csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第13节

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　them　to　carry　out　the　obvious　task　of　getting　in　the　sea…anchor。　But　it　was　not　too　easy；　with　the　boat　so　crowded　and　hardly　a　foot　of　freeboard。　The　mast　was　already　stepped；　and　the　lug　sail　bent　ready　to　hoist。　Two　Frenchmen；　balancing　precariously；　tailed　onto　the　halliard　and　the　sail　rose　up　the　mast。
　'Hunter；　take　the　sheet；'　said　Hornblower。　'Matthews；　take　the　tiller。　Keep　her　close　hauled　on　the　port　tack。'
　'Close　hauled　on　the　port　tack；　sir。'
　The　French　captain　had　watched　the　proceedings　with　intense　interest　from　his　seat　amidships。　He　had　not　understood　the　last；　decisive　order；　but　he　grasped　its　meaning　quickly　enough　when　the　boat　came　round　and　steadied　on　the　port　tack；　heading　for　England。　He　stood　up；　spluttering　angry　protests。
　'The　wind　is　fair　for　Bordeaux；'　he　said；　gesticulating　with　clenched　fists。　'We　could　be　there　by　to…morrow。　Why　do　we　go　north？'
　'We　go　to　England；'　said　Hornblower。
　'But…but…it　will　take　us　a　week！　A　week　even　if　the　wind　stays　fair。　This　boat…it　is　too　crowded。　We　cannot　endure　a　storm。　It　is　madness。'
　Hornblower　had　guessed　at　the　moment　the　captain　stood　up　what　he　was　going　to　say；　and　he　hardly　bothered　to　translate　the　expostulations　to　himself。　He　was　too　tired　and　too　seasick　to　enter　into　an　argument　in　a　foreign　language。　He　ignored　the　captain。　Not　for　anything　on　earth　would　he　turn　the　boat's　head　towards　France。　His　naval　career　had　only　just　begun；　and　even　if　it　were　to　be　blighted　on　account　of　the　loss　of　the　Marie　Galante　he　had　no　intention　of　rotting　for　years　in　a　French　prison。
　'Sir！'　said　the　French　captain。
　The　mate　who　shared　the　captain's　thwart　was　protesting　too；　and　now　they　turned　to　their　crew　behind　them　and　told　them　what　was　going　on。　An　angry　movement　stirred　the　crowd。
　'Sir！'　said　the　captain　again。　'I　insist　that　you　head　towards　Bordeaux。'
　He　showed　signs　of　advancing　upon　them；　one　of　the　crew　behind　him　began　to　pull　the　boat…hook　clear；　and　it　would　be　a　dangerous　weapon。　Hornblower　pulled　one　of　the　pistols　from　his　belt　and　pointed　it　at　the　captain；　who；　with　the　muzzle　four　feet　from　his　breast；　fell　back　before　the　gesture。　Without　taking　his　eyes　off　him　Hornblower　took　a　second　pistol　with　his　left　hand。
　'Take　this；　Matthews；'　he　said。
　'Aye　aye；　sir；'　said　Matthews；　obeying；　and　then；　after　a　respectful　pause；　'Beggin'　your　pardon；　sir；　but　hadn't　you　better　cock　your　pistol；　sir？'
　'Yes；'　said　Hornblower；　exasperated　at　his　own　forgetfulness。
　He　drew　the　hammer　back　with　a　click；　and　the　menacing　sound　made　more　acute　still　the　French　captain's　sense　of　his　own　danger；　with　a　cocked　and　loaded　pistol　pointed　at　his　stomach　in　a　heaving　boat。　He　waved　his　hands　desperately。
　'Please；'　he　said；　'point　it　some　other　way；　sir。'
　He　drew　farther　back；　huddling　against　the　men　behind　him。
　'Hey；　avast　there；　you；'　shouted　Matthews　loudly…a　French　sailor　was　trying　to　let　go　the　halliard　unobserved。
　'Shoot　any　man　who　looks　dangerous；　Matthews；'　said　Hornblower。
