csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第32部分

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　He　would　have　been　shaking　with　excitement　if　he　had　allowed　his　body　to　take　charge。　He　did　not　know　if　he　were　being　stiltedly　unnatural；　but　even　if　he　were　that　was　better　than　to　display　excitement。　There　was　something　strangely　pleasant；　in　a　nightmare　fashion；　in　standing　here　posing　as　a　hardened　veteran　with　cannon　balls　howling　overhead；　Bracegirdle　seemed　happy　and　smiling　and　quite　master　of　himself；　and　Hornblower　looked　sharply　at　him；　wondering　if　this　were　as　much　a　pose　as　his　own。　He　could　not　tell。
　'Here　they　e　again；'　said　Bracegirdle。　'Oh；　only　skirmishers。'
　A　few　scattered　men　were　running　out　along　the　causeway　to　the　bridge。　At　long　musket　range　they　fell　to　the　ground　and　began　spasmodic　firing；　already　there　were　some　dead　men　lying　over　there　and　the　skirmishers　took　cover　behind　the　corpses。　On　this　side　of　the　gap　the　skirmishers；　better　sheltered；　fired　back　at　them。
　'They　haven't　a　chance；　here　at　any　rate；'　said　Bracegirdle　'And　look　there。'
　The　main　body　of　the　Royalist　force；　summoned　from　the　town；　was　marching　up　along　the　road。　While　they　watched　it；　a　cannon　shot　from　the　other　side　struck　the　head　of　the　column　and　ploughed　into　it…Hornblower　saw　dead　men　flung　this　way　and　that；　and　the　column　wavered。　Pouzauges　came　riding　up　and　yelled　orders；　and　the　column；　leaving　its　dead　and　wounded　on　the　road；　changed　direction　and　took　shelter　in　the　marshy　fields　beside　the　causeway。
　With　nearly　all　the　Royalist　force　assembled；　it　seemed　indeed　as　if　it　would　be　utterly　impossible　for　the　Revolutionaries　to　force　a　crossing　here。
　'I'd　better　report　on　this　to　the　Lobsters；'　said　Hornblower。
　'There　was　firing　down　that　way　at　dawn；'　agreed　Bracegirdle。
　Skirting　the　wide　marsh　here　ran　a　narrow　path　through　the　lush　grass；　leading　to　the　ford　which　the　43rd　were　guarding。　Hornblower　led　his　horse　onto　the　path　before　he　mounted；　he　felt　he　would　be　more　sure　in　that　way　of　persuading　the　horse　to　take　that　direction。　It　was　not　long　before　he　saw　a　dab　of　scarlet　on　the　river　bank…pickets　thrown　out　from　the　main　body　to　watch　against　any　unlikely　attempt　to　cross　the　marshes　and　stream　round　the　British　flank。　Then　he　saw　the　cottage　that　indicated　the　site　of　the　ford；　in　the　field　beside　it　was　a　wide　patch　of　scarlet　indicating　where　the　main　body　was　waiting　for　developments。　At　this　point　the　marsh　narrowed　where　a　ridge　of　slightly　higher　ground　approached　the　water；　a　pany　of　redcoats　was　drawn　up　here　with　Lord　Edrington　on　horseback　beside　them。　Hornblower　rode　up　and　made　his　report；　somewhat　jerkily　as　his　horse　moved　restlessly　under　him。
　'No　serious　attack；　you　say？'　asked　Edrington。
　'No　sign　of　one　when　I　left；　sir。'
　'Indeed？'　Edrington　stared　across　the　river。　'And　here　it's　the　same　story。　No　attempt　to　cross　the　ford　in　force。　Why　should　they　show　their　hand　and　then　not　attack？'
　'I　thought　they　were　burning　powder　unnecessarily；　sir；'　said　Hornblower。
　'They're　not　fools；'　snapped　Edrington；　with　another　penetrating　look　across　the　river。　'At　any　rate；　there's　no　harm　in　assuming　they　are　not。'
　He　turned　his　horse　and　cantered　back　to　the　main　body　and　gave　an　order　to　a　captain；　who　scrambled　to　his　feet　to　receive　it。　The　captain　bellowed　an　order；　and　his　pany　stood　up　and　fell　into　line；　rigid　and　motionless。　Two　further　orders　turned　them　to　the　right　and　marched　them　off　in　file；　every　man　in　step；　every　musket　sloped　at　the　same　angle。　Edrington　watched　them　go。
　'No　harm　in　having　a　flank　guard；'　he　said。
　The　sound　of　a　cannon　across　the　water　recalled　them　to　the　river；　on　the　other　side　of　the　marsh　a　column　of　troops　could　be　seen　marching　rapidly　along　the　bank。
　'That's　the　same　column　ing　back；　sir；'　said　the　pany　mander。　'That　or　another　just　like　it。'
　'Marching　about　and　firing　random　shots；'　said　Edrington。　'Mr　Hornblower；　have　the　émigré　troops　any　flank　guard　out　towards　Quiberon？'
　'Towards　Quiberon；　sir？'　said　Hornblower；　taken　aback。
　'Damn　it；　can't　you　hear　a　plain　question？　Is　there；　or　is　there　not？'
