csf.thecommodore-第40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！


　〃The　wind's　fair　for　the　bomb…ketches；　sir；〃　said　Bush。　〃They　ought　to　have　picked　Vickery　up　by　now　and　be　on　their　way　towards　us。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Bush　turned　a　searching　eye　aloft　to　make　sure　that　the　lookouts　were　at　their　posts　and　awake。　It　was　twelve　miles　down　the　Nehrung；　the　long　spit　of　sand　that　divided　the　Haff　from　the　Baltic；　that　Mound　with　the　bomb…ketches　was　going　to　pick　up　Vickery　and　his　men。　Vickery　was　going　to　land　in　the　darkness　on　the　Nehrung；　abandon　his　boats；　cross　the　sandspit；　and　rendezvous　with　Mound　an　hour　before　dawn。　With　their　shallow　draught　the　ketches　would　be　safe　among　the　shoals；　so　that　they　could　send　in　their　boats　and　bring　Vickery　off。　Vickery's　four　ships'　boats　would　all　be　lost；　but　that　was　a　small　price　to　pay　for　the　destruction　he　must　have　caused；　and　Hornblower　hoped　that；　what　with　the　distraction　of　his　own　demonstrations　off　Pillau；　and　what　with　the　fact　that　the　possibility　of　Vickery　abandoning　his　boats　might　easily　never　occur　to　the　enemy's　mind；　Vickery　would　find　no　opposition　on　the　Nehrung。　Even　if　there　were；　the　Nehrung　was　fifteen　miles　long　and　Vickery　with　a　hundred　and　fifty　determined　men　could　be　relied　upon　to　break　through　any　thin　cordon　of　sentries　or　customs　officials。
　Yet　if　all　had　gone　well　the　bomb…ketches　ought　to　be　in　sight　very　soon。　The　next　few　minutes　would　be　decisive。
　〃We　couldn't　have　heard　gunfire　in　the　bay　yesterday；　sir；〃　said　Bush；　〃the　wind　being　where　it　was。　They　may　have　met　with　any　sort　of　armed　vessel　in　the　bay。〃
　〃So　they　may；〃　said　Hornblower。
　〃Sail　ho！〃　yelled　the　masthead　lookout。　〃Two　sail　on　the　port　beam！　It's　the　bomb…ketches；　sir。〃
　They　might　possibly　be　ing　back；　having　been　unable　to　pick　up　Vickery；　but　it　was　unlikely　that　in　that　case　they　would　have　returned　so　promptly。　Bush　was　grinning　broadly；　with　all　his　doubts　at　an　end。
　〃I　think；　Captain；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃you　might　put　the　helm　down　and　go　to　meet　them。〃
　It　would　not　be　consonant　with　the　dignity　of　a　modore　to　hang　out　a　signal　of　inquiry　as　the　vessels　closed　to　visual　range；　for　it　to　be　read　the　moment　a　telescope　in　the　Harvey　could　distinguish　the　flags。　But　Nonsuch　was　making　a　good　five　knots；　with　the　water　lapping　cheerfully　under　her　bows；　and　Harvey　was　doing　the　same；　so　that　it　was　only　a　matter　of　waiting　a　few　more　minutes。
　〃Harvey's　signalling；　sir；〃　reported　the　midshipman。　He　read　the　flags　and　hurriedly　referred　to　the　code　book；　〃'seamen　on　board'；　sir。〃
　〃Very　good。　Make　'modore　to　Captain。　e　on　board　with　Mr　Vickery　to　make　your　report'。〃
　There　was　not　much　longer　to　wait。　As　the　two　vessels　came　within　hail　they　rounded…to；　and　Harvey's　gig　dropped　into　the　water　and　came　bobbing　across　to　Nonsuch。　It　was　a　weary　Vickery　who　came　up　the　side　with　Mound　beside　him；　his　face　was　grey；　and　below　his　eyes　were　marks　like　new　scars　as　proof　that　he　had　not　slept　for　three　successive　nights。　He　sat　down　gratefully　when　Hornblower　gave　him　permission　to　do　so　as　soon　as　they　were　in　his　cabin。
