bcornwell.sharpstiger-第47部分

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are　here！'　he　shouted　in　the　silence。　'I　know！'
　A　jetti　caught　the　Sergeant　from　behind　and　forced　him　to　his　knees。
　'Get　these　black　bastards　off　me！'　the　Sergeant　screamed。　'Listen；　Your　Honour；　I　know　what's　going　on　here！　There's　a　British　officer　in　the　city　wearing　your　uniform！　For　God's　sake！　Mother！'　This　last　cry　was　torn　from　Obadiah　Hakeswill　as　a　second　jetti　placed　his　hands　on　the　Sergeant's　head。　Hakeswill　wrenched　his　face　round　and　bit　down　hard　on　the　ball　of　the　jettfs　thumb　and　the　astonished　man　jerked　his　hands　away；　leaving　a　scrap　of　flesh　in　the　Sergeant's　mouth。Hakeswill　spat　the　morsel　out。　'Listen；　Your　Grace！　I　know　what　the　bastards　are　up　to！　Traitors。　On　my　oath。　Get　away　from　me；　you　heathen　black　bastard！　I　can't　die！　I　can't　die！　Mother！'　The　jetti　with　the　bitten　hand　had　gripped　the　Sergeant's　head　and　begun　to　turn　it。　Usually　the　neck　was　wrung　swiftly；　for　a　huge　explosion　of　energy　was　needed　to　break　a　man's　spine；　but　this　time　the　jetti　planned　a　slow　and　exquisitely　painful　death　in　revenge　for　his　bitten　hand。　'Mother！'　Hakeswill　screamed　as　his　face　was　forced　farther　around；　and　then；　just　as　it　was　twisted　back　past　his　shoulder；　he　made　one　last　effort。　'I　saw　a　British　officer　in　the　city！　No！'
　'Wait；'　the　Tippoo　called。
　The　jetti　paused；　still　holding　Hakeswill's　head　at　an　unnatural　angle。
　'What　did　he　say？'　the　Tippoo　asked　one　of　his　officers　who　spoke　some　English　and　who　had　been　translating　the　Sergeant's　desperate　words。　The　officer　translated　again。
　The　Tippoo　waved　one　of　his　small　delicate　hands　and　the　aggrieved　jetti　let　go　of　Hakeswill's　head。　The　Sergeant　cursed　as　the　agonizing　tension　left　his　neck；　then　rubbed　at　the　pain。　'Bleeding　heathen　bastard！'　he　said。　'You　murdering　black　bugger！'　He　spat　at　the　jetti；　shook　himself　out　of　the　grip　of　the　man　holding　him；　then　stood　and　walked　two　paces　towards　the　palace。　'I　saw　him；　didn't　I？　With　my　own　eyes！　In　a　frock；　like　them。'　He　gestured　at　the　watching　soldiers　in　their　tiger…striped　tunics。　'A　lieutenant；　he　is；　and　the　army　says　he　went　back　to　Madras；　but　he　didn't；　did　he？　'Cos　he's　here。　'Cos　I　saw　him。　Me！　Obadiah　Hakeswill；　Your　Highness；　and　keep　that　bleeding　heathen　darkie　away　from　me。'　One　of　the　jettis　had　e　close　and　Hakeswill；　his　face　twitching；　turned　on　the　looming　man。　'Go　on；　bugger　off　back　to　your　sty；　you　bloody　great　lump。'
　The　officer　who　spoke　English　called　down　from　the　verandah。　'Who　did　you　see？'　he　asked。'I　told　you；　Your　Honour；　didn't　I？'
　'No；　you　didn't。　Give　us　a　name。'
　Hakeswill's　face　twitched。　'Iil　tell　you；'　he　wheedled；　'if　you　promise　to　let　me　live。'　He　dropped　to　his　knees　and　stared　up　at　the　verandah。　'I　don't　mind　being　in　your　dungeons；　my　Lord；　for　Obadiah　Hakeswill　never　did　mind　a　rat　or　two；　but　I　don't　want　these　bleeding　heathens　screwing　me　neck　back　to　front。　It　ain't　a　Christian　act。'
　The　officer　translated　for　the　Tippoo　who；　at　last；　nodded　and　so　prompted　the　officer　to　turn　back　to　Hakeswill。　'You　will　live；'　he　called　down。
　'Word　of　honour？'　Hakeswill　asked。
　'Upon　my　honour。'
　'Cross　your　heart　and　hope　to　die？　Like　it　says　in　the　scriptures？'
　'You　will　live！'　the　officer　snapped。　'So　long　as　you　tell　us　the　truth。'
