csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第30节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　'The　43rd　will　form　line！'　he　shouted。
　Like　some　ponderous　machine；　well　oiled；　the　half　battalion　fronted　towards　the　swarm；　the　columns　became　lines；　each　man　moving　into　his　position　like　bricks　laid　on　a　wall。
　'The　43rd　will　advance！'
　The　scarlet　line　swept　forward；　slowly；　inexorably。　The　swarm　hastened　to　meet　it；　officers　to　the　front　waving　their　swords　and　calling　on　their　men　to　follow。
　'Make　ready！'
　Every　musket　came　down　together；　the　priming　pans　clicked。
　'Present！'
　Up　came　the　muskets；　and　the　swarm　hesitated　before　that　fearful　menace。　Individuals　tried　to　get　back　into　the　crowd　to　cover　themselves　from　the　volley　with　the　bodies　of　their　rades。
　'Fire！'
　A　crashing　volley；　Hornblower；　looking　over　the　heads　of　the　British　infantry　from　his　point　of　vantage　on　horseback；　saw　the　whole　face　of　the　swarm　go　down　in　swathes。　Still　the　red　line　moved　forward；　at　each　deliberate　step　a　shouted　order　brought　a　machine…like　response　as　the　men　reloaded；　five　hundred　mouths　spat　in　five　hundred　bullets；　five　hundred　right　arms　raised　five　hundred　ramrods　at　once。　When　the　muskets　came　to　the　present　the　red　line　was　at　the　swathe　of　dead　and　wounded；　for　the　swarm　had　withdrawn　before　the　advance；　and　shrank　back　still　further　at　the　threat　of　the　volley。　The　volley　was　fired；　the　advance　went　on。　Another　volley；　another　advance。　Now　the　swarm　was　shredding　away。　Now　men　were　running　from　it。　Now　every　man　had　turned　tail　and　fled　from　that　frightful　musketry。　The　hillside　was　as　black　with　fugitives　as　it　had　been　when　the　émigrés　were　fleeing。
　'Halt！'
　The　advance　ceased；　the　line　became　a　double　column；　and　the　retreat　began　again。
　'Very　creditable；'　remarked　Edrington。
　Hornblower's　horse　was　trying　jerkily　to　pick　its　way　over　a　carpet　of　dead　and　wounded；　and　he　was　so　busy　keeping　his　seat；　and　his　brain　was　in　such　a　whirl；　that　he　did　not　immediately　realize　that　they　had　topped　the　last　rise；　so　that　before　them　lay　the　glittering　waters　of　the　estuary。　The　strip　of　muddy　beach　was　packed　solid　with　émigrés。　There　were　the　ships　riding　at　anchor；　and　there；　blessed　sight；　were　the　boats　swarming　towards　the　shore。　It　was　high　time；　for　already　the　boldest　of　the　Revolutionary　infantry　were　hovering　round　the　columns；　taking　long　shots　into　them。　Here　and　there　a　man　fell。
　'Close　up！'　snapped　the　sergeants；　and　the　files　marched　on　stolidly；　leaving　the　wounded　and　dead　behind　them。
　The　adjutant's　horse　suddenly　snorted　and　plunged；　and　then　fell　first　to　its　knees；　and；　kicking；　to　its　side；　while　the　freckle…faced　adjutant　freed　his　feet　from　the　stirrups　and　flung　himself　out　of　the　saddle　just　in　time　to　escape　being　pinned　underneath。
　'Are　you　hit；　Stanley？'　asked　Edrington。
　'No；　my　lord。　All　safe　and　sound；'　said　the　adjutant；　brushing　at　his　scarlet　coat。
　'You　won't　have　to　foot　it　far；'　said　Edrington。　'No　need　to　throw　out　skirmishers　to　drive　those　fellows　off。　This　is　where　we　must　make　our　stand。'
　He　looked　about　him；　at　the　fishermen's　cottages　above　the　beach；　the　panic…stricken　émigrés　at　the　water's　edge；　and　the　masses　of　Revolutionary　infantry　ing　up　in　pursuit；　leaving　small　enough　time　for　preparation。　Some　of　the　redcoats　poured　into　the　cottages；　appearing　a　moment　later　at　the　windows；　it　was　fortunate　that　the　fishing　hamlet　guarded　one　flank　of　the　gap　down　to　the　beach　while　the　other　was　guarded　by　a　steep　and　inaccessible　headland　on　whose　summit　a　small　block　of　redcoats　established　themselves。　In　the　gap　between　the　two　points　the　remaining　four　panies　formed　a　long　line　just　sheltered　by　the　crest　of　the　beach。
　The　boats　of　the　squadron　were　already　loading　with　émigrés　among　the　small　breakers　below。　Hornblower　heard　the　crack　of　a　single　pistol…shot；　he　could　guess　that　some　officer　down　there　was　enforcing　his　orders　in　the　only　possible　way　to　prevent　the　fear…driven　men　from　pouring　into　the　boats　and　swamping　them。　As　if　in　answer　came　the　roar　of　cannon　on　the　other　side。　A　battery　of　artillery　had　unlimbered　just　out　of　musket　range　and　was　firing　at　the　British　position；　while　all　about　it　gathered　the　massed　battalions　of　the　Revolutionary　infantry。　The　cannon　balls　howled　close　overhead。
　'Let　them　fire　away；'　said　Edrington。　'The　longer　the　better。'
　The　artillery　could　do　little　harm　to　the　British　in　the　fold　of　ground　that　protected　them；　and　the　Revolutionary　mander　must　have　realized　that　as　well　as　the　necessity　for　wasting　no　time。　Over　there　the　drums　began　to　roll…a　noise　of　indescribable　menace…and　then　the　columns　surged　forward。　So　close　were　they　already　that　Hornblower　could　see　the　features　of　the　officers　in　the　lead；　waving　their　hats　and　swords。
