bcornwell.sharpstiger-第31部分

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　'Of　course；　sir。'
　'Just　say　that　it　is　vital　that　Private　Sharpe　be　taken　alive。　And　that　if　he　is　captured　he　must　be　brought　either　to　me　or　to　General　Harris。'
　Morris　gaped　at　Baird。　'You；　sir？'
　'Baird；　B…A…I…R…D。　Major　General。'
　'Yes；　sir；　but。。　。'　Morris　had　been　about　to　ask　what　possible　business　a　major　general　had　with　a　deserter；　then　realized　that　such　a　question　would　never　fetch　a　civil　answer；　so　he　just　dipped　a　quill　in　ink　and　hurriedly　added　the　words　Baird　had　requested。　'You　think　we　might　see　Sharpe　again；　sir？'　he　asked。
　'I　do　hope　so；　Captain。'　Baird　stood。　'I　even　pray　as　much。　Now　may　I　thank　you　for　your　hospitality？'
　'Yes；　sir；　of　course；　sir。'　Morris　half　stood　as　the　General　left；　then　dropped　back　onto　his　chair　and　stared　at　the　words　he　had　just　written。　'What　in　God's　name　is　all　that　about？'　he　asked　when　Baird　was　safely　out　of　earshot。
　Hakeswill　sniffed。　'No　good；　sir；　I'll　warrant　that。'
　Morris　uncovered　the　arrack　and　took　a　sip。　'First　the　bastard　is　summoned　to　Harris's　tent；　then　he　runs；　and　now　Baird　says　we'll　see　him　again　and　wants　him　kept　alive！　Why？'
　'He's　up　to　no　good；　sir；'　Hakeswill　said。　'He　took　his　woman　and　vanished；　sir。　Ain't　no　general　who　can　condone　that　behaviour；　sir。　It's　unforgivable；　sir。　The　army's　going　to　the　dogs；　sir。'
　'I　can't　disobey　Baird；'　Morris　muttered。
　'But　you　don't　wants　Sharpie　back　here　either；　sir；'　Hakes…will　said　fervently。　'A　soldier　who's　a　general's　pet？　He'll　be　given　a　sergeant's　stripes　next！'　The　thought　of　such　an　affront　struck　Hakeswill　momentarily　speechless。　His　face　quivered　with　indignation；　then；　with　a　visible　effort；　he　controlledhimself。　'Who　knows；　sir；'　he　suggested　slyly；　'but　the　little　bastard　might　be　reporting　on　you　and　me；　sir；　like　the　traitor　what　he　is。　We　don't　need　snakes　in　our　bosoms；　sir。　We　don't　want　to　disturb　the　happy　mood　of　the　pany；　not　by　harbouring　a　general's　pet；　sir。'
　'General's　pet？'　Morris　repeated　softly。　The　Captain　was　a　venal　man　and；　though　no　worse　than　many；　he　nevertheless　dreaded　official　scrutiny；　but　he　was　far　too　lazy　to　correct　the　malfeasances　half　concealed　in　the　closely　penned　columns　of　the　pay　books。　Worse；　Morris　feared　that　Sharpe　could　somehow　reveal　his　plicity　in　the　false　charge　that　had　resulted　in　Sharpe's　flogging；　and　though　it　seemed　impossible　for　a　mere　private　to　carry　that　much　weight　in　the　army；　so　it　seemed　equally　impossible　that　a　major　general　should　make　a　special　errand　to　discuss　that　private。　There　was　something　very　odd　going　on；　and　Morris　disliked　strange　threats。　He　merely　asked　for　the　quiet　life；　and　he　wanted　Sharpe　out　of　it。　'But　I　can't　leave　those　words　off　the　form；'　he　plained　to　Hakeswill；　gesturing　at　the　new　addition　on　Sharpe's　page。
　'Don't　need　to；　sir。　With　respect；　sir。　Ain't　no　form　being　distributed　here；　sir；　not　in　the　33rd；　sir。　Don't　need　a　form；　do　we？　We　knows　what　the　bugger　looks　like；　we　does；　so　they　won't　give　us　no　form；　sir。　They　never　do；　sir。　So　I'll　let　it　be　known　that　if　anyone　sees　Sharpie　they're　to　oblige　the　army　by　putting　a　goolie　in　his　back。'　Hakeswill　saw　Morris's　nervousness。　'Won't　be　no　fuss；　sir；　not　if　the　bugger's　in　Seringapatam　and　we're　pulling　the　bloody　place　to　pieces。　Kill　him　quick；　sir；　and　that's　more　than　he　deserves。　He's　up　to　no　good；　sir；　I　can　feel　it　in　my　waters；　and　a　bugger　up　to　no　good　is　a　bugger　better　off　dead。　Says　so　in　the　scriptures；　sir。'
