bcornwell.sharpstiger-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Sharpe　turned　to　face　his　persecutor。　'You　lay　that　cane　on　me　again；　Obadiah；'　he　said　softly；　'and　I'll　tell　General　Harris　about　you。　I'll　have　you　skinned　of　your　stripes；　I　will；　and　turned　back　into　a　private。　Would　you　like　that；　Obadiah？　You　and　me　in　the　same　file？　I'd　like　that；　Obadiah。'
　'Stand　still！'　Hakeswill　spat。
　'Shut　your　face；　Sergeant；'　Sharpe　said。　He　had　called　Hakeswill's　bluff；　and　there　was　pleasure　in　that。　The　Sergeant　had　doubtless　thought　he　could　bully　the　truth　out　of　Sharpe；　but　Sharpe　held　all　the　trump　cards　here。　'How's　your　nose？'　he　asked　Hakeswill。
　'Be　careful；　Sharpie。　Be　careful。'
　'Oh；　I　am；　Sergeant；　I　am。　I'm　real　careful。　Have　you　done　now？'　Sharpe　did　not　wait　for　an　answer；　but　just　walked　away。　The　next　time　he　faced　Obadiah；　he　thought；　he　would　have　the　stripes　on　his　sleeve；　and　God　help　Hakeswill　then。
　He　talked　to　Mary　for　half　an　hour；　then　it　was　time　to　make　the　excuses　that　Lieutenant　Lawford　had　rehearsed　with　him。　He　picked　up　his　pack；　took　his　musket；　and　said　he　had　to　report　to　the　paymaster's　tent。　Tm　on　light　duties　till　the　stripes　heal；'　he　told　his　mates；　'doing　sentry…go　on　the　money。　I'll　see　you　tomorrow。'
　Major　General　Baird　had　made　all　the　arrangements。　The　camp's　western　perimeter　was　guarded　by　men　he　could　trust；　and　those　men　had　orders　to　disregard　anything　they　saw；while　next　day；　Baird　promised　Lawford；　the　army　would　take　care　not　to　send　any　cavalry　patrols　directly　west　in　case　those　patrols　discovered　the　two　fugitives。　'Your　job　is　to　go　as　far　west　as　you　can　tonight；'　Baird　told　Sharpe　and　Lawford　when　he　met　them　close　to　the　western　picquet　line；　'and　then　keep　walking　west　in　the　morning。　You　understand　now？'
　'Yes；　sir；'　Lawford　answered。　The　Lieutenant；　beneath　a　heavy　cloak　that　disguised　his　uniform；　was　now　dressed　in　the　mon　soldier's　red　wool　coat　and　white　trousers。　Sharpe　had　tugged　Lawford's　hair　back；　then　wrapped　it　round　the　learner　pad　to　form　the　queue；　and　after　that　he　had　smothered　it　with　a　mix　of　grease　and　powder　so　that　Lawford　looked　no　different　from　any　other　private　except　that　his　hands　were　still　too　soft；　but　at　least　they　now　had　ink　under　the　fingernails　and　ground　into　the　pores。　Lawford　had　grimaced　as　Sharpe　had　tugged　at　his　hair；　and　protested　when　Sharpe　had　gouged　two　marks　in　his　neck　where　a　stock　would　have　scraped　twin　calluses；　but　Baird　had　hushed　him。　Lawford　winced　again　when　he　put　on　the　leather　stock　and　realized　just　what　disfort　the　ordinary　soldier　endured　daily。　Now；　safe　out　of　sight　of　the　soldiers　about　their　camp…fires；　he　dropped　the　cloak；　pulled　on　a　pack　and　picked　up　his　musket。
　Baird　hauled　a　huge　watch　from　his　pocket　and　tilted　its　face　to　the　half　moon。　'Eleven　o'clock；'　the　General　said。　'Time　you　fellows　were　away。'　He　put　two　fingers　in　his　mouth　and　sounded　a　shrill　quick　whistle　and　the　picquet；　visible　in　the　pale　moonlight；　magically　parted　north　and　south　to　leave　an　unguarded　gap　in　the　camp's　perimeter。　Baird　had　shaken　Lawford's　hand；　then　patted　Sharpe's　shoulder。　'How's　your　back；　Sharpe？'
　'Hurts　like　hell；　sir。'　It　did　too。
　Baird　looked　worried。　'You'll　manage；　though？'
　'I　ain't　soft；　sir。'