　'43rd；　make　ready！'　said　Edrington；　and　the　priming　pans　clicked　as　one。　'Seven　paces　forward…march！'
　One…two…three…seven　paces；　painstakingly　taken；　took　the　line　to　the　little　crest。
　'Present！　Fire！'
　A　volley　nothing　could　withstand。　The　columns　halted；　swayed；　received　another　smashing　volley；　and　another；　and　fell　back　in　ruin。
　'Excellent！'　said　Edrington。
　The　battery　boomed　again；　a　file　of　two　redcoat　soldiers　was　tossed　back　like　dolls；　to　lie　in　a　horrible　bloody　mass　close　beside　Hornblower's　horse's　feet。
　'Close　up！'　said　a　sergeant；　and　the　men　on　either　side　had　filled　the　gap。
　'43rd；　seven　paces　back…march！'
　The　line　was　below　the　crest　again；　as　the　redcoated　marionettes　withdrew　in　steady　time。　Hornblower　could　not　remember　later　whether　it　was　twice　or　three　times　more　that　the　Revolutionary　masses　came　on　again；　each　time　to　be　dashed　back　by　that　disciplined　musketry。　But　the　sun　was　nearly　setting　in　the　ocean　behind　him　when　he　looked　back　to　see　the　beach　almost　cleared　and　Bracegirdle　plodding　up　to　them　to　report。
　'I　can　spare　one　pany　now；'　said　Edrington　in　reply　but　not　taking　his　eyes　off　the　French　masses。　'After　they　are　on　board；　have　every　boat　ready　and　waiting。'
　One　pany　filed　off；　another　attack　was　beaten　back…after　the　preceding　failures　it　was　not　pressed　home　with　anything　like　the　dash　and　fire　of　the　earlier　ones。　Now　the　battery　was　turning　its　attention　to　the　headland　on　the　flank；　and　sending　its　balls　among　the　redcoats　there；　while　a　battalion　of　French　moved　over　to　the　attack　at　that　point。
　'That　gives　us　time；'　said　Edrington。　'Captain　Griffin；　you　can　march　the　men　off。　Colour　party；　remain　here。'
　Down　the　beach　went　the　centre　panies　to　the　waiting　boats；　while　the　colours　still　waved　to　mark　their　old　position；　visible　over　the　crest　to　the　French。　The　pany　in　the　cottages　came　out；　formed　up；　and　marched　down　as　well。　Edrington　trotted　across　to　the　foot　of　the　little　headland；　he　watched　the　French　forming　for　the　attack　and　the　infantry　wading　out　to　the　boats。
　'Now；　grenadiers！'　he　yelled　suddenly。　'Run　for　it！　Colour　party！'
　Down　the　steep　seaward　face　of　the　headland　came　the　last　pany；　running；　sliding；　and　stumbling。　A　musket；　clumsily　handled；　went　off　unexpectedly。　The　last　man　came　down　the　slope　as　the　colour　party　reached　the　water's　edge　and　began　to　climb　into　a　boat　with　its　precious　burden。　A　wild　yell　went　up　from　the　French；　and　their　whole　mass　came　rushing　towards　the　evacuated　position。
　'Now；　sir；'　said　Edrington；　turning　his　horse　seawards。
　Hornblower　fell　from　his　saddle　as　his　horse　splashed　into　the　shallows。　He　let　go　of　the　reins　and　plunged　out；　waist　deep；　shoulder　deep；　to　where　the　longboat　lay　on　its　oars　with　its　four…pounder　gun　in　its　bows　and　Bracegirdle　beside　it　to　haul　him　in。　He　looked　up　in　time　to　see　a　curious　incident；　Edrington　had　reached　the　Indefatigable's　gig；　still　holding　his　horse's　reins。　With　the　French　pouring　down　the　beach　towards　them；　he　turned　and　took　a　musket　from　the　nearest　soldier；　pressed　the　muzzle　to　the　horse's　head；　and　fired。　The　horse　fell　in　its　death　agony　in　the　shallows；　only　Hornblower's　roan　remained　as　prize　to　the　Revolutionaries。
　'Back　water！'　said　Bracegirdle；　and　the　longboat　backed　away　from　the　beach；　Hornblower　lay　in　the　eyes　of　the　boat　feeling　as　if　he　had　not　the　strength　to　move　a　limb；　and　the　beach　was　covered　with　shouting；　gesticulating　Frenchmen；　lit　redly　by　the　sunset。
　'One　moment；'　said　Bracegirdle；　reaching　for　the　lanyard　of　the　four…pounder；　and　tugging　at　it　smartly。
　The　gun　roared　out　in　Hornblower's　ear；　and　the　charge　cut　a　swathe　of　destruction　on　the　beach。
　'That　was　canister；'　said　Bracegirdle。　'Eighty…four　balls。　Easy；　port！　Give　way；　starboard！'
　The　longboat　turned；　away　from　the　beach　and　towards　the　weling　ships。　Hornblower　looked　back　at　the　darkening　coast　of　France。　This　was　the　end　of　an　incident；　his　country's　attempt　to　overturn　the　Revolution　had　met　with　a　bloody　repulse。　Newspapers　in　Paris　would　exult；　the　Gazette　in　London　would　give　the　incident　five　cold　lines。　Clairvoyant；　Hornblower　could　foresee　that　in　a　year's　time　the　world　would　hardly　remember　the　incident。　In　twenty　Years　it　would　be　entirely　forgotten。　Yet　those　headless　corpses　up　there　in　Muzillac；　those　shattered　redcoats；　those　Frenchmen　caught　in　the　four…pounder's　blast　of　canister…they　were　all　as　dead　as　if　it　had　been　a　day　in　which　history　ha