bcornwell.sharpstiger-第57部分

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　〃That　was　the　easy　part；'　he　said　grimly。　He　folded　the　picklock　and　put　it　back　in　his　pocket。　'Mary！'　he　called。　There　was　no　answer。　'Mary！'　he　shouted　again；　but　still　there　was　no　reply。　Kunwar　Singh　had　pulled　his　men　away　from　the　cells　and　was　now　in　a　deep　gateway　on　the　courtyard's　far　side；　trapped　between　his　wish　to　obey　Appah　Rao　and　the　apparent　impossibility　of　that　obedience。
　'What　do　you　need　her　for？'　Colonel　McCandless　asked。
　'I　don't　even　know　if　the　bloody　gun's　loaded；　sir。　I　never　asked　her。'
　'Assume　it　is；'　McCandless　said。
　'Easy　for　you；　sir；'　Sharpe　said　respectfully；　'being　as　you　ain't　the　one　who's　got　to　go　out　and　kill　the　beast。'
　'I'll　do　it；'　Lawford　offered。
　Sharpe　grinned。　'It's　either　you　or　me；　sir；'　he　said；　'and　being　honest；　sir；　who　do　you　think　will　do　the　best　job？'
　'You；'　Lawford　admitted。
　'Which　is　what　I　reckoned；　sir。　But　one　thing；　sir。　How　do　you　shoot　a　tiger？　In　the　head？'
　'Between　the　eyes；'　McCandless　said；　'but　not　too　high　up。　Just　below　the　eyes。''Bloody　hell；'　Sharpe　said。　He　had　eased　the　padlock　out　of　its　hasp　and　he　could　now　move　the　door　outwards；　though　he　did　it　gingerly；　unwilling　to　attract　the　tiger's　attention。　He　pulled　the　door　shut　again　and　stooped　for　his　red　jacket　that　lay　on　the　straw。　'Let's　hope　the　bugger's　a　stupid　pussy　cat；'　he　said；　then　he　gently　pushed　the　door　open　again。　The　hinges　squealed　alarmingly。　He　had　the　door　in　his　left　hand　and　his　red　coat　was　bundled　in　his　right。　When　the　door　was　open　a　foot　he　tossed　the　coat　as　hard　as　he　could　towards　the　remains　of　the　goat　at　the　corridor's　farther　end。
　The　tiger　saw　the　motion；　twisted　away　from　Hakeswill's　cage　and　sprang　towards　the　coat。　The　red　jacket　had　flown　the　best　part　of　twenty　feet　and　the　tiger　covered　the　distance　in　one　powerful　leap。　It　batted　the　coat　with　its　claws；　then　batted　it　again；　but　found　no　flesh　and　blood　inside　the　cloth。
　Sharpe　had　slipped　through　the　door；　turned　to　the　steps　and　snatched　up　the　pistol。　He　turned　back；　hoping　to　regain　the　safety　of　the　cell　before　the　tiger　noticed　him；　but　his　foot　slipped　on　the　lowest　step　and　he　fell　backwards　against　the　stone　stairs。　The　tiger　heard　him；　turned　and　went　still。　The　yellow　eyes　stared　at　Sharpe；　Sharpe　gazed　back；　then　slowly　thumbed　the　cock　of　the　pistol。　The　tiger　heard　the　click　and　its　tail　lashed　once。　The　merciless　eyes　watched　Sharpe；　then；　very　slowly；　the　tiger　crouched。　Its　tail　swung　back　and　forth　once　more。
　'Don't　shoot　now！'　McCandless　called　softly。　'Get　close！'
　'Yes；　sir；'　Sharpe　said。　He　kept　his　eyes　on　the　tiger's　eyes　as　he　slowly；　slowly　climbed　to　his　feet　and　edged　towards　the　beast。　The　fear　was　like　a　mad　wild　thing　inside　him。　Hakeswill　was　spitting　encouragement；　but　Sharpe　heard　nothing　and　he　saw　nothing　but　the　tiger's　eyes。　He　wondered　if　he　should　attempt　to　duck　back　into　the　cell；　but　guessed　that　the　tiger　would　spring　while　he　was　still　trying　to　open　the　door。　Better　to　face　the　beast　and　shoot　it　in　the　open　pit；　he　decided。　He　held　the　pistol　at　arm's　length；　keepingthe　muzzle　aimed　at　a　patch　of　black　fur　just　beneath　the　animal's　eyes。　Fifteen　feet　away；　twelve。　His　boots　grated　on　the　stone　floor。　How　accurate　was　the　pistol？　It　was　a　pretty　enough　thing；　all　ivory　and　silver；　but　did　it　fire　true？　And　how　tightly　was　the　ball　sized　to　the　barrel？　Even　a　gap　between　barrel　and　ball　the　width　of　a　sheet　of　paper　was　enough　to　throw　a　bullet　wide　as　it　spat　out　of　the　muzzle。　Even　at　twelve　feet　a　pistol　could　miss　a　man…size　target；　let　alone　a　small　patch　of　matted　fur　between　a　man…eating　tiger's　eyes。
