csf.thecommodore-第32部分

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　Yet　the　desirability　of　striking　a　blow　there　was　perfectly　obvious。　In　roadless　Poland　and　East　Prussia　the　only　way　of　distributing　provisions　and　munitions　to　Bonaparte's　swelling　armies　was　by　water。　His　main　advanced　base　was　Danzig；　whence　the　troops　in　Central　Poland　could　be　supplied　by　the　Vistula。　But　the　large　forces　in　East　Prussia　and　in　eastern　Poland　were　dependent　on　the　other　river　systems；　radiating　from　K？nigsberg　and　Elbing　on　the　Frisches　Haff。　This　Frisches　Haff；　a　long　narrow　lagoon　almost　cut　off　from　the　Baltic　by　a　long　sand　spit；　would　quite　obviously　be　the　scene　of　extensive　barge　traffic　from　Elbing　to　K？nigsberg。　Fifty　miles　long；　a　dozen　miles　wide；　shallow　…　three　or　four　fathoms　at　most　…　with　the　narrow　entrance　guarded　by　the　guns　of　the　fortress　of　Pillau；　from　the　French　point　of　view　it　would　be　a　perfectly　safe　route　for　water…borne　supplies；　sheltered　both　from　storms　and　from　the　English。　Danzig　was　the　best　objective；　of　course；　for　a　stroke　anywhere　along　this　Baltic　coast；　but　Danzig　was　safe；　several　miles　from　the　sea　up　the　Vistula；　and　heavily　fortified　to　boot。　If　it　took　Bonaparte　and　a　hundred　thousand　men　three　months　to　capture　Danzig　Hornblower　was　not　likely　to　effect　anything　against　the　place　with　a　couple　of　hundred　marines。　Danzig　was　impregnable　to　him。　For　that　matter；　so　were　K？nigsberg　and　Elbing。　But　it　was　the　munications　between　them　that　he　wanted　to　break；　no　more　than　that　need　be　done。　The　wind　was　fair；　too　…　a　Roman　would　look　on　that　as　a　good　omen。
　
　CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
　
　This　was　an　ideal　night　in　which　to　reconnoitre　the　entrance　to　the　Frisches　Haff。　Overcast；　so　that　not　much　light　came　from　the　summer　sky　with　the　sun　only　just　below　the　horizon；　and　a　strong　breeze　blowing　…　the　sloop　Hornblower　had　just　quitted　had　single…reefed　her　topsails　earlier　in　the　evening。　A　strong　breeze　and　a　choppy　sea　meant　that　there　would　be　far　less　chance　of　guard…boats　…　guard…boats　manned　by　landsmen　…　rowing　a　close　watch　over　this　boom　that　Hornblower　was　setting　out　to　investigate。
　But　at　the　same　time　Hornblower　was　suffering　considerable　personal　inconvenience　from　the　choppy　sea。　The　cutter　in　whose　sternsheets　he　sat　was　rearing　and　plunging；　standing　first　on　her　bows　and　then　on　her　stern；　with　the　spray　flying　across　her　in　a　continuous　sheet；　so　that　a　couple　of　hands　had　to　bale　all　the　time。　The　spray　was　finding　its　way　remorselessly　through　the　interstices　of　his　boat…cloak；　so　that　he　was　wet　and　cold；　and　the　cold　and　the　violent　motion　inevitably　turned　his　mind　towards　seasickness。　His　stomach　felt　as　uneasy　as　his　body　felt　unfortable。　In　the　darkness　he　could　not　see　Vickery；　beside　him　at　the　tiller；　nor　Brown　tending　the　sheet；　and　he　felt　a　poor　sort　of　relief　at　the　thought　that　his　pallor　and　uneasiness　were　not　apparent　to　them。　Unlike　some　victims　he　had　met　he　could　never　be　seasick　unselfconsciously；　he　told　himself　bitterly；　and　then　with　his　usual　rasping　self…analysis　he　told　himself　that　that　should　not　surprise　him；　seeing　that　he　was　never　unselfconscious　at　all。
