csf.thecommodore-第41部分

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　amount　of　the　ballet。　He　did　not　know　how　long　his　absent…mindedness　had　endured；　but　it　must　be；　he　thought；　for　some　considerable　time。　The　gunfire　had　ceased；　either　the　assault　had　failed　or　had　been　pletely　successful。
　At　that　very　moment　the　door　opened　to　admit　another　orderly　officer　with　a　whispered　message　for　the　Governor。
　〃The　attack　has　been　beaten　off；〃　said　Essen　to　Hornblower。　〃Yakoulev　reports　his　men　have　hardly　suffered　at　all；　and　the　front　of　the　place　is　covered　with　French　and　German　dead。〃
　That　was　to　be　expected；　granted　the　failure　of　the　attack。　The　losses　would　be　dreadful　in　an　unsuccessful　assault。　Macdonald　had　gambled；　risking　a　couple　of　thousand　lives　against　a　speedy　end　to　the　siege；　and　he　had　lost。　Yet　an　Imperial　army　would　be　exasperated　rather　than　depressed　by　such　a　preliminary　reverse。　The　defence　could　expect　further　vigorous　attacks　at　any　moment。
　It　was　wonderful　to　discover　that　he　had　managed　to　sit　through　another　whole　ballet　without　noticing　it。　Here　was　another　entr'acte；　with　the　light　shining　into　the　box；　and　the　opportunity　to　stand　and　stretch　one's　legs；　it　was　even　delightful　to　exchange　polite　banalities　in　French　tinged　with　half　the　accents　of　Europe。　When　the　entr'acte　ended　Hornblower　was　quite　reconciled　to　reseating　himself　and　bracing　himself　to　endure　one　more　ballet；　yet　the　curtain　had　only　just　risen　when　he　felt　himself　heavily　nudged　in　the　thigh　by　Essen；　who　rose　and　made　his　way　out　of　the　box　with　Hornblower　at　his　heels。
　〃We　may　as　well　go　and　see；〃　said　Essen；　the　moment　they　stood　outside　the　closed　door　of　the　box。　〃It　would　not　have　been　well　to　get　up　and　go　when　the　firing　began。　But　the　people　will　not　know　now　that　we　left　in　haste。〃
　Outside　the　theatre　a　troop　of　hussars　sat　their　horses；　while　two　grooms　stood　at　the　heads　of　two　more　horses；　and　Hornblower　realized　that　he　was　mitted　to　riding　in　his　full…dress　uniform。　It　was　not　the　serious　business　it　used　to　be；　though；　Hornblower　thought　with　pleasure　of　his　dozen　reserve　pairs　of　silk　stockings　stored　away　in　Nonsuch。　Essen　climbed　on　to　his　horse；　and　Hornblower　followed　his　example。　The　bright　full　moon　filled　the　square　with　light；　as；　with　the　escort　following；　they　trotted　clattering　over　the　cobbles。　Two　turns　and　a　moderate　descent　brought　them　to　the　big　floating　bridge　that　spanned　the　Dwina；　the　roadway　across　the　pontoons　drummed　hollow　beneath　the　horses'　hoofs。　Across　the　river　a　road　ran　on　the　top　of　a　high　levée　beside　the　water；　on　the　far　side　the　land　was　cut　and　seamed　with　ditches　and　ponds；　around　which　twinkled　innumerable　camp…fires；　and　here　Essen　halted　and　gave　an　order　which　sent　the　hussar　officer　and　half　the　escort　riding　ahead　of　them。
　〃I　have　no　desire　to　be　shot　by　my　own　men；〃　explained　Essen。　〃Sentries　will　be　nervous；　and　riding　into　a　village　that　has　just　suffered　a　night　attack　will　be　as　dangerous　as　storming　a　battery。〃
