csf.thecommodore-第2节

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ape　over　her　shoulders　ready　for　the　final　adjustment　of　her　hair。　When　the　last　pin　had　been　inserted；　the　last　curl　fixed　in　place；　the　shoes　eased　upon　her　feet　by　a　grovelling　Hebe　with　a　shoehorn；　Barbara　devoted　her　attention　to　settling　on　her　head　the　vast　hat　with　the　roses　and　ribbons。
　〃And　what　is　the　time；　my　dear？〃　she　asked。
　〃Nine　o'clock；〃　said　Hornblower；　hauling　his　watch　with　an　effort　from　out　of　the　tense　fob…pocket　in　the　front　of　his　trousers。
　〃Excellent；〃　said　Barbara；　reaching　for　the　long　white　silk　gloves　which　had　e　to　her　by　devious　smugglers'　routes　from　Paris。　〃Hebe；　Master　Richard　will　be　ready　now。　Tell　nurse　to　bring　him　to　me。　And　I　think；　dear；　that　your　ribbon　and　star　would　be　in　the　spirit　of　this　morning's　occasion。〃
　〃At　my　own　front　door？〃　protested　Hornblower。
　〃I　fear　so；〃　said　Barbara。　She　wagged　her　head　with　its　pyramid　of　roses；　and　this　time　it　was　not　so　much　a　smile　that　she　bestowed　upon　him　as　a　grin；　and　all　Hornblower's　objections　to　wearing　his　star　evaporated　on　the　spot。　It　was　a　tacit　admission　that　she　attached　no　more　importance；　as　far　as　he　and　she　were　concerned；　to　the　ceremony　of　weling　him　as　the　new　Squire　of　Smallbridge；　than　Hornblower　himself。　It　was　as　if　an　augur　winked。
　In　his　bedroom　Hornblower　took　the　red　ribbon　of　the　Bath　and　the　Star　from　the　drawer　in　his　wardrobe；　and　Brown　found　for　him　the　dogskin　gloves　which　he　tugged　on　as　he　walked　down　the　stairs。　A　scared　housemaid　dropped　him　a　curtsey；　in　the　hall　stood　Wiggins　the　butler　with　Hornblower's　tall　beaver　hat；　and　beside　him　John　the　footman　in　the　new　livery　which　Barbara　had　chosen。　And　here　came　Barbara　with　Richard　in　his　nurse's　arms；　Richard's　curls　were　pomaded　into　stiff　decorum。　The　nurse　set　him　down　and　twitched　his　petticoats　and　his　lace　collar　into　position；　and　Hornblower　hastened　to　take　one　of　his　hands　while　Barbara　took　the　other；　Richard　was　not　yet　sufficiently　accustomed　to　standing　on　his　feet　and　was　liable　to　go　down　on　all　fours　in　a　way　which　might　not　suit　the　dignity　of　this　morning's　ceremony。　Wiggins　and　John　threw　open　the　door；　and　the　three　of　them；　Barbara　and　Hornblower　with　Richard　between　them；　walked　out　to　the　head　of　the　steps　above　the　driveway；　Hornblower　remembering　just　in　time　to　clap　the　tall　hat　on　his　head　before　crossing　the　threshold。
　It　seemed　as　if　every　inhabitant　of　Smallbridge　were　formed　up　below　them。　On　one　side　was　the　parson　with　a　herd　of　children；　in　front　the　four　tenant　farmers　in　ill…fitting　broadcloth　with　their　labourers　in　their　smocks；　and　on　the　other　side　a　cluster　of　women　in　aprons　and　bonnets。　Behind　the　children　the　ostler　at　the　Coach　and　Horses　stuck　a　fiddle　under　his　chin　and　played　a　note；　the　parson　waved　a　hand　and　the　children　burst　into　shrill　piping　…
　
　〃See…ee　the　conk…ring　he…ee…ee…ee…ero　es；
　Sow…ow…ow…ow…ound　the　trum…pets；　be…ee…ee…eat　the　drums！〃
　
