csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第40部分

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veral　months　hoping　to　catch　the　Spaniards　should　they　e　out。　Jervis　had　to　detach　his　ships　to　Gibraltar　two　at　a　time　to　replenish　their　stores；　and　these　officers　were　from　the　two　ships　of　the　line　present　at　the　moment　in　Gibraltar。
　'Johnny　Jervis　would　say　amen　to　that；'　said　Sir　Hew。　'A　bumper　to　the　Dons　then；　gentlemen；　and　may　they　e　out　from　Cadiz。'
　The　ladies　left　them　then；　gathered　together　by　Lady　Dalrymple；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　decently　possible　Hornblower　made　his　excuses　and　slipped　away；　determined　not　to　be　heavy　with　wine　the　night　before　he　sailed　in　independent　mand。
　Maybe　the　prospect　of　the　ing　on　board　of　the　duchess　was　a　useful　counter…irritant；　and　saved　Hornblower　from　worrying　too　much　about　his　first　mand。　He　was　up　before　dawn…before　even　the　brief　Mediterranean　twilight　had　begun…to　see　that　his　precious　ship　was　in　condition　to　face　the　sea；　and　the　enemies　who　swarmed　upon　the　sea。　He　had　four　popgun　four…pounders　to　deal　with　those　enemies；　which　meant　that　he　was　safe　from　no　one；　his　was　the　weakest　vessel　at　sea；　for　the　smallest　trading　brig　carried　a　more　powerful　armament。　So　that　like　all　weak　creatures　his　only　safety　lay　in　flight…Hornblower　looked　aloft　in　the　half…light；　where　the　sails　would　be　set　on　which　so　much　might　depend。　He　went　over　the　watch　bill　with　his　two　watch…keeping　officers；　Midshipman　Hunter　and　Master's　Mate　Winyatt；　to　make　sure　that　every　man　of　his　crew　of　eleven　knew　his　duty。　Then　all　that　remained　was　to　put　on　his　smartest　seagoing　uniform；　try　to　eat　breakfast；　and　wait　for　the　duchess。
　She　came　early；　fortunately；　Their　Excellencies　had　had　to　rise　at　a　most　unpleasant　hour　to　see　her　off。　Mr　Hunter　reported　the　approach　of　the　governor's　launch　with　suppressed　excitement。
　'Thank　you；　Mr　Hunter；'　said　Hornblower　coldly…that　was　what　the　service　demanded；　even　though　not　so　many　weeks　before　they　had　been　playing　follow…my…leader　through　the　Indefatigable's　rigging　together。
　The　launch　swirled　alongside；　and　two　neatly　dressed　seamen　hooked　on　the　ladder。　Le　Rêve　had　such　a　small　freeboard　that　boarding　her　presented　no　problem　even　for　ladies。　The　governor　stepped　on　board　to　the　twittering　of　the　only　two　pipes　Le　Rêve　could　muster；　and　Lady　Dalrymple　followed　him。　Then　came　the　duchess；　and　the　duchess's　panion；　the　latter　was　a　younger　woman；　as　beautiful　as　the　duchess　must　once　have　been。　A　couple　of　aides…de…camp　followed；　and　by　that　time　the　minute　deck　of　Le　Rêve　was　positively　crowded；　so　that　there　was　no　room　left　to　bring　up　the　duchess's　baggage。
　'Let　us　show　you　your　quarters；　Your　Grace；'　said　the　governor。
　Lady　Dalrymple　squawked　her　sympathy　at　sight　of　the　minute　cabin；　which　the　two　cots　almost　filled；　and　every　one's　head；　inevitably；　bumped　against　the　deck…beam　above。　'We　shall　live　through　it；'　said　the　duchess　stoically；　'an'　that's　more　than　many　a　man　makin'　a　little　trip　to　Tyburn　could　say。'
　One　of　the　aides…de…camp　produced　a　last　minute　packet　of　despatches　and　demanded　Hornblower's　signature　on　the　receipt；　the　last　farewells　were　said；　and　Sir　Hew　and　Lady　Dalrymple　went　down　the　side　again　to　the　twittering　of　the　pipes。
　'Man　the　windlass！'　bellowed　Hornblower　the　moment　the　launch's　crew　bent　to　their　oars。
　A　few　seconds'　lusty　work　brought　Le　Rêve　up　to　her　anchor。
