csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第4节

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me　and　went　with　liquor；　he　grew　restless；　and　his　face　was　flushed　with　more　than　the　heat　of　the　fire。　He　was　both　a　bad　loser　and　a　bad　drinker；　and　even　Chalk's　punctilious　good　manners　were　sufficiently　strained　so　that　he　displayed　a　hint　of　relief　when　the　next　cut　gave　him　Hornblower　as　a　partner。　They　won　the　rubber　easily；　and　another　guinea　and　several　shillings　were　transferred　to　Hornblower's　lean　purse；　he　was　now　the　only　winner；　and　Simpson　was　the　heaviest　loser。　Hornblower　was　lost　in　the　pleasure　of　playing　the　game　again；　the　only　attention　he　paid　to　Simpson's　writhings　and　muttered　objurgations　was　to　regard　them　as　a　distracting　nuisance；　he　even　forgot　to　think　of　them　as　danger　signals。　Momentarily　he　was　oblivious　to　the　fact　that　he　might　pay　for　his　present　success　by　future　torment。
　Once　more　they　cut；　and　he　found　himself　Chalk's　partner　again。　Two　good　hands　gave　them　the　first　game。　Then　twice；　to　Simpson's　unconcealed　triumph；　Simpson　and　Caldwell　made　a　small　score；　approaching　game；　and　in　the　next　hand　an　overbold　finesse　by　Hornblower　left　him　and　Chalk　with　the　odd　trick　when　their　score　should　have　been　two　tricks　greater…Simpson　laid　his　knave　on　Hornblower's　ten　with　a　grin　of　delight　which　turned　to　dismay　when　he　found　that　he　and　Caldwell　had　still　only　made　six　tricks；　he　counted　them　a　second　time　with　annoyance。　Hornblower　dealt　and　turned　the　trump；　and　Simpson　led…an　ace　as　usual；　assuring　Hornblower　of　his　re…entry。　He　had　a　string　of　trumps　and　a　good　suit　of　clubs　which　a　single　lead　might　establish。　Simpson　glanced　muttering　at　his　hand；　it　was　extraordinary　that　he　still　had　not　realized　the　simple　truth　that　the　lead　of　an　ace　involved　leading　a　second　time　with　the　problem　no　clearer。　He　made　up　his　mind　at　last　and　led　again；　Hornblower's　king　took　the　trick　and　he　instantly　led　his　knave　of　trumps。　To　his　delight　it　took　the　trick；　he　led　again　and　Chalk's　queen　gave　them　another　trick。　Chalk　laid　down　the　ace　of　trumps　and　Simpson　with　a　curse　played　the　king。　Chalk　led　clubs　of　which　Hornblower　had　five　to　the　king　queen…it　was　significant　that　Chalk　should　lead　them；　as　it　could　not　be　a　singleton　lead　when　Hornblower　held　the　remaining　trumps。　Hornblower's　queen　took　the　trick；　Caldwell　must　hold　the　ace；　unless　Chalk　did。　Hornblower　led　a　small　one；　everyone　followed　suit；　Chalk　playing　the　knave；　and　Caldwell　played　the　ace。　Eight　clubs　had　been　played；　and　Hornblower　had　three　more　headed　by　the　king　and　ten…three　certain　tricks；　with　the　last　trumps　as　re…entries。　Caldwell　played　the　queen　of　diamonds；　Hornblower　played　his　singleton；　and　Chalk　produced　the　ace。
　'The　rest　are　mine；'　said　Hornblower；　laying　down　his　cards。
　'What　do　you　mean？'　said　Simpson；　with　the　king　of　diamonds　in　his　hand。
　'Five　tricks；'　said　Chalk　briskly。　'Game　and　rubber。'
　'But　don't　I　take　another？'　persisted　Simpson。
