bcornwell.sharpescompany-第40部分

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ht　he　could　do　no　wrong；　because　tonight　he　was　leading　a　Forlorn　Hope　against　the　biggest　citadel　the　British　army　had　ever　attacked。　He　turned　to　his　men。
　
　They　went。　Silent。　The　ladders　scraped　over　the　stone　lip　of　the　glacis；　down　into　the　ditch；　and　the　men　scrambled　down；　slithering　on　the　rungs；　falling　on　to　the　thrown　hay…bags。　It　had　begun。
　
　Sharpe　watched　the　walls。　They　were　dark　and　silent。　Behind　him；　at　the　foot　of　the　glacis；　he　could　hear　the　tramp　of　feet　as　the　battalions　approached　and　then；　ahead；　he　heard　the　Lieutenant　shout　at　his　men　and　the　first　scrambling　of　boots　on　the　breach。　It　had　started。　Hell　had　e　to　Badajoz。
　
　CHAPTER　24
　
　In　the　cathedral　that　day　the　prayers　had　been　unceasing；　muttered；　sometimes　hysterical；　the　words　had　acpanied　the　beads　as　the　women　of　Badajoz　feared　for　the　dead　who　would　e　to　their　streets　that　night。　Just　as　the　British　army　knew　the　assault　was　ing；　so；　too；　did　the　defenders　and　inhabitants　of　Badajoz。　A　host　of　candles　flickered　before　the　saints　as　if　the　tiny　flames　could　keep　at　bay　the　evil　that　surrounded　the　city　and　came　pressing　closer　as　the　night　gloom　filled　the　cathedral。
　
　Rafael　Moreno；　merchant；　trickled　powder　into　his　pistols　and　hid　them；　loaded　and　primed；　beneath　the　lid　of　his　writing　desk。　He　wished　his　wife　were　with　him；　but　she　had　insisted　enjoining　the　nuns　in　the　cathedral；　foolish　woman；　and　praying。　Prayers　would　not　deflect　the　soldiers；　bullets　might；　but　it　was　more　likely　they　could　be　bribed　by　the　cheap　red　wine　he　had　put　in　his　courtyard。　Moreno　shrugged。　The　most　valuable　possessions　were　hidden；　well　hidden；　and　his　niece　insisted　she　had　friends　among　the　British。　He　could　hear　Teresa　upstairs；　talking　to　her　child；　and　doubtless　she　had　the　heathen　rifle　loaded　and　ready。　He　liked　his　niece；　of　course；　but　there　were　times　when　he　thought　that　his　brother　Cesar's　family　were　more　than　a　little　too　wild。　Downright　irresponsible　even。　He　poured　himself　wine。　That　child　upstairs；　improving　in　health；　God　be　praised；　but　a　bastard！　And　in　his　house！　Moreno　sipped　the　wine。　The　neighbors　did　not　know；　he　had　seen　to　that。　They　thought　she　was　a　widow　whose　husband　had　died　in　last　year's　battles　between　the　French　and　the　disintegrating　Spanish　armies。　He　heard　the　clock　in　the　cathedral　tower　begin　wheezing　as　it　wound　itself　up　to　strike　the　bell。　Ten　o'clock　in　Badajoz。　He　emptied　his　glass　and　called　for　a　servant　to　refill　it。
　
　The　bell　sounded；　and　below；　in　the　cathedral；　beneath　the　vaulted　ceiling　and　the　gold　ledges；　below　the　huge；　dark　chandelier；　and　beneath　the　sad　eyes　of　the　Virgin；　the　women　heard　the　crackle　of　muskets　begin　far　away。　They　looked　up；　over　the　glow　of　the　candles；　at　the　Mother　of　God。　Be　with　us　now　and　in　the　hour　of　our　need。
　
　Sharpe　heard　the　first　toll　of　the　hour；　and　then　no　more。　As　it　sounded；　so　the　first　fireball　rose　from　the　battlements；　arced　its　spark…path　in　the　blackness；　and　then　plummeted　to　the　ditch。　It　was　the　first　of　a　storm；　the　tight　packed　balls　flaming　and　falling　as　the　carcasses　were　rolled　on　to　the　breach；　and　suddenly　the　breaches；　the　ditch；　the　ravelin；　the　obstacles；　and　the　tiny　figures　of　the　Forlorn　Hope　were　swamped　in　light；　light　poured　from　above；　by　flames　that　caught　on　the　obstacles　in　the　ditch；　and　the　Hope　began　to　climb　as　the　fire　was　bright　on　their　bayonets。