　He　shifted　his　position　in　the　stern　of　the　cutter；　and　clutched　his　cloak　more　tightly　round　him。　The　Germans　and　Frenchmen　guarding　Pillau　had　as　yet　no　knowledge　that　an　English　squadron　was　so　close　to　them；　it　was　less　than　an　hour　ago　that　he　had　e　up　in　the　darkness　with　the　two　sloops；　leaving　Nonsuch　and　the　bomb…vessels　over　the　horizon。　A　soft…hearted　senior　officer　in　K？nigsberg　might　easily　hesitate　before　giving　orders　that　a　guard…boat　should　toilsomely　row　guard　up　and　down　the　boom　on　such　a　blustery　night；　and　even　if　the　orders　were　given　there　was　every　chance　that　the　petty　officer　in　charge　of　the　boat　might　shirk　his　duty　…　especially　as　there　could　not　be　much　love　lost　between　French　who　would　occupy　the　higher　ranks　and　the　Germans　who　would　fill　the　lower　ones。
　A　low　warning　cry　came　from　the　lookout　in　the　bows；　and　Vickery　put　down　his　tiller　a　trifle；　bringing　the　cutter　closer　to　the　wind。　She　rose　over　a　crest；　and　then　as　she　came　down　in　the　trough　a　dark　object　appeared　close　overside；　dimly　visible　in　the　darkness　in　a　flurry　of　foam。
　〃A　cable；　sir；〃　reported　Vickery。　〃An'　there's　the　boom；　right　ahead。〃
　On　the　heaving　surface　of　the　sea　just　ahead　could　be　seen　a　faint　hint　of　blackness。
　〃Lay　me　alongside　it；〃　said　Hornblower；　and　Vickery　turned　up　into　the　wind；　and　at　his　shouted　order　the　lugsail　came　down　and　the　cutter　ranged　herself　against　the　boom。　The　wind　was　blowing　not　quite　along　it；　so　that　there　was　a　tiny　lee　on　their　side　of　the　boom；　on　the　far　side　the　steep　waves　broke　against　it　with　a　roar；　but　on　this　side　the　surface　for　a　narrow　space　was　smooth　although　covered　with　foam　that　reflected　what　little　light　made　its　way　from　the　dark　sky。　The　bowmen　had　hooked　on　to　the　cable　just　where　it　was　secured　to　the　boom。
　Hornblower　put　off　his　cloak　and　left　himself　exposed　to　the　spray　which　hurtled　at　him；　poised　himself　for　a　leap；　and　sprang　for　the　boom。　As　he　landed　on　it　a　wave　broke　across　it；　sousing　him　to　the　skin；　and　he　had　to　clutch　desperately　with　fingers　and　toes　to　save　himself　from　being　washed　off。　He　was　riding　an　enormous　tree　trunk；　floating　on　the　surface　with　very　little　of　itself　exposed　above　the　surface。　With　the　best　timber　country　in　Europe　to　draw　upon；　and　easy　water　transport　available；　it　was；　of　course；　certain　that　the　French　would　select　the　heaviest　trees　possible　to　guard　the　entrance　to　the　port。　He　clawed　his　way　on　all　fours　along　the　log；　balancing　in　nightmare　fashion　on　his　pitching　and　rolling　mount。　An　active　topman；　or　Vickery　for　that　matter；　would　probably　walk　upright；　but　then　Hornblower　wanted　the　evidence　of　his　own　senses　regarding　the　boom；　not　a　report　at　secondhand。　The　cable；　when　he　reached　it；　was　the　largest　he　had　ever　seen　in　his　life　…　a　thirty…inch　cable　at　least；　the　largest　cable　Nonsuch　carried　was　only　nineteen　inches。　He　felt　about　the　log　with　inquiring　fingers　while　the　icy　water　soused　him　to　the　ears；　and　found　what　he　was　expecting　to　find；　one　of　the　chain　cables　that　attached　this　log　to　the　next。　It　was　a　two…inch　chain　cable　with　a　breaking　strain　of　a　hundred　tons　or　so；　heavily　stapled　down　to　the　log；　and　further　search　immediately　revealed　another　one。　Presumably　there　were　others　below　the　surface；　making　four　or　five　altogether。　Even　a　ship　of　the　line；　charging　down　full　tilt　before　the　wind；　would　be　hardly　likely　to　break　that　boom；　but　would　only　cause　herself　desperate　under…water　damage。　Peering　through　the　spray；　he　could　see　the　end　of　the　next　log　and　its　cable；　the　gap　was　some　ten　feet　only。　The　wind；　blowing　almost　lengthwise　along　the　boom；　had　pushed　it　down　to　leeward　as　far　as　the　cables　would　allow；　boom　and　cables　making　a　herring…bone　with　the　cables　as　taut　as　could　be。
