csf.thecommodore-第48部分

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'。　That　big　timber　basket　was　a　gabion；　now　being　filled　with　earth。　Farther　back；　under　cover　of　the　line　of　filled　gabions；　the　besiegers　were　revetting　their　breastwork　with　fascines；　six…foot　bundles　of　wood；　and　farther　back　still　they　were　building　the　whole　thing　solid　with　earth　dug　from　a　trench　behind　the　breastwork。　As　he　watched；　the　shield　was　suddenly　pushed　forward　another　yard；　and　another　gabion　was　put　in　position；　the　French　were　three　feet　nearer　the　earthworks　which　guarded　Daugavgriva。　No；　not　a　yard；　a　little　less；　because　the　sap　was　not　pointing　straight　at　its　objective；　but　out　at　its　flank　so　that　it　could　not　be　enfiladed。　Soon　it　would　change　its　direction；　and　point　towards　the　other　flank；　approaching　the　fortress　in　zigzag　fashion；　ruthlessly　and　remorsely。　Of　all　operations　of　war　a　scientific　siege　was　the　most　certain　if　relief　did　not　arrive　from　the　outside。
　〃See　there；　sir！〃　said　Clausewitz　suddenly。
　From　behind　a　high　embankment　had　suddenly　emerged　a　long　string　of　horses；　looking　like　ants　at　that　distance；　but　the　white　breeches　of　the　men　who　led　them　showed　up　clearly　in　the　sunshine。　The　horses　were　dragging　a　cannon；　a　big　piece　of　artillery　when　its　apparent　size　was　pared　with　that　of　the　horses。　It　crawled　towards　the　battery　in　the　centre　of　the　first　parallel；　a　myriad　white…breeched　specks　attending　it。　The　high　breastwork　of　the　first　parallel　screened　the　operation　from　the　sight　of　the　Russian　gunners　and　shielded　it　from　their　fire。　When　the　guns　had　all　been　brought　into　the　battery；　Hornblower　knew；　openings　…　'embrasures'　…　would　be　made　in　the　breastwork　through　which　the　guns　would　open　fire　on　the　village；　silencing　the　return　fire　of　the　defence；　and　then　hammering　a　breach；　meanwhile　the　sap　would　be　expanded　into　a　wide　trench；　the　'second　parallel'；　from　which；　or　if　necessary　from　a　'third　parallel'；　the　stormers　would　rush　out　to　carry　the　breach。
　〃They　will　have　that　battery　armed　by　to…morrow；〃　said　Clausewitz。　〃And　look！　There　is　another　gabion　put　in　place。〃
　Siege　operations　had　the　remorseless　cold　inevitability　of　the　advance　of　a　snake　on　a　paralysed　bird。
　〃Why　do　your　guns　not　stop　the　work　on　the　sap？〃　asked　Hornblower。
　〃They　are　trying；　as　you　see。　But　a　single　gabion　is　not　an　easy　target　to　hit　at　this　range；　and　it　is　only　the　end　one　which　is　vulnerable。　And　by　the　time　the　sap　approaches　within　easy　range　their　battery…fire　will　be　silencing　our　guns。〃
　Another　siege…gun　had　made　its　appearance　from　behind　the　high　embankment；　and　was　crawling　towards　the　battery；　its　predecessor　was　at　that　moment　being　thrust　finally　into　its　position　at　the　breastwork。
　〃Can　you　not　bring　your　ships　up；　sir？〃　asked　Clausewitz。　〃See　how　the　water　es　close　to　their　works　there。　You　could　shoot　them　to　pieces　with　your　big　guns。〃
　Hornblower　shook　his　head；　the　same　idea　had　already　occurred　to　him；　for　the　long　glittering　arm　of　the　Gulf　of　Riga　which　reached　into　the　land　there　was　very　tempting。　But　there　was　less　than　a　fathom　of　water　in　it；　and　even　his　shallow　bomb…ketches　drew　nine　feet　…　seven　at　least　if　he　emptied　them　of　all　their　stores　save　those　necessary　for　the　action。
