csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第36部分

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　Hornblower　dived　below　with　his　message。
　'My　pliments　to　Mr　Eccles；'　said　Pellew；　looking　up　from　his　desk；　'and　I'll　be　on　deck　immediately。'
　There　was　just　enough　of　a　southerly　breeze　to　enable　the　Indefatigable　to　weather　the　point　in　safety。　With　her　anchor　catted　she　braced　round　her　yards　and　began　to　steal　seaward；　in　the　disciplined　stillness　which　prevailed　the　sound　of　the　ripple　of　water　under　her　cutwater　was　clearly　to　be　heard…a　musical　note　which　told　nothing；　in　its　innocence；　of　the　savagery　and　danger　of　the　world　of　the　sea　into　which　she　was　entering。　Creeping　along　under　her　topsails　the　Indefatigable　made　no　more　than　three　knots；　and　the　galleys　came　surging　past　her　again；　oars　beating　their　fastest　rhythm；　as　if　the　galleys　were　boasting　of　their　independence　of　the　elements。　Their　gilt　flashed　in　the　sun　as　they　overtook　to　windward；　and　once　again　their　foul　stench　offended　the　nostrils　of　the　men　of　the　Indefatigable。
　'I'd　be　obliged　if　they'd　keep　to　leeward　of　us；'　muttered　Pellew；　watching　them　through　his　glass。　'But　I　suppose　that's　not　Spanish　courtesy。　Mr　Cutler！'
　'Sir！'　said　the　gunner。
　'You　may　mence　the　salute。'
　'Aye　aye；　sir。'
　The　forward　carronade　on　the　lee　side　roared　out　the　first　of　its　pliments；　and　the　fort　of　Puntales　began　its　reply。　The　sound　of　the　salute　rolled　round　the　beautiful　bay；　nation　was　speaking　to　nation　in　all　courtesy。
　'The　next　time　we　hear　those　guns　they'll　be　shotted；　I　fancy；'　said　Pellew；　gazing　across　at　Puntales　and　the　flag　of　Spain　flying　above　it。
　Indeed；　the　tide　of　war　was　turning　against　England。　Nation　after　nation　had　retired　from　the　contest　against　France；　some　worsted　by　arms；　and　some　by　the　diplomacy　of　the　vigorous　young　republic。　To　any　thinking　mind　it　was　obvious　that　once　the　step　from　war　to　neutrality　had　been　taken；　the　next　step　would　be　easy；　from　neutrality　to　war　on　the　other　side。　Hornblower　could　foresee；　close　at　hand；　a　time　when　all　Europe　would　be　arrayed　in　hostility　to　England；　when　she　would　be　battling　for　her　life　against　the　rejuvenescent　power　of　France　and　the　malignity　of　the　whole　world。
　'Set　sail　please；　Mr　Eccles；'　said　Pellew。
　Two　hundred　trained　pairs　of　legs　raced　aloft；　two　hundred　trained　pairs　of　arms　let　loose　the　canvas；　and　the　Indefatigable　doubled　her　speed；　heeling　slightly　to　the　gentle　breeze。　Now　she　was　meeting　the　long　Atlantic　swell。　So　were　the　galleys；　as　the　Indefatigable　overtook　them；　Hornblower　could　see　the　leader　put　her　nose　into　a　long　roller　so　that　a　cloud　of　spray　broke　over　her　forecastle。　That　was　asking　too　much　of　such　frail　craft。　Back　went　one　bank　of　oars；　forward　went　the　other。　The　galleys　rolled　hideously　for　a　moment　in　the　trough　of　the　sea　before　they　pleted　their　turn　and　headed　back　for　the　safe　waters　of　Cadiz　Bay。　Someone　forward　in　the　Indefatigable　began　to　boo；　and　the　cry　was　instantly　taken　up　through　the　ship。　A　storm　of　boos　and　whistles　and　catcalls　pursued　the　galleys；　the　men　momentarily　quite　out　of　hand　while　Pellew　spluttered　with　rage　on　the　quarterdeck　and　the　petty　officers　strove　in　vain　to　take　the　names　of　the　offenders。　It　was　an　ominous　farewell　to　Spain。
　Ominous　indeed。　It　was　not　long　before　Captain　Pellew　gave　the　news　to　the　ship　that　Spain　had　pleted　her　change…over；　with　the　treasure　convoy　safely　in　she　had　declared　war　against　England；　the　revolutionary　republic　had　won　the　alliance　of　the　most　decayed　monarchy　in　Europe。　British　resources　were　now　stretched　to　the　utmost；　there　was　another　thousand　miles　of　coast　to　watch；　another　fleet　to　blockade；　another　horde　of　privateers　to　guard　against；　and　far　fewer　harbours　in　which　to　take　refuge　and　from　which　to　draw　the　fresh　water　and　the　meagre　stores　which　enabled　the　hard…worked　crews　to　remain　at　sea。　It　was　then　that　friendship　had　to　be　cultivated　with　the　half　savage　Barbary　States；　and　the　insolence　of　the　Deys　and　the　Sultans　had　to　be　tolerated　so　that　North　Africa　could　provide　the　skinny　bullocks　and　the　barley　grain　to　feed　the　British　garrisons　in　the　Mediterranean…all　of　them　beleagured　on　land…and　the　ships　which　kept　open　the　way　to　them。　Oran；　Tetuan；　Algiers　wallowed　in　unwontedly　honest　prosperity　with　the　influx　of　British　gold。
