csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第14部分

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p。　Then　he　poured　out　the　grease…the　lamp　was　hot　and　the　grease　liquid…over　his　balls　of　paper；　over　the　deck；　over　the　base　of　the　door。　A　touch　from　his　taper　lighted　one　ball；　the　flame　travelled　quickly。　He　was　mitted　now。　He　piled　the　straw　upon　the　flames；　and　in　a　sudden　access　of　insane　strength　he　tore　the　cot　from　its　fastenings；　smashing　it　as　he　did　so；　and　piled　the　fragments　on　the　straw。　Already　the　flames　were　racing　through　the　straw。　He　dropped　the　lamp　upon　the　pile　grabbed　his　coat　and　walked　out。　He　thought　of　closing　the　door；　but　decided　against　it…the　more　air　the　better。　He　wriggled　into　his　coat　and　ran　up　the　ladder。
　On　deck　he　forced　himself　to　lounge　nonchalantly　against　the　rail；　putting　his　shaking　hands　into　his　pockets。　His　excitement　made　him　weak；　nor　was　it　lessened　as　he　waited。　Every　minute　before　the　fire　could　be　discovered　was　important。　A　French　officer　said　something　to　him　with　a　triumphant　laugh　and　pointed　aft　over　the　taffrail；　presumably　speaking　about　leaving　the　Indefatigable　behind。　Hornblower　smiled　bleakly　at　him；　that　was　the　first　gesture　that　occurred　to　him；　and　then　he　thought　that　a　smile　was　out　of　place；　and　he　tried　to　assume　a　sullen　scowl。　The　wind　was　blowing　briskly；　so　that　the　Pique　could　only　just　carry　all　plain　sail；　Hornblower　felt　it　on　his　cheeks；　which　were　burning。　Everyone　on　deck　seemed　unnaturally　busy　and　preoccupied；　Neuville　was　watching　the　helmsman　with　occasional　glances　aloft　to　see　that　every　sail　was　doing　its　work；　the　men　were　at　the　guns；　two　hands　and　a　petty　officer　heaving　the　log。　God；　how　much　longer　would　he　have？
　Look　there！　The　coaming　of　the　after　hatchway　appeared　distorted；　wavering　in　the　shimmering　air。　Hot　air　must　be　ing　up　through　it。　And　was　that；　or　was　it　not；　the　ghost　of　a　wreath　of　smoke？　It　was！　In　that　moment　the　alarm　was　given。　A　loud　cry；　a　rush　of　feet；　an　instant　bustle；　the　loud　beating　of　a　drum；　high…pitched　shouts…'Au　feu！　Au　feu！'
　The　four　elements　of　Aristotle；　thought　Hornblower　insanely…earth；　air；　water；　and　fire…were　the　constant　enemies　of　the　seaman；　but　the　lee　shore；　the　gale；　and　the　wave；　were　none　of　them　as　feared　in　wooden　ships　as　fire。　Timbers　many　years　old　and　coated　thick　with　paint　burnt　fiercely　and　readily。　Sails　and　tarry　rigging　would　burn　like　fireworks。　And　within　the　ship　were　tons　and　tons　of　gunpowder　waiting　its　chance　to　blast　the　seamen　into　fragments。　Hornblower　watched　the　fire　parties　flinging　themselves　into　their　work；　the　pumps　being　dragged　over　the　decks；　the　hoses　rigged。　Someone　came　racing　aft　with　a　message　for　Neuville；　presumably　to　report　the　site　of　the　fire。　Neuville　heard　him；　and　darted　a　glance　at　Hornblower　against　the　rail　before　he　hurled　orders　back　at　the　messenger。　The　smoke　ing　up　through　the　after　hatchway　was　dense　now；　at　Neuville's　orders　the　after　guard　flung　themselves　down　the　opening　through　the　smoke。　And　there　was　more　smoke；　and　more　smoke；　smoke　caught　up　by　the　following　wind　and　blown　forward　in　wisps…smoke　must　be　pouring　out　of　the　sides　of　the　ship　at　the　waterline。
