csf.thecommodore-第24节

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me？　…　the　Blanchefleur　under　his　very　nose　must　have　driven　him　crazy。　If　anything　makes　the　Swedes　fight；　it'll　be　that。〃
　〃Let's　hope　it　does；〃　said　Hornblower；　decidedly　forted。
　He　knew　he　had　taken　a　bold　step　when　he　went　in　to　destroy　the　Blanchefleur；　if　the　subsequent　political　repercussions　should　be　unfavourable　he　might　well　be　called　to　account。　His　only　justification　would　be　the　final　event；　a　more　cautious　man　would　have　held　back　and　contented　himself　with　keeping　the　privateer　under　observation。　Probably　that　would　have　resulted　in　her　slipping　clean　away　the　first　foggy　night；　to　resume　her　ravages　among　British　shipping；　but　no　man　could　be　held　responsible　for　fog。　And　if　Sweden　became　an　active　enemy　all　England　would　clamour　for　the　head　of　the　officer　they　deemed　responsible。　Yet　e　what　might　he　could　not　but　feel　that　he　had　taken　the　best　course　in　proving　that　England　had　the　power　to　strike　and　would　not　hesitate　to　use　it。　There　were　few　occasions　in　history　when　timidity　was　wise。
　They　were　bringing　further　news　to　St　Petersburg；　too。　Wellington　was　on　the　offensive　in　Spain；　in　two　desperate　strokes　he　had　cleared　his　front　by　storming　Ciudad　Rodrigo　and　Badajoz；　and　now　was　ready　to　strike　into　the　heart　of　the　Peninsula。　The　knowledge　that　a　large　part　of　Bonaparte's　army　was　hotly　engaged　in　the　South　might　bring　firmness　to　the　councils　of　the　North。
　His　brother…in…law　was　an　Earl　now　…　another　victory　or　two　would　make　him　a　Duke；　reflected　Hornblower。　Barbara　would　be　proud　of　him；　and　to　Hornblower　that　was　another　reason　for　him　to　dread　failure　for　himself；　Barbara　had　a　high　standard　of　parison。　But　she　would　understand。　She　would　know　how　high　were　the　stakes　he　was　playing　for　in　the　Baltic　…　as　high　as　those　her　brother　was　playing　for　in　Spain；　she　would　know　what　moral　courage　was　needed　to　make　the　kind　of　decisions　he　had　made。　She　would　be　considerate；　and　at　that　moment　Hornblower　told　himself　that　he　did　not　want　his　wife　to　have　to　be　considerate　on　his　account。　The　thought　revolted　him；　drove　him　to　make　his　excuses　to　Wychwood　and　plunge　out　on　deck；　into　the　pouring　rain　under　the　grey　sky；　to　walk　the　quarter…deck　while　the　other　officers　eyed　him　askance　and　kept　well　clear　of　him。　There　was　not　a　soul　in　the　squadron　who　had　not　heard　that　only　fools　crossed　the　modore's　hawse　when　he　was　walking　the　deck。
　The　brisk　wind　was　chill；　even　in　late　May；　here　in　the　North　Baltic；　the　squadron　pitched　and　rolled　over　the　short　steep　waves；　leaden…hued　under　the　leaden　sky；　as　it　drove　ever　northward　towards　the　Gulf　of　Finland；　towards　Russia；　where　the　destiny　of　the　world　hung　in　the　balance。　The　night　was　hardly　darker　than　the　sky；　up　here　in　the　sixtieth　degree　of　north　latitude；　when　the　sky　cleared；　for　the　sun　was　barely　hidden　below　the　horizon　and　the　moon　shone　coldly　in　the　twilight　as　they　drove　past　Hoghland　and　hove　to　in　sight　of　Lavansaari　so　as　to　approach　Kronstadt　after　sunrise。
