bcornwell.sharpstiger-第41部分

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risoners　or　else　still　lying　wounded　among　the　dark　trees。　The　remaining　eight　panies　of　the　battalion　had　marched　to　support　the　flank　panies；　but　in　the　dark　they　had　crossed　the　aqueduct　too　far　to　the　south　and；　while　Wellesley　had　tried　to　find　his　beleaguered　flank　panies；　Major　Shee　had　stolidly　marched　straight　through　the　tope　and　out　across　the　aqueduct　on　the　far　side　without　encountering　the　enemy　orfiring　a　shot。　The　two　sepoy　battalions　could　easily　have　turned　the　night's　disaster　into　a　victory；　but　they　had　received　no　orders；　though　one　of　the　battalions；　fearing　disaster；　had　fired　a　panicked　volley　that　had　killed　their　own　manding　officer　while；　a　half…mile　to　their　front；　the　33rd　had　floundered　about　in　unsoldierlike　chaos。
　It　was　that　lack　of　professionalism　that　galled　Wellesley。　He　had　failed。　The　northern　stretch　of　the　aqueduct　had　been　efficiently　captured　by　other　battalions；　but　the　33rd　had　blundered。　Wellesley　had　blundered；　and　he　knew　it。　General　Harris　was　sympathetic　enough　when　the　young　Colonel　reported　his　failure；　Harris　murmured　about　the　uncertainty　of　night　attacks　and　how　everything　could　be　put　right　in　the　morning；　but　Wellesley　still　felt　the　failure　keenly。　He　knew　only　too　well　that　experienced　soldiers　like　Baird　despised　him；　believing　that　his　promotion　to　second…in…mand　was　due　solely　to　the　fact　that　his　elder　brother　was　Governor…General　of　the　British　regions　in　India；　and　Wellesley's　shame　had　been　made　worse　because　Major　General　Baird　had　been　waiting　with　Harris　when　WeDesley　arrived　to　report　his　failure　and　the　tall　Scotsman　seemed　to　smirk　as　Wellesley　confessed　to　the　night's　disasters。　'Difficult　things；　night　attacks；'　Harris　said　yet　again　while　Baird　said　nothing　and　Wellesley　smarted　under　the　Scotsman's　telling　silence。
　〃We'll　clear　the　tope　in　the　morning；'　Harris　tried　to　console　Wellesley。
　'My　men　will　do　it；'　Wellesley　promised　quickly。
　'No；　no。　They　won't　be　rested；'　Harris　said。　'Better　if　we　use　fresh　troops。'
　'My　fellows　will　be　quite　ready。'　Baird　spoke　for　the　first　time。　He　smiled　at　Wellesley。　'The　Scotch　Brigade；　I　mean。'
　'I　request　permission　to　mand　the　attack；　sir；'　Wellesley　said　very　stiffly；　ignoring　Baird。　'Whatever　troops　you　use；　sir；　I'll　still　be　duty　officer。''I'm　sure；　I'm　sure；'　Harris　said　vaguely；　neither　granting　nor　denying　Wellesley's　request。　'You　must　get　some　sleep；'　he　said　to　the　young　Colonel；　'so　let　me　wish　you　a　restful　night。'　He　waited　till　Wellesley　was　gone；　then　shook　his　head　mutely。
　'A　whippersnapper；'　Baird　said　loudly　enough　for　the　retreating　Colonel　to　hear　him；　'with　his　nursery　maid's　apron　strings　still　trapped　in　his　sword　belt。'
　'He's　very　efficient；'　Harris　said　mildly。
　'My　mother　was　efficient；　God　rest　her　soul；'　Baird　retorted　vigorously；　'but　you　wouldn't　want　her　running　a　damned　battle。　I　tell　you；　Harris；　if　you　let　him　lead　the　assault　on　the　city　you'll　be　asking　for　trouble。　Give　the　job　to　me；　man；　give　it　to　me。　I've　got　a　score　to　settle　with　the　Tippoo。'
　'So　you　have；'　Harris　agreed；　'so　you　have。'
　'And　let　me　take　the　damned　tope　in　the　morning。　God；　man；　I　could　do　it　with　a　corporal's　guard！'
　'Wellesley　will　still　be　officer　of　the　day　tomorrow　morning；　Baird；'　Harris　said；　then　pulled　off　his　wig　as　a　sign　that　he　wanted　to　go　to　bed。　One　side　of　his　scalp　was　curiously　flattened　where　he　had　been　wounded　at　Bunker　Hill。　He　scratched　at　the　old　injury；　then　yawned。　Til　bid　you　good　night。'
