csf.thecommodore-第34节

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as　on　the　point；　reluctantly；　of　interfering　with　the　internal　working　of　the　ship　when　he　saw　a　lieutenant　intervene　and　save　him　the　trouble。　Some　knowledge　of　his　prejudices　and　desires　had　evidently　filtered　down　through　Bush　to　the　junior　officers。　Hornblower　watched　the　trio　separate　again　about　their　business　until　there　was　absolutely　no　excuse　for　watching　them　any　longer。
　He　simply　had　to　think　about　Braun。　The　man　had　attempted　to　mit　murder；　and　by　the　laws　of　England　and　the　Articles　of　War　he　should　die。　But　being　the　holder　of　a　Navy　Board　warrant；　it　would　call　for　a　court　of　five　post…captains　to　pass　a　death　sentence　on　him；　and　there　were　not　five　post…captains　within　a　hundred　miles。　Bush　and　Hornblower　were　the　only　ones；　Vickery　and　Cole　being　merely　manders。　By　law；　then；　Braun　should　be　kept　under　arrest　until　a　petent　court　could　be　assembled　to　try　him；　unless　…　and　here　he　had　discretion　…　the　good　of　the　service；　the　safety　of　the　ship；　or　the　welfare　of　England　demanded　immediate　action。　In　that　case　he　could　summon　a　court　posed　of　whatever　senior　officers　were　available；　try　him；　and　hang　him　on　the　spot。　The　evidence　would　be　overwhelming；　his　own　and　Mound's　would　suffice　to　hang　Braun　ten　times　over。
　The　need　for　summary　action　was　not　so　apparent；　nevertheless；　Braun；　languishing　in　the　sick　bay　with　a　right　hand　he　would　never　use　again；　and　half　dead　with　loss　of　blood；　was　certainly　not　going　to　start　a　mutiny　among　the　hands；　or　set　fire　to　the　ship；　or　seduce　the　officers　from　their　duty。　But　there　must　be　the　wildest　tales　flying　round　the　lower　deck　already。　Hornblower　could　not　imagine　how　the　hands　would　try　to　account　for　Braun　being　brought　back　from　the　Tsar's　palace　badly　wounded。　There　would　be　talk　and　gossip　which　sooner　or　later　would　reach　the　ears　of　Bonaparte's　agents；　and　Hornblower　knew　Bonaparte's　methods　too　well　to　doubt　that　he　would　make　the　utmost　use　of　an　opportunity　to　sow　dissension　between　his　enemies。　Alexander　would　never　forgive　a　country　which　had　brought　him　within　a　hair's　breadth　of　assassination。　When　the　authorities　at　home　should　e　to　know　of　the　incident　they　would　be　furious；　and　it　was　he；　Hornblower；　who　would　be　the　object　of　their　fury。　Hornblower　thought　of　the　report　locked　in　his　desk；　marked　'Most　Secret　and　Confidential'　in　which　he　had　put　down　the　facts。　He　could　imagine　that　report　being　put　in　as　evidence　against　him　at　a　court　martial；　and　he　could　imagine　what　view　his　brother　captains　who　would　be　his　judges　would　take　of　it。
　For　a　moment　Hornblower　toyed　with　the　idea　of　concealing　the　incident　altogether；　making　no　report　about　it　at　all；　but　he　put　the　motion　aside　as　impractical。　Someone　would　talk。　On　the　other　hand；　there　was　the　clause　in　his　orders　which　bound　him　to　make　the　freest　use　of　Braun's　experience；　that　might　cover　him；　and　besides；　the　insertion　of　that　clause　implied　that　Braun　had　friends　in　authority　who　would　be　interested　possibly　in　protecting　him　and　certainly　in　protecting　themselves；　and　who　in　consequence　would　not　wish　too　public　a　scandal　to　be　made。　It　was　all　very　plex。
　〃Mr　Montgomery；〃　said　Hornblower；　harshly；　〃what　sort　of　course　do　your　quartermasters　keep？　Have　'em　steer　smaller　than　that；　or　I　shall　want　an　explanation　from　you。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir；〃　said　Montgomery。
　At　least　he　had　done　his　part　towards　dragging　Russia　into　war　with　Bonaparte　…　the　last　word　he　had　received　from　Wychwood　before　leaving　Kronstadt　had　been　to　the　effect　that　Alexander　had　sent　a　defiant　reply　to　Bonaparte's　latest　demands。　Should　war　result；　Bonaparte's　main　strength　would　have　to　be　employed　in　the　East　for　this　summer；　giving　Wellington　the　opportunity　to　strike　a　blow　in　the　South。　But　how　much　chance　had　Russia　of　withstanding　the　attack　Bonaparte　could　launch　against　her？　Every　year　for　a　dozen　years　had　seen　a　great　victory　won　by　Bonaparte；　one　nation　or　another　overthrown　in　a　few　weeks'　campaign。　Next　winter　might　well　see　Russia　beaten　and　as　subservient　to　Bonaparte　as　Austria　or　Prussia　were　already；　and　Downing　Street；　faced　by　Russian　hostility；　would　remember　her　previous　dubious　neutrality　with　regret；　especially　as　Bonaparte　would　undoubtedly　take　advantage　of　a　Russian　defeat　to　overrun　Sweden。　So　then　the　whole　of　Europe；　from　North　Cape　to　the　Dardanelles；　would　be　leagued　against　England；　she　would　be　driven　from　her　meagre　foothold　in　Spain；　and　left　to　face　the　alternatives　of　continuing　a　struggle　in　which　there　was　no　prospect　of　any　relief；　or　making　a　still　more　dangerous　peace　with　a　tyrant　whose　malignant　ill　will　could　never　be　appeased。　In　that　case　it　would　not　be　to　any　man's　credit　that　he　had　contributed　to　the　catastrophe　of　Russia's　entry　into　the　war。
