bcornwell.sharpstiger-第17部分

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proved　fatal　and　so；　all　things　considered；　it　was　more　prudent　to　let　a　man　die　at　the　first　flogging。　It　saved　money　on　medicine　and；　in　Micklewhite's　view；　it　was　kinder　too。　Micklewhite　buttoned　his　coat　and　wondered　just　why　Sergeant　Hakeswill　wanted　this　particular　man　dead。　Not　that　Micklewhite　really　cared；　he　just　wanted　the　bloody　business　over　and　done。
　The　33rd　paraded　under　the　afternoon's　burning　sun。　Four　panies　faced　the　tripod；　while　three　were　arrayed　at　either　side　so　that　the　battalion's　ten　panies　formed　a　hollow　oblong　with　the　tripod　standing　in　the　one　empty　long　side。　The　officers　sat　on　their　horses　in　front　of　their　panies　while　Major　Shee；　his　aides　and　the　adjutant　stood　their　horses　just　behind　the　tripod。　Mister　Micklewhite；　his　head　protected　from　the　sun　by　a　wide　straw　hat；　stood　to　one　side　of　the　triangle。　Major　Shee；　fortified　by　arrack　and　satisfied　that　everything　was　in　proper　order；　nodded　to　Bywaters。　'You　will　begin　punishment；　Sergeant　Major。'
　'Sir！'　Bywaters　acknowledged；　then　turned　and　bellowed　for　the　prisoner　to　be　fetched。　The　two　drummer　boys　stood　nervously　with　their　whips　in　hand。　They　alone　of　the　parading　soldiers　were　in　shirtsleeves；　while　everyone　else　was　in　full　wool　uniform。　Women　and　children　peered　between　the　pany　intervals。　Mary　Bickerstaff　was　not　there。　Hakeswill　had　looked　for　her；　wanting　to　enjoy　her　horror；　but　Mary　had　stayed　away。　The　women　who　had　e　for　the　spectacle；　like　their　men；　were　silent　and　sullen。　Sharpe　was　a　popular　man；　and　Hakeswill　knew　that　everyone　here　was　hating　him　for　engineering　this　flogging；　but　Obadiah　Hakeswill　had　never　been　concerned　by　such　enmity。　Power　did　not　lie　in　being　liked；　but　in　being　feared。
　Sharpe　was　brought　to　the　triangle。　He　was　bareheaded　and　already　stripped　to　the　waist。　The　skin　of　his　chest　andback　were　as　white　as　his　powdered　hair　and　contrasted　oddly　with　his　darkly　tanned　face。　He　walked　steadily；　for　though　he　had　the　best　part　of　a　pint　of　rum　in　his　belly；　the　liquor　had　not　seemed　to　have　the　slightest　effect。　He　did　not　look　at　either　Hakeswill　or　Morris　as　he　walked　to　the　tripod。
　'Arms　up；　lad；'　the　Sergeant　Major　said　quietly。　'Stand　against　the　triangle。　Feet　apart。　There's　a　good　lad。'
　Sharpe　obediently　stepped　up　to　the　triangular　face　of　the　tripod。　Two　corporals　knelt　at　his　feet　and　lashed　his　ankles　to　the　halberds；　then　stood　and　pushed　his　arms　over　the　crosswise　halberd。　They　pulled　his　hands　down　and　tied　them　to　the　uprights；　thus　forcing　his　naked　back　up　and　outwards。　That　way　he　could　not　sag　between　the　triangle　and　so　hope　to　exhaust　some　of　the　blows　on　the　halberd　staffs。　The　corporals　finished　their　knots；　then　stepped　back。
　The　Sergeant　Major　went　to　the　back　of　the　triangle　and　brought　from　his　pouch　a　folded　piece　of　leather　that　was　deeply　marked　by　tooth　prints。　'Open　your　mouth；　lad；'　he　said　softly。　He　smelt　the　rum　on　the　prisoner's　breadi　and　hoped　it　would　help　him　survive；　then　he　pushed　the　leather　between　Sharpe's　teeth。　The　gag　served　a　double　purpose。　It　would　stifle　any　cries　the　victim　might　make　and　would　stop　him　biting　off　his　tongue。　'Be　brave；　boy；'　Bywaters　said　quietly。　'Don't　let　the　regiment　down。'
　Sharpe　nodded。
　Bywaters　stepped　smartly　back　and　came　to　attention。　'Prisoner　ready　for　punishment；　sir！'　he　called　to　Major　Shee。
