csf.thecommodore-第4部分

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far　overhead；　and　Hornblower　threw　open　his　cloak　and　wiped　his　damp　hair　and　neck　with　his　handkerchief。　Brown　eased　the　horses　to　a　walk　at　the　crest　of　the　hill　to　breathe　them　before　the　brisk　descent。
　〃London；　sir；〃　he　said。
　And　there　it　was。　The　rain　had　washed　the　smoke　and　dust　out　of　the　air　so　that　even　at　that　distance　the　gilt　cross　and　bell　over　St　Paul's　gleamed　in　the　sunshine。　The　church　spires；　dwarfed　by　the　dome；　stood　out　with　unnatural　clarity。　The　very　roof…tops　were　distinct。　Brown　clicked　his　tongue　at　the　horses　and　they　broke　once　more　into　a　trot；　rattling　the　chariot　down　the　steep　descent　into　Wandsworth；　and　Hornblower　pulled　out　his　watch。　It　was　no　more　than　two　o'clock；　ample　time　to　do　business。　Even　though　his　shirt　was　damp　inside　his　coat　this　was　a　far　better　day　than　he　had　anticipated　when　he　sat　in　his　bath　that　morning。
　Brown　drew　the　horses　to　a　halt　outside　the　Admiralty；　and　a　ragged　urchin　appeared　who　guarded　the　wheel　so　that　it　did　not　muddy　Hornblower's　cloak　and　uniform　as　he　climbed　down　from　the　chariot。
　〃At　the　Golden　Cross；　then；　Brown；〃　said　Hornblower；　fumbling　for　a　copper　for　the　urchin。
　〃Aye　aye；　sir；〃　said　Brown；　wheeling　the　horses　round。
　Hornblower　carefully　put　on　his　cocked　hat；　settled　his　coat　more　smoothly；　and　centred　the　buckle　of　his　sword…belt。　At　Smallbridge　House　he　was　Sir　Horatio；　master　of　the　house；　lord　of　the　manor；　autocrat　undisputed；　but　now　he　was　just　Captain　Hornblower　going　in　to　see　the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty。　But　Admiral　Louis　was　all　cordiality。　He　left　Hornblower　waiting　no　more　than　three　minutes　in　the　anteroom　…　no　longer　than　would　be　necessary　to　get　rid　of　his　visitor　of　the　moment　…　and　he　shook　hands　with　obvious　pleasure　at　the　sight　of　him；　he　rang　the　bell　for　a　clerk　to　take　Hornblower's　wet　cloak　away；　and　with　his　own　hands　he　pulled　up　a　chair　for　him　beside　the　vast　fire　which　Louis　maintained　summer　and　winter　since　his　return　from　the　mand　of　the　East　Indian　Station。
　〃Lady　Barbara　is　well；　I　trust？〃　he　asked。
　〃Very　well；　thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Hornblower。
　〃And　Master　Hornblower？〃
　〃Very　well　too；　sir。〃
　Hornblower　was　mastering　his　shyness　rapidly。　He　sat　farther　back　in　his　chair　and　weled　the　heat　of　the　fire。　That　was　a　new　portrait　of　Collingwood　on　the　wall；　it　must　have　replaced　the　old　one　of　Lord　Barharn。　It　was　pleasant　to　note　the　red　ribbon　and　the　star　and　to　look　down　at　his　own　breast　and　to　see　that　he　wore　the　same　decoration。
　〃And　yet　you　left　domestic　bliss　at　the　first　moment　you　received　our　letter？〃
　〃Of　course；　sir。〃
　Hornblower　realized　that　perhaps　it　might　be　more　profitable　not　to　be　natural；　it　might　be　better　to　adopt　a　pose；　to　appear　reluctant　to　take　up　his　professional　duties；　or　to　make　it　look　as　if　he　were　making　a　great　personal　sacrifice　for　his　country；　but　for　the　life　of　him　he　could　not　do　it。　He　was　too　pleased　with　his　promotion；　too　full　of　curiosity　regarding　the　mission　the　Admiralty　had　in　mind　for　him。　Louis'　keen　eyes　were　studying　him　closely；　and　he　met　their　gaze　frankly。
　〃What　is　it　you　plan　for　me；　sir？〃　he　asked；　he　would　not　even　wait　for　Louis　to　make　the　first　move。
　〃The　Baltic；〃　said　Louis。
　So　that　was　it。　The　two　words　terminated　a　morning　of　wild　speculation；　tore　up　a　wide　cobweb　of　possibilities。　It　might　have　been　anywhere　in　the　world；　Java　or　Jamaica；　Cape　Horne　or　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　the　Indian　Ocean　or　the　Mediterranean；　anywhere　within　the　25；000…mile　circuit　of　the　world　where　the　British　flag　flew。　And　it　was　going　to　be　the　Baltic；　Hornblower　tried　to　sort　out　in　his　mind　what　he　knew　about　the　Baltic。　He　had　not　sailed　in　northern　waters　since　he　was　a　junior　lieutenant。
　〃Admiral　Keats　is　manding　there；　isn't　he？〃
　〃At　the　moment；　yes。　But　Saumarez　is　replacing　him。　His　orders　will　be　to　give　you　the　widest　latitude　of　discretion。〃
