csf.thecommodore-第59部分

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　〃You're　worn　out；　sir；〃　protested　Bush。　〃You're　no　more　than　a　shadow。　Send　someone　else；　sir。　Send　me。　Send　Duncan。　You've　done　all　that's　necessary；　sir。〃
　〃I　haven't　yet；〃　said　Hornblower；　but　he　stooped　so　far　as　to　risk　delay　by　offering　Essen　refreshment；　with　the　suggestion　that　they　should　drink　a　toast　to　celebrate　this　glorious　news。
　〃Thank　you；　no；〃　said　Essen；　to　Hornblower's　relief。　〃Diebitch　will　attack　at　dusk；　and　the　days　are　short　now。〃
　〃You'll　take　your　barge；　sir；　won't　you？〃　persisted　Bush。　〃Take　Brown。〃
　Bush　was　like　a　fussy　parent　with　a　venturesome　child　…　like　a　hen　with　one　chick。　He　was　always　nervous　about　entrusting　his　precious　Hornblower　to　these　unpredictable　Russians；　Hornblower　grinned　at　Bush's　solicitude。
　〃Anything　to　keep　you　happy；〃　he　said。
　Hornblower's　barge　followed　the　Governor's　pulling…boat　along　the　channel　through　the　ice；　Hornblower　sat　with　the　Governor　in　the　stern　of　the　Russian　boat。　There　was　a　chill　wind　blowing；　and　the　skies　were　grey。
　〃We　shall　have　more　snow；〃　said　Essen；　looking　up　at　the　clouds。　〃God　help　the　French。〃
　In　the　absence　of　any　sunshine　there　was　a　mortal　chill　in　the　air。　Hornblower　thought　of　the　French　marching　over　the　desolate　plains　of　Russia；　and　was　sorry　for　them。　And　the　snow　came　indeed；　that　afternoon；　sweeping　over　river　and　village；　making　white　innocuous　mounds　of　the　battered　parapets　and　the　shattered　guns　and　the　graves　which　were　scattered　through　the　village。　It　was　already　prematurely　dark　when　the　ever…patient　Russian　grenadiers　lined　the　trenches　and　then　sallied　forth　upon　the　enemy's　lines。　They　were　not　more　than　half…way　across　no…man's…land　before　the　guns　began　to　fire　upon　them；　stabbing　the　falling　snow　with　their　bright　orange　flashes。
　〃No　sign　of　any　retreat　there；〃　was　Clausewitz's　ment　as　he　watched　the　fierce　struggle　from　the　gallery　of　the　church　beside　Essen　and　Hornblower。
　And　if　confirmation　was　needed　the　attacking　party　could　supply　it　when　it　came　drifting　back　in　the　darkness；　decimated。　The　besiegers　had　met　their　sally　with　spirit；　they　had　had　patrols　out　in　no…man's…land；　and　the　trenches　were　adequately　guarded。　In　retaliation；　the　besiegers　opened　fire　with　their　breaching　batteries；　the　ground　shook　to　the　rumble　of　the　discharges；　and　the　black　night　was　stabbed　again　by　the　flames　of　the　guns。　It　was　impossible　to　maintain　good　aim　or　elevation　in　the　darkness；　it　was　only　a　short　time　before　the　shots　were　flying　wild；　all　over　the　village；　so　that　the　defenders　as　far　back　as　the　Dwina　river　had　to　keep　low　in　their　trenches。　Shells　were　ing　over；　too；　curving　in　high　arcs　from　the　mortar　batteries　which　the　besiegers　had　established　in　their　second　parallel。　They　fell　and　burst　here；　there；　and　everywhere；　one　every　two　or　three　minutes；　in　fountains　of　fragments　and　flame；　save　when　chance　guided　them　into　deeper　snow　which　extinguished　the　fuses。
　〃They　have　plenty　of　ammunition　to　waste；〃　grumbled　Essen；　shivering　in　his　cloak。
