csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第5部分

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　Within　an　hour　the　proposed　conditions　of　the　duel　were　known　to　everyone　in　the　ship。　Perhaps　it　was　to　Simpson's　disadvantage　that　he　had　no　real　friend　in　the　ship；　for　Cleveland　and　Hether；　his　seconds；　were　not　disposed　to　take　too　firm　a　stand　regarding　the　conditions　of　the　duel；　and　agreed　to　the　terms　with　only　a　show　of　reluctance。　The　tyrant　of　the　midshipmen's　berth　was　paying　the　penalty　for　his　tyranny。　There　was　some　cynical　amusement　shown　by　some　of　the　officers；　some　of　both　officers　and　men　eyed　Hornblower　and　Simpson　with　the　curiosity　that　the　prospect　of　death　excites　in　some　minds；　as　if　the　two　destined　opponents　were　men　condemned　to　the　gallows。　At　noon　Lieutenant　Masters　sent　for　Hornblower。
　'The　captain　has　ordered　me　to　make　inquiry　into　this　duel；　Mr　Hornblower；'　he　said。　'I　am　instructed　to　use　my　best　endeavours　to　pose　the　quarrel。'
　'Yes；　sir。'
　'Why　insist　on　this　satisfaction；　Mr　Hornblower　？　I　understand　there　were　a　few　hasty　words　over　wine　and　cards。'
　'Mr　Simpson　accused　me　of　cheating；　sir；　before　witnesses　who　were　not　officers　of　this　ship。'
　That　was　the　point。　The　witnesses　were　not　members　of　the　ship's　pany。　If　Hornblower　had　chosen　to　disregard　Simpson's　words　as　the　ramblings　of　a　drunken　ill…tempered　man；　they　might　have　passed　unnoticed。　But　as　he　had　taken　the　stand　he　did；　there　could　be　no　hushing　it　up　now；　and　Hornblower　knew　it。
　'Even　so；　there　can　be　satisfaction　without　a　duel；　Mr　Hornblower。'
　'If　Mr　Simpson　will　make　me　a　full　apology　before　the　same　gentlemen；　I　would　be　satisfied；　sir。'
　Simpson　was　no　coward。　He　would　die　rather　than　submit　to　such　a　formal　humiliation。
　'I　see。　Now　I　understand　you　are　insisting　on　rather　unusual　conditions　for　the　duel？'
　'There　are　precedents　for　it；　sir。　As　the　insulted　party　I　can　choose　any　conditions　which　are　not　unfair。'
　'You　sound　like　a　sea　lawyer　to　me；　Mr　Hornblower。'
　The　hint　was　sufficient　to　tell　Hornblower　that　he　had　verged　upon　being　too　glib；　and　he　resolved　in　future　to　bridle　his　tongue。　He　stood　silent　and　waited　for　Masters　to　resume　the　conversation。
　'You　are　determined；　then；　Mr　Hornblower；　to　continue　with　this　murderous　business？'
　'Yes；　sir。'
　'The　captain　has　given　me　further　orders　to　attend　the　duel　in　person；　because　of　the　strange　conditions　on　which　you　insist。　I　must　inform　you　that　I　shall　request　the　seconds　to　arrange　for　that。'
　'Yes；　sir。'
　'Very　good；　then；　Mr　Homblower。'
　Masters　looked　at　Hornblower　as　he　dismissed　him　even　more　keenly　than　he　had　done　when　Hornblower　first　came　on　board。　He　was　looking　for　signs　of　weakness　or　wavering…indeed；　he　was　looking　for　any　signs　of　human　feeling　at　all…but　he　could　detect　none。　Hornblower　had　reached　a　decision；　he　had　weighed　all　the　pros　and　cons；　and　his　logical　mind　told　him　that　having　decided　in　cold　blood　upon　a　course　of　action　it　would　be　folly　to　allow　himself　to　be　influenced　subsequently　by　untrustworthy　emotions。　The　conditions　of　the　duel　on　which　he　was　insisting　were　mathematically　advantageous。　If　he　had　once　considered　with　favour　escaping　from　Simpson's　persecution　by　a　voluntary　death　it　was　surely　a　gain　to　take　an　even　chance　of　escaping　from　it　without　dying。　Similarly；　if　Simpson　were　（as　he　almost　certainly　was）　a　better　swordsman　and　a　better　pistol　shot　than　him；　the　even　chance　was　again　mathematically　advantageous。　There　was　nothing　to　regret　about　his　recent　actions。
