csf.thecommodore-第8部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ust　be　watched；　what　was　the　material　condition　of　the　ship；　if　the　stores　were　good　or　bad；　and　all　the　hundred　other　things　he　needed　to　know。　And　to…morrow；　as　soon　as　the　weather　moderated；　he　would　signal　for　'All　Captains'；　and　so　make　the　acquaintance　of　his　other　subordinates；　and　size　them　up；　and　perhaps　begin　to　convey　to　them　his　own　particular　viewpoints　and　theories；　so　that　when　the　time　came　for　action　there　would　be　need　for　few　signals　and　there　would　be　mon　action　directed　speedily　at　a　mon　objective。
　Meanwhile；　there　was　one　more　job　to　be　done　immediately；　the　present　would　be　the　best　time；　he　supposed　with　a　sigh；　but　he　was　conscious　of　a　faint　distaste　for　it　even　as　he　applied　himself　to　it。
　〃Pass　the　word　for　Mr　Braun　…　for　my　clerk；〃　he　said　to　Brown；　who　was　hanging　up　the　last　of　the　uniform　coats　behind　the　curtain　against　the　bulkhead。
　〃Aye　aye；　sir；〃　said　Brown。
　It　was　odd　that　his　clerk　and　his　coxswain　should　have　names　pronounced　in　identical　fashion；　it　was　that　coincidence　which　had　led　him　to　add　the　unnecessary　last　three　words　to　his　order。
　Mr　Braun　was　tall　and　spare；　fair；　youngish；　and　prematurely　bald；　and　Hornblower　did　not　like　him；　although　typically　he　was　more　cordial　to　him　than　he　would　have　been　if　he　had　liked　him。　He　offered　him　the　cabin　chair　while　he　himself　sat　back　on　the　locker；　and　when　he　saw　Mr　Braun's　eyes　resting　curiously　on　the　case　of　pistols　…　Barbara's　gift　…　he　condescended　to　discuss　it　with　him　as　a　conversational　preliminary；　pointing　out　the　advantages　of　the　percussion　caps　and　the　rifled　barrels。
　〃Very　good　weapons　indeed；　sir；〃　said　Mr　Braun；　replacing　them　in　their　velvet　case。
　He　looked　across　the　cabin　at　Hornblower；　the　dying　light　which　came　through　the　stern　windows　shining　on　his　face　and　reflected　in　curious　fashion　from　his　pale…green　eyes。
　〃You　speak　good　English；〃　said　Hornblower。
　〃Thank　you；　sir。　My　business　before　the　war　was　largely　with　England。　But　I　speak　Russian　and　Swedish　and　Finnish　and　Polish　and　German　and　French　just　as　well。　Lithuanian　a　little。　Estonian　a　little　because　it　is　so　like　Finnish。〃
　〃But　Swedish　is　your　native　language；　though？〃
　Mr　Braun　shrugged　his　thin　shoulders。
　〃My　father　spoke　Swedish。　My　mother　spoke　German；　sir。　I　spoke　Finnish　with　my　nurse；　and　French　with　one　tutor　and　English　with　another。　In　my　office　we　spoke　Russian　when　we　did　not　speak　Polish。〃
　〃But　I　thought　you　were　a　Swede？〃
　Mr　Braun　shrugged　his　shoulders　again。
　〃A　Swedish　subject；　sir；　but　I　was　born　a　Finn。　I　thought　of　myself　as　a　Finn　until　three　years　ago。〃
　So　Mr　Braun　was　one　more　of　these　stateless　individuals　with　whom　all　Europe　seemed　to　be　peopled　nowadays　…　men　and　women　without　a　country；　Frenchmen；　Germans；　Austrians；　Poles　who　had　been　uprooted　by　the　chances　of　war　and　who　dragged　out　a　dreary　existence　in　the　hope　that　some　day　another　chance　of　war　would　re…establish　them。
　〃When　Russia　took　advantage　of　her　pact　with　Bonaparte；〃　explained　Mr　Braun；　〃to　fall　upon　Finland；　I　was　one　of　those　who　fought。　What　use　was　it？　What　could　Finland　do　against　all　the　might　of　Russia？　I　was　one　of　the　fortunate　ones　who　escaped。　My　brothers　are　in　Russian　gaols　at　this　very　minute　if　they　are　alive；　but　I　hope　they　are　dead。　Sweden　was　in　revolution　…　there　was　no　refuge　for　me　there；　even　though　it　had　been　for　Sweden　that　I　was　fighting。　Germany；　Denmark；　Norway　were　in　Bonaparte's　hands；　and　Bonaparte　would　gladly　have　handed　me　back　to　oblige　his　new　Russian　ally。　But　I　was　in　an　English　ship；　one　of　those　to　which　I　sold　timber；　and　so　to　England　I　came。　One　day　I　was　the　richest　man　in　Finland　where　there　are　few　rich　men；　and　the　next　I　was　the　poorest　man　in　England　where　there　are　many　poor。〃
