csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第8章

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　'Nothing　has　been　done　to　see　if　the　brig　is　taking　in　any　water；'　he　said…he　had　hurriedly　worked　out　the　wording　of　that　sentence　during　his　walk　forward；　so　as　to　cast　no　aspersion　on　Matthews　and　yet　at　the　same　time；　for　the　sake　of　discipline；　attributing　no　blame　to　himself。
　'That's　so；　sir；'　said　Matthews。
　'One　of　those　shots　fired　by　the　Indefatigable　hulled　her；'　went　on　Hornblower。　'What　damage　did　it　do？'
　'I　don't　rightly　know；　sir；'　said　Matthews。　'I　was　in　the　cutter　at　the　time。'
　'We　must　look　as　soon　as　it's　light；'　said　Hornblower。'　And　we'd　better　sound　the　well　now。'
　Those　were　brave　words；　during　his　rapid　course　in　seamanship　aboard　the　Indefatigable　Hornblower　had　had　a　little　instruction　everywhere；　working　under　the　orders　of　every　head　of　department　in　rotation。　Once　he　had　been　with　the　carpenter　when　he　sounded　the　well…whether　he　could　find　the　well　in　this　ship　and　sound　it　he　did　not　know。
　'Aye　aye；　sir；'　said　Matthews；　without　hesitation；　and　strolled　aft　to　the　pump。　'You'll　need　a　light；　sir。　I'll　get　one。'
　When　he　came　back　with　the　lantern　he　shone　it　on　the　coiled　sounding　line　hanging　beside　the　pump；　so　that　Hornblower　recognized　it　at　once。　He　lifted　it　down；　inserted　the　three…foot　weighted　rod　into　the　aperture　of　the　well；　and　then　remembered　in　time　to　take　it　out　again　and　make　sure　it　was　dry。　Then　he　let　it　drop；　paying　out　the　line　until　he　felt　the　rod　strike　the　ship's　bottom　with　a　satisfactory　thud。　He　hauled　out　the　line　again；　and　Matthews　held　the　lantern　as　Hornblower　with　some　trepidation　brought　out　the　timber　to　examine　it。
　'Not　a　drop；　sir！'　said　Matthews。　'Dry　as　yesterday's　pannikin。'
　Hornblower　was　agreeably　surprised。　Any　ship　he　had　ever　heard　of　leaked　to　a　certain　extent；　even　in　the　well…found　Indefatigable　pumping　had　been　necessary　every　day。　He　did　not　know　whether　this　dryness　was　a　remarkable　phenomenon　or　a　very　remarkable　one。　He　wanted　to　be　both　nonmittal　and　imperturbable。
　'H'm；'　was　the　ment　he　eventually　produced。　'Very　good；　Matthews。　Coil　that　line　again。'
　The　knowledge　that　the　Marie　Galante　was　making　no　water　at　all　might　have　encouraged　him　to　sleep；　if　the　wind　had　not　chosen　to　veer　steadily　and　strengthen　itself　somewhat　soon　after　he　retired　again。　It　was　Matthews　who　came　down　and　pounded　on　his　door　with　the　unwele　news。
　'We　can't　keep　the　course　you　set　much　longer；　sir；'　concluded　Matthews。　'And　the　wind's　ing　gusty…like。'
　'Very　good；　I'll　be　up。　Call　all　hands；'　said　Hornblower；　with　a　testiness　that　might　have　been　the　result　of　a　sudden　awakening　if　it　had　not　really　disguised　his　inner　quaverings。
　With　such　a　small　crew　he　dared　not　run　the　slightest　risk　of　being　taken　by　surprise　by　the　weather。　Nothing　could　be　done　in　a　hurry；　as　he　soon　found。　He　had　to　take　the　wheel　while　his　four　hands　laboured　at　reefing　topsails　and　snugging　the　brig　down；　the　task　took　half　the　night；　and　by　the　time　it　was　finished　it　was　quite　plain　that　with　the　wind　veering　northerly　the　Marie　Galante　could　not　steer　north…east　by　north　any　longer。　Hornblower　gave　up　the　wheel　and　went　below　to　the　chart；　but　what　he　saw　there　only　confirmed　the　pessimistic　decision　he　had　already　reached　by　mental　calculation。　As　close　to　the　wind　as　they　could　lie　on　this　tack　they　could　not　weather　Ushant。　Shorthanded　as　he　was　he　did　not　dare　continue　in　the　hope　that　the　wind　might　back；　all　his　reading　and　all　his　instruction　had　warned　him　of　the　terrors　of　a　lee　shore。　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　go　about；　he　returned　to　the　deck　with　a　heavy　heart。
