csf.thecommodore-第25章

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　been　eating　the　dinner。　Or　perhaps　it　was　because　he　was　a　little　drunk　…　Hornblower's　persistent　self…examination　brought　him　to　this　startling　conclusion　with　a　shock；　parable　with　that　received　by　a　man　walking　into　a　stanchion　in　the　dark。　He　must　certainly　not　get　drunk　while　he　was　representing　his　country；　and　he　would　be　a　fool　to　get　drunk　while　in　the　imminent　personal　danger　which　surrounded　him。　He　personally　had　brought　an　assassin　to　the　palace；　and　if　the　fact　ever　leaked　out　it　would　go　hard　with　him；　especially　if　the　Tsar　should　bee　aware　that　the　assassin　was　armed　with　a　rifled　pistol　which　was　Hornblower's　private　property。　Hornblower　sobered　still　further　when　it　came　to　him　that　he　had　forgotten　all　about　his　junior　officers　…　he　had　left　them　trying　to　dispose　of　the　wounded　assassin；　and　what　they　would　do　with　him　was　more　than　he　could　guess。
　The　Countess　beside　him　was　pressing　his　foot　under　the　table；　and　a　little　electric　thrill　ran　through　him　and　his　steadiness　vanished　once　more。　He　smiled　at　her　beatifically。　She　gave　him　a　long　look　with　lowered　lids　and　then　turned　away　to　address　a　remark　to　her　neighbour　on　her　other　side；　a　tactful　hint　for　Hornblower　to　pay　a　little　attention　to　the　Baroness　to　whom　he　had　hardly　spoken　a　word。　Hornblower　plunged　feverishly　into　conversation；　and　the　general　in　the　outlandish　dragoon　uniform　on　the　far　side　of　the　Baroness　joined　in　with　a　question　about　Admiral　Keats；　whose　acquaintance　he　had　made　in　1807。　The　footman　was　offering　a　new　dish；　his　hairy　wrist　was　exposed　between　his　cuff　and　his　white　glove；　and　that；　wrist　was　spotted　with　flea…bites。　Hornblower　remembered　having　read　in　one　of　the　books　he　had　been　studying　about　the　northern　powers　that　the　farther　east　one　travelled　the　worse　the　vermin　became　…　the　Polish　flea　was　bad；　but　the　Russian　flea　was　unbearable。　If　it　was　any　worse　than　the　Spanish　flea；　with　which　Hornblower　had　an　intimate　acquaintance；　it　must　be　a　remarkably　well　developed　flea。
　There　must　be　hundreds　…　there　must　actually　be　thousands　…　of　servants　in　this　palace；　and　Hornblower　could　guess　how　closely　they　must　be　herded　together。　Having　waged　a　ceaseless　war　against　body…vermin　for　twenty　years　in　crowded　ships　Hornblower　was　well　aware　of　the　difficulty　of　extermination。　But　while　one　part　of　his　mind　was　discussing　with　the　dragoon　general　the　principles　of　seniority　and　selection　in　the　British　Navy　another　part　was　telling　himself　that　he　would　greatly　prefer　not　to　be　served　by　a　flea…bitten　footman。　The　conversation　languished；　and　Hornblower　turned　back　to　the　Countess。
　〃Do　pictures　interest　monsieur　very　much？〃　she　asked。
　〃Of　course；〃　said　Hornblower　politely。　〃The　picture　gallery　in　this　palace　is　very　fine。　You　have　not　seen　it　yet？〃
　〃I　have　not　yet　had　that　pleasure。〃
　〃This　evening；　after　the　royal　party　has　retired；　I　could　show　it　to　you。　Unless　you　would　rather　join　one　of　the　card　tables？〃
　〃I　would　much　prefer　to　see　pictures；〃　said　Hornblower。　His　laugh　rang　a　little　loud　even　in　his　own　ears。
　〃Then　if；　after　the　royal　party　has　withdrawn；　you　are　by　the　door　on　the　far　side　of　the　room；　I　shall　show　you　the　way。〃
　〃That　will　be　delightful；　madame。〃
　They　were　drinking　toasts　at　the　head　of　the　table　…　for　the　first　one　everyone　had　to　stand　while　they　drank　the　health　of　the　Prince　of　Sweden；　and　after　that　conversation　perforce　became　disjointed　with　other　toasts　to　be　drunk；　announced　by　a　gigantic　official　with　a　colossal　voice　…　Stentor　with　Hercules'　frame；　said　Hornblower　to　himself；　pleased　with　the　classical　touch　…　who　stood　behind　the　Tsar's　chair。　Between　toasts　there　was　music；　not　orchestral　music；　but　vocal　music　from　an　unacpanied　male　choir；　seemingly　of　hundreds　of　voices　which　filled　the　vast　room　with　their　din。　Hornblower　heard　it　with　the　faint　but　growing　irritation　of　the　pletely　tone…deaf。　It　was　a　relief　when　the　music　ceased　and　everyone　stood　once　more　while　the　royal　party　withdrew　through　a　doorway　near　the　head　of　the　table；　and　no　sooner　had　the　door　closed　after　them　than　the　women　went　out　too；　ushered　through　the　far　door　by　Madame　Kotchubey。
