bcornwell.sharpstiger-第66节

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　'Of　course　not；　sir。　You　think　I'm　not　scared　myself？　Jesus；　I　almost　fouled　my　breeches　when　that　bloody　tiger　jumped　at　me。　I've　never　seen　a　thing　move　so　bloody　fast。　But　I　wasn't　going　to　show　I　was　scared　in　front　of　bloody　Hakeswill。Hey；　you！　Are　you　in　charge？'　Sharpe　shouted　imperiously　at　a　man　who　squatted　beside　one　of　the　carts。　'Move　your　bloody　self；　I　want　the　cart。'
　The　man　sprang　aside　as　Sharpe　jerked　up　the　handles。　There　must　have　been　fifty　rockets　in　the　cart；　more　than　enough　for　Sharpe's　purpose。　Two　other　men　shouted　protests　at　Sharpe；　but　Lawford　waved　them　down。　'Colonel　Gudin　sent　us。　Understand？'　Lawford　said。　'Colonel　Gudin。　He　sent　us。'　The　Lieutenant　followed　Sharpe　down　the　street　leading　south　from　the　square。　'Those　two　men　are　ing　after　us；'　he　said　nervously。
　'Shout　at　the　buggers；　sir。　You're　an　officer！'
　'Back！'　Lawford　shouted。　'To　your　duties！　Go　on！　Now！　Do　as　I　say；　damn　your　eyes！　Go！'　He　paused；　then　gave　a　delighted　chuckle。　'Good　God；　Sharpe；　it　worked。'
　'Works　with　us；　sir；　should　work　with　them；'　Sharpe　said。　He　turned　a　corner　and　saw　the　towering　sculptures　of　the　big　Hindu　temple。　He　recognized　where　he　was　now　and　he　knew　the　alley　leading　to　the　mine　was　only　a　few　yards　away。　It　would　be　filled　with　guards；　but　Sharpe　now　had　a　whole　arsenal　of　his　own。
　'We　can't　do　anything　if　there　isn't　an　attack；'　Lawford　said。
　'I　know　that；　sir。'
　'So　what　do　we　do　if　there　isn't　an　assault？'
　'Hide；　sir。'
　'Where；　for　God's　sake？'
　'Lali　will　take　us　in；　sir。　You　remember　Lali；　don't　you；　sir？'
　Lawford　blushed　at　the　memory　of　his　introduction　to　Seringapatam's　brothels。　'You　really　believe　she'll　hide　us？'
　'She　thinks　you're　sweet；　sir。'　Sharpe　grinned。　T've　seen　her　a　couple　of　times　since　that　first　night；　sir；　and　she　always　asks　after　you。　I　reckon　you　made　a　conquest　there；　sir。'
　'Good　God；　Sharpe；　you　won't　tell　anyone？''Me；　sir？'　Sharpe　pretended　to　be　shocked。　'Not　a　word；　sir。'
　Then；　very　suddenly；　and　far　off；　muffled　by　distance　so　that　it　was　thin　and　wavering；　a　trumpet　sounded。
　And　every　gun　in　creation　seemed　to　fire　at　once。
　
　Baird　clambered　up　the　trench　wall；　climbed　over　the　sandbags　and　turned　to　face　his　men。　'Now；　my　brave　fellows；'　he　shouted　in　his　broad　Scottish　accent；　waving　his　sword　towards　the　city；　'follow　me　and　prove　yourselves　worthy　of　the　name　British　soldiers！'
　The　Forlorn　Hopes　were　already　on　their　way。　The　moment　Baird　had　climbed　out　of　the　trench　the　seventy…six　men　of　the　two　Hopes　had　scrambled　over　the　lip　and　began　running。　They　splashed　through　the　Little　Cauvery；　then　sprinted　towards　the　larger　river。　The　air　about　them　churned　with　noise。　Every　siege　gun　had　fired　at　almost　the　same　instant　and　the　breach　was　a　boiling　mass　of　dust；　while　the　huge　sound　of　the　guns　was　echoing　back　from　the　walls。　The　banners　of　Britain　streamed　as　the　leading　men　ran　into　the　South　Cauvery。　The　first　bullets　plucked　at　the　water；　throwing　up　small　fountains；　but　the　Forlorn　Hopes　did　not　notice　the　firing。　They　were　screaming　their　challenge　and　racing　each　other　to　be　first　up　the　breach。
