csf.thecommodore-第5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！


　score。　Reval　froze　in　December；　Kronstadt　often　in　November。　While　the　ice　lasted　he　would　have　to　base　himself　farther　down　the　Baltic。　Did　Lubeck　ever　freeze？　In　any　case　it　would　be　better　to　…Hornblower　abruptly　pushed　his　chair　back　from　the　table；　quite　unconscious　of　what　he　was　doing。　For　him　to　think　imaginatively　while　sitting　still　was　quite　impossible；　he　could　do　it　for　no　longer　than　he　could　hold　his　breath；　such　a　parison　was　the　more　apt　because　if　he　was　pelled　to　sit　still　when　his　brain　was　active　he　exhibited　some　of　the　characteristic　symptoms　of　slow　strangulation　…　his　blood　pressure　mounted；　and　he　thrashed　about　restlessly。
　To…night　there　was　no　question　of　having　to　sit　still；　having　pushed　back　his　chair　he　was　able　to　pace　up　and　down　the　room；　from　the　table　to　the　window　and　back　again；　a　walk　quite　as　long　and　perhaps　more　free　from　obstacles　than　he　had　known　on　many　a　quarter…deck。　He　had　hardly　begun　when　the　sitting…room　door　opened　quietly　and　Brown　peered　in　through　the　crack；　his　attention　attracted　by　the　sound　of　the　chair　scraping　on　the　floor。　For　Brown　one　glance　was　enough。　The　Captain　had　begun　to　walk；　which　meant　that　he　would　not　be　going　to　bed　for　a　very　long　time。
　Brown　was　an　intelligent　man　who　used　his　brains　on　this　job　of　looking　after　the　Captain。　He　closed　the　door　again　quietly；　and　waited　a　full　ten　minutes　before　entering　the　room。　In　ten　minutes　Hornblower　had　got　well　into　the　swing　of　his　walk　and　his　thoughts　were　pursuing　a　torrential　course　from　which　they　could　not　easily　be　diverted。　Brown　was　able　to　creep　into　the　room　without　distracting　his　master　…　indeed；　it　would　be　very　hard　to　say　if　Hornblower　knew　he　entered　or　not。　Brown；　timing　his　moves　accurately　against　the　Captain's　crossings　of　the　room；　was　able　to　reach　the　candles　and　snuff　them　…　they　had　begun　to　gutter　and　to　smell　horribly　…and　then　to　reach　the　fireplace　and　put　more　coal　on　the　fire；　which　had　died　down　to　red　embers。　Then　he　was　able　to　make　his　way　out　of　the　room　and　settle　down　to　a　long　wait；　usually　the　Captain　was　a　considerate　master　who　would　not　dream　of　keeping　his　servant　up　late　merely　eventually　to　put　his　master　to　bed。　It　was　because　Brown　was　aware　of　this　that　he　did　not　resent　the　fact　that　to…night　Hornblower　had　forgotten　for　once　to　tell　him　that　he　might　go　to　bed。
　Up　and　down　the　room　walked　Hornblower；　with　a　regular；　measured　stride；　turning　with　his　foot　two　inches　from　the　wainscoting　under　the　window　on　one　side；　and　on　the　other　with　his　hip　just　brushing　the　end　of　the　table　as　he　turned。　Russians　and　Swedes；　convoys　and　privateers；　Stockholm　and　Danzig；　all　these　gave　him　plenty　to　think　about。　It　would　be　cold　in　the　Baltic；　too；　and　he　would　have　to　make　plans　for　conserving　his　crews'　health　in　cold　weather。　And　the　first　thing　he　must　do　the　moment　his　flotilla　was　assembled　must　be　to　see　that　in　every　vessel　there　was　an　officer　who　could　be　relied　upon　to　read　and　transmit　signals　correctly。　Unless　munications　were　good　all　discipline　and　organization　was　wasted　and　he　might　as　well　not　try　to　make　any　plans　at　all。　Bomb…ketches　had　the　disadvantage　of　…
　At　this　point　Hornblower　was　distracted　by　a　knocking　at　the　door。
　〃e　in；〃　he　rasped。
　The　door　opened　slowly；　and　revealed　to　his　gaze　both　Brown　and　a　scared　innkeeper　in　a　green　baize　apron。