　'Kill　the　bugger；　Sharpie！'　Hakeswill　urged。
　'Careful；　man！'　McCandless　hissed。　'Make　sure　of　your　shot。　Careful　now！'
　Sharpe　edged　forward。　His　eyes　were　still　fixed　on　the　tiger's　eyes。　He　was　willing　the　beast　to　stay　still；　to　receive　its　death　gracefully。　Ten　feet。　The　tiger　was　motionless；　just　watching　him。　Sweat　stung　Sharpe's　eyes　and　the　weight　of　the　pistol　was　making　his　hand　tremble。　Do　it　now；　he　thought；　do　it　now。　Pull　the　trigger；　put　the　bugger　down　and　run　like　shit。　He　blinked；　his　eyes　stinging　with　the　sweat。　The　tiger　did　not　even　blink。　Eight　feet。　He　could　smell　the　beast；　see　its　unsheathed　claws　on　the　stone；　see　the　glint　in　its　eyes。　Seven　feet。　Close　enough；　he　reckoned；　and　he　straightened　his　arm　to　line　up　the　pistol's　rudimentary　sights。
　And　the　tiger　sprang。　It　came　from　the　ground　so　fast　that　it　was　almost　on　top　of　Sharpe　before　he　even　realized　that　the　beast　had　moved。　He　had　a　wild　glimpse　of　huge　claws　stretched　far　out　of　their　pads　and　of　feral　yellow　teeth　in　a　snarling　mouth；　and　he　was　unaware　that　he　called　aloud　in　panic。　He　was　unaware；　too；　that　he　had　pulled　the　trigger；　not　smoothly　as　he　had　planned；　but　in　a　desperate；　panicked　jerk。　Then；　instinctively；　he　dropped　to　the　ground　and　curled　tight　so　that　the　tiger's　leap　would　pass　over　him。
　Lawford　gasped。　The　echo　of　the　pistol　shot　was　hugely　loud　in　the　confines　of　the　dungeon　pit　which　suddenly　reekedwith　the　sulphurous　smell　of　powder　smoke。　Hakeswill　was　crouching　in　a　corner　of　his　cell；　scarce　daring　to　look；　while　McCandless　was　mouthing　a　silent　prayer。　Sharpe　was　on　the　ground；　waiting　for　the　agony　of　the　claws　to　rip　him　apart。
　But　the　tiger　was　dying。　The　bullet　had　struck　the　back　of　the　tiger's　mouth。　It　was　only　a　small　bullet；　but　the　force　of　it　was　sufficient　to　pierce　through　the　throat's　tissues　and　into　the　brain　stem。　Blood　spattered　the　cell　bars　as　the　tiger's　graceful　leap　slumped　into　death's　collapse。　It　had　fallen　at　the　foot　of　the　steps；　but　some　terrible　instinct　of　surging　life　still　animated　the　beast　and　it　tried　to　stand。　Its　paws　scrabbled　against　stone　and　its　head　jerked　up　for　a　snarling　second　as　the　tail　lashed；　then　blood　surged　out　of　its　mouth；　the　head　fell　back　and　the　beast　went　still。
　There　was　silence。
　The　first　flies　came　down　to　explore　the　blood　spilling　from　the　tiger's　mouth。　'Oh；　sweet　suffering　Christ；'　Sharpe　said；　picking　himself　up。　He　was　shaking。　'Jesus　bloody　wept。'
　McCandless　did　not　reprove　him。　The　Colonel　knew　a　prayer　when　he　heard　one。
　Sharpe　fetched　his　torn　jacket；　pulled　the　cell　door　wide　open；　then　gingerly　sidled　past　the　dead　tiger　as　though　he　feared　the　beast　might　e　back　to　life。　McCandless　and　Lawford　followed　him　up　the　stone　stairs。　'What　about　me？'　Hakeswill　called。　'You　can't　leave　me　here。　It　ain't　Christian！'
　'Leave　him；'　McCandless　ordered。
　'I　was　planning　on　it；　sir；'　Sharpe　said。　He　found　his　picklock　again　and　reached　for　the　padlock　on　the　outer　gate。　This　lock　was　much　simpler；　merely　a　crude　one…lever　mechanism；　and　it　took　only　seconds　to　snap　the　ancient　lock　open。　'Where　are　we　going？'　Lawford　asked。
