bcornwell.sharpstiger-第28节

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　'God　knows；'　Lawford　said　bitterly；　'but　you've　probably　jumped　out　of　the　frying　pan　into　the　fire。'
　Til　take　my　chances；'　Mary　said　obstinately；　though　she　had　taken　what　care　she　could　to　reduce　her　chances　of　being　raped。　She　had　dressed　herself　in　a　torn　dark　frock　and　a　filthy　apron；　both　garments　as　drab　and　greasy　as　she　could　find。　She　had　smeared　ashes　and　dirt　into　her　hair；　but　she　had　done　nothing　to　disguise　the　lively　beauty　in　her　face。　'Besides；'　she　said　to　Lawford；　'neither　you　nor　Richard　speak　any　of　the　languages。　You　need　me。　And　I　brought　some　more　food。'　She　hoisted　the　cloth　bundle。
　Lawford　grunted。　Behind　them　the　horizon　was　now　marked　with　a　pale　glow　that　silhouetted　trees　and　bushes。　He　guessed　they　had　travelled　about　a　dozen　miles　and；　as　the　pale　glow　turned　brighter　and　the　dawn's　light　seeped　across　the　landscape；　he　suggested　they　stop　and　rest。　Mary's　bundle　held　a　half…dozen　loaves　of　flat　unleavened　bread　and　had　two　canteens　of　water　which　they　shared　as　theirbreakfast。　After　he　had　eaten；　Lawford　went　into　the　bushes　for　privacy　and；　as　he　came　back；　he　saw　Sharpe　hit　Mary　hard　in　the　face。　'For　God's　sake；　man；'　Lawford　shouted；　'what　are　you　doing？'
　'Blacking　my　eye；'　Mary　answered。　'I　asked　him　to。'
　'Dear　God！'　Lawford　said。　Mary's　left　eye　was　already　swelling；　and　tears　were　running　down　her　cheeks。　'Whatever　for？'
　'Keep　the　buggers　off　her；　of　course；'　Sharpe　said。　'Are　you　all　right；　love？'
　'I'll　live；'　Mary　said。　'You　hit　hard；　Richard。'
　'No　point　in　hitting　softly。　Didn't　mean　to　hurt　you；　though。'
　Mary　splashed　water　on　her　eye；　then　they　all　started　walking　again。　They　were　now　in　an　open　stretch　of　country　that　was　dotted　with　groves　of　bright…blossomed　trees。　There　were　no　villages　in　sight；　though　they　did　e　to　an　aqueduct　an　hour　after　dawn　and　wasted　another　hour　trying　to　find　a　way　across　before　simply　plunging　into　the　weed…filled　water　and　wading　through。　Seringapatam　lay　well　below　the　horizon；　but　Lawford　knew　the　city　was　almost　due　west　and　he　planned　to　angle　southwards　until　he　reached　the　Cauvery　and　then　follow　that　river　to　the　city。
　The　Lieutenant's　spirits　were　low。　He　had　volunteered　for　this　mission　readily　enough；　but　in　the　night　it　had　begun　to　dawn　on　him　just　how　risky　the　errand　was。　He　felt　lonely　too。　He　was　only　two　years　older　than　Sharpe　and　he　envied　Sharpe　Mary's　panionship；　and　he　still　resented　the　Private's　lack　of　deference。　He　did　not　dare　express　that　resentment；　for　he　knew　it　would　be　scorned；　but　nor　did　he　really　wish　to　express　it；　for　he　had　discovered　that　he　wanted　Sharpe's　admiration　rather　than　his　deference。　Lawford　wanted　to　prove　that　he　was　as　tough　as　the　Private；　and　that　desire　kept　him　stoically　walking　on　towards　the　horrid　unknown。Sharpe　was　equally　worried。　He　liked　Lawford；　but　suspected　he　would　have　to　work　hard　to　keep　the　Lieutenant　out　of　trouble。　He　was　a　quick　study；　the　Lieutenant；　but　so　ignorant　of　the　world's　ways　that　he　could　easily　betray　the　fact　that　he　was　no　mon　soldier。　