csf.thecommodore-第57部分

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th　grey　astrakhan　of　the　French　Imperial　Staff。　A　word　from　Essen　removed　the　bandage；　and　the　officer　…　he　wore　a　grey　Hussar　moustache　…　saluted　with　dignity。
　〃The　chef　d'escadron　Verrier；〃　he　said；　〃aide…de…camp　to　Marshal　the　Duke　of　Tarentum。　I　am　ordered　by　the　Marshal　to　suggest　a　suspension　of　hostilities　for　two　hours。　The　breach　is　covered　with　the　wounded　of　both　sides；　and　it　would　be　only　humane　to　remove　them。　Each　side　can　remove　its　own。〃
　〃There　are　more　French　and　German　wounded　than　Russian；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Essen；　in　his　horrible　French。
　〃French　or　Russian；　sir；〃　said　the　parlementaire；　〃they　will　die　unless　they　receive　speedy　aid。〃
　Hornblower's　mind　was　beginning　to　work　again。　Ideas　were　leaping　to　the　surface　like　wreckage　from　a　sunken　ship。　He　caught　Essen's　eye　and　nodded　meaningly；　and　Essen；　like　a　good　diplomatist；　gave　no　sign　of　having　received　the　hint　as　he　shifted　his　glance　back　to　Verrier。
　〃The　request　is　granted；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　name　of　humanity。〃
　〃I　thank　Your　Excellency；　in　the　name　of　humanity；〃　said　Verrier；　saluting；　and　then　looking　round　for　someone　to　blindfold　him　again　and　lead　him　through　the　breach。
　The　moment　he　was　gone　Hornblower　turned　to　Brown。
　〃Take　the　barge　back　to　the　ship；〃　he　ordered。　〃Hurry。　My　pliments　to　Captain　Bush；　and　I　would　like　you　to　bring　back　Lieutenant　von　Bulow　to　me。　One　of　the　lieutenants　of　equal　rank　will　have　to　acpany　him。　Hurry！〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　That　was　all　that　was　necessary　with　Brown　or　Bush；　thank　God。　A　simple　order　brought　simple　yet　intelligent　obedience。　Hornblower　saluted　Essen。
　〃Would　it　be　possible；　Your　Excellency；〃　he　asked；　〃to　bring　the　Spanish　troops　over　to　this　side　of　the　river？　I　have　a　German　prisoner　whom　I　am　going　to　return　to　the　enemy；　and　I　should　like　him　to　see　the　Spaniards　with　his　own　eyes　first。〃
　Essen　grinned　with　blubber　lips。
　〃I　do　my　best　not　merely　to　ply　with　every　one　of　your　wishes；　sir；　but　even　to　anticipate　them。　The　last　order　I　gave　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　was　for　the　Spaniards　to　brought　over　…　they　were　the　nearest　formed　troops　and　I　intended　to　use　them　as　garrison　for　the　warehouses　on　the　quay。　I　have　no　doubt　they　are　there　already。　You　would　like　them　marched　in　this　direction？〃
　〃If　you　would　be　so　kind；　sir。〃
　Hornblower　was　casually　waiting　for　nothing　in　particular　at　the　jetty　when　the　boat　touched　at　it；　and　Lieutenant　von　Bulow；　of　the　Fifty…first　Regiment　of　Prussian　Infantry；　stepped　ashore　under　the　escort　of　Mr　Tooth　and　Brown　and　his　men。
　〃Ah；　Lieutenant；〃　said　Hornblower。
　Bulow　saluted　him　stiffly；　clearly　puzzled　at　this　new　development；　which　had　snatched　him　from　his　confinement　aboard　ship　and　dumped　him　at　a　moment's　notice　in　the　ruined　village。
　〃There　is　an　armistice　at　the　moment；〃　explained　Hornblower；　〃between　your　army　and　ours。　No；　it　is　not　peace　…　merely　to　clear　the　wounded　from　the　breach。　But　I　was　going　to　take　this　opportunity　of　returning　you　to　your　friends。〃
