bcornwell.sharpstiger-第60节

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　British　lines　marked　the　wall's　collapse。
　It　crumpled　slowly；　jetting　a　cloud　of　dust　into　the　air；　a　cloud　so　thick　that　at　first　no　man　could　see　the　extent　of　the　damage；　but　as　the　small　wind　cleared　the　smoke　away　from　the　guns　and　the　dust　from　the　wall　they　could　see　that　a　breach　had　been　made。　The　limewashed　wall　now　had　a　gap　twenty　yards　wide；　and　the　gap　was　filled　with　a　mound　of　rubble　up　which　a　man　could　climb　so　long　as　he　was　unencumbered　by　anything　other　than　a　musket；　a　bayonet　and　his　cartridge　box。　That　made　the　breach　practicable。
　Yet　still　the　guns　fired。　Now　the　gunners　were　trying　to　flatten　the　slope　of　the　breach　and　some　of　their　shots　ricocheted　up　to　the　inner　wall　and　for　a　time　Gudin　feared　that　the　British　were　planning　to　blast　a　passage　clean　through　that　new　inner　rampart；　but　then　the　gunners　lowered　their　aim　to　keep　their　balls　hammering　at　the　newly　made　breach　or　else　to　gnaw　at　the　shoulders　of　the　outer　wall's　gap。
　
　A　half…mile　away　from　Gudin；　in　the　British　lines；　General　Harris　and　General　Baird　stared　at　the　breach　through　their　telescopes。　Now；　for　the　first　time；　they　could　inspect　a　short　stretch　of　the　new　inner　wall。　'It　isn't　as　high　as　I　feared；'　Harris　mented。
　'Let's　pray　it's　unfinished；'　Baird　growled。'But　still　I　think　it's　better　to　ignore　it；'　Harris　decreed。　'Capture　the　outer　wall　first。'
　Baird　turned　to　stare　at　some　clouds　that　lay　heavy　and　low　on　the　western　horizon。　He　feared　the　clouds　presaged　rain。　'We　could　go　tonight；　sir；'　he　suggested。　Baird　was　remembering　the　forty…four　months　he　had　endured　in　the　Tippoo's　dungeons；　some　of　them　spent　chained　to　the　wall　of　his　cell；　and　he　wanted　revenge。　He　was　also　eager　to　get　the　bloody　business　of　storming　the　city　done。
　Harris　collapsed　his　glass。　'Tomorrow；'　he　said　firmly；　and　scratched　beneath　the　edge　of　his　wig。　'We　risk　more　by　rushing　things。　We'll　do　it　properly；　and　we'll　do　it　tomorrow。'
　That　night　a　handful　of　British　officers　crept　out　from　the　leading　trenches　with　small　white　cotton　flags　attached　to　bamboo　poles。　The　sky　was　laced　with　a　tracery　of　thin　clouds　that　intermittently　hid　the　waning　moon；　and　in　the　cloud　shadows　the　officers　explored　the　South　Cauvery　to　find　the　river's　treacherous　deep　pools。　They　marked　the　shallows　with　their　flags　and　so　pointed　the　path　towards　the　breach。
　And　all　through　that　night　the　assault　troops　filed　down　the　long　trenches。　Harris　was　determined　that　his　assault　would　be　overwhelming。　He　would　not　tickle　the　city；　he　told　Baird；　but　swamp　it　with　men；　and　so　Baird　would　lead　two　columns　of　troops；　half　of　them　British　and　half　sepoys；　but　nearly　all　of　them　prime　men　from　the　army's　elite　flanking　panies。　The　six　thousand　attackers　would　either　be　grenadiers；　who　were　the　biggest　and　strongest　men；　or　else　from　the　light　panies　who　were　the　quickest　and　cleverest　soldiers；　and　those　picked　men　would　be　acpanied　by　a　detachment　of　Hyderabad's　finest　warriors。　