csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第26节

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r's　frantic　wife。　So　the　expeditionary　force　had　secured　some　of　its　necessary　transport。　In　another　field　a　soldier　was　prodding　a　cow　along　with　his　bayonet…Hornblower　could　not　imagine　with　what　motive。　Twice　he　heard　distant　musket　shots　to　which　no　one　seemed　to　pay　any　attention。　Then　ing　down　the　road；　they　encountered　two　soldiers　leading　bony　horses　towards　the　beach；　the　jests　hurled　at　them　by　the　marching　column　had　set　the　men's　faces　in　broad　grins　But　a　little　way　farther　on　Hornblower　saw　a　plough　standing　lonely　in　a　little　field；　and　a　grey　bundle　lying　near　it。　The　bundle　was　a　dead　man。
　Over　on　their　right　was　the　marshy　river　valley；　and　it　was　not　long　before　Hornblower　could　see；　far　ahead；　the　bridge　and　the　causeway　which　they　had　been　sent　to　seize。　The　lane　they　were　following　came　down　a　slight　incline　into　the　town；　passing　between　a　few　grey　cottages　before　emerging　into　the　highroad　along　which　there　lay　the　town。　There　was　a　grey　stone　church；　there　was　a　building　that　could　easily　be　identified　as　an　inn　and　postinghouse　with　soldiers　swarming　round　it；　a　slight　broadening　of　the　high…road；　with　an　avenue　of　trees；　which　Hornblower　assumed　must　be　the　central　square　of　the　town。　A　few　faces　peered　from　upper　windows；　but　otherwise　the　houses　were　shut　and　there　were　no　civilians　to　be　seen　except　two　women　hastily　shuttering　their　shops。　Pouzauges　reined　up　his　horse　in　the　square　and　began　issuing　orders。　Already　the　horses　were　being　led　out　of　the　posthouse；　and　groups　of　men　were　bustling　to　and　fro　on　seemingly　urgent　errands。　In　obedience　to　Pouzauges　one　officer　called　his　men　together…he　had　to　expostulate　and　gesticulate　before　he　succeeded…and　started　towards　the　bridge。　Another　party　started　along　the　highway　in　the　opposite　direction　to　guard　against　the　possible　surprise　attack　from　there。　A　crowd　of　men　squatted　in　the　square　devouring　the　bread　that　was　brought　out　from　one　of　the　shops　after　its　door　had　been　beaten　in；　and　two　or　three　times　civilians　were　dragged　up　to　Pouzauges　and　at　his　orders　were　hurried　away　again　to　the　town　jail。　The　seizure　of　the　town　of　Muzillac　was　plete。
　Pouzauges　seemed　to　think　so；　too；　after　an　interval；　for　with　a　glance　at　Hornblower　he　turned　his　horse　and　trotted　towards　the　causeway。　The　town　ended　before　the　road　entered　the　marshes；　and　in　a　bit　of　waste　ground　beside　the　road　the　party　sent　out　in　this　direction　had　already　lighted　a　fire；　and　the　men　were　gathered　round　it；　toasting　on　their　bayonets　chunks　of　meat　cut　from　a　cow　whose　half…flayed　corpse　lay　beside　the　fire。　Farther　on；　where　the　causeway　became　the　bridge　over　the　river；　a　sentry　sat　sunning　himself；　with　his　musket　leaning　against　the　parapet　of　the　bridge　at　his　back。　Everything　was　peaceful　enough。　Pouzauges　trotted　as　far　as　the　crown　of　the　bridge；　with　Hornblower　beside　him；　and　looked　over　the　country　on　the　farther　side。　There　was　no　sign　of　any　enemy；　and　when　they　returned　there　was　a　mounted　red…coated　soldier　waiting　for　them…Lord　Edrington。
