csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第42节

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up　the　cattle　from　the　lighter。　After　their　night　down　there；　with　little　water　and　less　food；　they　were　in　no　mood　to　be　trifled　with；　but　it　was　easier　at　first　while　they　were　crowded　together。　A　bellyband　was　slipped　round　the　nearest；　the　tackle　hooked　on；　and　the　animal　was　swayed　up；　lowered　to　the　deck　through　an　opening　in　the　gangways；　and　herded　into　one　of　the　stalls　with　ease。　The　seamen；　shouting　and　waving　their　shirts；　thought　it　was　great　fun；　but　they　were　not　sure　when　the　next　one；　released　from　its　bellyband；　went　on　the　rampage　and　chased　them　about　the　deck；　threatening　death　with　its　horns；　until　it　wandered　into　its　stall　where　the　bar　could　be　promptly　dropped　to　shut　it　in。　Hornblower；　looking　at　the　sun　rising　rapidly　in　the　east；　did　not　think　it　fun　at　all。
　And　the　emptier　the　lighter　became；　the　more　room　the　cattle　had　to　rush　about　in　it；　to　capture　each　one　so　as　to　put　a　bellyband　on　it　was　a　desperate　adventure。　Nor　were　those　half…wild　bullocks　soothed　by　the　sight　of　their　panions　being　successively　hauled　bellowing　into　the　air　over　their　heads。　Before　the　day　was　half　done　Hornblower's　men　were　as　weary　as　if　they　had　fought　a　battle；　and　there　was　not　one　of　them　who　would　not　gladly　have　quitted　this　novel　employment　in　exchange　for　some　normal　seaman's　duty　like　going　aloft　to　reef　topsails　on　a　stormy　night。　As　soon　as　Hornblower　had　the　notion　of　dividing　the　interior　of　the　lighter　up　into　sections　with　barricades　of　stout　spars　the　work　became　easier；　but　it　took　time；　and　before　it　was　done　the　cattle　had　already　suffered　a　couple　of　casualties…weaker　members　of　the　herd　crushed　underfoot　in　the　course　of　the　wild　rushes　about　the　lighter。
　And　there　was　a　distraction　when　a　boat　came　out　from　the　shore；　with　swarthy　Moors　at　the　oars　and　the　Treasurer　in　the　stern。　Hornblower　left　Tapling　to　negotiate…apparently　the　Bey　at　least　had　not　been　so　frightened　of　the　plague　as　to　forget　to　ask　for　his　money。　All　Hornblower　insisted　upon　was　that　the　boat　should　keep　well　to　leeward；　and　the　money　was　floated　off　to　it　headed　up　in　an　empty　rum…puncheon。　Night　found　not　more　than　half　the　cattle　in　the　stalls　on　board；　with　Hornblower　worrying　about　feeding　and　watering　them；　and　snatching　at　hints　diplomatically　won　from　those　members　of　his　crew　who　had　had　bucolic　experience。　But　the　earliest　dawn　saw　him　driving　his　men　to　work　again；　and　deriving　a　momentary　satisfaction　from　the　sight　of　Tapling　having　to　leap　for　his　life　to　the　gangway　out　of　reach　of　a　maddened　bullock　which　was　charging　about　the　deck　and　refusing　to　enter　a　stall。　And　by　the　time　the　last　animal　was　safely　packed　in　Hornblower　was　faced　with　another　problem…that　of　dealing　with　what　one　of　the　men　elegantly　termed　'mucking　out'。　Fodder…water…mucking　out；　that　deck…load　of　cattle　seemed　to　promise　enough　work　in　itself　to　keep　his　eighteen　men　busy；　without　any　thought　of　the　needs　of　handling　the　ship。