　He　was　so　intent　on　enforcing　his　will　upon　these　men；　so　desperately　anxious　to　retain　his　liberty；　that　his　face　was　contracted　into　a　beast…like　scowl。　No　one　looking　at　him　could　doubt　his　determination　for　a　moment。　He　would　allow　no　human　life　to　e　between　him　and　his　decisions。　There　was　still　a　third　pistol　in　his　belt；　and　the　Frenchmen　could　guess　that　if　they　tried　a　rush　a　quarter　of　them　at　least　would　meet　their　deaths　before　they　overpowered　the　Englishmen；　and　the　French　captain　knew　he　would　be　the　first　to　die。　His　expressive　hands；　waving　out　from　his　sides…he　could　not　take　his　eyes　from　the　pistol…told　his　men　to　make　no　further　resistance。　Their　murmurings　died　away；　and　the　captain　began　to　plead。
　'Five　years　I　was　in　an　English　prison　during　the　last　war；'　he　said。　'Let　us　reach　an　agreement。　Let　us　go　to　France。　When　we　reach　the　shore…anywhere　you　choose；　sir…we　will　land　and　you　can　continue　on　your　journey。　Or　we　can　all　land；　and　I　will　use　all　my　influence　to　have　you　and　your　men　sent　back　to　England　under　cartel；　without　exchange　or　ransom。　I　swear　I　will。'
　'No；'　said　Hornblower。
　England　was　far　easier　to　reach　from　here　than　from　the　French　Biscay　coast；　as　for　the　other　suggestion；　Hornblower　knew　enough　about　the　new　government　washed　up　by　the　revolution　in　France　to　be　sure　that　they　would　never　part　with　prisoners　on　the　representation　of　a　merchant　captain。　And　trained　seamen　were　scarce　in　France；　it　was　his　duty　to　keep　these　dozen　from　returning。
　'No；'　he　said　again；　in　reply　to　the　captain's　fresh　protests。
　'Shall　I　clout　'im　on　the　jaw；　sir？'　asked　Hunter；　at　Hornblower's　side。
　'No；'　said　Hornblower　again；　but　the　Frenchman　saw　the　gesture　and　guessed　at　the　meaning　of　the　words；　and　subsided　into　sullen　silence。
　But　he　was　roused　again　at　the　sight　of　Hornblower's　pistol　on　his　knee；　still　pointed　at　him。　A　sleepy　finger　might　press　that　trigger。
　'Sir；'　he　said；　'put　that　pistol　away；　I　beg　of　you。　It　is　dangerous。'
　Hornblower's　eye　was　cold　and　unsympathetic。
　'Put　it　away；　please。　I　will　do　nothing　to　interfere　with　your　mand　of　this　boat。　I　promise　you　that。'
　'Do　you　swear　it？'
　'I　swear　it。'
　'And　these　others？'
　The　captain　looked　round　at　his　crew　with　voluble　explanations；　and　grudgingly　they　agreed。
　'They　swear　it　too。'
　'Very　well；　then。'
　Hornblower　started　to　replace　the　pistol　in　his　belt；　and　remembered　to　put　it　on　half…cock　in　time　to　save　himself　from　shooting　himself　in　the　stomach。　Everyone　in　the　boat　relaxed　into　apathy。　The　boat　was　rising　and　swooping　rhythmically　now；　a　far　more　fortable　motion　than　when　it　had　jerked　to　a　sea…anchor；　and　Hornblower's　stomach　lost　some　of　its　resentment。　He　had　been　two　nights　without　sleep。　His　head　lowered　on　his　chest；　and　then　he　leaned　sideways　against　Hunter；　and　slept　peacefully；　while　the　boat；　with　the　wind　nearly　abeam；　headed　steadily　for　England。　What　woke　him　late　in　the　day　was　when　Matthews；　cramped　and　weary；　was　pelled　to　surrender　the　tiller　to　Arson；　and　after　that　they　kept　watch　and　watch；　a　hand　at　the　sheet　and　a　hand　at　the　tiller　and　the　others　trying　to　rest。　Hornblower　took　his　turn　at　the　sheet；　but　he　would　not　trust　himself　with　the　tiller；　especially　when　night　fell；　he　knew　he　had　not　the　knack　of　keeping　the　boat　on　her　course　by　the　feel　of　the　wind　on　his　cheek　and　the　tiller　in　his　hand。
