bcornwell.sharpescompany-第37部分

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　The　plan　sounded　simple　enough。　One　pany；　the　Light　pany；　was　to　escort　twenty　sappers　to　the　dam。　The　rest　of　the　Battalion　was　to　create　a　diversion　by　making　a　false　attack　on　the　fort　and；　under　the　cover　of　the　noise；　the　sappers　were　to　stack　their　twenty　kegs　of　powder　at　the　dam's　base。　It　sounded　simple；　but　Sharpe　did　not　trust　it。　Night　attacks；　as　the　army　had　discovered　only　four　nights　before；　could　lead　to　confusion；　and　the　whole　of　Windham's　plan　depended　on　the　Light　pany　reaching　the　foot　of　the　dam　by　precisely　eleven　o'clock。　If　they　were　late；　and　the　Colonel　would　have　no　way　of　knowing　their　progress；　the　false　attack　would　merely　wake　up　the　garrison　and　put　sentries　on　the　alert。　Sharpe　had　suggested　to　Windham　that　the　false　attack　was　unnecessary；　that　the　Light　pany　should　go　alone；　but　the　Colonel　had　shaken　his　head。　He　wanted　to　lead　the　Battalion　into　action；　was　looking　forward　to　the　night's　events；　and　seemed　unworried　by　Sharpe's　doubts。　'Of　course　they'll　make　it　on　time！'
　
　There　seemed　little　reason　why　not。　The　Light　pany　and　their　sappers　did　not　have　far　to　go。　In　the　darkness　they　would　leave　the　first　parallel　and　head　north　for　the　river。　Once　on　the　bank　of　the　Guadiana　they　would　turn　to　their　left　and　follow　a　path　that　led　to　the　Rivillas　stream　below　the　castle　walls。　Their　faces　would　be　blackened；　their　equipment　muffled；　and　they　would　move　silently　down　into　the　ravine　of　the　Rivillas　and　turn　left。　The　most　difficult　moments　would　be　the　approach；　upstream；　towards　the　dam。　It　would　be　a　journey　of　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards；　within　earshot　of　Badajoz's　walls；　till　the　men　were　between　the　San　Pedro　bastion　and　the　dam's　fort。　It　was　not　a　long　journey；　they　had　plenty　of　time　to　make　it；　but　it　would　be　slowed　by　the　need　for　absolute　silence。　Hogan　fidgeted　with　the　lid　of　his　watch。　It　was　he　who　had　convinced　Wellington　that　the　dam　could　be　blown　up；　but　his　scheme　was　at　the　mercy　of　Windham's　implementation。　He　exchanged　his　watch　for　his　snuffbox　and　forced　a　smile　on　his　face。　'At　least　everything　else　is　going　well！'
　
　The　second　parallel　was　being　dug。　It　was　much　closer　to　the　walls　of　Badajoz　and；　from　its　cover；　new　batteries　were　being　made　that　would　bring　the　siege　guns　within　four　hundred　yards　of　the　city's　south…east　corner　where；　on　the　Trinidad　bastion；　the　chipped　dent　had　bee　a　hole　exposing　the　rubble　at　the　wall's　core。　The　French　were　sending　out　work　parties　at　night　to　repair　the　damage；　while　the　British　kept　firing　in　the　hope　of　killing　the　workmen。　All　day　and　all　night　the　guns　fired。
　
　At　dusk；　Sharpe　watched　the　Light　pany　move　out。　Harper　was　with　them；　in　the　ranks；　insisting　that　his　back　was　mended　well　enough。　Hakeswill　paraded　them。　He　was　making　himself　indispensable　to　Captain　Rymer；　anticipating　his　wishes；　flattering　him；　taking　the　burden　of　discipline　from　his　shoulders。　It　was　a　classic　performance；　the　reliable　Sergeant；　tireless　and　efficient；　and　it　disguised　Hakeswill's　victory　over　the　pany。　He　had　divided　them；　made　them　suspicious；　and　there　was　nothing　Sharpe　could　do。　Colonel　Windham　inspected　the　pany　before　they　set　off。　He　stopped　in　front　of　Harper　and　pointed　to　the　massive　seven…barreled　gun　slung　on　the　Irishman's　shoulder。
　
　'What's　that？'
　
　'Seven…barreled　gun；　sir。'
　
　'Is　it　regulation　issue？'
　
　'No；　sir。'
　
　'Then　take　it　off。'
　
　Hakeswill　stepped　forward；　his　mouth　twisted　into　a　grin。　'Give　it　to　me；　Private！'
　
　The　gun　had　been　a　present　from　Sharpe　to　Harper；　but　there　was　nothing　Harper　could　do。　He　took　the　gun　from　his　shoulder；　slowly；　and　Hakeswill　snatched　it　from　him。　The　Sergeant　put　it　on　his　own　shoulder　and　looked　at　the　Colonel。　'Punishment；　sir？'
　
　Windham　looked　puzzled。　'Punishment？'
　
　'For　carrying　a　non…issue　weapon；　sir？'
　
　Windham　shook　his　head。　He　had　punished　Harper　already。　'No；　Sergeant。　No。　'
　