　Obviously　this　was　meant　for　Hornblower；　and　he　took　off　his　hat　and　stood　awkwardly；　the　tune　meant　nothing　to　his　tone…deaf　ear；　but　he　could　distinguish　some　of　the　words。　The　chorus　came　to　a　ragged　end；　and　the　parson　took　a　step　forward。
　〃Your　Ladyship；〃　he　began；　〃Sir　Horatio。　Wele　in　the　name　of　the　village。　Wele；　Sir　Horatio；　with　all　the　glory　you　have　won　in　the　war　against　the　Corsican　tyrant。　Wele；　Your　Ladyship；　wife　of　the　hero　before　us；　sister　of　the　hero　manding　our　valiant　army　now　in　Spain；　daughter　of　the　highest　nobility　in　the　land！　Wele　…〃
　〃Man！〃　yelled　Richard　unexpectedly。　〃Da…da！〃
　The　parson　took　the　interruption　without　flinching；　already　well　in　his　stride；　he　continued　to　mouth　out　his　fulsome　sentences；　telling　of　the　joy　the　village　of　Smallbridge　felt　at　finding　itself　in　the　ownership　of　a　famous　sailor。　Hornblower　was　distracted　from　the　discourse　by　the　necessity　of　holding　on　tight　to　Richard's　hand　…　if　Richard　once　got　loose　he　evidently　would　go　down　on　all　fours　and　throw　himself　down　the　steps　to　make　a　closer　acquaintance　with　the　village　children。　Hornblower　looked　out　over　the　lush　green　of　the　park；　beyond　it　rose　the　massive　curves　of　the　Downs；　and　to　one　side　the　tower　of　Smallbridge　church　rose　above　the　trees。　On　that　side；　too；　an　orchard　was　in　full　bloom；　exquisitely　lovely。　Park　and　orchard　and　church　were　all　his；　he　was　the　Squire；　a　landed　gentleman；　owner　of　many　acres；　being　weled　by　his　tenantry。　Behind　him　was　his　house；　full　of　his　servants；　on　his　breast　the　ribbon　and　star　of　an　order　of　chivalry；　and　in　London　Coutts　&　pany　had　in　their　vaults　a　store　of　golden　guineas　which　were　his　as　well。　This　was　the　climax　of　a　man's　ambition。　Fame；　wealth；　security；　love；　a　child　…　he　had　all　that　heart　could　desire。　Hornblower；　standing　at　the　head　of　the　steps　while　the　parson　droned　on；　was　puzzled　to　find　that　he　was　still　not　happy。　He　was　irritated　with　himself　in　consequence。　He　ought　to　be　running　over　with　pride　and　joy　and　happiness；　and　yet　here　he　was　contemplating　the　future　with　faint　dismay；　dismay　at　thought　of　living　on　here；　and　positive　distaste　at　the　thought　of　spending　the　fashionable　season　in　London；　even　though　Barbara　would　be　beside　him　all　the　time。
　These　disorderly　thoughts　of　Hornblower's　were　suddenly　broken　into。　Something　had　been　said　which　should　not　have　been　said；　and　as　the　parson　was　the　only　person　speaking；　he　must　have　said　it；　although　he　was　still　droning　along　in　obvious　ignorance　of　any　blunder。　Hornblower　stole　a　glance　at　Barbara；　her　white　teeth　showed　for　a　moment　against　her　lower　lip；　clear　proof　of　her　vexation　to　anyone　who　knew　her　well。　Otherwise　she　was　exhibiting　the　stoical　calm　of　the　British　upper　classes。　What　was　it　that　had　been　said　to　upset　her？　Hornblower　raked　through　his　subconscious　memory　to　recall　the　words　the　parson　had　been　using；　and　which　he　had　heard　without　attending。　Yes；　that　was　it。　The　stupid　fool　had　spoken　about　Richard　as　though　he　were　the　child　of　both　of　them。　It　irritated　Barbara　unbearably　to　have　her　stepson　taken　to　be　her　own　child；　and　the　more　fond　she　grew　of　him　the　more　it　irritated　her；　curiously　enough。　But　it　was　hard　to　blame　the　parson　for　his　mistake；　when　a　married　pair　arrives　with　a　sixteen…months…old　baby　it　is　only　natural　to　assume　it　to　be　their　child。
