csf.thecommodore-第52部分

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your　peril；　to　do　everything　in　your　power　to　prevent　the　enemy　from　continuing　his　march　on　St　Petersburg。
　
　In　other　words；　thought　Hornblower；　Riga　must　be　defended　to　the　last　man　…　and　ship　…　and　they　would　shoot　him　if　they　thought　he　had　not　done　his　utmost。　He　shouted　for　his　barge；　locked　his　desk；　seized　his　hat　and；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　his　pistols；　and　had　himself　rowed　once　more　over　to　Daugavgriva。
　The　village　was　now　a　mere　mass　of　ruins；　save　for　the　church；　whose　solid　walls　had　withstood　the　flames　that　had　swept　the　place　and　the　continual　storm　of　ricochetting　shots　which　came　over　from　the　bombardment　of　the　ramparts。　The　place　stank　of　death；　for　the　dead　were　many　and　the　earth　over　them　scanty。　Trenches　had　been　driven　from　cellar　to　cellar　of　the　ruined　houses　to　permit　of　safe　passage　through　the　village；　and　it　was　by　way　of　these　that　he　made　his　way　to　the　church。　From　the　gallery　there　the　view　was　ominous。　The　besiegers'　second　parallel　was　pleted；　no　more　than　two　hundred　yards　from　the　defences；　and　the　approaches　were　continuing　their　remorseless　progress　towards　the　ditch。　The　fire　from　the　big　battery　was　ceaseless；　and　there　was　but　small　reply　from　the　ramparts；　too　many　gunners　had　been　killed　and　too　many　guns　knocked　to　pieces；　and　guns　and　artillerymen　were　scarce；　so　that　it　was　better　to　try　to　preserve　the　remainder　to　beat　off　the　assault　when　it　should　e。　Down　at　the　water's　edge　on　the　beseigers'　side　a　well　constructed　battery　displayed　the　guns　that　were　ready　to　sweep　the　area　where　the　bomb…ketches　had　anchored；　there　was　no　chance　of　repeating　the　surprise　bombardment　of　the　breaching　battery　which　had　prolonged　the　siege　for　four　days　at　the　cost　of　Mound's　life。
　Clausewitz　mented　coolly　on　the　situation　to　Hornblower　as　they　looked　at　all　this　through　their　glasses。　To　a　doctrinaire　soldier　a　siege　was　an　intellectual　exercise。　It　was　mathematically　possible　to　calculate　the　rate　of　progress　of　the　approaches　and　the　destructible　effect　of　the　batteries；　to　predict　every　move　and　countermove　in　advance；　and　to　foretell　within　an　hour　the　moment　of　the　final　assault。　The　time　had　e；　now　that　it　was　impossible　to　maintain　fire　upon　the　head　of　the　sap；　to　attempt　to　delay　the　progress　of　the　besiegers　by　a　sortie。
　〃But；〃　expostulated　Hornblower；　〃if　the　French　know　that　a　sortie　is　due；　will　not　they　make　preparations　for　it？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Clausewitz；　his　cold　grey　eyes　expressionless。
　〃Would　it　not　be　better　to　surprise　them？〃
　〃Yes。　But　in　a　siege　how　is　that　to　be　done？〃
　〃We　surprised　them　with　the　bomb…vessels。〃
　〃Yes。　But　now　…〃
　Clausewitz　indicated　the　battery　which　denied　the　end　of　the　bay　to　them。
　〃But　still　…〃　began　Hornblower；　and　then　bit　off　the　sentence。　There　was　no　purpose　in　being　critical　without　having　a　helpful　suggestion　to　make　at　the　same　time。　He　turned　his　attention　once　more　to　the　siege…works；　looking　for　inspiration；　while　the　guns　roared　out　below　him。　They　roared　from　farther　up　the　river　as　well；　where　the　French　had　opened　another　front　of　attack　on　the　Mitau　suburb　directly　across　the　river　from　Riga。　The　resources　of　the　defence　were　being　stretched　very　thin；　and　Macdonald　had　locked　his　teeth；　bulldog　fashion；　into　the　siege　and　it　would　be　hard　to　shake　his　hold。　All　the　resources　of　Prussia　were　being　drawn　upon　to　supply　his　army　with　stores　for　the　siege；　and　he　had　already　proved　that　nothing　would　distract　him　from　it；　not　even　the　fact　that　the　Lettish　and　Livonian　and　Lithuanian　peasantry　had　risen　in　revolt　in　his　rear　and　had　set　all　the　country　behind　him　in　a　turmoil。
　〃The　dead　are　beginning　to　e　down　the　river；〃　said　Clausewitz。　He　had　big　white　teeth　that　revealed　themselves　at　the　least　provocation。　Hornblower　looked　at　him　without　prehension。
　〃From　the　fighting　two　weeks　ago；〃　explained　Clausewitz。　〃At　Vitebsk　and　Smolensk　two　hundred　miles　to　the　south　of　us。　Some　of　the　corpses　have　succeeded　in　making　the　journey。　Russian　corpses；　many　of　them。　But　French　corpses；　too；　and　Bavarian　corpses；　and　Westphalian　corpses；　and　Italian　corpses　…　many　Italians。　It　must　have　been　a　big　battle。〃
