csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第41节

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d　he　fell　to　his　hands　and　knees　and　then　to　his　face。
　'That's　the　plague！'　said　Tapling。　'The　Black　Death！　I　saw　it　in　Smyrna　in　'96。'
　He　and　the　other　Englishmen　had　shrunk　back　on　the　one　side；　the　soldiers　and　the　Treasurer　on　the　other；　leaving　the　palpitating　body　lying　in　the　clear　space　between　them。
　'The　plague；　by　St　Peter！'　squealed　one　of　the　young　sailors。　He　would　have　headed　a　rush　to　the　longboat。
　'Stand　still；　there！'　roared　Hornblower；　scared　of　the　plague　but　with　the　habits　of　discipline　so　deeply　engrained　in　him　by　now　that　he　checked　the　panic　automatically。
　'I　was　a　fool　not　to　have　thought　of　it　before；'　said　Tapling。　'That　dying　rat…that　fellow　over　there　who　we　thought　was　drunk。　I　should　have　known！'
　The　soldier　who　appeared　to　be　the　sergeant　in　mand　of　the　Treasurer's　escort　was　in　explosive　conversation　with　the　chief　of　the　overseers　of　the　slaves；　both　of　them　staring　and　pointing　at　the　dying　Duras；　the　Treasurer　himself　was　clutching　his　robe　about　him　and　looking　down　at　the　wretched　man　at　his　feet　in　fascinated　horror。
　'Well　sir；'　said　Hornblower　to　Tapling；　'what　do　we　do　now？'
　Hornblower　was　of　the　temperament　that　demands　immediate　action　in　face　of　a　crisis。
　'Do？'　replied　Tapling　with　a　bitter　smile。　'We　stay　here　and　rot。'
　'Stay　here？'
　'The　fleet　will　never　have　us　back。　Not　until　we　have　served　three　weeks　of　quarantine。　Three　weeks　after　the　last　case　has　occurred。　Here　in　Oran。'
　'Nonsense！'　said　Hornblower；　with　all　the　respect　due　to　his　senior　startled　out　of　him。　'No　one　would　order　that。'
　'Would　they　not？　Have　you　ever　seen　an　epidemic　in　a　fleet？'
　Hornblower　had　not；　but　he　had　heard　enough　about　them…fleets　where　nine　out　of　ten　had　died　of　putrid　fevers。　Crowded　ships　with　twenty…two　inches　of　hammock　space　per　man　were　ideal　breeding　places　for　epidemics。　He　realized　that　no　captain；　no　admiral；　would　run　that　risk　for　the　sake　of　a　longboat's　crew　of　twenty　men。
　The　two　xebecs　against　the　jetty　had　suddenly　cast　off；　and　were　working　their　way　out　of　the　harbour　under　sweeps。
　'The　plague　can　only　have　struck　to…day；'　mused　Hornblower；　the　habit　of　deduction　strong　in　him　despite　his　sick　fear。
　The　cattle　herders　were　abandoning　their　work；　giving　a　wide　berth　to　that　one　of　their　number　who　was　lying　on　the　quay。　Up　at　the　town　gate　it　appeared　that　the　guard　was　employed　in　driving　people　back　into　the　town…apparently　the　rumour　of　plague　had　spread　sufficiently　therein　to　cause　a　panic；　while　the　guard　had　just　received　orders　not　to　allow　the　population　to　stream　out　into　the　surrounding　country。　There　would　be　frightful　things　happening　in　the　town　soon。　The　Treasurer　was　climbing　on　his　donkey；　the　crowd　of　grain…carrying　slaves　was　melting　away　as　the　overseers　fled。
　'I　must　report　this　to　the　ship；'　said　Hornblower；　Tapling；　as　a　civilian　diplomatic　officer；　held　no　authority　over　him。