　
　The　battalions　behind　cheered。　Silence　was　done。　The　front　ranks　reached　the　ditch　and　the　ladders　scraped　over。　Men　hurled　themselves　after　the　hay…bags　and　scrambled　down　ladders；　a　flow　of　men　in　desperate　haste　to　cross　the　ditch　and　climb　the　huge　ramps　of　the　breaches。　They　were　cheering；　urging　themselves　on；　even　as　the　first　tongues　of　quicksilver　flame　raced　down　the　breaches　of　the　Santa　Maria　and　Trinidad。
　
　Sharpe　dropped　as　the　mines　exploded。　Not　one　or　two；　but　tons　of　powder　packed　in　the　ditch；　on　the　lower　slopes　of　the　ramps；　was　ignited　and　exploded　outwards；　and　the　Forlorn　Hope　was　gone。　Taken　in　an　instant；　ground　into　fragments　of　wet　horror；　all　dead；　as　the　first　files　of　the　first　battalions　were　hurled　backwards　by　the　flame　and　flying　stone。
　
　The　French　cheered。　They　lined　the　parapets；　the　bastions；　and　the　guns　that　had　been　handled　round　to　fire　down　into　the　ditch；　guns　which　had　been　double　shotted　with　canister；　were　unmasked。　Muskets　spat；　were　drowned　by　the　cannon　flames。　The　enemy　cheered　and　shouted　obscenities；　and　all　the　time　the　carcasses　were　thrown；　lighting　the　targets；　and　the　ditch　was　slopping　with　fire；　a　container　of　flames　that　would　only　be　drowned　in　blood；　and　still　the　men　went　down　the　ladders　and　into　the　ditch。
　
　The　third　breach　was　silent；　the　new　breach。　It　lay　between　the　bastions；　a　huge　fresh　scar　that　could　lead　into　the　city；　but　Sharpe　saw　the　French　had　worked　well。　The　ditch　in　front　of　the　wall　was　huge；　as　wide　as　a　parade　ground；　but　filled　with　the　squat；　half…finished　ravelin。　The　ravelin　was　twenty　feet　high；　shaped　like　a　diamond；　and　the　only　way　to　the　new　breach　was　to　go　round　it。　The　way　was　blocked。　Carts　had　been　tipped　over　in　the　approach　ditches；　then　covered　with　timbers；　and　the　fireballs　had　lit　the　obstacles　so　that　they　flamed　huge　and　fierce；　and　no　attacker　could　get　close。　Only　the　breaches　in　the　bastions；　the　Santa　Maria　and　the　Trinidad；　could　be　approached；　and　those　were　dominated　by　the　enemy　guns。　They　fired　again　and　again；　the　ammunition　hoarded　against　this　night；　and　still　the　British　tried；　and　still　they　died　yards　from　the　breaches'　base。
　
　Sharpe　went　back　down　the　glacis；　into　the　shadows；　and　turned　once　to　see　the　high；　great　walls　of　the　battle　lit　by　fire。　Flames　jetted　from　the　embrasures；　writhing　smoke　into　the　maelstrom　below；　and　in　the　light　of　the　fires　he　saw　strange　patterns　at　the　top　of　the　breaches。　He　stopped　and　stared；　trying　to　make　sense　of　the　shapes　glimpsed　through　the　harrowing　fire　and　smoke；　and　saw　that　the　French　had　crowned　each　breach　with　Ckevaux　de　Prise。　Each　one　was　a　timber；　thick　as　a　battleship's　main　mast；　and　from　each　chained　timber　there　sprang　a　thousand　sabre　blades；　the　blade　barrier；　thick　as　a　porcupine's　coat；　to　hook　and　tear　any　man　who　reached　the　summit。　If　any　did。
　
　He　found　the　Colonel　of　his　next　battalion；　standing　with　drawn　sword；　staring　at　the　fire…edged　glacis。　The　Colonel　glared　at　Sharpe。　'What's　happening？'
　
　'Guns；　sir。　e　on。'　Not　that　the　Colonel　needed　to　be　told；　or　to　be　guided。　The　face　of　the　Santa　Maria　bastion　was　a　sheet　of　reflected　flame　and　they　marched　towards　it　as；　suddenly；　the　canister　whistled　down　the　slope　and　cut　huge　swathes　through　the　Battalion。　The　men　closed　ranks；　marched　on；　nearer　the　lip；　and　the　gunners　doused　the　glacis　with　bursting　canister　and　the　Colonel　waved　his　sword。　'e　on！'