　'I'm　sure　it　does；　Sergeant；　I'm　sure　it　does；'　Morris　said；　then　closed　the　Punishment　Book。　'You　must　do　whatever　you　think　is　best；　Sergeant。　I　know　I　can　trust　you。'〃You　do　me　honour；　sir；'　Hakeswill　said　with　feigned　emotion。　'You　do　me　honour。　And　I'll　have　the　bastard　for　you；　sir；　have　him　proper　dead。'
　
　In　Seringapatam。
　'What　in　God's　name　did　you　think　you　were　doing；　Sharpe？'　Lawford　demanded　furiously。　The　Lieutenant　was　much　too　angry　to　go　along　with　the　pretence　of　being　a　private；　and；　besides；　the　two　men　were　now　alone　for　the　first　time　that　day。　Alone；　but　not　unguarded；　for　though　they　were　standing　sentry　in　one　of　the　south　wall　cavaliers　there　were　a　dozen　men　of　Gudin's　battalion　within　sight；　including　the　burly　Sergeant；　called　Rothiere；　who　watched　the　two　newers　from　the　next　cavalier　along。　'By　God；　Private；'　Lawford　hissed；　'I'Il　have　you　flogged　for　that　display　when　we're　back！　We're　here　to　rescue　Colonel　McCandless；　not　to　kill　him！　Are　you　mad？'
　Sharpe　stared　south　across　the　landscape；　saying　nothing。　To　his　right　the　shallow　river　flowed　between　shelving　green　banks。　Once　the　monsoon　came　the　river　would　swell　and　spread　and　drown　the　wide　flat　rocks　that　dotted　its　bed。　He　was　feeling　more　fortable　now；　for　Doctor　Venkatesh　had　placed　some　salve　on　his　back　which　had　taken　away　a　lot　of　the　pain。　The　doctor　had　then　put　on　new　bandages　and　warned　Sharpe　that　they　must　not　be　dampened；　but　ought　to　be　changed　each　day　until　the　wounds　healed。
　Colonel　Gudin　had　then　taken　the　two　Englishmen　to　a　barracks　room　close　by　the　city's　south…western　corner。　Every　man　in　the　barracks　was　a　European；　most　of　them　French；　but　with　a　scattering　of　Swiss；　Germans　and　two　Britishers。　They　all　wore　the　blue　coats　of　French　infantry；　but　there　were　none　to　spare　for　the　two　new　men；　and　so　Sergeant　Rothiere　had　issued　Sharpe　and　Lawford　with　tiger　tunics　like　those　the　Tippoo's　men　wore。　The　tunics　did　not　open　down　the　front　like　a　European　coat；　but　had　to　be　pulledover　the　head。　'Where　you　boys　from？'　an　English　voice　asked　Sharpe　as　he　pulled　down　the　dyed　cotton　tunic。
　'33rd；'　Sharpe　had　said。
　'The　Havercakes？'　the　man　said。　'Thought　they　were　up　north；　in　Calcutta？'
　'Brought　down　to　Madras　last　year；'　Sharpe　said。　He　gingerly　sat　on　his　cot；　an　Indian　bed　made　from　ropes　stretched　between　a　simple　wooden　frame。　It　proved　surprisingly　fortable。　'And　you？'　he　asked　the　Englishman。
　'Royal　bleeding　Artillery；　mate；　both　of　us。　Ran　three　months　back。　Name's　Johnny　Blake　and　that's　Henry　Hickson。'
　Tm　Dick　Sharpe　and　that's　Bill　Lawford；'　Sharpe　said；　introducing　the　Lieutenant　who　looked　desperately　awkward　in　his　knee…length　tunic　of　purple　and　white　stripes。　Over　the　tunic　he　wore　two　crossbelts　and　an　ordinary　belt　from　which　hung　a　bayonet　and　a　cartridge　pouch。　They　had　been　issued　with　heavy　French　muskets　and　warned　they　would　have　to　do　their　share　of　sentry　duty　with　the　rest　of　the　small　battalion。
　'Used　to　be　a　lot　more　of　us；'　Blake　told　Sharpe；　'but　men　die　here　like　flies。　Fever　mostly。'
　'But　it　ain't　bad　here；'　Henry　Hickson　offered。　'Food's　all　right。　Plenty　of　bibbis　and　Gudin's　a　real　decent　officer。　Better　than　any　we　ever　had。'
　'Right　bastards　we　had；'　Blake　agreed。
　'Aren't　they　all？'　Sharpe　had　said。
