bcornwell.sharpstiger-第28部分

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　'I　hit　a　sergeant；　sir。'
　'And　you？'　Gudin　challenged　Lawford。　'Why　did　you　run？'
　'They　were　going　to　flog　me；　sir。'　Lawford　was　nervous　telling　the　lie；　and　the　nervousness　intrigued　Gudin。
　'For　doing　nothing？'　Gudin　asked　with　amusement。
　'For　stealing　a　watch；　sir。'　Lawford　reddened　as　he　spoke。　'Which　I　did　steal；'　he　added；　but　most　unconvincingly。　He　had　made　no　effort　to　hide　the　accent　that　betrayed　his　education；　though　whether　Gudin's　ear　was　sufficiently　attuned　to　English　to　detect　the　nuance　was　another　matter。
　The　Frenchman　was　certainly　intrigued　by　Lawford。　'What　did　you　say　your　name　was？'　the　Colonel　asked。
　'Lawford；　sir。'
　Gudin　gave　Lawford　a　long　scrutiny。　The　Frenchman　was　tall　and　thin；　with　a　lugubrious　and　tired　face；　but　his　eyes；　Sharpe　decided；　were　shrewd　and　kind。　Gudin；　Sharpe　reckoned；　was　a　gentleman；　a　proper　type　of　officer。　Like　Lawford；　really；　and　maybe　that　was　the　trouble。　MaybeGudin　had　already　seen　through　Lawford's　disguise。　'You　do　not　seem　to　me；　Private　Lawford；　to　be　a　typical　British　soldier；'　Gudin　said；　thus　fulfilling　Sharpe's　fears。　Tn　France；　now；　you　would　be　nothing　strange　for　we　must　insist　that　every　young　man　serve　his　country；　but　in　Britain；　am　I　not　right；　you　only　accept　the　dregs　of　the　streets？　Men　from　the　gutter？'
　'Men　like　me；'　Sharpe　said。
　'Quiet；'　Gudin　reproved　Sharpe　with　a　sudden　authority。　'I　did　not　speak　to　you。'　The　Frenchman　took　one　of　Lawford's　hands　and　mutely　inspected　the　soft　uncalloused　fingers。　'How　is　it　that　you　are　in　the　army；　Lawford？'
　'Father　went　bankrupt；　sir；'　Lawford　said；　conjuring　the　worst　disaster　that　he　could　ever　imagine。
　'But　the　son　of　a　bankrupt　father　can　take　employment；　can　he　not？'　Gudin　looked　again　at　the　soft　fingers；　then　released　Lawford's　hand。　'And　any　job；　surely；　is　better　than　the　life　of　a　British　soldier？'
　'I　got　drunk；　sir；'　Lawford　said　miserably；　'and　I　met　a　recruiting　sergeant。'　The　Lieutenant's　misery　was　not　at　the　imagined　memory；　but　at　the　difficulty　he　was　having　in　telling　the　lie；　but　his　demeanour　impressed　Gudin。　'It　was　in　a　pub；　sir；　in　Sheffield；'　Lawford　went　on。　'The　Hawse　in　the　Lake；　sir。　In　Sheffield；　sir。　In　Pond　Lane；　sir；　on　market　day。'　His　voice　tailed　away　as　he　suddenly　realized　he　did　not　know　which　day　of　the　week　the　market　was　held。
　'In　Sheffield？'　Gudin　asked。　'Is　that　not　where　they　make　iron？　And　…　what　is　the　word？　…　cutlery！　You　don't　look　like　a　cutler；　Lawford。'
　'I　was　a　lawyer's　apprentice；　sir。'　Lawford　was　blushing　violently。　He　knew　he　had　mixed　up　the　name　of　the　pub；　though　it　was　doubtful　that　Colonel　Gudin　would　ever　know　the　difference；　but　the　Lieutenant　was　certain　his　lies　were　as　transparent　as　a　pane　of　glass。
　'And　your　job　in　the　army？'　Gudin　asked。'pany　clerk；　sir。'
　Gudin　smiled。　'No　ink　on　your　breeches；　Lawford！　In　our　army　the　clerks　spatter　ink　everywhere。'
　For　a　moment　it　seemed　as　though　Lawford　was　about　to　abandon　his　lie　and；　in　his　misery；　confess　the　whole　truth　to　the　Frenchman；　but　then　the　Lieutenant　had　a　sudden　inspiration。　'I　wear　an　apron；　sir；　when　I'm　writing。　I　don't　want　to　be　punished　for　a　dirty　uniform；　sir。'
