csf.thecommodore-第58节

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and　fall　across　it；　face　downward。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE
　
　The　new　problem　which　Hornblower　was　debating　as　he　walked　his　quarter…deck；　while　H。M。S。　Nonsuch　swung　at　anchor　in　Riga　Bay；　was　one　which　he　had　long　foreseen；　but　which　lost　none　of　its　urgency　for　all　that。　Here　was　winter　ing；　there　had　been　heavy　frosts　at　night　for　as　far　back　as　he　could　remember；　and　the　last　two　days　had　brought　flurries　of　snow；　which　had　temporarily　whitened　the　landscape　and　had　left　a　few　drifts　which　even　now　showed　as　white　streaks　on　the　northern　faces　of　the　dykes。　The　days　were　growing　short　and　the　nights　long；　and　the　brackish　water　of　Riga　Bay　was　covered　with　a　thin　scum　of　ice。　If　he　stayed　much　longer　his　ships　would　be　frozen　in。　Essen　had　assured　him　that　for　at　least　two　more　weeks　he　would　be　able　to　make　his　exit　along　a　channel　sawn　in　the　ice　by　labourers　whom　Essen　would　supply；　but　Hornblower　was　not　so　sure。　A　northerly　gale　…　and　one　might　arise　at　any　moment　…　could　keep　him　wind…bound　while　at　the　same　time　it　would　freeze　everything　up　and　jam　the　narrow　exit　to　the　Bay；　between　Oesel　and　the　mainland；　with　piled…up　drift　ice　that　neither　saws　nor　even　explosives　could　pierce。　A　squadron　frozen　in　was　a　squadron　immobilized　until　next　spring；　and　a　squadron　frozen　in　was　one　which　was　a　certain　prey　to　the　French　if　Riga　should　fall。　Twenty　years　ago　a　Dutch　squadron　at　Amsterdam　had　been　captured　by　French　hussars　charging　over　the　ice。　What　a　thundering　bulletin　of　triumph　Bonaparte　would　make　of　it　if　a　British　squadron；　under　the　notorious　modore　Hornblower；　should　fall　into　his　hands　in　the　same　way！　Hornblower　turned　in　his　stride　a　yard　before　he　had　reached　the　limit　of　his　walk。　Prudence　dictated　an　immediate　withdrawal。
　The　breechings　of　that　carronade　were　frayed。　When　Bush　noticed　it　someone　was　in　for　a　bad　quarter　of　an　hour。　And　yet　he　could　not　withdraw。　When　he　had　mentioned　the　possibility　Essen　had　shown　positive　dismay。　If　his　men　were　to　see　the　British　ships　go　away　they　would　be　quite　sure　the　place　was　doomed。　They　would　lose　heart　pletely。　The　British　naval　officer　who　had　led　the　final　charge　at　Daugavgriva　had　grown　into　a　legendary　figure　in　their　minds；　a　mascot；　a　symbol　of　good　luck。　If　he　were　to　leave　them　that　would　be　a　proof；　in　the　men's　minds；　that　he　had　lost　hope。　He　could　not　possibly　withdraw。　He　might　promise；　he　might　send　most　of　the　squadron　out　and　retain　only　a　sloop　and　a　gunboat；　he　might　send　everything　out　and　remain　himself；　but　to　separate　himself　from　his　mand　was　in　direct　violation　of　the　Articles　of　War。
　Here　was　a　fool　of　a　midshipman　in　his　way　dodging　about　in　front　of　him　as　though　bent　on　distracting　him　from　his　train　of　thought。　It　would　be　the　masthead　for　him；　God　knew　the　mission　had　lasted　long　enough　for　every　single　person　on　board　to　have　learned　that　the　modore　must　not　be　distracted　when　he　was　walking　the　deck。
　〃What　the　hell　…　？〃　he　bellowed　at　the　blenching　midshipman。
