bcornwell.sharpescompany-第20部分

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　Collett　obligingly　left　and　Windham　leaned　back。　'I'm　sorry；　Sharpe。'
　
　'Yes；　sir。　And　the　gazette？'
　
　'Refused。'　So　there　it　was。　The　firing　squad　pulled　their　triggers　and　Lieutenant　Richard　Sharpe　gave　a　mocking；　sardonic　laugh　that　made　Windham　frown。　A　Lieutenant　again！
　
　'So　what　am　I　to　do；　sir？'　Sharpe　let　the　bitterness　edge　his　voice。　'Am　I　to　report　to　Captain　Rymer？'
　
　'No；　Mr。　Sharpe；　you　are　not。　Captain　Rymer　would　find　your　presence　an　embarrassment；　I'm　sure　you　can　understand　that。　He　must　be　given　time　to　settle　in。　I'll　keep　you　busy。'
　
　'I　forgot；　sir。　I'm　in　charge　of　the　women　now。'
　
　'Don't　be　impertinent；　Sharpe！'　Windham　snapped　forward；　startling　the　dogs。　
　
　'You　don't　understand；　do　you？'
　
　'There　are　rules；　orders；　regulations；　Sharpe；　by　which　our　lives　are　conducted。　If　we　ignore　those　rules；　burdensome　though　they　may　be；　then　we　open　the　gates　to　anarchy　and　tyranny；　the　very　things　against　which　we　fight！　Do　you　understand？'
　
　'Yes；　sir。　'　Sharpe　knew　it　would　be　pointless　to　mention　that　the　rules；　orders；　and　regulations　were　made　by　the　privileged　to　protect　the　privileged。　It　had　always　been　so；　and　always　would。　The　only　thing　for　him　to　do　now　was　to　get　out　with　his　shreds　of　dignity　intact　and　then　get　stinking　drunk。　Show　fellow　Lieutenant　Price　how　a　real　expert　fell　over。
　
　Windham　leaned　back。　'We're　going　to　Badajoz。'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'
　
　'You're　senior　Lieutenant。　'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'　Sharpe's　replies　were　listless。
　
　'There'll　be　vacancies；　man！　If　we　attack。'　That　was　true；　and　Sharpe　nodded。
　
　'Yes；　sir。'
　
　'You　can　exchange。'　Windham　looked　expectantly　at　Sharpe。
　
　'No；　sir。'　There　were　always　officers　who　found　their　Regiments　going　to　unpopular　places　such　as　the　Fever　Islands　and　who　would　offer　to　exchange　with　another　officer　in　a　battalion　closer　to　the　gaming　tables　and　far　from　weird　diseases。　Usually　they　would　offer　a　cash　bribe　to　facilitate　the　exchange；　but　Sharpe　dared　not　leave　Spain；　not　while　Teresa　and　Antonia　were　shut　up　in　Badajoz。　He　listened　to　the　rain　on　the　window　and　thought　of　the　girl　riding。　'I'll　stay；　sir。'
　
　'Good！'　Windham　sounded　far　from　pleased。　'There's　plenty　of　work。　The　mule　train　needs　tidying　up；　I've　seen　that　already；　and；　God　knows；　we'll　be　swamped　with　pickaxes　and　spades。　They　all　need　counting　'
　
　'In　charge　of　mules；　pick…axes；　and　women；　sir？'
　
　Windham's　eyes　met　the　challenge。　'Yes；　Mr。　Sharpe；　if　you　insist。　'
　
　'A　suitable　job；　sir；　for　an　ageing　Lieutenant。'
　
　'It　might；　Lieutenant；　engender　humility。'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'　An　important　quality　to　a　soldier；　humility；　and　Sharpe　gave　another　sardonic　laugh。　Humility　had　not　captured　the　gun　at　Ciudad　Rodrigo；　nor　hacked　a　path　through　Fuentes　de　Onoro's　tight　streets；　nor　fetched　the　gold　from　Spain；　nor　taken　an　Eagle　from　the　enemy；　nor　rescued　a　General；　nor　brought　a　group　of　starving　Riflemen　out　of　a　rout　nor　killed　the　Sultan　Tippoo；　and　Sharpe's　sardonic　laugh　became　real。　He　was　being　arrogant　to　himself；　and　perhaps　Windham　was　right。　He　needed　humility。　He　would　now　be　parading　wives　and　counting　shovels；　neither　of　which　activity　called　for　much　initiative　or　leadership；　and　mules　were　notoriously　chary　of　quick；　confident　decisions；　and　humility　was　best。　He　would　be　humble。　'Sir？'
