csf.thecommodore-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Why　are　you　sailing　without　convoy？〃
　〃None　available　at　Memel。　The　rendezvous　for　the　trade's　off　Langeland　on　the　twenty…fourth。　We're　beating　up　for　the　Belt　now。〃
　〃What's　the　news？〃　Hornblower　had　waited　patiently　during　all　these　interminable　sentences　before　asking　that　question。
　〃The　Russian　embargo　still　holds；　but　we're　sailing　under　licence。〃
　〃Sweden？〃
　〃God　knows；　sir。　Some　say　they've　tightened　up　their　embargo　there。〃
　A　curious　muffled　howl　came　from　below　decks　in　the　Maggie　Jones　at　that　moment；　just　audible　in　the　Nonsuch。
　〃What's　that　noise？〃　asked　Hornblower。
　〃One　of　the　smallpox　cases；　sir。　Delirious。　They　say　the　Tsar's　meeting　Bernadotte　next　week　fur　a　conference　somewhere　in　Finland。〃
　〃Any　sign　of　war　between　France　and　Russia？〃
　〃None　that　I　could　see　in　Memel。〃
　That　delirious　patient　must　be　very　violent　for　his　shrieks　to　reach　Hornblower's　ears　at　this　distance　against　the　wind。　Hornblower　heard　them　again。　Was　it　possible　for　one　man　to　make　all　that　noise？　It　sounded　more　like　a　muffled　chorus　to　Hornblower。　Hornblower　felt　a　sudden　wave　of　suspicion　surging　up　within　him。　The　white…trousered　figure　on　the　Maggie　Jones's　poop　was　altogether　too　glib；　too　professional　in　his　talk。　A　naval　officer　might　possibly　discuss　the　chances　of　war　in　the　Baltic　as　coldly　as　this　man　was　doing；　but　a　merchant　captain　would　put　more　feeling　in　his　words。　And　more　than　one　man　was　making　that　noise　in　her　forecastle。　The　captain　could　easily　have　offered　his　information　about　the　Tsar's　meeting　with　Bernadotte　as　a　red　herring　to　distract　Hornblower's　attention　from　the　cries　below　deck。　Something　was　wrong。
　〃Captain　Bush；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃send　a　boat　with　a　boarding…party　over　to　that　ship。〃
　〃Sir！〃　protested　Bush；　wildly。　〃Sir　…　she　has　smallpox　on　board　…　sir！　Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　Bush's　protests　died　an　uneasy　death　at　the　look　on　Hornblower's　face。　Bush　told　himself　that　Hornblower　knew　as　well　as　he　did　the　frightful　possibilities　of　the　introduction　of　smallpox　into　Nonsuch；　Hornblower　knew　the　chances　he　was　taking。　And　one　more　look　at　Hornblower's　face　told　Bush　that　the　decision　had　not　been　an　easy　one。
　Hornblower　put　the　trumpet　to　his　lips　again。
　〃I'm　sending　a　boat　to　you；〃　he　shouted。　It　was　hard　at　twenty　yards'　distance　to　detect　any　change　in　the　manner　of　the　man　he　was　addressing；　especially　when　hampered　with　a　speaking…trumpet；　but　Hornblower　thought　he　could　see　the　captain　start　a　little。　Certainly　there　was　a　decided　pause　before　he　answered。
　〃As　you　wish；　sir。　I　have　warned　you　of　smallpox。　Could　you　send　a　surgeon　and　medicines？〃
　That　was　exactly　what　he　should　have　said。　But　all　the　same；　there　was　that　suspicious　pause　before　answering；　as　if　the　man　had　been　taken　by　surprise　and　had　searched　round　in　his　mind　for　the　best　reply　to　make。　Bush　was　standing　by；　with　misery　in　his　face；　hoping　that　Hornblower　would　countermand　his　order；　but　Hornblower　made　no　sign。　Under　the　orders　of　the　boatswain　the　whaler　rose　to　the　pull　of　the　tackles；　was　swayed　outboard；　and　dropped　into　the　sea。　A　midshipman　and　a　boat's　crew　dropped　down　into　her；　sulkily。　They　would　have　gone　cheerfully　to　board　an　armed　enemy；　but　the　thought　of　a　loathsome　disease　unmanned　them。