　Braun　was　on　deck　early；　leaning　against　the　rail；　craning　over　in　fact；　that　faint　grey　smear　on　the　horizon　to　the　northward　was　his　native　land；　the　Finland　of　lake　and　forest　which　the　Tsar　had　just　conquered　and　from　which　he　was　a　hopeless　exile。　Hornblower　noted　the　dejection　of　the　poor　devil's　pose　and　was　sorry　for　him；　even　in　the　keen　excitement　of　anticipation　regarding　the　reception　they　might　be　accorded。　Bush　came　bustling　up；　in　all　the　glory　of　epaulettes　and　sword；　darting　eager　glances　over　the　deck　and　aloft　to　make　quite　sure　that　everything　in　the　ship　was　ready　to　bear　the　inspection　of　an　unfriendly　power。
　〃Captain　Bush；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃I'd　be　obliged　if　you　would　square　away　for　Kronstadt。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　Hornblower　would　have　liked　to　have　asked　if　the　arrangements　for　saluting　were　properly　in　train；　but　he　forbore。　He　could　trust　Bush　with　any　routine　duty；　and　he　had　to　be　very　careful　not　to　interfere　with　the　working　of　the　ship。　He　was　glad　that　so　far　he　had　never　forgotten　to　make　use　of　the　polite　forms　of　request　when　giving　orders　to　Bush；　who　was　his　equal　in　substantive　rank。　'I'd　be　obliged'　and　'if　you　please'　still　came　strangely　enough　to　his　lips　as　a　preface　to　an　order。
　He　turned　his　back　on　the　dawn　and　trained　his　glass　aft　on　the　squadron；　they　were　squaring　away　and　taking　up　their　stations　astern　in　succession；　the　two　sloops；　and　then　the　two　bomb…vessels；　and　the　cutter　last。
　〃General　signal；〃　he　snapped；　〃'Keep　better　station'。〃
　He　wanted　his　squadron　to　e　up　the　difficult　channel　in　exact；　regular　order；　like　beads　on　a　string。　Out　of　the　tail　of　his　eye　he　saw　Basse　and　Wychwood　e　on　deck；　and　he　ignored　them。
　〃Make　that　signal　again；〃　he　rasped；　〃with　Harvey's　number。〃
　Harvey　was　yawing　slightly　from　her　course；　young　Mound　had　better　keep　a　sharp　eye　on　his　helmsman；　or　he　would　be　in　trouble。　To　starboard；　where　the　wide　shoals　extended　from　the　Oranienbaum　shore；　there　were　buoys　to　mark　the　limits　of　the　channel；　which　serpentined　back　and　forth　in　unpredictable　fashion。　If　ever　he　had　to　penetrate　this　channel　as　an　enemy　he　would　find　it　a　tricky　business。　There　were　the　low　grey　fortifications　of　Kronstadt　on　the　port　bow；　a　turn　in　the　channel　sent　the　Nonsuch　heading　directly　for　them；　so　that　in　the　event　of　fighting　the　fire　of　the　guns　there　would　enfilade　the　whole　line。　Then　the　channel　swung　back　again；　and　then　it　straightened　out　so　that　all　ships　would　be　forced　to　pass　close　under　the　guns　of　Kronstadt。　Through　his　glass　Hornblower　made　out　the　blue　and　white　flag　of　Imperial　Russia　flying　above　the　grey　walls。
　〃Make　the　signal；　'anchor'；〃　said　Hornblower　to　the　signal　midshipman；　and　then　he　darted　a　meaning　glance　at　Bush；　who　nodded。　He　had　everything　ready。　The　ship　crept　forward；　closer　and　closer　under　the　guns。
　〃Haul　down；〃　said　Hornblower；　and　the　signal　to　anchor　came　down　in　a　flash；　putting　the　order　into　force　at　that　moment。　Six　cables　roared　through　six　hawseholes。　In　the　six　ships　a　thousand　men　poured　aloft；　and　the　canvas　vanished　as　though　by　magic　as　the　ships　swung　round　to　their　cables。