　
　'Yes？'
　
　'A　request。　'
　
　'Go　on；　man。　'
　
　'I　want　to　lead　a　Forlorn　Hope　at　Badajoz；　sir。　I'd　like　you　to　forward　my　name　now。　I　know　it's　early；　but　I　would　be　grateful　if　you　would　do　so。'
　
　Windham　stared　at　him。　'You're　unbalanced；　man。'
　
　Sharpe　shook　his　head。　He　was　not　going　to　explain　that　he　wanted　a　promotion　that　no　man　could　take　from　him；　and　that　he　wanted　to　test　himself　in　a　breach　because　he　had　never　done　it。　And　if　he　died；　as　he　surely　would；　and　never　saw　his　daughter？　Then　she　would　know　that　her　father　had　died　trying　to　reach　her；　leading　an　attack；　and　she　could　be　proud。　'I　want　it；　sir。'
　
　'You　don't　need　it；　Sharpe。　There　will　be　promotion　at　Badajoz。'
　
　'Will　you　forward　my　name；　sir？'
　
　Windham　stood　up。　'Think　about　it；　Sharpe；　think　about　it。'　He　gestured　towards　the　door。　'Report　to　Major　Collett　in　the　morning。'　The　interview　had　been　far　worse　than　he　had　feared　and　the　Colonel　shook　his　head。　'You　don't　need　it；　Sharpe；　you　don't。　Now　good　day　to　you。'
　
　Sharpe　did　not　notice　the　rain。　He　stood　and　stared　across　the　valley　at　the　fortress。　He　thought　of　Teresa　closing　on　the　huge　walls；　and　knew　that　he　must　go　into　the　breach；　whatever　happened。　The　restitution　of　his　rank；　and　hopefully　the　mand　of　his　pany；　demanded　it；　but；　most　of　all；　because　he　was　a　soldier；　it　was　pride。
　
　The　meek；　he　had　been　told；　would　inherit　the　earth；　but　only　when　the　last　soldier　left　it　to　them　in　his　will。
　
　CHAPTER　11
　
　'Sergeant　Hakeswill；　sir！　Reporting　to　Lieutenant　Sharpe；　sir；　as　ordered；　sir！'　The　right　boot　crashed　into　the　attention；　the　arm　quivered　at　the　salute；　the　face　twitched；　but　was　full　of　amusement。
　
　Sharpe　returned　the　salute。　It　had　been　more　than　three　weeks　since　his　demotion；　yet　it　still　hurt。　The　Battalion；　embarrassed；　called　him　'sir'　or　'Mr。　Sharpe'。　Only　Hakeswill　twisted　the　knife。　Sharpe　pointed　to　the　mess　on　the　ground。　That's　it。　Sort　it　out。　'
　
　'Sir！'　Hakeswill　turned　to　the　working　party　from　the　Light　pany。　'You　heard　the　Lieutenant！　Sort　it　out　and　get　a　bloody　move　on！　The　Captain　wants　us　back。'
　
　Hagman；　the　old　Rifleman；　the　best　shot　in　the　pany；　who　had　served　with　Sharpe　for　seven　years；　gave　his　old　Captain　a　sad　smile。　'Nasty　day；　sir。'
　
　Sharpe　nodded。　The　rain　had　stopped；　but　it　looked　as　if　it　would　start　again　soon。　'How　are　things；　Dan？'
　
　The　Rifleman　grinned；　shrugged；　and　looked　round　to　see　if　Hakeswill　was　listening。　'Bloody　terrible；　sir。'
　
