csf.thecommodore-第46部分

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d　attempted　at　moonrise　to　storm　the　village　without　preparation；　and　had　been　bloodily　repulsed。　Prisoners　had　been　taken；　some　had　captured　an　outlying　cottage　and　had　been　cut　off　in　the　counter…attack；　and　there　were　other　isolated　prisoners　from　various　units　who　had　fallen　into　Russian　hands　at　other　points　of　the　perimeter　of　the　village。
　〃They　have　already　been　questioned；　sir；〃　said　Diebitch。　Hornblower　had　the　feeling　that　it　would　be　an　unpleasant　experience　to　be　a　prisoner　submitted　to　questioning　at　the　hands　of　General　Diebitch。
　〃Their　statements　were　useful；　sir；〃　added　Clausewitz；　producing　a　sheet　of　notes。　Each　prisoner　had　been　asked　what　was　his　battalion；　how　many　men　there　were　in　it；　how　many　battalions　in　his　regiment；　what　was　his　brigade　and　division　and　army　corps。　Clausewitz　was　in　a　fair　way　by　now　to　reconstituting　the　whole　organization　of　the　French　part　of　the　attacking　army　and　to　estimate　its　numbers　fairly　accurately。
　〃We　know　already　the　strength　of　the　Prussian　corps；〃　said　Essen；　and　there　was　a　moment's　awkwardness　while　everyone　avoided　meeting　Clausewitz's　eye；　for　he　had　brought　in　that　information。
　〃It　is　only　half　an　hour　before　dawn；　sir；〃　interposed　Diebitch　with　more　tact　than　could　have　been　expected　of　a　man　of　his　countenance。　〃Would　you　care　to　climb　to　the　dome　and　see　for　yourself？〃
　The　sky　was　brighter　still　by　the　time　they　had　climbed　the　narrow　stone　stair　in　the　thickness　of　the　wall　of　the　church　and　emerged　into　the　open　gallery　that　encircled　it。　The　whole　of　the　flat　marshy　countryside　was　revealed　for　their　inspection；　the　ditches　and　the　lakes；　and　the　little　Mitau　river　winding　its　way　down　from　the　far　distance；　through　the　village　almost　under　the　side　of　the　church；　to　lose　itself　at　the　very　angle　where　the　vast　Dwina　entered　the　bay。　The　line　of　breastworks　and　abattis　thrown　up　by　the　garrison　to　defend　the　left　bank　of　the　Dwina　was　plainly　traced；　and　beyond　them　could　be　seen　the　scanty　works　which　were　all　that　the　invaders　had　bothered　to　construct　up　to　the　moment。　The　smoke　of　a　thousand　cooking…fires　drifted　over　the　country。
　〃In　my　opinion；　sir；〃　said　Clausewitz　deferentially；　〃if　the　enemy　should　decide　to　proceed　by　regular　siege　that　is　where　he　will　begin。　He　will　trace　his　first　parallel　there；　between　the　river　and　that　pinewood　and　sap　forward　against　the　village；　establishing　his　batteries　on　that　neck　of　land　there。　After　three　weeks'　work　he　could　expect　to　bring　his　batteries　forward　on　to　the　glacis　and　deliver　a　regular　assault。　He　must　effect　the　reduction　of　this　village　before　proceeding　to　the　attack　on　the　town。〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　said　Essen。
