csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第42部分

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　hit　Le　Rêve's　hull；　and　they　felt　the　deck　heave　under　their　feet　as　a　result　as　if　the　little　ship　were　disintegrating。　But　the　mast　was　hit　at　the　same　moment；　stays　and　shrouds　parting；　splinters　raining　all　round。　Mast；　sails；　boom；　gaff　and　all　went　from　above　them　over　the　side　to　windward。　The　wreckage　dragged　in　the　sea　and　turned　the　helpless　wreck　round　with　the　last　of　her　way。　The　little　group　aft　stood　momentarily　dazed。
　'Anybody　hurt？'　asked　Hornblower；　recovering　himself。
　'On'y　a　scratch；　sir；'　said　one　voice。
　It　seemed　a　miracle　that　no　one　was　killed。
　'Carpenter's　mate；　sound　the　well；'　said　Hornblower　and　then；　recollecting　himself；　'No；　damn　it。　Belay　that　order。　If　the　Dons　can　save　the　ship；　let　'em　try。'
　Already　the　ship　of　the　line　whose　salvo　had　done　the　damage　was　filling　her　topsails　again　and　bearing　away　from　them；　while　the　frigate　which　had　pursued　them　was　running　down　on　them　fast。　A　wailing　figure　came　scrambling　out　of　the　afterhatch　way。　It　was　the　duchess's　maid；　so　mad　with　terror　that　her　seasickness　was　forgotten。　The　duchess　put　a　protective　arm　round　her　and　tried　to　fort　her。
　'Your　Grace　had　better　look　to　your　baggage；'　said　Hornblower。　'No　doubt　you'll　be　leaving　us　shortly　for　other　quarters　with　the　Dons。　I　hope　you　will　be　more　fortable。'
　He　was　trying　desperately　hard　to　speak　in　a　matter…of…fact　way；　as　if　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary　were　happening；　as　if　he　were　not　soon　to　be　a　prisoner　of　the　Spaniards；　but　the　duchess　saw　the　working　of　the　usually　firm　mouth；　and　marked　how　the　hands　were　tight　clenched。
　'How　can　I　tell　you　how　sorry　I　am　about　this？'　asked　the　duchess；　her　voice　soft　with　pity。
　'That　makes　it　the　harder　for　me　to　bear；'　said　Hornblower；　and　he　even　forced　a　smile。
　The　Spanish　frigate　was　just　rounding…to；　a　cable's　length　to　windward。
　'Please；　sir；'　said　Hunter。
　'Well？'
　'We　can　fight；　sir。　You　give　the　word。　Cold　shot　to　drop　in　the　boats　when　they　try　to　board。　We　could　beat　'em　off　once；　perhaps。'
　Hornblower's　tortured　misery　nearly　made　him　snap　out　'Don't　be　a　fool'；　but　he　checked　himself。　He　contented　himself　with　pointing　to　the　frigate。　Twenty　guns　were　glaring　at　them　at　far　less　than　point…blank　range。　The　very　boat　the　frigate　was　hoisting　out　would　be　manned　by　at　least　twice　as　many　men　as　Le　Rêve　carried…she　was　no　bigger　than　many　a　pleasure　yacht。　It　was　not　odds　of　ten　to　one；　or　a　hundred　to　one；　but　odds　of　ten　thousand　to　one。
　'I　understand；　sir；'　said　Hunter。
　Now　the　Spanish　frigate's　boat　was　in　the　water；　about　to　shove　off。
　'A　private　word　with　you；　please；　Mr　Hornblower；'　said　the　duchess　suddenly。
　Hunter　and　Winyatt　heard　what　she　said；　and　withdrew　out　of　earshot。
　'Yes；　Your　Grace？'　said　Hornblower。
　The　duchess　stood　there；　still　with　her　arm　round　her　weeping　maid；　looking　straight　at　him。
　'I'm　no　more　of　a　duchess　than　you　are；'　she　said。
　'Good　God！'　said　Hornblower。　'Who…who　are　you；　then？'
　'Kitty　Cobham。'
　The　name　meant　a　little　to　Hornblower；　but　only　a　little。
　'You're　too　young　for　that　name　to　have　any　memories　for　you；　Mr　Hornblower；　I　see。　It's　five　years　since　last　I　trod　the　boards。'
　That　was　it。　Kitty　Cobham　the　actress。
