bcornwell.sharpstiger-第60部分

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　It　was　just　then　that　the　Tippoo's　own　volunteers　struck。　Sixty　men　swarmed　up　from　behind　the　wall　with　sabres　and　muskets　to　meet　the　two　Forlorn　Hopes　on　the　crest　of　the　rubble　breach。　These　were　the　Tippoo's　best　men；　his　tigers；　the　warriors　of　Allah　who　had　been　promised　a　favoured　place　in　paradise；　and　they　screamed　with　exultation　as　they　attacked。　They　fired　a　musket　volley　as　they　climbed；　then　threw　down　the　empty　guns　to　attack　the　redcoats　with　bright　curved　swords。　Musket　barrels　parried　swords；　bayonets　lunged　and　were　cut　aside。　Men　swore　and　killed；　swore　and　died。　Some　men　fought　with　hands　and　boots；　they　gouged　and　bit　each　other　as　they　grappled　hand　to　hand　on　the　dusty　summit。　One　Bengali　sepoy　snatched　up　a　fallen　swordand　carved　a　way　to　the　foot　of　the　wall　where　it　climbed　up　from　the　breach　to　the　northern　ramparts。　A　Mysorean　volunteer　sliced　at　him；　the　sepoy　instinctively　parried；　then　cut　down　through　the　man's　brass　helmet　so　violently　that　the　blade　was　buried　and　trapped　in　his　enemy's　skull。　The　Bengali　left　it　there　and；　so　fevered　by　battle　that　he　did　not　realize　he　was　weaponless；　tried　to　scale　the　broken　wall's　flank　to　attack　the　defenders　waiting　on　the　firestep　above。　A　musket　shot　from　the　top　of　the　wall　hurled　him　backwards　and　he　slid；　dying　and　bleeding；　to　lodge　against　the　wounded　Graham。
　Baird　was　still　west　of　the　river。　His　job　was　not　to　die　with　the　Forlorn　Hopes；　but　to　lead　the　main　attack　up　the　path　they　had　cleared。　That　main　attack　now　formed　itself　into　two　columns　of　platoons。
　'Forward！'　Baird　shouted；　and　led　the　twin　columns　towards　the　river。　The　ground　ahead　was　being　pitted　by　bullets　as　if　an　invisible　hail　fell。　Behind　him　the　drummer　boys　were　sounding　the　advance　while　the　engineers；　laden　with　their　fascines　and　ladders；　walked　alongside　the　platoons。　Rockets　screamed　above　Baird；　their　trails　stitching　ropes　of　smoke　above　the　river。　Men　struggled　hand　to　hand　in　the　breach　and　the　walls　of　the　city　spat　flame　through　the　churning　rill　of　smoke。
　Hell　had　e　to　Seringapatam　and　Baird　hurried　towards　it。
　
　Jesus　Christ！'　Sharpe　swore；　for　he　could　hear　the　sudden　sound　of　battle　swelling　just　beyond　the　western　walls。　Men　were　dying　there。　Men　were　storming　a　breach　and　the　Tippoo's　mine　waited　for　them；　its　tons　of　powder　cunningly　crammed　into　a　stone　tunnel　and　poised　to　annihilate　a　whole　brigade。
　He　stopped　at　a　corner　of　the　alley　which　led　to　the　ancient　gateway　that　had　been　filled　with　the　explosives。　He　peeredround　the　corner　and　saw　Sergeant　Rothiere　and　two　Frenchmen　from　Gudin's　battalion。　All　three　were　standing　beside　a　barrel；　staring　up　at　the　inner　ramparts；　and　around　the　Europeans　was　a　guard　of　a　half…dozen　jettis；　all　armed　with　muskets　and　swords。　He　ducked　back　and　blew　the　priming　out　of　his　musket's　pan。　'Only　nine　or　ten　of　the　bastards；'　he　told　Lawford；　'so　let's　give　them　a　headache。'
　The　rockets　were　stacked　nose　first　on　the　cart　so　that　their　long　bamboo　tails　stuck　out　towards　the　cart's　handles。　Sharpe　went　to　the　front　of　the　cart；　seized　the　thin　boards　that　were　painted　with　gods　and　elephants；　and　wrenched　them　off。　They　came　away　easily；　their　nails　pulling　out　of　the　cart's　sides。　He　beat　off　the　last　slivers　of　wood　so　that　now　there　was　no　obstacle　in　front　of　the　lethal　cargo；　then　he　turned　the　cart　so　that　the　rockets'　tin　cones　were　pointing　towards　the　alley；　though　he　took　care　to　make　sure　that　the　cart　and　its　contents　were　still　hidden　from　the　men　waiting　beside　the　mine's　fuse。
