csf.thecommodore-第29部分

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owns　who　must　be　the　Empress　and　Empress…Mother；　and　the　rest　in　plumes。　Braun　would　have　had　the　easiest　shot　heart　could　desire。　All　round　the　vast　room　the　Court　was　making　obeisance；　the　men　bowing　low　and　the　women　curtseying；　as　Hornblower　looked　they　rose　all　together；　plumes　and　uniforms　like　a　breaking　wave　of　flowers。　Hornblower　tore　his　eyes　from　the　spectacle；　sheathed　his　sword；　and　picked　up　the　pistol　from　the　floor；　stuffing　it　down　into　his　waistband。　Mound；　his　eternal　nonchalance　replaced　by　swift　catlike　movements；　had　his　long　arms　round　Braun；　who　was　leaning　against　him。　Hornblower　snatched　out　his　handkerchief　and　put　it　in　Mound's　hand；　but　there　was　not　time　to　do　more。　He　turned　away　and　hastened　back　along　the　gallery。　The　lesser　courtiers　up　here　had　straightened　up　from　their　bows　and　their　curtseys　and　were　beginning　to　look　around　them　again　and　resume　their　conversation。　It　was　lucky　that　at　the　moment　of　crisis　they　had　had　no　eyes　or　ears　for　anything　save　the　royal　party。　Hurst　and　Somers　were　about　to　start　talking　to　the　women　again　when　Hornblower　caught　their　eyes。
　〃Go　back　there　to　Mound；〃　he　said。　〃He　needs　your　help。〃　Then　he　walked　quickly　down　the　stairs　again；　found　the　door　into　the　audience　hall；　and　pushed　past　the　footman　on　guard　there。　A　glance　showed　him　the　position　of　the　group　he　had　left；　and　he　sidled　round　to　it　and　took　up　his　position　at　the　Countess's　side。　The　royal　party　was　making　the　circle　of　the　room；　making　the　usual　conventional　remarks　to　distinguished　individuals；　and　it　was　only　a　matter　of　a　few　minutes　before　they　reached　Hornblower。　The　Grand　Marshal　presented　him；　and　Hornblower；　his　head　swimming　with　his　recent　excitement　so　that　he　felt　as　if　he　was　in　a　nightmare；　bowed　to　each　crowned　head　in　turn　and　to　Bernadotte。
　〃It　is　a　pleasure　to　meet　modore　Hornblower；〃　said　Alexander　pleasantly。　〃We　have　all　of　us　heard　of　his　exploits。〃
　〃Your　Majesty　is　too　kind；〃　gulped　Hornblower。
　Then　the　royal　group　passed　on；　and　Hornblower　turned　to　meet　the　Countess's　glance　again。　The　fact　that　the　Tsar　had　addressed　a　few　words　to　him　personally　evidently　confirmed　her　suspicions　that　he　was　a　man　of　potential　influence；　and　there　was　a　considering　look　in　her　eyes。
　〃Will　you　be　making　a　long　stay　in　Russia？〃　she　asked。
　It　was　very　hard；　during　this　period　of　intense　reaction；　to　keep　his　mind　on　anything。　All　he　wanted　to　do　was　to　sit　down　and　rest　quietly。　He　flogged　his　mind　into　making　a　polite　rejoinder；　and　when　the　men　of　the　party　began　to　ply　him　with　questions　about　the　British　Navy　and　about　maritime　affairs　in　general　he　tried　to　answer　sensibly；　but　it　was　a　forlorn　hope。
　Footmen　were　rolling　in　long　buffet　tables；　glittering　with　gold　and　silver；　Hornblower　forced　himself　to　watch　keenly；　so　as　to　mit　no　breach　of　etiquette。　To　one　side　the　royal　party　had　taken　their　seats。　Empresses　and　Tsar　in　armchairs　and　the　princes　and　princesses　in　upright　chairs；　and　everyone　had　to　be　careful　always　to　face　in　that　direction　so　as　not　to　mit　the　heinous　crime　of　letting　royalty　see　a　human　back。　People　were　beginning　to　take　food　from　the　buffets；　and；　try　as　he　would；　Hornblower　could　see　no　sign　at　all　of　any　attention　to　precedence。　But　there　was　the　Persian　Ambassador　munching　something　from　a　gold　plate；　so　that　he　was　justified　in　making　a　move　in　the　same　direction。　Yet　all　the　same　this　was　the　most　curious　dinner　he　had　ever　attended；　with　everyone　standing　up　except　royalty：　and　royalty；　he　could　see；　were　eating　nothing　at　all。
　〃May　I　offer　you　my　arm；　Countess？〃　he　said；　as　the　group　began　to　drift　towards　a　buffet。
　The　courtiers　by　dint　of　long　practice　had　seemingly　mastered　the　art　of　eating　while　standing　up　and　while　holding　their　hats　under　their　arms；　but　it　was　not　easy。　His　dangling　sword　was　liable　to　trip　him；　too；　and　that　infernal　pistol　in　his　waistband　was　digging　unfortably　into　his　side。　The　footmen　serving　at　the　buffets　understood　no　French；　and　the　Countess　came　to　Hornblower's　rescue　with　an　order。
　〃That　is　caviare；〃　she　explained　to　him；　〃and　this　is　vodka；　the　drink　of　the　people；　but　I　think　you　will　find　that　the　two　are　admirably　suited　to　each　other。〃
