bcornwell.sharpstiger-第33部分

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ave　the　rocketmen　a　cheer。　Sharpe　cheered　with　them。　Farther　up　the　wall　a　cannon　fired　at　a　second　group　of　horsemen。　The　smoke　of　the　gun　billowed　out　across　the　encampment　beneath　thewalls　and　the　heavy　round　shot　screamed　across　the　river　to　disembowel　a　horse　a　half…mile　away；　but　no　one　cheered　the　gunners。　Guns　were　not　so　spectacular　as　rockets。
　'He's　got　thousands　of　those　bloody　things；'　Sharpe　told　Lawford；　indicating　a　pile　of　the　rockets。
　'They　really　aren't　very　accurate；'　Lawford　said　with　pedantic　disapproval。
　'But　fire　enough　at　once　and　you　wouldn't　know　if　you　were　in　this　world　or　the　next。　I　wouldn't　fancy　being　on　the　wrong　end　of　a　dozen　of　those　things。'
　Behind　them；　from　one　of　the　tall　white　minarets　of　the　city's　new　mosque；　the　muezzin　was　chanting　the　summons　for　the　evening　prayer　and　the　Muslim　rocketmen　hastened　to　unroll　their　small　prayer　mats　and　face　westwards　towards　Mecca。　Sharpe　and　Lawford　also　faced　west；　not　out　of　any　respect　for　the　Tippoo's　religion；　but　because　the　vanguard　of　British　and　Indian　cavalry　was　scouting　the　flat　land　beyond　the　South　Gauvery　which　was　plainly　visible　from　the　summit　of　the　Mysore　Gate。　The　main　body　of　the　two　armies　was　making　camp　well　to　the　south　of　the　city；　but　the　horsemen　had　ridden　ahead　to　reconnoitre　the　western　country　in　preparation　for　the　next　day's　short　march。　Sharpe　could　even　see　officers　pacing　out　and　marking　where　the　lascars　would　pitch　the　armies'　tents。　It　seemed　that　General　Harris　had　decided　to　attack　from　the　west；　the　one　direction　that　McCandless　had　warned　against。
　'Poor　bloody　fools；'　Sharpe　said；　though　neither　he　nor　Lawford　yet　knew　what　was　dangerous　about　the　western　defences。　Nor　had　they　been　given　the　slightest　chance　to　escape　from　the　city。　They　were　never　unwatched；　they　were　never　allowed　to　stand　guard　at　night；　and　Sharpe　knew　that　even　the　smallest　attempt　to　break　away　from　the　city　would　lead　to　immediate　death；　yet　they　were　not　otherwise　treated　badly。　They　had　been　accepted　well　enough　by　their　new　rades；　but　Sharpe　could　detect　a　reserve　and　he　supposedthat　until　he　and　Lawford　proved　their　reliability　there　would　always　be　an　undercurrent　of　suspicion。　'It　ain't　that　they　don't　trust　you；'　Henry　Hickson　had　explained　on　their　first　night；　'but　till　they've　actually　seen　you　bang　a　few　bails　off　at　your　old　mates；　they　won't　really　know　whether　you're　stout。'　Hickson　was　sewing　up　the　frayed　edge　of　his　leather　thumbstall　which　protected　his　hand　when　a　cannon　was　swabbed　out。　The　gunner　had　to　stop　the　touchhole　so　that　the　rammer　could　not　drive　a　jet　of　fresh　air　down　the　barrel　and　so　ignite　any　scraps　of　remaining　powder；　and　Hickson's　old　and　blackened　thumbstall　betrayed　how　long　he　had　been　an　artilleryman。　'Had　this　in　America；'　Hickson　said；　flourishing　the　ancient　scrap　of　leather。　'Stitched　for　me　by　a　little　girl　in　Charleston。　Lovely　little　thing　she　was。'
　'How　long　have　you　been　in　the　artillery？'　Lawford　had　asked　the　grey…haired　Hickson。
　'Bleeding　lifetime；　Bill。　Joined　in　'76。'　Hickson　laughed。　'King　and　country！　Go　and　save　the　colonies；　eh？　And　all　I　did　was　march　up　and　down　like　a　little　lost　lamb　and　only　ever　fired　a　dozen　shots。　I　should　have　stayed　there；　shouldn't　I；　when　they　kicked　us　out；　but；　like　a　fool；　I　didn't。　Went　to　Gibraltar；　polished　cannon　for　a　couple　of　years；　then　got　posted　out　here。'