　But　there　were　advantages　about　the　men　being　kept　busy；　as　Hornblower　grimly　decided；　there　had　not　been　a　single　mention　of　plague　since　the　work　began。　The　anchorage　where　the　Caroline　lay　was　exposed　to　north…easterly　winds；　and　it　was　necessary　that　he　should　take　her　out　to　sea　before　such　a　wind　should　blow。　He　mustered　his　men　to　divide　them　into　watches；　he　was　the　only　navigator；　so　that　he　had　to　appoint　the　coxswain　and　the　under…coxswain；　Jordan；　as　officers　of　the　watch。　Someone　volunteered　as　cook；　and　Hornblower；　running　his　eye　over　his　assembled　pany；　appointed　Tapling　as　cook's　mate。　Tapling　opened　his　mouth　to　protest；　but　there　was　that　in　Hornblower's　expression　which　cut　the　protest　short。　There　was　no　bos'n；　no　carpenter…no　surgeon　either；　as　Hornblower　pointed　out　to　himself　gloomily。　But　on　the　other　hand　if　the　need　for　a　doctor　should　arise　it　would；　he　hoped；　be　mercifully　brief。
　'Port　watch；　loose　the　jibs　and　main　tops'l；'　ordered　Hornblower。　'Starboard　watch；　man　the　capstan。'
　So　began　that　voyage　of　H。M。　transport　brig　Caroline　which　became　legendary　（thanks　to　the　highly　coloured　accounts　retailed　by　the　crew　during　innumerable　dog…watches　in　later　missions）　throughout　the　King's　navy。　The　Caroline　spent　her　three　weeks　of　quarantine　in　homeless　wanderings　about　the　western　Mediterranean。　It　was　necessary　that　she　should　keep　close　up　to　the　Straits；　for　fear　lest　the　westerlies　and　the　prevailing　inward　set　of　the　current　should　take　her　out　of　reach　of　Gibraltar　when　the　time　came；　so　she　beat　about　between　the　coasts　of　Spain　and　Africa　trailing　behind　her　a　growing　farmyard　stench。　The　Caroline　was　a　worn…out　ship；　with　any　sort　of　sea　running　she　leaked　like　a　sieve；　and　there　were　always　hands　at　work　on　the　pumps；　either　pumping　her　out　or　pumping　sea　water　on　to　her　deck　to　clean　it　or　pumping　up　fresh　water　for　the　cattle。
　Her　top　hamper　made　her　almost　unmanageable　in　a　fresh　breeze；　her　deck　seams　leaked；　of　course；　when　she　worked；　allowing　a　constant　drip　of　unspeakable　filth　down　below。　The　one　consolation　was　in　the　supply　of　fresh　meat…a　modity　some　of　Hornblower's　men　had　not　tasted　for　three　months。　Hornblower　recklessly　sacrificed　a　bullock　a　day；　for　in　that　Mediterranean　climate　meat　could　not　be　kept　sweet。　So　his　men　feasted　on　steaks　and　fresh　tongues；　there　were　plenty　of　men　on　board　who　had　never　in　their　whole　lives　before　eaten　a　beef　steak。
　But　fresh　water　was　the　trouble…it　was　a　greater　anxiety　to　Hornblower　than　even　it　was　to　the　average　ship's　captain；　for　the　cattle　were　always　thirsty；　twice　Hornblower　had　to　land　a　raiding　party　at　dawn　on　the　coast　of　Spain；　seize　a　fishing　village；　and　fill　his　water　casks　in　the　local　stream。
　It　was　a　dangerous　adventure；　and　the　second　landing　revealed　the　danger；　for　while　the　Caroline　was　trying　to　claw　off　the　land　again　a　Spanish　guarda…costa　lugger　came　gliding　round　the　point　with　all　sail　set。　Maxwell　saw　her　first；　but　Hornblower　saw　her　before　he　could　report　her　presence。
　'Very　well；　Maxwell；'　said　Hornblower；　trying　to　sound　posed。
