csf.thecommodore-第12节

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t　up　to　the　quarter…deck；　and　fussed　over　having　them　set　up　just　where　the　modore　would　like　them。　A　glance　from　Hornblower　to　Brown　sufficed　to　spread　the　table　with　the　delicacies　suitable　for　the　occasion　which　Brown　could　select　from　the　stores　Barbara　had　sent　on　board　…　the　best　hard　bread　money　could　buy；　butter　in　a　stone　crock；　not　nearly　rancid　yet；　strawberry　jam；　a　heavily　smoked　ham；　a　smoked　mutton　ham　from　an　Exmoor　farm；　Cheddar　and　Stilton　cheese；　potted　char。　Brown　had　had　a　brilliant　idea；　and　squeezed　some　of　the　dwindling　store　of　lemons　for　lemonade　in　order　to　disguise　the　flavour　of　the　ship's　water；　he　knew　that　Hornblower　was　quite　incapable　of　drinking　beer；　even　small　beer；　at　breakfast　time　…　and　beer　was　the　only　alternative。
　Bush　ran　an　appreciative　eye　over　the　loaded　table；　and　at　Hornblower's　invitation　sat　down　with　appetite。　Bush　had　been　poor；　too；　most　of　his　life；　with　a　host　of　indigent　female　relations　dependent　on　his　pay。　He　was　not　yet　surfeited　with　luxury。　But　Hornblower's　characteristic　cross…grainedness　had　got　the　better　of　him；　he　had　wanted　coffee；　and　he　could　not　have　coffee；　and　so　he　wanted　nothing　at　all。　Even　lemonade　was　a　mere　mockery；　he　ate　resentfully。　It　seemed　to　him　that　Bush；　spreading　potted　char　liberally　on　a　biscuit　and　eating　with　all　the　appetite　one　might　expect　of　him　after　a　night　on　deck；　was　doing　so　deliberately　to　annoy　him。　Bush　cocked　an　eye　at　him　across　the　table　and　thought　better　of　his　first　idea　of　making　an　appreciative　ment　on　the　food。　If　his　queer　modore　chose　to　be　in　a　bad　mood　it　was　best　to　leave　him　to　it　…　Bush　was　better　than　a　wife；　thought　Hornblower；　his　acute　perceptions　noting　the　gesture。
　Hornblower　pulled　out　his　watch　as　a　reminder　to　Bush　of　the　next　thing　to　be　done。
　〃Call　the　watch　below。　Dismiss　the　watch　on　deck　for　breakfast；〃　ordered　Bush。
　It　was　strange　…　dramatic；　presumably；　would　be　the　right　word　…　to　be　sitting　here　in　this　Baltic　sunshine；　breakfasting　at　leisure　while　no　more　than　three　miles　away　the　hordes　of　the　tyrant　of　Europe　could　only　gaze　at　them　impotently。　Brown　was　offering　cigars；　Bush　cut　the　end　off　his　with　the　big　sailor's　clasp…knife　which　he　brought　out　of　a　side　pocket；　and　Brown　brought　the　smouldering　slow　match　from　the　tub　beside　the　quarter…deck　carronades　to　give　them　a　light。
　Hornblower　breathed　in　the　smoke　luxuriously　and　found　it　impossible　to　maintain　his　evil　humour；　now　with　the　sun　shining；　his　cigar　drawing　well；　and　the　advanced　guard　of　a　million　French　soldiers　three　miles　distant。　The　table　was　whipped　away　from　between　them　and　he　stretched　his　legs。　Even　Bush　did　the　same　…　at　least；　he　sat　farther　back　instead　of　perching　on　the　edge　of　his　chair；　his　wooden　leg　stuck　out　straight　before　him　although　the　other　one　remained　decorously　bent。　The　Nonsuch　was　still　thrashing　along　gloriously　under　plain　sail；　heeling　a　little　to　the　wind；　with　the　green　sea　creaming　joyously　under　her　bows。　Hornblower　pulled　at　his　cigar　again　in　strange　spiritual　peace。　After　his　recent　discontent　it　was　like　the　unbelievable　cessation　of　toothache。