　〃What　is　it？〃　snapped　Hornblower。　Now　that　he　had　halted　in　his　quarter…deck　walk　he　was　suddenly　aware　that　he　was　tired；　much　had　happened　since　the　Squire　of　Smallbridge　had　been　weled　by　his　tenants　that　morning；　and　the　feeling　in　his　legs　told　him　that　he　must　have　been　doing　a　fair　amount　of　walking。
　Brown　and　the　innkeeper　exchanged　glances；　and　then　the　innkeeper　took　the　plunge。
　〃It's　like　this；　sir；〃　he　began；　nervously。　〃His　Lordship　is　in　number　four　just　under　this　sitting…room；　sir。　His　Lordship's　a　man　of　hasty　temper；　sir；　beggin'　your　pardon；　sir。　He　says　…　beggin'　your　pardon　again；　sir　…　he　says　that　two　in　the　morning's　late　enough　for　anyone　to　walk　up　and　down　over　his　head。　He　says　…〃
　〃Two　in　the　morning？〃　demanded　Hornblower。
　〃It's　nearer　three；　sir；〃　interposed　Brown；　tactfully。
　〃Yes；　sir；　it　struck　the　half…hour　just　when　he　rang　for　me　the　second　time。　He　says　if　only　you'd　knock　something　over；　or　sing　a　song；　it　wouldn't　be　so　bad。　But　just　to　hear　you　walking　up　and　down；　sir　…　His　Lordship　says　it　makes　him　think　about　death　and　Judgement　Day。　It's　too　regular；　like。　I　told　him　who　you　was；　sir；　the　first　time　he　rang。　And　now　…〃
　Hornblower　had　e　to　the　surface　by　now；　fully　emerged　from　the　wave　of　thought　that　had　engulfed　him。　He　saw　the　nervous　gesticulations　of　the　innkeeper；　caught　between　the　devil　of　this　unknown　Lordship　downstairs　and　the　deep　sea　of　Captain　Sir　Horatio　Hornblower　upstairs；　and　he　could　not　help　smiling　…　in　fact　it　was　only　with　an　effort　that　he　prevented　himself　from　laughing　outright。　He　could　visualize　the　whole　ludicrous　business；　the　irascible　unknown　peer　down　below；　the　innkeeper　terrified　of　offending　one　or　other　of　his　two　wealthy　and　influential　guests；　and　as　a　crowning　plication　Brown　stubbornly　refusing　to　allow　until　the　last　possible　moment　any　intrusion　upon　his　master's　deliberations。　Hornblower　saw　the　obvious　relief　in　the　two　men's　faces　when　he　smiled；　and　that　really　made　him　laugh　this　time。　His　temper　had　been　short　of　late　and　Brown　had　expected　an　explosion；　while　the　wretched　innkeeper　never　expected　anything　else　…　innkeepers　never　looked　for　anything　better　than　tantrums　from　the　people　fate　pelled　them　to　entertain。　Hornblower　remembered　damning　Brown's　eyes　without　provocation　only　that　very　morning：　Brown　was　not　quite　as　clever　as　he　might　be；　for　this　morning　Hornblower　had　been　fretting　as　an　unemployed　naval　officer　doomed　to　country　life；　while　this　evening　he　was　a　modore　with　a　flotilla　awaiting　him　and　nothing　in　the　world　could　upset　his　temper　…　Brown　had　not　allowed　for　that。
　〃My　respects　to　His　Lordship；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　him　that　the　march　of　doom　will　cease　from　this　moment。　Brown；　I　shall　go　to　bed。〃
　The　innkeeper　fled　in　huge　relief　down　the　stairs；　while　Brown　seized　a　candlestick　…　the　candle　in　it　was　burned　down　to　a　stump　…　and　lit　his　master　through　into　the　bedroom。　Hornblower　peeled　off　his　coat　with　the　epaulettes　of　heavy　bullion；　and　Brown　caught　it　just　in　time　to　save　it　falling　to　the　floor。　Shoes　and　shirt　and　trousers　followed；　and　Hornblower　pulled　on　the　magnificent　nightshirt　which　was　laid　out　on　the　bed；　a　nightshirt　of　solid　China　silk；　brocaded；　with　faggoting　at　the　cuffs　and　neck；　for　which　Barbara　had　sent　a　special　order　all　the　way　to　the　East　through　her　friends　in　the　East　India　pany。　The　blanket…wrapped　brick　in　the　bed　had　cooled　a　good　deal；　but　had　diffused　its　warmth　gratefully　over　much　of　the　area；　Hornblower　snuggled　down　into　its　mild　wele。
