csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第33节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


is　special　charge。　He　wondered　what　his　midshipman　thought　he　could　achieve　against　a　war…galley　with　a　twelve…foot　boat　and　a　crew　of　six。
　'We　can　pull　to　one　of　the　convoy　and　reinforce　the　crew；　sir；'　said　Hornblower。
　'Oh；　very　well　then；　carry　on。　I'll　trust　to　your　good　sense；　even　though　that's　a　broken　reed。'
　'Good　on　you；　sir！'　said　Jackson　ecstatically；　as　the　jolly　boat　shoved　off　from　the　frigate。　'Good　on　you！　No　one　else　wouldn't　never　have　thought　of　that。'
　Jackson；　the　coxswain　of　the　jolly　boat；　obviously　thought　that　Hornblower　had　no　intention　of　carrying　out　his　suggestion　to　reinforce　the　crew　of　one　of　the　merchant　ships。
　'Those　stinking　Dagoes；'　said　stroke　oar；　between　his　teeth。
　Hornblower　was　conscious　of　the　presence　in　his　crew　of　the　same　feeling　of　violent　hostility　toward　the　Spanish　galleys　as　he　felt　within　himself。　In　a　fleeting　moment　of　analysis；　he　attributed　it　to　the　circumstances　in　which　they　had　first　made　the　galleys'　acquaintance；　as　well　as　to　the　stench　which　the　galleys　trailed　after　them。　He　had　never　known　this　feeling　of　personal　hatred　before；　when　previously　he　had　fought　it　had　been　as　a　servant　of　the　King；　not　out　of　personal　animosity。　Yet　here　he　was　gripping　the　tiller　under　the　scorching　sky　and　leaning　forward　in　his　eagerness　to　be　at　actual　gaps　with　his　enemy。
　The　longboat　and　cutter　had　a　long　start　of　them；　and　even　though　they　were　manned　by　crews　who　had　already　served　a　spell　at　the　oars　they　were　skimming　over　the　water　at　such　a　speed　that　the　jolly　boat　with　all　the　advantage　of　the　glassy…smooth　water　only　slowly　caught　up　to　them。　Overside　the　sea　was　of　the　bluest；　deepest　blue　until　the　oar　blades　churned　it　white。　Ahead　of　them　the　vessels　of　the　convoy　lay　scattered　where　the　sudden　calm　had　caught　them；　and　just　beyond　them　Hornblower　caught　sight　of　the　flash　of　oar　blades　as　the　galleys　came　sweeping　down　on　their　prey。　Longboat　and　cutter　were　diverging　in　an　endeavour　to　cover　as　many　vessels　as　possible；　and　the　gig　was　still　far　astern。　There　would　hardly　be　time　to　board　a　ship　even　if　Hornblower　should　wish　to。　He　put　the　tiller　over　to　incline　his　course　after　the　cutter；　one　of　the　galleys　at　that　moment　abruptly　made　its　appearance　in　the　gap　between　two　of　the　merchant　ships。　Hornblower　saw　the　cutter　saving　round　to　point　her　six…pounder　carronade　at　the　advancing　bows。
　'Pull；　you　men！　Pull！'　he　shrieked　mad　with　excitement。
　He　could　not　imagine　what　was　going　to　happen；　but　he　wanted　to　be　in　the　fray。　That　six…pounder　popgun　was　grossly　inaccurate　at　any　range　longer　than　musket　shot。　It　would　serve　to　hurl　a　mass　of　grape　into　a　crowd　of　men；　but　its　ball　would　have　small　effect　on　the　strengthened　bows　of　a　war　galley。
　'Pull！'　shrieked　Hornblower　again。　He　was　nearly　up　to　them；　wide　on　the　cutter's　quarter。
