csf.thecommodore-第22部分

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　Braun　was　on　deck　early；　leaning　against　the　rail；　craning　over　in　fact；　that　faint　grey　smear　on　the　horizon　to　the　northward　was　his　native　land；　the　Finland　of　lake　and　forest　which　the　Tsar　had　just　conquered　and　from　which　he　was　a　hopeless　exile。　Hornblower　noted　the　dejection　of　the　poor　devil's　pose　and　was　sorry　for　him；　even　in　the　keen　excitement　of　anticipation　regarding　the　reception　they　might　be　accorded。　Bush　came　bustling　up；　in　all　the　glory　of　epaulettes　and　sword；　darting　eager　glances　over　the　deck　and　aloft　to　make　quite　sure　that　everything　in　the　ship　was　ready　to　bear　the　inspection　of　an　unfriendly　power。
　〃Captain　Bush；〃　said　Hornblower；　〃I'd　be　obliged　if　you　would　square　away　for　Kronstadt。〃
　〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
　Hornblower　would　have　liked　to　have　asked　if　the　arrangements　for　saluting　were　properly　in　train；　but　he　forbore。　He　could　trust　Bush　with　any　routine　duty；　and　he　had　to　be　very　careful　not　to　interfere　with　the　working　of　the　ship。　He　was　glad　that　so　far　he　had　never　forgotten　to　make　use　of　the　polite　forms　of　request　when　giving　orders　to　Bush；　who　was　his　equal　in　substantive　rank。　'I'd　be　obliged'　and　'if　you　please'　still　came　strangely　enough　to　his　lips　as　a　preface　to　an　order。
　He　turned　his　back　on　the　dawn　and　trained　his　glass　aft　on　the　squadron；　they　were　squaring　away　and　taking　up　their　stations　astern　in　succession；　the　two　sloops；　and　then　the　two　bomb…vessels；　and　the　cutter　last。
　〃General　signal；〃　he　snapped；　〃'Keep　better　station'。〃
　He　wanted　his　squadron　to　e　up　the　difficult　channel　in　exact；　regular　order；　like　beads　on　a　string。　Out　of　the　tail　of　his　eye　he　saw　Basse　and　Wychwood　e　on　deck；　and　he　ignored　them。
　〃Make　that　signal　again；〃　he　rasped；　〃with　Harvey's　number。〃
　Harvey　was　yawing　slightly　from　her　course；　young　Mound　had　better　keep　a　sharp　eye　on　his　helmsman；　or　he　would　be　in　trouble。　To　starboard；　where　the　wide　shoals　extended　from　the　Oranienbaum　shore；　there　were　buoys　to　mark　the　limits　of　the　channel；　which　serpentined　back　and　forth　in　unpredictable　fashion。　If　ever　he　had　to　penetrate　this　channel　as　an　enemy　he　would　find　it　a　tricky　business。　There　were　the　low　grey　fortifications　of　Kronstadt　on　the　port　bow；　a　turn　in　the　channel　sent　the　Nonsuch　heading　directly　for　them；　so　that　in　the　event　of　fighting　the　fire　of　the　guns　there　would　enfilade　the　whole　line。　Then　the　channel　swung　back　again；　and　then　it　straightened　out　so　that　all　ships　would　be　forced　to　pass　close　under　the　guns　of　Kronstadt。　Through　his　glass　Hornblower　made　out　the　blue　and　white　flag　of　Imperial　Russia　flying　above　the　grey　walls。
　〃Make　the　signal；　'anchor'；〃　said　Hornblower　to　the　signal　midshipman；　and　then　he　darted　a　meaning　glance　at　Bush；　who　nodded。　He　had　everything　ready。　The　ship　crept　forward；　closer　and　closer　under　the　guns。
　〃Haul　down；〃　said　Hornblower；　and　the　signal　to　anchor　came　down　in　a　flash；　putting　the　order　into　force　at　that　moment。　Six　cables　roared　through　six　hawseholes。　In　the　six　ships　a　thousand　men　poured　aloft；　and　the　canvas　vanished　as　though　by　magic　as　the　ships　swung　round　to　their　cables。
