csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第16部分

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tisfied　with　himself　even　when　he　reached　the　deck；　and　at　the　back　of　his　mind　was　a　vivid　mental　picture　of　his　missing　his　hold　when　the　time　came　for　him　to　repeat　the　performance　in　the　Papillon；　and　falling　headlong　to　the　deck…a　second　or　two　of　frightful　fear　while　rushing　through　the　air；　and　then　a　shattering　crash。　And　the　success　of　the　attack　hinged　on　him；　as　much　as　on　anyone…if　the　topsail　were　not　promptly　set　to　give　the　corvette　steerage　way　she　would　run　aground　on　one　of　the　innumerable　shoals　in　the　river　mouth　to　be　ignominiously　recaptured；　and　half　the　crew　of　the　Indefatigable　would　be　dead　or　prisoners。
　In　the　waist　the　jolly　boat's　crew　was　formed　up　for　his　inspection。　He　saw　to　it　that　the　oars　were　properly　muffled；　that　each　man　had　pistol　and　cutlass；　and　made　sure　that　every　pistol　was　at　half　cock　so　that　there　was　no　fear　of　a　premature　shot　giving　warning　of　the　attack。　He　allocated　duties　to　each　man　in　the　loosening　of　the　top　sail；　laying　stress　on　the　possibility　that　casualties　might　necessitate　unrehearsed　changes　in　the　scheme。
　'I　will　mount　the　rigging　first；'　said　Hornblower。
　That　had　to　be　the　case。　He　had　to　lead…it　was　expected　of　him。　More　than　that；　if　he　had　given　any　other　order　it　would　have　excited　ment…and　contempt。
　'Jackson；'　went　on　Hornblower；　addressing　the　coxswain；　'you　will　quit　the　boat　last　and　take　mand　if　I　fall。'
　'Aye　aye；　sir。'
　It　was　usual　to　use　the　poetic　expression　'fall'　for　'die'；　and　it　was　only　after　Hornblower　had　uttered　the　word　that　he　thought　about　its　horrible　real　meaning　in　the　present　circumstances。
　'Is　that　all　understood？'　asked　Hornblower　harshly；　it　was　his　mental　stress　that　made　his　voice　grate　so。
　Everyone　nodded　except　one　man。
　'Begging　your　pardon；　sir；'　said　Hales；　the　young　man　who　pulled　stroke　oar；　'I'm　feeling　a　bit　queer…like。'
　Hales　was　a　lightly　built　young　fellow　of　swarthy　countenance。　He　put　his　hand　to　his　forehead　with　a　vague　gesture　as　he　spoke。
　'You're　not　the　only　one　to　feel　queer；'　snapped　Hornblower。
　The　other　men　chuckled。　The　thought　of　running　the　gauntlet　of　the　shore　batteries；　of　boarding　an　armed　corvette　in　the　teeth　of　opposition；　might　well　raise　apprehension　in　the　breast　of　a　coward。　Most　of　the　men　detailed　for　the　expedition　must　have　felt　qualms　to　some　extent。
　'I　don't　mean　that；　sir；'　said　Hales　indignantly。　''Course　I　don't。'
　But　Hornblower　and　the　others　paid　him　no　attention
　'You　just　keep　your　mouth　shut；'　growled　Jackson。　There　could　be　nothing　but　contempt　for　a　man　who　announced　himself　sick　after　being　told　off　on　a　dangerous　duty。　Hornblower　felt　sympathy　as　well　as　contempt。　He　himself　had　been　too　much　of　a　coward　even　to　give　voice　to　his　apprehensions…too　much　afraid　of　what　people　would　say　about　him。
　'Dismiss；'　said　Hornblower。　'I'll　pass　the　word　for　all　of　you　when　you　are　wanted。'
