bcornwell.sharpstiger-第27部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n　called　cheerfully。
　'Non；　monsieur；'　Lawford　answered　in　his　best　schoolboy　French。　'Nous　sommes　deserteurs。'
　'C'est　bonl'　The　man　tossed　Lawford　a　mango。　'Lafemme　aussi？'
　'Lafemme　est　notre　prisonniere。'　Lawford　tried　a　little　wit　andwas　rewarded　with　a　laugh　and　a　farewell　shout　of　bonne　chance。
　'You　speak　French？'　Sharpe　asked。
　'A　little；'　Lawford　claimed　modestly。　'Really　only　a　little。'
　'Bloody　amazing；'　Sharpe　said　and　Lawford　was　obscurely　pleased　that　he　had　at　last　succeeded　in　impressing　his　panion。　'Bet　not　many　private　soldiers　speak　Frog；'　Sharpe　dashed　Lawford's　pleasure；　'so　don't　show　yourself　as　being　too　good　at　it。　Stick　to　bloody　English。'
　'I　didn't　think　of　that；'　Lawford　said　ruefully。　He　looked　at　the　mango　as　though　he　had　never　seen　such　a　piece　of　fruit　before；　and　it　was　plain　that　his　hunger　was　tempting　him　to　bite　into　the　sweet　flesh；　but　then　his　manners　prevailed　and　he　gallantly　insisted　that　Mary　eat　the　fruit　instead。
　The　lancers　turned　into　a　delicately　sculpted　archway　where　two　sentries　stood　guard。　Once　inside　the　archway　the　cavalrymen　slid　down　from　their　saddles　and；　lances　in　hand；　led　their　horses　down　a　narrow　passage　between　two　high　brick　walls。　Sharpe；　Mary　and　Lawford　were　more　or　less　abandoned　just　inside　the　gateway　where　the　two　sentries　ignored　them；　but　did　chase　away　the　more　curious　townsfolk　who　had　gathered　to　stare　at　the　Europeans。　Sharpe　sat　on　a　mounting　block　and　tried　to　ignore　the　pain　in　his　back。　Then　the　lancer　officer　returned　and　shouted　at　them　to　follow　him。　He　led　them　through　another　arch；　then　under　an　arcade　where　flowers　twined　round　pillars；　and　so　to　a　guardroom。　The　officer　said　something　to　Mary；　then　locked　the　door。　'He　says　we're　to　wait；'　Mary　said。　She　still　had　the　mango；　and　though　the　lancers　had　stripped　Sharpe　and　Lawford　of　their　coats　and　packs　and　had　searched　the　two　men　for　coins　and　hidden　weapons；　they　had　not　searched　Mary　and　she　took　a　small　folding　penknife　from　an　inside　pocket　of　her　skirt　and　cut　the　fruit　into　three　portions。　Law…ford　ate　his　share；　then　wiped　juice　from　his　chin。　'Did　you　ever　get　that　picklock；　Sharpe？'　he　asked；　saw　Sharpe's　furious　glare；　and　coloured。　'Dick；'　he　corrected　himself。'Had　it　all　along；'　Sharpe　said。　'Mary's　got　it。　And　she's　got　the　guinea。'　He　grinned　despite　his　pain。
　'You　mean　you　lied　to　General　Baird？'　Lawford　asked　sternly。
　〃Course　I　bloody　lied！'　Sharpe　snarled。　'What　kind　of　a　fool　admits　to　having　a　picklock？'
　For　a　moment　Lawford　looked　as　though　he　would　reprove　Sharpe　for　dishonesty；　but　the　Lieutenant　controlled　the　urge。　He　merely　shook　his　head　in　mute　disapproval；　then　sat　with　his　back　against　the　bare　brick　wall。　The　floor　was　made　of　small　green　tiles　on　which　Sharpe　lay　on　his　belly。　In　minutes　he　was　asleep。　Mary　sat　beside　him；　sometimes　stroking　his　hair　and　Lawford　found　himself　embarrassed　by　her　display　of　affection。　He　felt　he　ought　to　talk　with　Mary；　but　found　he　had　nothing　to　say　and　so　decided　it　was　better　not　to　speak　in　case　he　woke　Sharpe。　He　waited。　Somewhere　deep　in　the　palace　a　fountain　splashed。　Once　there　was　a　great　clatter　of　hooves　as　cavalrymen　led　their　horses　out　from　the　inner　stables；　but　most　of　the　time　it　was　quiet　in　the　room。　It　was　also　blessedly　cool。