　〃Pretty　fair；〃　said　Hornblower　to　himself；　realizing；　with　an　inward　smile　at　his　own　weakness；　that　no　evolution　could　ever　be　carried　out　to　his　perfect　satisfaction。　Forward　the　saluting　gun　began　to　crash　out　its　marks　of　respect　for　the　Russian　flag；　Hornblower　saw　a　puff　of　smoke　from　the　fortress　and　then　the　sound　of　the　first　gun　of　the　return　salute　reached　his　ears。　Eleven　guns；　they　recognized　his　broad　pendant；　then；　and　knew　what　pliments　were　due　to　a　modore。　Here　came　the　doctor's　boat　to　give　them　pratique；　the　doctor　was　a　man　with　a　large　black　beard　who　spoke　limping　French。　His　visit　was　a　good　opportunity　to　test　Braun's　ability　to　speak　Russian　…　Braun　translated　with　facility　Hornblower's　declaration　that　there　was　no　infectious　disease　on　board。　Everyone　in　the　ship　was　a　little　excited　at　this　visit　to　Russia；　and　crowded　the　side　to　look　down　at　the　Russian　boat's　crew；　seated　in　their　boat　with　the　bowman　hooking　on　to　the　chains；　but　they　appeared　no　different　from　any　other　boat's　crew　…　much　the　same　kind　of　coloured　shirts　and　ragged　trousers　and　bare　feet；　and　they　handled　their　craft　capably　enough。　It　was　Bush　who　drove　the　Nonsuch's　crew　from　the　side；　he　was　hotly　indignant　about　their　blatant　curiosity　and　the　noise　they　made。
　〃Chattering　like　a　herd　of　monkeys；〃　said　Bush　indignantly　to　the　first　lieutenant。　〃Making　more　noise　than　a　tree　full　of　jackdaws。　What'll　these　Russians　think　of　us？　Set　the　men　to　work　and　keep　'em　at　it。〃
　In　these　conditions　of　doubtful　neutrality　it　would　be　best　for　the　first　contact　with　the　shore　to　be　made　by　Basse。　At　least　ostensibly　the　squadron　had　e　to　Kronstadt　merely　to　bring　him　with　his　news　to　the　Swedish　Crown　Prince。　Hornblower　had　his　barge　hoisted　out　and　sent　Basse　away　in　it；　and　the　boat　returned　without　him　but　with　no　other　information。　Basse　had　landed　at　the　jetty；　and　the　barge；　in　accordance　with　Hornblower's　orders；　had　immediately　returned。　Apart　from　the　salute　and　the　doctor's　visit　the　Russian　Empire　chose　to　ignore　the　British　squadron's　existence。
　〃What　sort　of　people　do　they　think　we　are？〃　grumbled　Bush；　fretting；　as　usual；　at　inaction。　Bush　knew　as　well　as　Hornblower　that　in　all　matters　of　diplomacy　it　was　best　to　display　no　eagerness　at　all；　but　he　could　not　force　himself　to　appear　calm　as　Hornblower　could。　He　gave　a　meaning　glance　at　Hornblower's　full　uniform　and　ribbon　and　star；　donned　so　as　to　be　ready　for　any　official　occasion　whatever；　he　wanted　Hornblower　to　proceed　on　shore　to　call　on　the　local　governor　and　put　the　whole　situation　to　the　test；　but　Hornblower　was　obstinate。　He　was　waiting　for　an　invitation。　England　had　survived　the　storm　in　Europe　so　far　without　a　Russian　alliance；　and　future　relations　would　be　simplified　if　Russia　were　to　make　the　first　advances　now　…　provided　she　did　make　them。　His　squadron　was　present　merely　to　bring　Basse　to　report　to　Bernadotte；　if　the　Russian　Government　chose　to　take　advantage　of　his　presence　to　approach　him；　well　and　good。　Otherwise　he　would　have　to　devise　some　other　plan。
　〃The　telegraph　hasn't　ceased　working　since　Basse　reached　shore；〃　mented　Bush；　glass　to　eye。　The　three　gaunt　black　arms　of　the　semaphore　on　the　top　of　the　fortress　were　whirling　busily　round　transmitting　messages　to　the　next　station　higher　up　the　bay。　Otherwise　there　was　almost　nothing　to　be　seen；　across　the　low　land　of　the　island　were　visible　a　few　masts　to　mark　the　site　of　the　naval　dockyard；　two　or　three　merchant　ships　swung　at　anchor　in　that　direction；　and　a　few　fishing…boats　plied　their　trade。
　〃There　goes　a　boat！〃　said　Montgomery　suddenly。
