csf.thecommodore-第49部分

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　Deftly　in　the　darkness　Brown　draped　the　blanket　over　him；　so　that　his　cloak　held　it　down　over　his　shoulders。　It　would　look　fantastic　in　daylight；　but　fortunately　it　was　still　dark。　Hornblower　was　shivering；　and　he　stamped　his　frozen　feet　in　an　endeavour　to　warm　them。
　〃Aren't　those　men　of　yours　ever　going　to　attack；　Clausewitz？〃　grumbled　Essen。　〃What's　the　time？　One　o'clock？　Send　down　to　your　brigadier　and　tell　him　I'll　have　him　cashiered　if　he　does　not　pull　his　men　together　for　an　immediate　advance。〃
　There　was　a　long　freezing　interval；　before　the　darkness　before　them　was　pricked　by　a　few　little　pin…points　of　flame　…　musket…shots　in　the　second　parallel。
　〃Ha！〃　said　Essen。
　There　was　another　long　wait　before　the　message　came　back。　The　sortie　had　found　the　advanced　trenches　abandoned　save　for　a　few　posts。　They　were　pushing　forward　now　through　the　snow　and　the　darkness　towards　the　main　camp。
　〃They're　going；　then；〃　said　Essen。　〃Have　the　cavalry　paraded　two　hours　before　dawn。　I'll　catch　their　rear…guard　at　daylight。　I　want　all　troops　across　the　river　then。　And　now　a　glass　of　tea；　for　the　love　of　God。〃
　Warming　himself　at　the　fire　burning　on　the　flagged　floor　of　the　church；　drinking　hot　tea　through　his　chattering　teeth；　Hornblower　looked　round　at　these　men　of　iron　who　showed　no　sign　of　fatigue　and　hardly　any　of　cold。　He　himself　was　too　chilled；　and；　oddly；　too　fatigued；　to　gain　much　benefit　from　the　chance　of　resting　for　a　couple　of　hours　on　the　trusses　of　straw　laid　out　beside　the　high　altar；　but　Essen　snored　volcanically　until　the　moment　when　his　aide…de…camp　shook　him　awake。　Outside　it　was　still　dark；　and　colder　than　ever；　when　the　horses　were　brought　up　to　the　church　door　for　them　to　mount。
　〃I　better　e　with　you；　sir；〃　said　Brown。　〃I　got　myself　a　'orse。〃
　How　Brown　had　done　that　Hornblower　could　not　imagine；　seeing　the　difficulties　of　language。　Hornblower　supposed　Brown　had　learned　to　ride　in　those　incredibly　distant　days　at　Smallbridge。　The　cavalcade　moved　slowly　in　the　darkness　towards　the　Mitau　suburb；　the　horses　slipping　and　stumbling　in　the　snow；　Hornblower　found　himself　wishing　he　had　been　able　to　retain　his　blanket　when　he　mounted；　for　it　was　colder　than　ever　in　the　faint　grey　light。　Suddenly　from　far　ahead　of　them　came　a　sullen　flat　thud；　and　another；　and　another　…　field…guns　firing　a　long　way　off。
　〃Diebitch　is　up　to　their　rear…guard；〃　said　Essen。　〃Good！〃
　There　was　enough　light　now　to　reveal　the　desolation　of　their　surroundings　as　they　approached　the　deserted　siege…works。　They　could　look　down　into　the　littered　trenches；　there　were　the　batteries；　with　the　shattered　siege…guns　standing　drunkenly　at　the　embrasures；　and　here　was　a　dead　horse；　lying　on　its　back；　its　belly　shrouded　with　snow；　out　of　which　its　legs　pointed　stiffly　at　the　grey　sky。　And　here　was　the　main　camp；　rows　and　rows　of　little　huts；　mostly　only　two　or　three　feet　high；　with　the　dead　remains　of　camp…fires　already　buried　in　snow。　Outside　one　hut；　larger　than　the　others；　lay　a　soldier　swathed　in　the　grey　capote　of　the　French　Army。　He　was　face　downwards　and　not　dead；　for　they　saw　his　feet　move。
　〃Have　they　been　fighting　here？〃　conjectured　Essen；　puzzled；　there　was　no　sign　of　blood。
　Someone　dismounted　and　turned　him　over；　his　face　was　mottled　with　mulberry…coloured　marks；　and　his　eyes；　though　open；　were　unseeing。
　〃Keep　a　way！〃　shouted　one　of　the　aides…de…camp　suddenly。　〃That　is　the　plague！〃
　Everyone　drew　away　from　the　dying　man；　and　then　they　realized　that　the　plague　was　all　around　them。　One　of　the　huts　was　full　of　dead；　another　was　full　of　the　dying。　Essen　shook　his　horse　into　a　trot；　and　the　party　jingled　away。
　〃It　is　in　our　ranks　already；〃　said　Essen　to　Hornblower。　〃Kladoff　had　ten　cases　in　his　division　two　days　ago。〃