　'And　the　pay's　good；　when　you　get　it。　Five　months　overdue　now；　but　maybe　we'll　get　it　when　we　beat　the　stuffing　out　of　the　British。'　Blake　laughed　at　the　suggestion。
　Blake　and　Hickson　were　not　required　to　stand　guard；　but　instead　manned　one　of　the　big　tiger…mouthed　guns　that　crouched　behind　a　nearby　embrasure。　Sharpe　and　Lawford　stood　their　watch　alone　and　it　was　that　privacy　which　had　encouraged　Lawford　into　his　furious　attack。　'Have　you　gotnothing　to　say　for　yourself；　Private？'　he　challenged　Sharpe　who　still　stared　serenely　over　the　green　landscape　through　which　the　river　curled　south　about　the　city's　island。　'Well？'　Lawford　snapped。
　Sharpe　looked　at　him。　'You　loaded　the　musket；　didn't　you；　Bill？'
　'Of　course！'
　'You　ever　felt　gunpowder　that　smooth　and　fine？'　Sharpe　gazed　into　the　Lieutenant's　face。
　'It　could　have　been　gunpowder　dust！'　Lawford　insisted　angrily。
　'That　shiny？'　Sharpe　said　derisively。　'Gunpowder　dust　is　full　of　rat　shit　and　sawdust！　And　did　you　really　think；　Bill'　…he　pronounced　the　name　sarcastically　…　'that　the　bleeding　Tippoo　would　let　us　have　loaded　guns　before　he　was　sure　he　could　trust　us？　And　with　him　standing　not　six　feet　away？　And　did　you　bother　to　taste　the　powder？　I　did；　and　it　weren't　salty　at　all。　That　weren't　gunpowder；　Lieutenant；　that　were　either　ink　powder　or　black　pigment；　but　whatever　it　was　it　was　never　going　to　spark。'
　Lawford　gaped　at　Sharpe。　'So　you　knew　all　along　the　gun　wouldn't　fire？'
　'Of　course　I　bloody　knew！　I　wouldn't　have　pulled　the　trigger　else。　You　mean　you　didn't　realize　that　weren't　powder？'
　Lawford　turned　away。　Once　again　he　had　been　made　to　look　like　a　fool　and　he　blushed　at　the　realization。　'I'm　sorry；'　he　said。　He　was　crestfallen；　and　again　he　felt　a　galling　sense　of　inadequacy　pared　to　this　mon　soldier。
　Sharpe　stared　at　a　patrol　of　the　Tippoo's　lancers　who　were　riding　back　towards　the　city。　Three　of　them　were　wounded　and　were　being　supported　in　their　saddles　by　their　rades；　which　suggested　the　British　were　not　so　very　far　away　now。　Tm　sorry；　sir；'　he　said　very　softly；　and　deliberately　using　the　word　'sir'　to　mollify　Lawford；　'but　I'm　not　trying　to　be　insolent。　I'm　just　trying　to　keep　you　and　me　alive。''I　know。　I'm　sorry　too。　I　should　have　known　it　wasn't　powder。'
　'It　was　confusing；　weren't　it？'　Sharpe　said；　trying　to　console　his　panion。　'What　with　the　Tippoo　being　there。　Fat　little　bugger；　ain't　he？　But　you're　doing　all　right；　sir。'　Sharpe　spoke　feelingly；　knowing　that　the　young　Lieutenant　desperately　needed　encouragement。　'And　you　were　clever　as　hell；　sir；　saying　you　wore　an　apron。　I　should　have　splashed　some　ink　on　your　uniform；　shouldn't　I？　But　I　never　thought　of　it；　but　you　got　us　out　of　that　one。'
　'I　was　thinking　of　Private　Brookfield；'　Lawford　said；　not　without　some　pride　at　the　memory　of　his　inspired　lie。　'You　know　Brookfield？'
　'The　clerk　of　Mister　Stanbridge's　pany；　sir？　Fellow　who　wears　spectacles？　Does　he　wear　a　pinny？'
　'He　says　it　keeps　the　ink　off　him。'
　'He　always　was　an　old　woman；'　Sharpe　said　scornfully；　'but　you　did　well。　And　I'll　tell　you　something　else。　We　have　to　get　out　of　here　soon　because　I　know　why　we　came　now。　We　don't　have　to　find　your　merchant　fellow；　we　just　have　to　get　out。　Unless　you　think　we　ought　to　rescue　your　uncle；　but　if　you　don't；　then　we　can　just　run；　because　I　know　why　we　came　now。'
　Lawford　gaped　at　him。　〃You　know？'
　'The　Colonel　spoke　to　me；　sir；　while　we　was　going　through　that　pant