　'Fire！'　the　Tippoo　shouted；　and　the　walls　of　the　city　were　rimmed　with　flame　and　smoke　as　a　thousand　muskets　poured　lead　down　into　the　South　Cauvery　and　out　towards　the　trenches。　Rockets　hissed　off　the　walls；　their　trails　twisting　madly　as　they　tangled　in　the　hot　air。　The　trumpet　was　still　sounding。　The　musketry　of　the　defenders　was　unending　as　men　simply　dropped　their　empty　guns；　snatched　up　loaded　ones　and　fired　into　the　smoke　cloud　that　edged　the　city。　The　sound　of　their　guns　was　like　a　giant　fire　crackling；　the　river　was　foaming　with　bullets　and　a　handful　of　redcoats　and　sepoys　were　jerking　and　thrashing　as　they　drowned　or　bled　to　death。'e　on！'　Sergeant　Graham　roared　as　he　stumbled　over　the　remains　of　the　mud　wall　that　had　penned　in　the　water　behind　the　glacis。　A　foot　of　muddy　water　still　lay　in　the　old　ditch；　but　Graham　ran　through　it　as　though　he　had　wings。　A　bullet　plucked　at　the　flag　in　his　left　hand。　'e　on；　you　bastards！'　he　shouted。　He　was　on　the　lower　slope　of　the　breach　now；　and　his　whole　world　was　nothing　but　noise　and　smoke　and　whipsawing　bullets。　It　was　a　tiny　place；　that　world；　a　hell　of　dust　and　fire　above　a　rubble　slope。　He　could　see　no　enemy；　for　those　above　him　were　hidden　by　their　own　musket　smoke；　but　then　the　defenders　on　the　inner　wall；　who　could　stare　straight　down　the　throat　of　the　breach　in　the　outer　wall；　saw　the　redcoats　clambering　up　the　ramp　and　opened　fire。　A　man　behind　Graham　collapsed　backwards　with　blood　gurgling　from　his　throat。　Another　pitched　forward　with　a　shattered　knee。
　Graham　reached　the　breach's　summit。　His　real　goal　was　the　wall　to　his　left；　but　the　summit　of　the　breach　felt　like　triumph　enough　and　he　rammed　the　flagstaff　deep　into　the　stones　and　dust。　'Lieutenant　Graham　now！'　he　shouted　exult…ingly；　and　a　bullet　immediately　snatched　him　off　the　summit　and　hurled　him　back　towards　his　men。
　It　was　just　then　that　the　Tippoo's　own　volunteers　struck。　Sixty　men　swarmed　up　from　behind　the　wall　with　sabres　and　muskets　to　meet　the　two　Forlorn　Hopes　on　the　crest　of　the　rubble　breach。　These　were　the　Tippoo's　best　men；　his　tigers；　the　warriors　of　Allah　who　had　been　promised　a　favoured　place　in　paradise；　and　they　screamed　with　exultation　as　they　attacked。　They　fired　a　musket　volley　as　they　climbed；　then　threw　down　the　empty　guns　to　attack　the　redcoats　with　bright　curved　swords。　Musket　barrels　parried　swords；　bayonets　lunged　and　were　cut　aside。　Men　swore　and　killed；　swore　and　died。　Some　men　fought　with　hands　and　boots；　they　gouged　and　bit　each　other　as　they　grappled　hand　to　hand　on　the　dusty　summit。　One　Bengali　sepoy　snatched　up　a　fallen　swordand　carved　a　way　to　the　foot　of　the　wall　where　it　climbed　up　from　the　breach　to　the　northern　ramparts。　A　Mysorean　volunteer　sliced　at　him；　the　sepoy　instinctively　parried；　then　cut　down　through　the　man's　brass　helmet　so　violently　that　the　blade　was　buried　and　trapped　in　his　enemy's　skull。　The　Bengali　left　it　there　and；　so　fevered　by　battle　that　he　did　not　realize　he　was　weaponless；　tried　to　scale　the　broken　wall's　flank　to　attack　the　defenders　waiting　on　the　firestep　above。　A　musket　shot　from　the　top　of　the　wall　hurled　him　backwards　and　he　slid；　dying　and　bleeding；　to　lodge　against　the　wounded　Graham。
