csf.thecommodore-第7部分

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　〃Yes；　dear。〃
　The　coach　was　clattering　over　the　cobbles　of　Upper　Deal。　Barbara　stirred　a　little　and　took　Hornblower's　hand　in　hers　again。
　〃I　don't　like　talking　about　furs；〃　she　said。　〃I　hope　…　oh；　I　hope　so　much　…　that　you'll　be　back　before　the　cold　weather　es。〃
　〃So　do　I；　dear；〃　said　Hornblower；　with　perfect　truth。
　It　was　gloomy　and　dark　inside　the　coach；　but　the　light　from　the　window　shone　on　Barbara's　face；　illuminating　it　like　a　saint's　in　church。　The　mouth　beneath　the　keen　aquiline　nose　was　set　firm；　there　was　nothing　soft　about　the　grey…blue　eyes。　No　one　could　tell　from　Lady　Barbara's　expression　that　her　heart　was　breaking；　but　she　had　slipped　off　her　glove；　and　her　hand　was　twining　feverishly　in　Hornblower's。
　〃e　back　to　me；　dear。　e　back　to　me！〃　said　Barbara　softly。
　〃Of　course　I　will；〃　said　Hornblower。
　For　all　her　patrician　birth；　for　all　her　keen　wit；　for　all　her　iron　self…control；　Barbara　could　say　foolish　things　just　like　any　blowsy　wife　of　any　ordinary　seaman。　It　made　Hornblower　love　her　more　dearly　than　ever　that　she　should　say　pathetically　'e　back　to　me'　as　if　he　had　power　over　the　French　or　Russian　cannon…balls　that　would　be　aimed　at　him。　Yet　in　that　moment　a　horrible　thought　shot　up　in　Hornblower's　mind；　like　a　bloated　corpse　rising　to　the　surface　from　the　ooze　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　Lady　Barbara　had　seen　a　husband　off　to　war　once　before；　and　he　had　not　returned。　He　had　died　under　the　surgeon's　knife　at　Gibraltar　after　a　splinter　had　torn　open　his　groin　in　the　battle　of　Rosas　Bay。　Was　Barbara　thinking　of　that　dead　husband　now；　at　this　moment？　Hornblower　shuddered　a　little　at　the　thought；　and　Barbara；　despite　the　close　sympathy　that　always　existed　between　them；　misinterpreted　the　movement。
　〃My　darling；〃　she　said；　〃my　sweet。〃
　She　brought　her　other　hand　up　and　touched　his　cheek；　and　her　lips　sought　his。　He　kissed　her；　fighting　down　the　dreadful　doubt　that　assailed　him。　He　had　contrived　for　months　not　to　be　jealous　of　the　past　…　he　was　annoyed　with　himself　for　allowing　it　to　happen　at　this　time　of　all　times；　and　his　annoyance　added　to　the　devil's　brew　of　emotions　within　him。　The　touch　of　her　lips　won　him　over；　his　heart　came　out　to　her；　and　he　kissed　her　with　all　the　passion　of　his　love；　while　the　coach　lurched　unstably　over　the　cobbles。　Barbara's　monumental　hat　threatened　to　e　adrift；　she　had　to　withdraw　from　his　arms　to　set　it　straight　and　to　restore　herself　to　her　normal　dignity。　She　was　aware　of；　even　if　she　had　misinterpreted；　the　turmoil　in　Hornblower's　soul；　and　she　deliberately　began　a　new　line　of　conversation　which　would　help　them　both　to　recover　their　posure　ready　for　their　imminent　appearance　in　public　again。
　〃I　am　pleased；〃　she　said；　〃whenever　I　think　of　the　high　pliment　the　government　is　paying　you　in　giving　you　this　new　appointment。〃
　〃I　am　pleased　that　you　are　pleased；　dear；〃　said　Hornblower。
　〃Hardly　more　than　half…way　up　the　Captains'　list；　and　yet　they　are　giving　you　this　mand。　You　will　be　an　admiral　in　petto。〃
　She　could　have　said　nothing　that　could　calm　Hornblower　more　effectively。　He　grinned　to　himself　at　Barbara's　mistake。　She　was　trying　to　say　that　he　would　be　an　admiral　on　a　small　scale；　in　miniature；　en　petit　as　it　would　be　phrased　in　French。　But　en　petit　meant　nothing　like　in　petto；　all　the　same。　In　petto　was　Italian　for　'in　the　breast'；　when　the　Pope　appointed　a　cardinal　in　petto　it　meant　that　he　intended　to　keep　the　appointment　to　himself　for　a　time　without　making　it　public。　It　tickled　Hornblower　hugely　to　hear　Barbara　guilty　of　a　solecism　of　that　sort。　And　it　made　her　human　again　in　his　eyes；　of　the　same　clay　as　his　own。　He　warmed　to　her　afresh；　with　tenderness　and　affection　supplementing　passion　and　love。
