bcornwell.sharpstiger-第37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！


o　drive　the　enemy　out　of　the　trees　altogedier。　Captain　West？'
　'Sir！'　Francis　West；　the　mander　of　the　Grenadier　pany；　was　senior　to　Morris　and　so　was　in　charge　of　the　two　panies。
　'You　may　advance。'
　'At　once；　sir；'　West　said。　'Detachment！　Forward！'
　'Im　in　your　hands；　Mother；'　Hakeswill　said　under　his　breath　as　the　two　panies　began　their　advance。　'Look　after　me　now！　Oh　God　in　his　heaven；　but　the　black　bastards　are　firing　at　us。　Mother！　It's　your　Obadiah　here；　Mother！'
　'Steady　in　the　line！'　Sergeant　Green's　voice　called。　'Don't　hurry！　Keep　your　ranks！'
　Morris　had　discarded　his　horse　and　drawn　his　sabre。　Hefelt　distinctly　unwell。　'Give　them　steel　when　we　get　there；'　he　called　to　his　pany。
　'We　should　give　the　buggers　some　bleeding　artillery；'　someone　muttered。
　'Who　said　that？'　Hakeswill　shouted。　'Keep　your　bleeding　tongues　still！'
　The　first　balls　were　whistling　past　their　ears　now　and　the　crackle　of　the　enemy's　musketry　filled　the　night。　The　Tippoo's　men　were　firing　from　the　aqueduct's　embankment　and　the　flames　of　their　fusillade　sparked　bright　against　the　dark　background　of　the　tope。　The　two　panies　instinctively　spread　out　as　they　advanced　and　the　corporals；　charged　to　be　file…closers；　bawled　at　them　to　close　up。　The　ground　was　night　dark；　but　the　skyline　above　the　trees　still　showed　clearly　enough。　Lieutenant　Fitzgerald　glanced　behind　once　and　was　appalled　to　see　that　the　western　sky　was　still　touched　by　a　blazing　streak　and　he　knew　that　crimson　glow　would　silhouette　the　pany　once　it　climbed　the　embankment；　but　there　was　no　going　back　now。　He　stretched　his　long　legs；　eager　to　be　first　into　the　enemy　lines。　Wellesley　was　advancing　behind　the　panies　and　Fitzgerald　wanted　to　impress　the　Colonel。
　The　musketry　fire　blazed　along　the　embankment's　lip；　each　shot　a　spark　of　brightness　that　glowed　briefly　in　the　dark　smoke；　but　the　fire　was　wildly　inaccurate　for　the　attackers　were　still　in　the　night…shadowed　low　ground　and　concealed　by　the　defenders'　own　powder　smoke。　Far　off　to　their　left　other　battalions　were　assaulting　the　northern　stretch　of　the　embankment　and　Fitzgerald　heard　a　cheer　as　those　men　charged　home；　then　Captain　West　gave　the　order　to　charge　and　the　men　of　the　33rd's　two　flank　panies　let　loose　their　own　cheer　as　they　were　released　from　the　leash。
　They　ran　hard　towards　the　embankment。　Musket　balls　whipped　overhead。　All　the　redcoats　wanted　now　was　to　get　this　attack　over　and　done。　Kill　a　few　bastards；　loot　a　few　bodies；　men　get　the　hell　back　to　the　camp。　They　cheered　asthey　reached　the　embankment　and　clambered　up　its　short　steep　slope。　'Kill　them；　boys！'　Fitzgerald　shouted　as　he　reached　the　crest；　but　there　was　suddenly　no　enemy　there；　only　a　still　stretch　of　dark　gleaming　water　and；　as　the　attackers　joined　him；　they　all　checked　rather　than　plunge　into　the　aqueduct。
　A　blast　of　musketry　erupted　from　the　farther　bank。　The　Light　pany；　poised　on　the　lip　of　the　western　bank；　was　silhouetted　against　the　remnants　of　the　daylight　while　the　Tippoo's　men　were　shrouded　by　the　tope's；　night…dark　trees。