　A　smart　pinnace　was　shooting　out　from　the　direction　of　the　dockyard　heading　across　the　channel　almost　directly　away　from　Nonsuch。
　〃Russian　Imperial　colours；〃　said　Bush。　〃Can　anyone　see　who's　onboard？〃
　But　the　pinnace　was　too　far　away　for　any　details　to　be　visible　by　telescope。
　〃I　think　I　can　see　gold　lace；〃　said　Carlin；　doubtfully。
　〃Much　good　that　is；〃　said　Bush。　〃A　blind　man　would　guess　there　was　gold　lace　in　a　Russian　navy　pinnace　at　Kronstadt。〃
　The　pinnace　passed　away　into　the　distance；　quartering　across　the　broad　channel　until　her　white　sail　dwindled　to　a　speck。
　〃Call　me　if　anything　happens；　if　you　please；　Captain　Bush；〃　said　Hornblower。
　He　went　off　below　to　his　cabin；　Brown　relieved　him　of　his　heavy　full…dress　coat　with　the　epaulettes；　and；　once　more　alone；　he　began　to　fidget　about　the　cabin。　He　opened　the　case　of　pistols　which　Barbara　had　given　him；　read　the　card　inside　it　…　the　last　word　he　had　received　from　her　…　and　shut　the　case　again。　He　stepped　out　into　the　stern　gallery　and　returned　to　the　cabin。　The　realization　that　he　was　worried　annoyed　him；　he　took　down　Archdeacon　Coxe's　travels　from　the　bookshelf　and　set　himself　seriously　to　read　the　Archdeacon's　intensely　wearisome　remarks　about　the　condition　of　Russia；　in　the　endeavour　to　inform　himself　more　fully　about　the　northern　powers。　But　the　words　made　sheer　nonsense　to　him；　he　took　up　the　slim　volume　of　Childe　Harold　instead。
　〃Bombast　and　fustian；〃　he　said　to　himself；　flipping　through　the　pages。
　He　heard　six　bells　strike；　it　was　still　no　later　than　eleven　in　the　morning；　and　he　could　not　possibly　dine　before　two。
　He　got　up　from　his　chair　and　made　himself　lie　on　his　cot；　shut　his　eyes　and　grimly　clenched　his　hands　and　tried　to　force　himself　to　doze。　He　could　not　possibly　go　up　on　deck　again　and　walk　up　and　down；　as　he　wanted　to　…　that　would　be　a　public　admission　that　he　was　restless　and　nervous。　The　minutes　passed　on　leaden　feet；　he　felt　he　had　never　felt　so　caged　and　unhappy　before　in　his　life。
　Eight　bells　went；　and　he　heard　the　watch　relieved；　it　was　like　an　eternity　before　he　heard　a　bustle　on　the　half…deck　outside　and　someone　knocked　on　the　door。　Hornblower　settled　himself　in　an　attitude　of　plete　relaxation　on　his　cot。
　〃e　in！〃　he　called；　and　he　blinked　and　peered　at　the　midshipman　as　if　he　had　just　awakened　from　a　sound　sleep。
　〃Boat　heading　towards　us；　sir；〃　said　the　midshipman。
　〃I'll　e　up；〃　said　Hornblower。　〃Pass　the　word　for　my　cox'n。〃
　Brown　helped　him　into　his　dress…coat；　and　he　reached　the　deck　while　the　boat　was　still　some　distance　off。
　〃The　same　pinnace　that　we　saw　before；　sir；〃　mented　Hurst。
　The　pinnace　came　into　the　wind；　and　took　in　her　mainsail　while　the　bowman　hailed　the　ship　in　Russian。
　〃Where's　Mr　Braun？〃　said　Hornblower。
　The　hail　was　repeated；　and　Braun　translated。
　〃He　is　asking　permission　to　hook　on　to　us；　sir。　And　he　says　he　has　a　message　for　you。〃
　〃Tell　him　to　e　alongside；〃　said　Hornblower；　This　dependence　upon　an　interpreter　always　irritated　him。
　The　boat's　crew　was　smart；　dressed　in　something　like　a　uniform　with　blue　shirts　and　white　trousers；　and　in　the　stern…sheets；　ready　to　mount　the　side；　was　an　officer　in　military　uniform；　frogged　across　the　breast　in　Hussar　fashion。　The　Hussar　came　clumsily　up　the　side；　and　glanced　round；　saluting　the　mass　of　gold　lace　which　awaited　him。　Then　he　produced　a　letter；　which　he　offered　with　a　further　explanation　in　Russian。
　〃From　His　Imperial　Majesty　the　Tsar；〃　transl