　The　Major　looked　to　the　surgeon。　'Is　the　prisoner　fit　for　punishment；　Mister　Micklewhite？'
　Micklewhite　did　not　even　give　Sharpe　a　glance。　'Hale　and　fit；　sir。'
　'Then　carry　on；　Sergeant　Major。'
　'Right；　boys；'　the　Sergeant　Major　said；　'do　your　duty！　Lay　it　on　hard　now；　and　keep　the　strokes　high。　Above　his　trousers。　Drummer！　Begin。'A　third　drummer　boy　was　standing　behind　the　floggers。　He　lifted　his　sticks；　paused；　then　brought　the　first　stick　down。
　The　boy　to　the　right　brought　his　whip　hard　down　on　Sharpe's　back。
　'One！'　Bywaters　shouted。
　The　whip　had　left　a　red　mark　across　Sharpe's　shoulder　blades。　Sharpe　had　flinched；　but　the　rope　fetters　restricted　his　movement　and　only　those　close　to　the　triangle　saw　the　tremor　run　through　his　muscles。　He　stared　up　at　Major　Shee　who　took　good　care　to　avoid　the　baleful　gaze。
　'Two！'　Bywaters　called　and　the　drummer　brought　down　his　stick　as　the　second　boy　planted　a　red　mark　crosswise　on　the　first。
　Hakeswill's　face　twitched　uncontrollably；　but　he　was　smiling　under　the　rictus。　For　the　drumbeat　of　death　had　begun。
　
　Colonel　McCandless　stood　alone　in　the　centre　of　the　courtyard　of　the　Tippoo's　Inner　Palace　inside　Seringapatam。　The　Scotsman　was　still　in　his　full　uniform：　red…coated；　tartan…kilted　and　with　his　feather…plumed　cocked　hat　on　his　head。　Six　tigers　were　chained　to　the　courtyard's　walls　and　those　tigers　sometimes　strained　to　reach　him；　but　they　were　always　checked　by　the　heavy　chains　that　quivered　taudy　whenever　one　of　the　muscled　beasts　sprang　towards　the　Scotsman。　McCandless　did　not　move　and　the　tigers；　after　one　or　two　fruitless　lunges；　contented　themselves　with　snarling　at　him。　The　tigers'　keepers；　big　men　armed　with　long　staves；　watched　from　the　courtyard　entrance。　It　was　those　men　who　might　receive　the　orders　to　unleash　the　tigers　and　McCandless　was　determined　to　show　them　a　calm　face。
　The　courtyard　was　covered　with　sand；　its　lower　walls　were　of　dressed　stone；　but　above　the　stone　the　palace's　second　storey　was　a　riot　of　stuccoed　teak　that　had　been　painted　red；　white；　green　and　yellow。　That　decorated　second　storey　was　posed　of　Moorish　arches　and　McCandless　knew　justenough　Arabic　to　guess　that　the　writing　incised　above　each　arch　was　a　surah　from　the　Koran。　There　were　two　entrances　to　the　courtyard。　The　one　behind　McCandless；　through　which　he　had　entered　and　where　the　tigers'　keepers　now　stood；　was　a　plain　double　gateway　that　led　to　a　tangle　of　stables　and　storehouses　behind　the　palace；　while　in　front　of　him；　and　evidendy　leading　into　the　palace's　staterooms；　was　a　brief　marble　staircase　rising　to　a　wide　door　of　black　wood　that　had　been　decorated　with　patterns　of　inlaid　ivory。　Above　that　lavish　door　was　a　balcony　that　jutted　out　from　three　of　the　stuccoed　arches。　A　screen　of　intricately　carved　wood　hid　the　balcony；　but　McCandless　could　see　that　there　were　men　behind　the　screen。　He　suspected　the　Tippoo　was　there　and；　the　Scotsman　trusted；　so　was　the　Frenchman　who　had　first　questioned　him。　Colonel　Gudin　had　struck　him　as　an　honest　fellow　and　right　now；　McCandless　hoped；　Gudin　was　pleading　to　let　him　live；　though　McCandless　had　taken　good　care　not　to　offer　the　Frenchman　his　real　name。　He　feared　that　the　Tippoo　would　recognize　it；　and　realize　just　what　a　prize　his　cavalry　had　taken；　and　so　the　Scotsman　had　given　his　name　as　Ross　instead。
　McCandless　was　right。　Colonel　Gudin　and　the　Tippoo　were　both　staring　down　through　the　screen。　'This　Colonel　Ross；'　the　Tippoo　asked；　'he　says　he　was　looking　for　forage？'
