csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第11节

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Frenchmen；　reaching　back　for　another　length　of　line；　stopped　in　his　movement　to　stare　at　the　deck。　He　picked　at　a　deck　seam；　looked　up　and　caught　Hornblower's　eye；　and　called　to　him。　Hornblower　made　no　pretence　of　understanding　the　words；　the　gestures　explained　themselves。　The　deck　seam　was　opening　a　little；　the　pitch　was　bulging　out　of　it。　Hornblower　looked　at　the　phenomenon　without　understanding　it…only　a　foot　or　two　of　the　seam　was　open；　and　the　rest　of　the　deck　seemed　solid　enough。　No！　Now　that　his　attention　was　called　to　it；　and　he　looked　further；　there　were　one　or　two　other　places　in　the　deck　where　the　pitch　had　risen　in　ridges　from　out　of　the　seams。　It　was　something　beyond　his　limited　experience；　even　beyond　his　extensive　reading。　But　the　French　captain　was　his　side　staring　at　the　deck　too。
　'My　God！'　he　said。　'The　rice！　The　rice！'
　The　French　word　'riz'　that　he　used　was　unknown　to　Hornower；　but　he　stamped　his　foot　on　the　deck　and　pointed　down　rough　it。
　'The　cargo！'　he　said　in　explanation。　'It…it　grows　bigger。'
　Matthews　was　with　them　now；　and　without　knowing　a　word　of　French　he　understood。
　'Didn't　I　hear　this　brig　was　full　of　rice；　sir？'　he　asked。
　'Yes。'
　'That's　it；　then。　The　water's　got　into　it　and　it's　swelling。'
　So　it　would。　Dry　rice　soaked　in　water　would　double　or　treble　its　volume。　The　cargo　was　swelling　and　bursting　the　seams　of　the　ship　open。　Hornblower　remembered　the　unnatural　creaks　and　groans　below。　It　was　a　black　moment；　he　looked　round　at　the　unfriendly　sea　for　inspiration　and　support；　and　found　neither。　Several　seconds　passed　before　he　was　ready　to　speak；　and　ready　to　maintain　the　dignity　of　a　naval　officer　in　face　of　difficulties。
　'The　sooner　we　get　that　sail　over　that　hole　the　better；　then；'　he　said。　It　was　too　much　to　be　expected　that　his　voice　should　sound　quite　natural。　'Hurry　those　Frenchmen　up。'
　He　turned　to　pace　the　deck；　so　as　to　allow　his　feelings　to　subside　and　to　set　his　thoughts　running　in　an　orderly　fashion　again；　but　the　French　captain　was　at　his　elbow；　voluble　as　a　Job's　forter。
　'I　said　I　thought　the　ship　was　riding　heavily；'　he　said。　'She　is　lower　in　the　water。'
　'Go　to　the　devil；'　said　Hornblower；　in　English…he　could　not　think　up　the　French　for　that　phrase。
　Even　as　he　stood　he　felt　a　sudden　sharp　shock　beneath　his　feet；　as　if　someone　had　hit　the　deck　underneath　them　with　a　mallet。　The　ship　was　springing　apart　bit　by　bit。
　'Hurry　with　that　sail！'　he　yelled；　turning　back　to　the　working　party；　and　then　was　angry　with　himself　because　the　tone　of　his　voice　must　have　betrayed　undignified　agitation。
　At　last　an　area　five　feet　square　of　the　sail　was　fothered；　lines　were　rove　through　the　grommets；　and　the　working　party　hurried　forward　to　work　the　sail　under　the　brig　and　drag　it　aft　to　the　hole。　Hornblower　was　taking　off　his　clothes；　not　out　of　regard　for　the　captain's　property　but　so　as　to　keep　them　dry　for　himself。
　'I'll　go　over　and　see　that　it's　in　place；'　he　said。　'Matthews；　get　a　bowline　ready　for　me。'