　He　turned　his　glass　upon　her。　She　was　no　more　than　three　miles　off；　a　trifle　to　windward；　and　the　Caroline　was　embayed；　cut　off　by　the　land　from　all　chance　of　escape。　The　lugger　could　go　three　feet　to　her　two；　while　the　Caroline's　clumsy　superstructure　prevented　her　from　lying　nearer　than　eight　points　to　the　wind。　As　Hornblower　gazed；　the　accumulated　irritation　of　the　past　seventeen　days　boiled　over。　He　was　furious　with　fate　for　having　thrust　this　ridiculous　mission　on　him。　He　hated　the　Caroline　and　her　clumsiness　and　her　stinks　and　her　cargo。　He　raged　against　the　destiny　which　had　caught　him　in　this　hopeless　position。
　'Hell！'　said　Hornblower；　actually　stamping　his　feet　on　the　upper　gangway　in　his　anger。　'Hell　and　damnation！'
　He　was　dancing　with　rage；　he　observed　with　some　curiosity。　But　with　his　fighting　madness　at　the　boil　there　was　no　chance　of　his　yielding　without　a　struggle；　and　his　mental　convulsions　resulted　in　his　producing　a　scheme　for　action。　How　many　men　of　a　crew　did　a　Spanish　guarda…costa　carry？　Twenty？　That　would　be　an　outside　figure…those　luggers　were　only　intended　to　act　against　petty　smugglers。　And　with　surprise　on　his　side　there　was　still　a　chance；　despite　the　four　eight…pounders　that　the　lugger　carried。
　'Pistols　and　cutlasses；　men；'　he　said。　'Jordan；　choose　two　men　and　show　yourselves　up　here。　But　the　rest　of　you　keep　under　cover。　Hide　yourselves。　Yes；　Mr　Tapling；　you　may　serve　with　us。　See　that　you　are　armed。'
　No　one　would　expect　resistance　from　a　laden　cattle　transport；　the　Spaniards　would　expect　to　find　on　board　a　crew　of　a　dozen　at　most；　and　not　a　disciplined　force　of　twenty。　The　problem　lay　in　luring　the　lugger　within　reach。
　'Full　and　by；'　called　Hornblower　down　to　the　helmsman　below。　'Be　ready　to　jump；　men。　Maxwell；　if　a　man　shows　himself　before　my　order　shoot　him　with　your　own　hand。　You　hear　me　？　That's　an　order；　and　you　disobey　me　at　your　peril。'
　'Aye　aye；　sir；'　said　Maxwell。
　The　lugger　was　romping　up　towards　them；　even　in　that　light　air　there　was　a　white　wave　under　her　sharp　bows。　Hornblower　glanced　up　to　make　sure　that　the　Caroline　was　displaying　no　colours。　That　made　his　plan　legal　under　the　laws　of　war。　The　report　of　a　gun　and　a　puff　of　smoke　came　from　the　lugger　as　she　fired　across　the　Caroline's　bows。
　'I'm　going　to　heave　to；　Jordan；'　said　Hornblower。　'Main　tops'l　braces。　Helm…a…lee。'
　The　Caroline　came　to　the　wind　and　lay　there　wallowing；　a　surrendered　and　helpless　ship　apparently；　if　ever　there　was　one。
　'Not　a　sound；　men；'　said　Hornblower。
　The　cattle　bellowed　mournfully。　Here　came　the　lugger；　her　crew　plainly　visible　now。　Hornblower　could　see　an　officer　clinging　to　the　main　shrouds　ready　to　board；　but　no　one　else　seemed　to　have　a　care　in　the　world。　Everyone　seemed　to　be　looking　up　at　the　clumsy　superstructure　and　laughing　at　the　farmyard　noises　issuing　from　it。
　'Wait；　men；　wait；'　said　Hornblower。
　The　lugger　was　ing　alongside　when　Hornblower　suddenly　realized；　with　a　hot　flood　of　blood　under　his　skin；　that　he　himself　was　unarmed。　He　had　told　his　men　to　take　pistols　and　cutlasses：　he　had　advised　Tabling　to　arm　himself；　and　yet　he　had　clean　forgotten　about　his　own　need　for　weapo