　〃Pretty　fair；〃　said　Hornblower　to　himself；　realizing；　with　an　inward　smile　at　his　own　weakness；　that　no　evolution　could　ever　be　carried　out　to　his　perfect　satisfaction。　Forward　the　saluting　gun　began　to　crash　out　its　marks　of　respect　for　the　Russian　flag；　Hornblower　saw　a　puff　of　smoke　from　the　fortress　and　then　the　sound　of　the　first　gun　of　the　return　salute　reached　his　ears。　Eleven　guns；　they　recognized　his　broad　pendant；　then；　and　knew　what　pliments　were　due　to　a　modore。　Here　came　the　doctor's　boat　to　give　them　pratique；　the　doctor　was　a　man　with　a　large　black　beard　who　spoke　limping　French。　His　visit　was　a　good　opportunity　to　test　Braun's　ability　to　speak　Russian　…　Braun　translated　with　facility　Hornblower's　declaration　that　there　was　no　infectious　disease　on　board。　Everyone　in　the　ship　was　a　little　excited　at　this　visit　to　Russia；　and　crowded　the　side　to　look　down　at　the　Russian　boat's　crew；　seated　in　their　boat　with　the　bowman　hooking　on　to　the　chains；　but　they　appeared　no　different　from　any　other　boat's　crew　…　much　the　same　kind　of　coloured　shirts　and　ragged　trousers　and　bare　feet；　and　they　handled　their　craft　capably　enough。　It　was　Bush　who　drove　the　Nonsuch's　crew　from　the　side；　he　was　hotly　indignant　about　their　blatant　curiosity　and　the　noise　they　made。
　〃Chattering　like　a　herd　of　monkeys；〃　said　Bush　indignantly　to　the　first　lieutenant。　〃Making　more　noise　than　a　tree　full　of　jackdaws。　What'll　these　Russians　think　of　us？　Set　the　men　to　work　and　keep　'em　at　it。〃
　In　these　conditions　of　doubtful　neutrality　it　would　be　best　for　the　first　contact　with　the　shore　to　be　made　by　Basse。　At　least　ostensibly　the　squadron　had　e　to　Kronstadt　merely　to　bring　him　with　his　news　to　the　Swedish　Crown　Prince。　Hornblower　had　his　barge　hoisted　out　and　sent　Basse　away　in　it；　and　the　boat　returned　without　him　but　with　no　other　information。　Basse　had　landed　at　the　jetty；　and　the　barge；　in　accordance　with　Hornblower's　orders；　had　immediately　returned。　Apart　from　the　salute　and　the　doctor's　visit　the　Russian　Empire　chose　to　ignore　the　British　squadron's　existence。
　〃What　sort　of　people　do　they　think　we　are？〃　grumbled　Bush；　fretting；　as　usual；　at　inaction。　Bush　knew　as　well　as　Hornblower　that　in　all　matters　of　diplomacy　it　was　best　to　display　no　eagerness　at　all；　but　he　could　not　force　himself　to　appear　calm　as　Hornblower　could。　He　gave　a　meaning　glance　at　Hornblower's　full　uniform　and　ribbon　and　star；　donned　so　as　to　be　ready　for　any　official　occasion　whatever；　he　wanted　Hornblower　to　proceed　on　shore　to　call　on　the　local　governor　and　put　the　whole　situation　to　the　test；　but　Hornblower　was　obstinate。　He　was　waiting　for　an　invitation。　England　had　survived　the　storm　in　Europe　so　far　without　a　Russian　alliance；　and　future　relations　would　be　simplified　if　Russia　were　to　make　the　first　advances　now　…　provided　she　did　make　them。　His　squadron　was　present　merely　to　bring　Basse　to　report　to　Bernadotte；　if　the　Russian　Government　chose　to　take　advantage　of　his　presence　to　approach　him；　well　and　good。　Otherwise　he　would　have　to　devise　some　other　plan。
　〃The　telegraph　hasn't　ceased　w