　Naked　and　wet；　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　wind　blew　clear　through　him；　rubbing　against　the　ship's　side　as　she　rolled　he　lost　a　good　deal　of　skin；　and　the　waves　passing　down　the　ship　smacked　at　him　with　a　boisterous　lack　of　consideration。　But　he　saw　the　fothered　sail　placed　against　the　hole；　and　with　intense　satisfaction　he　saw　the　hairy　mass　suck　into　position；　dimpling　over　the　hole　to　form　a　deep　hollow　so　that　he　could　be　sure　that　the　hole　was　plugged　solid。　They　hauled　him　up　again　when　he　hailed；　and　awaited　his　orders；　he　stood　naked；　stupid　with　cold　and　fatigue　and　lack　of　sleep；　struggling　to　form　his　next　decision。
　'Lay　her　on　the　starboard　tack；'　he　said　at　length。
　If　the　brig　were　going　to　sink；　it　hardly　mattered　if　it　were　one　hundred　or　two　hundred　miles　from　the　French　coast；　if　she　were　to　stay　afloat　he　wanted　to　be　well　clear　of　that　lee　shore　and　the　chance　of　recapture。　The　shot　hole　with　its　fothered　sail　would　be　deeper　under　water　to　increase　the　risk；　but　it　seemed　to　be　the　best　chance。　The　French　captain　saw　them　making　preparations　to　wear　the　brig　round；　and　turned　upon　Hornblower　with　voluble　protests。　With　this　wind　they　could　make　Bordeaux　easily　on　the　other　tack。　Hornblower　was　risking　all　their　lives；　he　said。　Into　Hornblower's　numb　mind　crept；　uninvited；　the　translation　of　something　he　had　previously　wanted　to　say。　He　could　use　it　now。
　'Allez　au　diable；'　he　snapped；　as　he　put　the　Frenchman's　stout　woollen　shirt　on　over　his　head。
　When　his　head　emerged　the　Frenchman　was　still　protesting　volubly；　so　violently　indeed　that　a　new　doubt　came　into　Hornblower's　mind。　A　word　to　Matthews　sent　him　round　the　French　prisoners　to　search　for　weapons。　There　was　nothing　to　be　found　except　the　sailors'　knives；　but　as　a　matter　of　precaution　Hornblower　had　them　all　impounded；　and　when　he　had　dressed　he　went　to　special　trouble　with　his　three　pistols；　drawing　the　charges　from　them　and　reloading　and　repriming　afresh。　Three　pistols　in　his　belt　looked　piratical；　as　though　he　were　still　young　enough　to　be　playing　imaginative　games；　but　Hornblower　felt　in　his　bones　that　there　might　be　a　time　when　the　Frenchmen　might　try　to　rise　against　their　captors；　and　three　pistols　would　not　be　too　many　against　twelve　desperate　men　who　had　makeshift　weapons　ready　to　hand；　belaying　pins　and　the　like。
　Matthews　was　awaiting　him　with　a　long　face。
　'Sir；'　he　said；　'begging　your　pardon；　but　I　don't　like　the　looks　of　it。　Straight；　I　don't。　I　don't　like　the　feel　of　her。　She's　settlin'　down　and　she's　opening　up；　I'm　certain　sure。　Beg　your　pardon；　sir；　for　saying　so。'
　Down　below　Hornblower　had　heard　the　fabric　of　the　ship　continuing　to　crack　and　plain；　up　here　the　deck　seams　were　gaping　more　widely。　There　was　a　very　likely　explanation；　the　swelling　of　the　rice　must　have　forced　open　the　ship's　seams　below　water；　so　that　plugging　the　shot…hole　would　have　only　eliminated　what　would　be　by　now　only　a　minor　leak。　Water　must　still　be　pouring　in；　the　cargo　still　swelling；　opening　up　the　ship　like　an　overblown　flower。　Ships　were　built　to　withstand　blows　from　without；　and　there　was　nothing　about　their　construction　to　resist　an　outward　pressure。　Wider　and　wider　would　gape　the　seams；　and　faster　and　faster　the　sea　would　gain　access　to　the　cargo。