　All　very　well；　mathematically　the　conclusions　were　irrefutable；　but　Hornblower　was　surprised　to　find　that　mathematics　were　not　everything。　Repeatedly　during　that　dreary　afternoon　and　evening　Hornblower　found　himself　suddenly　gulping　with　anxiety　as　the　realization　came　to　him　afresh　that　to…morrow　morning　he　would　be　risking　his　life　on　the　spin　of　a　coin。　One　chance　out　of　two　and　he　would　be　dead；　his　consciousness　at　an　end；　his　flesh　cold；　and　the　world；　almost　unbelievably；　would　be　going　on　without　him。　The　thought　sent　a　shiver　through　him　despite　himself。　And　he　had　plenty　of　time　for　these　reflections；　for　the　convention　that　forbade　him　from　encountering　his　destined　opponent　before　the　moment　of　the　duel　kept　him　necessarily　in　isolation；　as　far　as　isolation　could　be　found　on　the　crowded　decks　of　the　Justinian。　He　slung　his　hammock　that　night　in　a　depressed　mood；　feeling　unnaturally　tired；　and　he　undressed　in　the　clammy；　stuffy　dampness　of　the　'tweendecks　feeling　more　than　usually　cold。　He　hugged　the　blankets　round　himself；　yearning　to　relax　in　their　warmth；　but　relaxation　would　not　e。　Time　after　time　as　he　began　to　drift　off　to　sleep　he　woke　again　tense　and　anxious；　full　of　thoughts　of　the　morrow。　He　turned　over　wearily　a　dozen　times；　hearing　the　ship's　bell　ring　out　each　half　hour；　feeling　a　growing　contempt　at　his　cowardice。　He　told　himself　in　the　end　that　it　was　as　well　that　his　fate　to…morrow　depended　upon　pure　chance；　for　if　he　had　to　rely　upon　steadiness　of　hand　and　eye　he　would　be　dead　for　certain　after　a　night　like　this。
　That　conclusion　presumably　helped　him　to　go　to　sleep　for　the　last　hour　or　two　of　the　night；　for　he　awoke　with　a　start　to　find　Danvers　shaking　him。
　'Five　bells；'　said　Danvers。　'Dawn　in　an　hour。　Rise　and　shine！'
　Hornblower　slid　out　of　his　hammock　and　stood　in　his　shirt；　the　'tweendecks　was　nearly　dark　and　Danvers　was　almost　invisible。
　'Number　One's　letting　us　have　the　second　cutter；'　said　Danvers。　'Masters　and　Simpson　and　that　lot　are　going　first　in　the　launch。　Here's　Preston。'
　Another　shadowy　figure　loomed　up　in　the　darkness。
　'Hellish　cold；'　said　Preston。　'The　devil　of　a　morning　to　turn　out。　Nelson；　where's　that　tea？'
　The　mess　attendant　came　with　it　as　Hornblower　was　hauling　on　his　trousers。　It　maddened　Hornblower　that　he　shivered　enough　in　the　cold　for　the　cup　to　clatter　in　the　saucer　as　he　took　it。　But　the　tea　was　grateful；　and　Hornblower　drank　it　eagerly。
　'Give　me　another　cup；'　he　said；　and　was　proud　of　himself　that　he　could　think　about　tea　at　that　moment。
　It　was　still　dark　as　they　went　down　into　the　cutter。