　〃à　bient？t；〃　smiled　the　Countess；　as　she　left　him。
　The　men　began　to　gather　in　groups　along　the　table　while　footmen　hastened　in　with　coffee　and　cordials；　Wychwood；　his　bearskin　still　under　his　arm；　made　his　way　round　to　Hornblower。　His　face　was　redder　than　ever；　his　eyes；　if　it　were　possible；　stuck　out　even　farther　from　his　head。
　〃The　Swedes'll　fight　if　Russia　will；〃　said　Wychwood；　in　a　grating　whisper。　〃I　have　that　direct　from　Basse；　who　was　with　Bernadotte　all　day。〃
　Then　he　passed　on　and　Hornblower　heard　his　remarkable　French　being　practised　on　a　uniformed　group　higher　up　the　table。　The　room　was　unbearably　hot；　presumably　because　of　the　infinity　of　candles　alight　in　it；　some　of　the　men　were　already　beginning　to　drift　away　through　the　door　where　the　women　had　preceded　them。　Hornblower　drank　his　coffee　and　rose　to　his　feet；　transferring　his　cocked　hat　once　more　from　his　knees　to　under　his　arm。　The　room　he　entered　must　have　been　the　counterpart　of　the　one　in　which　the　royal　reception　had　been　held；　for　it　was　domed　too；　and　of　similar　proportions；　Hornblower　remembered　the　two　domes　he　had　seen　when　his　carriage　drew　up　to　the　palace。　It　was　dotted　with　chairs　and　sofas　and　tables；　round　one　of　which　a　group　of　dowagers　were　already　playing　cards；　and　an　elderly　couple　were　playing　backgammon　at　another。　At　the　far　end　his　eye　instantly　discerned　the　Countess；　seated　on　a　couch　with　her　train　spread　beside　her　and　her　coffee　cup　and　saucer　in　her　hands；　while　she　chatted　with　another　woman；　every　line　of　the　Countess's　attitude　proclaimed　girlish　innocence。
　From　the　number　of　people　already　assembled　it　was　clear　that　this　was　the　meeting…place　of　the　whole　Court；　presumably　the　hundreds　of　people　who　had　perforce　witnessed　the　royal　reception　from　the　gallery　were　permitted　to　descend　and　mingle　with　their　betters　after　dining　less　elaborately。　Young　Mound　was　lounging　towards　him；　his　lean　gangling　body　looking　like　an　overgrown　colt's。
　〃We　have　him　in　a　side　room　aloft；　sir；〃　he　reported。　〃He　fainted　with　the　loss　of　blood　…　we　had　to　put　a　tourniquet　on　his　arm　to　stop　the　bleeding。　We　bandaged　him　with　half　of　Somers'　shirt；　and　Somers　and　Mr　Hurst　are　keeping　guard　over　him。〃
　〃Does　anyone　know　about　it？〃
　〃No；　sir。　We　got　him　into　the　room　without　anyone　seeing　us。　I　poured　a　glass　of　liquor　over　his　coat　and　from　the　stink　of　him　anyone'll　think　he's　drunk。〃
　Mound　was　obviously　a　capable　man　in　an　emergency；　as　Hornblower　had　already　suspected。
　〃Very　good。〃
　〃The　sooner　we　get　him　away　the　better；　sir；〃　said　Mound；　with　a　diffidence　to　be　expected　of　a　junior　officer　making　suggestions　to　a　senior。
　〃You're　quite　right；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃except　that　…〃
　Hornblower　was　still　having　to　think　quickly。　It　would　hardly　be　possible；　in　any　case；　to　leave　at　once；　the　moment　dinner　was　over。　It　would　not　be　polite。　And　there　was　the　Countess　over　there；　presumably　watching　them。　If　they　were　to　leave　now；　immediately　after　conferring　together　…　and　breaking　an　engagement　with　her　…　she　would　be　full　of　suspicion；　as　well　as　of　the　fury　of　a　woman　scorned。　They　simply　could　not　leave　immediately。
