csf.thecommodore-第40部分

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　〃How　delightfully　plementary　to　each　other　are　vodka　and　caviare；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　worthy　to　rank　with　those　other　binations　of　food　discovered　by　the　pioneers　of　the　gastronomic　art。　Eggs　and　bacon；　partridge　and　Burgundy；　spinach　and　…　and　…〃
　He　fumbled　for　a　French　word　for　'gammon'；　and　the　Governor　supplied　it；　his　little　pig's　eyes　lighting　up　with　interest　in　the　midst　of　his　big　red　face。
　〃You　are　a　gastronome；　sir？〃　he　said。
　The　rest　of　the　time　before　dinner　passed　easily　enough　then；　with　Hornblower　well　exercised　in　having　to　discuss　food　with　someone　to　whom　food　was　clearly　a　matter　of　deep　interest。　Hornblower　drew　a　little　on　his　imagination　to　describe　the　delicacies　of　the　West　Indies　and　of　Central　America；　fortunately　during　his　last　period　of　leave　he　had　moved　in　wealthy　London　circles　with　his　wife　and　had　eaten　at　several　renowned　tables；　including　that　of　the　Mansion　House；　which　gave　him　a　solid　basis　of　European　experience　with　which　to　supplement　his　imagination。　The　Governor　had　taken　advantage　of　the　campaigns　in　which　he　had　served　to　study　the　foods　of　the　different　countries。　Vienna　and　Prague　had　fed　him　during　the　Austerlitz　campaign；　he　had　drunk　resinated　wine　in　the　Seven　Islands；　he　rolled　up　his　eyes　in　ecstasy　at　the　memory　of　frutti　di　mare　consumed　in　Leghorn　when　he　had　served　in　Italy　under　Suvaroff。　Bavarian　beer；　Swedish　schnapps；　Danzig　goldwasser　…　he　had　drunk　of　them　all；　just　as　he　had　eaten　Westphalian　ham　and　Italian　beccaficoes　and　Turkish　rahat　lakoum。　He　listened　with　rapt　attention　when　Hornblower　spoke　of　grilled　flying…fish　and　Trinidad　pepperpot；　and　it　was　with　the　deepest　regret　that　he　parted　with　Hornblower　to　take　his　place　at　the　head　of　the　dinner　table；　even　then　he　persisted　in　calling　Hornblower's　attention　to　the　dishes　being　served；　leaning　forward　to　address　him　across　two　ladies　and　the　Intendant　of　Livonia；　and　when　dinner　was　ended　he　apologized　to　Hornblower　for　the　abrupt　termination　of　the　meal；　plaining　bitterly　of　the　fact　that　he　had　to　gulp　his　final　glass　of　brandy　because　they　were　already　nearly　an　hour　late　for　the　gala　performance　of　the　ballet　where　they　were　next　due　to　go。
　He　walked　heavily　up　the　stone　stairs　of　the　theatre；　his　spurs　ringing　and　his　sword　clattering　as　it　trailed　beside　him。　Two　ushers　led　the　way；　and　behind　Hornblower　and　Essen　walked　the　others　of　the　inner　circle；　the　Countess　and　her　husband　and　two　other　officials　and　their　wives。　The　ushers　held　open　the　door　of　the　box；　and　Hornblower　waited　on　the　threshold　for　the　ladies　to　enter。
　〃The　modore　will　go　first；〃　said　Essen；　and　Hornblower　plunged　in。　The　theatre　was　brightly　lighted；　and　parterre　and　gallery　were　crowded；　Hornblower's　entrance　drew　a　storm　of　applause；　which　smote　upon　his　ears　and　momentarily　paralysed　him　as　he　stood　there。　A　fortunate　instinct　prompted　him　to　bow；　first　to　one　side　and　then　to　the　other；　as　if　he　were　an　actor；　as　he　said　to　himself。　Then　someone　thrust　a　chair　behind　him　and　he　sat　down；　with　the　rest　of　the　party　round　him。　Throughout　the　auditorium　ushers　immediately　began　to　turn　down　the　lamps；　and　the　orchestra　broke　into　the　overture。　The　curtain　rose　to　reveal　a　woodland　scene；　and　the　ballet　began。