　Lawford　said　nothing；　but　just　watched　as　Sharpe　tore　the　fuse　paper　from　one　of　the　rockets。　He　twisted　the　paper　into　a　spill；　then　pushed　it　into　the　musket's　empty　lock；　cocked　the　gun　and　pulled　the　trigger。　The　powder…impregnated　paper　immediately　caught　the　spark　and　started　burning。
　Sharpe　dropped　the　musket　and　began　lighting　the　fuses　of　the　topmost　row　of　rockets。　The　paper　in　his　hand　burned　fiercely；　but　he　managed　to　light　eight　of　the　weapons　before　he　was　forced　to　tear　off　another　fuse　and　use　it　to　light　more。　It　was　difficult　to　reach　between　the　rocket's　bamboo　sticks；　but　he　lit　another　ten　while　the　first　few　fuses　were　fizzing　and　smoking。　Lawford；　seeing　what　Sharpe　was　doing；　had　taken　the　single　page　of　the　Bible　from　his　pocket　and　twisted　it　into　a　spill　that　he　used　to　light　still　more　of　the　missiles。　Then　the　first　rocket　to　be　lit　suddenly　coughed　and　spat　out　a　gout　of　smoke　and　Sharpe　immediately　snatched　up　the　cart's　handles　and　shoved　it　around　the　corner　so　that　themissiles　were　pointing　straight　down　the　alley。　He　crouched　beside　it；　sheltered　from　the　men　in　the　alley　by　the　corner　of　the　building；　and　pulled　his　musket　towards　him。　He　used　the　musket　to　raise　the　cart's　handles　so　that　the　vehicle's　bed；　and　the　rockets　it　contained；　were　horizontal。
　The　first　rocket　shuddered；　then　streaked　away。　The　second　went　an　instant　later；　then　two　more；　and　suddenly　the　whole　cart　was　shaking　and　jerking　as　the　rockets　seethed　away。　A　musket　bullet　hit　the　cart；　another　flicked　dust　from　the　corner　of　the　building；　but　then　there　were　no　more　shots；　just　shouts　of　terror　as　the　missiles　screamed　between　the　alley's　close　walls。　Some　of　the　rockets　had　solid　shot　in　their　nose　cones；　others　had　small　charges　of　black　powder；　and　those　now　began　to　explode。　A　man　screamed。　More　rockets　exploded；　the　sound　of　their　blasts　cramming　the　alley　with　noise　while　the　missiles'　fierce　trails　filled　the　small　street　with　smoke　and　flame。　Sharpe　waited　till　the　last　lit　rocket　flamed　off　the　cart。　'Now's　the　hard　bit；'　he　warned　Lawford。　He　replaced　the　priming　in　his　musket　with　a　pinch　from　a　fresh　cartridge；　then　seized　the　handcart　and　pushed　it　in　front　of　him　down　the　alley。　At　least　thirty　of　the　rockets　had　fired；　and　the　alley　was　now　an　inferno　of　boiling　smoke　amongst　which　a　handful　of　live　rockets　still　ricocheted　or　spun　crazily　while　the　carcasses　of　the　spent　weapons　burned　bright　in　the　gloom。　Sharpe　charged　into　that　chaos；　hoping　that　the　half…loaded　cart　would　serve　as　a　shield　if　any　man　still　lived　in　the　alley。
　Lawford　charged　with　him。　At　least　four　men　were　still　on　their　feet；　while　another　had　found　shelter　in　a　deep　doorway；　but　they　were　all　dazed　by　the　violence　of　the　rockets　and　half　blinded　by　the　thick　smoke。　Sharpe　gave　the　cart　a　huge　push　to　send　it　clattering　towards　them。　One　of　the　jettis　saw　the　cart；　dodged　aside　and　charged　at　Sharpe　with　a　drawn　sabre；　but　Lawford　shot　him　with　his　musket；　taking　the　huge　man　in　the　throat　as　quickly　and　cleanly　as　if　he　had　been　a　pheasant　rising　from　a　brake。　The　cart　struck　two　of　thestanding　men　and　sent　them　reeling。　Sharpe　stamped　on　the　head　of　one　and　kicked　the　other　in　the　crotch。　