csf.thecommodore-第43部分

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；　where　the　French　had　opened　another　front　of　attack　on　the　Mitau　suburb　directly　across　the　river　from　Riga。　The　resources　of　the　defence　were　being　stretched　very　thin；　and　Macdonald　had　locked　his　teeth；　bulldog　fashion；　into　the　siege　and　it　would　be　hard　to　shake　his　hold。　All　the　resources　of　Prussia　were　being　drawn　upon　to　supply　his　army　with　stores　for　the　siege；　and　he　had　already　proved　that　nothing　would　distract　him　from　it；　not　even　the　fact　that　the　Lettish　and　Livonian　and　Lithuanian　peasantry　had　risen　in　revolt　in　his　rear　and　had　set　all　the　country　behind　him　in　a　turmoil。
　〃The　dead　are　beginning　to　e　down　the　river；〃　said　Clausewitz。　He　had　big　white　teeth　that　revealed　themselves　at　the　least　provocation。　Hornblower　looked　at　him　without　prehension。
　〃From　the　fighting　two　weeks　ago；〃　explained　Clausewitz。　〃At　Vitebsk　and　Smolensk　two　hundred　miles　to　the　south　of　us。　Some　of　the　corpses　have　succeeded　in　making　the　journey。　Russian　corpses；　many　of　them。　But　French　corpses；　too；　and　Bavarian　corpses；　and　Westphalian　corpses；　and　Italian　corpses　…　many　Italians。　It　must　have　been　a　big　battle。〃
　〃Very　interesting；〃　said　Hornblower；　scanning　the　siege…works　again。　In　the　centre　of　the　second　parallel　was　a　new　battery；　the　fire　from　whose　guns　would　cut　up　any　force　attacking　frontally　in　the　hope　of　destroying　the　works。　It　would　be　asking　much　of　any　sallying　force　to　cross　two　hundred　yards　of　naked　glacis　in　the　teeth　of　such　a　fire　and　then　storm　ditch　and　parapet。　The　flanks　were　secure　too；　one　guarded　by　the　little　river　and　the　other　trending　back　towards　the　bay。　The　bay！　The　French　batteries　might　be　able　to　sweep　the　bay　sufficiently　effectively　to　prevent　bomb…vessels　anchoring　there　in　daylight；　but　they　would　not　be　able　to　stop　an　infantry　attack　launched　from　boats　at　night。　Then　the　parallel　could　be　rushed　at　dawn　from　the　flank。　Hornblower　turned　to　Clausewitz　with　the　suggestion；　and　Clausewitz　adopted　it　instantly。　These　continental　soldiers　were　always　liable　to　forget　about　the　sea　when　making　their　plans；　but　Clausewitz；　Prussian　though　he　was；　was　a　man　of　sufficient　elasticity　of　mind　still　to　be　able　to　see　the　merits　of　a　plan　based　on　mand　of　the　sea。
　There　was　no　time　to　be　lost　if　the　assault　upon　Daugavgriva　were　to　be　anticipated。　The　plan　had　to　be　given　form　instantly；　timetables　worked　out；　signals　agreed　upon；　troops　allocated　for　the　landing　and　marched　to　the　point　where　Hornblower　could　have　boats'　crews　ready　to　man　the　river　barges　which　were　to　carry　the　troops　to　the　point　selected　for　landing。　Hornblower　had　to　detail　crews　and　officers；　issue　his　orders；　and　make　sure　they　were　understood。　Montgomery　and　Duncan；　Purvis　and　Carlin；　had　to　be　sent　for；　brought　up　to　the　dome　and　shown　the　objectives　to　be　aimed　at　…　Hornblower　fretted　himself　weary　walking　round　the　gallery　while　waiting　for　them　to　e　ashore　after　he　had　sent　for　them。　Mounted　messengers；　riding　in　hot　haste；　brought　back　a　trio　of　Russian　colonels　to　the　gallery；　it　was　their　regiments　which　were　detailed　to　make　the　landing。　Hornblower　explained　to　them　in　French；　and　then　explained　to　his　officers　in　English。　Then　he　had　the　job　of　interpreting　the　questions　which　everyone　wanted　to　ask。　Half　a　dozen　Russian　subalterns；　squatting　on　the　floor　of　the　gallery　nursing　pieces　of　board　on　which　sheets　of　paper　were　pinned；　wrote　out　the　orders　which　Clausewitz　dictated　to　them。　Essen　arrived　in　the　midst　of　all　the　bustle；　he　had　given　his　verbal　consent　at　once　to　the　proposed　attack；　and　when；　on　his　arrival；　he　found　the　preparations　so　far　advanced；　like　a　sensible　man　he　left　the　elaboration　of　the　details　to　the　men　who　had　devised　the　scheme。　All　this　went　on　with　the　steady　roar　of　the　bombardment　supplying　a　loud　undertone　to　every　conversation；　while　the　Russian　ramparts　crumbled　steadily　under　the　hail　of　shot；　and　while　the　approach　trenches　crept　steadily　nearer。