　Bush　had　e　on　deck；　clearly　sent　for　by　Montgomery　as　officer　of　the　watch。　He　was　reading　the　deck　log　which　Montgomery　had　inscribed　on　the　slate；　and　he　was　studying　the　traverse　board。　Now　he　came　stumping　over　to　the　starboard　side　of　the　quarter…deck　to　touch　his　hat　to　Hornblower。
　〃Reval　…　Tallinn　as　those　Swedish　charts　call　it；　sir　…　bears　south…east　twenty…five　miles　by　my　reckoning；　sir。　That　point　of　land　to　port　is　the　north　cape　of　Naissaar　island；　however　it's　pronounced。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Captain　Bush。〃
　Hornblower　even　felt　the　temptation　to　vent　his　ill　temper　on　Bush；　he　could　imagine　keenly　enough　how　Bush　would　wilt　and　the　hurt　look　that　would　e　into　his　face　at　a　sarcastic　gibe　at　his　mispronouncing　of　foreign　names　and　his　self…consciousness　regarding　it。　Bush　was　always　an　easy　target；　and　a　satisfactory　one　from　the　point　of　view　of　readily　apparent　results；　Hornblower　dallied　with　the　temptation　while　Bush　stood　before　him　awaiting　orders。　It　was　even　amusing　to　keep　him　waiting　like　this；　Hornblower　suspected　that　Bush　was　nervously　wondering　what　devilment　he　had　in　mind。　Then　in　a　wave　of　reaction　Hornblower　felt　contempt　for　himself。　It　was　bad　enough　that　Vickery's　unknown　officer　of　the　watch　should　at　this　moment　be　in　trouble　because　his　modore　was　worried　about　what　to　do　with　Braun；　it　was　far　worse　that　the　faithful；　capable　Bush　should　be　suffering　mental　unhappiness　for　the　same　reason。
　〃Lay　a　course　for　K？nigsberg；　Captain　Bush；　if　you　please。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　So　far　did　the　reaction　go　that　Hornblower　went　on　to　explain　the　motives　that　guided　him　in　reaching　this　decision。
　〃Danzig　and　K？nigsberg　and　East　Prussia　are　Bonaparte's　base　of　operations。　The　army　he　has　gathered　in　Poland　is　supplied　by　river　and　canal　from　there　…　by　the　Vistula　and　the　Pregel　and　the　Memel。　We're　going　to　see　if　we　can　put　a　spoke　in　Bonaparte's　wheel。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　〃I'll　put　the　squadron　through　general　evolutions　this　morning。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　Bush　was　simply　beaming　at　this　remarkable　unbending　of　his　unpredictable　chief。　He　was　a　long…suffering　individual；　as　second…in…mand　he　would　be　justified　in　looking　upon　it　as　his　right　to　be　admitted　to　the　modore's　secrets。　After　all；　a　stray　bullet；　a　falling　spar；　a　stroke　of　disease　might　easily　put　him　in　mand　of　the　whole　force。　Yet　he　remained　grateful　for　any　scraps　of　information　which　Hornblower　condescended　to　throw　to　him。
　Nonsuch　came　round　on　the　port　tack　as　Bush　and　the　sailing　master　decided　on　what　course　to　steer。　She　lay　over　under　her　pyramids　of　canvas；　the　taut　weather…rigging　harping　sharply　to　the　wind；　and　Hornblower　moved　over　from　the　starboard　side　to　port；　the　windward　side；　as　was　his　right。　He　looked　back　at　the　rest　of　the　squadron；　each　vessel　bracing　sharp　up　in　succession；　following　in　the　leader's　wake；　Lotus　and　Raven；　Moth　and　Harvey。　Clam　was　not　with　them　…　she　had　been　kept　at　Kronstadt　to　follow　with　any　news　Wychwood　might　be　able　to　pick　up　…　but　five　vessels　were　quite　enough　to　exercise　at　manoeuvres。
　〃Bring　me　the　signal　book；〃　ordered　Hornblower。
　Flags　raced　up　the　halliards；　each　signal　a　chain　of　black　balls；　like　beads　on　a　string；　until　it　was　broken　out；　but　in　the　other　ships　keen　eyes　were　watching　through　telescopes；　reading　the　flags　even　before　they　were　broken　out；　and　anxious　officers　were　ordering　the　replies　to　be　bent　on　ready　to　hoist　without　a　moment's　delay。　The　squadron　tacked　in　succession；　wore　together　on　a　line　of　bearing；　came　to　the　wind　again　in　succession　into　line　ahead。　They　reduced　sail　in　conformity　with　the　leader　…　every　ship　sending　every　possible　hand　aloft　to　get　in　courses　or　topgallants　the　moment　Hornblower's　intentions　became　clear　…　and　they　made　sail　again。　They　reefed　topsails；　double…reefed　them；　shook　them　out　again。　They　hove…to；　hoisted　out　their　boats　manned　with　armed　boarding　parties；　and　hoisted　the　boats　in　again。　Resuming　their　course　they　opened　their　ports；　ran　out　their　guns；　secured　them　again；　and　then　ran　them　out　and　secured　them　again。　A　fresh　signal　mounted　Nonsuch's　halliards；　headed　by　Raven's　number。
　〃modore　to　Captain。　Why　did　you　not　obey　my　order？〃
　Hornblower's　glass　had　detected　that　Raven　had　not　fully　secured　her　guns　…　she　had　not　bolted　her　gun…ports　so　as　to　open　them　more　quickly　if　the　order　should　e；　but　Hornblower　could　see　the　ports　opening　slightly　with　the　roll　of　the　ship；　moreover；　j