　Bulow　looked　questions　at　him。
　〃It　will　save　much　formality　with　cartels　and　flags　of　truce；〃　explained　Hornblower。　〃At　this　moment　you　have　merely　to　walk　down　the　breach　and　join　the　men　of　your　own　army。　Naturally；　you　have　not　been　properly　exchanged；　but　you　can；　if　you　wish；　give　me　your　word　that　you　will　not　serve　against　his　Britannic　Majesty　nor　against　His　Imperial　Russian　Majesty　until　an　exchange　has　been　effected。〃
　〃I　give　you　my　word；〃　said　Bulow；　after　a　moment's　thought。
　〃Excellent！　Then　perhaps　I　might　give　myself　the　pleasure　of　walking　with　you　as　far　as　the　breach？〃
　As　they　left　the　jetty　and　began　the　brief　walk　through　the　ruins　of　the　village　Bulow　was　darting　the　quick　glances　of　a　professional　soldier　about　him；　he　was　perfectly　entitled；　under　any　military　code；　to　take　every　advantage　of　carelessness　on　his　enemy's　part。　His　professional　curiosity　would　have　led　him　to　stare　about　him　in　any　case。　Hornblower　made　polite　conversation　as　they　strolled。
　〃Your　assault　this　morning　…　I　daresay　you　heard　the　hubbub　even　on　board？　…　was　made　by　picked　grenadiers；　as　far　as　I　could　judge　by　the　uniforms。　Most　excellent　troops　…　it　is　indeed　a　pity　they　suffered　such　loss　of　life。　I　trust　that　when　you　rejoin　your　friends　you　will　convey　to　them　my　deepest　condolences。　But　they　had　not　a　chance；　of　course。〃
　At　the　foot　of　the　church　tower　there　was　a　Spanish　regiment；　the　men　lying　down　in　their　ranks。　At　the　sight　of　Hornblower　the　colonel　called　his　men　to　their　feet　and　saluted。
　Hornblower　returned　the　salute；　conscious　as　he　did　so　that　Bulow　at　his　side　had；　suddenly　changed　his　gait；　stealing　a　glance　out　of　the　tail　of　his　eye　he　saw　that　Bulow　was　ponderously　goose…stepping　as　long　as　the　salutes　were　being　exchanged。　Yet　it　was　very　noticeable　that　even　though　Bulow's　formal　training　forced　him　into　a　goose…step　at　a　moment　of　military　courtesy；　he　had　not　failed　to　notice　the　troops。　His　eyes　were　bulging　with　unasked　questions。
　〃Spanish　troops；〃　said　Hornblower；　casually。　〃A　division　of　Spaniards　and　Portuguese　joined　us　from　Bonaparte's　main　army　a　little　while　ago。　They　fight　well　…　in　fact　they　were　responsible　for　the　final　repulse　of　the　last　assault。　It　is　interesting　to　notice　how　Bonaparte's　dupes　are　falling　away　from　him　now　that　the　hollowness　of　his　power　is　revealed。〃
　Bulow's　astonished　reply　must　either　have　been　inarticulate　or　in　German；　for　Hornblower　could　not　understand　it；　but　his　tone　conveyed　his　meaning　well　enough。
　〃It　goes　without　saying；〃　said　Hornblower　casually；　〃that　I　would　like　to　see　the　magnificent　Prussian　Army　ranged　among　Bonaparte's　enemies　and　England's　allies；　too。　But　naturally　your　King　knows　his　own　policy　best　…　unless；　of　course；　surrounded　as　he　is　by　Bonaparte's　men；　he　is　not　free　to　choose。〃
　Bulow　stared　at　him　in　amazement；　Hornblower　was　putting　forward　a　viewpoint　which　was　quite　new　to　him；　but　Hornblower　still　made　himself　talk　with　the　utmost　casualness；　as　if　he　were　doing　no　more　than　making　polite　conversation。