　'I　always　do　that；　sir。　Honest　Hakeswill；　that's　my　name；　sir。　I　saw…him；　didn't　I？　Lieutenant　Lawford；　William　he's　called。　Tall　lanky　fellow　with　fair　hair　and　blue　eyes。　And　he　ain't　alone。　Private　bleeding　Sharpe　was　with　him。'
　The　officer　had　not　understood　everything　that　Hakeswill　had　said；　but　he　had　understood　enough。　'You　are　saying　this　man　Lawford　is　a　British　officer？'　he　asked。
　　'Course　he　is！　In　my　bleeding　pany；　what's　more。　And　they　said　he'd　gone　back　to　Madras　on　account　of　carrying　despatches；　but　he　never　did；　'cos　there　weren't　no　despatches　to　be　carried。　He's　here；　Your　Grace；　and　up　to　no　bleeding　good　and；　like　I　said；　dolled　up　in　a　stripy　frock。'
　The　officer　seemed　sceptical。　'The　only　Englishmen　we　have　here；　Sergeant；　are　prisoners　or　deserters。　You're　lying。'
　Hakeswill　spat　on　the　gravel　that　was　soaked　with　the　blood　from　the　decapitated　prisoners。　'How　can　he　be　a　deserter？　Officers　don't　desert！　They　sell　their　missions　and　buggeroff　home　to　Mummy。　I　tell　you；　sir；　he's　an　officer！　And　the　other　one's　a　right　bastard！　Flogged；　he　was；　and　quite　right　too！　He　should　have　been　flogged　to　bleeding　death；　only　the　General　sent　for　him。'
　The　mention　of　the　flogging　woke　a　memory　in　the　Tippoo。　'When　was　he　flogged？'　The　officer　translated　the　Tippoo's　question。
　Just　before　he　ran；　sir。　Raw；　he　must　have　been；　but　not　raw　enough。'
　'And　you　say　the　General　sent　for　him？'　The　officer　sounded　disbelieving。
　'Harris；　sir；　the　bugger　what　lost　a　lump　out　of　his　skull　in　America。　He　sent　our　Colonel；　he　did；　and　Colonel　Wellesley　stopped　the　flogging。　Stopped　it！'　Hakeswill's　indignation　was　still　keen。　'Stopping　a　flogging　what's　been　properly　ordered！　Never　seen　anything　so　disgraceful　in　all　me　born　days！　Going　to　the　dogs；　the　army　is；　going　to　the　dogs。'
　The　Tippoo　listened　to　the　translation；　then　stepped　back　from　the　railing。　He　turned　to　Appah　Rao　who　had　once　served　in　the　East　India　pany's　army。　'Do　British　officers　desert？'
　'None　that　I've　ever　heard　of；　Your　Majesty；'　Appah　Rao　said；　glad　that　the　shadows　of　the　balcony　were　hiding　his　pale　and　worried　face。　'They　might　resign　and　sell　their　mission；　but　desert？　Never。'
　The　Tippoo　nodded　down　to　the　kneeling　Hakeswill。　'Put　that　wretch　back　in　the　cells；'　he　ordered；　'and　tell　Colonel　Gudin　to　meet　me　at　the　Inner　Palace。'
　Guards　dragged　Hakeswill　back　to　the　city。　'And　he　had　a　bib　hi　with　him！'　Hakeswill　shouted　as　he　was　pulled　away；　but　no　one　took　any　notice。　The　Sergeant　was　shedding　tears　of　pure　happiness　as　he　was　taken　back　through　the　Bangalore　Gate。　〃Thank　you；　Mother；'　he　called　to　the　cloudless　sky；　'thank　you；　Mother；　for　I　cannot　die！'
　The　twelve　dead　men　were　hidden　in　a　makeshift　grave。The　troops　marched　back　to　their　encampment　while　the　Tippoo；　being　carried　to　the　Inner　Palace　beneath　the　tiger…striped　canopy　of　his　palanquin；　reflected　that　the　sacrifice　of　the　twelve　prisoners　had　not　been　in　vain　for　it　had　revealed　the　presence　of　enemies。　Allah　be　thanked；　he　reflected；　for　his　luck　had　surely　turned。
　
　'You　think　Mrs　Bickerstaff　has　gone　over　to　the　enemy？'　Lawford　asked　Sharpe　for　the　third　or　fourth　time。