　'You　know　how　to　spell　Wellesley's　name　for　the　despatch；　Harris？'　Baird　asked。　'Three　L's！'
　'Good　night；'　Harris　said　firmly。
　At　dawn　the　Scotch　Brigade　and　two　Indian　battalions　paraded　east　of　the　encampment；　while　a　battery　of　four　twelve…pounder　guns　unlimbered　to　their　south。　As　soon　as　the　sun　was　up　the　four　guns　began　throwing　shells　into　the　tope。　The　missiles　left　filmy　smoke　traces　in　the　air　from　their　burning　fuses；　then　plunged　into　the　trees　where　their　explosions　were　muffled　by　the　thick　foliage。　One　shell　fell　short　and　a　great　gout　of　water　spurted　up　from　the　aqueduct。　Birds　wheeled　above　the　smoking　tope；　squawking　their　pro…tests　at　the　violence　that　had　once　again　disturbed　their　nests。
　Major　General　Baird　waited　in　front　of　the　Scotch　Brigade。　He　itched　to　take　his　countrymen　forward；　but　Harris　insisted　it　was　Wellesley's　privilege。　'He's　officer　of　the　day　till　noon；'　Harris　said。
　'He　ain't　up；'　Baird　said。　'He's　sleeping　it　off。　If　you　wait　for　him　to　wake　up　it'll　be　past　noon　anyway。　Just　let　me　go；　sir。'
　'Give　him　five　minutes；'　Harris　insisted。　'I　sent　an　aide　to　wake　him。'
　Baird　had　intercepted　the　aide　to　make　certain　Wellesley　did　not　wake　in　time；　but　just　before　the　five　minutes　expired　the　young　Colonel　came　racing　across　the　ground　on　his　white　horse。　He　looked　dishevelled；　like　a　man　who　had　made　too　hasty　a　toilet。　'My　sincerest　apologies；　sir；'　he　greeted　Harris。
　'You're　ready；　Wellesley？'
　'Indeed；　sir。'
　'Then　you　know　what　to　do；'　Harris　said　curdy。
　'Look　after　my　Scots　boys！'　Baird　called　to　Wellesley；　and　received；　as　he　expected；　no　answer。
　The　Scots　colours　were　unfurled；　the　drummer　boys　sounded　the　advance；　the　pipers　began　their　fierce　music　and　the　brigade　marched　into　the　rising　sun。　The　sepoys　followed。　Rockets　streaked　up　from　the　tope；　but　the　missiles　were　no　more　accurate　in　the　morning　than　they　had　been　at　night。　The　four　brass　field　guns　fired　shell　after　shell；　only　stopping　when　the　Scotsmen　reached　the　aqueduct。　Harris　and　Baird　watched　as　the　brigade　attacked　in　a　four…deep　line　that　climbed　the　nearer　embankment；　dropped　out　of　sight　into　the　aqueduct；　briefly　reappeared　on　the　farther　embankment；　then　finally　disappeared　into　the　trees　beyond。　For　a　few　moments　there　was　the　disciplined　sound　of　musket　volleys；　then　silence。　The　sepoys　followed　the　Scots；　spreading　left　and　right　to　attack　the　fringes　of　the　battered　woodland。Harris　waited；　then　a　galloper　came　from　the　northern　stretch　of　the　aqueduct；　which　had　been　captured　during　the　night；　to　report　that　the　land　between　the　tope　and　the　city　was　thick　with　enemy　fugitives　running　back　to　Seringapatam。　That　news　was　proof　that　the　tope　was　at　last　taken　and　that　the　whole　aqueduct　was　now　in　allied　hands。　'Time　for　breakfast；'　Harris　said　happily。　'You'll　join　me；　Baird？'
　'I'II　hear　the　butcher's　bill　first；　sir；　if　you　don't　mind；'　Baird　answered；　but　there　was　no　butcher's　bill；　for　none　of　the　Scots　or　Indian　troops　had　died。　The　Tippoo's　men　had　abandoned　the　tope　once　the　artillery　shells　began　to　fall　among　the　trees　and　they　left　behind　only　the　plundered　British　dead　of　the　previous　night。　Lieutenant　Fitzgerald　was　among　them；　and　he　was　buried　with　honours。　Killed　by　an　enemy　bayonet；　the　report　said。