　There　were　some　hours　yet　to　wait　while　the　Indefatigable　crept　inshore；　with　the　lead　going　steadily　and　Pellew　himself　attending　to　the　course　of　the　frigate。　Hornblower；　despite　his　nervousness　and　his　miserable　apprehensions；　yet　found　time　to　appreciate　the　superb　seamanship　displayed　as　Pellew　brought　the　big　frigate　in　through　these　tricky　waters　on　that　dark　night。　His　interest　was　so　caught　by　the　procedure　that　the　little　tremblings　which　had　been　assailing　him　ceased　to　manifest　themselves；　Hornblower　was　of　the　type　that　would　continue　to　observe　and　to　learn　on　his　deathbed。　By　the　time　the　Indefatigable　had　reached　the　point　off　the　mouth　of　the　river　where　it　was　desirable　to　launch　the　boats；　Hornblower　had　learned　a　good　deal　about　the　practical　application　of　the　principles　of　coastwise　navigation　and　a　good　deal　about　the　organization　of　a　cutting…out　expedition…and　by　self　analysis　he　had　learned　even　more　about　the　psychology　of　a　raiding　party　before　a　raid。
　He　had　mastered　himself　to　all　outside　appearance　by　the　time　he　went　down　into　the　jolly　boat　as　she　heaved　on　the　inky…black　water；　and　he　gave　the　mand　to　shove　of　in　a　quiet　steady　voice。　Hornblower　took　the　tiller…the　feel　of　that　solid　bar　of　wood　was　reassuring；　and　it　was　old　habit　now　to　sit　in　the　stern　sheets　with　hand　and　elbow　upon　it；　and　the　men　began　to　pull　slowly　aver　the　dark　shapes　of　the　four　big　boats；　there　was　plenty　of　time；　and　the　flowing　tide　would　take　them　up　the　estuary。　That　was　just　as　well；　for　on　one　side　of　them　lay　the　batteries　of　St　Dye；　and　inside　the　estuary　on　the　other　side　was　the　fortress　of　Blaye；　forty　big　guns　trained　to　sweep　the　channel；　and　none　of　the　five　boats…certainly　not　the　jolly　boat…could　withstand　a　single　shot　from　one　of　them。
　He　kept　his　eyes　attentively　on　the　cutter　ahead　of　him。　Soames　had　the　dreadful　responsibility　of　taking　the　boats　up　the　channel；　while　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　follow　in　her　wake…all；　except　to　loose　that　maintopsail。　Hornblower　found　himself　shivering　again。
　Hales；　the　man　who　had　said　he　felt　queer；　was　pulling　stroke　oar；　Hornblower　could　just　see　his　dark　form　moving　rhythmically　back　and　forward　at　each　slow　stroke。　After　a　single　glance　Hornblower　paid　him　no　more　attention；　and　was　staring　after　the　cutter　when　a　sudden　motion　brought　his　mind　back　into　the　boat。　Someone　had　missed　his　stroke；　someone　had　thrown　all　six　oars　into　confusion　as　a　result。　There　was　even　a　slight　clatter。
　'Mind　what　you're　doing；　blast　you；　Hales；'　whispered　Jackson；　the　coxswain；　with　desperate　urgency。
　For　answer　there　was　a　sudden　cry　from　Hales；　loud　but　fortunately　not　too　loud；　and　Hales　pitched　forward　against　Hornblower's　and　Jackson's　legs；　kicking　and　writhing。
　'The　bastard's　having　a　fit；'　growled　Jackson。
　The　kicking　and　writhing　went　on。　Across　the　water　through　the　darkness　came　a　sharp　scornful　whisper。
　'Mr　Hornblower；'　said　the　voice…it　was　Eccles　putting　a　world　of　exasperation　into　his　sotto　voce　question…'cannot　you　keep　your　men　quiet　？'
　Eccles　had　brought　the　launch　round　almost　alongside　the　oily　boat　to　say　this　to　him；　and　the　desperate　need　for　silence　was　dramatically　demonstrated　by　the　absence　of　any　of　the　usual　blasphemy；　Hornblower　could　picture　the　cutting　reprimand　that　would　be　administered　to　him　to…morrow　publicly　on　the　quarterdeck。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　make　an　explanation；　but　he　fortunately　realized　that　raiders　in　open　boats　did　not　make　explanations　when　under　the　guns　of　the　fortress　of　Blaye。
　'Aye　aye；　sir；'　was　all　he　whispered　back；　and　the　launch　continued　on　its　mission　of　shepherding　the　flotilla　in　the　tracks　of　the　cutter；
　'Take　his　oar；　Jackson；'　he　whispered　furiously　to　the　coxswain；　and　he　stooped　and　with　his　own　hands　dragged　the　writhing　figure　towards　him　and　out　of　Jackson's　way。
