bcornwell.sharpescompany-第35章

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ders；　but　the　army；　with　its　strange；　collective　instinct；　knew　that　the　assault　was　planned　and　if；　as　seemed　likely；　the　South　Essex　were　ordered　into　the　breach；　Harper　intended　staying　close　to　Hakeswill。　If　a　chance　came　to　kill　the　Sergeant；　he　would；　or　else　he　would　try　to　make　sure　that　Hakeswill　did　not　slip　alone　into　the　city。　Harper　had　decided　not　to　volunteer　for　the　Hope；　not　unless　Hakeswill　volunteered；　and　he　thought　that　unlikely。　Harper's　job　was　to　protect　Teresa；　as　it　was　Sharpe's；　the　whole　pany's；　even　Captain　Robert　Knowles's；　who　had　visited　his　old　Light　pany　and　listened　seriously　as　Harper　told　of　Hakeswill's　threat。　Knowles　had　grinned；　reassured　Harper；　but　still　the　Irishman　feared　the　consequences　of　the　chaos　in　a　breach。
　
　He　leaned　back　and　listened　to　the　guns。
　
　The　gunners；　with　the　same　instinctive　knowledge　that　the　assault　was　imminent；　served　their　guns　with　extra　effort　as　if　each　stone　shard　chipped　from　the　breaches　would　save　an　infantryman's　life。　The　smoke　from　the　twelve　batteries　hung　like　a　sea…fog　above　the　still　waters　of　the　flooded　stream；　smoke　so　thick　that　the　city　could　hardly　be　seen；　and　more　smoke　was　pumped　relentlessly　from　the　huge　guns。　The　cannon　were　like　bucking　monsters　that　hissed　and　steamed　between　each　shot　as　the　blackened　gunners　sponged　and　rammed；　then　heaved　the　beasts　back　on　to　target。　The　gunners　could　not　see　the　breaches；　but　the　wooden　recoil　platforms　were　marked　with　deep　cuts　and　the　officers　and　Sergeants　lined　the　gun　trails　on　the　cuts；　checked　the　elevation　screw。　With　a　flick　of　the　glowing　match　the　gun　would　bellow　again；　leap　back；　and　a　heavy　iron　ball　would　vanish　in　the　fog　with　a　sudden　whorl　of　smoke　that　was　followed　by　the　grinding　crash　of　impact。
　
　Perhaps　it　was　the　tempo　of　the　guns　that　made　the　men　so　certain　that　the　assault　was　this　Sunday　night；　or　else　the　sight　of　newly　made　siege　ladders　in　the　Engineers'　park。　Two　of　the　attacks；　the　one　on　the　castle；　and　the　one　by　the　river；　at　the　San　Vincente　bastion；　would　carry　ladders　to　try　a　surprise　escalade。　It　could　not　work；　of　course；　the　walls　were　too　high。　The　battle　would　be　lost　or　won　in　the　breaches。
　
　'pany！'　Hakeswill's　voice　grated　at　them。　'On　your　feet！　Hup；　hup；　hup！'
　
　They　scrambled　to　their　feet；　pulling　jackets　straight；　and　Major　Collett　was　there　with　Captain　Rymer。　The　Major　waved　the　men　down　again。　'You　can　sit。'
　
　This　had　to　be　the　announcement；　Harper　thought；　and　he　watched　as　Collett　drew　out　a　sheet　of　paper　and　unfolded　it。　There　was　a　buzz　of　excitement　in　the　pany；　a　shout　for　silence　from　Hakeswill；　and　Collett　waited　for　quiet。　He　looked　at　them　belligerently。　The　assault；　he　said；　would　be　soon；　but　they　knew　that；　and　they　waited　for　orders。　The　Major　paused　and　looked　down　at　the　piece　of　paper。　'This　order　has　e；　and　I　will　read　it　to　you。　You　will　listen。　〃I　advert　the　army's　attention　to　the　events　pursuant　of　the　capture　of　Ciudad　Rodrigo。'〃　Collett　read　in　a　flat；　hard　voice。　He　could　not　pronounce　Ciudad　with　the　soft　'C'；　so　instead　pronounced　it　'Quidad'。'　〃The　inhabitants　of　that　town；　citizens　of　Britain's　ally；　Spain；　were　offered　every　kind　of　insult　and　injury。　There　will　be　no　repetition　of　that　behavior　in　Badajoz。　Any　attacks　on　civilian　property　will　be　swiftly　and　condignly　punished　by　death；　the　apprehended　perpetrators　being　hung　at　the　place　of　their　crime。〃'　He　folded　the　paper。　'You　understand？　Keep　your　thieving　hands　to　yourself　and　your　breeches　buttoned。　That's　all。'　He　glared　at　them；　turned　on　his　heel；　and　marched　away　to　the　next　pany。　The　Light　pany　looked　at　each　other；　shrugged；　and　laughed　at　the　message。　