　It　was　before　noon　that　Hornblower　had　made　the　suggestion　to　Clausewitz；　it　was　eight　in　the　evening；　and　the　sun　had　set；　before　everything　was　pleted；　before　Hornblower　had　had　himself　rowed　to　the　Dwina　mouth　to　inspect　the　boats　which　had　been　provided；　and　to　watch　the　Russian　grenadiers　marching　down　to　be　herded　into　them。
　〃You　understand　your　orders；　Duncan？〃　asked　Hornblower。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Let's　see　your　watch。　Set　it　by　mine。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　〃Mr　Montgomery。　Mr　Purvis。　Remember　what　I　said　about　keeping　the　landing　force　together。　You　must　strike　all　at　once　…　no　landing　in　driblets。　Make　sure　the　soldiers　know　the　direction　in　which　to　advance　when　they　land。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　〃Good　luck；　then。〃
　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃
　It　was　quite　dark　by　the　time　Hornblower　set　foot　again　on　the　little　jetty　at　Daugavgriva；　dark；　and　there　was　a　chilly　breath　in　the　air。　So　far　had　the　year　advanced　since　he　had　first　cast　anchor　in　Riga　Bay。　Midsummer　had　gone　and　autumn　was　at　hand。　He　had　to　feel　his　way　along　the　trenches　and　up　to　the　church；　and　his　legs　felt　hardly　strong　enough　to　carry　him　up　the　interminable　dark　stairs　to　the　gallery。　He　had　hardly　sat　down　since　the　morning；　and　he　had　eaten　nothing；　and　his　head　was　swimming　with　fatigue　and　hunger。　Clausewitz　was　still　on　duty；　up　in　the　gallery　where　the　stars　shone　bravely　down　upon　him；　giving　a　light　which　seemed　bright　pared　with　the　pitchy　darkness　of　the　stairs　Hornblower　had　just　climbed。
　〃The　French　seem　unusually　active　to…night；〃　was　Clausewitz's　greeting　to　him。　〃At　dusk　they　changed　the　guard　of　their　trenches。〃
　A　string　of　bright　orange　flames　suddenly　lit　up　the　French　lines；　and　the　roar　of　a　salvo　reached　their　ears。
　〃They　are　periodically　spraying　the　ditch　with　grape；〃　explained　Clausewitz；　〃to　hinder　our　repair　parties。　It　is　what　is　always　done；　but　after　half　a　dozen　rounds　they　lose　direction　and　range。〃
　If　siege　warfare　was　such　a　mechanical　art；　if　every　step　was　obvious　and　could　be　foreseen；　there　was　always　the　chance　of　an　original…minded　general　breaking　the　rules。　In　two　days　the　breaches　and　approaches　would　be　ripe　for　an　assault　…　what　was　to　prevent　an　assailant　from　making　his　attack　a　little　prematurely　and　catching　the　defender　off　his　guard？　Hornblower　made　the　suggestion　to　Clausewitz。
　〃It　is　always　possible；〃　said　Clausewitz；　pontifically。　〃But　our　trench　guards　are　unusually　strong　to…night　because　of　the　sortie　at　dawn。〃
　Hornblower　felt　round　in　the　gloom；　and　found　one　of　the　trusses　of　straw　which　had　been　carried　up　to　the　gallery　in　an　endeavour　to　make　this　advanced　headquarters　more　fortable。　He　sat　down　gratefully；　for　his　legs　were　actually　trembling　with　fatigue。　He　wrapped　his　cloak　closer　round　him　against　the　chill　of　the　night；　and　the　thought　of　sleep　became　inexpressibly　alluring。　He　stretched　himself　out　on　the　crackling　straw；　and　then　heaved　himself　up　on　his　elbow　again　to　pinch　up　a　wad　of　straw　as　a　pillow。
　〃I　shall　rest　a　while；〃　he　announced；　and　lay　back　and　closed　his　eyes。