　'Look'e　there；　sir！'　said　Matthews　suddenly。
　In　the　broad　light　of　day　a　small　grey　shape　was　hurrying　along　the　weather　scuppers；　another　one　followed　it　and　another　after　that。　Rats！　Something　convulsive　must　be　going　on　down　below　to　bring　them　on　deck　in　daytime；　from　out　of　their　fortable　nests　among　the　unlimited　food　of　the　cargo。　The　pressure　must　be　enormous。　Hornblower　felt　another　small　shock　beneath　his　feet　at　that　moment；　as　something　further　parted　beneath　them。　But　there　was　one　more　card　to　play；　one　last　line　of　defence　that　he　could　think　of。
　'I'll　jettison　the　cargo；'　said　Hornblower。　He　had　never　uttered　that　word　in　his　life；　but　he　had　read　it。　'Get　the　prisoners　and　we'll　start。'
　The　battened…down　hatch　cover　was　domed　upwards　curiously　and　significantly；　as　the　wedges　were　knocked　out　one　plank　tore　loose　at　one　end　with　a　crash；　pointing　diagonally　upwards；　and　as　the　working　party　lifted　off　the　cover　a　brown　form　followed　it　upwards…a　bag　of　rice；　forced　out　by　the　underlying　pressure　until　it　jammed　in　the　hatchway。
　'Tail　onto　those　tackles　and　sway　it　up；'　said　Hornblower。
　Bag　by　bag　the　rice　was　hauled　up　from　the　hold；　sometimes　the　bags　split；　allowing　a　torrent　of　rice　to　pour　onto　the　deck；　but　that　did　not　matter。　Another　section　of　the　working　party　swept　rice　and　bags　to　the　lee　side　and　into　the　ever…hungry　sea。　After　the　first　three　bags　the　difficulties　increased；　for　the　cargo　was　so　tightly　jammed　below　that　it　called　for　enormous　force　to　tear　each　bag　out　of　its　position。　Two　men　had　to　go　down　the　hatchway　to　pry　the　bags　loose　and　adjust　the　slings。　There　was　a　momentary　hesitation　on　the　part　of　the　two　Frenchmen　to　whom　Hornblower　pointed…the　bags　might　not　all　be　jammed　and　the　hold　of　a　tossing　ship　was　a　dangerous　place　wherein　a　roll　might　bury　them　alive…but　Hornblower　had　no　thought　at　that　moment　for　other　people's　human　fears。　He　scowled　at　the　brief　check　and　they　hastened　to　lower　themselves　down　the　hatchway。　The　labour　was　enormous　as　it　went　on　hour　after　hour；　the　men　at　the　tackles　were　dripping　with　sweat　and　drooping　with　fatigue；　but　they　had　to　relieve　periodically　the　men　below；　for　the　bags　had　jammed　themselves　in　tiers；　pressed　hard　against　the　ship's　bottom　below　and　the　deck　beams　above；　and　when　the　bags　immediately　below　the　hatchway　had　been　swayed　up　the　surrounding　ones　had　to　be　pried　loose；　out　of　each　tier。　Then　when　a　small　clearance　had　been　made　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　hatchway；　and　they　were　getting　deeper　down　into　the　hold；　they　made　the　inevitable　discovery。　The　lower　tiers　of　bags　had　been　wetted；　their　contents　had　swelled；　and　the　bags　had　burst。　The　lower　half　of　the　hold　was　packed　solid　with　damp　rice　which　could　only　be　got　out　with　shovels　and　a　hoist。　The　still　intact　bags　of　the　upper　tiers；　farther　away　from　the　hatchway；　were　still　jammed　tight；　calling　for　much　labour　to　free　them　and　to　manhandle　them　under