bcornwell.sharpescompany-第15部分

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t　imagine　losing　them；　losing　Harper？　Good　God！　Losing　Harper！
　
　'Good　God！'　For　a　moment　Sharpe　thought　Hogan　had　been　reading　his　thoughts；　and　then　he　saw　the　Major　staring　across　the　room。　Hogan　shook　his　head。　'If　ever　any　beauty　I　did　see　which　I　desired　and　got；　'twas　but　a　dream　of　she。'　Teresa　had　e　into　the　room　and　was　crossing　towards　them。　Hogan　turned　to　Forrest。　'Would　she　be　your　lady；　Major？　She　can't　be　Sharpe's。　The　man　has　no　taste！　He　hasn't　even　heard　of　John　Donne；　let　alone　recognize　a　misquotation。　No。　Something　as　beautiful　as　that　would　only　fall　in　love　with　a　man　of　taste；　a　man　like　you；　Major；　or　me。'　He　twitched　at　his　collar　as　Forrest　blushed　with　pleasure。
　
　Lieutenant　Price　had　gone　on　his　knees　to　Teresa；　blocking　her　path；　and　was　offering　her　his　undying　love　in　the　form　of　a　red　pepper　held　up　like　a　rose。　The　other　Lieutenants　encouraged　him；　shouted　at　Teresa　that　Harold　Price　had　prospects；　but　she　just　blew　him　a　kiss　and　stepped　past　him。　Sharpe　was　so　immensely　proud　of　her。　In　any　place　in　the　world；　in　any　drawing　room；　in　any　theatre；　in　any　palace；　let　alone　in　a　damp；　smoky　inn　at　Portalegre；　she　would　be　counted　beautiful。　The　mother　of　his　child。　His　woman。　He　stood　up　for　her；　embarrassed　that　his　pleasure　was　obvious　to　so　many；　and　offered　her　a　chair。　He　introduced　Hogan　who　dropped　into　his　fluent　Spanish　and　made　her　laugh。　She　glanced　at　Sharpe；　eyes　fond　under　the　long；　dark　lashes；　listened　to　the　Irishman's　nonsense；　and　laughed　again。　The　Engineer　toasted　her；　flirted　with　her；　and　looked　at　Sharpe。　'You're　a　lucky　man；　Richard。'
　
　'I　know；　sir；　I　know。'
　
　Lieutenant　Price　was　left　with　the　red　pepper。　He　threw　it　across　the　room　and　followed　it　with　a　bellowed　question。　'Where　are　we　going？'
　
　'Badajoz！'　The　room　roared　with　laughter。
　
　PART　TWO
　February…March　1812
　
　CHAPTER　8
　
　Halt！'　Boots　thudded　on　to　the　roadway。　'Stand　bloody　still；　you　bastards！　Still！'　The　Sergeant　cackled；　ground　his　few　remaining　teeth　together；　turned　away　and　immediately　spun　back。　'I　said　still！　If　you　want　your　sodding　bum　scratched；　Gutteridge；　I'll　do　it　with　my　bayonet！　Still！'　He　turned　to　the　young　officer　and　snapped　an　immaculate　salute。　'Sir！'
　
　The　Ensign；　visibly　nervous　of　the　tall　Sergeant；　returned　the　salute。　'Thank　you；　Sergeant。'
　
　'Don't　thank　me；　sir。　My　job；　sir。'　The　Sergeant　gave　his　habitual　cackle；　a　wild；　disfiting　sound；　and　his　eyes　flicked　left　and　right。　The　Sergeant's　eyes　were　blue；　almost　a　baby　blue；　the　Ensign　decided；　while　the　rest　of　him　was　yellow；　fever　yellow；　a　sickly　cast　over　his　hair；　teeth　and　skin。　The　baby　blue　eyes　settled　on　the　Ensign。　'Are　you　going　to　find　the　Captain；　sir；　are　you？　Tell　him　we've　arrived；　sir？'
　
　'Yes；　of　course。'
　
　'Give　him　my　best；　sir。　My　very　best。'　The　Sergeant　cackled　again；　and　the　cackle　turned　into　a　racking　cough；　and　the　head　twitched　on　its　long；　scrawny　neck　that　had　the　terrible　scar。
　
　The　Ensign　walked　into　the　courtyard　that　had　SE/LC　chalked　on　the　gatepost。　He　was　relieved　to　be　away　from　the　Sergeant；　his　constant　bane　on　the　long　journey　from　the　South　Essex　depot；　and　relieved　that　the　other　officers　of　the　South　Essex　Light　pany　could　now　share　the　brunt　of　the　Sergeant's　madness。　No；　that　was　not　right。　The　Sergeant　was　not　mad；　the　Ensign　decided；　but　there　was　something　about　him　that　spoke　of　the　possibility　of　utter　horror　that　lurked　just　bellow　the　yellow　surface。　The　Sergeant　was　terrifying：　the　Ensign；　as　he　was　to　the　recruits。
　
　The　soldiers　in　the　courtyard　were　almost　as　frightening。　They　had　the　look　that　other　veterans　in　Portugal　had　assumed；　a　look　quite　at　odds　with　soldiering　in　England。　Their　uniforms　had　turned　from　scarlet　into　either　a　faded；　whitish　pink；　or　else　into　a　dark；　virulent　purple。　The　monest　colour　was　brown　where　jackets　and　trousers　had　been　repeatedly　patched　with　coarse；　peasant　cloth。　Their　skins；　even　in　winter；　were　dark　brown。　Above　all；　the　Ensign　noticed；　was　their　air　of　confidence。　They　carried　themselves　casually；　at　home　with　their　polished　and　battered　weapons；　and　the　Ensign　felt　ill　at　ease　in　his　new　scarlet　jacket　with　its　bright　yellow　facings。　An　Ensign　was　the　lowest　of　all　missioned　officers　and　William　Matthews；　a　sixteen…year…old　who　pretended　to　shave；　was　scared　by　the　first　sight　of　these　men　he　was　supposed　to　mand。
