bcornwell.sharpstiger-第57节

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ed　from　the　cannons　that　had　replaced　the　destroyed　guns　and　which　were　now　concealed　behind　the　mutilated　ramparts。　Thousands　of　rockets　were　also　ready。　At　long　range　the　weapon　was　erratic；　but　in　the　close　confines　of　a　breach；　where　men　were　crammed　as　tight　as　sheep　in　a　pen；　the　rockets　could　inflict　a　dreadful　slaughter。　'We　shall　stuff　hell　with　infidel　souls；'　the　Tippoo　boasted；　though　at　every　prayer　time　he　took　care　to　beseech　Allah　for　an　early　monsoon　and　every　dawn　he　would　look　at　the　sky　in　hope　of　seeing　some　signs　of　rain；　but　the　skies　remained　obstinately　clear。　An　early　monsoon　would　drown　the　British　in　torrential　rain　before　the　rockets　and　guns　could　cut　them　to　bloody　shreds；　but　it　seemed　the　rains　would　not　e　early　to　Mysore　this　year。
　The　skies　might　be　clear；　but　every　other　omen　was　good。　The　ill　luck　that　had　led　to　the　loss　of　the　mill　fort　had　been　diverted　by　the　sacrifice　of　the　British　prisoners　and　now　the　Tippoo's　dreams　and　auguries　spoke　only　of　victory。　The　Tippoo　recorded　his　dreams　each　morning；　writing　them　down　in　a　large　book　before　discussing　their　portents　with　his　advisers。　His　diviners　peered　into　pots　of　heated　oil　to　read　the　shifting　coloured　swirls　on　the　surface；　and　those　shimmering　signs；　like　the　dreams；　forecast　a　great　victory。　The　British　would　be　destroyed　in　southern　India　and　then；　when　the　French　sent　troops　to　reinforce　Mysore's　growing　empire；　the　redcoats　would　be　scoured　from　the　north　of　the　country。　Their　bones　would　bleach　on　the　sites　of　their　defeats　and　their　silken　colours　would　fade　on　the　walls　of　the　Tippoo's　great　palaces。　The　tiger　would　rule　from　the　snowy　mountains　of　the　north　to　the　palm…edged　beaches　of　thesouth；　and　from　the　Coromandel　Coast　to　the　seas　off　Malabar。　All　that　glory　was　foretold　by　the　dreams　and　by　the　glistening　auguries　of　the　oil。
　But　then；　one　dawn；　it　seemed　the　auguries　might　be　deceiving；　for　the　British　suddenly　unmasked　four　of　their　newly　made　breaching　batteries　and　the　great　guns　crashed　back　on　their　trails　and　the　intricate　network　of　trenches　and　earthworks　was　shrouded　by　the　giant　gusts　of　smoke　that　were　belched　out　with　every　thunderous　recoil。
　The　balls　were　not　aimed　where　the　Tippoo　had　hoped；　at　the　vulnerable　part　of　the　wall　behind　the　missing　section　of　glacis；　but　at　the　city's　mighty　north…west　bastion：　a　plex　of　battlements　that　loomed　high　above　the　river　and；　from　its　topmost　ramparts；　dominated　both　the　northern　and　western　walls。　The　whole　city　seemed　to　shake　as　the　balls　slammed　home　again　and　again　and　every　strike　sprang　dust　from　the　old　masonry　until　at　last　the　first　stones　fell。　From　the　north　bank　of　the　river；　where　the　smaller　British　camp　was　sited；　more　guns　added　their　fire　and　still　more　stones　tumbled　down　into　the　ditches　as　the　gunners　gnawed　away　at　the　great　bastion。