　〃A　lively　thing；　this　Madame　Nicolas；〃　said　the　Governor　in　a　penetrating　whisper。　〃Tell　me　if　you　like　her。　I　can　send　for　her　after　the　performance　if　you　desire。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　whispered　Hornblower　in　reply；　feeling　ridiculously　embarrassed。　The　Countess　was　close　on　his　other　side　and　he　was　too　conscious　of　her　warmth　to　feel　fortable。
　The　music　hurried　on；　and　in　the　golden　glow　of　the　footlights　the　ballet　went　through　its　dazzling　maze；　skirts　flying　and　feet　twinkling。　It　was　incorrect　to　say　that　music　meant　nothing　to　Hornblower；　the　monotonous　beat　of　its　rhythm；　when　he　was　pelled　to　listen　to　it　for　long；　stirred　something　in　the　depths　of　him　even　while　its　guessed…at　sweetness　tormented　his　ear　like　a　Chinese　water　torture。　Five　minutes　of　music　left　him　dull　and　unmoved；　fifteen　minutes　made　him　restless；　an　hour　was　sheer　agony。　He　forced　himself　to　sit　still　during　the　long　ordeal；　even　though　he　felt　he　would　gladly　exchange　his　chair　in　the　box　for　the　quarter…deck　of　a　ship　in　the　hottest　and　most　hopeless　battle　ever　fought。　He　tried　to　shut　his　ears　to　the　persistent　insidious　noise；　to　distract　himself　by　concentrating　his　attention　on　the　dancers；　on　Madame　Nicolas　as　she　pirouetted　across　the　stage　in　her　shimmering　white；　on　the　others　as；　chin　on　finger　and　the　other　hand　supporting　the　elbow；　they　came　down　the　stage　a…tiptoe　in　alluring　line。　Yet　it　was　of　no　avail；　and　his　misery　increased　from　minute　to　minute。
　The　Countess　at　his　side　was　stirring；　too。　He　knew；　telepathically；　what　she　was　thinking　about。　The　literature　of　all　ages；　from　the　Ars　Amatoria　to　Les　Liaisons　Dangereuses　told　him　theoretically　of　the　effect　of　music　and　spectacles　upon　the　feminine　mind；　and　in　violent　revulsion　he　hated　the　Countess　as　much　as　he　hated　music。　The　only　movement　he　made；　as　he　sat　there　stoically　enduring　the　tortures　of　the　damned　for　the　sake　of　his　duty；　was　to　shift　his　foot　away　out　of　reach　of　hers　…　he　knew　in　his　bones　that　she　would　endeavour　to　touch　him　soon；　while　her　beaky…nosed　husband　with　his　quizzing　glass　sat　just　behind　them。　The　entr'acte　was　only　a　poor　respite；　the　music　at　least　ceased；　and　he　was　able　to　stand；　blinking　a　little　as　the　thrown…open　door　of　the　box　admitted　a　stream　of　light；　and　he　bowed　politely　when　the　Governor　presented　a　few　lateers　who　came　to　pay　their　respects　to　the　British　visitor。　But　in　no　time　at　all；　it　seemed；　he　was　forced　to　seat　himself　again；　while　the　orchestra　resumed　its　maddening　scraping；　and　the　curtain　rose　on　a　new　scene。
　Then　a　distraction　came。　Hornblower　was　not　sure　when　he　first　heard　it；　he　might　have　missed　the　first　premonitory　shots　in　his　determined　effort　to　shut　himself　inside　himself。　He　came　out　of　his　nightmare　conscious　of　a　new　tension　in　the　people　round　him；　the　boom　of　heavy　artillery　was　very　noticeable　now　…　it　even　seemed　as　if　the　theatre　itself　were　vibrating　gently　to　the　heavy　concussions。　He　kept　his　head　and　neck　still；　and　stole　a　glance　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　at　the　Governor　beside　him；　but　the　Governor　seemed　to　be　still　entirely　engrossed　in　watching　Mme　Nicolas。　Yet　the　firing　was　very　heavy。　Somewhere　not　very　far　away　big　guns　were　being　fired　rapidly　and　in　large　numbers。　His　first　thought　was　for　his　ships；　but　he　knew　them　to　be　safe；　anchored　at　the　mouth　of　the　Dwina；　and　if　the　wind　was　still　in　the　direction　it　was　blowing　when　he　entered　the　theatre　Bush　could　get　them　out　of　harm's　way　whatever　happened；　even　if　Riga　were　taken　by　storm　that　very　hour。