　'So　why　did　you　run？'　Lawford　asked。
　'Money；　of　course。　The　Tippoo　might　be　a　black　heathen　bastard；　but　he　pays　well　for　gunners。　When　he　pays　at　all；　of　course；　which　isn't　precisely　frequent；　but　all　the　same　he　ain't　done　bad　by　me。　And　if　I'd　stayed　in　the　gunners　I　wouldn't　have　met　Suni；　would　I？'　He　had　jerked　his　calloused　thumb　towards　his　Indian　woman　who　was　cooking　the　evening　meal　with　the　wives　of　the　other　soldiers。
　'Don't　you　ever　worry　that　you'll　be　recaptured？'　Lawford　asked　him。
　'Of　course　I　bloody　worry！　All　the　bleeding　time！'　Hickson　held　the　thumbstall　close　to　his　right　eye　to　judge　the　neatnessof　his　stitching。　'Christ；　Bill；　I　don't　want　to　be　stood　up　against　a　bleeding　post　with　a　dozen　bastards　staring　down　their　musket　barrels　at　me。　I　want　to　die　in　Suni's　bed。'　He　grinned。　'You　do　ask　the　most　stupid　questions；　Bill；　but　what　do　you　expect　of　a　bleeding　clerk！　All　that　reading　and　writing；　mate；　it　doesn't　do　a　man　any　bleeding　good。'　He　had　shaken　his　head　in　despair　of　Lawford　ever　seeing　sense。　Like　all　of　Gudin's　soldiers；　Hickson　was　more　suspicious　of　Lawford　than　of　Sharpe。　They　all　understood　Sharpe　for　he　was　one　of　them　and　good　at　his　trade；　but　Lawford　was　patently　unfortable。　They　put　it　down　to　his　having　e　from　a　fortable　home　that　had　fallen　on　hard　times；　and　while　they　were　sympathetic　to　that　misfortune　they　nevertheless　expected　him　to　make　the　best　of　it。　Others　in　Gudin's　small　battalion　despised　Lawford　for　his　clumsiness　with　weapons；　but　Sharpe　was　his　friend　and　so　far　no　man　had　been　willing　to　risk　Sharpe's　displeasure　by　needling　Lawford。
　Sharpe　and　Lawford　watched　the　invading　armies　make　their　camp　well　out　of　cannon　range　to　the　south　of　the　city。　A　few　Mysorean　cavalrymen　still　circled　the　armies；　watching　for　a　chance　to　snap　up　a　fugitive；　but　most　of　the　Tippoo's　men　were　now　back　on　the　city's　island。　There　was　an　excited　buzz　in　the　city；　almost　a　relief　that　the　enemy　was　in　sight　and　the　waiting　at　last　was　over。　There　was　also　a　feeling　of　confidence；　for　although　the　enemy　horde　looked　vast；　the　Tippoo　had　formidable　defences　and　plenty　of　men。　Sharpe　could　detect　no　lack　of　enthusiasm　among　the　Hindu　troops。　Lawford　had　told　him　there　was　bad　blood　between　them　and　the　Muslims；　but　on　that　evening；　as　the　Tippoo's　men　hung　more　defiant　banners　above　their　limewashed　walls；　the　city　seemed　united　in　its　defiance。
　Sergeant　Rothiere　shouted　at　Sharpe　and　Lawford　from　the　inner　wall　of　the　Mysore　Gate；　pointing　to　the　big　bastion　at　the　city's　south…western　corner。　'Colonel　Gudin　wants　us；'　Lawford　translated　for　Sharpe。'Vitel'　Rothiere　bellowed。
　'Now；'　Lawford　said　nervously。
　The　two　men　threaded　their　way　through　the　spectators　who　crowded　the　parapets　until　they　found　Colonel　Gudin　in　a　cavalier　that　jutted　south　from　the　huge　square　bastion。　'How's　your　back？'　the　Frenchman　greeted　Sharpe。
　'Mending　wonderfully；　sir。'