　There　was　something　more　than　mere　fatigue　about　this　desire　for　sleep。　Asleep；　he　would　be　quit　of　this　siege；　of　its　stinks　and　perils　and　bitterness；　he　would　be　free　of　his　responsibilities；　he　would　not　be　plagued　with　the　endless　reports　of　Bonaparte's　steady　advance　into　the　heart　of　Russia；　he　would　no　longer　be　tormented　with　the　feeling　of　fighting　a　desperate　and　hopeless　battle　against　an　enemy　who　was　bound；　because　of　his　colossal　might；　to　prevail　in　the　end。　Oblivion　awaited　him　if　he　could　only　sleep；　oblivion；　nepenthe；　forgetfulness。　To…night　he　yearned　to　sink　into　sleep　as　a　man　might　yearn　to　sink　into　the　arms　of　his　mistress。　His　nerves　were　curiously　steady；　despite　the　strain　of　the　last　few　weeks　…　perhaps　（such　was　his　contrary　nature）　because　of　it。　He　settled　himself　down　in　the　straw；　and　even　the　tumultuous　dreams　that　assailed　him　were　（as　he　was　somehow　aware）　not　nearly　so　serious　as　the　thoughts　from　which　he　would　have　suffered　had　he　been　awake。
　He　awoke　to　Clausewitz's　arm　on　his　shoulder；　and　pieced　himself　back　into　the　Hornblower　who　was　aiding　in　the　defence　of　Riga　like　a　man　fitting　together　a　jigsaw　puzzle。
　〃An　hour　before　dawn；〃　said　Clausewitz；　still　only　a　vague　shadow　in　the　brooding　darkness。
　Hornblower　sat　up：　he　was　stiff；　and　had　grown　cold　under　the　inadequate　cover　of　his　cloak。　The　landing　force；　if　all　had　gone　well；　must　be　creeping　up　the　bay　now。　It　was　too　dark　to　see　anything　as　he　peered　over　the　parapet　of　the　gallery。　Another　shadow　loomed　up　at　his　elbow　and　thrust　something　scalding　hot　into　his　hand　…　a　glass　of　tea。　He　sipped　it　gratefully；　feeling　its　warmth　penetrate　into　his　inner　recesses。　The　faint　report　of　a　single　musket…shot　reached　his　ears；　and　Clausewitz　began　a　remark　to　him　which　was　cut　short　by　a　violent　outburst　of　firing　down　in　no…man's…land　between　the　trench　systems。　The　darkness　was　spangled　with　points　of　flame。
　〃Possibly　patrols　with　a　fit　of　nerves；〃　said　Clausewitz；　but　the　firing　showed　no　signs　of　dying　down。　Instead；　it　grew　in　violence。　There　was　a　great　spearhead　of　flame　down　below；　pointing　towards　an　irregular　mass　of　flashes；　where　apparently　a　column　was　meeting　a　line。　The　flashes　flared　up　and　died　away　with　the　ragged　volleys；　soon　cannons　were　contributing　their　orange　flames；　and　immediately　afterwards　there　was　more　fire　as　blazing…bustibles　…　carcases　…　were　flung　by　attackers　and　defenders　from　the　parapets　to　illuminate　their　enemies。　From　the　bay　arose　a　curving　streak　of　yellow　fire；　soaring　upwards　towards　the　sky；　and　then　bursting　into　scarlet　stars。
　〃Thank　God　for　that！〃　said　Hornblower；　but　he　kept　the　words　to　himself。
　The　landing　party　had　reached　their　station　a　little　ahead　of　their　time；　and　somebody；　English　or　Russian；　had　sensibly　decided　to　launch　the　flank　attack　immediately　upon　seeing　the　firing　ashore。　Clausewitz　turned　and　rapped　out　an　order　which　sent　an　aide…de…camp　hurrying　down　the　stairs。　At　almost　the　same　moment　a　messenger　came　running　up；　gabbling　Russian　so　rapidly　that　Clausewitz；　with　his　limited　mand　of　the　language；　had　to　make　him　repeat　the　words　more　slowly。　When　the　message　was　delivered　he　turned　to　Hornblower。
　〃The　enemy　is　in　strong　force；　apparently　intending　to　make　a　surprise　attack。　He　might　save　two　days　if　it　were　successful。〃
　A　fresh　tumult　broke　out　down　below；　the　landing　party　had　encountered　their　first　opposition；　and　the　invisible　landscape　towards　the　shore　was　spangled　with　a　new　pattern　of　flashes。　There　was　a　desperate　battle　going　on；　where　attackers　and　counter…attackers　and　the　flank　attack　drove　together；　there　was　a　faint　light　beginning　to　show　now；　enough　to　reveal　Clausewitz；　unshaven；　and　with　his　uniform　covered　with　bits　of　straw　in　direct　contrast　with　his　usual　spruce　appearance。　But　still　nothing　could　be　seen　of　the　fighting；　save　for　vague　smoke…clouds　drifting　in　the　semi…darkness。　Hornblower　was　reminded　of　Campbell's　lines　in　Hohenlinden　about　the　level　sun　at　morn　being　unable　to　pierce　the　dun　war…clouds。　The　clatter　of　musketry　and　the　crash　of　artillery　told　of　the　bitter　struggle；　and　once　Hornblower　heard　a　deep　shout　from　many　throats　answered　by　a　wild　yell。　That　was　wh