csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第25部分

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　'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　windward　would　count　as　much　as　a　mile　gained　in　a　stern　chase。　Pellew　was　looking　up　at　the　sails；　back　at　the　fleeting　wake；　across　at　the　French　ship；　gauging　the　strength　of　the　wind；　estimating　the　strain　on　the　rigging；　doing　everything　that　a　lifetime　of　experience　could　suggest　to　close　the　gap　between　the　two　ships。　Pellew's　next　order　sent　all　hands　to　run　out　the　guns　on　the　weather　side；　that　would　in　part　counteract　the　heel　and　give　the　Indefatigable　more　grip　upon　the　water。
　'Now　we're　walking　up　to　her；'　said　Bolton　with　grudging　optimism。
　'Beat　to　quarters！'　shouted　Pellew。
　The　ship　had　been　expecting　that　order。　The　roar　of　the　marine　bandsmen's　drums　echoed　through　the　ship；　the　pipes　twittered　as　the　bosun's　mates　repeated　the　order；　and　the　men　ran　in　disciplined　fashion　to　their　duties。　Hornblower；　jumping　for　the　weather　mizzen　shrouds；　saw　the　eager　grins　on　half　a　dozen　faces…battle　and　the　imminent　possibility　of　death　were　a　wele　change　from　the　eternal　monotony　of　the　blockade。　Up　in　the　mizzen…top　he　looked　over　his　men。　They　were　uncovering　the　locks　of　their　muskets　and　looking　to　the　priming；　satisfied　with　their　readiness　for　action　Hornblower　turned　his　attention　to　the　swivel　gun。　He　took　the　tarpaulin　from　the　breech　and　the　tampion　from　the　muzzle；　cast　off　the　lashings　which　secured　it；　and　saw　that　the　swivel　moved　freely　in　the　socket　and　the　trunnions　freely　in　the　crotch。　A　jerk　of　the　lanyard　showed　him　that　the　lock　was　sparkling　well　and　there　was　no　need　for　a　new　flint。　Finch　came　climbing　into　the　top　with　the　canvas　belt　over　his　shoulder　containing　the　charges　for　the　gun；　the　bags　of　musket　balls　lay　handy　in　a　garland　fixed　to　the　barricade。　Finch　rammed　home　a　cartridge　down　the　short　muzzle；　Hornblower　had　ready　a　bag　of　balls　to　ram　down　onto　it。　Then　he　took　a　priming…quill　and　forced　it　down　the　touchhole；　feeling　sensitively　to　make　sure　the　sharp　point　pierced　the　thin　serge　bag　of　the　cartridge。　Priming…quill　and　flintlock　were　necessary　up　here　in　the　top；　where　no　slow　match　or　port…fire　could　be　used　with　the　danger　of　fire　so　great　and　where　fire　would　be　so　difficult　to　control　in　the　sails　and　the　rigging。　Yet　musketry　and　swivel…gun　fire　from　the　tops　were　an　important　tactical　consideration。　With　the　ships　laid　yardarm　to　yardarm　Hornblower's　men　could　clear　the　hostile　quarterdeck　where　centred　the　brains　and　control　of　the　enemy。
　'Stop　that；　Finch！'　said　Hornblower　irritably；　turning；　he　had　caught　sight　of　him　peering　up　at　the　maintop　and　at　this　moment　of　tension　Finch's　delusions　annoyed　him。
　'Beg　your　pardon；　sir；'　said　Finch；　resuming　his　duties。
　But　a　moment　later　Hornblower　heard　Finch　whispering　to　himself。
　'Mr　Bracegirdle's　there；'　whispered　Finch；　'an'　Oldroyd's　there；　an'　all　those　others。　But　He's　there　too；　so　He　is。'
　'Hands　wear　ship！'　came　the　shouted　order　from　the　deck　below。
　The　old　Indefatigable　was　spinning　round　on　her　heel；　the　yards　groaning　as　the　braces　swung　them　round。　The　French　ship　had　made　a　bold　attempt　to　rake　her　enemy　as　she　clawed　up　to　her；　but　Pellew's　prompt　handling　defeated　the　plan。　Now　the　ships　were　broadside　to　broadside；　running　free　before　the　wind　at　long　cannon　shot。
　'Just　look　at　'im！'　roared　Douglas；　one　of　the　musket　men　in　the　top。　'Twenty　guns　a　side。　Looks　brave　enough；　doesn't　he？'
　Standing　beside　Douglas　Hornblower　could　look　down　on　the　Frenchman's　deck；　her　guns　run　out　with　the　guns'　crews　clustering　round　them；　officers　in　white　breeches　and　blue　coats　walking　up　and　down；　the　spray　flying　from　her　bows　as　she　drove　headlong　before　the　wind。
　'She'll　look　braver　still　when　we　take　her　into　Plymouth　Sound；'　said　the　seaman　on　the　far　side　of　Hornblower。