　The　carronade　boomed　out。　Hornblower　thought　he　saw　the　splinters　fly　from　the　galley's　bow；　but　the　shot　had　no　more　effect　on　deterring　her　than　a　peashooter　could　stop　a　charging　bull。　The　galley　turned　a　little；　getting　exactly　into　line；　and　then　her　oars'　beat　quickened。　She　was　ing　down　to　ram；　like　the　Greeks　at　Salamis。
　'Pull！'　shrieked　Hornblower。
　Instinctively；　he　gave　the　tiller　a　touch　to　take　the　jolly　boat　out　into　a　flanking　position。
　'Easy！'
　The　jolly　boat's　oars　stilled；　as　their　way　carried　them　past　the　cutter。　Hornblower　could　see　Soames　standing　up　in　the　sternsheets　looking　at　the　death　which　was　cleaving　the　blue　water　towards　him。　Bow　to　bow　the　cutter　might　have　stood　a　chance；　but　too　late　the　cutter　tried　to　evade　the　blow　altogether。　Hornblower　saw　her　turn；　presenting　her　vulnerable　side　to　the　galley's　stem。　That　was　all　he　could　see；　for　the　next　moment　the　galley　herself　hid　from　him　the　final　act　of　the　tragedy。　The　jolly　boat's　starboard　side　oars　only　just　cleared　the　galley's　starboard　oars　as　she　swept　by。　Hornblower　heard　a　shriek　and　a　crash；　saw　the　galley's　forward　motion　almost　cease　at　the　collision。　He　was　mad　with　the　lust　of　fighting；　quite　insane；　and　his　mind　was　working　with　the　rapidity　of　insanity。
　'Give　way；　port！'　he　yelled；　and　the　jolly　boat　swung　round　under　the　galley's　stern。　'Give　way　all！'
　The　jolly　boat　leaped　after　the　galley　like　a　terrier　after　a　bull。
　'Grapple　them；　damn　you；　Jackson！'
　Jackson　shouted　an　oath　in　reply；　as　he　leaped　forward；　seemingly　hurdling　the　men　at　the　oars　without　breaking　their　stroke。　In　the　bows　Jackson　seized　the　boat's　grapnel　on　its　long　line　and　flung　it　hard　and　true。　It　caught　somewhere　in　the　elaborate　gilt　rail　on　the　galley's　quarter。　Jackson　hauled　on　the　line；　the　oars　tugged　madly　in　the　effort　to　carry　the　jolly　boat　up　to　the　galley's　stern。　At　that　moment　Hornblower　saw　it；　the　sight　which　would　long　haunt　his　dreams…up　from　under　the　galley's　stern　came　the　shattered　forepart　of　the　cutter；　still　with　men　clinging　to　it　who　had　survived　the　long　passage　under　the　whole　length　of　the　galley　which　had　overrun　them。　There　were　straining　faces；　empurpled　faces；　faces　already　relaxing　in　death。　But　in　a　moment　it　was　past　and　gone；　and　Hornblower　felt　the　jerk　transmitted　through　the　line　to　the　jolly　boat　as　the　galley　leaped　forward。
　'I　can't　hold　her！'　shouted　Jackson。
　'Take　a　turn　round　the　cleat；　you　fool！'
　The　galley　was　towing　the　jolly　boat　now；　dragging　her　along　at　the　end　of　a　twenty…foot　line　close　on　her　quarter　just　clear　of　the　arc　of　her　rudder。　The　white　water　bubbled　all　around　her；　her　bows　were　cocked　up　with　the　strain。　It　was　a　mad　moment；　as　though　they　had　harpooned　a　whale。　Some　one　came　running　aft　on　the　Spaniard's　poop；　knife　in　hand　to　cut　the　line。
　'Shoot　him；　Jackson！'　shrieked　Hornblower　again。
　Jackson's　pistol　cracked；　and　the　Spaniard　fell　to　the　deck　out　of　sight…a　good　shot。　Despite　his　fighting　madness　despite　the　turmoil　of　rushing　water　and　glaring　sun；　Hornblower　tried　to　think　out　his　next　move。　Inclination　and　mon　sense　alike　told　him　that　the　best　plan　was　to　close　with　the　enemy　despite　the　odds。