　Hornblower　could　not　imagine　a　Napoleonic　army　60；000　men　in　full　march　for　St　Petersburg　condescending　to　spend　three　weeks　in　siege　operations　against　an　outwork　without　trying　first　every　extemporary　method；　like　the　brusque　assault　of　last　night。　He　borrowed　a　telescope　from　one　of　the　staff；　and　devoted　his　time　to　examining　the　maze　of　waterways　and　marshes　that　stretched　before　him；　and　then；　walking　round　the　dome　along　the　gallery；　he　turned　his　attention　the　view　of　Riga；　with　its　spires；　beyond　the　huge　river。　Far　off；　well　down　the　channel；　he　could　just　see　the　masts　of　his　own　squadron；　where　it　swung　at　anchor　at　the　point　where　the　river　blended　with　the　Gulf。　Tiny　specks　of　ships；　minute　in　their　present　surroundings　and　yet　of　such　vast　importance　in　the　history　of　the　world。
　
　CHAPTER　NINETEEN
　
　Hornblower　was　asleep　in　his　cabin　in　the　Nonsuch　when　the　alarm　was　given。　Even　while　he　was　asleep　…　or　perhaps　it　may　be　granted　that　he　woke　occasionally　without　knowing　it　…　his　subconscious　mind　had　been　taking　note　of　conditions。　At　least；　when　he　woke　fully；　he　was　already　vaguely　aware　of　the　changes　that　had　occurred　during　the　night。　His　sleeping；　or　half…awakened；　mind　had　noted　the　veering　of　the　wind　that　had　swung　Nonsuch　round　to　her　anchor；　and　the　brief　sharp　rain　squalls　that　had　pelted　down　on　the　deck。　Certainly　he　had　awakened　to　the　sharp　cry　of　the　watch　on　deck；　and　had　heard　the　footsteps　overhead　of　the　midshipman　of　the　watch　running　to　him　with　the　news。　He　was　fully　awake　by　the　time　the　midshipman　pounded　on　the　door　and　burst　in。
　〃Rocket　from　Raven；　sir。〃
　〃Very　good；〃　said　Hornblower；　swinging　his　legs　out　of　his　cot。
　Brown；　the　good　servant；　was　already　in　the　cabin　…　God　only　knew　how　he　had　picked　up　the　warning　…　with　a　lighted　lantern　to　hang　on　the　deck　beam　above；　and　he　had　trousers　and　coat　ready　for　Hornblower　to　pull　over　his　nightshirt。　Hornblower　rushed　up　to　the　dark　quarter…deck；　cannoning　into　another　hurrying　figure　as　he　did　so。
　〃Damn　your　eyes；〃　said　the　figure；　in　Bush's　voice；　and　then；　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir。〃
　The　ship　was　alive　with　the　twittering　of　the　pipes　as　the　hands　were　summoned　from　their　hammocks；　and　the　main…deck　resounded　with　the　drumming　of　bare　feet。　Montgomery；　officer　of　the　watch；　was　at　the　starboard　rail。
　〃Raven　sent　up　a　rocket；　sir；　two　minutes　back。　Bearin'　sou'…by…east。〃
　〃Wind's　west…by…north；〃　decided　Bush；　looking　down　into　the　tiny　light　of　the　binnacle。
　A　westerly　wind　and　a　dark　blustery　night；　ideal　conditions　for　Macdonald　to　try　and　push　a　force　across　the　river　mouth。　He　had　twenty　big　river　barges；　into　which　he　could　cram　5；000　men　and　a　few　guns；　if　he　once　managed　to　push　a　force　of　that　size　across　the　river　the　Russian　position　would　be　hopelessly　turned。　On　the　other　hand；　if　he　were　to　lose　a　force　of　that　size　…　5；000　men　killed　or　drowned　or　prisoners　…　it　would　be　a　staggering　blow　which　might　well　give　him　pause　and　so　gain　time　for　the　Russians。　A　fortified　position；　in　the　final　analysis；　was　only　a　means　of　gaining　time。　Hornblower　hoped　most　passionately　that　the　French　flotilla　had　been　allowed　to　thrust　its　head　well　into　the　noose　before　Cole　in　the　Raven　gave　the　alarm。
　A　shout　from　the　mast…head　claimed　his　attention。
　〃Gunfire　to　loo'ard；　sir！〃
　From　the　deck　they　could　just　see　a　pinpoint　of　flame　stab　the　darkness　far　to　the　westward；　and　then　another　one。