　〃Push　off；〃　ordered　the　officer　of　the　watch；　after　a　last　glance　at　Hornblower。　The　whaler　danced　over　the　waves　towards　the　Maggie　Jones；　and　then　Hornblower　saw　the　captain　dash　his　speaking…trumpet　to　the　deck　and　look　round　wildly　as　though　for　some　means　of　escape。
　〃Stay　hove…to；　or　I'll　sink　you；〃　roared　Hornblower；　and　with　a　gesture　of　despair　the　captain　stood　still；　drooping　in　defeat。
　The　whaler　hooked　on　to　the　Maggie　Jones's　main…chains　and　the　midshipman　led　his　party　on　to　the　decks　with　a　rush。　There　was　no　sign　of　any　opposition　offered；　but　as　the　seamen　ran　aft　there　was　the　sudden　pop　of　a　pistol；　and　Hornblower　saw　the　midshipman　bending　over　the　writhing；　white…trousered　body　of　the　captain。　He　found　himself　taking　an　oath　that　he　would　break　that　midshipman；　court　martial　him；　ruin　him；　and　have　him　begging　his　bread　in　the　gutter　if　he　had　wantonly　killed　the　captain。　Hornblower's　hunger　and　thirst　for　news　for　facts；　for　information；　was　so　intense　that　the　thought　of　the　captain　escaping　him　by　death　roused　him　to　ferocious　bitterness。
　〃Why　the　devil　didn't　I　go　myself？〃　he　demanded　of　no　one　in　particular。　〃Captain　Bush；　I'll　be　obliged　if　you'll　have　my　barge　called　away。〃
　〃But　the　smallpox；　sir　…〃
　〃Smallpox　be　damned。　And　there's　none　on　board　that　ship。〃
　The　midshipman's　voice　came　across　the　water　to　them。
　〃Nonsuch　ahoy！　She's　a　prize。　Taken　yesterday　by　a　French　privateer。〃
　〃Who's　that　captain　I　was　speaking　to？〃　demanded　Hornblower。
　〃A　renegade　Englishman；　sir。　He　shot　himself　as　we　came　on　board。〃
　〃Is　he　dead？〃
　〃Not　yet；　sir。〃
　〃Mr　Hurst；〃　said　Bush；　〃send　the　surgeon　over。　I'll　give　him　one　minute　to　get　his　gear　together。　I　want　that　renegade's　life　saved　so　that　we　can　see　how　he　looks　at　a　yard…arm。〃
　〃Send　him　in　my　barge；〃　said　Hornblower；　and　then；　through　the　speaking…trumpet。　〃Send　the　prisoners　and　the　ship's　officers　over　to　me。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　〃And　now　I'll　get　some　clothes　on；　by　God；〃　said　Hornblower；　he　had　only　just　realized　that　he　had　been　standing　naked　on　the　quarter…deck　for　an　hour　or　more　…　if　he　had　obeyed　his　first　impulse　and　gone　over　in　his　barge　he　would　have　boarded　the　Maggie　Jones　without　a　stitch　on。
　The　captain　and　the　two　mates　were　ushered　down　into　Hornblower's　cabin；　where　he　and　Bush　questioned　them　eagerly；　the　chart　of　the　Baltic　spread　out　before　him。
　〃We　heard　that　renegade　tell　you　the　truth；　sir；〃　said　the　captain。　〃We　were　ten　days　out　from　Memel；　bound　for　the　Belt；　when　he　pounced　on　us　yesterday　…　big　ship…rigged　privateer；　ten　guns　a　side；　flush…decked。　Name　Blanchefleur；　whatever　way　you　say　it。　What　the　Frogs　call　a　corvette。　French　colours。　They　put　a　prize　crew　on　board　under　that　renegade　…　Clarke's　his　name；　sir　…　an'　I　think　we　were　headed　for　Kiel　when　you　caught　us。　They　shut　us　up　in　the　lazarette。　God；　how　we　yelled；　hoping　you'd　hear　us。〃
　〃We　heard　you；〃　said　Bush。
　〃How　were　things　at　Memel　when　you　left？〃　demanded　Hornblower。
　The　captain's　face　wrinkled；　if　he　had　been　French　he　would　have　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　〃The　same　as　ever。　Russian　ports　are　still　closed　to　us；　but　they'll　give　anyone　a　licence　to　trade　who　asks　for　it。　It's　the　same　with　the　Swedes　on　the　other　side。〃
　〃What　about　war　between　Bonaparte　and　Russia？〃
　This　time　the　tangle　of　doubt　really　made　the　captain　shrug。
　〃Everyone's　talking　about　it；　but　nothing　definite　yet。　Soldiers　everywhere。　If　Boney　really　fights　'em　he'll　find　'em　as　ready　as　Russians　ever　are。〃
