csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第41部分

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　sound　from　the　nearest　ship　would　have　diminished　or　increased　considerably　in　this　time；　and　there　was　no　indication　of　that　whatever。　It　was　far　more　likely　that　Le　Rêve　had　overhauled　the　Spanish　fleet　under　its　nightly　short　canvas　and　had　sailed　forward　into　the　middle　of　it。　It　was　a　problem　what　to　do　next　in　that　case；　to　shorten　sail；　or　to　heave　to；　and　let　the　Spaniards　get　ahead　of　them　again；　or　to　clap　on　sail　to　pass　through。　But　the　passage　of　the　minutes　brought　clear　proof　that　fleet　and　sloop　were　on　practically　the　same　course；　as　otherwise　they　could　hardly　fail　to　pass　some　ship　close。　As　long　as　the　mist　held　they　were　safest　as　they　were。
　But　that　was　hardly　to　be　expected　with　the　ing　of　day。
　'Can't　we　alter　course；　sir？'　asked　Winyatt。
　'Wait；'　said　Hornblower。
　In　the　faint　growing　light　he　had　seen　shreds　of　denser　mist　blowing　past　them…a　clear　indication　that　they　could　not　hope　for　continuous　fog。　At　that　moment　they　ran　out　of　a　fog　bank　into　a　clear　patch　of　water。
　'There　she　is；　by　God！'　said　Hunter。
　Both　officers　and　seamen　began　to　move　about　in　sudden　panic。
　'Stand　still；　damn　you！'　rasped　Hornblower；　his　nervous　tension　releasing　itself　in　the　fierce　monosyllables。
　Less　than　a　cable's　length　away　a　three…decked　ship　of　the　line　was　standing　along　parallel　to　them　on　their　starboard　side。　Ahead　and　on　the　port　side　could　be　seen　the　outlines；　still　shadowy；　of　other　battleships。　Nothing　could　save　them　if　they　drew　attention　to　themselves；　all　that　could　be　done　was　to　keep　going　as　if　they　had　as　much　right　there　as　the　ships　of　the　line。　It　was　possible　that　in　the　happy…go…lucky　Spanish　navy　the　officer　of　the　watch　over　there　did　not　know　that　no　sloop　like　Le　Rêve　was　attached　to　the　fleet…or　even　possibly　by　a　miracle　there　might　be　one。　Le　Rêve　was　French　built　and　French　rigged；　after　all。　Side　by　side　Le　Rêve　and　the　battleship　sailed　over　the　lumpy　sea。　They　were　within　pointblank　range　of　fifty　big　guns；　when　one　well…aimed　shot　would　sink　them。　Hunter　was　uttering　filthy　curses　under　his　breath；　but　discipline　had　asserted　itself；　a　telescope　over　there　on　the　Spaniard's　deck　would　not　discover　any　suspicious　bustle　on　board　the　sloop。　Another　shred　of　fog　drifted　past　them；　and　then　they　were　deep　in　a　fresh　fog　bank。
　'Thank　God！'　said　Hunter；　indifferent　to　the　contrast　between　this　present　piety　and　his　preceding　blasphemy。
　'Hands　wear　ship；'　said　Hornblower。　'Lay　her　on　the　port　tack。'
　There　was　no　need　to　tell　the　hands　to　do　it　quietly；　they　were　as　well　aware　of　their　danger　as　anyone。　Le　Rêve　silently　rounded…to；　the　sheets　were　hauled　in　and　coiled　down　without　a　sound；　and　the　sloop；　as　close　to　the　wind　as　she　would　lie；　heeled　to　the　small　wind；　meeting　the　lumpy　waves　with　her　port　bow。
　'We'll　be　crossing　their　course　now；'　said　Hornblower。
　'Please　God　it'll　be　under　their　sterns　and　not　their　bows；'　said　Winyatt。
　There　was　the　duchess　still　in　her　cloak　and　hood；　standing　right　aft　as　much　out　of　the　way　as　possible。
　'Don't　you　think　Your　Grace　had　better　go　below？'　asked　Hornblower；　making　use　by　a　great　effort　of　the　formal　form　of　address。