　'I　can't　tell　it　all　now；'　said　the　duchess…the　Spanish　boat　was　dancing　over　the　waves　towards　them。　'But　when　the　French　marched　into　Florence　that　was　only　the　last　of　my　misfortunes。　I　was　penniless　when　I　escaped　from　them。　Who　would　lift　a　finger　for　a　onetime　actress…one　who　had　been　betrayed　and　deserted？　What　was　I　to　do？　But　a　duchess…that　was　another　story。　Old　Dalrymple　at　Gibraltar　could　not　do　enough　for　the　Duchess　of　Wharfedale。'
　'Why　did　you　choose　that　title？'　asked　Hornblower　in　spite　of　himself。
　'I　knew　of　her；'　said　the　duchess　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders。　'I　knew　her　to　be　what　I　played　her　as。　That　was　why　I　chose　her…I　always　played　character　parts　better　than　straight　edy。　And　not　nearly　so　tedious　in　a　long　role。'
　'But　my　despatches！'　said　Hornblower　in　a　sudden　panic　of　realization。　'Give　them　back；　quick。'
　'If　you　wish　me　to；'　said　the　duchess。　'But　I　can　still　be　the　duchess　when　the　Spaniards　e。　They　will　still　set　me　free　as　speedily　as　they　can。　I'll　guard　those　despatches　better　than　my　life…I　swear　it；　I　swear　it！　In　less　than　a　month　I'll　deliver　them；　if　you　trust　me。'
　Hornblower　looked　at　the　pleading　eyes。　She　might　be　a　spy；　ingeniously　trying　to　preserve　the　despatches　from　being　thrown　overboard　before　the　Spaniards　took　possession。　But　no　spy　could　have　hoped　that　Le　Rêve　would　run　into　the　midst　of　the　Spanish　fleet。
　'I　made　use　of　the　bottle；　I　know；'　said　the　Duchess。　'I　drank。　Yes；　I　did。　But　I　stayed　sober　in　Gibraltar；　didn't　I？　And　I　won't　touch　a　drop；　not　a　drop；　until　I'm　in　England　I'll　swear　that；　too。　Please；　sir…please。　I　beg　of　you。　Let　me　do　what　I　can　for　my　country。'
　It　was　a　strange　decision　for　a　man　of　nineteen　to　have　to　make…one　who　had　never　exchanged　a　word　with　an　actress　in　his　life　before。　A　harsh　voice　overside　told　him　that　the　Spanish　boat　was　about　to　hook　on。
　'Keep　them；　then；'　said　Hornblower。　'Deliver　them　when　you　can。'
　He　had　not　taken　his　eyes　from　her　face。　He　was　looking　for　a　gleam　of　triumph　in　her　expression。　Had　he　seen　anything　of　the　sort　he　would　have　torn　the　despatches　from　her　body　at　that　moment。　But　all　he　saw　was　the　natural　look　of　pleasure；　and　it　was　then　that　he　made　up　his　mind　to　trust　her…not　before。
　'Oh；　thank　you；　sir；'　said　the　duchess。
　The　Spanish　boat　had　hooked　on　now；　and　a　Spanish　lieutenant　was　awkwardly　trying　to　climb　aboard。　He　arrived　on　the　deck　on　his　hands　and　knees；　and　Hornblower　stepped　over　to　receive　him　as　he　got　to　his　feet。　Captor　and　captive　exchange　bows。　Hornblower　could　not　understand　what　the　Spaniard　said；　but　obviously　they　were　formal　sentences　that　he　was　using。　The　Spaniard　caught　sight　of　the　two　women　aft　and　halted　in　surprise；　Hornblower　hastily　made　the　presentation　in　what　he　hoped　was　Spanish。
　'Se？or　el　tenente　Espanol；'　he　said。　'Se？ora　la　Duquesa　de　Wharfedale。'
　The　title　clearly　had　its　effect；　the　lieutenant　bowed　profoundly；　and　his　bow　was　received　with　the　most　lofty　aloofness　by　the　duchess。　Hornblower　could　be　sure　the　despatches　were　safe。　That　was　some　alleviation　of　the　misery　of　standing　here　on　the　deck　of　his　water…logged　little　ship；　a　Prisoner　of　the　Spaniards。　As　he　waited　he　heard；　from　far　to　leeward；　roll　upon　roll　of　thunder　ing　up　against　the　wind。　No　thunder　could　endure　that　long。　What　he　could　hear　must　be　the　broadsides　of　ships　in　action…of　fleets　in　action。　Somewhere　over　there　by　Cape　St　Vincent　the　British　fleet　must　have　caught　the　Spaniards　at　last。　Fiercer　and　fiercer　sounded　the　roll　of　the　artillery。　There　was　excitement　among　the　Spaniards　who　had　scrambled　on　to　the　deck　of　Le　Rêve；　while　Hornblower　stood　bareheaded　waiting　to　be　taken　into　captivity。