　'To　ground；　man；'　McCandless　said。　The　sudden　freedom　seemed　to　have　lifted　the　Colonel's　fever。　'We　must　find　somewhere　to　hide。'Sharpe　pushed　the　gate　outwards；　then　saw　Mary　gazing　at　him　from　a　doorway　across　the　courtyard　and　he　smiled；　then　saw　she　was　not　smiling　back；　but　was　instead　looking　terrified。　There　were　men　with　her；　and　they　too　were　unmoving　with　fear。　Then　Sharpe　saw　why。
　Three　jettis　were　crossing　the　courtyard　towards　the　dungeon　cage。　Three　monsters。　Three　men　with　bare　oiled　chests　and　muscles　like　tiger　thews。　One　carried　a　coiled　whip　while　the　other　two　were　armed　with　hugely　long　spears　with　which　they　had　planned　to　subdue　the　tiger　before　opening　the　prisoners'　cell。　Sharpe　swore。　He　dropped　his　coat　and　picklock。
　'Can　you　lock　us　in　again？'　McCandless　asked。
　'Those　buggers　are　strong　enough　to　tear　the　padlocks　clean　away；　sir。　We　have　to　kill　the　bastards。'　Sharpe　darted　through　the　gate　and　ran　to　his　right。　〃The　jettis　followed　him；　but　more　slowly。　They　were　not　fast　men；　though　their　massive　strength　gave　them　an　easy　confidence　as　they　spread　out　into　a　line　to　trap　Sharpe　in　a　corner　of　the　courtyard。　'Throw　me　a　musket！'　Sharpe　called　to　Mary。　'Quick；　lass；　quick！'
　Mary　snatched　a　musket　from　one　of　Kunwar　Singh's　men　and；　before　the　astonished　man　could　protest；　she　tossed　it　to　Sharpe。　He　caught　it；　held　it　at　his　waist；　but　did　not　cock　the　weapon。　Then　he　advanced　on　the　middle　jetti。　The　man　had　seen　that　the　musket　was　uncocked　and　he　smiled；　anticipating　an　easy　victory；　then　slashed　out　his　whip　so　that　its　coiled　end　wound　round　Sharpe's　throat。　He　tugged；　planning　to　pull　Sharpe　off　balance；　but　Sharpe　was　already　running　towards　him；　cheating　the　whip's　tension；　and　the　jetti　had　never　faced　a　man　as　quick　as　Sharpe。　Nor　as　lethal。　The　jetti　was　still　recovering　from　his　surprise　when　the　muzzle　of　the　musket　rammed　into　his　Adam's　apple　with　the　force　of　a　sledgehammer。　He　choked；　his　eyes　widened；　then　Sharpe　kicked　him　in　the　crotch　and　the　huge　man　staggered　and　collapsed。　One　big　muscle…bound　brute　was　down；　gaspingdesperately　for　breath；　but　the　long　spears　were　turning　towards　Sharpe　who；　with　the　whip　still　trailing　from　his　throat；　turned　fast　to　his　right。　He　knocked　the　next　jettfs　spear　aside　with　his　musket　barrel；　then　reversed　the　weapon　and　charged。　The　jetti　abandoned　his　spear　and　reached　for　the　musket；　but　Sharpe　checked　his　rush　so　that　the　big　man's　hands　closed　on　nothing；　and　then　Sharpe　swung　the　musket　by　its　barrel　so　that　its　brass…bound　butt　slammed　into　the　man's　temple　with　the　sound　of　an　axe　biting　into　soft　wood。
　Two　of　the　bastards　were　down。　The　soldiers　on　the　inner　ramparts'　battery　were　watching　the　fight；　but　not　interfering。　They　were　confused；　for　Kunwar　Singh　was　standing　right　beside　the　fight　and　doing　nothing；　and　his　jewels　made　him　appear　a　man　of　high　authority；　and　so　they　followed　his　example　and　did　not　try　to　intervene。　Some　of　the　watching　soldiers　were　even　cheering；　for；　though　the　jettis　were　admired；　they　were　also　resented　because　they　received　privileges　far　above　any　ordinary　soldier's　expectations。
　Lawford　had　moved　to　help　Sharpe；　but　his　uncle　held　him　back。　'Let　him　be；　Willie；'　McCandless　said　quietly。　'He's　doing　the　Lord's　work　and　I've　rarely　seen　it　done　better。'
　The　third　jetti　lumbered　at　Sharpe　with　his　spear。　He　advanced　warily；　confused　by　the　ease　with　wh