　It　was　a　day　of　glassy　calm　in　the　Straits　of　Gibraltar。　The　sea　was　like　a　silver　shield；　the　sky　like　a　bowl　of　sapphire；　with　the　mountains　of　Africa　on　the　one　hand；　the　mountains　or　Spain　on　the　other　as　dark　serrations　on　the　horizon。　It　was　not　a　fortable　situation　for　the　Indefatigable；　but　that　was　not　because　of　the　blazing　sun　which　softened　the　pitch　in　the　deck　seams。　There　is　almost　always　a　slight　current　setting　inwards　into　the　Mediterranean　from　the　Atlantic；　and　the　prevailing　winds　blow　in　the　same　direction。　In　a　calm　like　this　it　was　not　unusual　for　a　ship　to　be　carried　far　through　the　Straits；　past　the　Rock　of　Gibraltar；　and　then　to　have　to　beat　for　days　and　even　weeks　to　make　Gibraltar　Bay。　So　that　Pellew　was　not　unnaturally　anxious　about　his　convoy　of　grain　ships　from　Oran。　Gibraltar　had　to　be　revictualled…Spain　had　already　marched　an　army　up　for　the　siege…and　he　dared　not　risk　being　carried　past　his　destination。　His　orders　to　his　reluctant　convoy　had　been　enforced　by　flag　and　gun　signals；　for　no　short…handed　merchant　ship　relished　the　prospect　of　the　labour　Pellew　wished　to　be　executed。　The　Indefatigable　no　less　than　her　convoy　had　lowered　boats；　and　the　helpless　ships　were　now　all　in　tow。　That　was　backbreaking；　exhausting　labour；　the　men　at　the　oars　tugging　and　straining；　dragging　the　oar　blades　through　the　water；　while　the　towlines　tightened　and　bucked　with　superhuman　perversity　and　the　ships　sheered　freakishly　from　side　to　side。　It　was　less　than　a　mile　an　hour；　that　the　ships　made　in　this　fashion；　at　the　cost　of　the　plete　exhaustion　of　the　boats'　crews；　but　at　least　it　postponed　the　time　when　the　Gibraltar　current　would　carry　them　to　leeward；　and　similarly　gave　more　chance　for　the　longed…for　southerly　wind…two　hours　of　a　southerly　wind　was　all　they　wished　for…to　waft　them　up　to　the　Mole。
　Down　in　the　Indefatigable's　longboat　and　cutter　the　men　tugging　at　their　oars　were　so　stupefied　with　their　toil　that　they　did　not　hear　the　motion　in　the　ship。　They　were　just　tugging　and　straining；　under　the　pitiless　sky；　living　through　their　two　hours'　spell　of　misery；　but　they　were　roused　by　the　voice　of　the　captain　himself；　hailing　them　from　the　forecastle。
　'Mr　Bolton！　Mr　Chadd！　Cast　off　there；　if　you　please。　You'd　better　e　and　arm　your　men　at　once。　Here　e　our　friends　from　Cadiz。'
　Back　on　the　quarterdeck；　Pellew　looked　through　his　glass　at　the　hazy　horizon；　he　could　make　out　from　here　by　now　what　had　first　been　reported　from　the　masthead。
　'They're　heading　straight　for　us；'　he　said。
　The　two　galleys　were　on　their　way　from　Cadiz；　presumably　a　fast　horseman　from　the　lookout　point　at　Tarifa　had　brought　them　the　news　of　this　golden　opportunity；　of　the　flat　calm　and　the　scattered　and　helpless　convoy。　This　was　the　moment　for　galleys　to　justify　their　continued　existence。　They　could　capture　and　at　least　burn；　although　they　could　not　hope　to　carry　off；　the　unfortunate　merchant　ships；　while　the　Indefatigable　lay　helpless　hardly　out　of　cannon's　range。　Pellew　looked　round　at　the　two　merchant　ships　and　the　three　brigs；　one　of　them　was　within　half　a　mile　of　him　and　might　be　covered　by　his　gunfire；　but　the　others…a　mile　and　a　half；　two　miles　away…had　no　such　protection。
　'Pistols　and　cutlasses；　my　lads！'　he　said　to　the　men　pouring　up　from　overside。　'Clap　onto　that　stay　tackle　now。　Smartly　with　that　carronade；　Mr　Cutler！'
　The　Indefatigable　had　been　in　too　many　expeditions　where　minutes　counted　to　waste　any　time　over　these　preparations。　The　boats'　crews　seized　their　arms；　the　six…pounder　carronades　were　lowered　into　the　bows　of　the　cutter　and　longboat；　and　soon　the　boats；　crowded　with　armed　men；　and　provisioned　against　sudden　emergency；　were　pulling　away　to　meet　the　galleys。
　'What　the　devil　d'you　think　you're　doing；　Mr　Hornblower？'
　Pellew　had　just　caught　sight　of　Hornblower　in　the　act　of　swinging　out　of　the　jolly　boat　which　was　his　special　charge。　He　wondered　what　his　midshipman　thought　he