　'You　might　try　pouring　water　on　'im；　sir；'　suggested　Jackson　hoarsely；　as　he　moved　to　the　afterthwart。　'There's　the　baler　'andy。'
　Seawater　was　the　seaman's　cure　for　every　ill；　his　panacea；　seeing　how　often　sailors　had　not　merely　wet　jackets　but　wet　bedding　as　well　they　should　never　have　a　day's　illness。　But　Hornblower　let　the　sick　man　lie。　His　struggles　were　ing　to　an　end；　and　Hornblower　wished　to　make　no　noise　with　the　baler。　The　lives　of　more　than　a　hundred　men　depended　on　silence。　Now　that　they　were　well　into　the　actual　estuary　they　were　within　easy　reach　of　cannon　shot　from　the　shore…and　a　single　cannon　shot　would　rouse　the　crew　of　the　Papillon；　ready　to　man　the　bulwarks　to　beat　off　the　attack；　ready　to　drop　cannon　balls　into　the　boats　alongside；　ready　to　shatter　approaching　boats　with　a　tempest　of　grape。
　Silently　the　boats　glided　up　the　estuary；　Soames　in　the　cutter　was　setting　a　slow　pace；　with　only　an　occasional　stroke　at　the　oars　to　maintain　steerage　way。　Presumably　he　knew　very　well　what　he　was　doing；　the　channel　he　had　selected　was　an　obscure　one　between　mudbanks；　impracticable　for　anything　except　small　boats；　and　he　had　a　twenty…foot　pole　with　him　with　which　to　take　the　soundings…quicker　and　much　more　silent　than　using　the　lead。　Minutes　were　passing　fast；　and　yet　the　night　was　still　utterly　dark；　with　no　hint　of　approaching　dawn。　Strain　his　eyes　as　he　would　Hornblower　could　not　be　sure　that　he　could　see　the　flat　shores　on　either　side　of　him。　It　would　call　for　sharp　eyes　on　the　land　to　detect　the　little　boats　being　carried　up　by　the　tide。
　Hales　at　his　feet　stirred　and　then　stirred　again。　His　hand；　feeling　round　in　the　darkness；　found　Hornblower's　ankle　and　apparently　examined　it　with　curiosity。　He　muttered　something；　the　words　dragging　out　into　a　moan。
　'Shut　up！'　whispered　Hornblower；　trying；　like　the　saint　of　old；　to　make　a　tongue　of　his　whole　body；　that　he　might　express　the　urgency　of　the　occasion　without　making　a　sound　audible　at　any　distance。　Hales　set　his　elbow　on　Hornblower's　knee　and　levered　himself　up　into　a　sitting　position；　and　then　levered　himself　further　until　he　was　standing；　swaying　with　bent　knees　and　supporting　himself　against　Hornblower。
　'Sit　down；　damn　your'　whispered　Hornblower；　shaking　with　fury　and　anxiety。
　'Where's　Mary？'　asked　Hales　in　a　conversational　tone。
　'Shut　up！'
　'Mary！'　said　Hales；　lurching　against　him。　'Mary！'
　Each　successive　word　was　louder。　Hornblower　felt　instinctively　that　Hales　would　soon　be　speaking　in　a　loud　voice；　that　he　might　even　soon　be　shouting。　Old　recollections　of　conversations　with　his　doctor　father　stirred　at　the　back　of　his　mind；　he　remembered　that　persons　emerging　from　epileptic　kits　were　not　responsible　for　their　actions；　and　might　be；　and　often　were；　dangerous。
　'Mary！'　said　Hales　again。
　Victory　and　the　lives　of　a　hundred　men　depended　on　silencing　Hales；　and　silencing　him　instantly。　Hornblower　thought　of　the　pistol　in　his　belt；　and　of　using　the　butt；　but　there　was　another　weapon　more　conveniently　to　his　hand。　He　unshipped　the　tiller；　a　three…foot　bar　of　solid　oak；　and　he　swung　it　with　all　the　venom　and　fury　of　despair。　The　tiller　crashed　down　on　Hales'　head；　and　Hales；　an　unuttered　word　cut　short　in　his　throat；　fell　silent　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　There　was　no　sound　from　the　boat's　crew；　save　for　something　like　a　sigh　from　Jackson；　whether　approving　or　disapproving　Hornblower　neither　knew　nor　cared。　He　had　done　his　duty；　and　he　was　certain　of　it。　He　had　st