　
　A　man　was　bent　beneath　the　yard　pump；　a　second　man　working　the　handle　so　that　water　pulsed　on　to　his　head　and　naked　back。　As　the　man　stood　up　Matthews　saw　a　lattice　of　thick　scars　that　had　been　caused　by　a　flogging　and　the　Ensign　turned　away；　sickened　by　the　sight。　His　father　had　warned　him　that　the　army　attracted　the　filth　of　society；　the　troublemakers；　and　Matthews　knew　he　had　just　seen　such　a　piece　of　human　flotsam。　Another　soldier；　for　some　reason　dressed　in　Rifle　green；　saw　his　expression　and　grinned。　Matthews　knew　he　was　being　watched；　and　judged；　but　then　an　officer　appeared；　dressed　properly；　and　it　was　with　relief　that　he　crossed　to　the　newer；　a　Lieutenant；　and　saluted。　'Ensign　Matthews；　sir。　Reporting　with　the　recruits。'
　
　The　Lieutenant　smiled　vaguely；　turned　away；　and　vomited。　'Oh；　Christ！'　The　Lieutenant　seemed　to　be　having　trouble　in　breathing；　but　he　stood　upright　again；　painfully；　and　turned　back　to　the　Ensign。　'My　dear　fellow；　frightfully　sorry。　Bloody　Portuguese　put　garlic　in　everything。　I'm　Harold　Price。'　Price　took　off　his　shako　and　rubbed　his　head。　'I　missed　your　name。　Frightfully　sorry。'
　
　'Matthews；　sir。'
　
　'Matthews。　Matthews。'　Price　said　the　name　as　if　it　might　mean　something；　and　then　held　his　breath　as　his　stomach　heaved　and；　when　the　spasm　had　passed；　breathed　out　slowly。　'Forgive　me；　my　dear　Matthews。　I　think　my　stomach's　delicate　this　morning。　You　wouldn't；　I　suppose；　do　me　the　honour　of　lending　me　five　pounds？　Just　for　a　day　or　two？　Guineas　would　be　better。'
　
　His　father　had　warned　him　of　this；　too；　but　Matthews　felt　it　would　be　unwise　to　begin　his　acquaintance　with　his　new　pany　by　a　churlish　refusal。　He　was　aware　of　the　soldiers　in　the　yard　listening　and　he　wondered　if　he　was　an　innocent　in　some　kind　of　private　joke；　but　what　eke　could　he　do？
　
　'Of　course；　sir。'
　
　Lieutenant　Price　looked　astonished。　'My　dear　fellow；　how　kind！　Splendid！　I'll　give　you　my　note；　of　course。'
　
　'And　hope　the　Ensign　gets　killed　at　Badajoz？'
　
　Matthews　spun　round。　The　tall　soldier；　the　one　whose　back　was　so　horribly　scarred；　had　spoken。　The　man's　face　was　scarred；　too；　and　it　gave　him　a　knowing；　even　mocking　expression；　that　was　belied　by　his　voice。　He　grinned　at　Matthews。　'He's　doing　it　to　everyone。　Borrowing　in　the　hope　that　they　die。　He　should　make　a　tidy　enough　profit。'
　
　Matthews　did　not　know　what　to　say。　The　soldier　had　spoken　in　a　kindly　way；　but　he　had　not　used　the　word　'sir'；　which　was　disconcerting；　and　Matthews　had　the　feeling　that　what　little　authority　his　lowly　rank　endowed　was　already　being　dissipated。　He　hoped　the　Lieutenant　would　intervene；　but　Price's　expression　was　sheepish　as　he　put　the　shako　on　his　head　and　grinned　at　the　scarred　man。　'This　is　Ensign　Matthews；　sir。　He's　brought　the　replacements。'
　
　The　tall；　scarred　man　nodded　at　the　Ensign。　'Glad　you're　here；　Matthews。　I'm　Sharpe；　Captain　Sharpe。　What's　your　name？'
　
　'Matthews；　sir。'　The　Ensign　gaped　at　Sharpe。　An　officer　who　had　been　flogged？　He　realized　his　answer　had　been　inadequate。　'William；　sir。'
　
　'Good　morning　and　wele。'　Sharpe　was　making　an　effort　to　be　pleasant。　He　hated　mornings　and　this　morning；　in　particular；　was　unpleasant。　Today　Teresa　was　going　from　Elvas　and　riding　the　few　miles；　across　the　border；　to　Badajoz。　Another　parting。　'Where　did　you　leave　the　men？〃
　
　Matthews　had　not　left　them　anywhere；　the　Sergeant　had　made　all　the　decisions；　but　he　pointed　through　the　gate。　'Outside；　sir。'
　
　'Get　them　in；　get　them　in。'　Sharpe　rubbed　his　hair　dry　with　a　piece　of　sacking。　'Sergeant　Harper！　Sergeant　Read！'　Harper　could　settle　the　recruits　into　the　pany；　while　Read；　the　Methodist　teetotaler；　could　fuss　over　the　pany　books。　It　would　be　a　busy　day。
　
　Sharpe　dressed　hurriedly。　The　rain　had