csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第40部分

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　'Thank　you；　sir；'　said　Hornblower；　still　stupid。
　Soames　had　been　a　gray…haired　officer　of　vast　experience；　He　had　sailed　the　seven　seas；　he　had　fought　in　a　score　of　actions。　But；　faced　with　a　new　situation；　he　had　not　had　the　quickness　of　thought　to　keep　his　boat　from　under　the　ram　of　the　galley。　Soames　was　dead；　and　acting…lieutenant　Hornblower　would　take　his　place。　Fighting　madness；　sheer　insanity；　had　won　him　this　promise　of　promotion。　Hornblower　had　never　realized　the　black　depths　of　lunacy　into　which　he　could　sink。　Like　Soames；　like　all　the　rest　of　the　crew　of　the　Indefatigable；　he　had　allowed　himself　to　be　carried　away　by　his　blind　hatred　for　the　galleys；　and　only　good　fortune　had　allowed　him　to　live　through　it。　That　was　something　worth　remembering。
　
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHT　…　THE　EXAMINATION　FOR　LIEUTENANT
　H。M。S。　Indefatigable　was　gliding　into　Gibraltar　Bay；　with　Acting…Lieutenant　Horatio　Hornblower　stiff　and　self…conscious　on　the　quarterdeck　beside　Captain　Pellew。　He　kept　his　telescope　trained　over　toward　Algeciras；　it　was　a　strange　situation；　this；　that　major　naval　bases　of　two　hostile　powers　should　be　no　more　than　six　miles　apart；　and　while　approaching　the　harbour　it　was　as　well　to　keep　close　watch　on　Algeciras；　for　there　was　always　the　possibility　that　a　squadron　of　Spaniards　might　push　out　suddenly　to　pounce　on　an　unwary　frigate　ing　in。
　'Eight　ships…nine　ships　with　their　yards　crossed；　sir；'　reported　Hornblower。
　'Thank　you；'　answered　Pellew。　'Hands　'bout　ship。'
　The　Indefatigable　tacked　and　headed　in　toward　the　Mole。　Gibraltar　harbour　was；　as　usual；　crowded　with　shipping；　for　the　whole　naval　effort　of　England　in　the　Mediterranean　was　perforce　based　here。　Pellew　clewed　up　his　topsails　and　put　his　helm　over。　Then　the　cable　roared　out　and　the　Indefatigable　swung　at　anchor。
　'Call　away　my　gig；'　ordered　Pellew。
　Pellew　favoured　dark　blue　and　white　as　the　colour　scheme　for　his　boat　and　its　crew…dark　blue　shirts　and　white　trousers　for　the　men；　with　white　hats　with　blue　ribbons。　The　boat　was　of　dark　blue　picked　out　with　white；　the　oars　had　white　looms　and　blue　blades。　The　general　effect　was　very　smart　indeed　as　the　drive　of　the　oars　sent　the　gig　skimming　over　the　water　to　carry　Pellew　to　pay　his　respects　to　the　port　admiral。　It　was　not　long　after　his　return　that　a　messenger　came　scurrying　up　to　Hornblower。
　'Captain's　pliments；　sir；　and　he'd　like　to　see　you　in　his　cabin。'
　'Examine　your　conscience　well；'　grinned　Midshipman　Bracegirdle。　'What　crimes　have　you　mitted？'
　'I　wish　I　knew；'　said　Hornblower；　quite　genuinely。
　It　is　always　a　nervous　moment　going　in　to　see　the　captain　in　reply　to　his　summons。　Hornblower　swallowed　as　he　approached　the　cabin　door；　and　he　had　to　brace　himself　a　little　to　knock　and　enter。　But　there　was　nothing　to　be　alarmed　about；　Pellew　looked　up　with　a　smile　from　his　desk。
　'Ah；　Mr　Hornblower；　I　hope　you　will　consider　this　good　news。　There　will　be　an　examination　for　lieutenant　to…morrow；　in　the　Santa　Barbara　there。　You　are　ready　to　take　it；　I　hope？'
　Hornblower　was　about　to　say　'I　suppose　so；　sir；'　but　checked　himself。
　'Yes；　sir；'　he　said…Pellew　hated　slipshod　answers。
　'Very　well；　then。　You　report　there　at　three　P。M。　with　your　certificates　and　journals。'
　'Aye　aye；　sir。'
　That　was　a　very　brief　　conversation　for　such　an　important　subject。　Hornblower　had　Pellew's　order　as　acting…lieutenant　for　two　months　now。　To…morrow　he　would　take　his　examination。　If　he　should　pass　the　admiral　would　confirm　the　order　next　day；　and　Hornblower　would　be　a　lieutenant　with　two　month's　seniority　already。　But　if　he　should　fail！　That　would　mean　he　had　been　found　unfit　for　lieutenant's　rank。　He　would　revert　to　midshipman；　the　two　months'　seniority　would　be　lost；　and　it　would　be　six　months　at　least　before　he　could　try　again。　Eight　months'　seniority　was　a　matter　of　enormous　importance。　It　would　affect　all　his　subsequent　career。
　'Tell　Mr　Bolton　you　have　my　permission　to　leave　the　ship　to…morrow；　and　you　may　use　one　of　the　ship's　boats。'
　'Thank　you；　sir。'