　Gudin　laughed。　In　truth　he　had　never　doubted　Lawford's　story；　mistaking　the　Lieutenant's　embarrassment　for　shame　at　his　family's　bankruptcy。　If　anything；　the　Frenchman　felt　sorry　for　the　tall；　fair…haired　and　fastidious　young　man　who　should　plainly　never　have　bee　a　soldier；　and　that；　to　Gudin；　was　enough　to　explain　Lawford's　nervousness。　'You're　a　clerk；　eh？　So　does　that　mean　you　see　paperwork？'
　'A　lot；　sir。'
　'So　do　you　know　how　many　guns　the　British　are　bringing　here？'　Gudin　asked。　'How　much　ammunition？'
　Lawford　shook　his　head　in　consternation。　For　a　few　seconds　he　was　speechless；　then　managed　to　say　that　he　never　saw　that　sort　of　paperwork。　'It's　just　pany　papers　I　see；　sir。　Punishment　books；　that　sort　of　thing。'
　'Bloody　thousands；'　Sharpe　interjected。　'Beg　pardon　for　speaking；　sir。'
　'Thousands　of　what？'　Gudin　asked。
　'Bullocks；　sir。　Six　eighteen…pounder　shot　strapped　on　apiece；　sir；　and　some　of　the　buggers　have　got　eight。　But　it's　thousands　of　round　shot。'
　'Two　thousand？　Three？'　Gudin　asked。
　'More　than　that；　sir。　I　ain't　seen　a　herd　the　size　of　it；　not　even　when　the　Scots　drive　the　beeves　down　from　Scodand　to　London。'
　Gudin　shrugged。　He　very　much　doubted　whether　these　two　could　tell　him　anything　useful；　certainly　nothing　that　the　Tippoo's　scouts　and　spies　had　not　already　discovered；　but　thequestions　had　to　be　asked。　Now；　waving　flies　from　his　face；　he　told　the　two　deserters　what　they　might　expect。　'His　Majesty　the　Tippoo　Sultan　will　decide　your　fate；　and　if　he　is　merciful　he　will　want　you　to　serve　in　his　forces。　I　assume　you　are　willing？'
　'Yes；　sir；'　Sharpe　said　eagerly。　'It's　why　we　came；　sir。'
　'Good；'　Gudin　said。　'The　Tippoo　might　want　you　in　one　of　his　own　cushoons。　That's　the　word　they　use　for　a　regiment　here；　a　cushoon。　They're　all　good　soldiers　and　well　trained；　and　you'll　be　made　wele；　but　there　is　one　disadvantage。　You　will　both　have　to　be　circumcised。'
　Lawford　went　pale；　while　Sharpe　just　shrugged。　'Is　that　bad；　sir？'
　'You　know　what　circumcision　is；　Private？'
　'Something　the　army　does　to　you；　sir？　Like　swear　you　in？'
　Gudin　smiled。　'Not　quite；　Sharpe。　The　Tippoo　is　a　Muslim　and　he　likes　his　foreign　volunteers　to　join　his　religion。　It　means　one　of　his　holy　men　will　cut　your　foreskin　off。　It's　quite　quick；　just　like　slicing　the　top　from　a　soft…boiled　egg；　really。'
　'My　prick？'　Sharpe　was　as　aghast　as　Lawford　now。
　'It's　over　in　seconds；'　Gudin　reassured　them；　'though　the　bleeding　can　last　for　a　while　and　you　cannot；　how　shall　I　say。　。。　？'　He　glanced　at　Mary；　then　back　to　Sharpe。　'You　can't　let　the　egg　bee　hard　boiled　for　a　few　weeks。'
　'Bloody　hell；　sir！'　Sharpe　said。　'For　religion？　They　do　that？'
　'We　Christians　sprinkle　babies　with　water；'　Gudin　said；　'and　the　Muslims　chop　off　foreskins。'　The　Frenchman　paused；　then　smiled。　'However；　I　cannot　think　that　a　man　with　a　bleeding　prick　will　make　a　good　soldier；　and　your　armies　will　be　here　in　a　few　days；　so　I　will　suggest　to　His　Majesty　that　the　two　of　you　serve　with　my　men。　We　are　few；　but　none　of　us　are　Muslims；　and　all　of　our　soft…boiled　eggs　retain　their　full　shells。'
　'Quite　right　too；　sir；'　Sharpe　said　enthusiastically。　'And　it'll　be　an　honour　to　serve　you；　sir；'　he　added。'In　a　French　battalion？'　Gudin　teased　him。
　'If　you　don't　flog；　sir；　and　you　don't　carve　up　pricks；　then　it'll　be　more　than　an　honour。'
　'If　the　Tippoo　allows　it；'　Gudin　warned　them；　'which　he　may　not。　But　I　think　he　might。　I　have　other　Britishers　in　the　battalion；　and　some　Germans　and　Swiss。'I'm　sure　you　will　be　happy　there。'　He　looked　at　Mary。　'But　what　of　you；　Mademoiselle？'