　'Pull　up　to　them；　there！'　he　shouted…everyone　in　the　boat　was　shouting　and　yelling。　The　men　in　the　bows　of　the　jolly　boat　faced　forward　and　took　the　grapnel　line　and　began　to　haul　in　on　it；　but　the　speed　of　the　boat　through　the　water　made　any　progress　difficult；　and　after　a　yard　or　so　had　been　gained　the　difficulty　became　insurmountable；　for　the　grapnel　was　caught　in　the　poop　rail　ten　or　eleven　feet　above　water；　and　the　angle　of　pull　became　progressively　steeper　as　the　jolly　boat　neared　the　stern　of　the　galley。　The　boat's　bow　cocked　higher　out　of　the　water　than　ever。
　'Belay！'　said　Hornblower；　and　then；　his　voice　rising　again；　'Out　pistols；　lads！'
　A　row　of　four　or　five　swarthy　faces　had　appeared　at　the　stern　of　the　galley。　Muskets　were　pointing　into　the　jolly　boat；　and　there　was　a　brief　but　furious　exchange　of　shots。　One　man　fell　groaning　into　the　bottom　of　the　jolly　boat；　but　the　row　of　faces　disappeared。　Standing　up　precariously　in　the　swaying　sternsheets；　Hornblower　could　still　see　nothing　of　the　galley's　poop　deck　save　for　the　tops　of　two　heads；　belonging；　it　was　clear；　to　the　men　at　the　tiller。
　'Reload；'　he　said　to　his　men；　remembering　by　a　miracle　to　give　the　order。　The　ramrods　went　down　the　pistol　barrels。
　'Do　that　carefully　if　you　ever　want　to　see　Pompey　again；'　said　Hornblower。
　He　was　shaking　with　excitement　and　mad　with　the　fury　of　fighting；　and　it　was　the　automatic；　drilled　part　of　him　which　was　giving　these　level…headed　orders。　His　higher　faculties　were　quite　negatived　by　his　lust　for　blood。　He　was　seeing　things　through　a　pink　mist…that　was　how　he　remembered　it　when　he　looked　back　upon　it　later。　There　was　a　sudden　crash　of　glass。　Someone　had　thrust　a　musket　barrel　through　the　big　stern　window　of　the　galley's　after　cabin。　Luckily　having　thrust　it　through　he　had　to　recover　himself　to　take　aim。　An　irregular　volley　of　pistols　almost　coincided　with　the　report　of　the　musket。　Where　the　Spaniard's　bullet　went　no　one　knew；　but　the　Spaniard　fell　back　from　the　window。
　'By　God！　That's　our　way！'　screamed　Hornblower；　and　then；　steadying　himself；　'Reload。'
　As　the　bullets　were　being　spat　into　the　barrels　he　stood　up。　His　unused　pistols　were　still　in　his　belt；　his　cutlass　was　at　his　side。
　'e　aft；　here；'　he　said　to　stroke　oar；　the　jolly　boat　would　stand　no　more　weight　in　the　bows　than　she　had　already。　'And　you；　too。'
　Hornblower　poised　himself　on　the　thwarts；　eyeing　the　grapnel　line　and　the　cabin　window。
　'Bring　'em　after　me　one　at　a　time；　Jackson；'　he　said。
　Then　he　braced　himself　and　flung　himself　at　the　grapnel　line。　His　feet　grazed　the　water　as　the　line　sagged；　but　using　all　his　clumsy　strength　his　arms　carried　him　upwards。　Here　was　the　shattered　window　at　his　side；　he　swung　up　his　feet；　kicked　out　a　big　remaining　piece　of　the　pane；　and　then　shot　his　feet　through　and　then　the　rest　of　himself。　He　came　down　on　the　deck　of　the　cabin　with　a　thud；　it　was　dark　in　here　pared　with　the　blinding　sun　outside。　As　he　got　to　his　feet；　he　trod　on　something　which　gave　out　a　cry　of　pain…the　wounded　Spaniard；　evidently…and　the　hand　with　which　he　drew　his　cutlass　was　sticky　with　blood。　Spanish　blood。　Rising；　he　hit　his　head