　The　coach　came　to　a　stop　with　a　lurch　and　a　squeaking　of　brakes；　and　the　door　opened。　Hornblower　jumped　out　and　handed　Barbara　down　before　looking　round　him。　It　was　blowing　half　a　gale；　west…by…north；　undoubtedly。　This　morning　it　had　been　a　strong　breeze；　southwesterly；　so　that　it　was　both　veering　and　strengthening。　A　little　more　northing　in　the　wind　and　they　would　be　weather…bound　in　the　Downs　until　it　backed　again。　The　loss　of　an　hour　might　mean　the　loss　of　days。　Sky　and　sea　were　grey；　and　there　were　whitecaps　a…plenty。　The　East　India　convoy　was　visible　at　anchor　some　way　out　…　as　far　as　they　were　concerned　the　wind　had　only　to　veer　a　trifle　for　them　to　up…anchor　and　start　down…Channel。　There　was　other　shipping　to　the　northward；　and　presumably　the　Nonsuch　and　the　flotilla　were　there；　but　without　a　glass　it　was　too　far　to　tell　ship　from　ship。　The　wind　whipped　round　his　ears　and　forced　him　to　hold　his　hat　on　tightly。　Across　the　cobbled　street　was　the　jetty　with　a　dozen　Deal　luggers　riding　to　it。
　Brown　stood　waiting　for　orders　while　the　coachman　and　footman　were　hauling　the　baggage　out　of　the　boot。
　〃I'll　have　a　hoveller　take　me　out　to　the　ship；　Brown；〃　said　Hornblower。　〃Make　a　bargain　for　me。〃
　He　could　have　had　a　signal　sent　from　the　castle　to　the　Nonsuch　for　a　boat；　but　that　would　consume　precious　time。　Barbara　was　standing　beside　him；　holding　on　to　her　hat；　the　wind　flapped　her　skirt　round　her　like　a　flag。　Her　eyes　were　grey　this　morning　…　if　sea　and　sky　had　been　blue　her　eyes　would　have　been　blue　too。　And　she　was　making　herself　smile　at　him。
　〃If　you　are　going　out　to　the　ship　in　a　lugger；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃I　could　e　too。　The　lugger　could　bring　me　back。〃
　〃You　will　be　wet　and　cold；〃　said　Hornblower。　〃Close…hauled　and　with　this　wind　it　will　be　a　rough　passage。〃
　〃Do　you　think　I　mind？〃　said　Barbara；　and　the　thought　of　leaving　her　tore　at　his　heartstrings　again。
　Brown　was　back　again　already；　and　with　him　a　couple　of　Deal　boatmen；　handkerchiefs　bound　round　their　heads　and　ear…rings　in　their　ears；　their　faces；　burned　by　the　wind　and　pickled　by　the　salt；　a　solid　brown　like　wood。　They　laid　hold　of　Hornblower's　sea…chests　and　began　to　carry　them　as　if　they　were　feathers　towards　the　jetty；　in　nineteen　years　of　war　innumerable　officers　had　had　their　chests　carried　down　to　Deal　jetty。　Brown　followed　them；　and　Hornblower　and　Lady　Barbara　brought　up　the　rear；　Hornblower　clutching　tenaciously　the　leather　portfolio　containing　his　'most　secret'　orders。
　〃Morning；　Captain；〃　The　captain　of　the　lugger　knuckled　his　forehead　to　Hornblower。　〃Morning；　Your　Ladyship。　All　the　breeze　anyone　wants　to…day。　Still；　you'll　be　able　to　weather　the　Goodwins；　Captain；　even　with　those　unweatherly　bombs　of　yours。　Wind's　fair　for　the　Skaw　once　you're　dear　of　the　Downs。〃
　So　that　was　military　secrecy　in　this　England；　this　Deal　hoveller　knew　just　what　force　he　had　and　whither　he　was　bound　…　and　to…morrow；　as　likely　as　not；　he　would　have　a　rendezvous　in　mid…Channel　with　a　French　chasse…marée；　exchanging　tobacco　for　brandy　and　news　for　news。　In　three　days　Bonaparte　in　Paris　would　know　that　Hornblower　had　sailed　for　the　Baltic　with　a　ship　of　the　line　and　a　flotilla。
　〃Easy　with　them　cases！〃　roared　the　lugger　captain　suddenly。　〃Them　bottles　ain't　made　o'　iron！〃
　They　were　lowering　down　into　the　lugger　the　rest　of　his　baggage　from　the　jetty；　the　additional　cabin　stores　which　Barbara　had　ordered　for　him　and　whose　quality　she　had　checked　so　carefully；　a　case　of　wine；　a　case　of　provisions；　and　the　parcel　of　books　which　was　her　special　present　to　him。
　〃Won't　you　take　a　seat　in　the　cabin；　Your　Ladyship？〃　asked　the　lugger　captain　with　queer　untutored　politeness。　〃'Twill　be　a　wet　run　out　to　Nonsuch。〃
　Barbara　caught　Hornblower's　eye　and　refused　politely；　Hornblower　knew　those　stuffy；　smelly　cabins　of　old。
　〃A　tarpauling　for　Your　Ladyship；　then。〃
　The　tarpaulin　was　fastened　round　Barbara's　shoulders；　and　hung　round　her　to　the　deck　like　a　candle　extinguisher。　The　wind　was　still　pulling　at　her　hat；　and　she　put　up　her　hand　and　with　a　single　gesture　snatched　it　from　her　head　and　drew　it　inside　the　tarpaulin。　The　brisk　wind　blew　her　hair　instantly　into　streamers；　and　she　laughed；　and　with　a　shake　of　her　head　set　her　whole　mane　flying　in　the　wind。　Her　cheeks　flushed　and　her　eyes　sparkled；　just　as　Hornblower　could　remember　her　in　the　old　days　when　they　rounded　the　Horn　in　Lydia。　Hornblower　wanted　to　kiss　her。
　〃Cast　off；　there！　Hands　to　the　halliard！〃　roared　the　captain；　in