　Neuville　took　a　stride　towards　Hornblower；　his　face　working　with　rage；　but　a　cry　from　the　helmsman　checked　him。　The　helmsman；　unable　to　take　his　hands　from　the　wheel；　pointed　with　his　foot　to　the　cabin　skylight。　There　was　a　flickering　of　flame　below　it。　A　side　pane　fell　in　as　they　watched；　and　a　rush　of　flame　came　through　the　opening。　That　store　of　paint；　Hornblower　calculated…he　was　calmer　now；　with　a　calm　that　would　astonish　him　later；　when　he　came　to　look　back　on　it…must　be　immediately　under　the　cabin；　and　blazing　fiercely。　Melville　looked　round　him；　at　the　sea　and　the　sky；　and　put　his　hands　to　his　head　in　a　furious　gesture。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　Hornblower　saw　a　man　literally　tearing　his　hair。　But　his　nerve　held。　A　shout　brought　up　another　portable　pump；　four　men　set　to　work　on　the　handles；　and　the　clank…clank；　clank…clank　made　an　acpaniment　that　blended　with　the　roar　of　the　fire。　A　thin　jet　of　water　was　squirted　down　the　gaping　skylight。　More　men　formed　a　bucket　chain；　drawing　water　from　the　sea　and　passing　it　from　hand　to　hand　to　pour　in　the　skylight；　but　those　buckets　of　water　were　less　effective　ever　than　the　stream　from　the　pumps。　From　below　came　the　dull　thud　of　an　explosion；　and　Hornblower　caught　his　breath　as　he　expected　the　ship　to　be　blown　to　pieces。　But　no　further　explosion　followed；　either　a　gun　had　been　set　off　by　the　flames　or　a　cask　had　burst　violently　in　the　heat。　And　then　the　bucket　line　suddenly　disintegrated；　beneath　the　feet　of　one　of　the　men　a　seam　had　gaped　in　a　broad　red　smile　from　which　came　a　rush　of　flame。　Some　officer　had　seized　Neuville　by　the　arm　and　was　arguing　with　him　vehemently；　and　Hornblower　could　see　Neuville　yield　in　despair。　Hands　went　scurrying　aloft　to　get　in　the　foretopsail　and　forecourse；　and　other　hands　went　to　the　main　braces。　Over　went　the　wheel；　and　the　Pique　came　up　into　the　wind。
　The　change　was　dramatic；　although　at　first　more　apparent　than　real；　with　the　wind　blowing　in　the　opposite　direction　the　roar　of　the　fire　did　not　e　so　clearly　to　the　ears　of　those　forward　of　it。　But　it　was　an　immense　gain；　all　the　same；　the　flames；　which　had　started　in　the　steerage　in　the　farthest　after…part　of　the　ship；　no　longer　were　blown　forward；　but　were　turned　back　upon　timber　already　half　consumed。　Yet　the　after…part　of　the　deck　was　fully　alight；　the　helmsman　was　driven　from　the　wheel；　and　in　a　flash　the　flames　took　hold　of　the　driver　and　consumed　it　utterly…one　moment　the　sail　was　there；　and　the　next　there　were　only　charred　fragments　hanging　from　the　gaff。　But；　head　to　wind；　the　other　sails　did　not　catch；　and　a　mizzen…trysail　hurriedly　set　kept　the　ship　bows　on。
　It　was　then　that　Hornblower；　looking　forward；　saw　the　Indefatigable　again。　She　was　tearing　down　towards　them　with　all　sail　set；　as　the　Pique　lifted　he　could　see　the　white　bow　wave　foaming　under　her　bowsprit。　There　was　no　question　about　surrender；　for　under　the　menace　of　that　row　of　guns　no　ship　of　the　Pique's　force；　even　if　uninjured；　could　resist。　A　cable's　length　to　windward　the　Indefatigable　rounded…to；　and　she　was　hoisting　out　her　boats　before　even　she　was　fully　round。　Pellew　had　seen　the　smoke；　and　had　deduced　the　reason　for　the　Pique's　heaving　to；　and　had　made　his　preparations　as　he　came　up。　Longboat　and　launch　had　each　a　pump　in　their　bows　where　sometimes　they　carried　a　carronade；　they　dropped　down　to　the　stern　of　the　Pique　to　cast　their　jets　of　water　up　into　the　flaming　stern　without　more　ado。　Two　gigs　full　of　men　ran　straight　aft　to　join　in　the　battle　with　the　flames；　but　Bolton；　the　third　lieutenant；　lingered　for　a　moment　as　he　caught　Hornblower's　eye。
　'Good　God；　it's　you！'　he　exclaimed。　'What　are　you　doing　here？'