　〃Do　you　think　he　will？〃
　〃I　wish　you'd　tell　me；　sir。　I　don't　know。　But　it　was　true　what　Clarke　told　you；　sir。　The　Tsar　and　Bernadotte　are　meeting　soon。　Perhaps　you　can　guess　what　that　means。　It　means　nothing　to　a　plain　man　like　me；　sir。　There　have　been　so　many　of　these　meetings　and　conferences　and　congresses。〃
　So　there　it　was；　Sweden　and　Russia　were　still　in　the　equivocal　position　of　being　nominal　enemies　of　England　and　nominal　allies　of　Bonaparte；　pretending　to　make　war；　pretending　to　be　at　peace；　half　belligerent；　half　neutral；　in　the　strange　manner　which　seemed　to　have　bee　fashionable　nowadays。　It　was　still　doubtful　whether　Bonaparte　would　take　the　tremendous　step　of　waging　war　on　Russia。　No　one　could　analyse　Bonaparte's　motives。　One　might　think　that　he　would　do　better　for　himself　by　turning　all　his　vast　resources　towards　finishing　off　the　war　in　Spain　and　endeavouring　to　strike　down　England　before　attempting　the　conquest　of　the　East；　but　on　the　other　hand　a　swift　decisive　blow　at　Russia　might　free　him　from　the　menace　of　a　powerful　and　doubtfully　friendly　nation　at　his　back。　Bonaparte　had　conquered　so　often；　he　had　struck　down　every　nation　in　Europe　…　except　England　…　and　it　hardly　seemed　likely　that　Russia　could　withstand　the　impact　of　his　massed　forces。　With　Russia　beaten　he　would　have　no　enemies　left　on　the　mainland　at　all。　There　would　only　be　England　left　to　oppose　him；　single…handed。　It　was　forting　that　England　had　not　taken　active　measures　in　support　of　Finland　when　Russia　attacked　her；　all　the　same。　That　made　a　working　alliance　with　Russia　far　more　practicable　now。
　〃Now　tell　me　more　about　this　Blanchefleur；〃　said　Hornblower　bending　over　the　chart。
　〃She　nabbed　us　off　Rügen；　sir。　Sassnitz　bore　so'west；　eight　miles。　You　see；　sir　…〃
　Hornblower　listened　to　the　explanations　with　attention。　A　twenty…gun　corvette　under　a　good　French　captain　was　a　serious　menace　loose　in　the　Baltic　With　the　trade　beginning　to　move　on　the　melting　of　the　ice　it　would　be　his　first　duty　to　capture　her　or　drive　her　into　port　and　blockade　her。　A　ship　of　that　force　would　be　able　to　put　up　a　good　fight　even　against　one　of　his　sloops。　He　hoped　he　could　entrap　her；　for　she　would　be　far　too　fast　for　Nonsuch　to　overhaul　her　in　a　stern　chase。　She　was　sending　her　prizes　into　Kiel；　for　there　they　could　dispose　of　the　prisoners；　pick　up　a　French　crew；　and　start　the　hazardous　voyage　round　Denmark　to　the　west　…　Bonaparte　needed　naval　stores；　with　ships　of　war　building　in　every　port　from　Hamburg　to　Trieste。
　〃Thank　you；　gentlemen；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　not　detain　you　longer。　Captain　Bush；　we'll　talk　to　the　prisoners　next。〃
　But　there　was　little　to　learn　from　the　seamen　of　the　captured　prize　crew；　even　though　they　were　brought　in　separately　for　questioning。　Four　of　them　were　Frenchmen；　Hornblower　conducted　his　own　examination　of　them；　with　Bush　looking　on　admiringly。　Bush　had　already　succeeded　in　forgetting　all　the　little　French　he　had　so　painfully　learned　during　his　enforced　sojourn　in　France。　Two　were　Danes；　and　two　were　Germans；　Mr　Braun　was　called　in　to　interpret　while　they　were　questioned。　They　were　all　experienced　seamen；　and　as　far　as　Hornblower　could　gather　they　had　all　been　driven　to　take　service　in　the　Blanchefleur　sooner　than　be　conscripted　into　Bonaparte's　navy　or　army。　Even　though　they　were　faced　with　what　might　well　be　a　lifetime　in　an　English　prison　the　Frenchmen　refused　any　offer　to　serve　in　the　British　Na