　Redcoats　fell　as　the　bullets　thumped　home。　The　aqueduct　was　only　about　ten　paces　wide　and；　at　that　range；　the　Mysorean　infantry　could　not　miss。　One　man　was　lifted　right　off　his　feet　and　thrown　back　onto　the　ground　behind　the　embankment。　Rockets　slashed　across　the　dark　water；　their　fiery　trails　slicing　just　inches　above　the　twin　embankments。　For　a　few　seconds　no　one　knew　what　to　do。　A　man　gasped　as　a　rocket　snatched　off　his　foot；　then　he　slid　down　into　the　weed…thick　water　where　his　blood　swirled　dark。　Some　redcoats　fired　back　at　the　trees；　but　they　fired　blind　and　their　bullets　hit　nothing。　The　wounded　stumbled　back　down　the　embankment；　the　dead　twitched　as　they　were　struck　by　bullets；　while　the　living　were　dazed　by　the　noise　and　dazzled　by　the　rockets'　dreadful　red　tails。　Captain　Morris　stared　in　confusion。　He　had　somehow　not　expected　to　cross　the　aqueduct。　He　had　thought　the　trees　were　on　this　side　of　the　water　and　he　did　not　know　what　to　do；　but　then　Lieutenant　Fitzgerald　gave　a　shout　of　defiance　and　jumped　down　into　the　waterway。　The　black　water　came　up　to　his　waist。　'e　on；　boys！　e　on！　There's　not　so　many　of　the　bastards！'　He　waded　forward；　his　naked　sabre　bright　in　the　starlight。　'Let's　flush　them　out！　e　on；　Havercakes！'
　'Follow　him；　lads！'　Sergeant　Green　shouted　and　about　half　the　Light　pany　jumped　into　the　green…scummed　water。　The　others　crouched；　waiting　for　Morris's　orders；　but　Morriswas　still　confused　and　Sergeant　Hakeswill　was　crouching　at　the　foot　of　the　embankment　out　of　the　enemy's　sight。
　'Go　on！'　Wellesley　shouted；　angered　at　their　hesitation。　'Go　on！　Don't　let　them　stand　there！　Captain　West！　On！　On！　Captain　Morris；　move！'
　'Oh　Jesus；　Mother！'　Hakeswill　called　as　he　scrambled　up　the　embankment。　'Mother；　Mother！'　he　shouted　as　he　dropped　into　the　warm　water。　Fitzgerald　and　the　first　half　of　the　pany　was　already　across　the　farther　embankment　and　inside　the　tope　now　and　Hakeswill　could　hear　shouts　and　shots　and　a　chilling　clash　as　steel　scraped　on　steel。
　Wellesley　saw　his　two　flank　panies　at　last　advance　across　the　aqueduct　and　he　sent　an　aide　back　to　summon　Major　Shee　and　the　rest　of　the　battalion。　The　musket　fire　in　the　tope　was　dense；　an　unending　crackle　of　shots；　each　flash　momentarily　illuminating　the　fog　of　powder　smoke　that　spread　between　the　leaves。　It　looked　like　something　from　hell：　flash　after　flash　of　fire　blooming　in　the　dark；　rocket　trails　blazing　among　the　trees；　and　always　the　moans　of　dying　men　and　shrieks　of　pain。　A　sergeant　yelled　at　his　men　to　close　up；　another　man　shouted　desperately；　wanting　to　know　where　his　rades　were。　Fitzgerald　was　cheering　his　men　forward；　but　too　many　of　the　redcoats　were　being　penned　back　against　the　embankment　where　they　were　in　danger　of　being　overwhelmed。　Wellesley　sensed　he　had　done　this　all　wrong。　He　should　have　used　the　whole　battalion　instead　of　just　the　two　flank　panies；　and　the　realization　of　his　mistake　annoyed　him。　He　took　pride　in　his　profession；　but　if　a　professional　soldier　could　not　hurl　a　few　enemy　infantry　and　rocketmen　out　of　a　small　wood；　then　what　good　was　he？　He　thought　about　spurring　Diomed；　his　horse；　across　the　aqueduct　and　into　the　flaring　smoke　patches　among　the　tope；　but　he　resisted　the　impulse　for　then　he　would　be　among　the　trees　and　out　of　touch　with　the　rest　of　the　33rd　and　he　knew　he　needed　Shee's　remaining　eight　panies　to　reinforce　the　attackers。If　necessary　he　could　summon　the　two　sepoy　battalions　as　reinforcements；　but　he　was　sure　the　remainder　of　the　33rd　would　be　sufficient　to　retrieve　victory　from　confusion　and　so　he　turned　and　galloped　back　to　hurry　the　battalion　forward。
