　been　inarticulate　or　in　German；　for　Hornblower　could　not　understand　it；　but　his　tone　conveyed　his　meaning　well　enough。
　〃It　goes　without　saying；〃　said　Hornblower　casually；　〃that　I　would　like　to　see　the　magnificent　Prussian　Army　ranged　among　Bonaparte's　enemies　and　England's　allies；　too。　But　naturally　your　King　knows　his　own　policy　best　…　unless；　of　course；　surrounded　as　he　is　by　Bonaparte's　men；　he　is　not　free　to　choose。〃
　Bulow　stared　at　him　in　amazement；　Hornblower　was　putting　forward　a　viewpoint　which　was　quite　new　to　him；　but　Hornblower　still　made　himself　talk　with　the　utmost　casualness；　as　if　he　were　doing　no　more　than　making　polite　conversation。
　〃That's　high　politics；〃　he　said　with　a　laugh　and　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃But　one　day　in　the　future　we　might　look　back　on　this　conversation　as　prophetic。　One　cannot　tell；　can　one？　Some　time　when　we　meet　as　plenipotentiaries　I　will　be　able　to　remind　you　of　this　talk。　And　here　we　are　at　the　breach。　It　irks　me　to　have　to　say　goodbye；　at　the　same　moment　as　it　gives　me　pleasure　to　restore　you　to　your　friends。　My　heartiest　good　wishes；　sir；　for　you　for　the　future。〃
　Bulow　saluted　stiffly　again；　and　then；　as　Hornblower　held　out　his　hand；　shook　hands　with　him。　To　the　Prussian　it　was　a　remarkable　occurrence　for　a　modore　to　condescend　to　shake　hands　with　a　mere　subaltern。　He　picked　his　way　down　the　breach；　over　the　tortured　earth　where　the　stretcher…bearers　still　swarmed；　like　disturbed　ants；　gathering　in　the　wounded。　Hornblower　watched　him　until　he　reached　his　own　men；　and　then　turned　away。　He　was　dreadfully　tired；　quite　weak　with　fatigue；　in　fact；　and　he　was　angry　at　himself　for　his　weakness。　It　was　all　he　could　do　to　walk　back　with　dignity　to　the　jetty；　and　he　swayed　as　he　sat　in　the　sternsheets　of　his　barge。
　〃Are　you　all　right；　sir？〃　asked　Brown；　solicitously。
　〃Of　course　I　am；〃　snapped　Hornblower；　amazed　at　the　man's　impertinence。
　The　question　irritated　him；　and　the　irritation　made　him　mount　the　ship's　side　as　fast　as　he　could；　and　acknowledge　merely　coldly　the　salutes　he　received　on　the　quarter…deck；　down　in　his　cabin　his　irritation　persisted；　and　prevented　him　from　obeying　his　first　impulse　to　throw　himself　across　his　cot　and　relax。　He　paced　about　for　a　moment。　For　something　to　do　he　peered　into　the　mirror。　There　was　some　excuse　for　Brown　after　all；　and　his　foolish　questions。　The　face　he　looked　at　was　grimy　with　dust　caked　upon　sweat；　and　there　was　a　smear　of　blood　over　one　cheekbone　from　a　slight　scratch。　His　uniform　was　filthy；　with　one　epaulette　awry。　He　looked　like　someone　who　had　just　emerged　from　the　fury　of　a　battle　to　the　death。
　He　peered　more　closely。　That　face　was　lined　and　drawn；　the　eyes　red…rimmed；　with　a　sudden　increase　of　attention　he　looked　again；　turning　his　head。　On　his　temples　his　hair　was　quite　white。　Not　merely　did　he　look　like　someone　fresh　from　battle；　he　looked　like　someone　who　had　been　under　frightful　strain　for　a　long　time。　So　he　had；　indeed；　he　realized；　half　wondering　at　himself。　He　had　been　bearing　the　burden　of　this　horrible　siege　for　months　now。　It　had　never　occurred　to　him　that　his　face；　Hornblower's　face；　would　tell　tales　about　him　as　other　men's　faces　told　tales　about　them。　He　had　striven　all　his　life　to　restrain　his　features　from　revealing　his　feelings。　There　was　something　ironic　and　interesting　about　the　fact　that　he　could　not　prevent　his　hair　from　greying　nor　the　grim　lines　from　deepening　about　his　mouth。
　The　desk　under　his　feet　was　swaying；　as　if　the　ship　were　in　the　open　sea；　and　yet　even　his　veteran　sea…legs　had　difficulty　in　keeping　him　upright；　so　that　he　had　to　hold　on　to　the　bracket　before　him。　Only　with　extreme　care　could　he　let　go　his　hold　and　pick　his　way　to　his　cot；　and　fall　across　it；　face　downward。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE
　