　〃Perhaps　they　plan　a　counter…assault　in　the　darkness；〃　said　Clausewitz。　〃I　have　kept　the　trenches　fully　manned　in　case　they　try　it。〃
　Immediately　under　Hornblower's　gaze　there　was　a　battery　of　four　heavy　pieces；　firing　regular　salvoes　at　short　intervals。　He　noted　the　four　bursts　of　flame　over　and　over　again；　so　that　when　there　was　a　longer　interval　he　was　surprised　first　by　the　absence　of　sound　and　then　by　its　unexpected　ing。　The　flashes　endured　their　brief　moment；　to　be　succeeded　again　by　night；　but　Hornblower　found　himself　wondering　what　difference　there　had　been　between　this　salvo　and　the　last；　apart　from　the　longer　interval　which　had　preceded　it。　One　flash　…　the　right…hand　one　…　had　not　been　as　distinct　as　the　other　three；　longer　and　yet　intense。　Some　error　in　loading；　perhaps。　Then　came　the　next　salvo；　and　only　three　flashes；　the　right…hand　gun　had　not　fired。　Maybe　it　had　'unbushed'　itself　…　blown　out　its　vent　fitting；　as　guns　sometimes　did。　Another　long　interval；　and　then　another　salvo　…　two　sharp　flashes；　and　one　longer　one。　The　next　salvo　only　two　guns　fired；　and　Hornblower　realized　what　had　been　going　on。　He　plucked　at　Essen's　sleeve。
　〃They　are　destroying　their　guns　over　there；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　firing　some　shots　at　us　while　at　each　salvo　they　fire　a　shot　against　the　trunnions　of　one　of　the　guns。　There　were　four　guns　over　there；　Your　Excellency。　Now　…　see　…　there　are　only　two。〃
　〃Possibly；〃　admitted　Essen；　staring　into　the　darkness。
　〃The　firing　is　dying　away；〃　agreed　Clausewitz；　〃but　perhaps　they　are　only　growing　tired　of　wasting　ammunition。〃
　There　was　only　one　flash　from　the　battery　next　time；　and　there　was　something　clearly　odd　about　it。
　〃The　last　gun　in　the　battery；〃　mented　Essen。　〃Probably　they　burst　it　by　overloading。〃
　He　trained　his　telescope　in　the　darkness。
　〃Look　over　there　at　their　main　camps；〃　he　added。　〃Watch　those　fires。　They　seem　to　be　burning　brightly；　but　…〃
　Hornblower　directed　his　gaze　to　the　distant　rows　of　camp…fires；　sparkling　very　dimly　in　the　thick　night。　He　looked　backwards　and　forwards　along　one　of　the　rows；　trying　to　keep　track　of　them　all。　He　thought　he　saw　one　fire　wink　and　go　out；　but　he　could　not　be　sure。　His　eyes　were　watering　with　the　cold　and　with　the　strain；　and　as　he　rubbed　them　Essen　shut　his　telescope　with　a　snap。
　〃They　are　dying　down；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　sure　of　it；　and　no　troops　would　allow　their　camp…fires　to　die　down　on　a　night　like　this。　Clausewitz；　get　your　men　ready　to　attack　again。　Diebitch　…〃
　The　Governor　began　rapping　out　orders。　Hornblower　had　a　momentary　feeling　of　pity　for　the　Russian　soldiers；　huddled　in　their　freezing　trenches；　dispirited　by　their　recent　repulse　and　losses；　now　ordered　to　go　out　again　to　what　would　seem　to　them　to　be　certain　disaster　in　the　night。　The　wind　suddenly　shrieked　down　upon　them；　piercing　him　to　the　bone；　despite　the　cloak　he　clutched　round　himself。
　〃'Ere　you　are；　sir；〃　said　Brown's　voice　unexpectedly　in　his　ear。　〃I've　brought　you　up　a　blanket。　Let's　put　it　round　you　under　your　cloak。　And　'ere's　your　gloves；　sir。〃
