csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第15部分

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e　dared；　until　in　fact　the　batteries　fired　warning　shots　to　make　him　keep　his　distance；　and　he　stared　long　and　keenly　through　his　glass　at　the　corvette。　Then　he　shut　his　telescope　and　fumed　on　his　hem　to　give　the　order　that　worked　the　Indefatigable　away　from　the　dangerous　lee　shore…out　of　sight　of　land；　in　fact。　His　departure　might　lull　the　French　into　a　sense　of　security　which；　he　hoped；　would　prove　unjustified。　For　he　had　no　intention　of　leaving　them　undisturbed。　If　the　corvette　could　be　captured　or　sunk　not　only　would　she　be　unavailable　for　raids　on　British　merce；　but　also　the　French　would　be　forced　to　increase　their　coastal　defences　at　this　point　and　lessen　the　effort　that　could　be　put　out　elsewhere。　War　is　a　matter　of　savage　blow　and　counter　blow；　and　even　a　forty…gun　frigate　could　strike　shrewd　blows　if　shrewdly　handled。
　Midshipman　Hornblower　was　walking　the　lee　side　of　the　quarterdeck；　as　became　his　lowly　station　as　the　junior　officer　of　the　watch；　in　the　afternoon；　when　Midshipman　Kennedy　approached　him。　Kennedy　took　off　his　hat　with　a　flourish　and　bowed　low　as　his　dancing　master　had　once　taught　him；　left　foot　advanced；　hat　down　by　the　right　knee。　Hornblower　entered　into　the　spirit　of　the　game；　laid　his　hat　against　his　stomach；　and　bent　himself　in　the　middle　three　times　in　quick　succession。　Thanks　to　his　physical　awkwardness　he　could　parody　ceremonial　solemnity　almost　without　trying。
　'Most　grave　and　reverend　Signor；'　said　Kennedy；　'I　bear　the　pliments　of　Captain　Sir　Ed'ard　Pellew；　who　humbly　solicits　Your　Gravity's　attendance　at　dinner　at　eight　bells　in　the　afternoon　watch。'
　'My　respects　to　Sir　Edward；'　replied　Hornblower；　bowing　to　his　knees　at　the　mention　of　the　name；'　and　I　shall　condescend　to　make　a　brief　appearance。'
　'I　am　sure　the　captain　will　be　both　relieved　and　delighted；'　said　Kennedy。　'I　will　convey　him　my　felicitations　along　with　your　most　flattering　acceptance。'
　Both　hats　flourished　with　even　greater　elaboration　than　before；　but　at　that　moment　both　young　men　noticed　Mr　Bolton；　the　officer　of　the　watch；　looking　at　them　from　the　windward　side；　and　they　hurriedly　put　their　hats　on　and　assumed　attitudes　more　consonant　with　the　dignity　of　officers　holding　their　warrants　from　King　George。
　'What's　in　the　captains　mind？'　asked　Hornblower。
　Kennedy　laid　one　finger　alongside　his　nose。
　'If　I　knew　that　I　should　rate　a　couple　of　epaulettes；'　he　said。　'Something's　brewing；　and　I　suppose　one　of　these　days　we　shall　know　what　it　is。　Until　then　all　that　we　little　victims　can　do　is　to　play　unconscious　of　our　doom。　Meanwhile；　be　careful　not　to　let　the　ship　fall　overboard。'
　There　was　no　sign　of　anything　brewing　while　dinner　was　being　eaten　in　the　great　cabin　of　the　Indefatigable。　Pellew　was　a　courtly　host　at　the　head　of　the　table。　Conversation　flowed　freely　and　along　indifferent　channels　among　the　senior　officers　present…the　two　lieutenants；　Eccles　and　Chadd；　and　the　sailing　master；　Soames。　Hornblower　and　the　other　junior　officer…Mallory；　a　midshipman　of　over　two　years'　seniority…kept　silent；　as　midshipmen　should；　thereby　being　able　to　devote　their　undivided　attention　to　the　food；　so　vastly　superior　to　what　was　served　in　the　midshipmen's　berth。
　'A　glass　of　wine　with　you；　Mr　Hornblower；'　said　Pellew；　raising　his　glass。
