bcornwell.sharpstiger-第71节

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nquin's　tiger…striped　canopy。　The　Tippoo　turned　and　glanced　up　at　the　walls　to　see　what　progress　the　attackers　were　making。　There　was　fighting　on　both　walls　now；　and　the　city　was　plainly　doomed；　but　the　defenders　were　still　resisting　stubbornly。　The　Tippoo　felt　a　pang　at　deserting　them；　but　swore　he　would　avenge　them　yet。　He　rejected　the　palanquin。　It　was　a　slow　vehicle　in　which　to　make　a　retreat；　while　inside　the　city；　just　on　the　other　side　of　the　inner　wall；　he　had　stables　filled　with　fine　horses。　He　would　choose　his　swiftest　horse；　snatch　up　some　gold　to　pay　those　men　who　stayed　loyal；　then　flee　through　the　city's　unthreatened　Bangalore　Gate　and　from　there　turn　north　towards　his　great　hill　fortresses。
　Above　the　Tippoo　the　city's　last　defenders　retreated　slowly。　The　city　was　falling　to　the　redcoats　under　a　pall　of　smoke；　and　God　had　willed　it；　but　God　might　yet　permit　the　Tippoo　to　fight　another　day　and　so；　rifle　in　hand；　he　headed　for　the　inner　Water　Gate。
　The　palanquin　was　carried　by　eight　men；　two　to　each　of　its　four　long　gilded　handles。　When　Sharpe　first　saw　it；　the　clumsy　vehicle　was　being　hurried　away　from　the　palace　by　two　robed　chamberlains　who　lashed　at　the　bearers　with　their　tiger…headed　staves。　For　a　second　Sharpe　thought　the　Tippoo　must　be　inside　the　palanquin；　but　then　he　saw　that　the　side　curtains　were　looped　back　and　that　the　cushions　inside　were　empty。　He　followed。
　He　could　sense　a　panic　inside　the　city　now。　It　had　been　quiet　until　a　few　moments　ago；　crouching　like　a　beast　not　wanting　to　be　noticed；　but　now　the　city　somehow　sensed　that　its　doom　had　e。　Beggars　huddled　together　for　protection；　a　woman　cried　in　a　shuttered　house　and　the　stray　dogs　yelped　piteously。　Small　groups　of　the　Tippoo's　soldiers　were　fleeingin　the　streets；　their　bare　feet　pattering　on　the　dried　mud　as　they　ran　towards　the　Bangalore　Gate　where　no　enemy　threatened。　The　sound　of　battle　was　still　intense；　but　the　defence　was　fraying　fast。
　The　chamberlains　led　the　palanquin　towards　the　Water　Gate　of　the　inner　wall。　The　gate　lay　close　to　the　malodorous　lake　of　sewage　that　so　soured　the　air　and　some　of　the　sewage；　denied　proper　drains　by　the　hastily　constructed　inner　wall；　had　leaked　into　the　Water　Gate　which　was　a　brick…lined　tunnel；　fifty　feet　long；　piercing　the　inner　wall。　An　officer　stood　guard　at　its　inner　doors；　but；　as　the　palanquin　approached；　he　unbarred　the　big　teak　gates　and　dragged　them　open。　He　shouted　something　as　Sharpe　followed　the　clumsy　vehicle　into　the　low　tunnel；　but　Sharpe　just　shouted　Colonel　Gudin's　name　back　and　the　officer　was　too　confused　to　challenge　him　again。　Instead；　once　the　palanquin　and　the　European　soldier　had　gone　through　the　tunnel；　he　closed　the　doors　then　glanced　nervously　up　to　where　a　mist　of　smoke　betrayed　the　attackers'　progress　on　the　wall　above　him。