　That　was　a　curious　thing　to　say。　It　hinted　at　division　of　mand；　and　that　was　inherently　vicious。　Better　a　bad　mander…in…chief　than　a　divided　mand。　To　tell　a　subordinate　that　his　superior　was　under　orders　to　grant　him　wide　discretion　was　a　dangerous　thing　to　do；　unless　the　subordinate　was　a　man　of　superlative　loyalty　and　mon　sense。　Hornblower　gulped　at　that　moment　…　he　had　honestly　forgotten　temporarily　that　he　was　the　subordinate　under　consideration；　maybe　the　Admiralty　credited　him　with　'superlative　loyalty　and　mon　sense'。
　Louis　was　eyeing　him　curiously。
　〃Don't　you　want　to　hear　the　size　of　your　mand？〃　he　asked。
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　answered　Hornblower；　but　he　did　not　mind　very　much。　The　fact　that　he　was　going　to　mand　something　was　much　more　important　than　what　he　was　going　to　mand。
　〃You'll　have　the　Nonsuch；　seventy…four；〃　said　Louis。　〃That　will　give　you　a　ship　of　force　should　you　need　one。　For　the　rest　you'll　have　all　the　small　stuff　we　can　scrape　together　for　you　…　Lotus　and　Raven；　sloops；　two　bomb…ketches；　Moth　and　Harvey；　and　the　cutter　Clam。　That's　all　so　far；　but　by　the　time　you　sail　we　might　have　some　more　ready　for　you。　We　want　you　to　be　ready　for　all　the　inshore　work　that　may　e　your　way。　There's　likely　to　be　plenty。〃
　〃I　expect　so；〃　said　Hornblower。
　〃Don't　know　whether　you'll　be　fighting　for　the　Russians　or　against　them；〃　mused　Louis。　〃Same　with　the　Swedes。　God　knows　what's　building　up；　up　there。　But　His　Nibs'll　tell　you　all　about　that。〃
　Hornblower　looked　a　question。
　〃Your　revered　brother…in…law；　the　most　noble　the　Marquis　Wellesley；　K。P。；　His　Britannic　Majesty's　Secretary　of　State　for　Foreign　Affairs。　We　call　him　His　Nibs　for　short。　We'll　walk　across　and　see　him　in　a　minute。　But　there's　something　else　important　to　settle。　Who　d'you　want　for　captain　in　Nonsuch？〃
　Hornblower　gasped　at　that。　This　was　patronage　on　a　grand　scale。　He　had　sometimes　appointed　midshipmen　and　surgeon's　mates；　a　parson　of　shady　record　had　once　hungrily　solicited　him　for　nomination　as　chaplain　in　his　ship；　but　to　have　a　say　in　the　appointment　of　a　captain　of　a　ship　of　the　line　was　something　infinitely　more　important　than　any　of　these。　There　were　120　captains　junior　to　Hornblower；　men　of　most　distinguished　record；　whose　achievements　were　talked　of　with　bated　breath　in　the　four　quarters　of　the　world；　and　who　had　won　their　way　to　that　rank　at　the　cost　of　their　blood　and　by　the　performance　of　feats　of　skill　and　daring　unparalleled　in　history。　Certainly　half　of　these；　perhaps　more；　would　jump　at　the　suggestion　of　the　mand　of　a　seventy…four。　Hornblower　remembered　his　own　joy　at　his　appointment　to　Sutherland　two　years　ago。　Captains　on　half…pay；　captains　with　shore　appointments　eating　out　their　hearts　with　wailing　for　a　sea　mand；　it　was　in　his　power　to　change　the　whole　life　and　career　of　one　of　these。　Yet　there　was　no　hesitation　about　his　decision。　There　might　be　more　brilliant　captains　available；　captains　with　more　brains；　but　there　was　only　one　man　that　he　wanted。
　〃I'll　have　Bush；〃　he　said；　〃if　he's　available。〃
　〃You　can　have　him；〃　said　Louis；　with　a　nod。　〃I　was　expecting　you　to　ask　for　him。　That　wooden　leg　of　his　won't　be　too　serious　a　handicap；　you　think。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Hornblower。　It　would　have　been　irksome　in　the　extreme　to　go　to　sea　with　any　other　captain　than　Bush。
　〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Louis；　looking　round　at　the　clock　on　the　wall。　〃Let's　walk　across　and　see　His　Nibs；　if　you've　no　objection。〃
　
　CHAPTER　THREE
　

　Hornblower　sat　in　his　private　sitting…room　in　the　Golden　Cross　inn。　There　was　a　fire　burning；　and　on　the　table　at　which　he　sat　there　were　no　fewer　than　four　wax　candles　lighted。　All　this　luxury　…　the　private　sitting…room；　the　fire；　the　wax　candles　…　gave　Hornblower　uneasy　delight。　He　had　been　poor　for　so　long；　he　had　had　to　scrape　and　economize　so　carefully　all　his　life；　that　recklessness　with　money　gave　him　this　queer　dubious　pleasure；　this　guilty　joy。　His　bill　to…morrow　would　contain　an　item　of　at　least　half　a　crown　for　light；　and　if　he　had　been　content　with　rush　dips　the　charge　would　not　have　been　more　than　twopence。　The　fire　would　be　a　shilling；　too。　And　you　could　trust　an　innkeeper　to　make　the　maximum　charges　to　a　guest　who　obviously　could　afford　them；　a　Knight　of　the　Bath；　with　a　servant；　and　a　two…horse　chariot。　To…morro