　T　never　supposed　you　were；　Private。'　Baird　patted　Sharpe'sshoulder　again；　then　gestured　into　the　dark。　'Off　you　go；　lads；　and　God　be　with　you。'　Baird　watched　the　two　men　run　across　the　open　ground　and　disappear　into　the　darkness　on　the　farther　side。　He　waited　for　a　long　time；　hoping　to　catch　a　last　glimpse　of　the　two　men's　shadows；　but　he　saw　nothing；　and　his　best　judgement　suggested　that　he　would　probably　never　see　either　soldier　again　and　that　reflection　saddened　him。　He　sounded　the　whistle　again　and　watched　as　the　sentries　reformed　the　picquet　line；　then　he　turned　and　walked　slowly　back　to　his　tent。
　'This　way；　Sharpe；'　Lawford　said　when　they　were　out　of　earshot　of　the　sentries。　'We're　following　a　star。'
　'Just　like　the　wise　men；　Bill；'　Sharpe　said。　It　had　taken　Sharpe　an　extraordinary　effort　to　use　Mister　Lawford's　first　name；　but　he　knew　he　had　to　do　it。　His　survival；　and　Lawford's；　depended　on　everything　being　done　right。
　But　the　use　of　the　name　shocked　Lawford；　who　stopped　and　stared　at　Sharpe。　'What　did　you　call　me？'
　'I　called　you　Bill；'　Sharpe　said；　'because　that's　your　bleeding　name。　You　ain't　an　officer　now；　you're　one　of　us。　I'm　Dick；　you're　Bill。　And　we　ain't　following　any　bloody　star。　We're　going　to　those　trees　over　there。　See？　The　three　big　buggers？'
　'Sharpe！'　Lawford　protested。
　'No！'　Sharpe　turned　savagely　on　Lawford。　'My　job　is　to　keep　you　alive；　Bill；　so　get　one　thing　straight。　You're　a　bleeding　private　now；　not　a　bloody　officer。　You　volunteered；　remember？　And　we're　deserters。　There　ain't　no　ranks　here；　no　〃sirs〃；　no　bloody　salutes；　no　gentlemen。　When　we　get　back　to　the　army　I　promise　you　I'll　pretend　this　never　happened　and　I'll　salute　you　till　my　bloody　arm　drops　off；　but　not　now；　and　not　till　you　and　me　get　out　of　this　bloody　nonsense　alive。　So　e　on！'
　Lawford；　stunned　by　Sharpe's　confidence；　meekly　followed。　'But　this　is　south　of　west！'　he　protested；　glancing　up　at　the　stars　to　check　the　direction　Sharpe　was　taking。'We'll　go　west　later；'　Sharpe　said。　'Now　get　your　bleeding　stock　off。'　He　ripped　his　own　off　and　tossed　it　into　some　bushes。　'First　thing　any　runner　does；　sir'　…　the　'sir'　was　accidental；　a　habit；　and　he　silently　cursed　himself　for　using　it　…'is　take　off　his　stock。　Then　mess　your　hair。　And　get　those　trousers　dirty。　You　look　like　you're　standing　guard　on　Windsor　bleeding　Castle。'　Sharpe　watched　as　Lawford　did　his　best　to　obey。　'So　where　did　you　join　up；　Bill？'　he　asked。
　Lawford　was　still　resentful　of　this　sudden　reversal　of　roles；　but　he　was　sensible　enough　to　realize　Sharpe　was　right。　Join　up？'　he　repeated。　'I　didn't。'
　'Of　course　you　did！　Where　did　they　recruit　you？'
　'My　home's　near　Portsmouth。'
　'That's　no　bloody　good。　Navy　would　press　you　in　Portsmouth　before　a　recruiting　sergeant　could　get　near　to　you。　Ever　been　to　Sheffield？'
　'Good　Lord；　no！'　Lawford　sounded　horrified。
　'Good　place；　Sheffield；'　Sharpe　said。　'And　there's　a　pub　on　Pond　Street　called　The　Hawle　in　the　Pond。　Can　you　remember　that？　The　Hawle　in　the　Pond　in　Sheffield。　It's　a　favourite　hunting　hole　for　the　33rd's　recruiters；　especially　on　market　days。　You　was　tricked　there　by　some　bleeding　sergeant。　He　got　you　drunk　and　before　you　knew　it　you'd　taken　the　King's　shilling　He　was　a　sergeant　of　the　33rd；　so　what　did　he　have　on　his　bayonet？'
　'His　bayonet？'　Lawford；　fumbling　to　release　the　leather　binding　of　his　newly　clubbed　hair；　frowned　in　perplexity。　'Nothing；　I　should　hope。'
　'We're　the　33rd；　Bill！　The　Havercakes！　He　carried　an　oatcake　on　his　bayonet；　remember？　And　he　promised　you'd　be　an　officer　inside　two　years　because　he　was　a　lying　bastard。　What　did　you　do　before　you　met　him？'
