csf.thecommodore-第20部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　chancey；　literally　hit…or…miss。　Mortar…fire　from　a　bomb…vessel　was　the　uttermost　refinement　of　naval　gunnery；　brought　to　a　high　degree　of　perfection；　although　it　was　only　a　bastard　offshoot。　The　high　trajectory　and　the　low　muzzle　velocity　of　the　projectile；　and　the　avoidance　of　the　disturbing　factor　of　irregularities　in　the　bore　of　the　gun；　made　it　possible　to　drop　the　shell　with　amazing　accuracy。
　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；　sir；〃　said　Mound；　〃I'll　go　forrard。　I　like　to　cut　my　fuses　myself。〃
　〃I'll　e　with　you；〃　said　Hornblower。
　The　two　mortars　were　like　big　cauldrons　in　the　eyes　of　the　bomb…ketch。
　〃Eleven　hundred　yards；〃　said　Mound。　〃We'll　try　a　pound　and　three…quarters　of　powder；　Mr　Jones。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　The　powder　was　made　up　in　cartridges　of　a　pound；　half　a　pound；　and　a　quarter　of　a　pound。　The　midshipman　tore　open　one　of　each　size；　and　poured　the　contents　into　the　starboard…side　mortar；　and　pressed　it　home　with　an　enormous　wad　of　felt；　Mound　had　a　measuring　rule　in　his　hand；　and　was　looking　up　at　the　sky　in　a　calculating　way。　Then　he　bent　over　one　of　the　big　shells；　and　with　a　pair　of　scissors　he　cut　the　fuse　with　profound　care。
　〃One　and　eleven　sixteenths；　sir；〃　he　said；　apologetically。　〃Don't　know　why　I　decided　on　that。　The　fuse　burns　at　different　speeds　according　to　the　weather；　and　that　seems　right　for　now。　Of　course　we　don't　want　the　shell　to　burst　in　the　air；　but　if　you　have　too　long　a　fuse　some　Frog　may　get　to　it　and　put　it　out　before　it　bursts。〃

　〃Naturally；〃　said　Hornblower。
　The　big　shell　was　lifted　up　and　placed　in　the　muzzle　of　the　mortar；　a　few　inches　down；　the　bore　narrowed　abruptly；　leaving　a　distinct　step　inside；　on　which　the　bold　belt　round　the　shell　rested　with　reassuring　solidity。　The　curve　of　the　thirteen…inch　shell；　with　the　fuse　protruding；　was　just　level　with　the　rim　of　the　muzzle。
　〃Hoist　the　red　swallowtail；〃　called　Mound；　raising　his　voice　to　reach　the　ears　of　the　master's　mate　aft。
　Hornblower　turned　and　looked　through　his　glass　at　Clam；　anchored　in　the　shallows　a　couple　of　miles　away。　It　was　under　his　personal　supervision　that　this　code　of　signals　had　been　arranged；　and　he　felt　a　keen　anxiety　that　it　should　function　correctly。　Signals　might　easily　be　misunderstood。　A　red　swallowtail　mounted　to　the　Clam's　peak。
　〃Signal　acknowledged；　sir；〃　called　the　master's　mate。
　Mound　took　hold　of　the　smouldering　linstock；　and　applied　it　to　the　fuse　of　the　shell。　After　a　moment　the　fuse　took　fire；　spluttering　feebly。
　〃One；　two；　three；　four；　five；〃　counted　Mound；　slowly；　while　the　fuse　still　spluttered。　Apparently　he　left　himself　a　five…second　margin　in　case　the　fuse　burnt　unsatisfactorily　and　had　to　be　relit。
　Then　he　pressed　the　linstock　into　the　touch…hole　of　the　mortar；　and　it　went　off　with　a　roar。　Standing　immediately　behind　the　mortar；　Hornblower　could　see　the　shell　rise；　its　course　marked　by　the　spark　of　the　burning　fuse。　Up　and　up　it　went；　higher　and　higher；　and　then　it　disappeared　as　it　began　its　downward　flight　at　right　angles　now　to　the　line　of　sight。　They　waited；　and　they　waited；　and　nothing　more　happened。