　'Anchor's　aweigh；　sir；'　reported　Winyatt。
　'Jib　halliards！'　shouted　Hornblower。　'Mains'l　halliards！'
　Le　Rêve　came　round　before　the　wind　as　her　sails　were　set　and　her　rudder　took　a　grip　on　the　water。　Everyone　was　so　busy　catting　the　anchor　and　setting　sail　that　it　was　Hornblower　himself　who　dipped　his　colours　in　salute　as　Le　Rêve　crept　out　beyond　the　mole　before　the　gentle　south…easter；　and　dipped　her　nose　to　the　first　of　the　big　Atlantic　rollers　ing　in　through　the　Gut。　Through　the　skylight　beside　him　he　heard　a　clatter　and　a　wail；　as　something　fell　in　the　cabin　with　that　first　roll；　but　he　could　spare　no　attention　for　the　woman　below。　He　had　the　glass　to　his　eye　now；　training　it　first　on　Algeciras　and　then　upon　Tarifa…some　well…manned　privateer　or　ship　of　war　might　easily　dash　out　to　snap　up　such　a　defenceless　prey　as　Le　Rêve。　He　could　not　relax　while　the　forenoon　watch　wore　on。　They　rounded　Cape　Marroqui　and　he　set　a　course　for　St　Vincent；　and　then　the　mountains　of　Southern　Spain　began　to　sink　below　the　horizon。　Cape　Trafalgar　was　just　visible　on　the　starboard　bow　when　at　last　he　shut　the　telescope　and　began　to　wonder　about　dinner；　it　was　pleasant　to　be　captain　of　his　own　ship　and　to　be　able　to　order　dinner　when　he　chose。　His　aching　legs　told　him　he　had　been　on　his　feet　too　long…eleven　continuous　hours；　if　the　future　brought　him　many　independent　mands　he　would　wear　himself　out　by　this　sort　of　behaviour。
　Down　below　he　relaxed　gratefully　on　the　locker；　and　sent　the　cook　to　knock　at　the　duchess's　cabin　door　to　ask　with　his　pliments　if　all　was　well；　he　heard　the　duchess's　sharp　voice　saying　that　they　needed　nothing；　not　even　dinner。　Hornblower　philosophically　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　ate　his　dinner　with　a　young　man's　appetite。　He　went　on　deck　again　as　night　closed　in　upon　them；　Winyatt　had　the　watch。
　'It's　ing　up　thick；　sir；'　he　said。
　So　it　was。　The　sun　was　invisible　on　the　horizon；　engulfed　in　watery　mist。　It　was　the　price　he　had　to　pay　for　a　fair　wind；　he　knew；　in　the　winter　months　in　these　latitudes　there　was　always　likely　to　be　fog　where　the　cool　land　breeze　reached　the　Atlantic。
　'It'll　be　thicker　still　by　morning；'　he　said　gloomily；　and　revised　his　night　orders；　setting　a　course　due　west　instead　of　west　by　north　as　he　originally　intended。　He　wanted　to　make　certain　of　keeping　clear　of　Cape　St　Vincent　in　the　event　of　fog。
　That　was　one　of　those　minute　trifles　which　may　affect　a　man's　whole　after　life…Hornblower　had　plenty　of　time　later　to　reflect　on　what　might　have　happened　had　he　not　ordered　that　alteration　of　course。　During　the　night　he　was　often　on　deck；　peering　through　the　increasing　mist；　but　at　the　time　when　the　crisis　came　he　was　down　below　snatching　a　little　sleep。　What　woke　him　was　a　seaman　shaking　his　shoulder　violently。
　'Please；　sir。　Please；　sir。　Mr　Hunter　sent　me。　Please；　sir；　won't　you　e　on　deck；　he　says；　sir。'
　'I'll　e；'　said　Hornblower；　blinking　himself　awake　and　rolling　out　of　his　cot。
　The　faintest　beginnings　of　dawn　were　imparting　some　slight　luminosity　to　the　mist　which　was　close　about　them。　Le　Rêve　was　lurching　over　an　ugly　sea　with　barely　enough　wind　behind　her　to　give　her　steerage　way。　Hunter　was　standing　with　his　back　to　the　wheel　in　an　attitude　of　tense　anxiety。
　'Listen！'　he　said；　as　Hornblower　appeared。