　Sharpe　woke　after　dark。　He　groaned　as　the　pains　in　his　back　registered　and　Mary　hushed　him。　'What　time　is　it；　love？'　Sharpe　asked　her。
　'Late。'
　'Jesus；'　Sharpe　said　as　a　stab　of　agony　tore　down　his　spine。　He　sat　up；　whimpering　with　the　effort；　and　tried　to　prop　himself　against　the　wall。　A　wan　moonlight　came　through　the　small　barred　window　and　Mary；　in　its　dim　light；　could　see　the　bloodstains　spreading　through　the　bandages　and　onto　Sharpe's　shirt。　'Have　they　forgotten　us？'　Sharpe　asked。
　'No；'　Mary　said。　'They　brought　us　some　water　while　you　were　asleep。　Here。'　She　lifted　the　jug　towards　him。　'And　they　gave　us　a　bucket。'　She　gestured　across　the　dim　cell。　'For。。。'　she　faltered。
　'I　can　smell　what　the　bucket's　for；'　Sharpe　said。　He　tookthe　jug　and　drank。　Lawford　was　slumped　against　the　far　wall　and　there　was　a　small　open　book　face　down　on　the　floor　beside　the　sleeping　Lieutenant。　Sharpe　grimaced。　'Glad　the　bugger's　brought　something　useful；'　he　said　to　Mary。
　'You　mean　this？'　Lawford　said；　indicating　the　book。　He　had　not　been　asleep　after　all。
　Sharpe　wished　he　had　not　used　the　insult；　but　did　not　know　how　to　retrieve　it。　'What　is　it？'　he　asked　instead。
　'A　Bible。'
　'Bloody　hell；'　Sharpe　said。
　'You　don't　approve？'　Lawford　asked　icily。
　'I　had　a　bellyful　of　the　good　book　when　I　was　in　the　foundlings'　home；'　Sharpe　said。　'If　they　weren't　reading　it　to　us　they　were　hitting　us　round　the　head　with　it；　and　it　wasn't　some　litde　book　like　that　one；　but　a　bloody　great　big　thick　thing。　Could　have　stunned　an　ox；　that　Bible。'
　'Did　they　teach　you　to　read　it？'　Lawford　asked。
　'We　weren't　reckoned　good　enough　to　read。　Good　enough　to　pick　hemp；　we　were；　but　not　read。　No；　they　just　read　it　to　us　at　breakfast。　It　was　the　same　every　morning：　cold　porridge；　tin　of　water　and　an　earful　of　Abraham　and　Isaac。'
　'So　you　can't　read？'　Lawford　asked。
　'Of　course　I　can't　read！'　Sharpe　laughed　scornfully。　'What　the　bloody　hell's　the　use　of　reading？'
　'Don't　be　a　fool；　Dick；'　Lawford　said　patiently。　'Only　a　fool　takes　pride　in　pretending　that　a　skill　he　doesn't　possess　is　worthless。'　For　a　second　Lawford　was　tempted　to　launch　himself　on　a　panegyric　of　reading；　how　it　would　open　a　new　world　to　Sharpe；　a　world　of　drama　and　story　and　information　and　poetry　and　timeless　wisdom；　then　he　thought　better　of　it。　'You　want　your　sergeant's　stripes；　don't　you？'　he　asked　instead。'A　man　doesn't　have　to　read　to　be　a　sergeant；'　Sharpe　said　stubbornly。
　'No；　but　it　helps；　and　you'll　be　a　better　sergeant　if　you　can　read。　Otherwise　the　pany　clerks　tell　you　what　the　reports　say；　and　what　the　lists　say；　and　what　the　punishment　book　says；　and　the　quartermasters　will　rob　you　blind。　But　if　you　can　read　then　you'll　know　when　they're　lying　to　you。'
　There　was　a　long　silence。　Somewhere　in　the　palace　a　sentry's　footsteps　echoed　off　stone；　then　came　a　sound　so　familiar　that　it　almost　made　Lawford　weep　for　homesickness。　It　was　a　clock　striking　the　hour。　Twelve　o'clock。　Midnight。　'Is　it　hard？'　Sharpe　finally　asked。
　'Learning　to　read？'　Lawford　said。　'Not　really。'
　'Then　you　and　Mary　had　better　teach　me；　Bill；　hadn't　you？'
　'Yes；'　Lawford　said。　'Yes。　We　had。'