　The　new　problem　which　Hornblower　was　debating　as　he　walked　his　quarter…deck；　while　H。M。S。　Nonsuch　swung　at　anchor　in　Riga　Bay；　was　one　which　he　had　long　foreseen；　but　which　lost　none　of　its　urgency　for　all　that。　Here　was　winter　ing；　there　had　been　heavy　frosts　at　night　for　as　far　back　as　he　could　remember；　and　the　last　two　days　had　brought　flurries　of　snow；　which　had　temporarily　whitened　the　landscape　and　had　left　a　few　drifts　which　even　now　showed　as　white　streaks　on　the　northern　faces　of　the　dykes。　The　days　were　growing　short　and　the　nights　long；　and　the　brackish　water　of　Riga　Bay　was　covered　with　a　thin　scum　of　ice。　If　he　stayed　much　longer　his　ships　would　be　frozen　in。　Essen　had　assured　him　that　for　at　least　two　more　weeks　he　would　be　able　to　make　his　exit　along　a　channel　sawn　in　the　ice　by　labourers　whom　Essen　would　supply；　but　Hornblower　was　not　so　sure。　A　northerly　gale　…　and　one　might　arise　at　any　moment　…　could　keep　him　wind…bound　while　at　the　same　time　it　would　freeze　everything　up　and　jam　the　narrow　exit　to　the　Bay；　between　Oesel　and　the　mainland；　with　piled…up　drift　ice　that　neither　saws　nor　even　explosives　could　pierce。　A　squadron　frozen　in　was　a　squadron　immobilized　until　next　spring；　and　a　squadron　frozen　in　was　one　which　was　a　certain　prey　to　the　French　if　Riga　should　fall。　Twenty　years　ago　a　Dutch　squadron　at　Amsterdam　had　been　captured　by　French　hussars　charging　over　the　ice。　What　a　thundering　bulletin　of　triumph　Bonaparte　would　make　of　it　if　a　British　squadron；　under　the　notorious　modore　Hornblower；　should　fall　into　his　hands　in　the　same　way！　Hornblower　turned　in　his　stride　a　yard　before　he　had　reached　the　limit　of　his　walk。　Prudence　dictated　an　immediate　withdrawal。
　The　breechings　of　that　carronade　were　frayed。　When　Bush　noticed　it　someone　was　in　for　a　bad　quarter　of　an　hour。　And　yet　he　could　not　withdraw。　When　he　had　mentioned　the　possibility　Essen　had　shown　positive　dismay。　If　his　men　were　to　see　the　British　ships　go　away　they　would　be　quite　sure　the　place　was　doomed。　They　would　lose　heart　pletely。　The　British　naval　officer　who　had　led　the　final　charge　at　Daugavgriva　had　grown　into　a　legendary　figure　in　their　minds；　a　mascot；　a　symbol　of　good　luck。　If　he　were　to　leave　them　that　would　be　a　proof；　in　the　men's　minds；　that　he　had　lost　hope。　He　could　not　possibly　withdraw。　He　might　promise；　he　might　send　most　of　the　squadron　out　and　retain　only　a　sloop　and　a　gunboat；　he　might　send　everything　out　and　remain　himself；　but　to　separate　himself　from　his　mand　was　in　direct　violation　of　the　Articles　of　War。
　Here　was　a　fool　of　a　midshipman　in　his　way　dodging　about　in　front　of　him　as　though　bent　on　distracting　him　from　his　train　of　thought。　It　would　be　the　masthead　for　him；　God　knew　the　mission　had　lasted　long　enough　for　every　single　person　on　board　to　have　learned　that　the　modore　must　not　be　distracted　when　he　was　walking　the　deck。
　〃What　the　hell　…　？〃　he　bellowed　at　the　blenching　midshipman。
　〃B…b…boat　approaching；　sir；〃　stammered　the　youth。　〃M…Mr　Hurst　told　me　to　tell　you。　He　thinks　the　Governor's　on　board。〃
　〃Why　wasn't　I　told　before？〃　said　Hornblower。　〃Have　you　sent　for　Captain　Bush；　Mr　Hurst？　Call　the　guard！〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir！〃　said　Hurst；　and　Hornblower　saw　Bush　appear　on　the　quarter…deck　as　the　words　left　Hurst's　lips；　and　the　marine　guard　was　already　forming　up　abaft　the　mizzen…mast。
　Of　course　Hurst　had　done　all　these　things　without　waiting　for　orders；　roused　abruptly　from　his　reverie　Hornblower　had　not　had　the　sense　to　realize　it。　He　strode　to　the　side。　The　Governor　was　approaching　in　a　big　pulling…boat；　which　was　steering　towards　them　along　the　clear　channel　through　the　thin　ice　which　the　last　eddies　of　the　Dwina　river　still　kept　clear　before　they　lost　themselves　in　the　Bay。　As　the　Governor　caught　sight　of　him　he　sprang　up　into　the　sternsheets　waving　his　cocked　hat；　he　even　tried　to　dance；　precariously；　both　arms　extended　over　his　head；　at　imminent　risk　of　falling　overboard。
　〃Something's　up；　sir；〃　said　Bush　at　Hornblower's　side。
　〃That　looks　like　good　news；〃　said　Hornblower。
　The　Governor　arrived　on　the　quarte