　〃B…b…boat　approaching；　sir；〃　stammered　the　youth。　〃M…Mr　Hurst　told　me　to　tell　you。　He　thinks　the　Governor's　on　board。〃
　〃Why　wasn't　I　told　before？〃　said　Hornblower。　〃Have　you　sent　for　Captain　Bush；　Mr　Hurst？　Call　the　guard！〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir！〃　said　Hurst；　and　Hornblower　saw　Bush　appear　on　the　quarter…deck　as　the　words　left　Hurst's　lips；　and　the　marine　guard　was　already　forming　up　abaft　the　mizzen…mast。
　Of　course　Hurst　had　done　all　these　things　without　waiting　for　orders；　roused　abruptly　from　his　reverie　Hornblower　had　not　had　the　sense　to　realize　it。　He　strode　to　the　side。　The　Governor　was　approaching　in　a　big　pulling…boat；　which　was　steering　towards　them　along　the　clear　channel　through　the　thin　ice　which　the　last　eddies　of　the　Dwina　river　still　kept　clear　before　they　lost　themselves　in　the　Bay。　As　the　Governor　caught　sight　of　him　he　sprang　up　into　the　sternsheets　waving　his　cocked　hat；　he　even　tried　to　dance；　precariously；　both　arms　extended　over　his　head；　at　imminent　risk　of　falling　overboard。
　〃Something's　up；　sir；〃　said　Bush　at　Hornblower's　side。
　〃That　looks　like　good　news；〃　said　Hornblower。
　The　Governor　arrived　on　the　quarter…deck；　hat　still　in　hand。　He　flung　his　arms　round　Hornblower　and　hugged　him；　swinging　his　lean　body　up　into　the　air　so　that　his　feet　left　the　deck。　Hornblower　could　imagine　the　grins　that　were　being　exchanged　around　him　as　he　kicked　in　the　air　like　a　baby。　The　Governor　put　him　down；　clapped　his　hat　on　his　head；　and　then　seized　first　Hornblower's　hand　and　then　Bush's；　and　tried　to　dance　a　sort　of　ring…a…ring…of…roses　with　the　two　Englishmen。　There　was　no　more　controlling　him　than　one　could　control　a　bear。
　〃What　is　the　news；　Your　Excellency？〃　asked　Hornblower；　Essen's　grip　on　his　hand　was　painful。
　〃Oh；〃　said　Essen；　flinging　the　Englishman's　hands　away　so　as　to　spread　his　arms　again。　〃Bonaparte　has　started　to　retreat。〃
　〃Has　he；　by　God！〃　said　Hornblower。
　〃What　does　he　say；　sir？〃　asked　Bush；　quite　incapable　of　understanding　Essen's　French；　but　Hornblower　had　no　time　for　Bush；　because　the　Governor　was　pouring　out　his　news　in　a　torrent　of　gutturals；　drawing　upon　the　vocabularies　of　half　Europe　for　his　words　so　that　even　Hornblower　could　hardly　understand　what　he　was　saying。
　〃He　left　Moscow　five　days　back；〃　roared　Essen。　〃We　beat　him　at　Malo…Jaroslavetz。　Beat　him　in　a　pitched　battle；　and　now　he's　running　as　hard　as　he　can　for　Smolensk　and　Warsaw。　And　he　won't　get　there　before　the　snows！　He'll　be　lucky　if　he　gets　there　at　all！　Chichagov　is　marching　hard　to　cut　off　his　retreat　at　the　Beresina。　He's　ruined。　They're　dying　in　thousands　every　night　already！　Nothing　to　eat；　and　winter's　here！〃
　Essen　stamped　grotesquely　about　the　deck；　more　like　a　dancing　bear　than　ever。
　〃Please；　sir；　please。　What　does　he　say？〃　asked　Bush　pathetically。
　Hornblower　translated　to　the　best　of　his　ability；　the　other　quarter…deck　officers　eavesdropping　shamelessly。　As　the　wonderful　nature　of　the　good　news　dawned　upon　them；　they　began　to　cheer；　down　on　the　main…deck　they　caught　the　infection；　and　all　through　the　ship　men　were　cheering　and　tossing　their　hats　in　the　air；　even　though　they　hardly　knew　what　they　were　cheering　about；　save　for　the　hurried　words　that　flew　from　lip　to　lip　…　〃Boney's　beaten！〃