　'All　hands　wear　ship；'　he　said；　trying　to　bellow　the　order　in　the　manner　of　Mr　Bolton；　the　third　lieutenant　of　the　Indefatigable。
　They　brought　the　brig　safely　round；　and　she　took　up　her　new　course；　close　hauled　on　the　starboard　tack。　Now　she　was　heading　away　from　the　dangerous　shores　of　France；　without　a　doubt；　but　she　was　heading　nearly　as　directly　away　from　the　friendly　shores　of　England…gone　was　all　hope　of　an　easy　two　days'　run　to　England；　gone　was　any　hope　of　sleep　that　night　for　Hornblower。
　During　the　year　before　he　joined　the　Navy　Hornblower　had　attended　classes　given　by　a　penniless　French　émigré　in　French；　music；　and　dancing。　Early　enough　the　wretched　émigré　had　found　that　Hornblower　had　no　ear　for　music　whatever；　which　made　it　almost　impossible　to　teach　him　to　dance；　and　so　he　had　endeavoured　to　earn　his　fee　by　concentrating　on　French。　A　good　deal　of　what　he　had　taught　Hornblower　had　found　a　permanent　resting　place　in　Hornblower's　tenacious　memory。　He　had　never　thought　it　would　be　of　much　use　to　him；　but　he　discovered　the　contrary　when　the　French　captain　at　dawn　insisted　on　an　interview　with　him。　The　Frenchman　had　a　little　English；　but　it　was　a　pleasant　surprise　to　Hornblower　to　find　that　they　actually　could　get　along　better　in　French；　as　soon　as　he　could　fight　down　his　shyness　sufficiently　to　produce　the　halting　words。
　The　captain　drank　thirstily　from　the　scuttlebut；　his　cheeks　were　of　course　unshaven　and　he　wore　a　bleary　look　after　twelve　hours　in　a　crowded　forecastle；　where　he　had　been　battened　down　three　parts　drunk。
　'My　men　are　hungry；'　said　the　captain；　he　did　not　look　hungry　himself。
　'Mine　also；'　said　Hornblower。　'I　also。'
　It　was　natural　when　one　spoke　French　to　gesticulate；　to　indicate　his　men　with　a　wave　of　the　hand　and　himself　with　a　tap　on　the　chest。
　'I　have　a　cook；'　said　the　captain。
　It　took　some　time　to　arrange　the　terms　of　a　truce。　The　Frenchmen　were　to　be　allowed　on　deck；　the　cook　was　to　provide　food　for　everyone　on　board；　and　while　these　amenities　were　permitted；　until　noon；　the　French　would　make　no　attempt　to　take　the　ship。
　'Good；'　said　the　captain　at　length；　and　when　Hornblower　had　given　the　necessary　orders　permitting　the　release　of　the　crew　he　shouted　for　the　cook　and　entered　into　an　urgent　discussion　regarding　dinner。　Soon　smoke　was　issuing　satisfactorily　from　the　galley　chimney。
　Then　the　captain　looked　up　at　the　grey　sky；　at　the　close　reefed　topsails；　and　glanced　into　the　binnacle　at　the　pass。
　'A　foul　wind　for　England；'　he　remarked。
　'Yes；'　said　Hornblower　shortly。　He　did　not　want　this　Frenchman　to　guess　at　his　trepidation　and　bitterness。
　The　captain　seemed　to　be　feeling　the　motion　of　the　brig　under　his　feet　with　attention。
　'She　rides　a　little　heavily；　does　she　not？'　he　said。
　'Perhaps；'　said　Hornblower。　He　was　not　familiar　with　the　Marie　Galante；　nor　with　ships　at　all；　and　he　had　no　opinion　on　the　subject；　but　he　was　not　going　to　reveal　his　ignorance。
　'Does　she　leak？'　asked　the　captain。
　'There　is　no　water　in　her；'　said　Hornblower。
　'Ah！'　said　the　captain。　'But　you　would　find　none　in　the　well。　We　are　carrying　a　cargo　of　rice；　you　must　remember。'
　'Yes；'　said　Hornblower。
　He　found　it　very　hard　at　that　moment　to　remain　outwardly　unperturbed；　as　his　mind　grasped　the　implications　of　what　was　being　said　to　him。　Rice　would　absorb　every　drop　of　water　taken　in　by　the　ship；　so　that　no　leak　would　be　apparent　on　rounding　the　well…and　yet　every　drop　of　water　taken　in　would　deprive　her　of　that　much　buoyancy；　all　the　same。
　'One　shot　from　your　cursed　frigate　struck　us　in　the　hull；'　said　the　captain。　'Of　course　you　have　investigated　the　damage？'
　'Of　course；'　said　Hornblower；　lying　bravely。
　But　as　soon　as　he　could　he　had　a　private　conversation　with　Matthews　on　the　point；　and　Matthews　instantly　looked　grave。
　'Where　did　the　shot　hit　her；　sir？'　he　asked。
