bcornwell.sharpescompany-第30部分

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　as　far　as　Sharpe　knew；　had　been　touched　for　three　days。　It　contained　the　kind　of　things　that　a　man　would　only　unpack　if　he　were　in　fortable　quarters　for　a　long　period；　silverware；　crystal；　the　luxuries　that　reminded　them　of　home　forts。　Windham　growled　at　Major　Collett。　'What's　missing？'
　
　It　was　not　a　long　list。　Forrest　had　lost　a　money　draft；　but　it　had　been　found　screwed　up　and　thrown　away　in　the　mud。　Whoever　had　slit　the　bags　had　not　known　what　to　do　with　the　paper。　There　was　a　pair　of　snuffboxes　gone；　a　gold　chain　that
　
　 Sharpe　suspected　had　been　looted　from　Ciudad　Rodrigo；　certainly　the　officer　who　reported　that　loss　had　been　voluble　about　his　poverty　before　the　siege　and　remarkably　silent　afterwards。　There　was　a　set　of　gold　scabbard　furniture；　too　valuable　to　wear　in　battle；　a　pair　of　silver　spurs　and　a　pair　of　jeweled　ear…rings　that　an　embarrassed　Lieutenant　claimed　was　a　present　for　his　mother。　Major　Collett　had　lost　a　shaving　mirror　with　a　silver　lid　and　a　watch　that　he　said　was　worth　a　small　fortune。　Most　important　of　all　was　the　Colonel's　loss；　the　silver…filigree…framed　portrait　of　his　wife；　the　chinless；　stern　Jessica。　The　Colonel；　rumor　had　it；　was　particularly　fond　of　his　wife；　she　had　brought　him　a　small　fortune　and　the　hunting　rights　for　half　of　Leicestershire；　and　Colonel　Windham　was　furious　at　the　loss。　Sharpe　remembered　the　portrait　sitting　on　the　low　table　in　Elvas。
　
　Windham　pointed　the　whip　at　Sharpe。　'Did　you　lose　anything？'
　
　Sharpe　shook　his　head。　'I've　nothing　here；　sir。'　Everything　he　owned　he　carried　on　his　back；　except　for　the　Patriotic　Fund　sword　and　the　gold　stolen　at　Almeida　which　were　with　his　London　agents。
　
　'Where's　your　pack？'
　
　'With　the　others；　sir。'
　
　'Is　it　marked？'
　
　Sharpe　shook　his　head。　'No；　sir。'
　
　'Fetch　it；　Sharpe。'
　
　It　did　not　make　sense。　Was　the　Colonel　accusing　Sharpe　of　being　the　thief？　If　so；　why　ask　Sharpe　to　fetch　his　own　pack　and；　in　so　doing；　have　an　opportunity　of　hiding　the　stolen　goods？　He　found　the　pack；　brought　it　back　to　the　sheepfold。　'Do　you　want　to　search　it；　sir？'
　
　'Don't　be　a　fool；　Sharpe。　You're　an　officer。'　And　thereby；　went　the　unspoken　words；　and　despite　all　evidence　to　the　contrary；　a　gentleman。　'I　want　to　see　how　far　our　thief's　net　was　cast。　See　if　anything's　missing；　man！'
　
　Sharpe　unbuckled　the　straps。　The　French　pack　was　crammed　with　spare；　dirty　clothes；　two　spare　locks　for　his　rifle；　and　a　half　bottle　of　rum。　He　kept　only　one　valuable　in　the　pack　and　he　did　not　need　to　look　for　it；　it　was　gone。　He　looked　up　at　Windham。　I'm　missing　a　telescope。'
　
　'Telescope？　Anything　special　about　it？'
　
　Something　very　special；　the　inlet　brass　plate　that　was　inscribed　In　Gratitude。　AW。　23　September　1803。　It　had　gone。　Sharpe　pushed　his　hand　desperately　down　through　the　clothes；　but　it　was　gone。　Damn　the　thief　！　The　telescope　had　been　a　gift　from　Wellington；　a　valued　gift；　and　Sharpe　cursed　himself　for　leaving　the　pack　with　all　the　others。　Yet　they　had　been　guarded。　As　the　sheepfold　with　the　officers'　valuables　had　been　guarded。　Windham　listened　to　Sharpe's　description　and　nodded　with　satisfaction。　'That　proves　one　thing。'
　
　'Proves？　What；　sir？'
　
　Windham　smiled。　'I　think　we　know　where　our　thief　es　from。　Only　one　pany　would　know　that　pack！'　He　pointed　at　Sharpe's　gradually　soaking　clothes　in　their　French　pig…skin　pack。　He　turned　to　Major　Collett。　'Parade　the　Light　pany；　Jack。　Search　every　man。　'
　
　Sharpe　tried　to　protest。　'Sir？'
　
　Windham　whipped　round　on　him；　held　out　the　crop　accusingly。　'If　you　had　stayed　on　guard；　Sharpe；　instead　of　gallivanting　on　the　hill；　this　would　not　have　happened。　Stay　out　of　it！'
　