　Lawford　shrugged。　'A　farmer？'
　'No　one　would　ever　believe　you　laboured　on　a　farm；'Sharpe　said　scornfully。　'You　ain't　got　a　farmer's　arms。　That　General　Baird　now；　he's　got　proper　arms。　Looks　as　if　he　could　hoist　hay　all　day　long　and　not　feel　a　damn　thing；　but　not　you。　You　were　a　lawyer's　clerk。'
　Lawford　nodded。　'I　think　we　should　go　now；'　he　said；　trying　to　reassert　his　rapidly　vanishing　authority。
　'We're　waiting；'　Sharpe　said　stubbornly。　'So　why　the　hell　are　you　running？'
　Lawford　frowned。　'Unhappiness；　I　suppose。'
　'Bleeding　hell；　you're　a　soldier！　You　ain't　supposed　to　be　happy！　No；　let's　think　now。　You　boned　the　Captain's　watch；　how　about　that？　Got　caught；　and　you　faced　a　flogging。　You　saw　me　flogged　and　didn't　fancy　you　could　survive；　so　you　and　me；　being　mates　like；　ran。'
　'I　really　do　think　we　must　go！'　Lawford　insisted。
　'In　a　minute；　sir。'　Again　Sharpe　cursed　himself　for　using　the　honorific。　'Just　let　my　back　settle　down。'
　'Oh；　of　course。'　Lawford　was　immediately　contrite。　'But　we　can't　wait　too　long；　Sharpe。'
　'Dick；　sir。　You　call　me　Dick。　We're　friends；　remember？'
　'Of　course。'　Lawford；　as　unfortable　with　this　sudden　intimacy　as　with　the　need　to　waste　time；　settled　awkwardly　by　Sharpe　at　the　base　of　a　tree。　'So　why　did　you　join　up？'　he　asked　Sharpe。
　'The　harmen　were　after　me。'
　'The　harmen？　Oh　yes；　the　constables。'　Lawford　paused。　Somewhere　in　the　night　a　creature　shrieked　as　it　was　caught　by　a　predator；　while　off　to　the　east　the　sergeants　called　to　their　sentries。　The　sky　glowed　with　the　light　of　the　army's　myriad　fires。　'What　had　you　done？'　Lawford　asked。
　'Killed　a　man。　Put　a　knife　in　him。'
　Lawford　gazed　at　Sharpe。　'Murdered　him；　you　mean？'
　'Oh；　aye；　it　was　murder　right　enough；　even　though　the　bugger　deserved　it。　But　the　judge　at　York　Assizes　wouldn't　have　seen　it　my　way；　would　he？　Which　meant　Dick　Sharpewould　have　been　morris…dancing　at　the　end　of　a　rope　so　I　reckoned　it　was　easier　to　put　on　the　scarlet　coat。　The　harmen　don't　bother　a　man　once　he's　in　uniform；　not　unless　he　killed　one　of　the　gentry。'
　Lawford　hesitated；　not　sure　whether　he　should　enquire　too　deeply；　then　decided　it　was　worth　a　try。　'So　who　was　the　fellow　you　killed？'
　'Bugger　kept　an　inn。　I　worked　for　him；　see？　It　was　a　coaching　inn　so　he　knew　what　coaches　were　carrying　good　baggage　and　my　job　was　to　snaffle　the　stuff　once　the　coach　was　on　the　road。　That　and　some　prigging。'　Lawford　did　not　like　to　ask　what　prigging　was；　so　kept　quiet。　'He　were　a　right　bastard；'　Sharpe　went　on；　'but　that　wasn't　why　I　stuck　him。　It　was　over　a　girl；　see？　And　he　and　I　had　a　disagreement　about　who　should　keep　her　blanket　warm。　He　lost　and　I'm　here　and　God　knows　where　the　lass　is　now。'　He　laughed。
　'We're　wasting　time；'　Lawford　said。
　'Quiet！'　Sharpe　snapped；　then　picked　up　his　musket　and　pointed　it　towards　some　bushes。　'Is　that　you；　lass？'
　'It's　me；　Richard。'　Mary　Bickerstaff　emerged　from　the　shadows　carrying　a　bundle。　'Evening；　Mr　Lawford；　sir；'　she　said　shyly。
　'Call　him　Bill；'　Sharpe　insisted；　then　stood　and　shouldered　his　musket。　'e　on；　Bill！'　he　said。　'No　point　in　wasting　time　here。　There's　three　of　us　now　and　wise　men　always　travel　in　threes；　don't　they？　So　find　your　bleeding　star　and　let's　be　moving。'
　They　walked　all　night；　following　Lawford's　star　towards　the　western　skyline。　Lawford　took　Sharpe　aside　at　one　point　and；　insis