　Next　day　more　of　the　siege　guns　opened　fire；　but　these　new　weapons　were　aimed　at　the　cavaliers　at　the　very　southern　end　of　the　western　wall。　There　were　small　cannon　mounted　in　those　cavaliers；　but　their　embrasures　were　destroyed　in　less　than　a　morning's　work　and　the　defenders'　guns　were　hurled　back　off　their　carriages。　And　still　the　batteries　hammered　at　the　north…west　bastion　until；　an　hour　after　midday；　the　great　fortification　collapsed。　At　first　the　sound　of　the　bastion's　fall　was　like　the　creak　and　groan　of　a　deep　earthquake；　then　it　turned　into　a　rumble　like　thunder　as　the　massive　battlements　disintegrated　beneath　a　huge　cloud　of　dust　that　slowly　drifted　to　settle　on　the　Cauvery　so　that；　for　almost　a　mile　downstream；　the　water　was　turned　as　white　as　milk。　There　was　an　eerie　silence　after　the　bastion　had　been　toppled；　for　the　besiegers'guns　had　fallen　silent。　The　Tippoo's　troops　rushed　to　the　walls；　their　muskets　and　rockets　ready；　but　no　attackers　stirred　from　the　British　lines。　Their　impudent　flags　flapped　in　the　breeze；　but　the　redcoats　and　their　native　allies　stayed　in　their　trenches。
　A　brave　man　of　the　Tippoo's　army　ventured　up　the　mound　of　rubble　that　had　been　the　north…west　corner　of　the　city's　defences。　Dust　coated　the　tiger　stripes　of　his　tunic　as　he　clambered　across　the　unsteady　ruins　to　find　the　green　flag　that　had　been　flying　from　the　bastion's　topmost　rampart。　He　retrieved　the　flag；　shook　the　dust　from　its　folds；　and　waved　it　in　the　air。　One　enemy　gunner　saw　the　movement　on　top　of　the　rubble　heap　and　fired　his　huge　gun。　The　ball　screamed　through　the　dust；　ricocheted　from　a　boulder　and　bounced　on　up　over　the　northern　defences　to　fall　into　the　whitened　river。　The　soldier；　unscathed；　waved　the　flag　again；　then　planted　its　broken　staff　at　the　summit　of　the　bastion's　ruins。
　The　Tippoo　inspected　the　damage　to　his　western　defences。　The　guns　were　gone　from　the　southern　cavaliers；　and　the　north…west　bastion　was　untenable；　but　there　was　no　breach　in　either　place　and　both　the　outer　and　inner　walls　were　undamaged。　The　low　glacis　had　protected　the　bottom　part　of　the　walls；　and　though　some　of　the　north…west　bastion's　stones　had　fallen　into　the　flooded　ditch　there　was　no　ramp　up　which　a　storming　party　could　climb。　'What　they　were　doing；'　the　Tippoo　announced　to　his　entourage；　'was　destroying　our　flanking　guns。　Which　means　they　still　plan　to　attack　in　the　centre　of　the　wall。　Which　is　where　we　want　them　to　attack。'
　Colonel　Gudin　agreed。　For　a　time；　like　the　Tippoo；　he　had　been　worried　that　the　British　bombardment　meant　that　they　planned　to　enter　the　city　at　its　north…western　corner；　but　now；　in　the　lull　after　the　collapse　of　the　towers；　the　enemy's　strategy　seemed　plain。　They　had　not　been　trying　to　make　a　breach；　but　instead　had　knocked　down　the　two　places　where　theTippoo　could　mount　high　guns　to　plunge　their　fire　onto　the　flanks　of　the　storming　troops。　The　breach　would　be　made　next。　'It　will　be　where　we　want　it　to　be；　I'm　sure；'　Gudin　confirmed　the　Tippoo's　guess。
　The　man　who　had　planted　the　flag　on　the　crest　of　the　fallen　bastion　was　brought　to　the　Tippoo　on　the　western　wall　close　to　where　the　towers　had　fallen。　The　Tippoo　rewarded　him　with　a　purse　of　gold。　The　man　was　a　Hindu；　and　that　pleased　the　Tippoo　who　worried　about　such　men's　loyalties。　'Is　he　one　of　yours？'　he　asked　Appah　Rao　who　was　acpanying　the　Tippoo　on　the　inspection。