　Hakeswill！　It　had　to　be　Hakeswill！　Sharpe　knew　it；　and　knew　with　an　utter　certainty　that　the　accusation　would　never　be　proved。　The　theft　of　the　telescope；　at　least；　had　to　have　been　done　in　the　afternoon　because　Sharpe　had　seen　the　glass　in　his　pack　at　midday。　The　Light　pany；　or　most　of　them；　had　been　with　Sharpe　fighting　the　French；　but　he　suddenly　remembered　the　awkward；　lumbering　figure　of　the　yellow…faced　Sergeant　hurrying　back　towards　the　baggage。　The　loot　would　all　be　hidden　by　now。　And　the　guards　whom　Sharpe　had　left　to　watch　the　baggage　would　all　have　wandered　to　the　hilltop　to　see　the　fight。　He　strapped　up　the　buckles　of　his　pack。　Major　Forrest　waited　till　the　other　officers　had　filed　out　the　gate。　'I'm　sorry；　Sharpe。'
　
　'I　don't　think　it's　the　Light　pany；　sir。'
　
　'I　meant　about　the　telescope。'
　
　Sharpe　grunted。　Forrest　was　a　decent　man；　always　wanting　others　to　be　content。　The　Rifleman　shrugged。　'It's　gone；　sir。　It　won't　e　back。'　Hakeswill　was　too　clever　a　thief　to　be　discovered。
　
　Forrest　shook　his　head　unhappily。　'I　don't　believe　it。　And　we　used　to　be　such　a　happy　battalion！'　His　face　suddenly　changed；　became　curious。　'Sharpe？'
　
　'Sir？'
　
　'Colonel　Windham　said　you　were　married。　I　didn't　like　to　contradict　him。'
　
　'Did　you；　sir？'
　
　'Good　Lord；　no！　Are　you？'
　
　Sharpe　shook　his　head。　'No；　sir。'
　
　'But　he　said　you　told　him　you　were。'
　
　Sharpe　squatted　back　on　his　heels　and　smiled　up　at　the　Major。　'I　did。'
　
　'For　God's　sake；　why？'
　
　'Don't　know；　sir。　It　just　came　out。'
　
　'But；　Good　Lord；　Sharpe。　It　goes　on　your　papers；　it。。。　〃　Forrest　gave　up。　'Why　don't　you　tell　him　the　truth？'
　
　'I　quite　like　the　idea；　sir。'
　
　Forrest　laughed。　'Well　I　never。　I　thought　it　was　odd　when　he　mentioned　it；　but　I　thought　it　could　be　true。　You're　such　a　private　fellow；　Sharpe。'
　
　'The　way　I'm　going；　sir；　I　probably　will　be　soon。'
　
　'Don't　be　ridiculous。'　Forrest　frowned。　'There'll　be　a　Captaincy　soon。　There　nearly　was　this　afternoon。　Poor　Sterritt　tripped　over　and　had　a　bayonet　through　his　jacket。'
　
　Sharpe　said　nothing。　He　had　shamelessly　searched　the　survivors　to　see　if　any　Captain　was　missing；　but　they　all　seemed　to　bear　charmed　lives　and　a　remarkable　freedom　from　disease　in　the　foul　weather。　He　stood　up　and　slung　his　pack　on　one　shoulder。　Over　the　hill　came　the　thumps　of　the　French　guns；　a　sound　so　mon　that　men　hardly　noticed　it　any　more。　As　mon　as　the　endless　hissing　of　the　rain。
　
　Forrest　looked　over　his　shoulder；　at　the　parading　Light　pany。　This　is　sad；　Sharpe。　Very　sad。'
　
　Windham　paraded　them　and　the　Sergeant　Major　called　each　man　forward　in　turn　to　have　pouches；　haversack　and　pack　emptied　on　to　a　groundsheet。　Another　Sergeant　went　through　the　packets。　Sharpe　turned　away。　He　found　it　sad；　too；　and　unnecessary。　He　would　have　paraded　them　and　given　them　ten　minutes　to　e　up　with　the　thief　or　face　the　consequences；　if；　that　is；　he　really　believed　that　one　of　the　pany　was　the　thief。　Forrest　shook　his　head。　'He's　very　thorough；　Sharpe。'
　
　'Not　really；　sir。'
　
　'What　do　you　mean？'
　
　Sharpe　gave　a　tired　smile。　'When　I　was　in　the　ranks；　sir；　we　had　packs　with　false　bottoms。　He's　not　looking　inside　the　shakoes。　Anyway；　a　real　thief　won't　have　the　stuff　anymore。'
　
　'He's　hardly　had　time　to　get　rid　of　it。'
　
　'Sir。　One　of　the　women　could　have　it　by　now；　he　could　have　sold　it　all　to　the　Sutler　for　a　few　shillings　and　a　bottle　or　two。　It　could　be　hidden。　It　won't　be　found。　We're　just　wasting　our　time。'
　
　A　horseman　pulled　up　outside　the　sheepfold　and　saluted　Forrest。　'Sir？'
　
　Major　Forrest　peered　through　the　rain。　'Good　Lord！　Young　Knowles！　You've　got　a　new　horse！'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'　Robert　Knowles　slid　from　the　saddle　and　grinned　at　Sharpe。　'Now　I'm　not　in　your　pany；　I'm　allowed　to　ride　a　horse。　Do　you　like　it？'
　
　Sharpe　looked　morosely　at　the　beast。　'Very　nice；　sir。'
　
　Knowles　stiffened　on　the　'sir'。　He　looked　from　Sharpe　to　Forrest。　His　smile　went。　'Your　gazette？'　He　stammered　at　Sharpe。
　
　'It　was　refused；　sir。　'
　
　'Stop　it。'　Knowles　was　embarrassed。　He　had　learned　his　trade　from　Sharpe；　modeled　himself　on　his　old　Captain；　and　now　he　had　a　Light　pany　of　his　own　he　tried　to　think；　every　hour；　of　how　Sharpe　would　lead　them。　'It's　ridiculous！'
　
　Forrest　nodded。　'The　world's　gone　mad。'
　
　Knowles　frowned；　shook　his　head。　'I　don't　believe　it！'
　
　Sharpe　shrugged。　'It's　true。'　He　felt　sorry　for　having　embarrassed　Knowles。　'How