　〃Very　interesting；〃　said　Hornblower；　scanning　the　siege…works　again。　In　the　centre　of　the　second　parallel　was　a　new　battery；　the　fire　from　whose　guns　would　cut　up　any　force　attacking　frontally　in　the　hope　of　destroying　the　works。　It　would　be　asking　much　of　any　sallying　force　to　cross　two　hundred　yards　of　naked　glacis　in　the　teeth　of　such　a　fire　and　then　storm　ditch　and　parapet。　The　flanks　were　secure　too；　one　guarded　by　the　little　river　and　the　other　trending　back　towards　the　bay。　The　bay！　The　French　batteries　might　be　able　to　sweep　the　bay　sufficiently　effectively　to　prevent　bomb…vessels　anchoring　there　in　daylight；　but　they　would　not　be　able　to　stop　an　infantry　attack　launched　from　boats　at　night。　Then　the　parallel　could　be　rushed　at　dawn　from　the　flank。　Hornblower　turned　to　Clausewitz　with　the　suggestion；　and　Clausewitz　adopted　it　instantly。　These　continental　soldiers　were　always　liable　to　forget　about　the　sea　when　making　their　plans；　but　Clausewitz；　Prussian　though　he　was；　was　a　man　of　sufficient　elasticity　of　mind　still　to　be　able　to　see　the　merits　of　a　plan　based　on　mand　of　the　sea。
　There　was　no　time　to　be　lost　if　the　assault　upon　Daugavgriva　were　to　be　anticipated。　The　plan　had　to　be　given　form　instantly；　timetables　worked　out；　signals　agreed　upon；　troops　allocated　for　the　landing　and　marched　to　the　point　where　Hornblower　could　have　boats'　crews　ready　to　man　the　river　barges　which　were　to　carry　the　troops　to　the　point　selected　for　landing。　Hornblower　had　to　detail　crews　and　officers；　issue　his　orders；　and　make　sure　they　were　understood。　Montgomery　and　Duncan；　Purvis　and　Carlin；　had　to　be　sent　for；　brought　up　to　the　dome　and　shown　the　objectives　to　be　aimed　at　…　Hornblower　fretted　himself　weary　walking　round　the　gallery　while　waiting　for　them　to　e　ashore　after　he　had　sent　for　them。　Mounted　messengers；　riding　in　hot　haste；　brought　back　a　trio　of　Russian　colonels　to　the　gallery；　it　was　their　regiments　which　were　detailed　to　make　the　landing。　Hornblower　explained　to　them　in　French；　and　then　explained　to　his　officers　in　English。　Then　he　had　the　job　of　interpreting　the　questions　which　everyone　wanted　to　ask。　Half　a　dozen　Russian　subalterns；　squatting　on　the　floor　of　the　gallery　nursing　pieces　of　board　on　which　sheets　of　paper　were　pinned；　wrote　out　the　orders　which　Clausewitz　dictated　to　them。　Essen　arrived　in　the　midst　of　all　the　bustle；　he　had　given　his　verbal　consent　at　once　to　the　proposed　attack；　and　when；　on　his　arrival；　he　found　the　preparations　so　far　advanced；　like　a　sensible　man　he　left　the　elaboration　of　the　details　to　the　men　who　had　devised　the　scheme。　All　this　went　on　with　the　steady　roar　of　the　bombardment　supplying　a　loud　undertone　to　every　conversation；　while　the　Russian　ramparts　crumbled　steadily　under　the　hail　of　shot；　and　while　the　approach　trenches　crept　steadily　nearer。
　It　was　before　noon　that　Hornblower　had　made　the　suggestion　to　Clausewitz；　it　was　eight　in　the　evening；　and　the　sun　had　set；　before　everything　was　pleted；　before　Hornblower　had　had　himself　rowed　to　the　Dwina　mouth　to　inspect　the　boats　which　had　been　provided；　and　to　watch　the　Russian　grenadiers　marching　down　to　be　herded　into　them。
　〃You　understand　your　orders；　Duncan？〃　asked　Hornblower。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Let's　see　your　watch。　Set　it　by　mine。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　〃Mr　Montgomery。　Mr　Purvis。　Remember　what　I　said　about　keeping　the　landing　force　together。　You　must　strike　all　at　once　…　no　landing　in　driblets。　Make　sure　the　soldiers　know　the　direction　in　which　to　advance　when　they　land。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　〃Good　luck；　then。〃
　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃
　It　was　quite　dark　by　the　time　Hornblower　set　foot　again　on　the　little　jetty　at　Daugavgriva；　dark；　and　there　was　a　chilly　breath　in　the　air。　So　far　had　the　year　advanced　since　he　had　first　cast　anchor　in　Riga　Bay。　Midsummer　had　gone　and　autumn　was　at　hand。　He　had　to　feel　his　way　along　the　trenches　and　up　to　the　church；　and　his　legs　felt　hardly　strong　enough　to　carry　him　up　the　interminable　dark　stairs　to　the　gallery。　He　had　hardly　sat　down　since　the　morning；　and　he　had　eaten　nothing；　and　his　head　was　swimming　with　fatigue　and　hunger。　Clausewitz　was　still　on　duty；　up　in　the　gallery　where　the　stars　shone　bravely　down　upon　him；　giving　a　light　which　seemed　bright　pared　with　the　pitchy　darkness　of　the　stairs　Hornblower　had　just　climbed。
　〃The　French　seem　unusually　active　to…night；〃　was　Clausewitz's　greeting　to　him。　〃At　dusk　they　changed　the　guard　of　their　trenches。〃
　A　string　of　bright　orange　flames　suddenly　lit　up　the　French　lines；　and　the　roar　of　a　salvo　reached　their　ears。
　〃They　are　periodically　spraying　the　ditch　with　grape；〃　explained　Clausewitz；　〃to　hinder　our　repair　parties。　It　is　what　is　always　done；　but　after　half　a　dozen　rounds　they　lose　direction　and　range。〃
　If　siege　warfare　was　such　a　mechanical　art；　if　every　step　was　obvious　and　could　be　foreseen；　there　was　always　the　chance　of　an　original…minded　general　breaking　the　rules。　In　two　days　the　breaches　and　approaches　would　be　ripe　for　an　assault　…　what　was　to　prevent　an　assailant　from　making　his　attack