Who　would　do　the　hanging？　The　provosts　would　not　be　far　to　the　front　in　any　fighting；　it　would　be　pitch　dark　in　the　streets；　and　a　soldier　deserved　some　loot　for　fighting　through　a　breach。　They　were　the　ones　who　would　do　the　fighting；　and　the　dying；　and　who　did　not　need　a　drop　of　drink　after　that？　Not　that　they　intended　any　harm　to　any　civilians。　The　Spanish；　most　of　whom　in　Badajoz　were　on　the　enemy's　side；　could　choose　for　themselves　how　they　weled　the　victors。　They　could　leave　their　doors　open　and　the　drink　on　the　table；　or　they　could　choose　to　be　unfriendly；　in　which　case？　They　grinned　and　went　back　to　sharpening　the　seventeen…inch　blades。
　
　A　few　moments　later　a　second　rumor　arrived；　as　strong　as　the　first　which　had　announced　the　assault；　and　this　rumor；　flashing　through　the　camp；　brought　relief　and　frustration。　Everything　was　postponed。　They　had　all　been　given　another　twenty…four　hours　to　live。
　
　'Where　are　we　going？'　someone　shouted。
　
　They　laughed；　forgetting　Hakeswill's　baleful　presence。　'Badajoz！'
　
　Tomorrow。
　
　CHAPTER　23
　
　Suddenly　there　was　optimism。　Hogan's　face；　so　long　lined　with　concern；　crinkled　at　the　eyes；　there　was　an　urgency　in　his　speech；　a　new　hope。　Two　loyal　Spaniards　had　escaped　from　the　city；　climbing　the　wall　by　the　river；　and　had　safely　reached　the　British　lines。　Hogan's　finger　stabbed　down　on　to　the　familiar　map。　'There；　Richard；　there。　Tomorrow　we'll　destroy　it！'
　
　The　finger　was　pointing　towards　the　wall　between　the　two　breached　bastions。　The　Spaniards　said　it　was　weak；　that　it　had　not　been　repaired　properly　after　the　previous　sieges；　and　they　swore　that　a　few　shots　would　bring　the　wall　tumbling　down。　It　would　mean　a　third　breach；　a　sudden　breach；　a　gap　that　the　French　would　have　no　time　to　fill　with　careful　defences。　Hogan's　fist　slammed　on　to　the　map。　'We've　got　them！'
　
　'Tomorrow　then。'
　
　'Tomorrow！'
　
　April　6th　dawned　with　a　clear　sky；　and　a　light　so　pure　that；　before　the　siege　batteries　opened　fire；　the　city　could　be　seen　with　every　roof；　church；　tower；　and　bastion　delicately　etched。　It　was　a　spring　morning；　full　of　hope　as　green　as　the　new　plants；　a　hope　put　there　by　a　third；　surprise　breach。　The　gunners　made　their　minimal　adjustment；　the　trails　inching　around　on　the　platforms；　and　then　the　order　was　given。　Smoke　jetted；　thunder　echoed　over　the　lake；　the　balls　smashed　at　the　repaired　masonry　as　the　gunners　slaved；　dragged　at　their　weapons；　rammed；　sponged；　and　rammed　again；　working　with　a　knowledge　of　victory。　To　the　south；　dear　of　the　smoke…fog　on　the　lake；　the　Engineers　peered　at　the　unbroken　stretch　of　wall。　It　jetted　dust　in　a　hazy　cloud；　started　from　the　dry　mortar　by　the　cannon…strike；　but　it　held　all　morning。　The　cannons　hammered　on；　smiting　the　wall　with　shattering　force　until；　early　in　the　afternoon；　the　labor　was　rewarded。
　
　The　wall　began　to　slide；　not　piece　by　piece　as　the　bastions　had　given；　but　in　one　solid；　spectacular　chunk。　Hogan　jumped　for　the　joy　of　it。　'It's　going！'
　
　Then　the　view　was　lost。　Dust　boiled　up　like　smoke　from　an　explosion；　the　sound　rolled　across　the　water；　and　the　gun　crews　cheered　themselves　hoarse。　The　dust　drifted　slowly　away　and　there；　where　once　there　had　been　a　seemingly　solid　wall；　was　now　a　third；　huge　breach；　as　wide　as　the　others；　but　fresh；　undefended；　and　the　orders　were　given。　Tonight；　gentlemen；　tonight　at　dusk。　Into　the　breaches　and　the　gates　of　Spain　would　belong　to　Britain。
　
　All　afternoon；　as　clouds　came　from　the　east；　the　guns　fired　so　that　the　French　could　not　work　in　the　breaches。　The　gunners　worked　willingly。　Their　job　was　done　and　this　was　the　last　day　of　effort；　the　twenty…second　day　of　the　siege；　and　tomorrow　there　would　be　no　more　heaving　and　sweating　and　no　more　enemy　counter…battery　fire。　Badajoz　would　be　theirs。　The　Engineers　counted　ladders　and　hay…bags；　stacked　the　huge　axes　that　the　leading　troops　would　take　into　the　attack；　and　thought　of　the　fortable　beds　that　waited　in　the　city。　Badajoz　was　theirs。
