csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第46部分
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'Fog's thinning； sir；' said Winyatt。
'Quick！' said the duchess。
There was no time for further debate。 Hornblower slipped the envelopes from their binding of rope and handed them over to her； and replaced the belaying pin in the rail。
'These damned French fashions；' said the duchess。 'I was right when I said I'd put these letters up my petticoats。 There's no room in my bosom。'
Certainly the upper part of her gown was not at all capacious； the waist was close up under the armpits and the rest of the dress hung down from there quite straight in utter defiance of anatomy。
'Give me a yard of that rope； quick！' said the duchess。
Winyatt cut her a length of the line with his knife and handed it to her。 Already she was hauling at her petticoats； the appalled Hornblower saw a gleam of white thigh above her stocking tops before he tore his glance away。 The fog was certainly thinning。
'You can look at me now；' said the duchess； but her petticoats only just fell in time as Hornblower looked round again。 'They're inside my shift； next my skin as I promised。 With these Directory fashions no one wears stays any more。 So I tied the rope round my waist outside my shift。 One envelope is flat against my chest and the other against my back。 Would you suspect anything？'
She turned round for Hornblower's inspection。
'No； nothing shows；' he said。 'I must thank Your Grace。'
'There is a certain thickening；' said the duchess； 'but it does not matter what the Spaniards suspect as long as they do not suspect the truth。'
Momentary cessation of the need for action brought some embarrassment to Hornblower。 To discuss with a woman her shift and stays…or the absence of them…was a strange thing to do。
A watery sun； still nearly level； was breaking through the mist and shining in his eyes。 The mainsail cast a watery shadow on the deck。 With every second the sun was growing brighter。
'Here it es；' said Hunter。
The horizon ahead expanded rapidly； from a few yards to a hundred； from a hundred yards to half a mile。 The sea was covered with ships。 No less than six were in plain sight； four ships of the line and two big frigates； with the red…and…gold of Spain at their mastheads； and； what marked them even more obviously as Spaniards； huge wooden crosses hanging at their peaks。
'Wear ship again； Mr Hunter；' said Hornblower。 'Back into the fog。'
That was the one chance of safety。 Those ships running down towards them were bound to ask questions； and they could not hope to avoid them all。 Le Rêve spun around on her heel； but the fog…bank from which she had emerged was already attenuated； sucked up by the thirsty sun。 They could see a drifting stretch of it ahead； but it was lazily rolling away from them at the same time as it was dwindling。 The heavy sound of a cannon shot reached their ears； and close on their starboard quarter a ball threw up a fountain of water before plunging into the side of a wave just ahead。 Hornblower looked round just in time to see the last of the puff of smoke from the bows of the frigate astern pursuing them。
'Starboard two points；' he said to the helmsman； trying to gauge at one and the same moment the frigate's course； the direction of the wind； the bearing of the other ships； and that of the thin last nucleus of that wisp of fog。
'Starboard two points；' said the helmsman。
'Fore and main sheets！' said Hunter。
Another shot； far astern this time but laid true for line； Hornblower suddenly remembered the duchess。
'You must go below； Your Grace；' he said curtly。
'Oh； no； no； no！' burst out the duchess with angry vehemence。 'Please let me stay here。 I can't go below to where that seasick maid of mine lies hoping to die。 Not in that stinking box of a cabin。'
There would be no safety in that cabin； Hornblower reflected…Le Rêve's scantlings were too fragile to keep out any shot at all。 Down below the water line in the hold the women might be safe； but they would have to lie flat on top of beef barrels。
'Sail ahead！' screamed the lookout。
The mist there was parting and the outline of a ship of the line was emerging from it； less than a mile away and on almost the same course as Le Rêve's。 Thud…thud from the frigate astern。 Those gunshots by now would have warned the whole Spanish fleet that something unusual was happening。 The battleship ahead would know that the little sloop was being pursued。 A ball tore through the air close by； with its usual terrifying noise。 The ship ahead was awaiting their ing； Hornblower saw her topsails slowly turning。