　He　half…whispered　the　word；　and　in　his　excitement　he　omitted　the　'sir'　which　was　due　to　his　captain…and　in　his　excitement　Hornblower　did　not　notice　the　omission。　Horn　blower　listened。　He　heard　the　shipboard　noises　he　could　expect…the　clattering　of　the　blocks　as　Le　Rêve　lurched；　the　sound　of　the　sea　at　her　bows。　Then　he　heard　other　shipboard　noises。　There　were　other　blocks　clattering；　the　sea　was　breaking　beneath　other　bows。
　'There's　a　ship　close　alongside；'　said　Hornblower。
　'Yes；　sir；'　said　Hunter。　'And　after　I　sent　below　for　you　I　heard　an　order　given。　And　it　was　in　Spanish…some　foreign　tongue；　anyway。'
　The　tenseness　of　fear　was　all　about　the　little　ship　like　the　fog。
　'Call　all　hands。　Quietly；'　said　Hornblower。
　But　as　he　gave　the　order　he　wondered　if　it　would　be　any　use。　He　could　send　his　men　to　their　stations；　he　could　man　and　load　his　four…pounders；　but　if　that　ship　out　there　in　the　fog　was　of　any　force　greater　than　a　merchant　ship　he　was　in　deadly　peril。　Then　he　tried　to　fort　himself…perhaps　the　ship　was　some　fat　Spanish　galleon　bulging　with　treasure；　and　were　he　to　board　her　boldly　she　would　bee　his　prize　and　make　him　rich　for　life。
　'A　'appy　Valentine's　day　to　you；'　said　a　voice　beside　him；　and　he　nearly　jumped　out　of　his　skin　with　surprise。　He　had　actually　forgotten　the　presence　of　the　duchess　on　board。
　'Stop　that　row！'　he　whispered　furiously　at　her；　and　she　pulled　up　abruptly　in　astonishment。　She　was　bundled　up　in　a　cloak　and　hood　against　the　damp　air；　and　no　further　detail　could　be　seen　of　her　in　the　darkness　and　fog。
　'May　I　hask…'　she　began。
　'Shut　up！'　whispered　Hornblower。
　A　harsh　voice　could　be　heard　through　the　fog；　other　voices　repeating　the　order；　whistles　being　blown；　much　noise　and　bustle。
　'That's　Spanish；　sir；　isn't　it？'　whispered　Hunter。
　'Spanish　for　certain。　Calling　the　watch。　Listen！'
　The　two　double…strokes　of　a　ship's　bell　came　to　them　across　the　water。　Four　bells　in　the　morning　watch。　And　instantly　from　all　round　them　a　dozen　other　bells　could　be　heard；　as　if　echoing　the　first。
　'We're　in　the　middle　of　a　fleet；　by　God！'　whispered　Hunter。
　'Big　ships；　too；　sir；'　supplemented　Winyatt　who　had　joined　them　with　the　calling　of　all　hands。　'I　could　hear　half　a　dozen　different　pipes　when　they　called　the　watch。'
　'The　Dons　are　out；　then；'　said　Hunter。
　And　the　course　I　set　has　taken　us　into　the　midst　of　them；　thought　Hornblower　bitterly。　The　coincidence　was　maddening；　heartbreaking。　But　he　forbore　to　waste　breath　over　it。　He　even　suppressed　the　frantic　gibe　that　rose　to　his　lips　at　the　memory　of　Sir　Hew's　toast　about　the　Spaniards　ing　out　from　Cadiz。
　'They're　setting　more　sail；'　was　what　he　said。　'Dagos　snug　down　at　night；　just　like　some　fat　Indiaman。　They　only　set　their　t'gallants　at　daybreak。'
　All　round　them　through　the　fog　could　be　heard　the　whine　of　sheaves　in　blocks；　the　stamp…and…go　of　the　men　at　the　halliards；　the　sound　of　ropes　thrown　on　decks；　the　chatter　of　a　myriad　voices。
　'They　make　enough　noise　about　it；　blast　'em；'　said　Hunter。
　The　tension　under　which　he　laboured　was　apparent　as　he　stood　straining　to　peer　through　the　mist。
　'Please　God　they're　on　a　different　course　to　us；'　said　Winyatt；　more　sensibly。　'Then　we'll　soon　be　through　'em。'
　'Not　likely；'　said　Hornblower。
　Le　Rêve　was　running　almost　directly　before　what　little　wind　there　was；　if　the　Spaniards　were　beating　against　it　or　had　it　on　their　beam　they　would　be　crossing　her　course　at　a　considerable　angle；　so　that　the　volume　of　sound　from　the　nearest　ship　would　have　diminished　or　increased　considerably　in　this　time；　and　there