　Gudin　smiled；　pleased　at　the　news。　'It's　Indian　medicine；　Sharpe。　If　I　ever　go　back　to　France　I've　a　mind　to　take　a　native　doctor　with　me。　Much　better　than　ours。　All　a　French　doctor　would　do　is　bleed　you　dry；　then　console　your　widow。'　The　Colonel　turned　and　gestured　south　across　the　river。　'Your　old　friends；'　he　said；　indicating　where　the　British　and　Indian　cavalry　were　exploring　the　land　between　the　army's　encampment　and　the　city。　Most　were　staying　well　out　of　range　of　Seringapatam's　cannon；　but　a　few　braver　souls　were　galloping　closer　to　the　city；　either　to　tempt　the　Tippoo's　cavalry　to　e　out　and　dare　single　bat；　or　else　to　provoke　the　gunners　on　the　city　wall。　One　especially　flamboyant　group　was　shouting　towards　the　city；　and　even　waving；　as　though　inviting　cannon　fire；　and　every　now　and　then　a　cannon　would　boom　or　a　rocket　scream　across　the　river；　though　somehow　the　jeering　cavalrymen　always　remained　untouched。　'They're　distracting　us；'　Gudin　explained；　'drawing　attention　away　from　some　others。　There；　see？　Some　bushes。　Beside　the　cistern。'　He　was　pointing　across　the　river。　'There　are　some　scouts　there。　On　foot。　They　are　trying　to　see　what　defences　we　have　close　to　the　river。　You　see　them？　Look　in　the　bushes　under　the　two　palm　trees。'
　Sharpe　stared；　but　could　see　nothing。　'You　want　us　to　go　and　get　them；　sir？'　he　offered。
　'I　want　you　to　shoot　them；'　Gudin　said。
　The　bushes　under　the　twin　palms　were　nearly　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　'Long　bloody　range　for　a　musket；　sir；'　Sharpe　said　dubiously。'Try　this；　then；'　Gudin　said　and　held　out　a　gun。　It　must　have　been　one　of　the　Tippoo's　own　weapons；　for　its　stock　was　decorated　with　ivory；　its　tiger…head　lock　was　chased　with　gold　and　its　barrel　engraved　with　Arabic　writing。
　Sharpe　took　and　hefted　the　gun。　'Might　be　pretty；　sir；'　he　said；　'but　no　amount　of　fancy　work　on　the　outside　will　make　it　more　accurate　than　that　plain　old　thing。'　He　patted　his　heavy　French　musket。
　'You're　wrong；'　Gudin　said。　'That's　a　rifle。'
　'A　rifle！'　Sharpe　had　heard　of　such　weapons；　but　he　had　never　handled　one；　and　now　he　peered　inside　the　muzzle　and　saw　that　the　barrel　was　indeed　cut　in　a　pattern　of　spiralling　grooves。　He　had　heard　that　the　grooves　spun　the　bullet　which　somehow　made　a　rifle　far　more　accurate　than　a　shot　from　a　smoothbore　musket。　Why　that　should　be　the　case　he　had　not　the　slightest　idea；　but　every　man　he　had　ever　spoken　to　about　rifles　had　sworn　it　was　true。　'Still；'　he　said　dubiously；　'near　a　quarter…mile？　Long　ways　for　a　bullet；　sir；　even　if　it　is　spinning。'
　'That　rifle　can　kill　at　four　hundred　paces；　Sharpe；'　Gudin　said　confidently。　'It's　loaded；　by　the　way；'　the　Colonel　added；　and　Sharpe；　who　had　been　peering　down　the　muzzle　again；　jerked　back。　Gudin　laughed。　'Loaded　with　the　best　powder　and　with　its　bullet　wrapped　in　oiled　leather。　I　want　to　see　how　good　a　shot　you　are。'
　'No；　you　don't；　sir；'　Sharpe　said；　'you　want　to　see　if　I'm　willing　to　kill　my　own　countrymen。'
　'That　too；　of　course；'　Gudin　agreed　placidly；　and　laughed　at　having　had　his　small　ploy　discovered。　'At　that　range　you　should　aim　about　six　or　seven　feet　above　your　target。　I　have　another　rifle　for　you；　Lawford；　but　I　don't　suppose　we　can　expect　a　clerk　to　be　as　accurate　as　a　skirmisher　like　Sharpe？'
　'I'Il　do　my　best；　sir；'　Lawford　said　and　took　the　second　rifle　from　Gudin。　Lawford　might　be　clumsy　at　loading　a　gun；　but　he　was　a　practised　shot　in　the　hunting　field　and　had　been　firing　rifled　fowling　pieces　since　he　was　eight　years　old。'Some　men　find　it　hard　to　shoot　at　their　old　rades；'　Gudin　told　Lawford　mildly；　'and　I　want　to　make　sure　you're　not　among　them。'
　'Let's　hope　the　bastards　are　officers；'　Sharpe　said；　'begging　your　presence；　sir。'
　'There　they　are！'　Gudin　said；　and；　sure　enough；　just　beside　the　cistern　beneath　the　two　palm　trees　across　the　river；　were　a　pair　of　red　coats。　The　men　were　examining　the　city　walls　thr