　Baird　was　still　west　of　the　river。　His　job　was　not　to　die　with　the　Forlorn　Hopes；　but　to　lead　the　main　attack　up　the　path　they　had　cleared。　That　main　attack　now　formed　itself　into　two　columns　of　platoons。
　'Forward！'　Baird　shouted；　and　led　the　twin　columns　towards　the　river。　The　ground　ahead　was　being　pitted　by　bullets　as　if　an　invisible　hail　fell。　Behind　him　the　drummer　boys　were　sounding　the　advance　while　the　engineers；　laden　with　their　fascines　and　ladders；　walked　alongside　the　platoons。　Rockets　screamed　above　Baird；　their　trails　stitching　ropes　of　smoke　above　the　river。　Men　struggled　hand　to　hand　in　the　breach　and　the　walls　of　the　city　spat　flame　through　the　churning　rill　of　smoke。
　Hell　had　e　to　Seringapatam　and　Baird　hurried　towards　it。
　
　Jesus　Christ！'　Sharpe　swore；　for　he　could　hear　the　sudden　sound　of　battle　swelling　just　beyond　the　western　walls。　Men　were　dying　there。　Men　were　storming　a　breach　and　the　Tippoo's　mine　waited　for　them；　its　tons　of　powder　cunningly　crammed　into　a　stone　tunnel　and　poised　to　annihilate　a　whole　brigade。
　He　stopped　at　a　corner　of　the　alley　which　led　to　the　ancient　gateway　that　had　been　filled　with　the　explosives。　He　peeredround　the　corner　and　saw　Sergeant　Rothiere　and　two　Frenchmen　from　Gudin's　battalion。　All　three　were　standing　beside　a　barrel；　staring　up　at　the　inner　ramparts；　and　around　the　Europeans　was　a　guard　of　a　half…dozen　jettis；　all　armed　with　muskets　and　swords。　He　ducked　back　and　blew　the　priming　out　of　his　musket's　pan。　'Only　nine　or　ten　of　the　bastards；'　he　told　Lawford；　'so　let's　give　them　a　headache。'
　The　rockets　were　stacked　nose　first　on　the　cart　so　that　their　long　bamboo　tails　stuck　out　towards　the　cart's　handles。　Sharpe　went　to　the　front　of　the　cart；　seized　the　thin　boards　that　were　painted　with　gods　and　elephants；　and　wrenched　them　off。　They　came　away　easily；　their　nails　pulling　out　of　the　cart's　sides。　He　beat　off　the　last　slivers　of　wood　so　that　now　there　was　no　obstacle　in　front　of　the　lethal　cargo；　then　he　turned　the　cart　so　that　the　rockets'　tin　cones　were　pointing　towards　the　alley；　though　he　took　care　to　make　sure　that　the　cart　and　its　contents　were　still　hidden　from　the　men　waiting　beside　the　mine's　fuse。
　Lawford　said　nothing；　but　just　watched　as　Sharpe　tore　the　fuse　paper　from　one　of　the　rockets。　He　twisted　the　paper　into　a　spill；　then　pushed　it　into　the　musket's　empty　lock；　cocked　the　gun　and　pulled　the　trigger。　The　powder…impregnated　paper　immediately　caught　the　spark　and　started　burning。
　Sharpe　dropped　the　musket　and　began　lighting　the　fuses　of　the　topmost　row　of　rockets。　The　paper　in　his　hand　burned　fiercely；　but　he　managed　to　light　eight　of　the　weapons　before　he　was　forced　to　tear　off　another　fuse　and　use　it　to　light　more。　It　was　difficult　to　reach　between　the　rocket's　bamboo　sticks；　but　he　lit　another　ten　while　the　first　few　fuses　were　fizzing　and　smoking