csf.thecommodore-第3章

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　〃Three　cheers　for　'Er　Ladyship！〃
　Everyone　cheered；　to　Richard's　astonishment；　expressed　in　a　loud　yell。
　〃Three　cheers　for　Sir　Horatio！　One；　two；　three；　an'　a　tiger！〃
　There　was　nothing　left　to　do　now；　except　to　withdraw　gracefully　into　the　house　again　and　leave　the　tenantry　to　disperse。　Thank　God　it　was　all　over；　anyway。　John；　the　footman；　stood　at　what　obviously　he　thought　was　attention　in　the　hall。　Hornblower　made　a　weary　mental　note　to　teach　him　to　keep　his　elbows　into　his　sides。　If　he　were　going　to　employ　a　footman　he　would　make　a　good　footman　out　of　him。　Here　came　the　nurse；　swooping　down　to　find　out　how　wet　Richard　had　made　himself。　And　here　came　the　butler；　hobbling　along　with　a　letter　on　a　salver。　Hornblower　felt　a　rush　of　blood　into　his　face　as　he　saw　the　seal；　that　seal　and　that　thick　linen　paper　were　only　used　by　the　Admiralty；　as　far　as　he　knew。　It　was　months；　and　it　seemed　like　years；　since　he　had　last　received　any　letter　from　the　Admiralty。　He　snatched　the　letter　from　the　salver；　and　only　by　the　mercy　of　Providence　remembered　to　glance　at　Barbara　in　apology；　before　breaking　the　seal。
　
　The　Lords　missioners　of　the　Admiralty；
　Whitehall；
　10th　April；　1812
　Sir；
　I　am　manded　by　the　Lords　missioners　to　inform　you　that　their　Lordships　desire　to　employ　you　immediately　as　modore　with　a　Captain　under　you　on　a　service　which　their　Lordships　consider　worthy　of　an　officer　of　your　seniority　and　standing。　You　are　hereby　directed　and　required；　therefore；　to　inform　their　Lordships　through　me　as　speedily　as　possible　as　to　whether　or　not　you　will　accept　this　appointment；　and　in　the　event　of　your　accepting　it　you　are　further　directed　and　required　to　present　yourself　in　person　at　this　office　without　delay　in　order　to　receive　verbally　their　Lordships'　instructions　and　also　those　of　any　other　Minister　of　State　whom　it　may　be　judged　necessary　you　should　address。
　Your　obed't　servant；
　E。　NEPEAN；　Secy　to　the　Lords　missioners
　of　the　Admiralty
　
　Hornblower　had　to　read　the　letter　twice　…　the　first　time　it　conveyed　no　meaning　to　him　at　all。　But　at　the　second　reading　the　glorious　import　of　the　letter　burst　in　upon　him。　The　first　thing　he　was　conscious　of　was　that　this　life　here　in　Smallbridge　or　in　Bond　Street　need　not　continue。　He　was　free　of　all　that；　he　could　take　a　bath　under　a　wash…deck　pump　instead　of　in　a　damned　hip…bath　with　a　kettleful　of　water　in　it；　he　could　walk　his　own　deck；　breathe　the　sea　air；　take　off　these　damned　tight　trousers　and　never　put　them　on　again；　receive　no　deputations；　speak　to　no　damned　tenants；　never　smell　another　pigsty　or　smack　another　horse's　back；　And　that　was　only　the　first　thing；　the　second　was　that　he　was　being　offered　appointment　as　modore　…　a　modore　of　the　first　class；　too；　with　a　captain　under　him；　so　that　he　would　be　like　an　Admiral。　He　would　have　a　broad　pennant　flying　at　the　mainmast…head；　pliments　and　honours　…　not　that　they　mattered；　but　they　would　be　outward　signs　of　the　trust　reposed　in　him；　of　the　promotion　that　was　his。　Louis　at　the　Admiralty　must　have　a　good　opinion　of　him；　clearly；　to　appoint　him　modore　when　he　was　hardly　more　than　half…way　up　the　Captains'　list。　Of　course；　that　phrase　about　'worthy　of　his　seniority　and　standing'　was　merely　formula；　justifying　the　Admiralty　in　anticipation　in　putting　him　on　half…pay　should　he　decline；　but　…　those　last　words；　about　consulting　with　Ministers　of　State；　had　enormous　import。　They　meant　that　the　mission　to　be　entrusted　to　him　would　be　one　of　responsibility；　of　international　importance。　Waves　of　excitement　broke　over　him。
　He　hauled　out　his　watch。　Ten…fifteen　…　the　day　was　still　young　by　civilian　standards。
　〃Where's　Brown？〃　he　snapped　at　Wiggins。
　Brown　materialized　miraculously　in　the　background　…　not　too　miraculously；　perhaps；　the　whole　house　must　be　aware；　of　course；　that　the　master　had　received　a　letter　from　the　Admiralty。
　〃Get　out　my　best　uniform　and　my　sword。　Have　the　horses　put…to　in　the　chariot。　You　had　better　e　with　me；　Brown　…　I　shall　want　you　to　drive。　Have　my　things　for　the　night　ready　and　yours　too。〃
