csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


l　height　as　the　deck…beams　allowed。　He　was　shaking　himself　violently　from　side　to　side　for　no　apparent　reason；　his　face　was　away　from　Hornblower；　who　saw　with　a　gasp　that　his　hands　were　tied　behind　him。　The　men　roared　again；　like　spectators　at　a　prizefight；　and　the　man　with　his　hands　tied　swung　round　so　that　Hornblower　could　see　his　face。　It　was　Styles；　the　man　who　suffered　from　boils；　Hornblower　knew　him　at　once。　But　that　was　not　what　made　the　most　impression　on　Hornblower。　Clinging　to　the　man's　face；　weird　in　the　shifting　meagre　light；　was　a　grey　writhing　shape；　and　it　was　to　shake　this　off　that　Styles　was　flinging　himself　about　so　violently。　It　was　a　rat；　Hornblower's　stomach　turned　over　with　horror。
　With　a　wild　jerk　of　his　head　Styles　broke　the　grip　of　the　rat's　teeth　and　flung　the　creature　down；　and　then　instantly　pinged　down　on　his　knees；　with　his　hands　still　bound　behind　him；　to　pursue　it　with　his　own　teeth。
　'Time！'　roared　a　voice　at　that　moment…the　voice　of　Partridge；　bosun's　mate。　Hornblower　had　been　roused　by　it　often　enough　to　recognize　it　at　once。
　'Five　dead；'　said　another　voice。　'Pay　all　bets　of　evens　or　better。'
　Hornblower　plunged　forward。　Part　of　the　cable　had　been　coiled　down　to　make　a　rat　pit　ten　feet　across　in　which　knelt　Styles　with　dead　and　living　rats　about　his　knees。　Partridge　squatted　beside　the　ring　with　a　sandglass…used　for　timing　the　casting　of　the　log…in　front　of　him。
　'Six　dead；'　protected　someone。　'that　'un's　dead。'
　'No；　he　ain't。'
　''Is　back's　broken。　'E's　a　dead　'un。'
　''E　ain't　a　dead　'un；'　said　Partridge。
　The　man　who　had　protested　looked　up　at　that　moment　and　caught　sight　of　Hornblower；　and　his　words　died　away　unspoken；　at　his　silence　the　others　followed　his　glance　and　stiffened　into　rigidity；　and　Hornblower　stepped　forward。　He　was　still　wondering　what　he　should　do；　he　was　still　fighting　down　the　nausea　excited　by　the　horrible　things　he　had　seen。　Desperately　he　mastered　his　horror；　and；　thinking　fast；　took　his　stand　on　discipline。
　'Who's　in　charge　here？'　he　demanded。
　He　ran　his　eye　round　the　circle。　Petty　officers　and　secondclass　warrant　officers；　mainly；　bosun's　mates；　carpenter's　mates。　Muggridge；　the　surgeon's　mate…his　presence　explained　much。　But　his　own　position　was　not　easy。　A　midshipman　of　scant　service　depended　for　his　authority　on　board　largely　on　the　force　of　his　own　personality。　He　was　only　a　warrant　officer　himself；　when　all　was　said　and　done　a　midshipman　was　not　nearly　as　important　to　the　ship's　economy…and　was　far　more　easily　replaced…than；　say；　Washburn；　the　cooper's　mate　over　there；　who　knew　all　about　the　making　and　storage　of　the　ship's　water　barrels。
　'Who's　in　charge　here？'　he　demanded　again；　and　once　more　received　no　direct　reply。
　'We　ain't　on　watch；'　said　a　voice　in　the　background。
　Hornblower　by　now　had　mastered　his　horror；　his　indignation　still　flared　within　him；　but　he　could　appear　outwardly　calm。
　'No；　you're　not　on　watch；'　he　said　coldly。　'You're　gambling。'
　Muggridge　took　up　the　defence　at　that。
　'Gambling；　Mr　Hornblower？'　he　said。　'That's　a　very　serious　charge。　Just　a　gentlemanly　petition。　You'll　find　it　hard　to　sub…substantiate　any　charges　of　gambling。'
　Muggridge　had　been　drinking；　quite　obviously；　following　perhaps　the　example　of　the　head　of　his　department。　There　was　always　brandy　to　be　got　in　the　medical　stores。　A　surge　of　wrath　made　Hornblower　tremble；　the　effort　necessary　to　keep　himself　standing　stock　still　was　almost　too　much　for　him。　But　the　rise　in　internal　pressure　brought　him　inspiration。
　'Mr　Muggridge；'　he　said　icily；　'I　advise　you　not　to　say　too　much。　There　are　other　charges　possible；　Mr　Muggridge。　A　member　of　His　Majesty's　forces　can　be　charged　with　rendering　himself　unfit　for　service；　Mr　Muggridge。　And　similarly　there　might　be　charges　of　aiding　and　abetting　which　might　include　you。　I　should　consult　the　Articles　of　War　if　I　were　you；　Mr　Muggridge。　The　punishment　for　such　an　offence　is　flogging　round　the　fleet　I　believe。'