　'Shove　off；'　said　the　coxswain；　and　the　boat　pushed　off　from　the　ship's　side。　There　was　a　keen　cold　wind　blowing　which　filled　the　dipping　lug　as　the　cutter　headed　for　the　twin　lights　that　marked　the　jetty。
　'I　ordered　a　hackney　coach　at　the　George　to　be　waiting　for　us；'　said　Danvers。　'Let's　hope　it　is。'
　It　was　there；　with　the　driver　sufficiently　sober　to　control　his　horse　moderately　well　despite　his　overnight　potations。　Danvers　produced　a　pocket　flask　as　they　settled　themselves　in　with　their　feet　in　the　straw。
　'Take　a　sip；　Hornblower？'　he　asked；　proffering　it。　'There's　no　special　need　for　a　steady　hand　this　morning。'
　'No　thank　you；'　said　Hornblower。　His　empty　stomach　revolted　at　the　idea　of　pouring　spirits　into　it。
　'The　others　will　be　there　before　us；'　mented　Preston。　'I　saw　the　quarter　boat　heading　back　just　before　we　reached　the　jetty。'
　The　etiquette　of　the　duel　demanded　that　the　two　opponents　should　reach　the　ground　separately；　but　only　one　boat　would　be　necessary　for　the　return。
　'The　sawbones　is　with　them；'　said　Danvers。　'Though　God　knows　what　use　he　thinks　he'll　be　to…day。'
　He　sniggered；　and　with　overlate　politeness　tried　to　cut　his　snigger　off　short。
　'How　are　you　feeling；　Hornblower？'　asked　Preston。
　'Well　enough；'　said　Hornblower；　forbearing　to　add　that　he　only　felt　well　enough　while　this　kind　of　conversation　was　not　being　carried　on。
　The　hackney　coach　levelled　itself　off　as　it　came　over　the　crest　of　the　hill；　and　stopped　beside　the　mon。　Another　coach　stood　there　waiting；　its　single　candle…lamp　burning　yellow　in　the　growing　dawn。
　'There　they　are；'　said　Preston；　the　faint　light　revealed　a　shadowy　group　standing　on　frosty　turf　among　the　gorse　bushes。
　Hornblower；　as　they　approached；　caught　a　glimpse　of　Simpson's　face　as　he　stood　a　little　detached　from　the　others。　It　was　pale；　and　Hornblower　noticed　that　at　that　moment　he　swallowed　nervously；　just　as　he　himself　was　doing。　Masters　came　towards　them；　shooting　his　usual　keen　inquisitive　look　at　Hornblower　as　they　came　together。
　'This　is　the　moment；'　he　said；　'for　this　quarrel　to　be　posed。　This　country　is　at　war。　I　hope；　Mr　Hornblower；　that　you　can　be　persuaded　to　save　a　life　for　the　King's　service　by　not　pressing　this　matter。'
　Hornblower　looked　across　at　Simpson；　while　Danvers　answered　for　him。
　'Has　Mr　Simpson　offered　the　proper　redress？'　asked　Danvers。
　'Mr　Simpson　is　willing　to　acknowledge　that　he　wishes　the　incident　had　never　taken　place。'
　'That　is　an　unsatisfactory　form；'　said　Danvers。　'It　does　not　include　an　apology；　and　you　must　agree　that　an　apology　is　necessary；　sir。'
　'What　does　your　principal　say？'　persisted　Masters。
　'It　is　not　for　any　principal　to　speak　in　these　circumstances；'　said　Danvers；　with　a　glance　at　Hornblower；　who　nodded。　All　this　was　as　inevitable　as　the　ride　in　the　hangman's　cart；　and　as　hideous。　There　could　be　no　going　back　now；　Hornblower　had　never　thought　for　one　moment　that　Simpson　would　apologize；　and　without　an　apology　the　affair　must　be　carried　to　a　bloody　conclusion。　An　even　chance　that　he　did　not　have　five　minutes　longer　to　live。
　'You　are　determined；　then；　gentlemen；'　said　Masters。　'I　shall　have　to　state　t