　This；　the　first　march　in　retreat　of　the　invading　army；　was　already　finding　out　the　weaklings。　There　were　dead　men；　sick　men；　dying　men　alongside　the　track　they　were　following；　despite　the　fact　that　no　fighting　had　taken　place　along　it　…　Diebitch　at　the　head　of　the　pursuing　force　was　on　the　Mitau　road　away　on　the　left　front；　where　the　guns　were　still　firing　occasionally。　When　at　last　they　reached　the　point　where　the　track　joined　the　high　road　the　signs　of　real　fighting　began；　dead　and　wounded　soldiers；　Russian；　French；　and　German；　where　the　Russian　advance…guard　had　clashed　with　the　rear…guard。　Then　they　caught　up　with　the　Russian　columns　plodding　sturdily　up　the　road；　and　trotted　past　their　interminable　length；　one　division　and　then　another；　the　men　were　silent　with　the　exertion　of　stepping　out　as　fast　as　their　legs　would　carry　them　under　their　heavy　knapsacks；　and　this　ten　miles　of　fast　marching　had　greatly　modified　the　first　jubilation　of　pursuit
　〃Macdonald　has　made　a　good　retreat；〃　said　Clausewitz；　〃at　the　cost　of　leaving　his　sick　and　his　guns　behind。　I　wonder　how　long　he　will　be　able　to　keep　this　pace　up？〃
　Hornblower　did　not　trouble　to　enter　into　the　discussion。　Saddle　soreness　was　making　him　abstracted；　apart　from　his　fatigue　and　his　general　feeling　of　malaise。　But　he　had　to　be　able　to　report　to　his　government　that　he　had　followed　up　the　retreating　army　for　at　least　one　march　on　its　way　back　to　Germany；　it　would　be　better　if　it　were　two　or　three。　And　there　was　something　else。　He　wanted　to　catch　up　with　the　Prussians；　even　if　it　were　the　last　thing　he　did　…　and　it　was　odd　that　he　had　this　feeling　that　it　was　the　last　thing　he　was　ever　going　to　do。　His　head　was　whirling；　and　there　was　something　forting　about　the　knowledge　that　Brown　was　just　back　there　with　the　mounted　orderlies。
　A　messenger　brought　back　news　from　the　advance…guard；　and　Hornblower　heard　Clausewitz's　explanation　as　if　in　a　dream。
　〃The　Prussians　are　making　a　stand　at　the　fork　in　the　roads　ahead；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　covering　the　retreat　while　the　other　two　army　corps　get　away　by　the　two　roads。〃
　It　was　strange　that　this　was　just　what　he　was　expecting；　as　if　it　were　a　story　he　had　already　heard　being　retold。
　〃The　Prussians！〃　he　said；　and　without　willing　it　he　pressed　his　legs　against　his　horse's　sides　to　urge　it　to　a　faster　pace　towards　where　the　flat　reports　of　the　guns　showed　where　the　Prussians　were　holding　back　the　advance…guard。　The　headquarters　party　was　clear　of　the　main　body　now；　trotting　along　the　deeply…rutted　road；　hemmed　in　here　by　a　dense　wood　of　coniferous　trees。　Beyond　the　wood　the　desolate　landscape　opened　up　to　reveal　a　low　ridge　up　which　the　road　mounted　ahead　of　them。　On　either　side　of　the　road　here　a　brigade　of　the　Russian　advance…guard　was　halted；　a　battery　of　artillery　was　in　action；　and　up　on　the　ridge　could　be　seen　the　Prussian　infantry　columns；　black　blocks　against　grey　fields。　Over　on　the　right　a　grey…clad　Russian　column　was　plodding　across　country　to　turn　the　flank　of　the　position；　while　between　the　two　forces　Russian　horsemen　…　Cossacks　…　trotted　in　ones　and　twos　on　their　shaggy　ponies；　their　long　lances　vertical　at　their　sides。　A　watery　sun　broke　through　the　clouds　at　this　moment；　seeming　merely　to　accentuate　the　gloominess　of　the　landscape。　A　general　came　up　to　salute　Essen；　but　Hornblower　did　not　want　to　listen　to　what　he　had　to　say。　He　wanted　to　press　forward　towards　the　Prussians；　and　as　the　horses　of　the　party　followed　the　example　of　his　own　they　moved　steadily　up　the　road；　Essen　half　unconscious　of　the　movements　of　his　horse　as　he　listened　to　the　general's　report。　He　was　only　recalled　to　his　surroundings　by　the　howl　of　a　cannon…shot　which　pitched　at　the　roadside　near　him；　throwing　snow　and　earth　in　all　directions。