　'Hagman！'　Hakeswill　bellowed。　'Just　because　you're　bloody　old　doesn't　mean　you　can't　work。　Get　your　bloody　self　here；　fast！'　The　Sergeant　grinned　at　Sharpe。　'Sorry；　Lieutenant；　sir。　Can't　stop　to　chat；　can　we？　Work　to　do。'　The　teeth　ground　together；　the　blue　eyes　blinked　rapidly。　'How's　your　lady；　sir。　Well？　I　was　hoping　to　renew　the　acquaintance。　In　Baddy…joss　is　she？'　He　cackled　and　turned　away；　back　to　the　working　party　that　was　rescuing　the　fallen　shovels　from　the　broken…axled　cart。
　
　Sharpe　ignored　the　gibes　because　to　react　was　to　give　Hakeswill　the　satisfaction　of　having　unsettled　him；　and　he　looked　away　from　the　cart　and　stared　over　the　grey；　swollen　river。　Badajoz。　Just　four　miles　away；　a　city　built　on　a　corner　of　land　formed　by　the　River　Guadiana　and　the　Rivillas　stream。　The　city　was　dominated　by　the　sprawling　castle　high　on　the　rock　hill　which　stood　where　the　stream　flowed　into　the　river。　The　army　had　marched　from　Elvas　that　morning　and　now　they　waited　as　the　Engineers　put　the　last　touches　to　the　pontoon　bridge　that　would　take　the　British　to　the　southern　bank　on　which　Badajoz　stood。　Each　tin　pontoon；　strengthened　by　wooden　braces；　weighed　two　tons；　and　the　clumsy；　oblong　boats；　dragged　here　by　oxen；　had　been　floated　in　a　line　across　the　Guadiana。　They　were　all　moored　now；　anchored　against　the　rain…heightened　river；　and　across　their　top　surfaces　the　Engineers　had　laid　massive　thirteen…inch　cables。　The　water　foamed　dirty　between　the　tin　boats　as；　on　top　of　the　cables；　planks　were　slapped　into　place　with　a　speed　that　spoke　of　the　frequent　practice　the　Engineers　had　made　in　crossing　Spain's　rivers。　Almost　before　the　last　planks　were　in　place　the　first　carts　were　crossing　and　men　shoveled　sand　and　earth　on　to　the　planks　to　make　a　crude　roadway。
　
　'Forward！'　The　first　troops　began　to　cross；　unmounted　men　of　the　newly　arrived　Heavy　Cavalry　Brigade　leading　their　horses。　The　animals　were　nervous　on　the　thrumming　bridge；　but　they　crossed；　and　Badajoz　was　about　to　be　ringed　with　troops。
　
　On　the　far　bank　the　cavalry　mounted；　sorted　themselves　into　squadrons；　and；　as　the　first　infantry　began　to　cross；　the　horsemen　put　spurs　to　their　mounts　and　trotted　towards　the　city。　There　was　little　they　could　do　against　the　massive　walls；　they　were　a　demonstration；　a　flaunting　of　intent；　and　a　discouragement　to　the　handful　of　French　cavalry　inside　Badajoz　who　might　be　tempted　to　ride　against　the　bridgehead。
　
　It　began　to　rain；　pitting　the　swirling；　dark　water；　and　soaking　the　already　damp　troops　as　they　crossed　the　river　and　turned　left　towards　the　city。　Once　there　was　a　cheer　from　the　infantry　as　a　cannon's　shot　was　heard　from　Badajoz。　A　squadron　of　the　Heavy　Cavalry　had　ridden　too　close　to　the　walls；　a　French　gun　had　fired；　and　the　British　riders　galloped　ignominiously　out　of　range。　The　cheer　was　ironic。　The　infantry　might　die　soon　at　the　hands　of　the　guns；　but　it　was　still　good　to　see　the　fancy　cavalry　taught　a　lesson。　No　cavalryman　would　have　to　go　into　Badajoz's　breaches。
　
　The　South　Essex　had　bee　pack　mules。　The　Engineers　had　over　a　hundred　carts　waiting　to　cross　the　river　and　two　had　snapped　their　axles。　The　South　Essex　would　have　to　carry　the　loads　across　the　water。　Windham　reined　in　beside　Sharpe。　'All　ready；　Mr。　Sharpe？'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'
　
　'Keep