　〃That's　high　politics；〃　he　said　with　a　laugh　and　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃But　one　day　in　the　future　we　might　look　back　on　this　conversation　as　prophetic。　One　cannot　tell；　can　one？　Some　time　when　we　meet　as　plenipotentiaries　I　will　be　able　to　remind　you　of　this　talk。　And　here　we　are　at　the　breach。　It　irks　me　to　have　to　say　goodbye；　at　the　same　moment　as　it　gives　me　pleasure　to　restore　you　to　your　friends。　My　heartiest　good　wishes；　sir；　for　you　for　the　future。〃
　Bulow　saluted　stiffly　again；　and　then；　as　Hornblower　held　out　his　hand；　shook　hands　with　him。　To　the　Prussian　it　was　a　remarkable　occurrence　for　a　modore　to　condescend　to　shake　hands　with　a　mere　subaltern。　He　picked　his　way　down　the　breach；　over　the　tortured　earth　where　the　stretcher…bearers　still　swarmed；　like　disturbed　ants；　gathering　in　the　wounded。　Hornblower　watched　him　until　he　reached　his　own　men；　and　then　turned　away。　He　was　dreadfully　tired；　quite　weak　with　fatigue；　in　fact；　and　he　was　angry　at　himself　for　his　weakness。　It　was　all　he　could　do　to　walk　back　with　dignity　to　the　jetty；　and　he　swayed　as　he　sat　in　the　sternsheets　of　his　barge。
　〃Are　you　all　right；　sir？〃　asked　Brown；　solicitously。
　〃Of　course　I　am；〃　snapped　Hornblower；　amazed　at　the　man's　impertinence。
　The　question　irritated　him；　and　the　irritation　made　him　mount　the　ship's　side　as　fast　as　he　could；　and　acknowledge　merely　coldly　the　salutes　he　received　on　the　quarter…deck；　down　in　his　cabin　his　irritation　persisted；　and　prevented　him　from　obeying　his　first　impulse　to　throw　himself　across　his　cot　and　relax。　He　paced　about　for　a　moment。　For　something　to　do　he　peered　into　the　mirror。　There　was　some　excuse　for　Brown　after　all；　and　his　foolish　questions。　The　face　he　looked　at　was　grimy　with　dust　caked　upon　sweat；　and　there　was　a　smear　of　blood　over　one　cheekbone　from　a　slight　scratch。　His　uniform　was　filthy；　with　one　epaulette　awry。　He　looked　like　someone　who　had　just　emerged　from　the　fury　of　a　battle　to　the　death。
　He　peered　more　closely。　That　face　was　lined　and　drawn；　the　eyes　red…rimmed；　with　a　sudden　increase　of　attention　he　looked　again；　turning　his　head。　On　his　temples　his　hair　was　quite　white。　Not　merely　did　he　look　like　someone　fresh　from　battle；　he　looked　like　someone　who　had　been　under　frightful　strain　for　a　long　time。　So　he　had；　indeed；　he　realized；　half　wondering　at　himself。　He　had　been　bearing　the　burden　of　this　horrible　siege　for　months　now。　It　had　never　occurred　to　him　that　his　face；　Hornblower's　face；　would　tell　tales　about　him　as　other　men's　faces　told　tales　about　them。　He　had　striven　all　his　life　to　restrain　his　features　from　revealing　his　feelings。　There　was　something　ironic　and　interesting　about　the　fact　that　he　could　not　prevent　his　hair　from　greying　nor　the　grim　lines　from　deepening　about　his　mouth。
　The　desk　under　his　feet　was　swaying；　as　if　the　ship　were　in　the　open　sea；　and　yet　even　his　veteran　sea…legs　had　difficulty　in　keeping　him　upright；　so　that　he　had　to　hold　on　to　the　bracket　before　him。　Only　with　extreme　care　could　he　let　go　his　hold　and　pick　his　way　to　his　cot；　and　fall　across　it；　face　downward。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE
　
　The　new　problem　which　Hornblow