　The　pale…green　eyes　reflected　back　the　light　again　from　the　cabin　window；　and　Hornblower　realized　anew　that　his　clerk　was　a　man　of　disquieting　personality。　It　was　not　merely　the　fact　that　he　was　a　refugee；　and　Hornblower；　like　everybody　else；　was　surfeited　with　refugees　and　their　tales　of　woe　although　his　conscience　pricked　him　about　them　…　the　first　ones　had　begun　to　arrive　twenty　years　ago　from　France；　and　ever　since　then　there　had　been　an　increasing　tide　from　Poland　and　Italy　and　Germany。　Braun's　being　a　refugee　was　likely　to　prejudice　Hornblower　against　him　from　the　start；　and　actually　had　done　so；　as　Hornblower　admitted　to　himself　with　his　usual　fussy　sense　of　justice。　But　that　was　the　reason　that　Hornblower　did　not　like　him。　There　was　less　reason　even　than　that　…　there　was　no　reason　at　all。
　It　was　irksome　to　Hornblower　to　think　that　for　the　rest　of　this　mission　he　would　have　to　work　in　close　contact　with　this　man。　Yet　the　Admiralty　orders　in　his　desk　enjoined　upon　him　to　pay　the　closest　attention　to　the　advice　and　information　which　he　would　receive　from　Braun；　'a　gentleman　whose　acquaintance　with　the　Baltic　countries　is　both　extensive　and　intimate'。　Even　this　evening　it　was　a　great　relief　when　Bush's　knock　at　the　cabin　door；　heralding　his　arrival　for　dinner；　freed　Hornblower　from　the　man's　presence。　Braun　slid　unobtrusively　out　of　the　cabin　with　a　bow　to　Bush；　every　line　of　his　body　indicated　the　pose　…　whether　forced　or　natural　Hornblower　could　not　guess　…　of　the　man　who　has　seen　better　days　resignedly　doing　menial　duties。
　〃How　do　you　find　your　Swedish　clerk；　sir？〃　asked　Bush。
　〃He's　a　Finn；　not　a　Swede。〃
　〃A　Finn？　You　don't　say；　sir！　It'd　be　better　not　to　let　the　men　know　that。〃
　Bush's　own　honest　face　indicated　a　disquietude　against　which　he　struggled　in　vain。
　〃Of　course；〃　said　Hornblower。
　He　tried　to　keep　his　face　expressionless；　to　conceal　that　he　had　pletely　left　out　of　account　the　superstition　that　prevailed　about　Finns　at　sea。　In　a　sailor's　mind　every　Finn　was　a　warlock　who　could　conjure　up　storms　by　lifting　his　finger；　but　Hornblower　had　quite　failed　to　think　of　the　shabby…genteel　Mr　Braun　as　that　kind　of　Finn；　despite　those　unwholesome　pale…green　eyes。
　
　CHAPTER　SIX
　
　〃Eight　bells；　sir。〃
　Hornblower　came　back　to　consciousness　not　very　willingly；　he　suspected　he　was　being　dragged　away　from　delightful　dreams；　although　he　could　not　remember　what　they　were。
　〃Still　dark；　sir；〃　went　on　Brown　remorselessly；　〃but　a　clear　night。　Wind　steady　at　west…by…north；　a　strong　breeze。　The　sloops　an'　the　flotilla　in　sight　to　looard；　an'　we're　hove　to；　sir；　under　mizzen…t's'l；　maint'mast　stays'l　an'　jib。　An'　here's　your　shirt；　sir。〃
　Hornblower　swung　his　legs　out　of　his　cot　and　sleepily　pulled　off　his　nightshirt。　He　was　minded　at　first　just　to　put　on　those　few　clothes　which　would　keep　him　warm　on　deck；　but　he　had　his　dignity　as　modore　to　remember；　and　he　wanted　to　establish　a　reputation　as　a　man　who　was　never　careless　about　any　detail　whatever。　He　had　left　orders　to　be　called　now；　a　quarter　of　an　hour　before　it　was　really　necessary；　merely　to　be　able　to　do　so。　So　he　put　on　uniform　coat　and　trousers　and　boots；　parted　his　hair　carefully　in　the　flickering　light　of　the　lantern　Brown　held；　and　put　aside　the　thought　of　shaving。　If　he　came　on　deck　at　four　in　the　morning　newly　shaved　everyone　would　guess　that　he　had　been　at　pains　regarding　his　appearance。　He　clapped　on　his　cocked　hat；　and　struggled　into　the　pea…jacket　which　Brown　held　for　him。　Outside　his　cabin　door　the　sentry　snapped　to　attention　as　the　great　man　appeared。　On　the　half…deck　a　group　of　high…spirited　youngsters　ing　off　watch　subsided　into　awed　and　apprehensive　silence　at　the　sight　of　the　modore；　which　was　a　fit　and　proper　thing　to　happen。