　'I　trump　a　lead　of　diamonds　or　hearts　and　make　three　more　clubs；'　explained　Hornblower。　To　him　the　situation　was　as　simple　as　two　and　two；　a　most　ordinary　finish　to　a　hand；　it　was　hard　for　him　to　realize　that　foggy…minded　players　like　Simpson　could　find　difficulty　in　keeping　tally　of　fifty…two　cards。　Simpson　flung　down　his　hand。
　'You　know　too　much　about　the　game；'　he　said。　'You　know　the　backs　of　the　cards　as　well　as　the　fronts。'
　Hornblower　gulped。　He　recognized　that　this　could　be　a　decisive　moment　if　he　chose。　A　second　before　he　had　merely　been　playing　cards；　and　enjoying　himself。　Now　he　was　faced　with　an　issue　of　life　or　death。　A　torrent　of　thought　streamed　through　his　mind。　Despite　the　fort　of　his　present　surroundings　he　remembered　acutely　the　hideous　misery　of　the　life　in　the　Justinian　to　which　he　must　return。　This　was　an　opportunity　to　end　that　misery　one　way　or　the　other。　He　remembered　how　he　had　contemplated　killing　himself；　and　into　the　back　of　hid　mind　stole　the　germ　of　the　plan　upon　which　he　was　going　to　act。　His　decision　crystallized。
　'That　is　an　insulting　remark；　Mr　Simpson；'　he　said。　He　looked　round　and　met　the　eyes　of　Chalk　and　Caldwell；　who　were　suddenly　grave；　Simpson　was　still　merely　stupid。　'For　that　I　shall　have　to　ask　satisfaction。'
　'Satisfaction？'　said　Chalk　hastily。　'e；　e。　Mr　Simpson　had　a　momentary　loss　of　temper。　I　am　sure　he　will　explain。'
　'I　have　been　accused　of　cheating　at　cards；'　said　Hornblower。　'That　is　a　hard　thing　to　explain　away。'
　He　was　trying　to　behave　like　a　grown　man；　more　than　that；　he　was　trying　to　act　like　a　man　consumed　with　indignation；　while　actually　there　was　no　indignation　within　him　over　the　point　in　dispute；　for　he　understood　too　well　the　muddled　state　of　mind　which　had　led　Simpson　to　say　what　he　did。　But　the　opportunity　had　presented　itself；　he　had　determined　to　avail　himself　of　it；　and　now　what　he　had　to　do　was　to　play　the　part　convincingly　of　the　man　who　has　received　a　mortal　insult。
　'The　wine　was　in　and　the　wit　was　out；'　said　Chalk；　still　determined　on　keeping　the　peace。　'Mr　Simpson　was　speaking　in　jest；　I　am　sure。　Let's　call　for　another　bottle　and　drink　it　in　friendship。'
　'With　pleasure；'　said　Hornblower；　fumbling　for　the　words　which　would　set　the　dispute　beyond　reconciliation。　'If　Mr　Simpson　will　beg　my　pardon　at　once　before　you　two　gentlemen；　and　admit　that　he　spoke　without　justification　and　in　a　manner　no　gentleman　would　employ。'
　He　turned　and　met　Simpson's　eye　with　defiance　as　he　spoke；　metaphorically　waving　a　red　rag　before　the　bull；　who　charged　with　gratifying　fury。
　'Apologize　to　you；　you　little　whippersnapper！'　exploded　Simpson；　alcohol　and　outraged　dignity　speaking　simultaneously。　'Never　this　side　of　Hell。'
　'You　hear　that；　gentlemen？'　said　Hornblower。　'I　have　been　insulted　and　Mr　Simpson　refuses　to　apologize　while　insulting　me　further。　There　is　only　one　way　now　in　which　satisfaction　can　be　given。'
　