　The　servants　scattered　in　all　directions；　for　not　merely　must　the　weighty　orders　of　the　master　be　obeyed；　but　this　was　an　affair　of　State　and　doubly　important　in　consequence。　So　that　as　Hornblower　came　out　of　his　preoccupation　Barbara　was　standing　there　alone。
　God；　he　had　forgotten　all　about　her　in　his　excitement；　and　she　was　aware　of　it。　She　was　drooping　a　little；　and　one　corner　of　her　mouth　was　down。　Their　eyes　met　then；　and　that　corner　of　her　mouth　went　up　for　a　moment；　but　then　it　went　down　again。
　〃It's　the　Admiralty；〃　explained　Hornblower　lamely。　〃They'll　appoint　me　modore　with　a　captain　under　me。〃
　It　was　a　pity　that　Hornblower　could　see　her　try　to　appear　pleased。
　〃That's　a　high　pliment；〃　she　said。　〃No　more　than　you　deserve；　my　dear；　all　the　same。　You　must　be　pleased；　and　I　am　too。〃
　〃It　will　take　me　away　from　you；〃　said　Hornblower。
　〃Darling；　I　have　had　six　months　with　you。　Six　months　of　the　kind　of　happiness　you　have　given　me　is　more　than　any　woman　deserves。　And　you　will　e　back　to　me。〃
　〃Of　course　I　will；〃　said　Hornblower。
　
　Chapter　Two
　

　This　was　typical　April　weather。　It　had　been　miraculously　sunny　during　the　ceremony　at　the　foot　of　the　steps　of　Smallbridge　House；　but　it　had　rained　torrentially　once　already　during　the　twenty…mile　drive　to　London。　Then　the　sun　had　reappeared；　had　warmed　and　dried　them；　but　now　as　they　crossed　Wimbledon　mon　the　sky　was　black　again；　and　the　first　drops　began　to　drive　into　their　faces。　Hornblower　pulled　his　cloak　about　him　and　rebuttoned　the　collar。　His　cocked　hat　with　its　gold　lace　and　button　lay　on　his　knees　under　the　sheltering　tent　of　the　cloak；　cocked　hats　worn　for　long　in　the　rain　accumulated　pools　of　water　in　both　crown　and　brim　and　were　pulled　out　of　shape。
　Now　it　came；　wind　and　rain；　shrieking　down　from　the　west　in　unbelievable　contrast　with　the　delightful　weather　of　only　half　an　hour　before。　The　near…side　horse　had　the　full　brunt　of　it　and　was　inclined　to　shirk　its　work　in　consequence。　Brown　laid　the　whiplash　on　its　glistening　haunch　and　it　threw　itself　into　the　collar　in　a　fresh　spasm　of　energy。　Brown　was　a　good　whip　…　he　was　good　at　everything。　He　had　been　the　best　captain's　coxswain　Hornblower　had　ever　known；　he　had　been　a　loyal　subordinate　during　the　escape　from　France；　and　he　had　made　himself　into　the　best　manservant　heart　could　desire。　Now　he　sat　here；　tolerant　of　the　driving　rain；　the　slippery　leather　of　the　reins　grasped　in　a　big　brown　hand；　hand　and　wrist　and　forearm　acted　like　a　spring　to　maintain　that　subtle　pressure　upon　the　horses'　mouths　…　not　enough　pressure　to　interfere　in　the　least　with　their　work；　but　enough　to　give　them　confidence　on　the　slippery　road；　and　to　have　them　under　control　in　any　emergency。　They　were　pulling　the　chariot　over　the　muddy　macadam　up　the　steep　ascent　of　Wimbledon　mon　with　a　wholeheartedness　they　never　displayed　for　Hornblower。
　〃Would　you　like　to　go　to　sea　again；　Brown？〃　asked　Hornblower。　The　mere　fact　that　he　allowed　himself　to　make　this　unnecessary　speech　was　proof　of　how　much　Hornblower　was　lifted　out　of　himself　with　excitement。
　〃I'd　like　it　main　well；　sir；〃　said　Brown　shortly。
　Hornblower　was　left　to　guess　what　Brown　really　meant　…　whether　his　curtness　was　just　the　English　way　of　concealing　enthusiasm；　or　whether　Brown　was　merely　being　in　polite　agreement　with　his　master's　mood。
　The　rain　from　Hornblower's　wet　hair　was　trickling　down　his　neck　now　inside　his　collar。　He　ought　to　have　brought　a　sou'wester　with　him。　He　hunched　himself　together　on　the　padded　leather　seat；　resting　his　two　hands　on　the　hilt　of　the　sword　belted　round　his　waist　…　the　hundred…guinea　sword　given　him　by　the　Patriotic　Fund。　With　the　sword　vertical　his　hands　held　the　heavy　wet　cloak　away　from　the　cocked　hat　on　his　knees。　Another　little　rivulet　coursed　down　inside　his　clothes　and　made　him　squirm。　By　the　time　the　shower　had　passed　he　was　thoroughly　damp　and　unfortable；　but　here　once　more　came　the　glorious　sun。　The　raindrops　in　the　gorse　and　the　brambles　shone　like　diamonds；　the　horses　steamed；　larks　resumed　their　song　far　overhead；　and　Hornblower　threw　open　his　cloak　and　wiped　his　damp　hair　and　neck