　'She's　gone　to　his　bed；'　Sharpe　said　bleakly；　'but　I　reckon　she'll　still　help　us。'　Sharpe　had　washed　both　his　and　Lawford's　tunics　and　now　he　patted　the　cloth　to　see　if　it　had　dried。　Looking　after　kit　in　this　army；　he　reflected；　was　a　deal　easier　than　in　the　British。　There　was　no　pipeclay　here　to　be　caked　onto　crossbelts　and　musket　slings；　no　blackball　to　be　used　on　boots　and　no　grease　and　powder　to　be　slathered　on　the　hair。　He　decided　the　tunics　were　dry　enough　and　tossed　one　to　the　Lieutenant；　then　pulled　his　own　over　his　head；　carefully　freeing　the　gold　medallion　so　that　it　hung　on　his　chest。　His　tunic　also　boasted　a　red　cord　on　his　left　shoulder；　the　Tippoo's　insignia　of　a　corporal。　Lawford　seemed　to　resent　Sharpe　bearing　these　marks　of　rank　that　were　denied　to　him。
　'Suppose　she　betrays　us？'　Lawford　asked。
　'Then　we're　in　trouble；'　Sharpe　said　brutally。　'But　she　won't。　Mary's　a　good　lass。'
　Lawford　shrugged。　'She　jilted　you。'
　'Easy　e；　easy　go；'　Sharpe　said；　then　belted　the　tunic。　Like　most　of　the　Tippoo's　soldiers　he　now　went　bare…legged　beneath　the　knee…length　garment；　though　Lawford　insisted　on　keeping　his　old　British　trousers。　Both　men　wore　their　old　shakos；　though　George　Hi's　badge　had　been　replaced　by　a　tin　tiger　with　an　upraised　paw。　'Listen；'　Sharpe　said　to　a　still　worried　Lawford；　'I've　done　what　you　asked；　and　the　lass　says　she'll　find　this　Ravi　whatever　his　name　is；　and　all　we　have　to　do　now　is　wait。　And　if　we　get　a　chance　to　run；we　run　like　buggery。　You　reckon　that　musket's　ready　for　inspection？'
　'It's　clean；'　Lawford　said　defensively；　hefting　his　big　French　firelock。
　'Christ；　you'd　be　on　a　charge　for　that　musket　back　in　the　proper　army。　Give　it　here。'
　Sergeant　Rothiere's　daily　inspection　was　not　for　another　half…hour；　and　after　that　the　two　men　would　be　free　until　mid　afternoon　when　it　would　be　the　turn　of　Gudin's　battalion　to　stand　guard　over　the　Mysore　Gate。　That　guard　duty　ended　at　midnight；　but　Sharpe　knew　there　would　be　no　chance　of　an　escape；　for　the　Mysore　Gate　did　not　offer　an　exit　from　the　Tippoo's　territory；　but　rather　led　into　the　city's　surrounding　encampment　which；　in　turn；　had　a　strong　perimeter　guard。　The　previous　night　Sharpe　had　experimented　to　see　whether　his　red　cord　and　gold　medallion　would　be　authority　enough　for　him　to　wander　through　the　encampment；　maybe　allowing　him　to　find　a　shadowed　and　quiet　stretch　of　its　earthworks　over　which　he　could　scramble　in　the　dark；　but　he　had　been　intercepted　within　twenty　yards　of　the　gate　and　politely　but　firmly　ushered　back。　The　Tippoo；　it　seemed；　was　taking　no　chances。
　'I　already　had　Wazzy　clean　that；'　Lawford　said；　nodding　at　the　musket　in　Sharpe's　hands。　Wazir　was　one　of　the　small　boys　who　hung　around　the　barracks　to　earn　pice　for　washing　and　cleaning　equipment。　'I　paid　him；'　Lawford　said　indignantly。
　'If　you　want　a　job　done　properly；'　Sharpe　said；　'you　do　it　yourself。　Hell！'　He　swore　because　he　had　pinched　his　finger　on　the　musket's　mainspring　which　he　had　uncovered　by　unscrewing　the　lock　plate。　'Look　at　that　rust！'　He　managed　to　unseat　the　mainspring　without　losing　the　trigger　mechanism；　then　began　to　file　the　rust　off　the　spring's　edge。　'Bloody　rubbish；　these　French　muskets；'　he　grumbled。　'Nothing　like　a　proper　Birmingham　bundook。''Do　you　clean　your　own　musket　like　that？'　Lawford　asked；　impressed　that　Sharpe　had　unscrewed　the　lock　plate。
　　'Course　I　do！　Not　that　Hakeswill　ever　cares。　He　only　looks　at　the　outside。'　Sharpe　grinned。　'You　remember　that　day　you　saved　my　skin　with　the　flint？　Hakeswill　had　changed　it　for　a　bit　of　stone；　but　I　caught　it　before　he　could　do　any　damage。　He's　a　fly　bastard；　that　one。'
　'He　changed　it？'　Lawford　seemed　shocked。
　'Bloody　snake；　that　Obadiah。　How　much　did　you　pay　Wazzy？'
　'An　anna。'
　'He　robbed　you。　Yo