　'No；　Your　Majesty。'
　The　Tippoo　suddenly　turned　and　gazed　up　into　the　tall　Appah　Rao's　face。　He　was　frowning。　'Those　wretched　men　of　Gudin's；'　the　Tippoo　said；　'wasn't　there　a　woman　with　them？'
　'Yes；　Your　Majesty。'
　'And　didn't　she　go　to　your　house？'　the　Tippoo　charged　Appah　Rao。
　'She　did；　Highness；　but　she　died。'　Appah　Rao　told　the　lie　smoothly。
　The　Tippoo　was　intrigued。　'Died？'
　'She　was　a　drab　sick　creature；'　Appah　Rao　said　carelessly；　'and　just　died。　As　should　the　men　who　brought　her　here。'　He　still　feared　that　the　arrest　of　Sharpe　and　Lawford　could　lead　to　his　own　betrayal　and；　though　he　did　not　truly　wish　them　dead；　nor　did　he　wish　the　Tippoo　to　believe　that　he　desired　them　to　live。
　'Those　two　will　die；'　the　Tippoo　promised　grimly；　his　query　about　Mary　apparently　forgotten。　'They　will　surely　die；'　he　promised　again　as　he　clambered　up　the　ruins　of　the　northwestern　bastion。　'We　shall　either　offer　their　black　souls　to　avert　ill　fortune；　or　we　shall　sacrifice　them　as　thanks　for　our　victory。'　He　would　prefer　the　latter；　and　he　imagined　killing　the　two　men　on　the　very　same　day　that　he　first　ascended　thesilver　steps　of　his　tiger　throne；　the　throne　he　had　sworn　never　to　use　until　his　enemies　were　destroyed。　He　felt　a　fierce　pang　of　anticipation。　The　redcoats　would　e　to　his　city　and　there　they　would　be　seared　by　the　fires　of　vengeance　and　crushed　by　falling　stone。　Their　groans　would　echo　through　the　days　of　their　dying；　and　then　the　rains　would　e　and　the　sluggish　Cauvery　would　swell　into　its　full　drowning　spate　and　the　remaining　British；　who　were　already　low　on　food；　would　have　no　choice　but　to　withdraw。　They　would　leave　their　guns　behind　and　begin　their　long　journey　across　Mysore　and　every　mile　of　their　retreat　would　be　dogged　by　the　Tippoo's　lancers　and　sabremen。　The　vultures　would　grow　fat　this　year；　and　a　trail　of　sun…whitened　bones　would　be　left　across　India　until　the　very　last　red…coated　man　died。　And　there；　the　Tippoo　decided；　where　the　last　Englishman　died；　he　would　erect　a　high　pillar　of　marble；　white　and　gleaming　and　crowned　with　a　snarling　tiger's　head。
　The　muezzin's　call　echoed　across　the　city；　summoning　the　faithful　to　prayer。　The　sound　was　beautiful　in　the　silence　after　the　guns。　The　Tippoo；　obedient　to　his　God；　hurried　towards　his　palace　with　one　last　backward　glance　at　the　damned。　They　could　make　their　breach；　they　could　cross　the　river　and　they　could　e　to　his　walls。　But　once　at　the　walls　they　would　die。
　
　'T…I…K；'　Sharpe　said；　scratching　the　letters　in　the　dust　of　the　cell's　floor　where　he　had　cleared　a　patch　of　straw。　'L…O…K。'
　'Picklock；'　Lawford　said。　'Very　good；　but　you've　left　out　two　CV
　'But　I've　got　the　picklock；　sir；'　Sharpe　said；　and　produced　it　from　his　coat　pocket。　It　was　a　small　cluster　of　metal　shafts；　some　curiously　bent　at　their　tips；　which　he　quickly　hid　once　he　had　shown　it　to　Lawford。
　〃Why　didn't　they　find　it？'　Lawford　asked。　Both　men　had　been　searched　when　they　had　been　taken　to　the　palace　afterthe