　Mary　touched　Sharpe's　elbow。　'I　came　with　Richard；　sir。'
　Gudin　inspected　her　black　eye。　'How　did　that　happen；　Mademoiselle？'
　'I　fell；　sir；'　Mary　said。
　Gudin's　face　flickered　with　a　smile。　'Or　did　Private　Sharpe　hit　you？　So　that　you　would　not　appear　attractive？'
　'I　fell　over；　sir。'
　Gudin　nodded。　'You　hit　hard；　Private　Sharpe。'
　'No　point　else；　sir。'
　'That　is　true；'　Gudin　said；　then　shrugged。　'My　men　have　their　women。　If　His　Majesty　allows　it　I　don't　see　why　the　two　of　you　should　not　stay　together。'　He　turned　as　his　sergeant　reappeared；　bringing　with　him　an　elderly　Indian　who　carried　a　cloth…covered　basket。　'This　is　Doctor　Venkatesh；'　Gudin　said；　greeting　the　doctor　with　a　bow；　'and　he　is　quite　as　good　as　any　physician　I　ever　found　in　Paris。　I　imagine；　Sharpe；　that　removing　those　filthy　bandages　will　hurt？'
　'Not　as　much　as　circumcising；　sir。'
　Gudin　laughed。　'All　the　same；　I　think　you　had　better　sit　down。'
　Removing　the　bandages　hurt　like　buggery。　Mister　Micklewhite；　the　surgeon；　had　put　a　salve　on　the　lashes；　but　no　army　surgeon　ever　wasted　too　much　precious　ointment　on　a　mon　soldier；　and　Micklewhite　had　not　used　enough　salve　to　stop　the　bandages　from　crusting　to　the　wounds　and　so　the　cloth　had　bee　one　clotted　mass　of　linen　and　dried　blood　that　tore　the　scabs　away　from　the　wounds　as　the　Indian　peeledthe　bandages　away。　Doctor　Venkatesh　was　indeed　skilful　and　gentle　and　his　voice　was　ever　soothing　in　Sharpe's　ear　as　he　delicately　prised　the　horrid　mess　away　from　the　torn　flesh；　but　even　so　Sharpe　could　not　forbear　from　whimpering　as　the　bandages　were　lifted。　The　tigers；　smelling　fresh　blood；　lunged　at　their　chains　so　that　the　courtyard　was　filled　with　the　clank　and　snap　of　stretching　links。
　The　Indian　doctor　plainly　disapproved　of　both　the　injury　and　the　treatment。　He　tutted　and　muttered　and　shook　his　head　as　the　carnage　was　revealed。　Then；　when　he　had　picked　the　last　filthy　scrap　of　bandage　away　with　a　pair　of　ivory　tweezers；　he　poured　an　unguent　over　Sharpe's　back　and　the　cool　liquid　was　wonderfully　soothing。　Sharpe　sighed　with　relief；　then　suddenly　the　doctor　sprang　away　from　him；　stood；　clasped　his　hands　and　bowed　low。
　Sharpe　twisted　round　to　see　that　a　group　of　Indians　had　e　into　the　courtyard。　At　their　head　was　a　shortish　plump　man；　maybe　fifty　years　old；　with　a　round　face　and　a　neatly　trimmed　black　moustache。　He　was　dressed　in　a　white　silk　tunic　above　white　silk　leggings　and　black　leather　boots；　but　the　simple　clothes　glittered　with　jewels。　He　wore　rubies　on　his　turban；　diamond…studded　bangles　on　his　arms；　and　pearls　were　sewn　onto　his　blue　silk　sash　from　which　there　hung　a　sapphire…studded　scabbard　in　which　rested　a　sword　with　a　golden　hilt　fashioned　into　the　face　of　a　snarling　tiger。　Doctor　Venkatesh　backed　hurriedly　away；　still　bowing；　while　Gudin　stood　respectfully　at　attention。　'The　Tippoo！'　Gudin　warned　Sharpe　and　Lawford　in　a　whisper；　and　Sharpe　struggled　to　his　feet　and；　like　the　Frenchman；　stood　to　attention。
　The　Tippoo　stopped　a　half…dozen　paces　short　of　Sharpe　and　Lawford。　He　stared　at　them　for　a　few　seconds；　then　spoke　softly　to　his　interpreter。　'Turn　round；'　the　interpreter　ordered　Sharpe。
　Sharpe　obediently　turned；　showing　his　back　to　the　Tippoo；　who；　fascinated　by　the　open　wounds；　stepped　close　so　hecould　inspect　the　damage。　Sharpe　could　feel　the　Tippoo's　breath　on　the　back　of　his　neck；　he　could　smell　the　man's　subtle　perfume；　and　then　he　felt　a　spider　soft　touch　as　th