　Hornblower　tried　to　bow　gracefully　in　his　seat　while　raising　his　glass。　He　sipped　cautiously；　for　he　had　early　found　that　he　had　a　weak　head；　and　he　disliked　feeling　drunk。
　The　table　was　cleared　and　there　was　a　brief　moment　of　expectancy　as　the　pany　awaited　Pellew's　next　move。
　'Now；　Mr　Soames；'　said　Pellew；　'let　us　have　that　chart。'
　It　was　a　map　of　the　mouth　of　the　Gironde　with　the　soundings；　somebody　had　pencilled　in　the　positions　of　the　shore　batteries。
　'The　Papillon；'　said　Sir　Edward　（he　did　not　condescend　to　pronounce　it　French…fashion）；　'lies　just　here。　Mr　Soames　took　the　bearings。'
　He　indicated　a　pencilled　cross　on　the　chart；　far　up　the　channel。
　'You　gentlemen；'　went　on　Pellew；　'are　going　in　with　the　boats　to　fetch　her　out。'
　So　that　was　it。　A　cutting…out　expedition。
　'Mr　Eccles　will　be　in　general　mand。　I　will　ask　him　to　tell　you　his　plan。'
　The　gray…haired　first　lieutenant　with　the　surprisingly　young　blue　eyes　looked　round　at　the　others。
　'I　shall　have　the　launch；'　he　said；　'and　Mr　Soames　the　cutter。　Mr　Chadd　and　Mr　Mallory　will　mand　the　first　and　second　gigs。　And　Mr　Hornblower　will　mand　the　jolly　boat。　Each　of　the　boats　except　Mr　Hornblower's　will　have　a　junior　officer　second　in　mand。'
　That　would　not　be　necessary　for　the　jolly　boat　with　its　crew　of　seven。　The　launch　and　cutter　would　carry　from　thirty　to　forty　men　each；　and　the　gigs　twenty　each；　it　was　a　large　force　that　was　being　despatched…nearly　half　the　ship's　pany。
　'She's　a　ship　of　war；'　explained　Eccles；　reading　their　thoughts。　'No　merchantman。　Ten　guns　a　side；　and　full　of　men。'
　Nearer　two　hundred　men　than　a　hundred；　certainly…plentiful　opposition　for　a　hundred　and　twenty　British　seamen。
　'But　we　will　be　attacking　her　by　night　and　taking　her　by　surprise；'　said　Eccles；　reading　their　thoughts　again。
　'Surprise；'　put　in　Pellew；　'is　more　than　half　the　battle；　as　you　know；　gentlemen…please　pardon　The　interruption；　Mr　Eccles。'
　'At　the　moment；'　went　on　Eccles；　'we　are　out　of　sight　of　land。　We　are　about　to　stand　in　again。　We　have　never　hung　about　this　part　of　the　coast；　and　the　Frogs'll　think　we've　gone　for　good。　We'll　make　the　land　after　nightfall；　stand　in　as　far　as　possible；　and　then　the　boats　will　go　in。　High　water　to…morrow　morning　is　at　four…fifty；　dawn　is　at　five…thirty。　The　attack　will　be　delivered　at　four…thirty　so　that　the　watch　below　will　have　had　time　to　get　to　sleep。　The　launch　will　attack　on　the　starboard　quarter；　and　the　cutter　on　the　larboard　quarter。　Mr　Mallory's　gig　will　attack　on　the　larboard　bow；　and　Mr　Chadd's　on　the　starboard　bow。　Mr　Chadd　will　be　responsible　for　cutting　the　corvette's　cable　as　soon　as　he　has　mastered　the　forecastle；　and　the　other　boats'　crews　have　at　least　reached　the　quarterdeck。'
　Eccles　looked　round　at　the　other　three　manders　of　the　large　boats；　and　they　nodded　understanding。　Then　he　went　on。
　'Mr　Hornblower　with　the　jolly　boat　will　wait　until　the　attack　has　gained　a　foothold　on　the　deck。　He　will　then　board　at　the　main　chains；　either　to　starboard　or　larboard　as　he　sees　fit；　and　he　will　at　once　ascend　the　main　rigging；　paying　no　attention　to　whatever　fighting　is　going　on　on　deck。　He　will　see　to　it　that　the　maintopsail　is　loosed　and　he　will　sheet　it　home　on　receipt　of　further　orders。　I　myself；　or　Mr　Soames　in　the　event　of　my　being　killed　or　wounded；　will　send　two　hands　to　the　wheel　and　will　attend　to　steering　the　corvette　as　soon　as　she　is　under　way。　The　tide　will　take　us　out　and　the　Indefatigable　will　be　awaiting　us　just　out　of　gunshot　from　the　shore　batteries。'