　
　They　ran；　order　disappearing；　and　hurled　themselves　at　the　ditch。　Bodies　littered　the　glacis；　twitched　by　new　blasts　of　shot；　and　still　more　men　climbed　the　slope　and　poured　into　the　vast　fire　bowl。　Men　jumped　towards　hay…bags　and　landed；　instead；　on　the　dead　or　wounded。　The　living　pushed　forward　towards　the　breach；　trying　to　claw　their　way　to　the　shattered　stone；　and　each　time　the　French　gunners；　high　on　the　terrifying　walls；　swatted　them　back　so　that　the　ditch　floor　was　thick　with　blood。　Sharpe　watched；　appalled。　His　orders　were　to　go　back　to　where　the　reserve　waited；　to　guide　more　men　forward；　but　no　man　needed　to　be　guided　this　night。　He　stayed。
　
　Not　one　man　had　reached　a　breach。　The　ditch　between　the　glacis　and　the　ravelin　was　black　with　men；　disorganized　men；　the　mingling　of　the　Fourth　and　Light　Divisions。　Some　cowered　there　for　safety；　thinking　the　shadow　of　the　ravelin　would　give　them　protection　from　the　guns　that　scorched　down　at　them。　But　there　was　no　safety。　The　guns　could　reach　every　inch　of　the　ditch；　firing　in　scientific　patterns；　killing；　killing；　killing；　but　for　the　moment　they　fired　only　where　the　British　moved；　towards　the　breaches；　and　the　spaces　before　the　great；　stone　ramps　were　thickening　with　dead。　The　guns　fired　canister；　tin　cans　that　burst　apart　in　the　muzzle　flame　and　scattered　musket　balls　like　giant　duck…shot；　while　other　guns　were　loaded　with　grapeshot；　naval　ammunition；　that　rattled　against　the　ditch　wall。
　
　It　was　not　just　the　guns。　The　defenders　hurled　anything　that　would　kill　from　the　ramparts。　Stone　lumps；　the　size　of　a　man's　head；　crashed　down　into　the　ditch；　gun…shells；　their　fuses　cut　to　a　quarter　inch　and　lit　by　hand；　fizzed　down　and　sent　red　hot　fragments　scything　on　the　ditch's　floor；　and　even　kegs　of　powder；　fused　and　lit；　were　rolled　down　the　breach　slope。　Sharpe　watched　one　barrel；　bouncing　and　tumbling；　its　fuse　spinning　madly　red；　finally　leap　into　the　ditch　and　explode　in　the　face　of　a　dozen　Riflemen　who　were　running　for　the　Santa　Maria　breach。　Only　three　lived；　blinded　and　screaming；　and　one　of　them　wandered；　insensate　with　pain；　into　the　burning　timbers　that　blocked　the　path　to　the　new　breach。　Sharpe　fancied　he　could　hear　the　man's　dying　screams　bubble　with　the　flames；　but　there　were　so　many　dying；　and　so　much　noise；　that　he　could　not　be　certain。
　
　The　noise　of　the　living　in　the　ditch　was　a　growl　and；　suddenly；　it　rose　to　a　sound　of　fury　and　Sharpe　looked　right　to　see　a　wave　of　men；　Riflemen　and　red…jackets；　charging　forward。　He　groaned。　They　had　stormed　their　way　up　the　ravelin's　sloping　face；　desperate　for　victory；　and　the　burgeoning　attack　spread　out　on　the　diamond's　top　flat　surface　and　ran　with　leveled　bayonets　towards　the　new　breach。　The　French　were　waiting。　Guns　that　had　not　fired　were　touched　with　flame；　the　grapeshot　ripped　in　from　three　sides　and　the　attack　died　in　a　dancing　horror　as　men　were　struck　as　by　contrary　iron　winds。　A　few　lived；　ran　on；　and　found　that　the　ravelin　led　to　another　sheer　drop；　into　another　ditch　before　the　breach　and；　as　they　hesitated；　the　French　infantry　dropped　them　with　musket　fire　and　there　was　nothing　but　bodies　left　on　the　ravelin's　top；　bodies　that　had　fallen　and　left　unrecognizable　dark　smears　on　the　stone。
　
　The　guns　were　winning　the　night。　The　ditch　was　blocked　by　fire。　Men　could　not　go　right　or　left　because　of　the　fla