csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第50部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　'Let　us　go；'　he　roared　to　the　crowd。
　The　iron…shod　hoofs　clashed　on　the　cobbles　and　the　dray　lurched　forward；　with　men　leading　the　horses；　men　swarming　alongside；　and　Hornblower　and　the　captain　riding　on　the　dray　like　triumphing　generals　in　a　procession。　They　went　through　the　dockyard　gate；　along　the　level　main　street　of　the　little　town；　and　turned　up　a　steep　lane　which　climbed　the　ridge　constituting　the　backbone　of　the　headland。　The　enthusiasm　of　the　crowd　was　still　lively；　when　the　horses　slowed　as　they　breasted　the　slope　a　hundred　men　pushed　at　the　back；　strained　at　the　sides；　tugged　at　the　traces　to　run　the　dray　up　the　hillside。　At　the　crest　the　lane　became　a　track；　but　the　dray　still　lurched　and　rumbled　along。　From　the　track　diverged　an　even　worse　track；　winding　its　way　sideways　down　the　slope　through　arbutus　and　myrtle　towards　the　sandy　cove　which　Hornblower　had　first　had　in　mind…on　fine　days　he　had　seen　fishermen　working　a　seine　net　on　that　beach；　and　he　himself　had　taken　note　of　it　as　a　suitable　place　for　a　landing　party　should　the　Royal　Navy　ever　plan　a　descent　against　Ferrol。
　The　wind　was　blowing　as　wildly　as　ever；　it　shrieked　round　Hornblower's　ears。　The　sea　as　it　came　in　view　was　chaotic　with　wave…crests；　and　then　as　they　turned　a　shoulder　of　the　slope　they　could　see　the　line　of　the　Devil's　Teeth　running　out　from　the　shore　up　there　to　windward；　and　still　hanging　precariously　from　their　jagged　fangs　was　the　wreck；　black　against　the　seething　foam。　Somebody　raised　a　shout　at　the　sight；　everybody　heaved　at　the　dray；　so　that　the　horses　actually　broke　into　a　trot　and　the　dray　leaped　and　bounced　over　the　obstructions　in　its　way。
　'Slowly；'　roared　Hornblower。　'Slowly！'
　If　they　were　to　break　an　axle　or　smash　a　wheel　at　this　moment　the　attempt　would　end　in　ludicrous　failure。　The　mandant　on　his　horse　enforced　Hornblower's　cries　with　loud　orders　of　his　own；　and　restrained　the　reckless　enthusiasm　of　his　people。　More　sedately　the　dray　went　on　down　the　trail　to　the　edge　of　the　sandy　beach。　The　wind　picked　up　even　the　damp　sand　and　flung　it　stinging　into　their　faces；　but　only　small　waves　broke　here；　for　the　beach　was　in　a　recess　in　the　shoreline；　the　south…westerly　wind　was　blowing　a　trifle　off　shore　here；　and　up　to　windward　the　Devil's　Teeth　broke　the　force　of　the　rollers　as　they　raced　along　in　a　direction　nearly　parallel　to　the　shoreline。　The　wheels　plunged　into　the　sand　and　the　horses　stopped　at　the　water's　edge。　A　score　of　willing　hands　unharnessed　them　and　a　hundred　willing　arms　thrust　the　dray　out　into　the　water…all　these　things　were　easy　with　such　vast　manpower　available。　As　the　first　wave　broke　over　the　floor　of　the　dray　the　crew　scrambled　up　and　stood　ready。　There　were　rocks　here；　but　mighty　heaves　by　the　militiamen　and　the　dockyard　workers　waist…deep　in　water　forced　the　dray　over　them。　The　boat　almost　floated　off　its　chocks；　and　the　crew　forced　it　clear　and　scrambled　aboard；　the　wind　beginning　to　swing　her　immediately。　They　grabbed　for　their　oars　and　put　their　backs　into　half　a　dozen　fierce　strokes　which　brought　her　under　mand；　the　Galician　captain　had　already　laid　a　steering　oar　in　the　notch　in　the　stern；　with　no　attempt　at　shipping　rudder　and　tiller。　As　he　braced　himself　to　steer　he　glanced　at　Hornblower；　who　tacitly　left　the　job　to　him。