　〃We　shall　have　to　stay　another　hour　at　least；〃　he　said。　〃The　conventions　demand　it。　Go　back　and　hold　the　fort　for　that　time。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　Mound　restrained　himself　in　the　nick　of　time　from　ing　to　attention　as　with　the　habit　of　years　he　had　grown　accustomed　to　do　when　uttering　those　words　…　further　proof　of　the　clearness　of　his　head。　He　nodded　and　wandered　off　as　if　they　had　been　merely　discussing　the　weather；　and　Hornblower　allowed　his　slow　legs　to　carry　him　over　towards　the　Countess。
　She　smiled　at　his　approach。
　〃Princess；〃　she　said；　〃you　have　not　met　modore　Hornblower？　The　Princess　de　Stolp。〃
　Hornblower　bowed；　the　Princess　was　an　elderly　woman　with　a　good　deal　left　of　what　must　have　been　marvellous　beauty。
　〃The　modore；〃　went　on　the　Countess；　〃has　expressed　a　desire　to　see　the　picture　gallery。　Would　you　care　to　e　with　us；　Princess？〃
　〃No；　thank　you；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃I　fear　I　am　too　old　for　picture　galleries。　But　go；　my　children；　without　me。〃
　〃I　would　not　like　to　leave　you　alone；　here；〃　protested　the　Countess。
　〃Even　at　my　age；　I　can　boast　that　I　am　still　never　left　long　alone；　Countess。　Leave　me；　I　beg　you。　Enjoy　yourselves；　children。〃
　Hornblower　bowed　again；　and　the　Countess　took　his　arm；　and　they　walked　slowly　out。　She　pressed　his　arm；　while　footmen　stood　aside　to　allow　them　passage。
　〃The　Italian　pictures　of　the　Cinque　Cento　are　in　the　far　gallery；〃　said　the　Countess　as　they　came　into　the　broad　corridor。　〃Would　you　care　to　see　the　more　modern　ones　first？〃
　〃As　madame　wishes；〃　said　Hornblower。
　Once　through　a　door；　once　out　of　the　ceremonial　part　of　the　palace；　it　was　like　a　rabbit　warren；　narrow　passages；　innumerable　staircases；　an　infinity　of　rooms。　The　apartment　to　which　she　led　him　was　on　the　first　floor；　a　sleepy　maid　who　was　awaiting　her　ing　vanished　into　the　room　beyond　they　came　into　the　luxurious　sitting…room。　It　was　into　the　room　beyond　that　the　Countess　called　him；　five　minutes　later。
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN
　
　Hornblower　turned　over　in　his　cot　with　a　groan；　the　effort　of　turning　brought　back　the　pain　into　his　temples；　although　he　moved　very　cautiously。　He　was　a　fool　to　have　drunk　so　much　…　it　was　the　first　time　he　had　had　this　sort　of　headache　for　half　a　dozen　years。　Yet　it　had　been　hard　to　avoid；　just　as　everything　else　had　been　hard　to　avoid；　he　did　not　know　what　else　he　could　have　done；　once　events　had　him　in　their　grip。　He　raised　his　voice　and　shouted　for　Brown　…　it　hurt　his　head　again　to　shout；　and　his　voice　was　a　hoarse　croak。　He　heard　the　voice　of　the　sentry　at　the　door　passing　on　the　word；　and　with　an　infinity　of　effort　he　sat　up　and　put　his　legs　out　of　bed；　determined　that　Brown　should　not　find　him　prostrate。
　〃Bring　me　some　coffee；〃　he　said　when　Brown　came　in。
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　Hornblower　continued　to　sit　on　the　edge　of　his　cot。　Overhead　he　heard　the　raucous　voice　of　Hurst　blaring　through　the　skylight；　apparently　addressing　a　delinquent　midshipman。
　〃A　fine　young　flibberty…gibbet　you　are；〃　said　Hurst　〃Look　at　that　brasswork！　D'you　call　that　bright？　Where　d'you　keep　your　eyes？　What's　your　division　been　doing　this　last　hour？　God；　what's　the　Navy　ing　to；　when　warrants　are　given　to　young　jackanapes　who　couldn't　keep　their　noses　clear　with　a　marline…spike！　You　call　yourself　a　King's　officer？　You're　more　like　a　winter's　day；　short；　dark；　and　dirty！〃
　Hornblower　took　the　coffee　Brown　brought　in。
　〃My　pliments　to　Mr　Hurst；〃　he　croaked；　〃and　ask　him　kindly　not　to　make　so　much　noise　over　my　skylight。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　The　first　satisfaction　that　day　was　to　hear　Hurst　cut　his　tirade　abruptly　short。　Hornblower　sipped　at　the　scalding　coffee　with　some　degree　of　pleasure。　It　was　not　surprising　that　Hurst　should　be　in　a　bad　temper　to…day。　He　had　been　through　a　harassing　evening　the　night　before；　Hornblower　remembered　Hurst　and　Mound　carrying　Braun；　unconscious　and　reeking　with　spirits；　into　the　carriage　at　the　palace　do