　They　were　taken　out　of　the　guardroom　in　the　morning。　Four　tiger…striped　soldiers　fetched　them　and　pushed　them　down　the　arcade；　then　into　a　narrow　corridor　that　seemed　to　run　beside　the　kitchens；　and　afterwards　through　a　shadowed　tangle　of　stables　and　storerooms　that　led　to　a　double　gate　which　opened　into　a　large　courtyard　where　the　bright　sun　made　them　blink。　Then　Sharpe's　eyes　adjusted　to　the　brilliant　daylight　and　he　saw　what　waited　for　them　in　the　courtyard；　and　he　swore。　There　were　six　tigers；　all　of　them　huge　beasts　with　yellow　eyes　and　dirty　teeth。　The　animals　stared　at　the　three　newers；　then　one　of　the　tigers　rose；　arched　its　back；　shook　himself；　and　slowly　padded　towards　them。　'Jesus　Christ！'　Sharpe　said；　but　just　then　the　tiger's　chain　lifted　from　the　dusty　ground；　stretched　taut；　and　the　tiger；　cheated　of　its　breakfast；　growled　and　went　back　to　the　shadows。　Another　beast　scratched　itself；　a　third　yawned。　'Look　at　the　size　of　the　bastards！'　Shaipe　said。
　'Just　big　pussy　cats；'　Lawford　said　with　an　insouciance　he　did　not　entirely　feel。
　'Then　you　go　and　scratch　their　chins；'　Sharpe　said；　'andsee　if　they　purr。　Bugger　off；　you。'　This　was　to　another　curious　beast　that　was　straining　towards　him　from　the　end　of　its　chain。　'Need　a　big　mouse　to　feed　one　of　those　bastards。'
　'The　tigers　can't　reach　you。'　A　voice　spoke　in　English　from　behind　them。　'Unless　their　keepers　release　them　from　their　chains。　Good　morning。'　Sharpe　turned。　A　tall；　middle…aged　officer　with　a　black　moustache　had　e　into　the　courtyard。　He　was　a　European　and　wore　the　blue　uniform　of　France。　'I　am　Colonel　Gudin；'　the　officer　said；　'and　you　are？'
　For　a　moment　none　of　them　spoke；　then　Lawford　straightened　to　attention。　'William　Lawford；　sir。'
　'His　name's　Bill；'　Sharpe　said。　'I'm　called　Dick；　and　this　is　my　woman。'　He　put　an　arm　round　Mary's　shoulder。
　Gudin　grimaced　as　he　looked　at　Mary's　swollen　black　eye　and　her　filthy　skirts。　'You　have　a　name'　…　he　paused　…　'Mademoiselle？'　He　finally　decided　that　was　the　most　appropriate　way　to　address　Mary。
　'Mary；　sir。'　She　made　a　small　curtsey　and　Gudin　returned　the　courtesy　with　an　inclination　of　his　head。　'And　your　name？'　he　asked　Sharpe。
　'Sharpe；　sir。　Dick　Sharpe。'
　'And　you　are　deserters？'　the　Colonel　asked　with　a　measure　of　distaste。
　'Yes；　sir；'　Lawford　said。
　'I　am　never　certain　that　deserters　are　to　be　trusted；'　Gudin　said　mildly。　He　was　acpanied　by　a　burly　French　sergeant　who　kept　giving　the　tigers　nervous　glances。　'If　a　man　can　betray　one　flag；'　Gudin　observed；　'why　not　another？'
　'A　man　might　have　good　reason　to　betray　his　flag；　sir；'　Sharpe　said　defiantly。
　'And　your　reason；　Sharpe？'
　Sharpe　turned　round　so　that　the　blood　on　his　back　was　visible。　He　let　Gudin　stare　at　the　stains；　then　turned　back。　'Is　that　good　enough；　sir？'
　Gudin　shuddered。　'I　never　understand　why　the　British　flogtheir　soldiers。　It　is　barbarism。'　He　waved　irritably　at　the　flies　which　buzzed　about　his　face。　'Sheer　barbarism。'
　〃You　don't　flog　in　the　French　army；　sir？'
　'Of　course　not；'　Gudin　said　scornfully。　He　put　a　hand　on　Sharpe's　shoulder　and　turned　him　around　again。　'When　was　this　done　to　you？'
　'Couple　of　days　ago；　sir。'
　'Have　you　changed　the　bandages？'
　'No；　sir。　Wetted　them；　though。'
　'You'll　still　be　dead　in　a　week　unless　we　do　something；'　Gudin　said；　then　turned　and　spoke　to　the　sergeant　who　walked　briskly　out　of　the　courtyard。　Gudin　turned　Sharpe　around　again。　'So　what　had　you　done　to　deserve　such　barbarism；　Private　Sharpe？'
　'Nothing；　sir。'
　'Beyond　nothing；'　Gudin　said　tiredly；　as　though　he　had　heard　every　excuse　imaginable。
　'I　hit　a　sergeant；　sir。'
　'And　you？'　Gudin　challenged　Lawford。　'Why　did　you　run？'
　'They　were　going　to　flog　me；　sir。'　Lawford　was　nervous　telling　the　lie；