　'Very　good；　sir！'　Hakeswill　scratched　at　his　scar　and　followed　Windham　and　Rymer　down　the　rank。　After　the　inspection；　when　the　Colonel　told　the　pany　to　stand　easy；　Hakeswill　took　off　his　shako　and　stared　into　its　greasy　interior。　There　was　a　curious　smile　on　his　face；　and　Sharpe　was　puzzled。　He　found　Lieutenant　Price；　pale　beneath　the　burnt　cork　on　his　skin；　and　jerked　his　head　towards　the　Sergeant。　'What's　he　doing？'
　
　'God　knows；　sir。'　Price　still　thought　of　Sharpe　as　a　Captain。　'He's　always　doing　it　now。　Takes　his　hat　off；　stares　inside；　smiles；　then　puts　it　on　again。　He's　mad；　sir。'
　
　'He　takes　his　hat　on？　And　stares　into　it？'
　
　'That's　right；　sir。　He　should　be　in　bloody　Bedlam；　sir；　not　here。　'　Price　grinned。　
　
　 'Perhaps　the　army　is　a　madhouse　sir；　I　don't　know。'
　
　Sharpe　was　about　to　demand　the　seven…barreled　gun　from　Hakeswill　when　Windham；　now　mounted　on　his　horse；　called　the　Light　pany　to　attention。　Hakeswill　put　his　shako　on；　snapped　his　heels　together；　and　stared　at　the　Colonel。　Windham　wished　them　luck；　told　them　their　job　was　to　protect　the　sappers　in　case　they　were　discovered　and；　if　they　were　not　detected；　to　do　nothing。　'Off　you　go！　And　good　hunting！'
　
　The　Light　pany　filed　into　the　trench；　Hakeswill　still　carrying　the　seven…barreled　gun；　and　Sharpe　wished　he　was　going　with　them。　He　knew　how　dearly　Hogan　wanted　the　dam　blown；　how　much　easier　the　assault　on　the　breach　would　be　if　the　lake　was　gone；　and　it　irked　him　to　be　absent　from　the　attempt。　Instead；　as　the　cathedral　clock　sounded　half…past　ten；　he　was　at　Windham's　side　as　the　nine　remaining　panies　of　the　Battalion　climbed　out　of　the　parallel　on　to　the　dark　grass。　Windham　was　nervous。　'They　should　be　nearly　there。'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'
　
　The　Colonel　half　drew　his　sword；　thought　better　of　it；　and　slid　the　blade　back　into　the　scabbard。　He　looked　round　for　Collett。　'Jack？'
　
　'Sir？'
　
　'Ready？'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'
　
　'Off　you　go！　Wait　for　the　clock！'
　
　Collett　walked　forward　into　the　darkness。　He　was　taking　four　panies　towards　the　city；　towards　the　fort　that　protected　the　dam；　and；　when　the　clock　struck　eleven；　he　was　to　open　fire　on　the　face　of　the　fort　to　make　the　French　believe　that　an　attack　was　ing。　The　other　panies；　under　Windham；　were　in　reserve。　The　Colonel；　Sharpe　knew；　was　hoping　that　the　false　attack　might　reveal　a　weakness　in　the　fort　and　turn　itself　into　a　real　attack。　He　had　hopes　of　leading　the　South　Essex　across　the　ditch；　up　the　stone　wall；　and　into　the　defences。　Sharpe　wondered　how　the　Light　pany　were　doing。　At　least　there　had　been　no　shots　from　the　castle；　no　shouted　challenge　from　the　dam's　fort；　so　presumably　they　were　still　undetected。　The　Rifleman　felt　uneasy。　If　all　went　well；　according　to　Windham's　timetable；　the　dam　should　be　blown　a　few　minutes　after　eleven；　but　Sharpe's　instincts　were　gloomy。　He　thought　of　Teresa　inside　the　city；　of　the　child；　and　wondered　whether　the　explosion；　if　it　ever　came；　would　wake　up　the　baby。　His　baby！　It　still　seemed　miraculous　that　he　had　a　child。
　
　'The　powder　should　be　in　place；　Sharpe！'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'　He　only　half　heard　the　Colonel's　words　but　he　knew　that　Windham　was　merely　talking　to　cover　his　nervousness。　They　had　no　way　of　knowing　where　the　powder　was。　Sharpe　tried　to　imagine　the　sappers；　laden　down　like　south　coast　brandy　smugglers；　creeping　up　the　ravine　towards　the　dam；　but　Windham　interrupted　his　thoughts。
　
　'Count　the　musket　flashes；　Sharpe！'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'　He　knew　that　the　Colonel　was　hoping　that　the　fort；　by　some　miracle；　would　be　thinly　defended　and　that　the　South　Essex　could　overwhelm　it　by　sheer　numbers。　It　was；　Sharpe　knew；　a　vain　hope。
　
　Off　to　their　left；　a　half　mile　up　the　hill；　the　flames　stabbed　from　the　siege　guns　and　each　flash　lit　the　rolling　smoke　that　filled　the　air　over　the　floodwaters。　The　French　guns　replied；　firing　at　the　muzzle　flashes；　but　the　enemy　fire　had　slackened　in　the　last　two　days。　They　were　hoarding　their　ammunition；　saving　it　for　the　new　batteries　of　the　second　parallel。
　
　'Not　long　now。'　The　Colonel　spoke　to　himself；　then；　louder。　'Major　Forrest？'
　
　'Sir？'　Forrest　appeared　from　the　darkness。
　
　'All　well；　Forrest？'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'　Forrest；　like　Sharpe；　had　nothing　to