　And　now；　with　the　approach　ground　west　of　the　city　in　Harris's　hands；　the　siege　proper　could　begin。
　
　It　did　not　prove　difficult　to　find　Mary。　Shaipe　merely　asked　Gudin　and；　after　the　night's　events　in　the　tope；　the　Colonel　was　eager　to　give　Sharpe　whatever　he　wanted。　The　loss　of　the　tope　the　following　dawn　had　in　no　way　diminished　the　Frenchman's　delight　at　the　night…time　victory；　nor　the　optimism　inside　the　city；　for　no　one　had　seriously　expected　the　tope　to　resist　for　more　than　a　few　minutes　and　the　previous　night's　victory；　with　its　catch　of　prisoners　and　its　tales　of　British　defeat；　had　convinced　the　Tippoo's　forces　that　they　would　prove　more　than　a　match　for　the　enemy　armies。
　'Your　woman；　Sharpe？'　Gudin　teased。　'You　bee　a　corporal　and　all　you　want　is　your　woman　back？'
　'I　just　want　to　see　her；　sir。'
　'She's　in　Appah　Rao's　household。　I'll　have　a　word　with　the　General；　but　first　you're　to　go　to　the　palace　at　midday。'
　'Me；　sir？'　Sharpe　felt　an　instant　pang　of　alarm；　fearing　that　Hakeswill　had　betrayed　him。'To　get　an　award；　Sharpe；'　Gudin　reassured　him。　'But　don't　worry；　I'll　be　there　to　steal　most　of　your　glory。'
　'Yes；　sir。'　Sharpe　grinned。　He　liked　Gudin；　and　he　could　not　help　contrasting　the　kind　and　easy…going　Frenchman　with　his　own　Colonel　who　always　appeared　to　treat　mon　soldiers　as　if　they　were　a　nuisance　that　had　to　be　endured。　Of　course　Wellesley　was　sheltered　from　his　ranks　by　his　officers　and　sergeants；　while　Gudin　had　such　a　small　battalion　that　in　truth　he　was　more　like　a　captain　than　a　colonel。　Gudin　did　have　the　assistance　of　a　Swiss　adjutant　and　the　occasional　help　of　the　two　French　captains　when　they　were　not　drinking　in　the　city's　best　brothel；　but　the　battalion　had　no　lieutenants　or　ensigns；　and　only　three　sergeants；　which　meant　that　the　rank　and　file　had　an　unprecedented　access　to　their　Colonel。　Gudin　liked　it　that　way　for　he　had　litde　else　to　occupy　him。　Officially　he　was　France's　adviser　to　the　Tippoo；　but　the　Tippoo　rarely　sought　anyone's　advice。　Gudin　confessed　as　much　as　he　walked　with　Sharpe　to　the　palace　at　midday。　'Knows　it　all；　does　he；　sir？'　Sharpe　asked。
　'He's　a　good　soldier；　Sharpe。　Very　good。　What　he　really　wants　is　a　French　army；　not　a　French　adviser。'
　'What　does　he　want　a　French　army　for；　sir？'
　'To　beat　you　British　out　of　India。'
　'But　then　he'd　just　be　stuck　with　you　French　instead；'　Sharpe　pointed　out。
　'But　he　likes　the　French；　Sharpe。　You　find　that　strange？'
　'I　find　everything　in　India　strange；　sir。　Haven't　had　a　proper　meal　since　I　got　here。'
　Gudin　laughed。　'And　a　proper　meal　is　what？'
　'Bit　of　beef；　sir；　with　some　potatoes　and　a　gravy　thick　enough　to　choke　a　rat。'
　Gudin　shuddered。　'La　cuisine　anglaise！'
　'Sir？'
　'Never　mind；　Sharpe；　never　mind。'
　A　half…dozen　men　waited　to　be　presented　to　the　Tippoo；all　of　them　soldiers　who　had　somehow　distinguished　themselves　in　the　defence　of　the　tope　the　previous　night。　There　was　also　one　prisoner；　a　Hindu　soldier　who　had　been　seen　to　run　away　when　the　attackers　had　first　crossed　the　aqueduct。　All　of　them；　coward　and　heroes　alike；　waited　in　the　courtyard　where　Sharpe　and　Lawford　had　been　tested　by　the　Tippoo；　though　today　five　of　the　six　tigers　had　been　taken　away；　leaving　only　a　big　old　docile　male。　Gudin　crossed　to　the　beast　and　tickled　its　chin；　then　scratched　it　between　the　ears。　'This　one's　tame　as　a　cat；　Sharpe。'
　'I'll　let　you　stroke　it；　sir。　Wild　horses　wouldn't　get　me　near　a