　Hornblower　was　too　preoccupied　to　appreciate　the　point　very　much。　His　sword　and　his　ribbon　and　star　and　his　cocked　hat　added　to　his　usual　difficulty　of　retaining　his　seat　on　horseback；　and　he　bumped　ungracefully　in　his　saddle；　sweating　profusely　in　the　cool　night；　and　grabbing　spasmodically　at　items　of　his　equipment　whenever　he　could　spare　a　hand　from　his　reins。　They　were　challenged　repeatedly　as　they　rode　along；　but　despite　Essen's　gloomy　prognostication　no　jumpy　sentry　fired　at　them。　Finally　they　drew　up　in　reply　to　another　challenge　at　a　point　where　the　dome　of　the　church　of　Daugavgriva　stood　up　black　against　the　pale　sky。　With　the　cessation　of　the　noise　of　the　horses'　hoofs　a　fresh　sound　claimed　Hornblower's　attention；　a　wailing　clamour　coloured　by　high　agonized　screams；　a　whole　chorus　of　groans　and　cries。　The　sentry　passed　them　through；　and　they　rode　forward　into　the　village；　and　as　they　did　so　the　groans　and　screams　were　explained；　for　they　passed　on　their　left　the　torch…lit　field　where　the　wounded　were　being　treated　…　Hornblower　had　a　glimpse　of　a　naked　writhing　body　being　held　down　on　a　table　while　the　surgeons　bent　over　it　in　the　glare　of　the　torches　like　the　familiars　of　the　Inquisition；　while　the　whole　field　was　carpeted　with　writhing　and　groaning　wounded。　And　this　had　been　a　mere　outpost　skirmish；　a　trifling　matter　of　a　few　hundred　casualties　on　either　side。
　They　dismounted　at　the　door　of　the　church　and　Essen　led　the　way　in；　returning　the　salute　of　the　bearded　grenadiers　at　the　door。　Candles　made　a　bright　pool　of　light　in　the　midst　of　the　surrounding　gloom；　and　at　a　table　there　sat　a　group　of　officers　drinking　tea　from　a　samovar　which　hissed　beside　them。　They　rose　as　the　Governor　entered；　and　Essen　made　the　introductions。
　〃General　Diebitch；　Colonel　von　Clausewitz　…　modore　Sir　Hornblower。〃
　Diebitch　was　a　Pole；　Clausewitz　a　German　…　the　Prussian　renegade　Hornblower　had　heard　about　previously；　an　intellectual　soldier　who　had　decided　that　true　patriotism　lay　in　fighting　Bonaparte　regardless　of　which　side　his　country　nominally　assisted。　They　made　their　report　in　French；　the　enemy　had　attempted　at　moonrise　to　storm　the　village　without　preparation；　and　had　been　bloodily　repulsed。　Prisoners　had　been　taken；　some　had　captured　an　outlying　cottage　and　had　been　cut　off　in　the　counter…attack；　and　there　were　other　isolated　prisoners　from　various　units　who　had　fallen　into　Russian　hands　at　other　points　of　the　perimeter　of　the　village。
　〃They　have　already　been　questioned；　sir；〃　said　Diebitch。　Hornblower　had　the　feeling　that　it　would　be　an　unpleasant　experience　to　be　a　prisoner　submitted　to　questioning　at　the　hands　of　General　Diebitch。
　〃Their　statements　were　useful；　sir；〃　added　Clausewitz；　producing　a　sheet　of　notes。　Each　prisoner　had　been　asked　what　was　his　battalion；　how　many　men　there　were　in　it；　how　many　battalions　in　his　regiment；　what　was　his　brigade　and　division　and　army　corps。　Clausewitz　was　in　a　fair　way　by　now　to　reconstituting　the　whole　organization　of　the　French　part　of　the　attacking　army　and　to　estimate　its　numbers　fairly　accurately。
　〃We　know　already　the　strength　of　the　Prussian　corps；〃　said　Essen；　and　there　was　a　moment's　awkwardness　while　everyone　avoided　meeting　Clausewitz's　eye；　for　he　had　brought　in　that　information。
　〃It　is　only　half　an　hour　before　dawn；　sir；〃　interposed　Diebitch　with　more　tact　than　could　have　been　expected　of　a　man　of　his　countenance。　〃Would　you　care　to　climb　to　the　dome　and　see　for　yourself？〃
　The　sky　was　brighter　still　by　the　time　they　had　climbed　the　narrow　stone　stair　in　the　thickness　of　the　wall　of　the　church　and　emerged　into　the　open　gallery　that　encircled　it。　The　whole　of　the　flat　marshy　countryside　was　revealed　for　their　inspection；　the　ditches　and　the　lakes；　and　the　little　Mitau　river　winding　its　way　down　from　the　far　distance；　through　the　village　almost　under　the　side　of　the　church；　to　lose　itself　at　the　very　angle　where　the　vast　Dwina　entered　the　bay。　The　line　of　breastworks　and　abattis　thrown　up　by　the　garrison　to　defend　the　left　bank　of　the　Dwina　was　plainly　traced；　and　beyond　them　could　be　seen　the　scanty　works　which　were　all　that　the　invaders　had　bothered　to　construct　up　to　the　moment。　The　smoke　of　a　thousand　cooking…fires　drifted　over　the　country。