　Hakeswill　slithered　down　the　farther　embankment　into　the　black　shadows　among　the　trees。　He　held　the　musket　in　his　left　hand　and　the　halberd　in　his　right。　He　crouched　beside　a　tree　trunk　and　tried　to　make　sense　of　the　chaos　around　him。　He　could　see　muskets　flashing；　their　garish　flames　momentarily　suffusing　the　smoke　with　light　and　glinting　off　the　leaves；　he　could　hear　a　man　crying　and　he　could　hear　shouts；　but　he　had　no　idea　what　was　happening。　A　handful　of　his　men　had　stayed　close　to　him；　but　Hakeswill　did　not　know　what　to　tell　them；　then　a　terrible　war　cry　sounded　close　to　his　left　and　he　whirled　round　to　see　a　group　of　tiger…striped　infantry　charging　towards　him。　He　screamed　in　pure　panic；　fired　the　musket　one…handed　and　dropped　the　weapon　immediately　as　he　fled　into　the　trees　to　avoid　the　assault。　Some　of　the　redcoats　scattered　blindly；　but　others　were　too　slow　and　were　overrun　by　the　Indians。　Their　shouts　were　cut　short　as　bayonets　did　their　work；　and　Hakeswill；　knowing　that　the　Tippoo's　men　were　slaughtering　the　small　group　of　redcoats；　blundered　desperately　through　the　tangling　trees　to　get　clear。　Captain　Morris　was　calling　Hakeswill's　name；　a　note　of　panic　in　his　voice。　Tm　here；　sir！'　Hakeswill　called　back。　Tm　here；　sir！'
　'Where？'
　'Here；　sir！'　A　volley　of　musketry　crashed　in　the　trees　and　the　balls　slashed　through　leaves　and　thumped　into　trunks。　Rockets　screamed　up　to　clatter　among　the　high　branches。　Their　fiery　exhausts　blinded　the　men　and　the　explosions　of　their　powder…filled　cones　rained　down　shards　of　hot　metal　and　fluttering　scraps　of　leaves。　'Mother！'　Hakeswill　shouted　and　shrank　down　beside　a　tree。
　'Form　line！'　Morris　shouted。　'Form　line！'　He　had　a　dozen　men　with　him　and　they　formed　a　nervous　line　and　crouchedamong　the　trees。　The　reflected　flames　of　the　burning　rockets　flickered　red　on　their　bayonets。　Somewhere　nearby　a　man　panted　as　he　died；　the　blood　bubbling　in　his　gullet　at　the　end　of　every　laboured　breath。　A　volley　crackled　and　splintered　a　few　yards　away；　but　it　was　fired　away　from　Morris　who　nevertheless　ducked。　Then；　for　a　few　blessed　seconds；　the　confusing　noise　of　batde　diminished　and　in　the　parative　silence　Morris　looked　around　to　try　and　find　some　bearings。　'Lieutenant　Fitzgerald！'　he　shouted。
　Tm　here；　sir！'　Fitzgerald　called　confidently　from　the　darkness　ahead。　'Up　afront　of　you。　Cleared　the　buggers　out　of　here；　sir；　but　some　of　the　rascals　are　working　about　your　flank。　Watch　the　left；　sir。'　The　Irishman　sounded　indecently　cheerful。
　'Ensign　Hicks！'　Morris　called。
　Tm　here；　sir；　right　beside　you；　sir；'　a　small　voice　said　from　almost　beneath　Morris。
　'Jesus　Christ！'　Morris　swore。　He　had　been　hoping　that　Hicks　could　have　brought　reinforcements；　but　it　seemed　that　no　one　except　Fitzgerald　had　any　control　in　the　chaos。　'Fitzgerald！'　Morris　shouted。
　'Still　here；　sir！　Got　the　buggers　worried；　we　have。'
　'I　want　you　here；　Lieutenant！'　Morris　insisted。　'Hakeswill！　Where　are　you？'
　'Here；　sir；'　Hakeswill　said；　but　not　moving　from　his　hiding　place　among　the　bushes。　He　guessed　he　was　a　few　paces　north　of　Morris；　but　Hakeswill　did　not　want　to　risk　being　ambushed　by　a　tiger…striped　soldier　as　he　blundered　about　in　search　of　his　Captain　and　so　he　stayed　put。　'ing　to　join　you；　sir；'　he　called；　then　crouched　even　lower　among　the　shrouding　leaves。
　'Fitzgerald！'　Morris　shouted　irritably。　'e　here！'
　'The　bloody　man；'　Fitzgerald　said　under　his　breath。　His　left　arm　was　useless　now；　and　he　sensed　it　had　been　injured　more　badly　than　he　had　supposed。　He　had　ordered　a　manto　tie　a　handkerchief　round　the　wound