bcornwell.sharpescompany-第34部分

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he　wind　shrieked　at　them；　brought　more　water；　and　though　it　was　a　time　for　effort；　the　effort　could　not　be　made。　The　trenches　were　flooded；　the　sides　collapsed；　and　when　gabions　were　used　to　shore　the　batteries；　the　water　dissolved　their　earth　filling　into　liquid　sludge　that　flowed　out　leaving　a　hollow；　useless　wicker　shell。
　
　Everything　was　fouled　with　mud。　Carts；　supplies；　forage；　food；　uniforms；　weapons　and　men。　The　camp　was　foul；　the　only　movement　the　slow　flapping　of　wet　canvas　in　the　wind；　and　fever　killed　as　many　as　the　ceaseless　French　guns。　The　time　that　the　French　had　hoped　to　gain　by　their　attack　on　the　parallel　was　given　to　them　by　the　weather。　Morale　slumped。　The　first　Monday　of　the　siege　was　the　worst。　It　had　rained　for　a　week；　and　it　still　rained；　and　darkness　fell　on　an　army　that　could　scarce　even　light　a　fire　any　more。　Nothing　was　dry；　nothing　was　warm；　and　a　man　from　a　Welsh　Regiment；　a　fusilier；　went　mad。　There　were　shouts　in　the　night；　a　terrifying　scream　as　he　carved　his　wife　with　a　bayonet；　and　then　hundreds　of　men　were　fumbling　in　the　darkness；　thinking　it　was　a　French　attack；　while　the　madman　ran　through　the　camp；　slashing　left　and　right　with　his　weapon。　He　screamed　that　the　resurrection　of　the　dead　was　here　and　now；　that　he　was　the　new　Messiah；　and　finally　his　Sergeant　cornered　him　and；　sensible　that　no　one　wanted　a　court…martial　and　execution；　killed　the　man　with　one　neat　stab。
　
　Sharpe　met　Hogan　that　Sunday　night。　The　Major　was　busy。　Colonel　Fletcher's　wound　was　keeping　the　Chief　Engineer　in　his　tent　and　Hogan　had　taken　much　of　his　work。　The　Irishman　was　gloomy。　'We'll　be　defeated　by　the　rain；　Richard。'　Sharpe　said　nothing。　The　spirit　of　the　army　was　crushed　by　the　water；　they　wanted　to　strike　back；　to　hear　their　own　guns　firing　at　the　French；　but　the　guns；　like　the　army；　were　bogged　down。　Hogan　stared　into　the　wet；　pelting　night。　'If　only　it　would　stop。'
　
　'And　if　it　doesn't？'
　
　'Then　we　give　up。　We've　lost。'
　
　Outside；　in　the　cold　night；　the　rain　smashed　down；　dripped　heavily　from　the　lip　of　Hogan's　tent；　and　the　slow　drops　seemed　to　Sharpe　to　be　the　drumbeats　of　defeat。　Unthinkable　defeat。
　
　CHAPTER　17
　
　On　Tuesday　afternoon　it　stopped　raining。
　
　There　were　suddenly　scraps　of　blue　sky　between　the　tattered　clouds　and；　like　some　beast　saved　from　imminent　drowning；　the　army　heaved　itself　out　of　the　mud　and　attacked　the　trenches　with　renewed　energy。
　
　They　hauled　the　guns　over　the　hill　that　night。　The　ground　was　still　an　almost　impenetrable　sludge；　but　they　hauled　on　ropes；　thrust　wicker　beneath　reluctant　wheels；　and　with　an　enthusiasm　endowed　by　the　break　in　the　weather；　the　troops　took　the　vast　twenty…four…pounders　to　the　newly…dug　batteries。
　
　In　the　morning；　in　a　miraculously　clear　dawn；　there　was　a　cheer　from　the　British　camp。　The　first　shot　had　been　fired　and　they　were　hitting　back！　Twenty…eight　siege　guns　were　in　place；　protected　by　gabions；　and　the　Engineers　directed　the　artillery　officers　so　that　the　iron　balls　hammered　at　the　base　of　the　Trinidad　bastion。　The　French　guns　tried　to　destroy　the　siege　guns　and　the　valley　above　the　grey；　placid　floodwaters　of　the　Rivillas　was　shrouded　with　smoke　that　swirled　as　the　cannon　balls　pierced　through　the　mist。
　
　At　the　end　of　the　first　day；　when　an　evening　breeze　drifted　the　smoke　southwards；　a　hole　was　visible　in　the　masonry　of　the　bastion。　It　was　not　much　of　a　hole；　more　of　a　chipped　dent；　surrounded　by　smaller　shot　scars。　Sharpe　stared　at　the　damage　through　Major　Forrest's　telescope　and　gave　a　humorless　laugh。　'Another　three　months；　sir；　and　they　might　notice　us。　'
　
　Forrest　said　nothing。　He　was　afraid　of　Sharpe's　mood；　of　the　depression　that　had　e　with　idleness。　The　Rifleman　had　hardly　any　duties。　Windham　seemed　to　have　abandoned　the　wives'　parade；　the　mules　were　in　pasture；　and　Sharpe's　time　hung　heavily。　Forrest　had　spoken　to　Windham；　but　the　Colonel　had　shaken　his　head。　'We're　all　bored；　Forrest。　The　assault　will　cure　all。'　Then　the　Colonel　had　taken　his　fox　hounds　south　for　a　day's　hunting；　and　with　him　half　the　Battalion's　officers。　Forrest　had　tried；　unsuccessfully；　to　cheer　Sharpe　up。　He　looked　now　at　Sharpe's　morose　profile。　'How's　Sergeant　Harper？〃