The　attackers　would　also　be　acpanied　by　engineers　carrying　fascines　to　fill　in　any　ditches　that　the　defenders　might　have　dug　on　the　breach's　summit　and　bamboo　ladders　to　scale　the　edges　of　the　breach。　Volunteer　gunners　would　follow　the　leading　troops　up　onto　the　ramparts　and　there　turn　the　Tippoo's　own　cannonagainst　the　defenders　on　the　inner　wall。　Two　Forlorn　Hopes　would　go　ahead　of　the　columns；　each　Hope　posed　solely　of　volunteers　and　each　led　by　a　sergeant　who　would　be　made　an　officer　if　he　survived。　Both　the　Forlorn　Hopes　would　carry　the　British　colours　into　the　breach；　and　those　colour　bearers　would　be　the　very　first　men　to　climb　into　the　enemy's　guns。　Once　on　the　breach　the　Forlorn　Hopes　were　ordered　not　to　go　on　into　the　space　between　the　walls；　but　to　climb　the　broken　stumps　of　the　shoulders　either　side　of　the　breach's　ramp　and　from　there　lead　the　fight　north　and　south　around　the　whole　ring　of　Seringapatam's　ramparts。
　'God　knows；'　Harris　said　that　night　at　supper；　'but　I　can　think　of　nothing　left　undone。　Can　you；　Baird？'
　'No；　sir；　I　can't；'　Baird　said。　'Upon　my　soul；　I　can't。'　He　was　trying　to　sound　cheerful；　but　it　was　still　a　subdued　meal；　though　Harris　had　done　his　best　to　make　it　festive。　His　table　was　spread　with　a　linen　cloth　and　was　lit　by　fine　spermaceti　candles　that　burned　with　a　pure　white　light。　The　General's　cooks　had　killed　their　last　chickens　to　provide　a　change　from　the　usual　half…ration　of　beef；　but　none　of　the　officers　round　the　table　had　much　appetite；　nor；　it　seemed；　any　enthusiasm　for　conversation。　Meer　Allum；　the　mander　of　the　Hyderabad　army；　did　his　best　to　encourage　his　allies；　but　only　Wellesley　seemed　capable　of　responding　to　his　remarks。
　Colonel　Gent；　who　as　well　as　being　Harris's　chief　engineer；　had　taken　on　himself　the　collation　of　what　intelligence　came　out　of　the　city；　poured　himself　some　wine。　It　was　rancid　stuff；　soured　by　its　long　journey　from　Europe　and　by　the　heat　of　India。　'There's　a　rumour；'　he　said　heavily　when　a　break　in　the　desultory　conversation　had　stretched　for　too　long；　'that　the　heathen　bastards　have　planted　a　mine。'
　'There　are　always　such　rumours；'　Baird　said　curtly。
　'A　bit　late　to　tell　us；　surely？'　Harris　remonstrated　mildly。
　'Only　heard　of　it　today；　sir；'　Gent　said　defensively。　'One　of　their　cavalry　fellows　deserted。　He　could　be　making　up　tales；
　
　***　MISSING　PAGE　？？？　***
　
　would　regard　the　appointment　as　a　slight；　yet　in　truth　Baird's　hatred　of　all　things　Indian　disqualified　him　from　such　a　post。　Britain　needed　a　friendly　Mysore；　and　Wellesley　was　a　tactful　man　who　harboured　no　prejudice　against　natives。　'Good　of　you；　Wellesley；'　Harris　said　when　the　toast　had　been　drunk。　'Very　good　of　you；　I'm　sure。'
　'This　time　tomorrow；'　Meer　Allum　said　in　his　odd　English　accent；　'we　shall　all　dine　in　the　Tippoo's　palace。　Drink　from　his　silver　and　eat　from　his　gold。'
　'I　pray　that　we　do；'　Harris　said；　'and　I　pray　we　manage　it　without　grievous　loss。'　He　scratched　his　old　wound　beneath　his　wig。