　Sharpe　paused　inside　the　tunnel　while　the　palanquin　went　on　ahead。　The　tunnel's　floor　had　sunk　in　places　and　the　leaking　sewage　had　gathered　in　those　deep　spots。　The　place　stank　like　an　uncleaned　barracks　latrine。　The　palanquin's　bearers　stumbled　as　they　splashed　through　the　pools；　then　the　vehicle　went　into　the　sunlight　beyond。　Sharpe　could　see　soldiers　out　there　in　the　space　between　the　walls。　The　soldiers　wore　tiger　stripes　and　were　watching　anxiously　westwards。　He　had　followed　the　palanquin　instinctively；　but　now　found　himself　in　a　bad　place。　The　tunnel's　thick　teak　doors　were　shut　behind　him；　the　air　was　foul　and　choking　and　there　was　an　enemy　in　front　of　him。　He　crouched　beside　the　damp　wall；　trying　to　decide　what　he　should　do。　He　had　four　muskets；　all　but　one　loaded；　but　his　spare　cartridges　were　in　the　pocket　of　his　red　coat　which；　because　it　was　still　knotted　round　his　neck；　was　hard　to　reach。　He　stood；　propped　the　musketsagainst　the　curved　wall　and　pulled　the　jacket　right　side　out　and　then　shoved　his　arms　into　the　tiger…torn　sleeves。　He　was　a　redcoat　again。　He　loaded　the　one　empty　musket；　then　crept　towards　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel。
　And　saw　the　Tippoo。
　He　saw　the　small　gaudy　man　e　running　down　the　ramp　from　the　outer　walls。　The　Tippoo；　surrounded　by　his　bodyguard　and　aides；　stopped　beside　the　palanquin。　Sharpe　saw　the　Tippoo　look　back　towards　the　fight；　then　shake　his　head；　and　immediately　an　aide　broke　away　from　the　group　and　ran　towards　the　tunnel　where　Sharpe　waited。　The　Tippoo　gave　one　last　glance　westwards；　then　followed。
　'Bloody　hell；'　Sharpe　cursed。　The　whole　damned　lot　were　ing　for　him；　and　he　backed　down　the　tunnel；　cocked　one　of　his　muskets　and　dropped　to　one　knee。
　The　aide　ran　into　the　tunnel；　shouting　for　the　gate　to　be　opened。　Then　he　saw　Sharpe　in　the　gloom　and　his　shout　died　away。　He　dragged　a　pistol　from　a　green　sash　at　his　waist；　but　too　late。　Sharpe　fired。　The　spark　of　the　powder　in　the　pan　was　unnaturally　bright　in　the　tunnel；　and　the　noise　of　the　musket　was　magnified　to　a　deafening　crash；　but　through　the　sudden　smoke　Sharpe　saw　the　aide　flung　backwards。　Sharpe　seized　a　second　loaded　musket　and　just　at　that　instant　the　door　opened　behind　him。　He　turned；　snarling；　and　the　officer　guarding　the　gate　saw　the　red　coat　and；　without　thinking；　just　slammed　the　heavy；　nail…studded　teak　doors　shut　again。　Sharpe　heard　the　locking　bar　being　dropped　into　place。
　The　Tippoo's　bodyguard　ran　towards　the　tunnel。　Sharpe　fired　his　second　musket。　He　knew　he　could　not　fight　them　all；　so　now　his　best　chance　of　surviving　was　to　deter　them　from　ing　into　the　tunnel　itself。　Then；　blessedly；　a　roar　of　musketry　announced　that　he　had　help　and；　with　the　third　musket　in　his　hand；　he　edged　forward　through　the　dense　smoke　to　see　that　the　Tippoo's　bodyguard　had　been　distracted　by　a　new　enemy。　Some　British　troops　had　found　steps　downto　the　space　between　the　walls；　and　those　troops　were　now　attacking　towards　the　Water　Gate。　The　bodyguard　retreated　from　the　new　attackers；　unmasking　the　tunnel's　entrance；　and　Sharpe　ran　towards　the　daylight。　He　crouched　just　inside　the　tunnel　and　saw　that　the　Tippoo　had　been　caught　in　the　open。　On　one　side　was　the　palanquin；　with　its　dubious　chance　of　a　lumbering　escape；　and　on　the　other　was　the　threatened　Water　Gate　which　led　through　the　inner　wall　to　his　horses。　His　bodyguard　was　firing　and　reloading；　firing　and　reloading　while　the　Tippoo　seemed　frozen　with　indecision。