　Deftly　in　the　darkness　Brown　draped　the　blanket　over　him；　so　that　his　cloak　held　it　down　over　his　shoulders。　It　would　look　fantastic　in　daylight；　but　fortunately　it　was　still　dark。　Hornblower　was　shivering；　and　he　stamped　his　frozen　feet　in　an　endeavour　to　warm　them。
　〃Aren't　those　men　of　yours　ever　going　to　attack；　Clausewitz？〃　grumbled　Essen。　〃What's　the　time？　One　o'clock？　Send　down　to　your　brigadier　and　tell　him　I'll　have　him　cashiered　if　he　does　not　pull　his　men　together　for　an　immediate　advance。〃
　There　was　a　long　freezing　interval；　before　the　darkness　before　them　was　pricked　by　a　few　little　pin…points　of　flame　…　musket…shots　in　the　second　parallel。
　〃Ha！〃　said　Essen。
　There　was　another　long　wait　before　the　message　came　back。　The　sortie　had　found　the　advanced　trenches　abandoned　save　for　a　few　posts。　They　were　pushing　forward　now　through　the　snow　and　the　darkness　towards　the　main　camp。
　〃They're　going；　then；〃　said　Essen。　〃Have　the　cavalry　paraded　two　hours　before　dawn。　I'll　catch　their　rear…guard　at　daylight。　I　want　all　troops　across　the　river　then。　And　now　a　glass　of　tea；　for　the　love　of　God。〃
　Warming　himself　at　the　fire　burning　on　the　flagged　floor　of　the　church；　drinking　hot　tea　through　his　chattering　teeth；　Hornblower　looked　round　at　these　men　of　iron　who　showed　no　sign　of　fatigue　and　hardly　any　of　cold。　He　himself　was　too　chilled；　and；　oddly；　too　fatigued；　to　gain　much　benefit　from　the　chance　of　resting　for　a　couple　of　hours　on　the　trusses　of　straw　laid　out　beside　the　high　altar；　but　Essen　snored　volcanically　until　the　moment　when　his　aide…de…camp　shook　him　awake。　Outside　it　was　still　dark；　and　colder　than　ever；　when　the　horses　were　brought　up　to　the　church　door　for　them　to　mount。
　〃I　better　e　with　you；　sir；〃　said　Brown。　〃I　got　myself　a　'orse。〃
　How　Brown　had　done　that　Hornblower　could　not　imagine；　seeing　the　difficulties　of　language。　Hornblower　supposed　Brown　had　learned　to　ride　in　those　incredibly　distant　days　at　Smallbridge。　The　cavalcade　moved　slowly　in　the　darkness　towards　the　Mitau　suburb；　the　horses　slipping　and　stumbling　in　the　snow；　Hornblower　found　himself　wishing　he　had　been　able　to　retain　his　blanket　when　he　mounted；　for　it　was　colder　than　ever　in　the　faint　grey　light。　Suddenly　from　far　ahead　of　them　came　a　sullen　flat　thud；　and　another；　and　another　…　field…guns　firing　a　long　way　off。
　〃Diebitch　is　up　to　their　rear…guard；〃　said　Essen。　〃Good！〃
　There　was　enough　light　now　to　reveal　the　desolation　of　their　surroundings　as　they　approached　the　deserted　siege…works。　They　could　look　down　into　the　littered　trenches；　there　were　the　batteries；　with　the　shattered　siege…guns　standing　drunkenly　at　the　embrasures；　and　here　was　a　dead　horse；　lying　on　its　back；　its　belly　shrouded　with　snow；　out　of　which　its　legs　pointed　stiffly　at　the　grey　sky。　And　here　was　the　main　camp；　rows　and　rows　of　little　huts；　mostly　only　two　or　three　feet　high；　with　the　dead　remains　of　camp…fires　already　buried　in　snow。　Outside　one　hut；　larger　than　the　others；　lay　a　soldier　swathed　in　the　grey　capote　of　the　French　Army。　He　was　face　downwards　and　not　dead；　for　they　saw　his　feet　move。
　〃Have　they　been　fighting　here？〃　conje