　〃In　my　opinion；　sir；〃　said　Clausewitz　deferentially；　〃if　the　enemy　should　decide　to　proceed　by　regular　siege　that　is　where　he　will　begin。　He　will　trace　his　first　parallel　there；　between　the　river　and　that　pinewood　and　sap　forward　against　the　village；　establishing　his　batteries　on　that　neck　of　land　there。　After　three　weeks'　work　he　could　expect　to　bring　his　batteries　forward　on　to　the　glacis　and　deliver　a　regular　assault。　He　must　effect　the　reduction　of　this　village　before　proceeding　to　the　attack　on　the　town。〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　said　Essen。
　Hornblower　could　not　imagine　a　Napoleonic　army　60；000　men　in　full　march　for　St　Petersburg　condescending　to　spend　three　weeks　in　siege　operations　against　an　outwork　without　trying　first　every　extemporary　method；　like　the　brusque　assault　of　last　night。　He　borrowed　a　telescope　from　one　of　the　staff；　and　devoted　his　time　to　examining　the　maze　of　waterways　and　marshes　that　stretched　before　him；　and　then；　walking　round　the　dome　along　the　gallery；　he　turned　his　attention　the　view　of　Riga；　with　its　spires；　beyond　the　huge　river。　Far　off；　well　down　the　channel；　he　could　just　see　the　masts　of　his　own　squadron；　where　it　swung　at　anchor　at　the　point　where　the　river　blended　with　the　Gulf。　Tiny　specks　of　ships；　minute　in　their　present　surroundings　and　yet　of　such　vast　importance　in　the　history　of　the　world。
　
　CHAPTER　NINETEEN
　
　Hornblower　was　asleep　in　his　cabin　in　the　Nonsuch　when　the　alarm　was　given。　Even　while　he　was　asleep　…　or　perhaps　it　may　be　granted　that　he　woke　occasionally　without　knowing　it　…　his　subconscious　mind　had　been　taking　note　of　conditions。　At　least；　when　he　woke　fully；　he　was　already　vaguely　aware　of　the　changes　that　had　occurred　during　the　night。　His　sleeping；　or　half…awakened；　mind　had　noted　the　veering　of　the　wind　that　had　swung　Nonsuch　round　to　her　anchor；　and　the　brief　sharp　rain　squalls　that　had　pelted　down　on　the　deck。　Certainly　he　had　awakened　to　the　sharp　cry　of　the　watch　on　deck；　and　had　heard　the　footsteps　overhead　of　the　midshipman　of　the　watch　running　to　him　with　the　news。　He　was　fully　awake　by　the　time　the　midshipman　pounded　on　the　door　and　burst　in。
　〃Rocket　from　Raven；　sir。〃
　〃Very　good；〃　said　Hornblower；　swinging　his　legs　out　of　his　cot。
　Brown；　the　good　servant；　was　already　in　the　cabin　…　God　only　knew　how　he　had　picked　up　the　warning　…　with　a　lighted　lantern　to　hang　on　the　deck　beam　above；　and　he　had　trousers　and　coat　ready　for　Hornblower　to　pull　over　his　nightshirt。　Hornblower　rushed　up　to　the　dark　quarter…deck；　cannoning　into　another　hurrying　figure　as　he　did　so。
　〃Damn　your　eyes；〃　said　the　figure；　in　Bush's　voice；　and　then；　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir。〃
　The　ship　was　alive　with　the　twittering　of　the　pipes　as　the　hands　were　summoned　from　their　hammocks；　and　the　main…deck　resounded　with　the　drumming　of　bare　feet。　Montgomery；　officer　of　the　watch；　was　at　the　starboard　rail。
　〃Raven　sent　up　a　rocket；　sir；　two　minutes　back。　Bearin'　sou'…by…east。〃
　〃Wind's　west…by…north；〃　decided　Bush；　looking　down　into　the　tiny　light　of　the　bi