　〃Well？〃　said　Hornblower。　〃I'll　hear　you　first；　Vickery。〃
　〃It　went　off　very　well；　sir。〃　Vickery　dragged　a　scrap　of　paper　out　of　his　pocket　on　which　apparently　he　had　kept　notes。　〃There　was　no　trouble　going　past　the　boom　on　the　night　of　the　15th。　We　saw　nothing　of　the　enemy。　At　dawn　on　the　16th　we　were　off　the　mouth　of　the　K？nigsberg　river。　There　we　took　and　destroyed　the　…　the　Fried　Rich；　coaster；　of　Elbing；　about　two　hundred　tons；　seven　of　a　crew；　with　a　cargo　of　rye　and　live　pigs。　We　burned　her；　and　sent　the　crew　ashore　in　their　own　boat。　Then　we　caught　the　…　the　…　Blitzer；　also　of　Elbing；　about　one　hundred　tons；　laden　with　grain。　We　burned　her；　too。　Then　the　Charlotte；　of　Danzig。　She　was　ship…rigged；　four　hundred　tons；　twenty…five　crew；　laden　with　general　cargo　of　military　stores　…　tents；　stretchers；　horseshoes；　ten　thousand　stand　of　small　arms；　we　burned　her。　Then　the　Ritter　Horse；　powder　barge；　about　seventy　tons。　We　blew　her　up。〃
　〃We　saw　that；　I　think；〃　said　Hornblower。　〃That　was　Nonsuch's　cutter。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　That　was　all　at　this　end　of　the　bay。　Then　we　bore　down　to　the　westward。　We　caught　the　Weece　Ross　of　Kolberg；　two　hundred　tons。　She　carried　four　six…pounders　and　showed　fight；　but　Montgomery　boarded　her　over　the　bows　and　they　threw　down　their　arms。　We　had　two　men　wounded。　We　burned　her。　Then　there　was　…〃
　〃How　many　altogether？〃
　〃One　ship；　sir。　Eleven　sail　of　coasting　vessels。　Twenty…four　barges。　All　destroyed。〃
　〃Excellent；〃　said　Hornblower。　〃And　then？〃
　〃By　then　it　was　nigh　on　dark；　sir。　I　anchored　on　the　north　side　of　the　bay　until　midnight。　Then　I　ran　over　to　the　sandspit。　We　found　two　soldiers　there；　and　made　'em　prisoners。　'Twas　easy　enough　crossing　the　spit；　sir。　We　burned　a　blue　light　and　made　contact　with　the　Harvey。　They　started　taking　us　aboard　at　two　a。m。；　and　I　was　aboard　at　three；　by　the　first　light。　I　went　back　and　burned　the　boats　before　I　embarked；　sir。〃
　〃Better　still。〃
　The　enemy；　then；　had　not　even　the　sorry　pensation　of　the　capture　of　four　ships'　boats　in　exchange　for　the　frightful　destruction　Vickery　had　wrought。　He　turned　to　Mound。
　〃I　have　nothing　particular　to　report；　sir。　Those　waters　are　shoal；　without　a　doubt；　sir。　But　I　had　no　difficulty　making　my　way　to　the　rendezvous。　After　taking　Mr　Vickery's　party　on　board　we　touched　bottom；　sir。　We　had　nearly　a　hundred　extra　hands　on　board　an'　must　have　been　drawing　nigh　on　a　foot　more　water。　But　we　got　off　all　right。　I　had　the　men　run　from　side　to　side　to　rock　the　vessel；　an'　I　threw　all　aback　an'　she　came　off。〃
　〃I　understand。〃
　Hornblower　looked　at　Mound's　expressionless　face　and　smiled　inwardly　at　his　studied　languid　manner。　Picking　the　way　in　the　dark　through　the　shoals　to　the　rendezvous　must　have　been　something　of　an　epic　achievement。　Hornblower　could　estimate　the　seamanship　it　called　for；　but　it　was　not　in　the　tradition　to　lay　stress　on　difficulties　surmounted。　And　a　less　reliable　officer　might　have　tried　to　suppress　the　fact　that　his　ship　had　touched　ground　once。　It　was　to　Mound's　credit　that　he　had　not　done　so。