　〃I　would　do　so　if　I　could；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃but　at　the　present　moment　I　can　see　no　means　of　getting　my　guns　into　range。〃
　Clausewitz　looked　at　him　coldly；　and　Hornblower　was　conscious　that　goodwill　between　allies　was　a　frail　thing。　Earlier　that　morning　British　and　Russians　had　been　the　best　of　friends；　Essen　and　Clausewitz　had　been　thoroughly　elated　at　the　turning　back　of　Macdonald's　attempt　to　cross　the　river；　and　…　like　the　unthinking　junior　officers　in　the　squadron　…　had　thought　that　the　annihilation　of　a　half…battalion　of　Prussians　a　notable　success；　not　knowing　of　the　far　more　far…reaching　plan　which　Hornblower　had　made　and　which　Cole's　nervousness　had　brought　to　almost　naught。　When　affairs　went　well；　allies　were　the　best　of　friends；　but　in　adversity　each　naturally　tended　to　blame　the　other。　Now　that　the　French　approaches　were　moving　towards　Daugavgriva　he　was　asking　why　the　Russian　artillery　did　not　stop　them；　and　the　Russians　were　asking　why　his　ships'　guns　did　not　do　the　same。
　Hornblower　made　his　explanation　as　fully　as　he　could；　but　Clausewitz　turned　an　unsympathetic　ear；　and　so　did　Essen　when　the　matter　came　up　for　discussion　as　Hornblower　was　saying　goodbye　to　him。　It　was　a　poor　showing　for　a　Navy　whose　boast　was　that　nothing　was　impossible；　Hornblower　was　irritable　and　snappy　when　he　returned　that　afternoon　to　the　Nonsuch；　and　he　had　no　word　for　Bush　who　came　hastily　to　greet　him　as　he　came　up　the　side。　His　cabin　was　unfriendly　and　inhospitable　to　his　jaundiced　eye　when　he　entered　it；　and　it　was　'make　and　mend'　day　on　board；　with　the　hands　skylarking　noisily　on　the　deck；　so　that　he　knew　that　if　he　went　up　to　walk　the　quarter…deck　his　train　of　thought　would　be　continually　interrupted。　He　toyed　for　a　moment　with　the　idea　of　ordering　Bush　to　cancel　his　order　to　make　and　mend　and　instead　to　put　the　hands　to　some　quiet　labour。　Everyone　would　know　that　it　was　because　the　modore　wanted　to　walk　the　deck　in　peace；　and　might　be　properly　impressed　with　his　importance；　but　there　was　never　a　chance　of　his　acting　on　the　notion。　He　would　not　deprive　the　men　of　their　holiday；　and　the　thought　of　swelling　his　importance　in　their　eyes　acted　as　a　positive　deterrent。
　Instead；　he　went　out　into　the　quarter　gallery；　and；　bowed　below　the　overhanging　cove　above；　he　tried　to　stride　up　and　down　its　twelve…foot　length。　It　was　indeed　a　pity　that　he　could　not　bring　his　ships'　guns　to　bear　on　the　siege…works。　Heavy　guns　at　close　range　would　play　havoc　with　the　French　breastworks。　And　behind　the　high　dyke　from　which　he　had　seen　the　guns　being　dragged　must　lie　the　French　park　and　train　…　a　few　shells　from　the　bomb…vessels　would　wreak　havoc　there；　and　if　only　he　could　get　the　ketches　up　the　bay　it　would　be　easy　to　drop　shells　over　the　dyke。　But　over　most　of　the　bay　there　was　only　three　or　four　feet　of　water；　and　nowhere　more　than　seven。　The　thing　was　impossible；　and　the　best　thing　he　could　do　was　to　forget　about　it。　