　〃Hven　nearly　within　random　shot；　sir；〃　reported　the　first　lieutenant。
　〃Call　all　hands　to　quarters；〃　ordered　Bush；　with　a　glance　at　Hornblower。
　But　Hornblower　sat　on　tranquilly。　He　felt　suddenly　quite　certain　that　the　guns　on　Hven　would　not　open　fire；　and　he　did　not　want　to　throw　away　ungratefully　the　cigar　which　had　served　him　so　well。　Bush　took　a　second　glance　at　him　and　decided　to　sit　still　too。　He　hardly　deigned　to　spare　a　glance　for　Hven　as　it　came　up　under　the　lee　bow　and　passed　away　under　the　lee　quarter。　Hornblower　thought　of　Saltholm　and　Amager　lying　ahead；　that　would　be　the　time　of　greatest　danger；　for　both　islands　were　in　Danish　hands　and　the　twelve…fathom　channel　passed　between　them　and　close　to　both　of　them。　But　there　was　plenty　of　time　to　finish　this　cigar。　It　was　with　sincere　regret　that　he　drew　the　last　puff；　rose　slowly　to　his　feet；　and　sauntered　to　the　lee　rail　to　pitch　the　end　carefully　overside。
　The　sudden　swoop　of　his　squadron　in　the　grey　dawn　had　taken　the　Elsinore　garrison　by　surprise；　but　there　could　be　no　surprise　for　Saltholm　and　Amager。　They　could　see　his　ships　in　this　clear　weather　a　dozen　miles　away；　and　the　gunners　would　have　ample　time　to　make　all　preparations　to　receive　them。　He　looked　ahead　down　the　line　of　vessels。
　〃Make　a　signal　to　Moth；〃　he　snapped　over　his　shoulder。　〃'Keep　better　station'。〃
　If　the　line　were　to　straggle　it　would　be　the　longer　exposed　to　fire。　The　land　was　in　plain　sight　through　his　glass；　it　was　lucky　that　Saltholm　was　low…lying　so　that　its　guns　had　only　poor　mand。　Copenhagen　must　be　only　just　out　of　sight；　below　the　horizon　to　starboard。　Vickery　was　taking　Lotus　exactly　down　the　course　Hornblower　had　laid　down　for　him　in　his　orders。　There　was　the　smoke　bursting　out　from　Saltholm。　There　was　the　boom　of　the　guns　…　a　very　irregular　salvo。　He　could　see　no　sign　of　damage　to　the　ships　ahead。　Lotus　was　firing　back；　he　doubted　if　her　popgun　nine…pounders　could　hit　at　that　range；　but　the　smoke　might　help　to　screen　her。　All　Saltholm　was　covered　with　smoke　now；　and　the　boom　of　the　guns　across　the　water　was　in　one　continuous　roll　like　a　drum。　They　were　still　out　of　range　of　Amager　at　present；　Vickery　was　wearing　ship　now　for　the　turn。　Bush　very　sensibly　had　leadsmen　in　the　chains。
　〃By　the　mark　seven！〃
　Seven　fathoms　was　ample；　with　the　tide　making。　Brown　against　green　…　those　were　the　batteries　on　Saltholm；　dimly　visible　in　the　smoke；　young　Carlin　on　the　main…deck　was　pointing　out　the　target　to　the　port…side　twelve…pounders。
　〃By　the　deep　six；　and　half　six！〃
　A　sudden　tremendous　crash；　as　the　port…side　battery　fired　all　together。　The　Nonsuch　heaved　with　the　recoil；　and　as　she　did　so　came　the　leadsman's　cry。
　〃And　a　half　six！〃
　〃Starboard　your　helm；〃　said　Bush。　〃Stand　by；　the　starboard　guns！〃
　Nonsuch　poised　herself　for　the　turn；　as　far　as　Hornblower　could　tell；　not　a　shot　had　been　fired　at　her　at　present。
　〃By　the　mark　five！〃