　'Oh；　no；　please；'　said　the　duchess。　'I　couldn't　bear　it。'　Hornblower　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　promptly　forgot　the　duchess's　presence　again　as　a　new　anxiety　struck　him。　He　dived　below　and　came　up　again　with　the　two　big　sealed　envelopes　of　despatches。　He　took　a　belaying　pin　from　the　rail　and　began　very　carefully　to　tie　the　envelopes　to　the　pin　with　a　bit　of　line。
　'Please；'　said　the　duchess；　'please；　Mr　Hornblower；　tell　me　what　you　are　doing？'
　'I　want　to　make　sure　these　will　sink　when　I　throw　them　overboard　if　we're　captured；'　said　Hornblower　grimly。
　'Then　they'll　be　lost　for　good？'
　'Better　that　than　that　the　Spaniards　should　read　'em；'　said　Hornblower　with　all　the　patience　he　could　muster。
　'I　could　look　after　them　for　you；'　said　the　duchess。　'Indeed　I　could。'
　Hornblower　looked　keenly　at　her。
　'No；'　he　said；　'they　might　search　your　baggage。　Probably　they　would。'
　'Baggage！'　said　the　duchess。　'As　if　I'd　put　them　in　my　baggage！　I'll　put　them　next　my　skin…they　won't　search　me　in　any　case。　They'll　never　find　'em；　not　if　I　put　'em　up　my　petticoats。'
　There　was　a　brutal　realism　about　those　words　that　staggered　Hornblower　a　little；　but　which　also　brought　him　to　admit　to　himself　that　there　was　something　in　what　the　duchess　was　saying。
　'If　they　capture　us；'　said　the　duchess；　'…I　pray　they　won't；　but　if　they　do…they'll　never　keep　me　prisoner。　You　know　that。　They'll　send　me　to　Lisbon　or　put　me　aboard　a　King's　ship　as　soon　as　they　can。　Then　the　despatches　will　be　delivered　eventually。　Late；　but　better　late　than　never。'
　'That's　so；'　mused　Hornblower。
　'I'll　guard　them　like　my　life；'　said　the　duchess。　'I　swear　I'll　never　part　from　them。　I'll　tell　no　one　I　have　them；　not　until　I　hand　them　to　a　King's　officer。'
　She　met　Hornblower's　eyes　with　transparent　honesty　in　her　expression。
　'Fog's　thinning；　sir；'　said　Winyatt。
　'Quick！'　said　the　duchess。
　There　was　no　time　for　further　debate。　Hornblower　slipped　the　envelopes　from　their　binding　of　rope　and　handed　them　over　to　her；　and　replaced　the　belaying　pin　in　the　rail。
　'These　damned　French　fashions；'　said　the　duchess。　'I　was　right　when　I　said　I'd　put　these　letters　up　my　petticoats。　There's　no　room　in　my　bosom。'
　Certainly　the　upper　part　of　her　gown　was　not　at　all　capacious；　the　waist　was　close　up　under　the　armpits　and　the　rest　of　the　dress　hung　down　from　there　quite　straight　in　utter　defiance　of　anatomy。
　'Give　me　a　yard　of　that　rope；　quick！'　said　the　duchess。
　Winyatt　cut　her　a　length　of　the　line　with　his　knife　and　handed　it　to　her。　Already　she　was　hauling　at　her　petticoats；　the　appalled　Hornblower　saw　a　gleam　of　white　thigh　above　her　stocking　tops　before　he　tore　his　glance　away。　The　fog　was　certainly　thinning。
　'You　can　look　at　me　now；'　said　the　duchess；　but　her　petticoats　only　just　fell　in　time　as　Hornblower　looked　round　again。　'They're　inside　my　shift；　next　my　skin　as　I　promised。　With　these　Directory　fashions　no　one　wears　stays　any　more。　So　I　tied　the　rope　round　my　waist　outside　my　shift。　One　envelope　is　flat　against　my　chest　and　the　other　against　my　back。　Would　you　suspect　anything？'
　She　turned　round　for　Hornblower's　inspection。
　'No；　nothing　shows；'　he　said。　'I　must　thank　Your　Grace。'
　'There　is　a　certain　thickening；'　said　the　duchess；　'but　it　does　not　matter　what　the　Spaniards　suspect　as　long　as　they　do　not　suspect　the　truth。'
　Momentary　cessation　of　the　need　for　action　brought　some　embarrassment　to　Hornblower。　To　discuss　with　a　woman　her　shift　and　stays…or　the　absence　of　them…was　a　strange　thing　to　do。