　〃We　can　get　out　of　this　bay　before　the　ice　es；　by　God！〃　said　Bush；　snapping　his　fingers；　it　was　obvious　that　if　he　had　not　a　wooden　leg　he　would　be　dancing　too。
　Hornblower　looked　across　at　the　mainland。
　〃Macdonald's　shown　no　sign　of　retreating　yet；〃　he　said。　〃If　he　had　the　Governor　would　have　mentioned　it。〃
　〃But　don't　you　think　he'll　have　to；　sir？〃　Bush's　expressive　face　showed　anxiety　now　instead　of　joy。　A　moment　before　anything　delightful　had　been　possible　…　escape　from　Riga　Bay；　possibly　even　escape　from　this　landlocked　Baltic　altogether；　maybe　even　a　return　to　England；　but　now　Bush　was　back　again　to　the　cold　reality　that　the　siege　of　Riga　was　still　going　on。
　〃He　may　have　to　retreat；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃but　until　then　we　stay　here；　unless　I　receive　orders　to　the　contrary。〃
　Essen　caught　sight　of　their　sober　faces　and　turned　on　them　again。　He　slapped　Bush　on　the　back　so　that　he　staggered　with　the　force　of　the　blow；　he　snapped　his　fingers　under　Hornblower's　nose；　and　pirouetted　with　the　grace　of　a　performing　seal。　It　was　absurd　that　with　all　this　going　on；　with　Bush　asking　questions　regarding　the　future；　with　Essen　acting　like　a　lunatic；　and　with　the　whole　ship　forgetting　discipline　in　a　mad　outburst　of　cheering；　Hornblower's　brain　should　be　planning　and　thinking　still；　with　that　swift　clarity　and　that　fevered　rapidity　which　he　knew　by　now　portended　some　new　development。　Bonaparte　in　retreat；　Bonaparte　beaten；　meant　a　tremendous　revulsion　of　feeling　throughout　Europe。　All　the　world　knew　that　Wellington　was　threatening　France　from　the　south；　and　now　the　Empire　was　in　peril　from　the　east。　It　would　hardly　be　possible　for　Bonaparte's　shattered　army　to　hold　on　to　Poland　once　it　had　begun　its　retreat；　the　next　campaign　would　see　the　allies　on　the　frontiers　of　Prussia　and　Austria；　and　it　was　likely　that　both　Prussia　and　Austria　would　in　that　case　be　glad　to　change　sides；　The　King　of　Prussia　was　practically　a　prisoner　in　French　hands；　but　the　Prussian　army　…　the　greater　part　of　the　force　now　besieging　Riga　…　could　act　as　a　free　agent　if　it　wished。　The　desertion　of　the　Spaniards　had　shown　them　the　way；　and　the　pamphlets　which　he　had　had　printed　in　Riga　and　distributed　among　the　besiegers　by　Russian　pedlars　would　not　let　them　forget　the　lesson。　Bulow　would　be　able　to　bear　witness　to　the　truth　of　his　assertions　…　Hornblower　was　glad　he　had　set　him　free。
　〃I　am　sending　Diebitch　out　to　beat　up　the　besiegers'　lines　with　a　sally；〃　Essen　was　saying。　〃I　must　see　how　they　take　this　news。　Would　you　care　to　acpany　me；　sir？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　said　Hornblower；　ing　out　abruptly　from　his　dreaming。　What　with　fatigue　…　he　was　always　weary　now　…　and　rapid　thinking　and　excitement　he　was　still　a　little　'mazy'；　as　they　said　of　fuddled　men　in　the　village　when　he　was　a　boy。　He　announced　his　departure　to　Bush。
　〃You're　worn　out；　sir；〃　protested　Bush。　〃You're　no　more　than　a　shadow。　Send　someone　else；　sir。　Send　me。　Send　Duncan。　You've　done　all　that's　necessary