　Hornblower；　bent　against　the　wind；　was　standing　in　the　sternsheets　planning　a　route　through　the　rocks　which　would　lead　them　to　the　wreck。　The　shore　and　the　friendly　beach　were　gone　now；　incredibly　far　away；　and　the　boat　was　struggling　out　through　a　welter　of　water　with　the　wind　howling　round　her。　In　those　jumbled　waves　her　motion　was　senseless　and　she　lurched　in　every　direction　successively。　It　was　well　that　the　boatmen　were　used　to　rowing　in　broken　water　so　that　their　oars　kept　the　boat　under　way；　giving　the　captain　the　means　by　which；　tugging　fiercely　at　the　steering　oar；　he　could　guide　her　through　that　maniacal　confusion。　Hornblower；　planning　his　course；　was　able　to　guide　the　captain　by　his　gestures；　so　that　the　captain　could　devote　all　the　necessary　attention　to　keeping　the　boat　from　being　suddenly　capsized　by　an　unexpected　wave。　The　wind　howled；　and　the　boat　heaved　and　pitched　as　she　met　each　lumpy　wave；　but　yard　by　yard　they　were　struggling　up　to　the　wreck。　If　there　was　any　order　in　the　waves　at　all；　they　were　swinging　round　the　outer　end　of　the　Devil's　Teeth；　so　that　the　boat　had　to　be　carefully　steered；　turning　to　meet　the　waves　with　her　bows　and　then　turning　back　to　gain　precarious　yards　against　the　wind。　Hornblower　spared　a　glance　for　the　men　at　the　oars；　at　every　second　they　were　exerting　their　utmost　strength。　There　could　never　be　a　moment's　respite…tug　and　strain；　tug　and　strain；　until　Hornblower　wondered　how　human　hearts　and　sinews　could　endure　it。
　But　they　were　edging　up　towards　the　wreck。　Hornblower；　when　the　wind　and　spray　allowed；　could　see　the　whole　extent　of　her　canted　deck　now。　He　could　see　human　figures　cowering　under　the　break　of　the　poop。　He　saw　somebody　there　wave　an　arm　to　him。　Next　moment　his　attention　was　called　away　when　a　jagged　monster　suddenly　leaped　out　of　the　sea　twenty　yards　ahead。　For　a　second　he　could　not　imagine　what　it　was；　and　then　it　leaped　clear　again　and　he　recognized　it…the　butt　end　of　a　broken　mast。　The　mast　was　still　anchored　to　the　ship　by　a　single　surviving　shroud　attached　to　the　upper　end　of　the　mast　and　to　the　ship；　and　the　mast；　drifting　down　to　leeward；　was　jerking　and　leaping　on　the　waves　as　though　some　sea　god　below　the　surface　was　threatening　them　with　his　wrath。　Hornblower　called　the　steersman's　attention　to　the　menace　and　received　a　nod　in　return；　the　steersman's　shouted　'Nombre　de　Dios'　was　whirled　away　in　the　wind。　They　kept　clear　of　the　mast；　and　as　they　pulled　up　along　it　Hornblower　could　form　a　clearer　notion　of　the　speed　of　their　progress　now　that　he　had　a　stationary　object　to　help　his　judgement。　He　could　see　the　painful　inches　gained　at　each　frantic　tug　on　the　oars；　and　could　see　how　the　boat　stopped　dead　or　even　went　astern　when　the　wilder　gusts　hit　her；　the　oar　blades　pulling　ineffectively　through　the　water。　Every　inch　of　gain　was　only　won　at　the　cost　of　an　infinity　of　labour。
