csf.thecommodore-第18部分

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ow　of　the　arrival　of　a　British　squadron；　nor　guess　that　the　immediate　recapture　of　the　Maggie　Jones　had　so　quickly　revealed　her　presence　here。
　〃I　think　that　is　all　perfectly　plain；　gentlemen？〃　said　Hornblower；　looking　round　his　cabin　at　his　assembled　captains。
　There　was　a　murmur　of　assent。　Vickery　of　the　Lotus　and　Cole　of　the　Raven　were　looking　grimly　expectant。　Each　of　them　was　hoping　that　it　would　be　his　ship　that　would　encounter　the　Blanchefleur　…　a　successful　single…ship　action　against　a　vessel　of　so　nearly　equal　force　would　be　the　quickest　way　to　be　promoted　captain　from　mander。　Vickery　was　young　and　ardent　…　it　was　he　who　had　manded　the　boats　at　the　cutting…out　of　the　Sèvres　…　and　Cole　was　grey…headed　and　bent。　Mound；　captain　of　the　Harvey；　and　Duncan；　captain　of　the　Moth　were　both　of　them　young　lieutenants；　Freeman；　of　the　cutter　Clam；　swarthy　and　with　long　black　hair　like　a　gipsy；　was　of　a　different　type；　it　would　be　less　surprising　to　hear　he　was　captain　of　a　smuggling　craft　than　captain　of　a　King's　ship。　It　was　Duncan　who　asked　the　next　question。
　〃If　you　please；　sir；　is　Swedish　Pomerania　neutral？〃
　〃Whitehall　would　be　glad　to　know　the　answer　to　that　question；　Mr　Duncan；〃　said　Hornblower；　with　a　grin。　He　wanted　to　appear　stern　and　aloof；　but　it　was　not　easy　with　these　pleasant　boys。
　They　grinned　back　at　him；　it　was　with　a　curious　pang　that　Hornblower　realized　that　his　subordinates　were　already　fond　of　him。　He　thought；　guiltily；　that　if　only　they　knew　all　the　truth　about　him　they　might　not　like　him　so　much。
　〃Any　other　questions；　gentlemen？　No？　Then　you　can　return　to　your　ships　and　take　your　stations　for　the　night。〃
　At　dawn　when　Hornblower　came　on　deck　there　was　a　thin　fog　over　the　surface　of　the　sea；　with　the　dropping　of　the　westerly　wind　the　cold　water　flowing　out　from　the　melting　ice…packs　of　the　Gulf　of　Finland　had　an　opportunity　of　cooling　the　warm　damp　air　and　condensing　its　moisture　into　a　cloud。
　〃It　could　be　thicker；　sir；　but　not　much；〃　grumbled　Bush。　The　foremast　was　visible　from　the　quarter…deck；　but　not　the　bowsprit。　There　was　only　a　faint　breeze　from　the　north；　and　the　Nonsuch；　creeping　along　before　it；　was　very　silent；　pitching　hardly　at　all　on　the　smooth　sea；　with　a　rattle　of　blocks　and　cordage。
　〃I　took　a　cast　with　the　deep…sea　lead　at　six　bells；　sir；〃　reported　Montgomery。　〃Ninety…one　fathoms。　Grey　mud。　That'll　be　the　Arcona　deep；　sir。〃
　〃Very　good；　Mr　Montgomery；〃　said　Bush。　Hornblower　was　nearly　sure　that　Bush's　curt　manner　to　his　lieutenants　was　modelled　on　the　manner　Hornblower　used　to　employ　towards　him　when　he　was　first　lieutenant。
　〃Nosing　our　way　about　with　the　lead；〃　said　Bush；　disgustedly。　〃We　might　as　well　be　a　Dogger　Bank　trawler。　And　you　remember　what　the　prisoners　said　about　the　Blanchefleur；　sir？　They　have　pilots　on　board　who　know　these　waters　like　the　palms　of　their　hands。〃
　Groping　about　in　a　fog　in　shoal　waters　was　not　the　sort　of　exercise　for　which　a　big　two…decker　was　designed；　but　the　Nonsuch　had　a　special　value　in　this　campaign。　There　were　few　ships　this　side　of　the　Sound　which　could　match　her　in　force；　under　her　protection　the　flotilla　could　cruise　wherever　necessary。　Danes　and　Swedes　and　Russians　and　French　had　plenty　of　small　craft；　but　when　Nonsuch　made　her　appearance　they　were　powerless　to　hinder。
　〃If　you　please；　sir；〃　said　Montgomery；　touching　his　hat。　〃Isn't　that　gunfire　which　I　can　hear？〃
　Everybody　listened；　enwrapped　in　the　clammy　fog。　The　only　noises　to　be　heard　were　those　of　the　ship；　and　the　condensed　fog　dripping　from　the　rigging　to　the　deck。　Then　a　flat…sounding　thud　came　faintly　to　their　ears。
　〃That's　a　gun；　sir；　or　my　name's　not　Sylvanus　Montgomery！〃
　〃From　astern；〃　said　Hornblower。
　〃Beg　your　pardon；　sir；　but　I　thought　it　was　on　the　port　bow。〃
　〃Damn　this　fog；〃　said　Bush。
　If　the　Blanchefleur　once　had　warning　of　the　presence　of　a　British　squadron　in　pursuit　of　her；　and　then　got　away；　she　would　vanish　like　a　needle　in　a　haystack。　Hornblower　held　up　a　wetted　finger　and　glanced　into　the　binnacle。
　〃Wind's　north；〃　he　said。　〃Maybe　nor'nor'east。〃