　〃I　shall　call　the　attention　of　the　Admiralty；〃　said　Hornblower；　trying　his　best　to　bat　the　pomposity　which　persisted　in　making　itself　heard　in　his　voice；　〃to　the　conduct　of　both　of　you　officers。　I　consider　it　excellent。　I　shall；　of　course；　require　reports　from　you　immediately　in　writing。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　Now　that　he　was　a　modore　Hornblower　felt　more　sympathy　towards　senior　officers　who　had　been　pompous　to　him；　he　was　pompous　himself　…　it　was　one　way　in　which　could　be　concealed　the　fact　that　he　had　been　anxious。
　
　CHAPTER　SIXTEEN
　
　Hornblower　was　dining　by　himself。　He　had　Gibbon　securely　wedged　against　the　cheese…crock　on　the　table　before　him；　and　his　legs　stretched　out　at　ease　under　it。　To…day　he　was　indulging　himself　extraordinarily　with　a　half…bottle　of　wine；　and　the　sea　pie　from　which　he　was　about　to　help　himself　smelt　most　appetizing。　It　was　one　of　those　days　when　there　was　nothing　wrong　with　the　world　at　all；　when　he　could　allow　himself　to　sway　with　the　rhythm　of　the　ship　without　any　further　thought；　when　food　tasted　good　and　wine　delicious。　He　dug　a　spoon　into　the　sea　pie　just　at　the　moment　when　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door　and　a　midshipman　entered。
　〃Clam　in　sight　to　wind'ard；　sir；〃　he　said。
　〃Very　good。〃
　Hornblower　proceeded　to　transfer　the　sea　pie　from　the　dish　to　his　plate；　and　as　he　spread　out　his　helping　to　allow　it　to　cool　his　mind　began　to　rouse　itself。　Clam　would　be　bringing　news；　she　had　been　left　at　St　Petersburg　for　the　very　purpose　of　waiting　for　news。　Maybe　Russia　was　at　war　with　Bonaparte　now。　Or　maybe　Alexander　had　made　the　abject　surrender　which　would　be　the　only　thing　that　could　save　him　from　war。　Or　maybe　Alexander　was　dead；　murdered　by　his　officers　as　his　father　had　been。　It　would　be　by　no　means　the　first　time　that　a　change　in　Russian　policy　had　been　ushered　in　by　a　palace　revolution。　Maybe　…　maybe　anything；　but　the　sea　pie　was　growing　cold。　He　applied　himself　to　it；　just　as　the　midshipman　knocked　at　the　door　again。
　〃Clam　signals　'Have　despatches　for　modore'；　sir。〃
　〃How　far　off　is　she？〃
　〃Hull…up　to　wind'ard；　sir。　We're　running　down　to　her。〃
　〃Make　'modore　to　Clam。　Send　despatches　on　board　as　soon　as　practicable'。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　There　was　nothing　surprising　about　Clam's　message；　the　surprise　would　have　been　if　she　carried　no　despatches。　Hornblower　found　himself　shovelling　sea　pie　into　his　mouth　as　if　the　faster　he　ate　it　the　faster　the　despatches　would　e。　He　checked　himself　and　took　sips　of　his　wine；　but　neither　wine　nor　food　had　any　attraction　for　him。　Brown　came　in　and　served　him　with　cheese；　and　he　munched　and　told　himself　he　had　dined　well。　Cocking　his　ear　to　the　noises　on　the　deck　overhead　he　could　guess　there　was　a　boat　ing　alongside；　and　directly　afterwards　one　more　knock　on　the　door　heralded　the　arrival　of　Lord　Wychwood。　Hornblower　rose　for　him；　offered　him　a　chair；　offered　him　dinner；　took　over　the　bulky　canvas…wrapped　despatch　which　Wychwood　handed　him；　and　signed　a　receipt　for　it。　He　sat　with　it　on　his　knee　for　a　moment。
　〃Well；〃　said　Wychwood；　〃it's　war。〃
　Hornblower　could　not　allow　himself　to　ask；　〃War　with　who