　Now　they　were　past　the　mast；　close　to　the　submerged　bows　of　the　ship；　and　close　enough　to　the　Devil's　Teeth　to　be　deluged　with　spray　as　each　wave　burst　on　the　farther　side　of　the　reef。　There　were　inches　of　water　washing　back　and　forth　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　but　there　was　neither　time　nor　opportunity　to　bale　it　out。　This　was　the　trickiest　part　of　the　whole　effort；　to　get　close　enough　alongside　the　wreck　to　be　able　to　take　off　the　survivors　without　stoving　in　the　boat；　there　were　wicked　fangs　of　rock　all　about　the　after　end　of　the　wreck；　while　forward；　although　the　forecastle　was　above　the　surface　at　times　the　forward　part　of　the　waist　was　submerged。　But　the　ship　was　canted　a　little　over　to　port；　towards　them；　which　made　the　approach　easier。　When　the　water　was　at　its　lowest　level；　immediately　before　the　next　roller　broke　on　the　reef；　Hornblower；　standing　up　and　craning　his　neck；　could　see　no　rocks　beside　the　wreck　in　the　middle　part　of　the　waist　where　the　deck　came　down　to　water　level。　It　was　easy　to　direct　the　steersman　towards　that　particular　point；　and　then；　as　the　boat　moved　in；　to　wave　his　arms　and　demand　the　attention　of　the　little　group　under　the　break　of　the　poop；　and　to　point　to　the　spot　to　which　they　were　approaching。　A　wave　burst　upon　the　reef；　broken　over　the　stern　of　the　wreck；　and　filled　the　boat　almost　full。　She　swung　back　and　forth　in　the　eddies；　but　the　kegs　kept　her　afloat　and　quick　handling　of　the　steering　oar　and　lusty　rowing　kept　her　from　being　dashed　against　either　the　wreck　or　the　rocks。
　'Now！'　shouted　Hornblower…it　did　not　matter　that　he　spoke　English　at　this　decisive　moment。　The　boat　surged　forward；　while　the　survivors；　releasing　themselves　from　the　lashings　which　had　held　them　in　their　shelter；　came　slithering　down　the　deck　towards　them。　It　was　a　little　of　a　shock　to　see　there　were　but　four　of　them…twenty　or　thirty　men　must　have　been　swept　overboard　when　the　ship　hit　the　reef。　The　bows　of　the　boat　moved　towards　the　wreck。　At　a　shouted　order　from　the　steersman　the　oars　fell　still。　One　survivor　braced　himself　and　flung　himself　into　the　bows。　A　stroke　of　the　oars；　a　tug　at　the　steering　oar；　and　the　boat　nosed　forward　again；　and　another　survivor　plunged　into　the　boat。　Then　Hornblower；　who　had　been　watching　the　sea；　saw　the　next　breaker　rear　up　over　the　reef。　At　his　warning　shout　the　boat　backed　away　to　safety…parative　safety…while　the　remaining　survivors　went　scrambling　back　up　the　deck　to　the　shelter　of　the　poop。　The　wave　burst　and　roared；　the　foam　hissed　and　the　spray　rattled；　and　then　they　crept　up　to　the　wreck　again。　The　third　survivor　poised　himself　for　his　leap；　mistimed　it；　and　fell　into　the　sea；　and　no　one　ever　saw　him　again。　He　was　gone；　sunk　like　a　stone；　crippled　as　he　was　with　cold　and　exhaustion；　but　there　was　no　time　to　spare　for　lamentation。　The　fourth　survivor　was　waiting　his　chance　and　jumped　at　once；　landing　safely　in　the　bows。
　'Any　more？'　shouted　Hornblower；　and　receiving　a　shake　of　the　head　in　reply；　they　had　saved　three　lives　at　the　risk　of　eight。
　'Let　us　go；'　said　Hornblower；　but　the