　〃What　do　we　think　we're　doing？〃　he　asked。　〃We'll　be　getting　ourselves　shot　in　a　moment。〃
　Hornblower　was　staring　forward　at　the　Prussian　army；　at　the　glitter　of　bayonets　and　the　flags　black　against　the　snow。
　〃I　want　to　go　up　to　the　Prussians；〃　he　said。
　The　discharge　of　the　battery　close　at　hand　drowned　the　words　Essen　said　in　reply；　but　what　he　meant　to　say　was　plain　enough。
　〃I　am　going；〃　said　Hornblower　stubbornly。　He　looked　round　and　caught　Clausewitz's　eye。　〃Are　you　ing　too；　Colonel？〃
　〃Of　course　he　cannot；〃　expostulated　Essen。　〃He　cannot　risk　being　taken。〃
　As　a　renegade；　a　man　fighting　against　his　own　country；　Clausewitz　was　likely　to　be　hanged　if　ever　the　Prussians　laid　hands　on　him。
　〃It　would　be　better　if　he　came；〃　said　Hornblower；　woodenly。
　This　was　a　strange　feeling　of　simultaneous　clairvoyance　and　illness。
　〃I'll　go　with　the　modore；〃　said　Clausewitz　suddenly；　making　what　was　probably　the　bravest　decision　of　his　life。　Perhaps　he　was　carried　away　by　Hornblower's　automaton…like　recklessness。
　Essen　shrugged　his　shoulders　at　this　madness　which　had　descended　upon　them。
　〃Go；　then；〃　he　said。　〃Perhaps　I　may　be　able　to　capture　enough　generals　to　exchange　for　you。〃
　They　trotted　forward　up　the　road；　Hornblower　heard　Essen　bellow　an　order　to　the　battery　mander　to　cease　fire。　He　looked　back；　Brown　was　trotting　after　them；　a　respectful　five　lengths　behind。　They　passed　close　to　some　of　the　Cossack　light　horse；　who　looked　at　them　curiously；　and　then　they　were　in　among　Prussian　skirmishers；　who；　from　the　shelter　of　rocks　and　inequalities　in　the　ground；　were　taking　long　shots　at　the　Cossacks。　No　one　fired　at　them　as　they　rode　boldly　through。　A　Prussian　captain　beside　the　road　saluted　them；　and　Clausewitz　returned　the　salute。　Just　beyond　the　skirmishing　line　was　the　first　formed　infantry；　a　Prussian　regiment　in　battalion　columns　of　panies；　two　on　one　side　of　the　road　and　one　on　the　other。　The　colonel　and　his　staff　were　standing　in　the　road　staring　at　the　odd　trio　approaching　them　…　the　British　naval　officer　in　his　blue　and　gold；　Clausewitz　in　his　Russian　uniform　with　the　row　of　medals；　and　the　British　seaman　with　cutlass　and　pistols　at　his　belt。　The　colonel　asked　a　question　in　a　loud　dry　tone　as　they　approached；　and　Clausewitz　answered　it；　reining　in。
　〃Tell　them　we　must　see　the　general；〃　said　Hornblower　in　French　to　Clausewitz。
　There　was　a　rapid　exchange　of　dialogue　between　Clausewitz　and　the　colonel；　ending　in　the　latter　calling　up　two　or　three　mounted　officers　…　his　adjutant　and　majors；　perhaps　…　to　acpany　them　up　the　road。　Here　they　saw　a　larger　infantry　force　formed　up；　and　a　line　of　guns；　and　here　was　a　party　on　horseback；　the　feathers　and　braid　and　medals　and　mounted　orderlies　indicating　the　presence　of　a　general's　staff。　This　must　be　the　general　…　Yorck；　Hornblower　remembered　his　name　to　be。　He　recognized　Clausewitz　at　once；　and　addressed　him　abruptly　in　German。　A　few　words　on　each　side　seemed　only　to　add　to　the　tension　of　the　situation；　and　there　was　a　short　pause。
　〃He　speaks　French；〃　said　Clausewitz　to　Hornblower；　and　they　both　turned　and　waited　for　him　to　speak。
　〃General；〃　said　Hornblower；　he　was　in　a　dream；　but　he　made　himself　speak　in　his　dream。　〃I　represent　the　King　of　England；　and　Colonel　Clausewitz　represents　the　Emperor　of　Russia。　We　are　fighting　to　free　Europe　from　Bonaparte。　Are　you　fighting　to　maintain　him　as　a　tyrant？〃
　It　was　a　rhetorical　question　to　which　no　answer　was　possible。　Silent　perforce；　Yorck　could　only　await　the　rest　of　what　Hornblower　had　to　say。
　〃Bonaparte　is　beaten。　He　is　retreating　from　Moscow；　and　not　ten　thousand　of　his　army　will　reach　Germany。　The　Spaniards　have　deserted　him；　as　you　know。　So　have　the　Portuguese。　All