　The　Indefatigable　was　slightly　the　faster　ship；　an　occasional　touch　of　starboard　helm　was　working　her　in　closer　to　the　enemy；　into　decisive　range；　without　allowing　the　Frenchman　to　headreach　upon　her。　Hornblower　was　impressed　by　the　silence　on　both　sides；　he　had　always　understood　that　the　French　were　likely　to　open　fire　at　long　range　and　to　squander　ineffectively　the　first　carefully　loaded　broadside。
　'When's　he　goin'　to　fire？'　asked　Douglas；　echoing　Hornblower's　thoughts。
　'In　his　own　good　time；'　piped　Finch。
　The　gap　of　tossing　water　between　the　two　ships　was　growing　narrower。　Hornblower　swung　the　swivel　gun　round　and　looked　along　the　sights。　He　could　aim　well　enough　at　the　Frenchman's　quarter…deck；　but　it　was　much　too　long　a　range　for　a　bag　of　musket　balls…in　any　case　he　dared　not　open　fire　until　Pellew　gave　permission。
　'Them's　the　men　for　us！'　said　Douglas；　pointing　to　the　Frenchman's　mizzen…top。
　It　looked　as　if　there　were　soldiers　up　there；　judging　by　the　blue　uniforms　and　the　crossbelts；　the　French　often　eked　out　their　scanty　crews　of　trained　seamen　by　shipping　soldiers；　in　the　British　Navy　the　marines　were　never　employed　aloft。　The　French　soldiers　saw　the　gesture　and　shook　their　fists；　and　a　young　officer　among　them　drew　his　sword　and　brandished　it　over　his　head。　With　the　ships　parallel　to　each　other　like　this　the　French　mizzen…top　would　be　Hornblower's　particular　objective　should　he　decide　on　trying　to　silence　the　firing　there　instead　of　sweeping　the　quarter…deck。　He　gazed　curiously　at　the　men　it　was　his　duty　to　kill。　So　interested　was　he　that　the　bang　of　a　cannon　took　him　by　surprise；　before　he　could　look　down　the　rest　of　the　Frenchman's　broadside　had　gone　off　in　straggling　fashion；　and　a　moment　later　the　Indefatigable　lurched　as　all　her　guns　went　off　together。　The　wind　blew　the　smoke　forward；　so　that　in　the　mizzen…top　they　were　not　troubled　by　it　at　all。　Hornblower's　glance　showed　him　dead　men　flung　about　on　the　Indefatigable's　deck；　dead　men　falling　on　the　Frenchman's　deck。　Still　the　range　was　too　great…very　long　musket　shot；　his　eye　told　him。
　'They're　shootin'　at　us；　sir；'　said　Herbert。
　'Let　'em。'　said　Hornblower。
　No　musket　fired　from　a　heaving　masthead　at　that　range　could　possibly　score　a　hit；　that　was　obvious…so　obvious　that　even　Hornblower；　madly　excited　as　he　was；　could　not　help　but　be　aware　of　it；　and　his　certainty　was　apparent　in　his　tone。　It　was　interesting　to　see　how　the　two　calm　words　steadied　the　men。　Down　below　the　guns　were　roaring　away　continuously；　and　the　ships　were　nearing　each　other　fast。
　'Open　fire　now；　men！'　said　Hornblower。　'Finch！'
　He　stared　down　the　short　length　of　the　swivel　gun。　In　the　coarse　V　of　the　notch　on　the　muzzle　he　could　see　the　Frenchman's　wheel；　the　two　quartermasters　standing　behind　it；　the　two　officers　beside　it。　He　jerked　the　lanyard。　A　tenth　of　a　second's　delay；　and　then　the　gun　roared　out。　He　was　conscious；　before　the　smoke　whirled　round　him；　of　the　firing　quill；　blown　from　the　touchhole；　flying　past　his　temple。　Finch　was　already　sponging　out　the　gun。　The　musket　balls　must　have　spread　badly；　only　one　of　the　helmsmen　was　down　and　someone　else　was　already　running　to　take　his　place。　At　that　moment　the　whole　top　lurched　frightfully；　Hornblower　felt　it　but　he　could　not　explain　it。　There　was　too　much　happening　at　once。　The　solid　timbers　under　his　feet　jarred　him　as　he　stood…perhaps　a　shot　had　hit　the　mizzen…mast。　Finch　was　ramming　in　the　cartridge；　something　struck　the　breech　of　the　gun　a　heavy　blow　and　left　a　bright　splash　of　metal　there…a　musket　bullet　from　the　Frenchman's　mizzen…top。　Hornblower　tried　to　keep　his　head；　he　took　out　another　sharpened　quill　and　coaxed　it　down　into　the　touchhole。　It　had　to　be　done　purposefully　and　yet　gently；　a　quill　broken　off　in　the　touchhole　was　likely　to　be　a　maddening　nuisance。　He　felt　the　point　of　the　quill　pierce　the　cartridge；　Finch　rammed　home　the　wad　on　top　of　the　musket　balls。　A　bullet　struck　the　barricade　beside　him　as　Hornblower　trained　the　gun　down；　but　he　gave　it　no　thought。　Surely　the　top　was　swaying　more　even　than　the　heavy　sea　justified？　No　matter。　He　had　a　clear　shot　at　the　enemy's　quarterdeck。　He　tugged　at　the　lanyard。　He　saw　men　fall。　He　actually　saw　the　spokes　of　the　wheel　spin　round　as　it　was　left　untend