　'Good　luck；　Hornblower。'
　During　the　next　twenty…four　hours　Hornblower　had　not　merely　to　try　to　read　all　through　Norie's　Epitome　of　Navigation　again；　and　Clarke's　plete　Handbook　of　Seamanship；　but　he　had　to　see　that　his　number　one　uniform　was　spick　and　span。　It　cost　his　spirit　ration　to　prevail　on　the　warrant　cook　to　allow　the　gunroom　attendant　to　heat　a　flatiron　in　the　galley　and　iron　out　his　neck　handkerchief　Bracegirdle　lent　him　a　clean　shirt；　but　there　was　a　feverish　moment　when　it　was　discovered　that　the　gunroom's　supply　of　shoe　blacking　had　dried　to　a　chip。　Two　midshipmen　had　to　work　it　soft　with　lard；　and　the　resultant　pound；　when　applied　to　Hornblower's　buckled　shoes；　was　stubbornly　resistant　to　taking　a　polish；　only　much　labour　with　the　gunroom's　moulting　shoebrush　and　then　with　a　soft　cloth　brought　those　shoes　up　to　a　condition　of　brightness　worthy　of　an　examination　for　lieutenant。　And　as　for　the　cocked　hat…the　life　of　a　cocked　hat　in　the　midshipman's　berth　is　hard；　and　some　of　the　dents　could　not　be　entirely　eliminated。
　'Take　it　off　as　soon　as　you　can　and　keep　it　under　your　arm；'　advised　Bracegirdle。　'Maybe　they　won't　see　you　e　up　the　ship's　side。'
　Everybody　turned　out　to　see　Hornblower　leave　the　ship；　with　his　sword　and　his　white　breeches　and　his　buckled　shoes；　his　bundle　of　journals　under　his　arm　and　his　certificates　of　sobriety　and　good　conduct　in　his　pocket。　The　winter　afternoon　was　already　far　advanced　as　he　was　rowed　over　to　the　Santa　Barbara　and　went　up　the　ship's　side　to　report　himself　to　the　officer　of　the　watch。
　The　Santa　Barbara　was　a　prison　hulk；　one　of　the　prizes　captured　in　Rodney's　action　off　Cadiz　in　1780　and　kept　rotting　at　her　moorings；　mastless；　ever　since；　a　storeship　in　time　of　peace　and　a　prison　in　time　of　war。　Redcoated　soldiers；　muskets　loaded　and　bayonets　fixed；　guarded　the　gangways；　on　forecastle　and　quarterdeck　were　carronades；　trained　inboard　and　depressed　to　sweep　the　waist；　wherein　a　few　prisoners　took　the　air；　ragged　and　unhappy。　As　Hornblower　came　up　the　side　he　caught　a　whiff　of　the　stench　within；　where　two　thousand　prisoners　were　confined。　Hornblower　reported　himself　to　the　officer　of　the　watch　as　e　on　board；　and　for　what　purpose。
　'Whoever　would　have　guessed　it？'　said　the　officer　of　the　watch…an　elderly　lieutenant　with　white　hair　hanging　down　to　his　shoulders…running　his　eye　over　Hornblower's　immaculate　uniform　and　the　portfolio　under　his　arm。　'Fifteen　of　your　kind　have　already　e　on　board；　and…Holy　Gemini；　see　there！'
　Quite　a　flotilla　of　small　craft　was　closing　in　on　the　Santa　Barbara。　Each　boat　held　at　least　one　cocked…hatted　and　white…breached　midshipman；　and　some　held　four　or　five。
　'Every　courtesy　young　gentleman　in　the　Mediterranean　Fleet　is　ambitious　for　an　epaulet；'　said　the　lieutenant。　'Just　wait　until　the　examining　board　sees　how　many　there　are　of　you！　I　wouldn't　be　in　your　shoes；　young　shaver；　for　something。　Go　aft；　there；　and　wait　in　the　portside　cabin。'
　It　was　already　unfortably　full；　when　Hornblower　entered；　fifteen　pairs　of　eyes　measured　him　up。　There　were　officers　of　all　ages　from　eighteen　to　forty；　all　in　their　number　one's；　all　nervous…one　or　two　of　them　had　Norie's　Epitome　open　on　their　laps　and　were　anxiously　reading　passages　about　which　they　were　doubtful。　One　little　group　was　passing　a　bottle　from　hand　to　hand；　presumably　in　an　effort　to　keep　up　their　courage。　But　no　sooner　had　Hornblower　entered　than　a　stream　of　newers　followed　him。　The　cabin　began　to　fill；　and…soon　it　was　tightly　packed。　Half　the　forty　men　present　found　seats　on　the　deck；　and　the　others　were　forced　to　stand。
　'Forty　years　back；'　said　a　loud　voice　somewhere；　'my　grandad　marched　with　Clive　to　revenge　the　Black　Hole　of　Calcutta。　If　he　could　but　have　witnessed　the　fate　of　his　posterity！'
　'Have　a　drink；'　said　another　voice；　'and　to　hell　with　care。'
　'Forty　of　us；'　mented　a　tall；　thin；　clerkly　officer；　counting　heads。　'How　many　of　us　will　they　pass；　do　you　think？　Five？'
　'To　hell　with　care；'　repeated　the　bibulous　voice　in　the　corner；　and　lifted　itself　in　song。　'Begone；　dull　care；　I　prithee　be　gone　from　me…'
　'Cheese　it；　you　fool！'　rasped　another　voice。　'Hark　to　that！'
　The　air