　〃That's　too　far　to　the　west'ard；〃　said　Hornblower　to　Bush。
　〃I'm　afraid　it　is；　sir。〃
　At　anchor　on　the　very　edge　of　the　shoals　in　that　direction　was　the　Raven；　it　was　her　light　draught　that　had　dictated　her　position　there。　Vickery　in　Lotus　guarded　the　other　bank　of　the　river；　while　Nonsuch　perforce　still　lay　anchored　in　the　fairway。　All　the　armed　boats　of　the　squadron　were　rowing　guard　in　the　mouth　of　the　river　…　a　navy　cutter　with　a　three…pounder　could　be　counted　on　to　deal　with　a　river　barge；　even　if　the　latter　did　carry　300　soldiers。　But　from　the　direction　of　the　gunfire　it　looked　as　if　Vickery　had　given　the　alarm　prematurely。　Another　gun　flashed　to　leeward；　the　wind　prevented　them　from　hearing　the　sound　of　it。
　〃Call　my　barge；〃　ordered　Hornblower。　He　felt　he　could　not　stay　here　in　useless　suspense。
　The　boat　pushed　off　from　the　Nonsuch；　the　men　tugging　at　the　oars　to　move　the　boat　in　the　teeth　of　the　wind。　Brown；　in　the　darkness　beside　Hornblower；　felt　his　captain's　restlessness　and　anxiety。
　〃Pull；　you　b…！〃　he　shouted　at　the　rowers。　The　boat　crawled　forward　over　the　tossing　water；　with　Brown　standing　in　the　sternsheets　with　his　hand　on　the　tiller。
　〃'Nother　gun；　sir。　Right　ahead；〃　he　reported　to　Hornblower。
　〃Very　good。〃
　A　tedious　quarter　of　an　hour　followed；　while　the　boat　lurched　and　pitched　over　the　steep　little　waves；　and　the　hands　slaved　away　at　the　oars。　The　wash　of　the　seas　overside　and　the　groaning　of　the　oars　against　the　thole…pins　made　a　monotonous　acpaniment　to　Hornblower's　racing　thoughts。
　〃There's　a　whole　lot　o'　guns　firin'　now；　sir；〃　reported　Brown。
　〃I　can　see　them；〃　replied　Hornblower。　The　darkness　was　pierced　by　shot　after　shot；　it　was　evident　that　the　guard…boats　were　all　clustered　round　a　single　victim。　〃There's　Raven；　sir。　Shall　I　make　for　her？〃
　〃No。　Steer　for　the　firing。〃
　The　dark　shape　of　the　sloop　was　just　visible　ahead；　Brown　put　his　helm　over　a　little　to　lay　the　barge　on　a　course　that　would　take　her　past　the　sloop　at　a　cable's　length　distance；　heading　for　the　gunfire。　They　had　drawn　up　abeam　of　the　sloop　when　there　came　a　flash　and　a　roar　from　her　side；　and　a　shot　howled　close　overhead。
　〃Jesus！〃　said　Brown。　〃Ain't　the　fools　got　eyes　in　their　heads？〃
　Presumably　the　sloop　had　hailed　the　passing　boat；　and；　receiving　no　reply　…　the　hail　being　carried　away　by　the　wind　…　had　incontinently　fired。　Another　shot　came　from　the　Raven；　and　someone　in　the　barge　squawked　with　dismay。　It　was　demoralizing　to　be　fired　upon　by　one's　own　side。
　〃Turn　towards　her；〃　ordered　Hornblower。　〃Burn　a　blue　light。〃
　At　any　moment　the　sloop　might　fire　a　full　broadside；　with　every　chance　of　blowing　the　barge　out　of　the　water。　Hornblower　took　the　tiller　while　Brown　wrestled；　cursing　under　his　breath；　with　flint　and　steel　and　tinder。　The　hand　pulling　at　the　stroke　said　something　to　try　to　quicken　his　movements。
　〃Shut　your　mouth！〃　snapped　Hornblower。
　Everything　was　in　a　muddle；　and　the　men　knew　it。　Brown　caught　a　spark　on　the　tinder；　jabbed　the　fuse　of　the　blue　light　upon　it；　and　then　blew　the　fuse　into　a　glow。　A　moment　later　the　f