To　distract　himself　he　stepped　over　the　rail　into　the　other　quarter　gallery；　and　peeped　through　the　stern　window　into　Bush's　cabin。　Bush　was　asleep　on　his　cot；　flat　on　his　back　with　his　mouth　open；　his　hands　spread　wide　at　his　sides　and　his　wooden　leg　hanging　in　a　becket　against　the　bulkhead。　Hornblower　felt　a　twinge　of　annoyance　that　his　captain　should　be　sleeping　so　peacefully　while　he　himself　had　so　many　cares　on　his　shoulders。　For　two　pins　he　would　send　a　message　in　to　Bush　and　wreck　his　nap　for　him。　But　he　knew　he　would　never　do　that；　either。　He　could　never　bring　himself　to　a　wanton　abuse　of　power。
　He　stepped　back　into　his　own　quarter　gallery；　and　as　he　did；　as　he　stood　with　one　leg　suspended　and　with　the　rudder　gudgeons　creaking　a　little　in　their　pintles　in　the　stream　below　him；　the　idea　came　to　him；　so　that　he　stood　stock　still　for　a　space；　with　one　leg　in　mid…air。　Then　he　brought　his　leg　over　and　walked　into　his　cabin　and　shouted　for　a　messenger。
　〃My　pliments　to　the　officer　of　the　watch；　and　will　he　please　signal　to　Harvey　for　Mr　Mound　to　e　on　board　at　once。〃
　Mound　came　down　into　the　cabin；　young　and　expectant；　and　yet　with　his　eagerness　thinly　overlaid　with　assumed　nonchalance。　It　suddenly　dawned　upon　Hornblower　as　he　greeted　him　that　that　careless　lackadaisical　air　of　Mound's　was　assumed　in　imitation　of　himself。　Hornblower　realized　that　he　was　something　of　a　hero　…　more　than　that；　very　much　of　a　hero　…　to　this　young　lieutenant　who　was　paying　him　the　sincerest　flattery　of　imitation。　It　made　him　grin　wryly　to　himself　even　while　he　motioned　Mound　to　a　chair；　and　then　it　was　forgotten　as　he　plunged　into　the　vital　discussion。
　〃Mr　Mound；　do　you　know　of　the　progress　of　the　French　siege…works？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Then　look　at　this　chart　with　me。　They　have　a　line　of　trenches　here；　with　a　battery　here。　Their　main　flank　and　stores　are　behind　a　dyke；　here。　If　we　could　bring　the　bomb…vessels　up　the　bay　we　could　shell　them　out　of　both　places。〃
　〃Shoal　water；　sir；〃　said　Mound　regretfully。
　〃Yes；〃　said　Hornblower；　and　for　the　life　of　him　he　could　not　stop　himself　from　making　a　dramatic　pause　before　uttering　the　crucial　word。　〃But　with　camels　we　could　reduce　the　draught。〃
　〃Camels！〃　exclaimed　Mound；　and　as　he　realized　all　the　implications　his　face　lit　up。　〃By　George；　sir；　you're　right。〃
　Camels　are　a　means　of　reducing　the　draught　of　a　ship　…　loaded　vessels　lashed　tightly　one　on　each　side　and　then　emptied；　so　as　to　raise　the　centre　ship　farther　out　of　the　water。　Mound　was　already　grappling　with　the　details。
　〃There　are　lighters　and　barges　in　Riga；　sir。　They'll　give　us　some；　sure　as　a　gun。　Plenty　of　sand　to　ballast　'em；　or　we　can　fill　'em　with　water　and　pump　'em　out。　With　two　big　lighters　I　could　lessen　Harvey's　draught　by　five　feet　easy　…　lift　her　clear　out　of　the　water　for　that　matter。　Those　lighters　are　two　hundred　tons　burden　an'　don't　draw　more　than　a　couple　of　feet　empty。〃
　A　difficulty　had　occurred　to　Hornblower　while　Mound　was　speaking；　one　which　he　had　not　thought　of　before。
　〃How　are　you　going　to　steer　'em　all？〃　he　demanded。　〃They'll　be　unm