　The　audience　was　taking　its　cue　from　the　Governor；　and　as　he　refused　to　allow　the　gunfire　to　distract　him　everyone　made　a　brave　attempt　to　appear　unconcerned。　But　everyone　in　the　box；　at　least；　felt　tightened　nerves　when　rapid　steps　outside　in　the　stone…flagged　corridor；　to　the　acpaniment　of　the　ringing　of　spurs；　heralded　the　entrance　of　an　orderly　officer；　who　came　in　and　whispered　hurriedly　to　the　Governor。　Essen　dismissed　him　with　a　few　words；　and　only　when　he　had　gone；　and　after　a　minute's　interval　which　seemed　like　an　hour；　leaned　over　to　Hornblower　with　the　news。
　〃The　French　have　tried　to　take　Daugavgriva　by　a　coup　de　main；〃　he　explained。　〃There　is　no　chance　of　their　succeeding。〃
　That　was　the　village　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Dwina；　in　the　angle　between　the　sea　and　the　river；　the　natural　first　objective　for　a　besieging　force　that　was　desirous　of　cutting　off　the　town　from　all　hope　of　relief　by　sea。　It　was　nearly　an　island；　with　the　Gulf　of　Riga　covering　one　flank；　and　the　mile…wide　Dwina　river　covering　the　rear；　while　the　rest　was　girt　by　marshes　and　ditches　and　protected　by　breastworks　thrown　up　by　the　peasant　labour　called　in　from　miles　round。　The　French　would　be　likely　to　try　a　direct　assault　upon　the　place；　because　success　would　save　them　weeks　of　tedious　siege　operations；　and　they　had　no　knowledge　as　yet　of　whether　or　not　the　Russians　were　able　or　willing　to　offer　effective　resistance。　This　was　the　first　time　Macdonald　had　encountered　any　serious　opposition　since　he　had　begun　his　advance　across　Lithuania　…　the　main　Russian　armies　were　contesting　the　road　to　Moscow　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Smolensk。　Hornblower　had　inspected　the　works　that　very　morning；　had　observed　the　strength　of　the　place　and　the　steady　appearance　of　the　Russian　grenadiers　who　garrisoned　it；　and　had　formed　the　conclusion　that　it　was　safe　against　anything　except　systematic　siege。　Yet　he　wished　he　could　be　as　sublimely　confident　about　it　as　the　Governor　was。
　On　the　other　hand；　everything　possible　had　already　been　done。　If　the　village　fell；　it　fell；　and　nothing　more　serious　had　happened　than　the　loss　of　an　outwork。　If　the　attack　were　beaten　off　there　could　be　no　question　of　following　up　the　success；　not　while　Macdonald　disposed　of　60；000　men　and　the　Russians　of　15；000　at　most。　Of　course　Macdonald　was　bound　to　attempt　a　coup　de　main　upon　Daugavgriva。　It　was　interesting　to　speculate　what　would　be　his　next　move　should　the　assault　fail。　He　might　march　up　the　river　and　endeavour　to　force　a　passage　above　the　town；　although　that　meant　plunging　into　a　roadless　tangle　of　marsh　and　attempting　a　crossing　at　a　place　where　he　would　find　no　boats。　Or　he　might　try　the　other　plan　and　use　the　boats　which　had　fallen　into　his　hands　at　Mitau　to　pass　a　force　across　the　mouth　of　the　river；　leaving　Daugavgriva　untaken　while　he　pelled　the　Russians　in　Riga　to　choose　between　ing　out　and　fighting　the　landing　party；　or　retreating　towards　St　Petersburg；　or　being　shut　in　pletely　in　the　town。　It　was　hard　to　guess　what　he　would　decide　on。　Certainly　Macdonald　had　sent　out　Jussey　to　reconnoitre　the　river　mouth；　and　although　he　had　lost　his　chief　engineer　in　doing　so　he　might　still　be　tempted　by　the　prospect　of　being　able　to　continue　immediately　his　advance　on　St　Petersburg。
　Hornblower　came　back　to　himself；　delighted　to　find　that　he　had　missed　in　his　abstraction　some　substantial　amount　of　the　ballet。　He　did　not　know　how　long　his　absent…mindedness　had　endured；　bu