He　slammed　the　butt　of　the　musket　onto　the　back　of　a　Frenchman's　skull；　then　drove　the　weapon's　muzzle　deep　into　a　jettfs　belly　and；　as　the　man　folded；　he　rammed　the　barrel　into　his　face。　The　jetti　screamed　and　staggered　away；　his　hands　clutched　tight　to　one　eye。　Lawford　had　seized　a　fallen　sword　and　sliced　it　savagely　across　another　jettt　s　neck　and　was　so　inspired　and　elated　by　battle　that　he　did　not　even　feel　any　revulsion　when　the　man's　blood　gushed　out　to　hiss　in　the　burning　remnants　of　a　rocket。　Sergeant　Rothiere　was　on　the　ground　with　one　of　his　legs　broken　by　the　strike　of　a　rocket；　but　he　cocked　his　musket　and　aimed　the　gun　at　Lawford；　then　the　Sergeant　heard　Sharpe　behind　him　and　tried　to　swing　the　musket　round。　Sharpe　was　too　close　and　too　fast。　He　felled　Rothiere　with　a　huge　swing　of　his　gun。　He　felt　the　butt　break　the　Sergeant's　skull。　The　gun　was　still　loaded；　so　he　reversed　it　and　snarled　a　challenge　as　he　peered　through　the　choking　smoke。　He　could　see　no　danger　now；　just　wounded　men；　dead　men　and　flickering　rocket　cases。　The　mine's　trail；　a　snaking　length　of　quick　fuse；　had　somehow　escaped　the　fire　of　the　rockets　and　lay　discarded　beside　the　toppled　barrel　in　which　Rothiere　had　been　keeping　a　lit　linstock。　Sharpe　moved　towards　the　barrel；　then　heard　the　click　of　a　gun　being　cocked。
　'That's　far　enough；　Sharpe。'　It　was　Colonel　Gudin　who　spoke。　He　was　behind　Sharpe。　The　Colonel　had　been　waiting　for　the　Tippoo's　signal　on　the　inner　ramparts　just　beside　the　gatehouse；　but　he　had　jumped　down　onto　a　rooftop　and　then　into　the　alley　and　now　he　aimed　his　pistol　at　Sharpe。　Lawford；　sabre　in　hand；　was　a　half…dozen　paces　away；　too　far　to　help。　Gudin　jerked　the　pistol。　'Put　the　musket　down；　Sharpe。'　Gudin　spoke　calmly。
　Sharpe　had　turned　with　the　musket　at　his　hip。　The　Colonel　was　only　three　or　four　paces　away。　'Put　your　pistol　down；　sir；'　Sharpe　said。A　slight　look　of　regret　crossed　the　Colonel's　face　as　he　straightened　his　arm　to　take　more　careful　aim。　Sharpe　fired　as　soon　as　he　saw　the　small　movement　and　though　he　had　not　aimed　the　musket；　but　fired　it　from　the　hip；　his　bullet　struck　the　Colonel　high　on　his　right　shoulder　so　that　Gudin's　pistol　arm　flew　into　the　air。　'Sorry；　sir；'　Sharpe　said；　and　then　he　ran　to　where　one　of　the　spent　rockets　still　had　weak　flames　burning　from　its　exhaust。　He　carried　the　flaming　carcass　to　the　end　of　the　quick　fuse　and　there　paused　to　listen。　He　could　hear　cannons　firing；　and　knew　they　must　be　the　Tippoo's　guns；　for　no　British　artilleryman　would　dare　fire　now　for　fear　of　hitting　the　assaulting　troops。　He　could　hear　musket　fire；　but　he　could　not　hear　the　massive；　deep…throated　roar　of　men　ing　into　the　breach。　The　Forlorn　Hope　alone　must　be　fighting；　and　that　meant　the　space　between　the　walls　must　still　be　clear　of　British　soldiers。　He　stooped　to　put　the　rocket's　feeble　flames　to　the　waiting　fuse；　but　Lawford　pushed　his　arm　aside。　Sharpe　looked　up　at　the　Lieutenant。　'Sir？'
　'Best　to　leave　the　mine　alone；　I　think；　Sharpe。　Our　men　might　be　too　close。'
　Sharpe　still　held　the　burning　tube。　'Just　you　and　me；　sir；　eh？'
　'You　and　me；　Sharpe？'　Lawford　asked；　puzzled。
　'In　five　minutes；　sir；　when　the　Tippoo　wonders　why　his　fireworks　aren't　going　off？　And　he　sends　a　dozen　men　to　find　out　what's　happening。　You　and　me？　We're　going　to　fight　all　those　buggers　off　alone？'
　Lawford　hesitated。　'I　don't　know；'　he　said　uncertainly。
　'I　do；　sir；'　Sharpe　said；　and　he　pushed　the　burning　rocket　o