　It　was　not　until　long　after　breakfast　the　next　day…almost　noon　in　fact…that　they　sighted　the　sail。　It　was　a　Frenchman　who　saw　it　first；　and　his　excited　cry　roused　them　all。　There　were　three　square　topsails　ing　up　over　the　horizon　on　their　weather　bow；　nearing　them　so　rapidly　on　a　converging　course　that　each　time　the　boat　rose　on　a　wave　a　considerably　greater　area　of　canvas　was　visible。
　'What　do　you　think　she　is；　Matthews？'　asked　Hornblower；　while　the　boat　buzzed　with　the　Frenchmen's　excitement。
　'I　can't　tell；　sir；　but　I　don't　like　the　looks　of　her；'　said　Matthews　doubtfully。　'She　ought　to　have　her　t'gallants　set　in　this　breeze…and　her　courses　too；　an'　she　hasn't。　An'　I　don't　like　the　cut　of　her　jib；　sir。　She…she　might　be　a　Frenchie　to　me；　sir。'
　Any　ship　travelling　for　peaceful　purposes　would　naturally　have　all　possible　sail　set。　This　ship　had　not。　Hence　she　was　engaged　in　some　belligerent　design；　but　there　were　more　chances　that　she　was　British　than　that　she　was　French；　even　in　here　in　the　Bay。　Hornblower　took　a　long　look　at　her；　a　smallish　vessel；　although　ship…rigged。　Flush…decked；　with　a　look　of　speed　about　her…her　hull　was　visible　at　intervals　now；　with　a　line　of　gunports。
　'She　looks　French　all　over　to　me；　sir；'　said　Hunter。　'Privateer；　seemly。'
　'Stand　by　to　jibe；'　said　Hornblower。
　They　brought　the　boat　round　before　the　wind；　heading　directly　away　from　the　ship。　But　in　war　as　in　the　jungle；　to　fly　is　to　invite　pursuit　and　attack。　The　ship　set　courses　and　topgallants　and　came　tearing　down　upon　them；　passed　them　at　half　a　cable's　length　and　then　hove…to；　having　cut　off　their　escape。　The　ship's　rail　was　lined　with　a　curious　crowd…a　large　crew　for　a　vessel　that　size。　A　hail　came　across　the　water　to　the　boat；　and　the　words　were　French。　The　English　seamen　subsided　into　curses；　while　the　French　captain　cheerfully　stood　up　and　replied；　and　the　French　crew　brought　the　boat　alongside　the　ship。
　A　handsome　young　man　in　a　plum…coloured　coat　with　a　lace　stock　greeted　Hornblower　when　he　stepped　on　the　deck。
　'Wele；　sir；　to　the　Pique；'　he　said　in　French　'I　am　Captain　Neuville；　of　this　privateer。　And　you　are…？'
　'Midshipman　Hornblower；　of　His　Britannic　Majesty's　ship　Indefatigable；'　growled　Hornblower。
　'You　seem　to　be　in　evil　humour；'　said　Neuville。　'Please　do　not　be　so　distressed　at　the　fortunes　of　war。　You　will　be　acmodated　in　this　ship；　until　we　return　to　port；　with　every　fort　possible　at　sea。　I　beg　of　you　to　consider　yourself　quite　at　home。　For　instance；　those　pistols　in　your　belt　must　dismode　you　more　than　a　little。　Permit　me　to　relieve　you　of　their　weight。'
　He　took　the　pistols　neatly　from　Hornblower's　belt　as　he　spoke；　looked　Hornblower　keenly　over；　and　then　went　on。
　'That　dirk　that　you　wear　at　your　side；　sir。　Would　you　oblige　me　by　the　loa