As　for　the　Tippoo；　he　was　an　unknown　danger；　but　Sharpe　was　canny　enough　to　know　that　he　would　have　to　do　whatever　the　Tippoo's　men　wanted。　He　worried　about　Mary　too。　He　had　persuaded　her　to　e　on　this　fool's　errand；　and　she　had　not　taken　much　persuading；　but　now　she　was　here　Sharpe　was　concerned　that　he　could　not　protect　both　her　and　Lawford。　But　despite　his　worries　he　still　felt　free。　He　was；　after　all；　off　the　army's　leash　and　he　reckoned　he　could　survive　so　long　as　Lawford　made　no　mistake；　and　if　Sharpe　survived　he　knew　how　to　prosper。　The　rules　were　simple：　trust　no　one；　be　ever　watchful　and　if　trouble　came　hit　first　and　hit　hard。　It　had　worked　for　him　so　far。
　Mary　too　had　doubts。　She　had　persuaded　herself　she　was　in　love　with　Sharpe；　but　she　sensed　a　restlesness　in　him　that　made　her　think　he　might　not　always　be　in　love　with　her。　Still；　she　was　happier　here　than　back　with　the　army；　and　that　was　not　just　because　of　Sergeant　Hakeswill's　threat　but　because；　although　the　army　was　the　only　life　Mary　had　ever　known；　she　sensed　the　world　could　offer　her　more。　She　had　grown　up　in　Calcutta　and；　though　her　mother　had　been　Indian；　Mary　had　never　felt　at　home　in　either　the　army　or　in　India。　She　was　neither　one　thing　nor　the　other。　To　the　army　she　was　a　bibbi；　while　to　the　Indians　she　was　outside　their　castes；　and　she　was　acceptable　to　neither。　She　was　a　half…breed；　suspended　in　a　purgatory　of　distrust；　with　only　her　looks　to　help　her　survive；　and　though　the　army　was　the　place　that　provided　the　friendliest　pany；　it　hardly　offered　a　secure　future。　Ahead　of　her　stretched　a　succession　of　husbands；　each　one　succeeding　as　the　previous　one　was　killed　in　battle　or　else　died　of　a　fever；　and　when　she　was　too　old　to　attract　another　man　she　would　be　left　with　her　children　to　fend　asbest　she　could。　Mary；　just　like　Sharpe；　wanted　to　find　some　way　up　and　out　of　that　fate；　but　how　she　was　to　do　it　she　did　not　know；　though　this　expedition　at　least　gave　her　a　chance　to　break　temporarily　out　of　the　trap。
　Lawford　led　them　to　a　slight　hill　from　where；　screened　by　flowering　bushes；　he　scanned　the　country　ahead。　He　thought　he　could　see　a　gleam　of　water　to　the　south　and　the　small　glimpse　was　sufficient　to　persuade　him　that　it　must　be　the　River　Cauvery。　'That　way；'　he　said；　'but　we'll　have　to　avoid　the　villages。'　There　were　two　in　sight；　both　barring　the　direct　path　to　the　river。
　'The　villagers　will　see　us　anyway；'　Mary　said。　'They　don't　miss　much。'
　'We're　not　here　to　trouble　them；'　Lawford　said；　'so　perhaps　they'll　leave　us　alone？'
　'Turn　our　coats；　Bill；'　Sharpe　suggested。
　'Turn　our　coats？'
　'We're　running；　aren't　we？　So　put　your　coat　on　back　to　front　as　a　sign　that　you're　on　the　run。'
　'The　villagers　will　hardly　realize　the　significance　of　that；'　Lawford　observed　tartly。
　'Bugger　the　villagers；'　Sharpe　said。　'It's　the　Tippoo's　bloody　men　I'm　worried　about。　If　those　bastards　see　red　coats；　they'll　shoot　before　they　ask　questions。'　Sharpe　had　already　undone　his　crossbelts　and　was　shrugging　off　the　wool　coat；　grunting　with　the　pain　that　the　exertion　gave　to　his　back。　Lawford；　watching；　saw　that　blood　had　seeped　through　the　thick　bandages　to　stain　the　dirty　shirt。