　'Any　ments；　gentlemen？'　asked　Pellew。
　That　was　the　moment　when　Hornblower　should　have　spoken　up…the　only　moment　when　he　could。　Eccles'　orders　had　set　in　motion　sick　feelings　of　apprehension　in　his　stomach。　Hornblower　was　no　maintopman；　and　Hornblower　knew　it。　He　hated　heights；　and　he　hated　going　aloft。　He　knew　he　had　none　of　the　monkey…like　agility　and　self…confidence　of　the　good　seaman。　He　was　unsure　of　himself　aloft　in　the　dark　even　in　the　Indefatigable；　and　he　was　utterly　appalled　at　the　thought　of　going　aloft　in　an　entirely　strange　ship　and　finding　his　way　among　strange　rigging。　He　felt　himself　quite　unfitted　for　the　duty　assigned　to　him；　and　he　should　have　raised　a　protest　at　once　on　account　of　his　unfitness。　But　he　let　the　opportunity　pass；　for　he　was　overe　by　the　matter…of…fact　way　in　which　the　other　officers　accepted　the　plan。　He　looked　round　at　the　unmoved　faces；　nobody　was　paying　any　attention　to　him；　and　he　jibbed　at　making　himself　conspicuous。　He　swallowed；　he　even　got　as　far　as　opening　his　mouth；　but　still　no　one　looked　at　him；　and　his　protest　died　stillborn。
　'Very　well；　then；　gentlemen；'　said　Pellew。　'I　think　you　had　better　go　into　the　details；　Mr　Eccles。'
　Then　it　was　too　late。　Eccles；　with　the　chart　before　him；　was　pointing　out　the　course　to　be　taken　through　the　shoals　and　mudbanks　of　the　Gironde；　and　expatiating　on　the　position　of　the　shore　batteries　and　on　the　influence　of　the　lighthouse　of　Cordouan　upon　the　distance　to　which　the　Indefatigable　could　approach　in　daylight。　Hornblower　listened；　trying　to　concentrate　despite　his　apprehensions。　Eccles　finished　his　remarks　and　Pellew　closed　the　meeting。
　'Since　you　all　know　your　duties；　gentlemen；　I　think　you　should　start　your　preparations。　The　sun　is　about　to　set　and　you　will　find　you　have　plenty　to　do。'
　The　boats　crews　had　to　be　told　off；　it　was　necessary　to　see　that　the　men　were　armed　and　that　the　boats　were　provisioned　in　case　of　emergency。　Every　man　had　to　be　instructed　in　the　duties　expected　of　him。　And　Hornblower　had　to　rehearse　himself　in　ascending　the　main　shrouds　and　laying　out　along　the　main　topsail　yard。　He　did　it　twice；　forcing　himself　to　make　the　difficult　climb　up　the　futtock　shrouds；　which；　projecting　outwards　from　the　mainmast；　made　it　necessary　to　climb　several　feet　while　hanging　back　downwards；　locking　fingers　and　toes　into　the　ratlines。　He　could　just　manage　it；　moving　slowly　and　carefully；　although　clumsily。　He　stood　on　the　footrope　and　worked　his　way　out　to　the　yardarm…the　footrope　was　attached　along　the　yard　so　as　to　hang　nearly　four　feet　below　it。　The　principle　was　to　set　his　feet　on　the　rope　with　his　arms　over　the　yard；　then；　holding　the　yard　in　his　armpits；　to　shuffle　sideways　along　the　footrope　to　cast　off　the　gaskets　and　loose　the　sail。　Twice　Hornblower　made　the　whole　journey；　battling　with　the　disquiet　of　his　stomach　at　the　thought　of　the　hundred…foot　drop　below　him。　Finally；　gulping　with　nervousness；　he　transferred　his　grip　to　the　brace　and　forced　himself　to　slide　down　it　to　the　deck…that　would　be　his　best　route　when　the　time　came　to　sheet　the　topsail　home。　It　was　a　long　perilous　descent；　Hornblower　told　himself…as　indeed　he　had　said　to　himself　when　he　had　first　seen　men　go　aloft…that　similar　feats　in　a　circus　at　home　would　be　received　with　'ohs'　and　'ahs'　of　appreciation。　He　was　by　no　means　satisfied　with　himself　even　when　he　reached　the　deck；　and　at　the　back　of　his　mind　was　a　vivid　mental　p