　A　cheer　sounded　to　Sharpe's　left。　More　muskets　fired；　then　suddenly　there　were　two　redcoats　taking　cover　in　the　inner　tunnel。　One　saw　Sharpe　and　whirled　round　with　a　levelled　musket。　'Whoa！'　Sharpe　shouted。　Tm　on　your　bloody　side！'
　The　man；　wild…eyed　and　with　his　right　cheek　pitted　by　powder　burns　from　the　lock　of　his　musket；　turned　back　towards　the　enemy。　'What　regiment？'　he　called　to　Sharpe。
　'Havercakes。　You？'
　'The　Old　Dozen。'　The　man　fired；　and　immediately　sidled　back　to　begin　reloading　the　musket。'It　stinks　in　here；'　he　said；　ramming　a　fresh　bullet　down　his　barrel。　More　redcoats　were　occupying　the　Sultan　Battery　in　the　outer　wall。　They　had　no　British　flag　to　show　their　conquest　of　the　huge　bastion　and　so　they　ran　a　red　jacket　up　the　flagpole。　The　jacket　had　pale　yellow　facings；　showing　that　it　came　from　the　King's　I2th；　a　Suffolk　regiment。　'That's　ours！'　the　man　beside　Sharpe　exulted；　then　seemed　to　gurgle。　His　eyes　opened　wide　with　astonishment；　he　gave　Sharpe　a　puzzled；　almost　reproachful　look；　then　slowly　toppled　backwards　into　one　of　the　foetid　puddles。　Blood　seeped　onto　his　pale　yellow　facings。　Up　on　the　outer　wall　a　mass　of　tiger…striped　men　charged　to　recapture　the　Sultan　Battery　and　their　courage　gave　new　heart　to　the　defenders　between　the　walls　who　gave　a　cheer　and　fired　a　ragged　volley　at　the　redcoats　edging　towards　the　Water　Gate。The　dying　redcoat　shuddered。　His　panion　fired；　then　swore。　'Bastards！'　He　hesitated　for　a　half…second；　then　broke　out　of　the　tunnel's　shadow　and　sprinted　back　to　the　west；　back　towards　the　rest　of　his　rades　who　had　been　advancing　towards　the　tunnel。　The　Tippoo　had　made　up　his　mind。　He　would　ignore　the　palanquin　and　try　to　reach　his　horse；　and　so　he　had　ordered　his　bodyguard　to　clear　the　tunnel's　entrance。　That　bodyguard　now　charged；　screaming；　and　Sharpe；　knowing　that　he　was　trapped；　splashed　back　into　the　inner　Water　Gate's　lingering　smoke。　He　stopped　halfway；　turned；　and　blasted　the　musket　towards　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　where　he　could　see　the　leading　men　of　the　Tippoo's　bodyguard　silhouetted　against　the　daylight。　A　man　screamed。　Sharpe　had　one　loaded　musket　left。
　Musket　balls　thumped　into　the　teak　doors　behind　him。　He　fired　his　last　musket；　then　reloaded　with　a　practised；　but　desperate；　haste。　He　was　waiting　for　men　to　appear　in　the　dense　smoke　of　the　tunnel；　but　none　came。　Sharpe　knew　he　was　going　to　die　here；　but　he　was　bloodily　determined　that　he　would　die　in　pany。　Let　the　bastards　e。　He　was　frightened；　and　in　his　fear　he　was　crooning　a　mad　tuneless　song　without　words；　but　his　fear　did　not　stop　him　from　loading　a　second　musket。　Still　no　one　came　to　kill　him　and　so　he　snatched　up　a　third　musket　and　bit　the　top　off　another　cartridge。
　The　bodyguard　had　still　not　e　into　the　tunnel。　Sharpe；　in　his　fear；　had　not　heard　the　sound　of　battle　growing　at　the　end　of　the　tunnel；　but　now；　crouching　and　listening；　he　became　aware　of　the　shouts　and　volleys。　The　men　of　the　I2th　were　pouring　musket　fire