　Lawford　was　reluctant　to　turn　his　coat。　A　turned　coat　was　a　sign　of　disgrace。　Battalions　that　had　let　the　army　down　in　battle　were　sometimes　forced　to　turn　their　coats　as　a　badge　of　shame；　but　once　again　the　Lieutenant　saw　the　wisdom　of　Sharpe's　argument　and　so　he　stripped　and　turned　his　coat　so　that　its　grey　lining　was　outermost。　'Maybe　we　shouldn't　carry　the　muskets？〃　he　suggested。'No　deserter　would　throw　away　his　gun；'　Sharpe　answered。　He　buckled　his　belt　over　the　turned　coat　and　picked　up　his　gun　and　pack。　He　had　carried　the　pack　in　his　hand　all　night　rather　than　have　its　weight　press　on　his　wounds。　'Are　you　ready？'
　'In　a　moment；'　Lawford　said；　then；　to　Sharpe's　surprise；　the　Lieutenant　went　on　one　knee　and　said　a　silent　prayer。　'I　don't　pray　often；'　Lawford　admitted　as　he　stood；　'but　maybe　some　help　from　on　high　would　be　providential　today。'　For　today；　Lawford　guessed；　would　be　the　day　they　would　meet　die　Tippoo's　patrols。
　They　walked　south　towards　the　gleam　of　water。　All　three　were　tired；　and　Sharpe　was　plainly　weakened　by　the　loss　of　blood；　but　anticipation　gave　them　all　a　nervous　energy。　They　skirted　the　nearest　village；　watched　by　cows　with　pendulous　folds　of　skin　hanging　beneath　their　necks；　then　they　walked　through　groves　of　cocoa　trees　as　the　sun　climbed。　They　saw　no　one。　A　deer　skittered　away　from　their　path　in　the　late　morning　and　an　hour　later　an　excited　troupe　of　small　monkeys　scampered　beside　diem。　At　midday　they　rested　in　the　small　shade　offered　by　a　grove　of　bamboos；　then　pressed　on　again　beneath　the　baking　sun。　By　early　afternoon　the　river　was　in　sight　and　Lawford　suggested　they　should　rest　on　its　bank。　Mary's　eye　had　swollen　and　blackened；　giving　her　the　grotesque　look　she　believed　would　protect　her。
　T　could　do　with　a　rest　now；'　Sharpe　admitted。　The　pain　was　terrible　and　every　step　was　now　an　agony。　'And　I　need　to　wet　the　bandages。'
　'Wet　them？'　Lawford　asked。
　'That's　what　that　bastard　Micklewhite　said。　Said　to　keep　the　bandages　damp　or　else　the　stripes　won't　heal。'
　'We'll　wet　them　at　the　river；'　Lawford　promised。
　But　they　never　reached　the　river　bank。　They　were　walking　beside　some　beech　trees　when　a　shout　sounded　behind　them　and　Sharpe　turned　to　see　horsemen　ing　from　the　west。They　were　fine…looking　men　in　tiger…striped　tunics　and　with　spiring　brass　helmets　who　couched　their　lances　and　galloped　hard　towards　the　three　fugitives。　Sharpe's　heart　pounded。　He　stepped　ahead　of　his　panions　and　held　up　a　hand　to　show　they　meant　no　harm；　but　the　leading　lancer　only　grinned　in　reply　and　lowered　his　lance　point　as　he　pricked　back　his　spurs。
　Sharpe　shook　his　head　and　waved；　then　realized　the　man　intended　to　skewer　the　spear　into　his　belly。　'Bastard！'　Sharpe　shouted；　and　dropped　his　pack　and　put　both　hands　on　his　musket　as　though　it　was　a　quarterstaff。　Mary　screamed　in　terror。
　'No！'　Lawford　shouted　at　the　galloping　lancers。　'No！'
　The　lancer　thrust　his　blade　at　Sharpe　who　knocked　the　spear　point　aside　with　the　muzzle　of　the