csf.thecommodore-第49部分

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r；　he　was　driven　quite　frantic　at　this　attempt　to　seduce　his　men　from　their　allegiance。　If　the　violence　of　the　Imperial　reaction　was　any　guide；　then　this　method　of　warfare　was　likely　to　be　effective。　The　usually　well…fed　and　well…cared…for　Prussians　under　Macdonald's　mand　were　on　meagre　rations　now　that　the　country　round　had　been　stripped　bare　by　foragers；　an　offer　of　a　life　of　well…fed　ease　bined　with　an　appeal　to　their　patriotism　might　bring　in　deserters　in　plenty。　Hornblower　mapped　out　in　his　mind　a　formal　letter　to　the　Governor　in　which　he　would　suggest　that　a　few　pedlars　be　sent　into　the　French　camp　ostensibly　to　sell　luxuries　but　really　to　distribute　these　pamphlets。　Here　where　Bonaparte's　men　were　suffering　real　hardship　and　meeting　with　small　success　the　appeal　might　carry　more　weight　than　with　Bonaparte's　main　army　in　Moscow；　Hornblower　was　inclined　to　distrust　the　flamboyant　Russian　bulletin　about　the　burning　of　Moscow；　and　Alexander's　fervent　public　declaration　that　he　would　never　make　peace　while　a　Frenchman　was　on　Russian　soil。　In　Hornblower's　opinion　French　morale　was　likely　to　be　still　high　enough；　and　Bonaparte's　strength　still　great　enough；　to　force　peace　at　the　bayonet's　point　from　Russia　in　the　Russian　capital；　be　the　destruction　of　Moscow　never　so　great　…　even　as　great　as　Moscow　said　it　was。
　Someone　knocked　at　the　door。
　〃e　in；〃　bellowed　Hornblower；　irritated　at　the　interruption；　for　he　had　intended　to　spend　all　day　catching　up　on　his　arrears　of　paper　work。
　〃A　letter　from　the　beach；　sir；〃　said　the　midshipman　of　the　watch。
　It　was　a　brief　note　from　the　Governor　with　its　point　pressed　into　a　single　sentence　…
　
　I　have　some　new　arrivals　in　the　city　who　I　think　will　interest　you　if　you　can　spare　the　time　for　a　visit。
　
　Hornblower　sighed；　his　report　to　London　would　never　be　finished；　apparently；　but　he　could　not　ignore　this　invitation。
　〃Call　away　my　barge；〃　he　said　to　the　midshipman；　and　turned　to　lock　his　desk。
　God　knew　who　these　'new　arrivals'　would　be。　These　Russians　were　sometimes　so　portentously　mysterious　about　trifles。　It　might　be　a　fool's　errand；　but　on　the　other　hand　he　must　find　out　what　this　new　development　was　before　sending　off　his　despatch　to　England。　As　his　barge　danced　over　the　water　he　looked　over　at　the　siege…lines；　the　battering　guns　were　still　volleying　away　…　he　had　grown　so　used　to　the　noise　that　he　only　noticed　it　when　his　attention　was　called　to　it　…　and　the　usual　long　pall　of　smoke　lay　over　the　flat　country　there。
　Then　the　boat　entered　the　mouth　of　the　river　and　Daugavgriva's　ruins　were　hidden　from　view　save　for　the　dome　of　the　church　where　he　had　so　often　stood。　Riga　came　steadily　nearer　and　nearer；　and　they　had　to　keep　close　to　the　bank　to　avoid　the　worst　of　the　Dwina's　rapid　current；　until　at　last　the　oars　ceased　and　the　barge　slid　against　the　steps　of　the　river…wall。　At　the　head　of　them　waited　the　Governor　with　his　staff　and　a　spare　horse　for　Hornblower。
　〃It　is　only　a　short　ride；〃　said　Essen；　〃and　one　I　think　you　will　consider　worth　the　making。〃
　Hornblower　climbed　on　to　his　horse；　with　a　nod　of　thanks　to　the　groom　who　held　its　head；　and　then　they　all　wheeled　and　dashed　away　through　the　clattering　streets。　A　postern　was　opened　for　them　in　the　eastern　fortifications　…　so　far　no　enemy　had　shown　his　face　on　this　bank　of　the　Dwina　…　and　they　rode　out　over　a　drawbridge　spanning　the　ditch。　On　the　glacis　beyond　the　ditch　was　a　large　force　of　soldiers；　squatting　and　lying　in　rank；　as　soon　as　the　cavalcade　appeared　they　came　hastily　to　their　feet；　dressed　their　lines；　and　then；　in　obedience　to　a　shrill　chorus　of　bugles；　presented　arms；　their　regimental　colours　fluttering　in　the　little　breeze。　Essen　reined　up；　returning　the　salute。
　〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　them；　sir？〃　he　asked　Hornblower　with　a　chuckle。
　They　were　ragged　soldiers　…　bare　skin　showed　frequently　in　the　ranks　through　holes　in　the　blue　or　dirty　grey　uniforms。　They　were　shambling；　unsoldierly　soldiers；　too；　any　troops　who　had　seen　hard　service　might　be　ragged；　but　Hornblower；　looking　along　the　ranks；　had　the　impression　of　voluntary　dirt　and　disorder。　Essen　was　still　chuckling；　and　Hornblower　looked　the　harder　to　find　the　reason　for　this　mirth。　Essen　would　not　have　brought　him　out　here　just　to　see　ragged　soldiers　…　Hornblower　had　seen　enough　of　those　in　the　past　three　months　to　last　him　the　rest　of　his　life。　There　were　several　thousand　men；　a　strong　brigade　or　a　weak　division；　Hornblower　glanced　at　the　regimental　standards　to　ascertain　the　number　of　units　present；　and　then　he　nearly　lost　his　precarious　seat　with　surprise。　Those　flags　were　red　and　yellow；　the　national　colours　of　Spain；　and　the　moment　this　dawned　upon　him　he　realized　that　the　ragged　uniforms　were　the　remains　of　the　Bourbon　white　and　blue　he　had　e　so　much　to　hate　ten　years　ago　during　his　captivity　at　Ferrol。　Not　only　that；　but　on　the　left　of　the　line　there　was　a　single　standard　of　silver　and　blue　…　the　Portuguese　flag；　held　aloft　before　a　single　shrunken　battalion　of　scarecrows。
　〃I　thought　you　would　be　surprised；　sir；〃　said　Essen；　still　chuckling。
　〃Who　are　these　men？〃　asked　Hornblower。
　〃Some　of　Bonaparte's　willing　allies；〃　replied　Essen；　ironically。　〃They　were　in　St　Cyr's　Corps　at　Polotsk。　One　day　they　found　themselves　on　the　very　fringe　of　the　outpost　line；　and　fought　their　way　down　the　river　to　join　us。　e　and　meet　their　general。〃
　He　urged　his　horse　forward；　and　he　and　Hornblower　cantered　up　to　where　a　ragged　officer　sat　a　bony　white　horse　at　the　head　of　an　even　worse…mounted　staff。
　〃I　have　the　honour　to　present；〃　said　Essen；　formally；　〃His　Excellency　the　Conde　de　los　Altos　…　His　Excellency　modore　Sir　Horatio　Hornblower。〃
　The　Conde　saluted；　it　took　Hornblower　a　few　moments　to　make　himself　think　in　Spanish　…　the　last　time　he　had　used　that　language　was　during　the　abortive　attack　on　Rosas；　two　years　ago。
　〃It　is　highly　gratifying　to　meet　Your　Excellency；〃　he　said。
　The　Conde's　expression　revealed　his　startled　pleasure　at　being　addressed　in　his　own　tongue；　and　he　replied　rapidly。
　〃You　are　the　English　Admiral；　sir？〃
　Hornblower　did　not　see　fit　to　enter　into　explanations　regarding　the　difference　between　an　Admiral　and　a　modore；　He　merely　nodded。
　〃I　have　asked　that　my　men　and　the　Portuguese　be　returned　by　sea　to　Spain；　there　to　fight　against　Bonaparte　on　our　own　soil。　They　tell　me　that　as　this　can　only　be　done　by　sea　your　consent　must　be　secured。　You　will　grant　it；　of　course；　sir？〃