　For　the　next　two　days；　until　the　West　India　convoy　came　in；　Hornblower　and　Simpson；　under　Chalk's　orders；　lived　the　curious　life　of　two　duellists　forced　into　each　other's　society　before　the　affair　of　honour。　Hornblower　was　careful…as　he　would　have　been　in　any　case…to　obey　every　order　given　him；　and　Simpson　gave　them　with　a　certain　amount　of　self…consciousness　and　awkwardness。　It　was　during　those　two　days　that　Hornblower　elaborated　on　his　original　idea。　Pacing　through　the　dockyards　with　his　patrol　of　seamen　at　his　heels　he　had　plenty　of　time　to　think　the　matter　over。　Viewed　coldly…and　a　boy　of　seventeen　in　a　mood　of　black　despair　can　be　objective　enough　on　occasions…it　was　as　simple　as　the　calculations　of　the　chances　in　a　problem　at　whist。　Nothing　could　be　worse　than　his　life　in　the　Justinian；　not　even　（as　he　had　thought　already）　death　itself。　Here　was　an　easy　death　open　to　him；　with　the　additional　attraction　that　there　was　a　chance　of　Simpson　dying　instead。　It　was　at　that　moment　that　Hornblower　advanced　his　idea　one　step　further…a　new　development；　startling　even　to　him；　bringing　him　to　a　halt　so　that　the　patrol　behind　him　bumped　into　him　before　they　could　stop。
　'Beg　your　pardon；　sir；'　said　the　petty　officer。
　'No　matter；'　said　Hornblower；　deep　in　his　thoughts。
　He　first　brought　forward　his　suggestion　in　conversation　with　Preston　and　Danvers；　the　two　master's　mates　whom　he　asked　to　be　his　seconds　as　soon　as　he　returned　to　the　Justinian。
　'We'll　act　for　you；　of　course；'　said　Preston；　looking　dubiously　at　the　weedy　youth　when　he　made　his　request。　'How　do　you　want　to　fight　him　？　As　the　aggrieved　party　you　have　the　choice　of　weapons。'
　'I've　been　thinking　about　it　ever　since　he　insulted　me；'　said　Hornblower　temporizing。　It　was　not　easy　to　e　out　with　his　idea　in　bald　words；　after　all。
　'Have　you　any　skill　with　the　small…sword？'　asked　Danvers。
　'No；'　said　Hornblower。　Truth　to　tell；　he　had　never　even　handled　one。
　'Then　it　had　better　be　pistols；'　said　Preston。
　'Simpson　is　probably　a　good　shot；'　said　Danvers。　'I　wouldn't　care　to　stand　up　before　him　myself。'
　'Easy　now；'　said　Preston　hastily。　'Don't　dishearten　the　man。
　'I'm　not　disheartened；'　said　Hornblower；　'I　was　thinking　the　same　thing　myself。'
　'You're　cool　enough　about　it；　then；'　marvelled　Danvers。
　Hornblower　shrugged。
　'Maybe　I　am。　I　hardly　care。　But　I've　thought　that　we　might　make　the　chances　more　even。'
　'How？'
　'We　could　make　them　exactly　even；'　said　Hornblower；　taking　the　plunge。　'Have　two　pistols；　one　loaded　and　the　other　empty。　Simpson　and　I　would　take　our　choice　without　knowing　which　was　which。　Then　we　stand　within　a　yard　of　each　other；　and　at　the　word　we　fire。'
　'My　God！'　said　Danvers。
　'I　don't　think　that　would　be　legal；'　said　Preston。　'It　would　mean　one　of　you　would　be　killed　for　certain。'
　'Killing　is　the　object　of　duelling；'　said　Hornblower。　'If　the　conditions　aren't　unfair　I　don't　think　any　objection　can　be　raised。'
　'But　would　you　carry　it　out　to　the　end？'　marvelled　Danvers。
　'Mr　Danvers…'　began　Hornblower；　but　Preston　interfered。
　'We　don't　want　another　duel　on　our　hands；'　he　said。　Danvers　only　meant　he　wouldn't　care　to　do　it　himself。　We'll　discuss　it　with　Cleveland　and　Hether；　and　see　what　they　say。'
　Within　an　hour　the　proposed　conditions　of　the　duel　were　known　to　everyone　in　the　ship。　Perhaps　it　was　to　Simpson's　disadvantage　that　he　had　no　real　friend　in　the　ship；