　Yet　he　did　not　stay　for　an　answer。　He　picked　out　Neuville　as　the　captain　of　the　Pique；　strode　aft　to　receive　his　surrender；　cast　his　eyes　aloft　to　see　that　all　was　well　there；　and　then　took　up　the　task　of　bating　the　fire。　The　flames　were　overe　in　time；　more　because　they　had　consumed　everything　within　reach　of　them　than　for　any　other　reason；　the　Pique　was　burnt　from　the　taffrail　forward　for　some　feet　of　her　length　right　to　the　water's　edge；　so　that　she　presented　a　strange　spectacle　when　viewed　from　the　deck　of　the　Indefatigable。　Nevertheless；　she　was　in　no　immediate　danger；　given　even　moderate　good　fortune　and　a　little　hard　work　she　could　be　sailed　to　England　to　be　repaired　and　sent　to　sea　again。
　But　it　was　not　her　salvage　that　was　important；　but　rather　the　fact　that　she　was　no　longer　in　French　hands；　would　no　longer　be　available　to　prey　on　English　merce。　That　was　the　point　that　Sir　Edward　Pellew　made　in　conversation　with　Hornblower；　when　the　latter　came　on　board　to　report　himself。　Hornblower　had　begun；　at　Pellew's　order；　by　recounting　what　had　happened　to　him　from　the　time　he　had　been　sent　as　prize　master　on　board　the　Marie　Galante。　As　Hornblower　had　expected…perhaps　as　he　had　even　feared…Pellew　had　passed　lightly　over　the　loss　of　the　brig。　She　had　been　damaged　by　gunfire　before　surrendering；　and　no　one　now　could　establish　whether　the　damage　was　small　or　great。　Pellew　did　not　give　the　matter　a　second　thought。　Hornblower　had　tried　to　save　her　and　had　been　unsuccessful　with　his　tiny　crew…and　at　that　moment　the　Indefatigable　could　not　spare　him　a　larger　crew。　He　did　not　hold　Hornblower　culpable。　Once　again；　it　was　more　important　that　France　should　be　deprived　of　the　Marie　Galante's　cargo　than　that　England　should　benefit　by　it。　The　situation　was　exactly　parallel　to　that　of　the　salvaging　of　the　Pique。
　'It　was　lucky　she　caught　fire　like　that；'　mented　Pellew；　looking　across　to　where　the　Pique　lay；　still　hove…to　with　the　boats　clustering　about　her　but　with　only　the　thinnest　trail　of　smoke　drifting　from　her　stern。　'She　was　running　clean　away　from　us；　and　would　have　been　out　of　sight　in　an　hour。　Have　you　any　idea　how　it　happened；　Mr　Hornblower？'
　Hornblower　was　naturally　expecting　that　question　and　was　ready　for　it。　Now　was　the　time　to　answer　truthfully　and　modestly；　to　receive　the　praise　he　deserved；　a　mention　in　the　Gazette；　perhaps　even　appointment　as　acting…lieutenant。　But　Pellew　did　not　know　the　full　details　of　the　loss　of　the　brig；　and　might　make　a　false　estimate　of　them　even　if　he　did。
　'No；　sir；'　said　Hornblower。　'I　think　it　must　have　been　spontaneous　bustion　in　the　paint…locker。　I　can't　account　for　it　otherwise。'
　He　alone　knew　of　his　remissness　in　plugging　that　shot…hole；　he　alone　could　decide　on　his　punishment；　and　this　was　what　he　had　chosen。　This　alone　could　re…establish　him　in　his　own　eyes；　and　when　the　words　were　spoken　he　felt　enormous　relief；　and　not　one　single　twinge　of　regret。
　'It　was　fortunate；　all　the　same；'　mused　Pellew。
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　FOUR　…　THE　MAN　WHO　FELT　QUEER
　This　time　the　wolf　was　prowling　round　outside　the　sheepfold。　H。M。　frigate　Indefatigable　had　chased　the　French　corvette　Papillon　into　the　mouth　of　the　Gironde；　and　was　seeking　a　way　of　attacking　her　where　she　lay　at　anchor　in　the　stream　under　the　protection　of　the　batteries　at　the　mouth。　Captain　Pellew　took　his　ship　into　shoal　water　as　far　as　he　dared；　until　in　fact　the　batteries　fired　warning　shots　to　make　him　keep　his　distance；　and　he　stare