　'I've　e　to　see　for　myself；'　he　said。　'The　position　looks　strong　enough　in　all　conscience　here。　Once　you　have　the　guns　posted　you　should　be　able　to　hold　this　bridge　until　you　can　blow　up　the　arch。　But　there's　a　ford；　passable　at　low　water；　half　a　mile　lower　down。　That　is　where　I　shall　station　myself…if　we　lose　the　ford　they　can　turn　the　whole　position　and　cut　us　off　from　the　shore。　Tell　this　gentleman…what's　his　name？…what　I　said。'
　Hornblower　translated　as　well　as　he　could；　and　stood　by　as　interpreter　while　the　two　manders　pointed　here　and　there　and　settled　their　respective　duties。
　'That's　settled；　then；'　said　Edrington　at　length。　'Don't　forget；　Mr　Hornblower；　that　I　must　be　kept　informed　of　every　development。'
　He　nodded　to　them　and　wheeled　his　horse　and　trotted　off。　As　he　left　a　cart　approached　from　the　direction　of　Muzillac；　while　behind　it　a　loud　clanking　heralded　the　arrival　of　the　two　six…pounders；　each　drawn　painfully　by　a　couple　of　horses　led　by　seamen。　Sitting　upon　the　front　of　the　cart　was　Midshipman　Bracegirdle；　who　saluted　Hornblower　with　a　broad　grin。
　'From　quarterdeck　to　dung　cart　is　no　more　than　a　step；'　he　announced；　swinging　himself　down。　'From　midshipman　to　captain　of　artillery。'
　He　looked　along　the　causeway　and　then　around　him。
　'Put　the　guns　over　there　and　they'll　sweep　the　whole　length；'　suggested　Hornblower。
　'Exactly；'　said　Bracegirdle。
　Under　his　orders　the　guns　were　wheeled　off　the　road　and　pointed　along　the　causeway；　and　the　dung　cart　was　unloaded　of　its　contents；　a　tarpaulin　spread　on　the　ground；　the　gunpowder　cartridges　laid　on　it　and　covered　with　another　tarpaulin。　The　shot　and　the　bags　of　grape　were　piled　beside　the　guns；　the　seamen　working　with　a　will　under　the　stimulus　of　their　novel　surroundings。
　'Poverty　brings　strange　bedfellows；'　said　Bracegirdle。　'And　wars　strange　duties。　Have　you　ever　blown　up　a　bridge？'
　'Never；'　said　Hornblower。
　'Neither　have　I。　e；　and　let　us　do　it。　May　I　offer　you　a　place　in　my　carriage？'
　Hornblower　climbed　up　into　the　cart　with　Bracegirdle；　and　two　seamen　led　the　plodding　horse　along　the　causeway　to　the　bridge。　There　they　halted　and　looked　down　at　the　muddy　water…running　swiftly　with　the　ebb…craning　their　heads　over　the　parapet　to　look　at　the　solid　stone　construction。
　'It　is　the　keystone　of　the　arch　which　we　should　blow　out；'　said　Bracegirdle。
　That　was　the　proverbial　recipe　for　the　destruction　of　a　bridge；　but　as　Hornblower　looked　from　the　bridge　to　Bracegirdle　and　back　again　the　idea　did　not　seem　easy　to　execute。　Gunpowder　exploded　upwards　and　had　to　be　held　in　on　all　sidles…how　was　that　to　be　done　under　the　arch　of　the　bridge？
　'What　about　the　pier？'　he　asked　tentatively。
　'We　can　but　look　and　see；'　said　Bracegirdle；　and　turned　to　the　seaman　by　the　cart。　'Hannay；　bring　a　rope。'
　They　fastened　the　rope　to　the　parapet　and　slid　down　it　to　a　precarious　foothold　on　the　slippery　ledge　round　the　base　of　the　pier；　the　river　gurgling　at　their　feet。
　'That　seems　to　be　the　solution；'　said　Bracegirdle；　crouching　almost　double　under　the　arch。