　That　was　asking　a　good　deal。　Five　thousand　men　at　four　tons　a　man　meant　twenty　thousand　tons　of　shipping　…　a　large　convoy；　it　would　be　straining　his　powers　for　him　to　pledge　his　government　to　provide　twenty　thousand　tons　of　shipping　to　carry　the　Spaniards　from　Riga　to　Spain。　There　never　were　enough　ships。　And　there　was　also　the　question　of　the　moral　effect　on　the　garrison　of　Riga　if　they　were　to　see　this　seasonable　reinforcement　which　had　dropped　from　the　clouds；　so　to　speak；　shipped　away　again　as　soon　as　it　arrived。　Yet　on　the　other　hand　there　was　a　chance　that　Russia　might　make　peace　with　Bonaparte；　and　in　that　case　the　sooner　these　Spaniards　were　beyond　the　clutches　of　either　country　the　better。　Five　thousand　men　would　make　a　considerable　army　in　Spain　…　where　the　Spaniards　were　likely　to　do　their　best　…　while　it　was　only　a　trifling　force　in　this　continental　war　of　millions。　But　none　of　this　was　of　nearly　as　much　importance　as　the　moral　side。　What　would　be　the　effect　on　the　other　unwilling　allies　of　Bonaparte；　the　Prussians　and　the　Austrians；　the　Bavarians　and　the　Italians；　when　they　heard　not　merely　that　a　national　contingent　had　fought　its　way　to　join　the　allies；　but　had　been　received　with　open　arms；　fêted　and　made　much　of；　and　finally　shipped　back　to　their　native　land　with　the　least　possible　delay？　Hornblower　expected　a　tremendous　revulsion　of　feeling　among　Bonaparte's　satellites；　especially　if　the　Russians　executed　their　determination　to　keep　on　fighting　through　the　winter。　This　might　be　the　beginning　of　the　crumbling　of　Bonaparte's　Empire。
　〃I　shall　be　very　happy　to　send　you　and　your　men　to　Spain　as　quickly　as　it　can　be　arranged；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　issue　orders　to…day　for　shipping　to　be　collected。〃
　The　Conde　was　profuse　in　his　thanks；　but　Hornblower　had　something　to　add。
　〃There　is　one　thing　I　ask　in　return；〃　he　said；　and　the　Conde's　countenance　fell　a　little。
　〃What　is　it；　sir？〃　he　asked。　The　embittered　suspicion　resulting　from　years　of　being　a　victim　of　international　double…dealing；　of　lies　and　deception　and　threats　…　from　Godoy's　pitiful　subterfuges　to　Bonaparte's　mailed…fisted　bullying　…　showed　instantly　in　his　face。
　〃Your　signature　to　a　proclamation；　that　is　all。　I　shall　endeavour　to　circulate　among　Bonaparte's　other　forced　allies　the　news　of　your　joining　the　cause　of　liberty；　and　I　would　like　you　to　attest　its　truth。〃
　The　Conde　darted　one　more　keen　look　at　Hornblower　before　he　agreed。
　〃I　will　sign　it；〃　he　said。
　That　immediate　consent　was　a　pretty　pliment；　first　to　Hornblower's　obvious　honesty　of　purpose；　and　second　to　the　reputation　the　Navy　had　acquired　of　always　fulfilling　its　engagements。
　〃There　is　nothing　more　to　be　done；　then；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃save　to　draw　up　the　proclamation　and　to　find　ships　for　your　forces。〃
　Essen　was　fidgeting　in　his　saddle　beside　them　while　this　conversation　was　going　on　in　Spanish；　he　clearly　knew　no　word　of　that　language　and　was　restless　in　consequence　…　Hornblower　found　it　gratifying；　for　during　the　past　few　months　he　had　had　to　be　an　unprehending　listener　to　so　many　conversations　in　Russian　and　German。　This　was　some　slight　revenge。
　〃Has　he　told　you　about　conditions　in　Bonaparte's　army？〃　asked　Essen。　〃Have　you　heard　about　the　hunger　and　the　disease？〃
　〃Not　yet；〃　said　Hornblower。
　The　story　came　out　rapidly；　staccato；　drawn　from　the　Conde's　lips　by　explosive　promptings　from　Essen。　Bonaparte's　army　had　been　dying　on　its　feet　long　before　it　reached　Moscow；　hunger　and　disease　had　thinned　its　ranks　as　Bonaparte　hurried　it　by　forced　marches　across　the　desolated　plains。
　〃The　horses　are　nearly　all　dead　already。　There　was　only　green　rye　to　give　them；〃　said　the　Conde。
　If　the　horses　were　dead　it　would　be　impossible　to　drag　supplies　in　to　the　main　body　of　the　army；　it