　The　whole　responsibility　was　Hornblower's。　The　longboat　and　the　longboat's　crew　were　Hornblower's　mand；　entrusted　to　him　by　Captain　Pellew　whose　authority　derived　from　the　King。
　Amazing　how　the　panic　was　spreading。　The　Treasurer　was　gone；　Duras'　Negro　slave　had　ridden　off　on　his　late　master's　donkey；　the　soldiers　had　hastened　off　in　a　single　group。　The　waterfront　was　deserted　now　except　for　the　dead　and　dying；　along　the　waterfront；　presumably；　at　the　foot　of　the　wall；　lay　the　way　to　the　open　country　which　all　desired　to　seek。　The　Englishmen　were　standing　alone；　with　the　bags　of　gold　at　their　feet。
　'Plague　spreads　through　the　air；'　said　Tapling。　'Even　the　rats　die　of　it。　We　have　been　here　for　hours。　We　were　near　enough　to…that…'　he　nodded　at　the　dying　Duras…'to　speak　to　him；　to　catch　his　breath。　Which　of　us　will　be　the　first？'
　'We'll　see　when　the　time　es；'　said　Hornblower。　It　was　his　contrary　nature　to　be　sanguine　in　the　face　of　depression；　besides；　he　did　not　want　the　men　to　hear　what　Tapling　was　saying。
　'And　there's　the　fleet！'　said　Tapling　bitterly。　'This　lot'…he　nodded　at　the　deserted　lighters；　one　almost　full　of　cattle；　the　other　almost　full　of　grain　sacks…'this　lot　would　be　a　Godsend。　The　men　are　on　two…thirds　rations。'
　'Damn　it；　we　can　do　something　about　it；'　said　Hornblower。　'Maxwell；　put　the　gold　back　in　the　boat；　and　get　that　awning　in。'
　The　officer　of　the　watch　in　H。M。S。　Indefatigable　saw　the　ship's　longboat　returning　from　the　town。　A　slight　breeze　had　swung　the　frigate　and　the　Caroline　（the　transport　brig）　to　their　anchors；　and　the　longboat；　instead　of　running　alongside；　came　up　under　the　Indefatigable's　stern　to　leeward。
　'Mr　Christie！'　hailed　Hornblower；　standing　up　in　the　bows　of　the　longboat。
　The　officer　of　the　watch　came　aft　to　the　taffrail。
　'What　is　it？'　he　demanded；　puzzled。
　'I　must　speak　to　the　Captain。'
　'Then　e　on　board　and　speak　to　him。　What　the　devil…？'
　'Please　ask　the　Captain　if　I　may　speak　to　him。'
　Pellew　appeared　at　the　after…cabin　window；　he　could　hardly　have　helped　hearing　the　bellowed　conversation。
　'Yes；　Mr　Hornblower？'
　Hornblower　told　him　the　news。
　'Keep　to　loo'ard；　Mr　Hornblower。'
　'Yes；　sir。　But　the　stores…'
　'What　about　them？'
　Hornblower　outlined　the　situation　and　made　his　request。
　'It's　not　very　regular；'　mused　Pellew。　'Besides…'
　He　did　not　want　to　shout　aloud　his　thoughts　that　perhaps　everyone　in　the　longboat　would　soon　be　dead　of　plague。
　'We'll　be　all　right；　sir。　It's　a　week's　rations　for　the　squadron。'　That　was　the　point；　the　vital　matter。　Pellew　had　to　balance　the　possible　loss　of　a　transport　brig　against　the　possible　gain　of　supplies；　immeasurably　more　important；　which　would　enable　the　squadron　to　maintain　its　watch　over　the　outlet　to　the　Mediterranean。　Looked　at　in　that　light　Hornblower's　suggestion　had　added　force。
　'Oh；　very　well；　Mr　Hornblower。　By　the　time　you　bring　the　stores　out　I'll　have　the　crew　transferred。　I　appoint　you　to　the　mand　of　the　Caroline。'
　'Thank　you；　sir。'
　'Mr　Tapling　will　continue　as　passenger　with　you。'
　'Very　good；　sir。'