　Time　slipped　by　fast　as　they　made　their　preparations；　a　working　party　had　to　be　brought　from　the　guard　of　the　bridge；　picks　and　crowbars　had　to　be　found　or　extemporized　and　some　of　the　huge　blocks　with　which　the　pier　was　built　had　to　be　picked　out　at　the　shoulder　of　the　arch。　Two　kegs　of　gunpowder；　lowered　gingerly　from　above；　had　to　be　thrust　into　the　holes　so　formed；　a　length　of　slow　match　put　in　at　each　bunghole　and　led　to　the　exterior；　while　the　kegs　were　tamped　into　their　caves　with　all　the　stones　and　earth　that　could　be　crammed　into　them。　It　was　almost　twilight　under　the　arch　when　the　work　was　finished；　the　working　party　made　laboriously　to　climb　the　rope　up　to　the　bridge　and　Bracegirdle　and　Hornblower　left　to　look　at　each　other　again。
　'I'll　fire　the　fuses；'　said　Bracegirdle。　'You　go　next；　sir。'
　It　was　not　a　matter　for　much　argument。　Bracegirdle　was　under　orders　to　destroy　the　bridge；　and　Hornblower　addressed　himself　to　climbing　up　the　rope　while　Bracegirdle　took　his　tinderbox　from　his　pocket。　Once　on　the　roadway　of　the　bridge　Hornblower　sent　away　the　cart　and　waited。　It　was　only　two　or　three　minutes　before　Bracegirdle　appeared；　frantically　climbing　the　rope　and　hurling　himself　over　the　parapet。
　'Run！'　was　all　that　was　said。
　Together　they　scurried　down　the　bridge　and　halted　breathless　to　crouch　by　the　abutment　of　the　causeway。　Then　came　a　dull　explosion；　a　tremor　of　the　earth　under　their　feet；　and　a　cloud　of　smoke。
　'Let's　e　and　see；'　said　Bracegirdle。
　They　retraced　their　steps　towards　where　the　bridge　was　still　shrouded　in　smoke　and　dust。
　'Only　partly…'　began　Bracegirdle　as　they　neared　the　scene　and　the　dust　cleared　away。
　And　at　that　moment　there　was　a　second　explosion　which　made　them　stagger　as　they　stood。　A　lump　of　the　roadbed　hit　the　parapet　beside　them　and　burst　like　a　shell；　spattering　them　with　fragments。　There　was　a　rumble　and　a　clatter　as　the　arch　subsided　into　the　river。
　'That　must　have　been　the　second　keg　going　off；'　said　Bracegirdle；　wiping　his　face。　'We　should　have　remembered　the　fuses　were　likely　to　be　of　different　lengths。　Two　promising　careers　might　have　ended　suddenly　if　we　had　been　any　nearer。'
　'At　any　rate；　the　bridge　is　gone；'　said　Hornblower。
　'All's　well　that　ends　well；'　said　Bracegirdle。
　Seventy　pounds　of　gunpowder　had　done　their　work。　The　bridge　was　cut　clear　across；　leaving　a　ragged　gap　several　feet　wide；　beyond　which　the　roadway　reached　out　towards　the　gap　from　the　farther　pier　as　a　witness　to　the　toughness　of　the　mortar。　Beneath　their　feet　as　they　peered　over　they　could　see　the　river　bed　almost　choked　with　lumps　of　stone。
　'We'll　need　no　more　than　an　anchor　watch　to…night；'　said　Bracegirdle。
　Hornblower　looked　round　to　where　the　roan　horse　was　tethered；　he　was　tempted　to　return　to　Muzillac　on　foot；　leading　the　animal；　but　shame　forbade。　He　climbed　with　an　effort　into　the　saddle　and　headed　the　animal　back　up　the　road；　ahead　of　him　the　sky　was　beginning　to　turn　red　with　the　approach　of　sunset。
　He　entered　the　main　street　of　the　town　and　rounded　the　slight　bend　to　the　central　square；　to　see　something　that　made　him；　withou