　'Somewhere　on　the　port　side；　forrard；　I　should　judge。'
　He　and　Matthews　craned　their　necks　over　the　ship's　side。
　'Can't　see　nothin'；　sir；'　said　Matthews。　'Lower　me　over　the　side　in　a　bowline　and　I'll　see　what　I　can　find；　sir。'
　Hornblower　was　about　to　agree　and　then　changed　his　mind。
　'I'll　go　over　the　side　myself；'　he　said。
　He　could　not　analyse　the　motives　which　impelled　him　to　say　that。　Partly　he　wanted　to　see　things　with　his　own　eyes；　partly　he　was　influenced　by　the　doctrine　that　he　should　never　give　an　order　he　was　not　prepared　to　carry　out　himself…but　mostly　it　must　have　been　the　desire　to　impose　a　penance　on　himself　for　his　negligence。
　Matthews　and　Carson　put　a　bowline　round　him　and　lowered　him　over。　He　found　himself　dangling　against　the　ship's　side；　with　the　sea　bubbling　just　below　him；　as　the　ship　pitched　the　sea　came　up　to　meet　him；　and　he　was　wet　to　the　waist　in　the　first　five　seconds；　and　as　the　ship　rolled　he　was　alternately　swung　away　from　the　side　and　bumped　against　it。　The　men　with　the　line　walked　steadily　aft；　giving　him　the　chance　to　examine　the　whole　side　of　the　brig　above　water；　and　there　was　not　a　shot　hole　to　be　seen。　He　said　as　much　to　Matthews　when　they　hauled　him　on　deck。
　'Then　it's　below　the　waterline；　sir；'　said　Matthews；　saying　just　what　was　in　Hornblower's　mind。　'You're　sure　the　shot　hit　her；　sir？'
　'Yes；　I'm　sure；'　snapped　Hornblower。
　Lack　of　sleep　and　worry　and　a　sense　of　guilt　were　all　shortening　his　temper；　and　he　had　to　speak　sharply　or　break　down　in　tears。　But　he　had　already　decided　on　the　next　move…he　had　made　up　his　mind　about　that　while　they　were　hauling　him　up。
　'We'll　heave　her　to　on　the　other　tack　and　try　again；'　he　said。
　On　the　other　tack　the　ship　would　incline　over　to　the　other　side；　and　the　shot…hole；　if　there　was　one；　would　not　be　so　deeply　submerged。　Hornblower　stood　with　the　water　dripping　from　his　clothes　as　they　wore　the　brig　round；　the　wind　was　keen　and　cold；　but　he　was　shivering　with　expectancy　rather　than　cold。　The　heeling　of　the　brig　laid　him　much　more　definitely　against　the　side；　and　they　lowered　him　until　his　legs　were　scraping　over　the　marine　growths　which　she　carried　there　between　wind　and　water。　They　then　walked　aft　with　him；　dragging　him　along　the　side　of　the　ship；　and　just　abaft　the　foremast　he　found　what　he　was　seeking。
　'Avast；　there！'　he　yelled　up　to　the　deck；　mastering　the　sick　despair　that　he　felt。　The　motion　of　the　bowline　along　the　ship　ceased。　'Lower　away！　Another　two　feet！'
　Now　he　was　waist…deep　in　the　water；　and　when　the　brig　swayed　the　water　closed　briefly　over　his　head；　like　a　momentary　death。　Here　it　was；　two　feet　below　the　waterline　even　with　the　brig　hove　to　on　this　tack…a　splintered；　jagged　hole；　square　rather　than　round；　and　a　foot　across。　As　the　sea　boiled　round　him　Hornblower　even　fancied　he　could　hear　it　bubbling　into　the　ship；　but　that　might　be　pure　fancy。
　He　hailed　the　deck　for　them　to　haul　him　up　again；　and　they　stood　eagerly　listening　for　what　he　had　to　say。
　'Two　feet　below　the　waterline；　sir？'　said　Matthews。　'She　was　close　hauled　and　heeling　right　over；　of　course；　when　we　hit　her。　But　her　bows　must　have　lifted　just　as　we　fired。　And　of　course　she's　lower　in　the　water　now。'
　That　was　the　point。　Whatever　they　did　now；　however　much　they　heeled　her；　that　hole　would　be　under　water。　And　on　the　other　tack　it　would　be　far　under　water；　with　much　additional　pressure；　yet　on　the　present　tack　they　were　headed　for　France。　And　the　more　water　they　took　in；　the　lower　the　brig　would　settle；　and　the　greater　would　be　the　pressure　forcing　water　in　through　the　hole。　Something　must　be　done　to　plug　the　leak；　and　Hornblower's　reading　of　the　manuals　of　seamanship　told　him　what　it　was。
　'We　must　fother　a　sail　and　get　it　over　that　hole；'　he　announced。　'