　〃Miss；〃　said　Mound。　〃Haul　down　the　red　swallowtail。〃
　〃White　pendant　from　Clam；　sir；〃　called　the　master's　mate。
　〃That　means　'range　too　great'；〃　said　Mound。　〃A　pound　and　a　half　of　powder　this　time；　please；　Mr　Jones。〃
　Moth　had　two　red　swallowtails　hoisted；　and　two　were　hoisted　in　reply　by　Clam。　Hornblower　had　foreseen　the　possibility　of　confusion；　and　had　settled　that　signals　to　do　with　Moth　should　always　be　doubled。　Then　there　would　be　no　chance　of　Harvey　making　corrections　for　Moth's　mistakes；　or　vice　versa。　Moth's　mortar　roared　out；　its　report　echoing　over　the　water。　From　the　Harvey　they　could　see　nothing　of　the　flight　of　the　shell。
　〃Double　yellow　flag　from　Clam；　sir。〃
　〃That　means　Moth's　shell　dropped　short；〃　said　Mound。　〃Hoist　our　red　swallowtail。〃
　Again　he　fired　the　mortar；　again　the　spark　of　the　fuse　soared　towards　the　sky　and　disappeared；　and　again　nothing　more　happened。
　〃White　pendant　from　Clam；　sir。〃
　〃Too　long　again？〃　said　Mound；　a　little　puzzled。　〃I　hope　they're　not　cross…eyed　over　there。〃
　Moth　fired　again；　and　was　rewarded　by　a　double　white　pendant　from　Clam。　This　shell　had　passed　over；　when　her　preceding　one　had　fallen　short。　It　should　be　easy　for　Moth　to　find　the　target　now。　Mound　was　checking　the　bearing　of　the　target。
　〃Still　pointing　straight　at　her；〃　he　grumbled。　〃Mr　Jones；　take　one　half　a　quarter…pound　from　that　pound　and　a　half。〃
　Hornblower　was　trying　to　imagine　what　the　captain　of　the　Blanchefleur　was　doing　at　that　moment　on　his　own　side　of　the　sandspit。　Probably　until　the　very　moment　when　the　bomb…ketches　opened　fire　he　had　felt　secure；　imagining　that　nothing　except　a　direct　assault　on　the　battery　could　imperil　him。　But　now　shells　must　be　dropping　quite　close　to　him；　and　he　was　unable　to　reply　or　defend　himself　in　any　active　way。　It　would　be　hard　for　him　to　get　under　way；　he　had　anchored　his　ship　at　the　far　end　of　the　long　narrow　lagoon。　The　exit　near　him　was　shoal　water　too　shallow　even　for　a　skiff　…　as　the　breakers　showed　…　and　with　the　wind　as　it　was　at　present　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　try　to　beat　up　the　channel　again　closer　to　the　battery。　He　must　be　regretting　having　dropped　so　far　to　leeward　before　anchoring：　presumably　he　had　done　so　to　secure　himself　the　better　from　the　claws　of　a　cutting…out　attack。　With　boats　or　by　kedging　he　might　be　able　to　haul　his　ship　slowly　up　to　the　battery；　near　enough　for　its　guns　to　be　able　to　keep　the　bomb…ketches　out　of　mortar…range。
　〃Red　swallowtail　at　the　dip；　sir！〃　reported　the　master's　mate　excitedly。
　That　meant　that　the　shell　had　fallen　short　but　close。
　〃Put　in　two　pinches　more；　Mr　Jones；〃　said　Mound。