　'Yes；　sir；'　Gudin　replied　through　the　interpreter。
　'You　believe　him？'　It　was　plain　from　his　tone　that　the　Tippoo　was　sceptical。
　Gudin　shrugged。　'Their　horses　are　thin。'
　The　Tippoo　grunted。　He　had　done　his　best　to　deny　the　advancing　enemy　any　food；　but　the　British　had　taken　to　making　sudden　marches　north　or　south　of　their　approach　to　enter　territory　where　his　horsemen　had　not　yet　destroyed　the　villagers'　supplies。　Not　only　that；　but　they　had　brought　a　vast　amount　of　food　with　them。　Yet　even　so　the　Tippoo's　spies　reported　that　the　enemy　was　going　hungry。　Their　horses　andoxen　were　especially　ill　fed；　so　it　was　not　unlikely　that　this　British　officer　had　been　searching　for　forage。　But　why　would　a　full　colonel　be　sent　on　such　an　errand？　The　Tippoo　could　find　ho　answer　to　that；　and　the　question　fed　his　suspicions。　'Could　he　have　been　spying？'
　'Scouting；　maybe；'　Gudin　said；　'but　not　spying。　Spies　do　not　ride　in　uniform；　Your　Majesty。'
　The　Tippoo　grunted　when　the　answer　was　translated　into　Persian。　He　was　a　naturally　suspicious　man；　as　any　ruler　should　be；　but　he　consoled　himself　with　the　observation　that　whatever　this　Britisher　had　been　doing；　he　must　have　failed。　The　Tippoo　turned　to　his　entourage　and　saw　the　tall；　dark…faced　Appah　Rao。　'You　think　this　Colonel　Ross　was　looking　for　food；　General？'
　Appah　Rao　knew　exactly　who　Colonel　Ross　truly　was；　and　what　McCandless　had　been　looking　for；　and　worse；　Rao　now　knew　that　his　own　treachery　was　in　dire　danger　of　being　discovered　which　meant　that　this　was　no　time　to　look　weak　in　front　of　the　Tippoo。　But　nor　was　Appah　Rao　ready　to　betray　McCandless。　That　was　partly　because　of　an　old　friendship；　and　partly　because　Appah　Rao　half　suspected　he　might　have　a　better　future　if　he　was　allied　to　the　British。　'We　know　they're　short　of　food；'　he　said；　'and　that　man　looks　thin　enough。'
　'So　you　don't　consider　him　a　spy？'
　'Spy　or　not；'　Appah　Rao　said　coldly；　'he　is　your　enemy。'
　The　Tippoo　shrugged　at　the　evasive　answer。　His　good　sense　suggested　that　the　prisoner　was　not　a　spy；　for　why　would　he　wear　his　uniform？　But　even　if　he　was；　that　did　not　worry　the　Tippoo　overmuch。　He　expected　Seringapatam　was　full　of　spies；　just　as　he　had　two　score　of　his　own　men　marching　with　the　British；　but　most　spies；　in　the　Tippoo's　experience；　were　useless。　They　passed　on　rumours；　they　inflated　guesses　and　they　muddled　far　more　than　they　ever　made　plain。
　'Kill　him；'　one　of　the　Tippoo's　Muslim　generals　suggested。'I　shall　think　about　it；'　the　Tippoo　said；　and　turned　back　through　one　of　the　balcony's　inner　archways　into　a　gorgeous　room　of　marble　pillars　and　painted　walls。　The　room　was　dominated　by　his　throne；　which　was　a　canopied　platform　eight　feet　wide；　five　foot　deep　and　held　four　feet　above　the　tiled　floor　by　a　model　of　a　snarling　tiger　that　supported　the　platform's　centre　and　was　flanked　on　each　side　by　four　carved　tiger　legs。　Two　silver　gilt　ladders　gave　access　to　the　throne's　platform　which　was　made　of　ebony　wood　on　which　a　sheet　of　gold；　thick　as　a　prayer　mat；　had　been　fixed　with　silver　nails。　The　edge　of　the　platform　was　carved　with　quotations　from　the　Koran；　the　Arabic　letters　picked　out　in　gold；　while　above　each　of　the　throne's　eight　legs　was　a　finial　in　the　form　of　a　tiger's　head。　The　tiger　heads　were　each　the　size　of　a　pineapple；　cast　from　solid　gold　and　studded　with　rubies；　emeralds　and　diamonds。　The　cent