　
　The　orders；　just　twenty…seven　paragraphs；　were　issued　at　last　and　the　men　listened　in　silence　as　their　officers　told　them　the　news。　Bayonets　were　polished　again；　muskets　checked；　and　they　listened　to　the　flat　notes　of　the　cathedral　clock。　First　darkness　and　Badajoz　was　theirs。
　
　Captain　Robert　Knowles；　now　part　of　the　Third　Division；　stared　up　at　the　huge　castle　with　its　colony　of　kestrels。　The　Third　Division；　carrying　the　longest　ladders；　was　to　cross　the　stream　and　climb　the　castle　rock。　No　one　expected　the　attack　to　work；　it　was　merely　a　diversion　to　keep　troops　pinned　in　the　castle；　but　Knowles's　men　grinned　at　him　and　swore　they　would　climb　the　wall。　'We'll　show　them；　sir！'　And　they　would　try；　he　knew；　and　so　would　he；　and　he　thought　how　splendid　it　would　be　if　he　could　reach　Teresa　first；　in　the　house　with　two　orange　trees；　and　hand　her　and　the　child　safely　to　Sharpe。　He　looked　again　at　the　vast　castle；　on　its　high；　steep　rock；　and　he　vowed　he　would　fight　as　Sharpe　fought。　The　devil　with　a　fake　attack！　They　would　attack　for　real。
　
　The　Fifth　Division；　brought　back　across　the　river；　would　mount　another　escalade　with　ladders；　this　time　against　the　north…east　bastion；　the　San　Vincente；　which　towered　above　the　slow　river。　Like　the　castle　attack；　it　was　intended　to　pin　down　enemy　troops；　to　stop　reinforcements　going　to　the　south…east　corner；　for　it　was　there；　at　the　three　breaches；　that　Wellington　knew　he　must　win　his　victory。
　
　The　breaches。　The　Fourth　and　Light　Divisions　would　make　the　real　attack；　the　assault　on　the　three　breaches　and　the　men；　waiting　as　the　clouds　spread　over　the　sky；　imagined　the　boiling　of　troops　in　the　ditch；　the　fighting　that　was　to　e；　but　they　would　win。　Badajoz　would　be　taken。　The　guns　fired　on。
　
　Sharpe　found　a　cavalry　armourer　who　put　the　huge　sword　against　a　treadled　wheel　and　the　sparks　flowed　from　the　edge。　He　had　checked　his　rifle　and　loaded　the　seven…barreled　gun。　Even　though　his　own　orders　forbade　him　to　go　into　the　ditch　he　wanted　to　be　ready。　He　was　a　guide；　the　only　man　who　had　already　walked　to　the　lip　of　the　glacis；　and　his　task　was　to　lead　the　Forlorn　Hope　of　the　Light　Division　to　the　brink　of　the　ditch　opposite　the　Santa　Maria　bastion。　There　they　would　leave　him　and　go　on　to　attack　the　bastion　and　the　new　breach　while；　off　to　the　right；　the　South　Essex　and　the　Fourth　Division　marched　on　the　Trinidad。　Once　Sharpe　had　taken　the　Forlorn　Hope　to　the　ditch；　he　was　to　return　and　guide　other　battalions　up　the　slope；　but　he　hoped；　against　hope；　that　he　could　find　a　way　into　the　fight　and　over　the　wall　to　his　child。
　
　The　bell　tolled　six；　then　the　quarter；　and　on　the　half；　the　men　lined　up　out　of　sight　of　the　city。　They　carried　no　packs；　just　weapons　and　ammunition；　and　their　Colonels　inspected　them；　not　to　check　on　uniforms；　but　to　grin　at　them　and　encourage　them；　because　tonight　the　mon　man；　the　despised　soldier；　would　write　a　page　in　history　and　that　page　had　better　be　a　British　victory。　Tension　stretched　as　the　sun　sank；　imagination　making　fears　real；　and　the　officers　passed　the　rum　rations　down　the　ranks　and　listened　to　the　old　jokes。　There　was　a　sudden　warmth　in　the　army；　a　feeling　of　difficulties　that　would　be　shared；　and　the　officers　who　came　from　the　big　houses　felt　close　to　their　men。　Imagination　did　not　spare　the　rich；　nor　would　the　defenders；　and　tonight　the　rich　and　poor　in　the　ditch　would　need　each　other。　The　wives　made　their　farewells　and　hoped　for　a　live　husband　on　the　morrow；　and　the　children　were　silent；　awed　by　the　expectancy；　while　in