　Moth's　mortar　roared　out　again；　but　this　time　they　saw　the　shell　burst；　apparently　directly　above　the　Blanchefleur's　mastheads。　They　saw　the　big　ball　of　smoke；　and　the　sound　of　the　explosion　came　faintly　back　to　them　on　the　wind。　Mound　shook　his　head　gravely；　either　Duncan　over　there　had　not　cut　his　fuse　correctly　or　it　had　burnt　away　more　rapidly　than　usual。　Two　blue　flags　at　Clam's　peak　indicated　that　the　fall　of　Moth's　shot　had　been　unobserved　…　the　signalling　system　was　still　functioning　correctly。　Then　Mound　bent　his　gangling　body　over　and　applied　the　linstock　to　fuse　and　touch…hole。　The　mortar　roared；　some　freak　of　ballistics　sent　a　fragment　of　blazing　wad　close　over　Hornblower's　head；　making　him　duck　while　the　smoke　billowed　round　him；　but　as　he　looked　up　again　he　just　caught　sight　of　the　spark　of　the　fuse　high　up　against　the　sky；　poised　at　the　top　of　its　trajectory；　before　it　disappeared　from　sight　in　its　swift　downward　swoop。　Hornblower；　Mound；　Jones；　the　whole　mortar's　crew　stood　waiting　tensely　for　the　shell　to　end　its　flight。　Then　over　the　rim　of　the　sand…dune　they　saw　a　hint　of　white　smoke；　and　the　sound　of　the　bursting　shell　came　back　to　them　directly　afterwards。
　〃I　think　we've　hit　her；　sir；〃　said　Mound；　with　elaborate　carelessness。
　〃Black　ball　at　Clam's　masthead；　sir！〃　shouted　the　master's　mate。
　That　meant　a　hit。　A　thirteen…inch　shell；　soaring　that　immense　distance　into　the　air；　had　e　plunging　down　onto　Blanchefleur's　decks　and　had　exploded。　Hornblower　could　not　imagine　what　destruction　it　might　cause。
　〃Both　mortars　together；　now；〃　snapped　Mound；　throwing　aside　all　lackadaisical　pose。　〃Jump　to　it；　you　men。〃
　Two　white　pendants　at　the　dip　from　Clam　meant　that　Moth's　next　shot　had　fallen　close　but　too　far。　Then　both　of　Harvey's　mortars　roared　…　the　little　ketch　dipped　and　plunged　as　the　violence　of　the　recoil　forced　her　bows　down。　Up　went　the　black　ball　to　Clam's　masthead。
　〃Another　hit！〃　exulted　Mound。
　Blanchefleur's　topmasts；　seen　over　the　dunes；　suddenly　began　to　separate。　She　was　turning　round　…　her　desperate　crew　was　trying　to　tow　her　or　kedge　her　back　up　the　channel。
　〃Please　God　we　wreck　her　before　she　gets　away！〃　said　Mound。　〃Why　in　hell　doesn't　Moth　fire？〃
　Hornblower　watched　him　closely；　the　temptation　to　fire　his　mortars　the　moment　they　were　loaded；　without　waiting　for　Moth　to　take　her　turn；　was　powerful　indeed；　but　to　yield　to　it　meant　confusion　for　the　observer　over　in　Clam　and　eventual　losing　of　all　control。　Moth　fired；　and　two　black　balls　at　Clam's　masthead　showed　that　she；　too；　had　scored　a　hit。　But　Blanchefleur　had　turned　now；　Hornblower　could　see　the　tiniest；　smallest　movement　of　her　topmast　against　the　upper　edge　of　the　dunes；　only　a　yard　or　two　at　most。　Mound　fired　his　two　mortars；　and　even　while　the　shells　were　in　the　air　his　men　leaped　to　the　capstan　and　flung　themselves　on　the　bars。　Clank　…　clank！　Twice　the　pawl　slipped　over　the　ratchet　as　they　hauled　in　on　the　spring　and　swung　the　ketch　round　to　keep　her　mortars　trained　on　the　target。　At　that　instant　Blanchefleur's　fore…topmast　fell　from　view。　Only　main　and　mizzen　were　in　sight　now。
　〃Another　hit；　by　God！〃　shouted　Hornblower；　the　words　forced　from　him　like　a　cork　from　a　popgun。　He　was　as　excited　as　a　schoolboy；　he　found　he　was　jumping　up　and　down　on　the　deck。　The　foremast　gone；　he　tried　to　picture　the　frightful　destruction　those　shells　must　be　causing；　crashing　down　on　the　frail　wooden　decks。　And　there　was　smoke　visible　over　the　crest　of　the　dunes　too；　mor