'Hands to the sheets！' said Hornblower。 'Mr Hunter； jibe her over。'
Le Rêve came round again； heading for the lessening gap on the port side。 The frigate astern turned to intercept。 More jets of smoke from her bows。 With an appalling noise a shot passed within a few feet of Hornblower； so that the wind of it made him stagger。 There was a hole in the mainsail。
'Your Grace；' said Hornblower； 'those aren't warning shots…'
It was the ship of the line which fired them； having succeeded in clearing away and manning some of her upper…deck guns。 It was as if the end of the world had e。 One shot hit Le Rêve's hull； and they felt the deck heave under their feet as a result as if the little ship were disintegrating。 But the mast was hit at the same moment； stays and shrouds parting； splinters raining all round。 Mast； sails； boom； gaff and all went from above them over the side to windward。 The wreckage dragged in the sea and turned the helpless wreck round with the last of her way。 The little group aft stood momentarily dazed。
'Anybody hurt？' asked Hornblower； recovering himself。
'On'y a scratch； sir；' said one voice。
It seemed a miracle that no one was killed。
'Carpenter's mate； sound the well；' said Hornblower and then； recollecting himself； 'No； damn it。 Belay that order。 If the Dons can save the ship； let 'em try。'
Already the ship of the line whose salvo had done the damage was filling her topsails again and bearing away from them； while the frigate which had pursued them was running down on them fast。 A wailing figure came scrambling out of the afterhatch way。 It was the duchess's maid； so mad with terror that her seasickness was forgotten。 The duchess put a protective arm round her and tried to fort her。
'Your Grace had better look to your baggage；' said Hornblower。 'No doubt you'll be leaving us shortly for other quarters with the Dons。 I hope you will be more fortable。'
He was trying desperately hard to speak in a matter…of…fact way； as if nothing out of the ordinary were happening； as if he were not soon to be a prisoner of the Spaniards； but the duchess saw the working of the usually firm mouth； and marked how the hands were tight clenched。
'How can I tell you how sorry I am about this？' asked the duchess； her voice soft with pity。
'That makes it the harder for me to bear；' said Hornblower； and he even forced a smile。
The Spanish frigate was just rounding…to； a cable's length to windward。
'Please； sir；' said Hunter。
'Well？'
'We can fight； sir。 You give the word。 Cold shot to drop in the boats when they try to board。 We could beat 'em off once； perhaps。'
Hornblower's tortured misery nearly made him snap out 'Don't be a fool'； but he checked himself。 He contented himself with pointing to the frigate。 Twenty guns were glaring at them at far less than point…blank range。 The very boat the frigate was hoisting out would be manned by at least twice as many men as Le Rêve carried…she was no bigger than many a pleasure yacht。 It was not odds of ten to one； or a hundred to one； but odds of ten thousand to one。
'I understand； sir；' said Hunter。
Now the Spanish frigate's boat was in the water； about to shove off。
'A private word with you； please； Mr Hornblower；' said the duchess suddenly。
Hunter and Winyatt heard what she said； and withdrew out of earshot。
'Yes； Your Grace？' said Hornblower。
The duchess stood there； still with her arm round her weeping maid； looking straight at him。
'I'm no more of a duchess than you are；' she said。
'Good God！' said Hornblower。 'Who…who are you； then？'
'Kitty Cobham。'
The name meant a little to Hornblower； but only a little。
'You're too young for that name to have any memories for you； Mr Hornblower； I see。 It's five years since last I trod the boards。'
That was it。 Kitty Cobham the actress。
'I can't tell it all now；' said the duchess…the Spanish boat was dancing over the waves towards them。 'But when the French marched into Florence that was only the last of my misfortunes。 I was penniless when I escaped from them。 Who would lift a finger for a onetime actress…one who had been betrayed and deserted？ What was I to do？ But a duchess…that was another story。 Old Dalrymple at Gibraltar could not do enough for the Duchess of Wharfedale。'
'Why did you choose that title？' asked Hornblower in spite of himself。
'I knew of her；' said the duchess with a shrug of the shoulders。 'I knew her to be what I played her as。 That was why I chose her…I always played character parts better than straight edy。 And not nearly so tedious in a long role。'
'But my despatches！' said Hornblower in a sudden panic of realization。 'Give them back；