　On　the　quarter…deck　it　was　as　raw　and　unfriendly　as　one　might　expect　before　dawn　in　the　Kattegat　on　a　spring　morning。　The　bustle　of　calling　the　watch　had　just　subsided；　the　figures　which　loomed　up　in　the　darkness　and　hurriedly　moved　over　to　the　port　side；　leaving　the　starboard　side　clear　for　him；　were　unrecognizable。　But　the　thump　of　Bush's　wooden　leg　was　unmistakable。
　〃Captain　Bush！〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃What　time　is　sunrise　this　morning？〃
　〃Er　…　about　five…thirty；　sir。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　know　about　what　time　it　will　be。　I　asked　'What　time　is　sunrise？'〃
　A　second's　silence　while　the　crestfallen　Bush　absorbed　this　rebuke；　and　then　another　voice　answered：
　〃Five…thirty…four；　sir。〃
　That　was　that　fresh…faced　lad；　Carlin；　the　second　lieutenant　of　the　ship。　Hornblower　would　have　given　something　to　be　sure　whether　Carlin　really　knew　when　sunrise　was；　or　whether　he　was　merely　guessing；　taking　a　chance　that　his　modore　would　not　check　his　figures。　As　for　Bush；　it　was　bad　luck　on　him　that　he　should　be　rebuked　publicly；　but　he　should　have　known　what　time　was　sunrise；　seeing　that　last　night　Hornblower　had　been　making　plans　with　him　based　on　that　very　point。　And　it　would　do　the　discipline　of　the　rest　of　the　force　no　harm　if　it　were　known　that　the　modore　spared　no　one；　not　even　the　captain　of　a　ship　of　the　line；　his　best　friend。
　Hornblower　took　a　turn　or　two　up　and　down　the　deck。　Seven　days　out　from　the　Downs；　and　no　news。　With　the　wind　steady　from　the　westward；　there　could　be　no　news　…　nothing　could　have　got　out　from　the　Baltic；　or　even　from　Gothenburg。　He　had　not　seen　a　sail　yesterday　after　rounding　the　Skaw　and　ing　up　the　Kattegat。　His　last　news　from　Sweden　was　fifteen　days　old；　then；　and　in　fifteen　days　anything　could　happen。　Sweden　might　have　easily　changed　from　unfriendly　neutrality　to　open　hostility。　Before　him　lay　the　passage　of　the　Sound；　three　miles　wide　at　its　narrowest　point；　on　the　starboard　side　would　be　Denmark；　undoubtedly　hostile　under　Bonaparte's　domination　whether　she　wanted　to　be　or　not。　On　the　port　side　would　be　Sweden；　and　the　main　channel　up　the　Sound　lay　under　the　guns　of　Helsingborg。　If　Sweden　were　England's　enemy　the　guns　of　Denmark　and　Sweden　…　of　Elsinore　and　of　Helsingborg　…　might　easily　cripple　the　squadron　as　they　ran　the　gauntlet。　And　retreat　would　always　be　perilous　and　difficult；　if　not　entirely　cut　off。　It　might　be　as　well　to　delay；　to　send　in　a　boat　to　discover　how　Sweden　stood　at　the　present　moment。
　But　on　the　other　hand；　to　send　in　a　boat　would　warn　Sweden　of　his　presence。　If　he　dashed　in　now；　the　moment　there　was　light　enough　to　see　the　channel；　he　might　go　scathless；　taking　the　defences　by　surprise　even　if　Sweden　were　hostile。　His　vessels　might　be　knocked　about；　but　with　the　wind　west…by…north；　in　an　ideal　quarter；　even　a　crippled　ship　could　struggle　along　until　the　Sound　widened　and　they　would　be　out　of　range。　If　Sweden's　neutrality　were　still　wobbling　it　would　do　no　harm　to　let　her　see　a　British　squadron　handled　with　boldness　and　decision；　nor　for　her　to　know　that　a　British　force　were　loose　in　the　Baltic　able　to　threaten　her　shores　and　ravage　her　shipping。　Should　Sweden　turn　hostile　he　could　maintain　himself　one　way　or　the　other　in　the　Baltic　through　the　summer　…　and　in　a　summer　anything　might　happen　…　and　with　good　fortune　might　fight　his　way　out　again　in　the　autumn。　There　certainly　were　arguments　in　favour　of　temporizing　and　delay　and　municating　with　the　shore；　but　there　were　more　cogent　arguments　still　in　favour　of　prompt　action。
　The　ship's　bell　struck　one　sharp　note；　hardly　more　than　an　hour　before　dawn；　and　already　over　there　to　leeward　there　was　a　hint　of　grey　in　the　sky。　Hornblower　opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　and　then　checked　himself。