　Hornblower　pointed　to　Styles；　with　the　blood　streaming　from　his　bitten　face；　and　gave　more　force　to　his　argument　by　the　gesture。　He　had　met　the　men's　arguments　with　a　more　effective　one　along　the　same　lines；　they　had　taken　up　a　legalistic　defence　and　he　had　legalistically　beaten　it　down。　He　had　the　upper　hand　now　and　could　give　vent　to　his　moral　indignation。
　'I　could　bring　charges　against　every　one　of　you；'　he　roared。　'You　could　be　court　martialled…disrated…flogged…every　man　Jack　of　you。　By　God；　one　more　look　like　that　from　you；　Partridge；　and　I'll　do　it。　You'd　all　be　in　irons　five　minutes　after　I　spoke　to　Mr　Eccles。　I'll　have　no　more　of　these　filthy　games。　Let　those　rats　loose；　there　you；　Oldroyd；　and　you；　Lewis。　Styles；　get　your　face　plastered　up　again。　You；　Partridge；　take　these　men　and　coil　this　cable　down　properly　again　before　Mr　Waldron　sees　it。　I'll　keep　my　eye　on　all　of　you　in　future。　The　next　hint　I　have　of　misbehaviour　and　you'll　all　be　at　the　gratings。　I've　said　it；　and　by　God　I　mean　it！'
　Hornblower　was　surprised　both　at　his　own　volubility　and　at　his　self　possession。　He　had　not　known　himself　capable　of　carrying　off　matters　with　such　a　high　hand。　He　sought　about　in　his　mind　for　a　final　salvo　with　which　to　make　his　retirement　dignified；　and　it　came　to　him　as　he　turned　away　so　that　he　turned　back　to　deliver　it。
　'After　this　I　want　to　see　you　in　the　dog　watches　skylarking　on　deck；　not　skulking　in　the　cable　tiers　like　a　lot　of　Frenchmen。'
　That　was　the　sort　of　speech　to　be　expected　of　a　pompous　old　captain；　not　a　junior　midshipman；　but　it　served　to　give　dignity　to　his　retirement。　There　was　a　feverish　buzz　of　voices　as　he　left　the　group。　Hornblower　went　up　on　deck；　under　the　cheerless　grey　sky　dark　with　premature　night；　to　walk　the　deck　to　keep　himself　warm　while　the　Indefatigable　slashed　her　way　to　windward　in　the　teeth　of　a　roaring　westerly；　the　spray　flying　in　sheets　over　her　bows；　the　straining　seams　leaking　and　her　fabric　groaning；　the　end　of　a　day　like　all　the　preceding　ones　and　the　predecessor　probably　of　innumerable　more。
　Yet　the　days　passed；　and　with　them　came　at　last　a　break　in　the　monotony。　In　the　sombre　dawn　a　hoarse　bellow　from　the　lookout　turned　every　eye　to　windward；　to　where　a　dull　blotch　on　the　horizon　marked　the　presence　of　a　ship。　The　watch　came　running　to　the　braces　as　the　Indefatigable　was　laid　as　close　to　the　wind　as　she　would　lie。　Captain　Pellew　came　on　deck　with　a　peajacket　over　his　nightshirt；　his　wigless　head　ical　in　a　pink　nightcap；　he　trained　his　glass　on　the　strange　sail…a　dozen　glasses　were　pointing　in　that　direction。　Hornblower；　looking　through　the　glass　reserved　for　the　junior　officer　of　the　watch　saw　the　grey　rectangle　split　into　three；　saw　the　three　grow　narrow；　and　then　broaden　again　to　coalesce　into　a　single　rectangle　again。
　'She's　gone　about；'　said　Pellew。　'Hands　'bout　ship！'
　Round　came　the　Indefatigable　on　the　other　tack；　the　watch　raced　aloft　to　shake　out　a　reef　from　the　topsails　while　from　the　deck　the　officers　looked　up　at　the　straining　canvas　to　calculate　the　chances　of　the　gale　which　howled　round　their　ears　splitting　the　sails　or　carrying　away　a　spar。　The　Indefatigable　lay　over　until　it　was　hard　to　keep　one's　footing　on　the　streaming　deck；　everyone　without　immediate　duties　clung　to　the　weather　rail　and　peered　at　the　other　ship。
　'Fore…　and　maintopmasts　exactly　equal；'　said　Lieutenant　Bolton　to　Hornblower；　his　telescope　to　his　eye。　'Topsails　white　as　milady's　fingers。　She's　a　Frenchie　all　right。'
　The　sails　of　British　ships　were　darkened　with　long　service　in　all　weathers；　when　a　French　ship　escaped　from　harbour　to　run　the　blockade　her　spotless　unweathered　canvas　disclosed　her　nationality　without　real　need　to　take　into　consideration　less　obvious　technical　characteristics。
　'We're　weathering　on　her；'　said　Hornblower；　his　eye　was　aching　with　staring　through　the　glass；　and　his　arms　even　were　weary　with　holding　the　telescope　to　his　eye；　but　in　the　excitement　of　the　chase　he　could　not　relax。
　'Not　as　much　as　I'd　like；'　growled　Bolton。
　'Hands　to　the　mainbrace！'　roared　Pellew　at　that　moment。
　It　was　a　matter　of　the　most　vital　concern　to　trim　the　sails　so　as　to　lie　as　close　as　possible　to　the　wind；　a　hundred　yards　gained　to