　So　when　the　crew　of　the　longboat；　toiling　and　sweating　at　the　sweeps；　brought　the　two　lighters　down　the　bay；　they　found　the　Caroline　swinging　deserted　at　her　anchors；　while　a　dozen　curious　telescopes　from　the　Indefatigable　watched　the　proceedings。　Hornblower　went　up　the　brig's　side　with　half　a　dozen　hands。
　'She's　like　a　blooming　Noah's　Ark；　sir；'　said　Maxwell。
　The　parison　was　apt；　the　Caroline　was　flush…decked；　and　the　whole　available　deck　area　was　divided　by　partitions　into　stalls　for　the　cattle；　while　to　enable　the　ship　to　be　worked　light　gangways　had　been　laid　over　the　stalls　into　a　practically　continuous　upper　deck。
　'An'　all　the　animiles；　sir；'　said　another　seaman。
　'But　Noah's　animals　walked　in　two　by　two；'　said　Hornblower。　'We're　not　so　lucky。　And　we've　got　to　get　the　grain　on　board　first。　Get　those　hatches　unbattened。'
　In　ordinary　conditions　a　working　party　of　two　or　three　hundred　men　from　the　Indefatigable　would　have　made　short　work　of　getting　in　the　cargo　from　the　lighters；　but　now　it　had　to　be　done　by　the　longboat's　plement　of　eighteen。　Luckily　Pellew　had　had　the　forethought　and　kindness　to　have　the　ballast　struck　out　of　the　holds；　or　they　would　have　had　to　do　that　weary　job　first。
　'Tail　on　to　those　tackles；　men；'　said　Hornblower。
　Pellew　saw　the　first　bundle　of　grain　sacks　rise　slowly　into　the　air　from　the　lighter；　and　swung　over　and　down　the　Caroline's　hatchway。
　'He'll　be　all　right；'　he　decided。　'Man　the　capstan　and　get　under　way；　if　you　please；　Mr　Bolton。'
　Hornblower；　directing　the　work　on　the　tackles；　heard　Pellew's　voice　e　to　him　through　the　speaking　trumpet。
　'Good　luck；　Mr　Hornblower。　Report　in　three　weeks　at　Gibraltar。'
　'Very　good；　sir。　Thank　you；　sir。'
　Hornblower　turned　back　to　find　a　seaman　at　his　elbows　knuckling　his　forehead。
　'Beg　pardon；　sir。　But　can　you　hear　those　cattle　bellerin'；　sir？　'Tis　mortal　hot；　an'　'tis　water　they　want；　sir。'
　'Hell；'　said　Hornblower。
　He　would　never　get　the　cattle　on　board　before　nightfall。　He　left　a　small　party　at　work　transferring　cargo；　and　with　the　rest　of　the　men　he　began　to　extemporize　a　method　of　watering　the　unfortunate　cattle　in　the　lighter。　Half　Caroline's　hold　space　was　filled　with　water　barrels　and　fodder；　but　it　was　an　awkward　business　getting　water　down　to　the　lighter　with　pump　and　hose；　and　the　poor　brutes　down　there　surged　about　uncontrollably　at　the　prospect　of　water。　Hornblower　saw　the　lighter　heel　and　almost　capsize；　one　of　his　men…luckily　one　who　could　swim…went　hastily　overboard　from　the　lighter　to　avoid　being　crushed　to　death。
　'Hell；'　said　Hornblower　again；　and　that　was　by　no　means　the　last　time。
　Without　any　skilled　advice　he　was　having　to　learn　the　business　of　managing　livestock　at　sea；　each　moment　brought　its　lessons。　A　naval　officer　on　active　service　indeed　found　himself　engaged　on　strange　duties。　It　was　well　after　dark　before　Hornblower　called　a　halt　to　the　labours　of　his　men；　and　it　was　before　dawn　that　he　roused　them　up　to　work　again。　It　was　still　early　in　the　morning　that　the　last　of　the　grain　sacks　was　stowed　away　and　Hornblower　had　to　face　the　operation　of　swaying　up　the　cattle　from　the　lighter。　After　their　night　down　there；　with　little　water　and　less　food；　they