　They　must　be　shaving　the　point　of　the　shoal。　There　were　the　Amager　batteries　in　plain　sight　…　the　starboard…side　guns；　with　the　additional　elevation　due　to　the　heel　of　the　ship；　should　be　able　to　reach　them。　Both　broadsides　together；　this　time；　an　ear…splitting　crash；　and　the　smoke　from　the　starboard　guns　billowed　across　the　deck；　bitter　and　irritant。
　〃And　a　half　five！〃
　That　was　better。　God；　Harvey　was　hit。　The　bomb…ketch；　two　cables'　length　ahead　of　Nonsuch；　changed　in　a　moment　from　a　fighting　vessel　to　a　wreck。　Her　towering　mainmast；　enormous　for　her　size；　had　been　cut　through　just　above　her　deck；　mast　and　shrouds；　and　the　huge　area　of　canvas　she　carried；　were　trailing　over　her　quarter。　Her　stumpy　mizzen…topmast　had　gone　as　well；　hanging　down　from　the　cap。　Raven　as　her　orders　dictated；　swept　past　her；　and　Harvey　lay　helpless　as　Nonsuch　hurtled　down　upon　her。
　〃Back　the　main…tops'l！〃　roared　Bush。
　〃Stand　by　with　the　heaving…line；　there！〃　said　Hurst。
　〃And　a　half　five！〃　called　the　leadsman。
　〃Helm…a…lee；〃　said　Bush；　and　then　in　the　midst　of　the　bustle　the　starboard　broadside　bellowed　out　again；　as　the　guns　bore　on　the　Amager　batteries；　and　the　smoke　swept　across　the　decks。　Nonsuch　heaved　over；　her　backed　topsail　caught　the　wind　and　checked　her　way　as　she　recovered。　She　hovered　with　the　battered　Harvey　close　alongside。　Hornblower　could　see　Mound；　her　captain；　directing　the　efforts　of　her　crew　from　his　station　at　the　foot　of　her　mizzenmast。　Hornblower　put　his　speaking…trumpet　to　his　lips。
　〃Cut　that　wreckage　away；　smartly；　now。〃
　〃Stand　by　for　the　line！〃　shouted　Hurst。
　The　heaving…line；　well　thrown；　dropped　across　her　mizzen　shrouds；　and　Mound　himself　seized　it；　Hurst　dashed　below　to　superintend　the　passing　across　of　the　towline；　which　lay　on　the　lower　gun…deck　all　ready　to　be　passed　out　of　an　after　gun…port。　A　splintering　crash　forward　told　that　one　shot　at　least　from　Amager　had　struck　home　on　Nonsuch。　Axes　were　cutting　furiously　at　the　tangle　of　shrouds　over　the　Harvey's　side；　a　group　of　seamen　were　furiously　hauling　in　the　three…inch　line　from　Nonsuch　which　had　been　bent　on　the　heaving…line。　Another　crash　forward；　Hornblower　swung　round　to　see　that　a　couple　of　foremast　shrouds　had　parted　at　the　chains。　With　the　Nonsuch　lying　nearly　head　to　wind　neither　port…side　nor　starboard…side　guns　bore　to　make　reply；　but　Carlin　had　a　couple　of　guns'　crews　hard　at　work　with　hand…spikes　heaving　the　two　foremost　guns　round　…　it　would　be　as　well　to　keep　the　batteries　under　fire　so　as　not　to　allow　them　to　indulge　in　mere　target　practice。　Hornblower　turned　back；　Nonsuch's　stern　was　almost　against　Harvey's　quarter；　but　some　capable　officer　already　had　two　spars　out　from　the　stern　gallery　to　boom　her　off。　The　big　cable　itself　was　on　its　way　over　now；　as　Hornblower　watched　he　saw　Harvey's　men　reach　and　grasp　it。
　〃We'll　take　you　out　stern　first；　Mr　Mound；〃　yelled　Hornblower　through　his　speaking…trumpet　…　there　was　no　time　to　waste　while　they　took　the　cable　forward。　Mound　waved　acknowledgement。
　〃Quarter　less　five；〃　came　the　voice　of　the　leadsman；　the　leeway　which　the　two　vessels　were　making　was　carrying　them　down　on　the　Saltholm　shoa