　Hornblower　clawed　his　way　back　down　the　trunk；　poised　himself；　and　leaped　for　the　boat。　In　the　darkness；　with　the　irregular　motion　of　boom　and　boat　in　the　choppy　sea；　it　was　hard　to　time　the　moment　to　jump；　and　he　landed　awkwardly　across　the　gunwale　with　one　leg　in　the　sea；　and　Vickery　hauled　him　into　the　boat　without　much　dignity　left　him。
　〃Let　her　drop　down　to　leeward；〃　ordered　Hornblower。　〃I　want　soundings　taken　at　every　log。〃
　Vickery　handled　the　boat　well。　He　kept　her　bows　to　the　wind　after　shoving　off；　and　with　a　couple　of　oars　pulling　steadily　he　manoeuvred　her　past　each　cable　as　the　boat　drifted　to　leeward。　Brown　stood　amidships；　balancing　himself　against　the　boat's　extravagant　plunges；　while　he　took　soundings　with　the　awkward　thirty…foot　sounding　pole。　It　called　for　a　powerful　man　to　handle　that　thing　in　this　wind；　but　properly　used　it　was　quicker　and　far　less　noisy　than　a　hand　lead。　Four　fathoms　…　three　and　a　half　…　four　…　the　boom　was　laid　right　across　the　fairway；　as　was　only　to　be　expected。　At　the　windward　end　it　was　not　more　than　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　…　a　cable's　length　…　from　the　beach　at　Pillau；　and　Hornblower；　staring　into　the　night；　more　than　suspected　a　supplementary　boom　from　that　shore　which；　overlapping　this　one；　would　pel　any　vessel　entering　to　go　about　so　as　to　make　the　turn。　That　meant　that　any　ship　trying　to　enter　with　hostile　intentions　would　be　sunk　or　set　afire　for　certain　by　the　heavy　guns　in　Pillau。
　They　reached　the　leeward　end　of　the　boom；　a　stretch　of　clear　water　extended　from　here　towards　the　sandspit　…　the　Nehrung；　to　use　the　curious　German　word　for　it　…　which　divided　the　Haff　from　the　Baltic　for　twenty　miles。　The　open　stretch　must　be　a　quarter　of　a　mile　wide；　but　it　was　useless　for　navigation。　Brown's　pole　recorded　a　depth　of　ten　feet　for　a　couple　of　soundings；　and　then　the　water　shallowed　to　no　more　than　six　or　eight。
　Vickery　suddenly　put　his　hand　on　Hornblower's　arm　and　pointed　to　the　land。　There　was　a　nucleus　of　greater　darkness　there　…　a　guard…boat　beating　out　through　the　shallows　to　keep　watch　over　the　boom。
　〃Out　oars；〃　said　Hornblower。　〃Get　out　to　sea。〃
　There　were　thrum　mats　round　the　looms　of　the　oars　to　muffle　the　noise　they　made　against　the　thole…pins；　the　men　put　their　backs　into　their　work；　and　the　cutter　crept　out　to　sea　as　the　guard…boat　continued　its　course。　When　the　two　boats　were　far　enough　apart　for　the　sail　to　be　invisible　Hornblower　gave　orders　for　the　lug　to　be　set　and　they　began　the　beat　back　to　Lotus；　with　Hornblower　shivering　uncontrollably　in　his　wet　clothes；　bitterly　ashamed　though　he　was　that　Vickery　should　be　aware　that　his　modore　should　shiver　on　account　of　a　mere　wet　jacket　which　any　tough　seaman　would　think　nothing　of。　It　was　irritating；　though　it　was　no　more　than　was　to　be　expected；　that　the　first　attempt　to　find　Lotus　in　the　darkness　should　be　unsuccessful；　and　the　cutter　had　to　go　about　and　reach　to　windward　on　the　other　tack　before　at　last　they　picked　up　the　loom　of　her　in　the　night。　When　her　hail　reached　their　ears　Brown　made　a　speaking…trumpet　of　his　hands。
　〃modore！〃　he　shouted；　and　Vickery　turned　the　cutter　into　the　Lotus's　lee；　and　Hornblower　went　up　the　sloop's　low　side　as　the　two　came　together。　On　the　quarter…deck　Vickery　turned　to　him　for　orders。
　〃Haul　up　and　make　an　offing；　Mr　Vickery；〃　said　Hornblower。　〃Make　sure　Raven　follows