　The　Countess　was　right。　The　grey；　unappetizing…looking　stuff　was　perfectly　delicious。　Hornblower　sipped　cautiously　at　the　vodka；　and　in　his　present　highly…strung　condition　hardly　noticed　the　fierce　bite　of　the　liquor；　but　there　was　no　doubt　that　vodka　and　caviare　blended　together　exquisitely。　He　felt　the　warm　glow　of　the　alcohol　inside　him；　and　realized　that　he　was　desperately　hungry。　The　buffet　was　covered　with　foods　of　all　kinds；　some　being　kept　warm　in　chafing　dishes；　some　cold；　under　the　tutelage　of　the　Countess；　Hornblower　went　a　fair　way　towards　tackling　them　all。　There　was　a　dish　apparently　of　stewed　mushrooms　that　was　excellent；　slices　of　smoked　fish；　an　unidentifiable　salad；　some　varieties　of　cheese；　eggs　both　hot　and　cold；　a　sort　of　ragout　of　pork。　There　were　other　liquors　as　well；　and　Hornblower　ate　and　drank　with　his　spirits　rising　momentarily；　playing　his　part　in　the　conversation　and　feeling　more　and　more　warmly　grateful　to　the　Countess。　It　might　be　a　queer　way　to　have　dinner；　but　Hornblower　thought　he　had　never　tasted　such　delicious　food。　His　head　began　to　whirl　with　the　liquor；　he　knew　that　danger　signal　of　old；　although　this　time　he　did　not　resent　it　quite　so　bitterly　as　usual；　and　he　checked　himself　in　the　midst　of　a　laugh　in　time　not　to　be　too　unrestrained。　Laughter；　chatter；　and　bright　lights；　this　was　one　of　the　jolliest　parties　he　had　ever　attended　…　he　felt　as　if　it　had　been　someone　else　who　had　slashed　Braun's　wrist　open　with　a　sword　an　hour　ago。　Hornblower　replaced　his　lovely　porcelain　plate　on　the　buffet；　among　the　gold　dishes；　and　wiped　his　mouth　with　one　of　the　silken　napkins　that　lay　there。　He　was　fortably　replete；　with　the　gratifying　sensation　of　having　eaten　just　too　much　and　having　drunk　just　enough；　he　supposed　coffee　would　be　served　soon；　and　a　cup　of　coffee　was　all　he　needed　to　plete　his　internal　gratification。
　〃I　have　dined　extremely　well；〃　he　said　to　the　Countess。
　The　most　remarkable　expression　passed　over　the　Countess's　face。　Her　eyebrows　rose；　and　she　opened　her　mouth　to　say　something　and　then　shut　it　again。　She　was　smiling　and　puzzled　and　distressed　all　at　the　same　time。　She　again　started　to　speak；　but　her　words　were　cut　short　by　the　ceremonial　opening　of　yet　another　pair　of　doors　from　which　twenty　or　thirty　footmen　emerged　to　form　an　avenue　leading　into　the　next　room。　Hornblower　became　conscious　that　the　royal　party　had　risen　from　their　chairs　and　were　falling　into　formation；　and　the　plete　cessation　of　conversation　told　Hornblower　that　some　specially　solemn　moment　had　arrived。　Couples　were　moving　about　the　room　like　ships　jockeying　for　position。　The　Countess　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm　with　a　gentle　pressure　as　if　to　lead　him。　By　George；　a　procession　was　forming　behind　the　royal　party！　There　went　the　Persian　Ambassador；　a　smiling　girl　on　his　arm。　Hornblower　just　had　time　to　lead　his　own　partner　forward　to　join　the　procession　next；　and　after　two　or　three　more　couples　had　joined　behind　him　the　procession　began　to　move　forward；　its　tail　being　steadily　lengthened　as　it　went。　Hornblower　kept　his　eyes　on　the　Persian　Ambassador　before　him；　they　passed　down　the　avenue　of　footmen；　and　entered　the　next　room。
　The　procession　was　breaking　off　to　left　and　to　right　in　alternate　couples　as　though　in　a　country　dance；　the　Persian　Ambassador　went　to　the　left；　and　Hornblower　was　ready　to　go　to　the　right　without　the　prompting　of　the　gesture　of　the　Grand　Marshal；　who　was　standing　there　ready　to　direct　anyone　in　doubt。　It　was　another　enormous　room；　lit　by　what　seemed　to　be　hundreds　of　cut…glass　chandeliers　dangling　from　the　roof；　and　all　down　the　length　of　it　ran　a　vast　table　…　miles　long；　it　seemed；　to　Hornblower's　disordered　imagination　…　covered　with　gold　plate　and　crystal　and　embanked　with　flowers。　The　table　was　shaped　like　a　T　with　a　very　small　crosspiece；　and　the　royal　party　had　already　taken　their　seats　at　the　head；　behind　every　chair　all　the　way　down　stood　a　white…wigged　footman。　It　dawned　upon　Hornblower　that　dinner　was　about　to　begin；　the　food　and　drink　which　had　been　served　in　the　domed　hall　had　been　something　extra　and　introductory。　Hornblower　was　ready　to　laugh　at　himself　for　his　idiotic　lack　of　prehension　at　the　same　time　as　he　was　ready　to　groan　with　despair　at　the　thought　of　having　to　eat　his　way　through　an　Imperial　dinner　in　his　present　distended　condition。
　Save　for　royalty；　the　men　were　standing　at　their　chairs　while　the　ladies　sat；　across　the　table　the　Persian　Ambassador　was　bending　affably　over　the　young　woman　he　had　brought　in；　and　the　aigrette　in　his　turban　nodded　and　his　diamonds　flashed。　The　last　woman　took　her　seat；　and　then　the　men　sat　down　together　…　not　quite　as　simultaneously　as　marines　presenting　arms；　but　almost　so。　A　babble　of　conversation　began　immediately；　and　almost　immediately　a　golden　soup　plate　was　put　under　Hornblower's　nose　and　a　golden　soup　tureen　full　of　pink　soup　was　offered　to　him　for　him　to　help　himself　from。　He　could　not　help　glancing　down　the　table；　everyone　had　been　given　so