　That　was　forting。　To　leeward；　the　likely　avenue　of　escape；　lay　Rügen　and　the　coast　of　Swedish　Pomerania；　twenty　miles　away。　If　Blanchefleur　did　not　slip　through　the　net　he　had　spread　she　would　be　hemmed　in。
　〃Set　the　lead　going；　Mr　Montgomery；〃　said　Bush。
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　〃There's　another　gun！〃　said　Hornblower。　〃On　the　port　bow；　sure　enough。〃
　A　wild　yell　from　the　masthead。
　〃Sail　ho！　Sail　right　ahead！〃
　The　mist　was　thinner　in　that　direction。　Perhaps　as　much　as　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away　could　be　seen　the　thinnest　palest　ghost　of　a　ship　creeping　through　the　fog　across　the　bows。
　〃Ship…rigged；　flush…decked；〃　said　Bush。　〃That's　the　Blanchefleur　sure　as　a　gun！〃
　She　vanished　as　quickly　as　she　had　appeared；　into　a　thicker　bank　of　fog。
　〃Hard…a…starboard！〃　roared　Bush。　〃Hands　to　the　braces！〃
　Hornblower　was　at　the　binnacle；　taking　a　hurried　bearing。
　〃Steady　as　you　go！〃　he　ordered　the　helmsman。　〃Keep　her　at　that！〃
　In　this　gentle　breeze　the　heavily　sparred　privateer　would　be　able　to　make　better　speed　than　a　clumsy　two…decker。　All　that　could　be　hoped　for　would　be　to　keep　Nonsuch　up　to　windward　of　her　to　head　her　off　if　she　tried　to　break　through　the　cordon。
　〃Call　all　hands；〃　said　Bush。　〃Beat　to　quarters。〃
　The　drums　roared　through　the　ship；　and　the　hands　came　pouring　up　to　their　stations。
　〃Run　out　the　guns；〃　continued　Bush。　〃One　broadside　into　her；　and　she's　ours。〃
　The　trucks　roared　as　three　hundred　tons　of　metal　were　run　out。　At　the　breech　of　every　gun　there　clustered　an　eager　group。　The　linstocks　smouldered　sullenly。
　〃Masthead；　there！　Stay　awake！〃　pealed　Bush；　and　then　more　quietly　to　Hornblower；　〃He　may　double　back　and　throw　us　off　the　scent。〃
　There　was　always　the　possibility　of　the　masthead　being　above　this　thin　fog　…　the　lookout　in　Nonsuch　might　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　Blanchefleur's　topmasts　when　nothing　could　be　seen　from　the　deck。
　For　several　minutes　there　was　no　more　sound　save　for　the　cry　of　the　leadsman；　Nonsuch　rolled　gently　in　the　trough　of　the　waves；　but　it　was　hard　to　realize　in　the　mist　that　she　was　making　headway。
　〃By　the　mark　twenty；〃　called　the　leadsman。
　Before　he　had　uttered　the　last　word　Hornblower　and　Bush　had　turned　to　glance　at　each　other；　up　to　that　moment　their　subconscious　minds　had　been　listening　to　the　cries　without　their　consciousness　paying　any　attention。　But　'by　the　mark'　meant　that　now　there　was　at　most　twenty　fathoms　under　them。
　〃Shoaling；　sir；〃　mented　Bush。
　Then　the　masthead　lookout　yelled　again。
　〃Sail　on　the　lee　quarter；　sir！〃
　Bush　and　Hornblower　sprang　to　the　rail；　but　in　the　clinging　fog　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen。
　〃Masthead；　there！　What　d'you　see？〃
　〃Nothin'　now；　sir。　Just　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　ship's　royals；　sir。　There　they　are　again；　sir。　Two　points　…　three　points　abaft　the　port　beam。〃
　〃What's　her　course？〃
　〃Same　as　ours；　sir。　She's　gone　again　now。〃
　〃Shall　we　bear　down　on　her；　sir？〃　asked　Bush。
　〃Not　yet；〃　said　Hornblower。
　〃Stand　to　your　guns　on　the　port　side！〃　ordered　Bush。
　Even　a　distant　broadside　might　knock　away　a　spar　or　two　and　leave　the　chase　helpless。
　〃Tell　the　men　not　to　fire　without　orders；〃　said　Hornblower。　〃That　may　be　Lotus。〃
　〃So　it　may；　by　God；〃　said　Bush。
　Lotus　had　been　on　Nonsuch's　port　beam　in　the　cordon　sweeping　down　towards　Rügen。　Someone　had　undoubtedly　been　firing　…　that　must　have　been　Lotus；　and　she　would　have　turned　in　pursuit　of　the　Blanchefleur；　which　could　bring　her　into　just　the　position　where　those　royals　had　been　seen；　and　the　royals　of　two　ship…rigged　sloops；　seen　through　mist；　would　resemble　each　other　closely　enough　to　deceive　the　eye　even　of　an　experienced　seaman。
　〃Wind's　freshening；　sir；〃　mented　Hurst。
　〃That's　so；〃　said　Bush。　〃Please　God　it　clears　this　fog　away。〃
　Nonsuch　was　perceptibly　leaning　over　to　the　freshening　breeze。　From　forward　came　the　cheerful　music　of　the　sea　under　the　bows。
　〃By　the　deep　eighteen！〃　called　the　leadsman。
　Then　twenty　voices　yelled　together。
　〃There　she　is！　Sail　on　the　port　beam！　That's　Lotus！〃
　The　fog　had　cleared　in　this　quarter；　and　there　was　Lotus　under　all　sail；　three　cables'