　
　'Private　Harper's　getting　better；　sir。　Another　three　or　four　days　and　he'll　be　on　duty。'
　
　Forrest　sighed。　'I　can't　get　used　to　calling　him　〃Private〃。　It　doesn't　seem　right。'　Then　he　blushed。　'Oh　dear。　I　suppose　I've　put　my　foot　in　it。'
　
　Sharpe　laughed。　'No；　sir。　I'm　getting　used　to　being　a　Lieutenant。'　It　was　not　true；　but　Forrest　needed　reassurance。　'Are　you　fortable；　sir？'
　
　'Very。　It's　a　splendid　view。'　They　were　watching　the　valley　and　the　city；　waiting　for　the　attack　that　would　be　made　just　after　dark。　Half　the　army　were　on　the　hilltop；　in　the　trench　or　the　new；　half　finished　batteries；　and　the　French　must　have　known　that　something　was　about　to　happen。　It　was　not　difficult　to　guess　what　was　intended。　The　British　guns　were　more　than　half　a　mile　from　the　Trinidad　bastion；　too　far　to　be　truly　effective；　and　the　Engineers　needed　to　cut　that　range　in　half。　That　meant　building　a　second　parallel；　with　new　batteries；　right　on　the　edge　of　the　floodwaters；　just　where　the　French　had　built　the　Picurina　Fort。　Tonight　the　fort　would　be　attacked。　Sharpe　had　desperately　hoped　that　the　Fourth　Division；　his　own；　would　be　chosen；　but　instead　the　Third　and　Light　would　go　forward　in　the　darkness　and　Sharpe　was　merely　a　spectator。　Forrest　looked　down　the　slope。　'It　shouldn't　be　difficult。'
　
　'No；　sir。'　Which　was　true；　Sharpe　thought；　but　only　half　the　battle。　The　Picurina　Fort　was　almost　makeshift；　a　wedge…shaped　obstacle　facing　the　British　tide　and　only　intended　to　slow　them　down。　It　had　a　ditch　that　protected　a　low　stone　wall；　and　on　the　wail　were　palisades；　split…trunks　loop　holed　for　muskets；　and　the　fort　was　far　enough　from　the　city　so　that　the　French　guns　could　not　douse　the　attack　with　grapeshot。　The　fort　should　fall；　but　that　still　left　the　lake　formed　by　the　dammed　Rivillas。　The　floodwater　blocked　the　direct　approach　to　the　city。　Unless　the　lake　could　be　drained；　any　attack　would　have　to　e　from　the　south；　squeezed　between　the　water　and　the　south　wall；　passing　by　the　huge　Pardaleras　Fort；　and　the　attacking　columns　would　be　under　fire　from　scores　of　French　guns　and　shredded　by　grapeshot。　Sharpe　borrowed　Forrest's　glass　again　and　trained　it　on　the　dam。　It　was　remarkably　well…built；　for　a　temporary　structure；　and　Sharpe　could　see　a　balustraded　stone　walkway　along　the　dam　top　that　led　to　the　fort；　much　stronger　than　the　Picurina；　that　defended　the　dam。　The　fort　and　dam　were　hard　by　the　city　walls。　A　man　with　a　musket　on　the　San　Pedro　bastion　could　easily　fire　down　on　to　the　stone　walkway。　Forrest　saw　where　he　was　looking。
　
　'What　are　you　thinking；　Sharpe？'
　
　'I　was　thinking　it　wouldn't　be　easy　to　attack　the　dam；　sir。'
　
　'You　think　anyone　intends　to　attack　the　dam？'
　
　Sharpe　knew　an　attack　was　intended；　Hogan　had　told　him　so；　but　he　shrugged　his　shoulders。　'I　wouldn't　know；　sir。'
　
　Forrest　looked　round　conspiratorially。　'Don't　tell　anyone；　Sharpe；　but　we're　going　to！'
　
　'We；　sir？'　Sharpe　had　a　flicker　of　excitement　in　his　voice。　'The　Battalion；　sir？'
　
　'I'm　speaking　out　of　turn；　Sharpe；　out　of　turn。'　Forrest　was　pleased　at　the　quickening　in　Sharpe's　voice。　'The　Colonel's　offered　our　services。　The　General　of　Division　was　talking　to　him。　We　may　be　the　lucky　ones！'
　
　'When；　sir？'
　
　'I　don't　know；　Sharpe！　They　don't　tell　me　these　things。　Look！　The　curtain's　going　up！'
　
　Forrest　pointed　to　the　huge　number　one　battery。　A　gunner　had　snatched　the　last　gabion　from　the　embrasure　and　one　of　the　guns；　silent　for　half　an　hour；　bellowed　flame　and　smoke　down　the　hillside。　The　ball；　under…aimed；　struck　the　ground　in　front　of　the　Picurina；　scarred　the　earth　as　it　bounced；　and　then　fell　with　a　tall　splash　into　the　lake。　The　jeer　of　the　French　inside　the　small　fort　was　audible　four　hundred　yards　away。
　
　The　gunners　raised　the　barrel　half　an　inch　by　turning　the　huge　screw　beneath　the　breech。　The　barrel　hissed　as　it　was　sponged　out。　The　embrasure　had　been　plugged　again　as　defence　against　the　inevi