　'I　don't　know；　sir；'　confessed　Hornblower　miserably。
　There　were　five　thousand　émigré　troops　at　Quiberon；　and　it　seemed　quite　unnecessary　to　keep　a　guard　out　in　that　direction。
　'Then　present　my　pliments　to　the　French　émigré　general；　and　suggest　he　posts　a　strong　detachment　up　the　road；　if　he　has　not　done　so。'
　'Aye　aye；　sir。'
　Hornblower　turned　his　horse's　head　back　up　the　path　towards　the　bridge。　The　sun　was　shining　strongly　now　over　the　deserted　herds。　He　could　still　hear　the　occasional　thud　of　a　cannon　shot；　but　overhead　a　lark　was　singing　in　the　blue　sky。　Then　as　he　headed　up　the　last　low　ridge　towards　Muzillac　and　the　bridge　he　heard　a　sudden　irregular　outburst　of　firing；　he　fancied　he　heard　screams　and　shouts；　and　what　he　saw　as　he　topped　the　rise；　made　him　snatch　at　his　reins　and　drag　his　horse　to　a　halt。　The　fields　before　him　were　covered　with　fugitives　in　blue　uniforms　with　white　crossbelts；　all　running　madly　towards　him。　In　among　the　fugitives　were　galloping　horsemen；　whirling　sabres　that　flashed　in　the　sunshine。　Farther　out　to　the　left　a　whole　column　of　horsemen　were　trotting　fast　across　the　fields；　and　farther　back　the　sun　glittered　on　lines　of　bayonets　moving　rapidly　from　the　high　road　towards　the　sea。
　There　could　be　no　doubt　of　what　had　happened；　during　those　sick　seconds　when　he　sat　and　stared；　Hornblower　realized　the　truth；　the　Revolutionaries　had　pushed　in　a　force　between　Quiberon　and　Muzillac；　and；　keeping　the　émigrés　occupied　by　demonstrations　from　across　the　river；　had　rushed　down　and　brought　off　a　plete　surprise　by　this　attack　from　an　unexpected　quarter。　Heaven　only　knew　what　had　happened　at　Quiberon…but　this　was　no　time　to　think　about　that。　Hornblower　dragged　his　horse's　head　round　and　kicked　his　heels　into　the　brute's　sides；　urging　him　frantically　back　up　the　path　towards　the　British。　He　bounced　and　rolled　in　his　saddle；　clinging　on　madly；　consumed　with　fear　lest　he　lose　his　seat　and　be　captured　by　the　pursuing　French。
　At　the　clatter　of　hoofs　every　eye　turned　towards　him　when　he　reached　the　British　post。　Edrington　was　there；　standing　with　his　horse's　bridle　over　his　arm。
　'The　French！'　yelled　Hornblower　hoarsely；　pointing　back。　'They're　ing！'
　'I　expected　nothing　else；'　said　Edrington。
　He　shouted　an　order　before　he　put　his　foot　in　the　stirrup　to　mount。　The　main　body　of　the　43rd　was　standing　in　line　by　the　time　he　was　in　the　saddle。　His　adjutant　went　galloping　off　to　recall　the　pany　from　the　water's　edge。
　'The　French　are　in　force；　horse；　foot；　and　guns；　I　suppose？'　asked　Edrington。
　'Horse　and　foot　at　least；　sir；'　gasped　Hornblower；　trying　to　keep　his　head　clear。　'I　saw　no　guns。'
　'And　the　émigrés　are　running　like　rabbits？'
　'Yes；　sir。'
　'Here　e　the　first　of　them。'
　Over　the　nearest　ridge　a　few　blue　uniforms　made　their　appearance；　their　wearers　still　running　while　stumbling　with　fatigue。
　'I　suppose　we　must　cover　their　retreat；　although　they're　not　worth　saving；'　said　Edrington。　'Look　there！'
　The　pany　he　had　sent　out　as　a　flank　guard　was　in　sight　on　the　crest　of　a　slight　slope：　it　was　formed　into　a　tiny　square；　red　against　the　green；　and　as　they　watched　they　saw　a　mob　of　horsemen　flood　up　the　hill　towards　it　and　break　into　an　eddy　around　it。
　'Just　as　well　I　had　them　posted　there；'　remarked　Edrington　calmly。　'Ah；　here　es　Mayne's　pany。'
　The　force　from　the　ford　came　marching　up。　Harsh　orders　were　shouted。　Two　panies　wheeled　round　while　the　sergeant…major　with　his　sabre　and　his　silver…headed　cane　regulated　the　pace　and　the　alignment　as　if　the　men　were　on　the　barrack　square。
　'I　would　suggest　you　stay　by　me；　Mr　Hornblower；'　said　Edrington。
　He　moved　his　horse　up　into　the　internal　between　the　two　columns；　and　Hornblower　followed　him　dumbly。　Another　order；　and　the　force　began　to　march　steadily　across　the　valley；　the　sergeants　calling　the　step　and　the　sergeant…major　watching　the　intervals。　All　round　them　now　were　fleeing　émigré　soldiers；　most　of　them　in　the　last　stages　of　exhaustion…Hornblower　noticed　more　than　one　of　them　fall　down　on　the　ground　gasping　and　incapable　of　further　movement。　And　then　over　the　low　slope　to　the　right