　The　officers　were　still　sombre　when　the　meal　ended。　Harris　bade　them　a　good　night；　then　stood　for　a　while　outside　his　tent　staring　at　the　moon…glossed　walls　of　the　distant　city。　The　limewashed　ramparts　seemed　to　glow　white；　beckoning　him；　but　to　what？　He　went　to　his　bed　where　he　slept　badly　and；　in　his　waking　moments；　found　himself　rehearsing　excuses　for　failure。　Baird　also　stayed　awake　for　a　while；　but　drank　a　good　measure　of　whisky　and；　afterwards；　in　full　uniform　and　with　his　big　claymore　propped　beside　his　cot；　he　slipped　in　and　out　of　a　restless　sleep。　Wellesley　slept　well。　The　men　crammed　in　the　trenches　hardly　slept　at　all。
　Bugles　greeted　the　dawn。　The　storm　clouds　had　thickened　in　the　west；　but　there　was　no　rain；　and　the　rising　sun　soon　burned　the　small　wispy　clouds　from　above　the　city。　The　assaulting　troops　crouched　in　the　trenches　where　they　could　not　be　seen　from　Seringapatam's　walls。　The　small　white　flags　fluttered　in　the　river。　The　siege　guns　kept　firing；　some　attempting　to　open　the　breach　wider；　but　most　just　trying　to　discourage　the　defenders　from　making　any　attempt　to　repair　the　breach　or　place　obstacles　on　its　forward　slope。　The　undamaged　ramparts　gleamed　white　in　the　sun；　while　the　breach　appeared　as　a　red…brown　scar　in　the　long　city　wall。The　Tippoo　had　spent　the　night　in　a　small　sentry　shelter　on　the　north　walls。　He　woke　early　for　he　expected　an　attack　at　dawn　and　he　had　ordered　that　all　his　soldiers　should　be　ready　on　the　walls；　but　no　assault　came　and；　as　the　sun　climbed　higher；　he　allowed　some　of　the　defenders　back　to　their　barracks　to　rest　while　he　himself　went　to　the　Inner　Palace。　He　sensed　a　nervous　expectancy　in　the　crowded　streets；　and　he　himself　was　a　troubled　man　for　during　his　restless　night　he　had　dreamed　of　monkeys；　and　monkeys　were　ever　a　bad　omen；　and　the　Tippoo's　mood　was　not　helped　when　his　diviners　reported　that　the　oil　in　their　pots　had　been　clouded。　Today；　it　seemed；　was　an　inauspicious　day；　but　luck；　as　the　Tippoo　knew；　was　malleable　and　he　attempted　to　change　the　day's　ill…starred　beginning　by　giving　gifts。　He　summoned　a　Hindu　priest　and　presented　the　man　with　an　elephant；　a　sack　of　oilseed　and　a　purse　of　gold。　To　the　Brahmins　who　acpanied　the　priest　he　gave　a　bullock；　a　nanny　goat；　two　buffalo；　a　black　hat；　a　black　coat　and　one　of　his　precious　pots　of　divining　oil。　Then　he　washed　his　hands　and　donned　a　cloth…padded　war　helmet　that　had　been　dipped　in　a　sacred　fountain　to　make　its　wearer　invulnerable。　On　his　right　arm；　his　sword　arm；　he　wore　a　silver　amulet　inscribed　with　verses　from　the　Koran。　A　servant　pinned　the　great　red　ruby　onto　the　helmet's　plume；　the　Tippoo　slung　the　gold…hilted　sword　at　his　waist；　then　went　back　to　the　western　walls。
　Nothing　had　changed。　Beyond　the　gently　flowing　South　Cauvery　the　sun　baked　the　ground　where　the　British　guns　still　fired。　Their　massive　round　shots　churned　up　the　rubble　ramp；　but　no　redcoats　stirred　from　their　trenches　and　the　only　signs　that　an　assault　might　be　imminent　were　the　small　pennants　stuck　in　the　river　bed。
　'They　want　another　day　to　widen　the　breach；'　an　officer　opined。
　Colonel　Gudin　shook　his　head。　'They'll　e　today；'　he　insisted。
　The　Tippoo　grunted。　He　was　standing　just　north　of　thebreach　from　where　he　watched　th