　〃Good　night；　sir；〃　said　Brown；　and　darkness　rushed　into　the　room　from　out　of　the　corners　as　he　extinguished　the　candle。　Tumultuous　dreams　rushed　with　it。　Whether　asleep　or　awake　…　next　morning　Hornblower　could　not　decide　which　…　his　mind　was　turning　over　all　through　the　rest　of　the　night　the　endless　implications　of　this　ing　campaign　in　the　Baltic；　where　his　life　and　his　reputation　and　his　self…respect　would　be　once　more　at　stake。
　
　CHAPTER　FOUR
　

　Hornblower　sat　forward　on　the　seat　of　the　coach　and　peered　out　of　the　window。
　〃Wind's　veering　nor'ard　a　little；〃　he　said。　〃West…by…north　now；　I　should　say。〃
　〃Yes；　dear；〃　said　Barbara　patiently。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　dear；〃　said　Hornblower。　〃I　interrupted　you。　You　were　telling　me　about　my　shirts。〃
　〃No。　I　had　finished　telling　you　about　those；　dear。　What　I　was　saying　was　that　you　must　not　let　anyone　unpack　the　flat　sea…chest　until　the　cold　weather　es。　Your　sheepskin　coat　and　your　big　fur　cloak　are　in　it；　with　plenty　of　camphor；　and　they'll　be　safe　from　moth　just　as　they　are。　Have　the　chest　put　straight　below　when　you　go　on　board。〃
　〃Yes；　dear。〃
　The　coach　was　clattering　over　the　cobbles　of　Upper　Deal。　Barbara　stirred　a　little　and　took　Hornblower's　hand　in　hers　again。
　〃I　don't　like　talking　about　furs；〃　she　said。　〃I　hope　…　oh；　I　hope　so　much　…　that　you'll　be　back　before　the　cold　weather　es。〃
　〃So　do　I；　dear；〃　said　Hornblower；　with　perfect　truth。
　It　was　gloomy　and　dark　inside　the　coach；　but　the　light　from　the　window　shone　on　Barbara's　face；　illuminating　it　like　a　saint's　in　church。　The　mouth　beneath　the　keen　aquiline　nose　was　set　firm；　there　was　nothing　soft　about　the　grey…blue　eyes。　No　one　could　tell　from　Lady　Barbara's　expression　that　her　heart　was　breaking；　but　she　had　slipped　off　her　glove；　and　her　hand　was　twining　feverishly　in　Hornblower's。
　〃e　back　to　me；　dear。　e　back　to　me！〃　said　Barbara　softly。
　〃Of　course　I　will；〃　said　Hornblower。
　For　all　her　patrician　birth；　for　all　her　keen　wit；　for　all　her　iron　self…control；　Barbara　could　say　foolish　things　just　like　any　blowsy　wife　of　any　ordinary　seaman。　It　made　Hornblower　love　her　more　dearly　than　ever　that　she　should　say　pathetically　'e　back　to　me'　as　if　he　had　power　over　the　French　or　Russian　cannon…balls　that　would　be　aimed　at　him。　Yet　in　that　moment　a　horrible　thought　shot　up　in　Hornblower's　mind；　like　a　bloated　corpse　rising　to　the　surface　from　the　ooze　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　Lady　Barbara　had　seen　a　husband　off　to　war　once　before；　and　he　had　not　returned。　He　had　died　under　the　surgeon's　knife　at　Gibraltar　after　a　splinter　had　torn　open　his　groin　in　the　battle　of　Rosas　Bay。　Was　Barbara　thinking　of　that　dead　husband　now；　at　this　moment？　Hornblower　shuddered　a　little　at　the　thought；　and　Barbara；　despite　the　close　sympathy　that　always　existed　between　them；　misinterpreted　the　movement。
　〃My　darling；〃　she　said；　〃my　sweet。〃
　She　brought　her　other　hand　up　and　touched　his　cheek；　and　her　lips　sought　his。　He　kissed　her；　fighting　down　the　dreadful　doubt　that　assailed　him。　He　had　contrived　for　months　not　to　be　jealous　of　the　past　…　he　was　annoyed　with　himself　for　allowing　it　to　happen　at　this　time　of　all　times；　and　his　annoyance　added　to　the　devil's　brew　of　emotions　within　him。　The　touch　of　her　lips　won　him　over；　his　heart　came　out　to　her；　and　he　kissed　her　with　all