　Captivity　was　a　dreadful　thing。　Once　the　numbness　had　worn　off　Hornblower　came　to　realize　what　a　dreadful　thing　it　was。　Not　even　the　news　of　the　dreadful　bartering　which　the　Spanish　navy　had　received　at　St　Vincent　could　relieve　the　misery　and　despair　of　being　a　prisoner。　It　was　not　the　physical　conditions…ten　square　feet　of　floor　space　per　man　in　an　empty　sail　loft　at　Ferrol　along　with　other　captive　warrant　officers…for　they　were　no　worse　than　what　a　junior　officer　often　had　to　put　up　with　at　sea。　It　was　the　loss　of　freedom；　the　fact　of　being　a　captive；　that　was　so　dreadful。
　There　were　four　months　of　it　before　the　first　letter　came　through　to　Hornblower；　the　Spanish　government；　inefficient　in　all　ways；　had　the　worst　postal　system　in　Europe。　But　here　was　the　letter；　addressed　and　re…addressed；　now　safely　in　his　hands　after　he　had　practically　snatched　it　from　a　stupid　Spanish　non…missioned　officer　who　had　been　puzzling　over　the　strange　name。　Hornblower　did　not　know　the　handwriting；　and　when　he　broke　the　seal　and　opened　the　letter　the　salutation　made　him　think　for　a　moment　that　he　had　opened　someone　else's　letter。
　'Darling　Boy；'　it　began。　Now　who　on　earth　would　call　him　that？　He　read　on　in　a　dream。
　
　'Darling　Boy；
　I　hope　it　will　give　you　happiness　to　hear　that　what　you　gave　me　has　reached　its　destination。　They　told　me；　when　I　delivered　it；　that　you　are　a　prisoner；　and　my　heart　bleeds　for　you。　And　they　told　me　too　that　they　were　pleased　with　you　for　what　you　had　done　And　one　of　those　admirals　is　a　shareholder　in　Drury　Lane。　Whoever　would　have　thought　of　such　a　thing？　But　he　smiled　at　me；　and　I　smiled　at　him。　I　did　not　know　he　was　a　shareholder　then；　and　I　only　smiled　out　of　the　kindness　of　my　heart。　And　all　that　I　told　him　about　my　dangers　and　perils　with　my　precious　burden　were　only　histrionic　exercises；　I　am　afraid。　Yet　he　believed　me；　and　so　struck　was　he　by　my　smile　and　my　adventures；　that　he　demanded　a　part　for　me　from　Sherry；　and　behold；　now　I　am　playing　second　lead；　usually　a　tragic　mother；　and　receiving　the　acclaim　of　the　groundlings。　There　are　pensations　in　growing　old；　which　I　am　discovering　too。　And　I　have　not　tasted　wine　since　I　saw　you　last；　nor　shall　I　ever　again。　As　one　more　reward；　my　admiral　promised　me　that　he　would　forward　this　letter　to　you　in　the　next　cartel…an　expression　which　no　doubt　means　more　to　you　than　to　me。　I　only　hope　that　it　reaches　you　in　good　time　and　brings　you　fort　in　your　affliction。
　I　pray　nightly　for　you。
　 Ever　your　devoted　friend；
　 Katharine　Cobham。'
　
　fort　in　his　affliction？　A　little；　perhaps。　There　was　some　fort　in　knowing　that　the　despatches　had　been　delivered；　there　was　some　fort　in　a　second…hand　report　that　Their　Lordships　were　pleased　with　him。　There　was　fort　even　in　knowing　that　the　duchess　was　re…established　on　the　stage。　But　the　sum　total　was　nothing　pared　with　his　misery。
　Here　was　a　guard　e　to　bring　him　to　the　mandant　and　beside　the　mandant　was　the　Irish　renegade　who　served　as　interpreter。　There　were　further　papers　on　the　mandant's　desk…it　looked　as　if　the　same　cartel　which　had　brought　in　Kitty　Cobham's　note　had　brought　in　letters　for　the　mandant。
　'Good　afternoon；　sir；'　said　the　mandant；　always　polite　offering　a　chair。
　'Good　afternoon；　sir；　and　many　thanks；'　said　Hornblower　He　was　l