　The　parson　had　finished　now；　and　an　awkward　pause　had　already　begun。　Clearly　something　must　be　said　in　reply；　and　it　was　Hornblower's　business　to　say　it。
　〃Ha…h'm；〃　said　Hornblower　…　he　had　still　not　been　married　long　enough　to　Barbara　to　have　pletely　mastered　that　old　habit　…　while　he　groped　wildly　for　something　to　say。　He　ought　to　have　been　ready　for　this；　of　course；　he　ought　to　have　been　preparing　a　speech　instead　of　standing　day…dreaming。　〃Ha…h'm。　It　is　with　pride　that　I　look　over　this　English　countryside　…〃
　He　managed　to　say　all　that　was　necessary。　The　Corsican　tyrant。　The　yeomen　stock　of　England。　The　King　and　the　Prince　Regent。　Lady　Barbara。　Richard。　When　he　finished　there　was　another　awkward　pause　while　people　looked　at　each　other；　before　one　of　the　farmers　stepped　forward。
　〃Three　cheers　for　'Er　Ladyship！〃
　Everyone　cheered；　to　Richard's　astonishment；　expressed　in　a　loud　yell。
　〃Three　cheers　for　Sir　Horatio！　One；　two；　three；　an'　a　tiger！〃
　There　was　nothing　left　to　do　now；　except　to　withdraw　gracefully　into　the　house　again　and　leave　the　tenantry　to　disperse。　Thank　God　it　was　all　over；　anyway。　John；　the　footman；　stood　at　what　obviously　he　thought　was　attention　in　the　hall。　Hornblower　made　a　weary　mental　note　to　teach　him　to　keep　his　elbows　into　his　sides。　If　he　were　going　to　employ　a　footman　he　would　make　a　good　footman　out　of　him。　Here　came　the　nurse；　swooping　down　to　find　out　how　wet　Richard　had　made　himself。　And　here　came　the　butler；　hobbling　along　with　a　letter　on　a　salver。　Hornblower　felt　a　rush　of　blood　into　his　face　as　he　saw　the　seal；　that　seal　and　that　thick　linen　paper　were　only　used　by　the　Admiralty；　as　far　as　he　knew。　It　was　months；　and　it　seemed　like　years；　since　he　had　last　received　any　letter　from　the　Admiralty。　He　snatched　the　letter　from　the　salver；　and　only　by　the　mercy　of　Providence　remembered　to　glance　at　Barbara　in　apology；　before　breaking　the　seal。
　
　The　Lords　missioners　of　the　Admiralty；
　Whitehall；
　10th　April；　1812
　Sir；
　I　am　manded　by　the　Lords　missioners　to　inform　you　that　their　Lordships　desire　to　employ　you　immediately　as　modore　with　a　Captain　under　you　on　a　service　which　their　Lordships　consider　worthy　of　an　officer　of　your　seniority　and　standing。　You　are　hereby　directed　and　required；　therefore；　to　inform　their　Lordships　through　me　as　speedily　as　possible　as　to　whether　or　not　you　will　accept　this　appointment；　and　in　the　event　of　your　accepting　it　you　are　further　directed　and　required　to　present　yourself　in　person　at　this　office　without　delay　in　order　to　receive　verbally　their　Lordships'　instructions　and　also　those　of　any　other　Minister　of　State　whom　it　may　be　judged　necessary　you　should　address。
　Your　obed't　servant；
　E。　NEPEAN；　Secy　to　the　Lords　missioners
　of　the　Admiralty
　
　Hornblower　had　to　read　the　letter　twice　…　the　first　time　it　conveyed　no　meaning　to　him　at　all。　But　at　the　second　reading　the　glorious　import　of　the　letter　burst　in