　A　watery　sun；　still　nearly　level；　was　breaking　through　the　mist　and　shining　in　his　eyes。　The　mainsail　cast　a　watery　shadow　on　the　deck。　With　every　second　the　sun　was　growing　brighter。
　'Here　it　es；'　said　Hunter。
　The　horizon　ahead　expanded　rapidly；　from　a　few　yards　to　a　hundred；　from　a　hundred　yards　to　half　a　mile。　The　sea　was　covered　with　ships。　No　less　than　six　were　in　plain　sight；　four　ships　of　the　line　and　two　big　frigates；　with　the　red…and…gold　of　Spain　at　their　mastheads；　and；　what　marked　them　even　more　obviously　as　Spaniards；　huge　wooden　crosses　hanging　at　their　peaks。
　'Wear　ship　again；　Mr　Hunter；'　said　Hornblower。　'Back　into　the　fog。'
　That　was　the　one　chance　of　safety。　Those　ships　running　down　towards　them　were　bound　to　ask　questions；　and　they　could　not　hope　to　avoid　them　all。　Le　Rêve　spun　around　on　her　heel；　but　the　fog…bank　from　which　she　had　emerged　was　already　attenuated；　sucked　up　by　the　thirsty　sun。　They　could　see　a　drifting　stretch　of　it　ahead；　but　it　was　lazily　rolling　away　from　them　at　the　same　time　as　it　was　dwindling。　The　heavy　sound　of　a　cannon　shot　reached　their　ears；　and　close　on　their　starboard　quarter　a　ball　threw　up　a　fountain　of　water　before　plunging　into　the　side　of　a　wave　just　ahead。　Hornblower　looked　round　just　in　time　to　see　the　last　of　the　puff　of　smoke　from　the　bows　of　the　frigate　astern　pursuing　them。
　'Starboard　two　points；'　he　said　to　the　helmsman；　trying　to　gauge　at　one　and　the　same　moment　the　frigate's　course；　the　direction　of　the　wind；　the　bearing　of　the　other　ships；　and　that　of　the　thin　last　nucleus　of　that　wisp　of　fog。
　'Starboard　two　points；'　said　the　helmsman。
　'Fore　and　main　sheets！'　said　Hunter。
　Another　shot；　far　astern　this　time　but　laid　true　for　line；　Hornblower　suddenly　remembered　the　duchess。
　'You　must　go　below；　Your　Grace；'　he　said　curtly。
　'Oh；　no；　no；　no！'　burst　out　the　duchess　with　angry　vehemence。　'Please　let　me　stay　here。　I　can't　go　below　to　where　that　seasick　maid　of　mine　lies　hoping　to　die。　Not　in　that　stinking　box　of　a　cabin。'
　There　would　be　no　safety　in　that　cabin；　Hornblower　reflected…Le　Rêve's　scantlings　were　too　fragile　to　keep　out　any　shot　at　all。　Down　below　the　water　line　in　the　hold　the　women　might　be　safe；　but　they　would　have　to　lie　flat　on　top　of　beef　barrels。
　'Sail　ahead！'　screamed　the　lookout。
　The　mist　there　was　parting　and　the　outline　of　a　ship　of　the　line　was　emerging　from　it；　less　than　a　mile　away　and　on　almost　the　same　course　as　Le　Rêve's。　Thud…thud　from　the　frigate　astern。　Those　gunshots　by　now　would　have　warned　the　whole　Spanish　fleet　that　something　unusual　was　happening。　The　battleship　ahead　would　know　that　the　little　sloop　was　being　pursued。　A　ball　tore　through　the　air　close　by；　with　its　usual　terrifying　noise。　The　ship　ahead　was　awaiting　their　ing；　Hornblower　saw　her　topsails　slowly　turning。
　'Hands　to　the　sheets！'　said　Hornblower。　'Mr　Hunter；　jibe　her　over。'
　Le　Rêve　came　round　again；　heading　for　the　lessening　gap　on　the　port　side。　The　frigate　astern　turned　to　intercept。　More　jets　of　smoke　from　her　bows。　With　an　appalling　noise　a　shot　passed　within　a　few　feet　of　Hornblower；　so　that　the　wind　of　it　made　him　stagger。　There　was　a　hole　in　the　mainsail。
　'Your　Grace；'　said　Hornblower；　'those　aren't　warning　shots…'
　It　was　the　ship　of　the　line　which　fired　them；　having　succeeded　in　clearing　away　and　manning　some　of　her　upper…deck　guns。　It　was　as　if　the　end　of　the　world　had　e。　One　shot　hit　Le　Rêve's　hull；　and　they　felt　the　deck　heave　under　their　feet　as　a　result　as　if　the　little　shi