bcornwell.sharpescompany-第27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！


ack；　brought　it　back　to　the　sheepfold。　'Do　you　want　to　search　it；　sir？'
　
　'Don't　be　a　fool；　Sharpe。　You're　an　officer。'　And　thereby；　went　the　unspoken　words；　and　despite　all　evidence　to　the　contrary；　a　gentleman。　'I　want　to　see　how　far　our　thief's　net　was　cast。　See　if　anything's　missing；　man！'
　
　Sharpe　unbuckled　the　straps。　The　French　pack　was　crammed　with　spare；　dirty　clothes；　two　spare　locks　for　his　rifle；　and　a　half　bottle　of　rum。　He　kept　only　one　valuable　in　the　pack　and　he　did　not　need　to　look　for　it；　it　was　gone。　He　looked　up　at　Windham。　I'm　missing　a　telescope。'
　
　'Telescope？　Anything　special　about　it？'
　
　Something　very　special；　the　inlet　brass　plate　that　was　inscribed　In　Gratitude。　AW。　23　September　1803。　It　had　gone。　Sharpe　pushed　his　hand　desperately　down　through　the　clothes；　but　it　was　gone。　Damn　the　thief　！　The　telescope　had　been　a　gift　from　Wellington；　a　valued　gift；　and　Sharpe　cursed　himself　for　leaving　the　pack　with　all　the　others。　Yet　they　had　been　guarded。　As　the　sheepfold　with　the　officers'　valuables　had　been　guarded。　Windham　listened　to　Sharpe's　description　and　nodded　with　satisfaction。　'That　proves　one　thing。'
　
　'Proves？　What；　sir？'
　
　Windham　smiled。　'I　think　we　know　where　our　thief　es　from。　Only　one　pany　would　know　that　pack！'　He　pointed　at　Sharpe's　gradually　soaking　clothes　in　their　French　pig…skin　pack。　He　turned　to　Major　Collett。　'Parade　the　Light　pany；　Jack。　Search　every　man。　'
　
　Sharpe　tried　to　protest。　'Sir？'
　
　Windham　whipped　round　on　him；　held　out　the　crop　accusingly。　'If　you　had　stayed　on　guard；　Sharpe；　instead　of　gallivanting　on　the　hill；　this　would　not　have　happened。　Stay　out　of　it！'
　
　Hakeswill！　It　had　to　be　Hakeswill！　Sharpe　knew　it；　and　knew　with　an　utter　certainty　that　the　accusation　would　never　be　proved。　The　theft　of　the　telescope；　at　least；　had　to　have　been　done　in　the　afternoon　because　Sharpe　had　seen　the　glass　in　his　pack　at　midday。　The　Light　pany；　or　most　of　them；　had　been　with　Sharpe　fighting　the　French；　but　he　suddenly　remembered　the　awkward；　lumbering　figure　of　the　yellow…faced　Sergeant　hurrying　back　towards　the　baggage。　The　loot　would　all　be　hidden　by　now。　And　the　guards　whom　Sharpe　had　left　to　watch　the　baggage　would　all　have　wandered　to　the　hilltop　to　see　the　fight。　He　strapped　up　the　buckles　of　his　pack。　Major　Forrest　waited　till　the　other　officers　had　filed　out　the　gate。　'I'm　sorry；　Sharpe。'
　
　'I　don't　think　it's　the　Light　pany；　sir。'
　
　'I　meant　about　the　telescope。'
　
　Sharpe　grunted。　Forrest　was　a　decent　man；　always　wanting　others　to　be　content。　The　Rifleman　shrugged。　'It's　gone；　sir。　It　won't　e　back。'　Hakeswill　was　too　clever　a　thief　to　be　discovered。
　
　Forrest　shook　his　head　unhappily。　'I　don't　believe　it。　And　we　used　to　be　such　a　happy　battalion！'　His　face　suddenly　changed；　became　curious。　'Sharpe？'
　
　'Sir？'
　
　'Colonel　Windham　said　you　were　married。　I　didn't　like　to　contradict　him。'
　
　'Did　you；　sir？'
　
　'Good　Lord；　no！　Are　you？'
　
　Sharpe　shook　his　head。　'No；　sir。'
　
　'But　he　said　you　told　him　you　were。'
　
　Sharpe　squatted　back　on　his　heels　and　smiled　up　at　the　Major。　'I　did。'
　
　'For　God's　sake；　why？'
　
　'Don't　know；　sir。　It　just　came　out。'
　
　'But；　Good　Lord；　Sharpe。　It　goes　on　your　papers；　it。。。　〃　Forrest　gave　up。　'Why　don't　you　tell　him　the　truth？'
　
　'I　quite　like　the　idea；　sir。'
　
　Forrest　laughed。　'Well　I　never。　I　thought　it　was　odd　when　he　mentioned　it；　but　I　thought　it　could　be　true。　You're　such　a　private　fellow；　Sharpe。'
　
　'The　way　I'm　going；　sir；　I　probably　will　be　soon。'
　
　'Don't　be　ridiculous。'　Forrest　frowned。　'There'll　be　a　Captaincy　soon。　There　nearly　was　this　afternoon。　Poor　Sterritt　tripped　over　and　had　a　bayonet　through　his　jacket。'
　
　Sharpe　said　nothing。　He　had　shamelessly　searched　the　survivors　to　see　if　any　Captain　was　missing；　but　they　all　seemed　to　bear　charmed　lives　and　a　remarkable　freedom　from　disease　in　the　foul　weather。　He　stood　up　and　slung　his　pack　on　one　shoulder。　Over　the　hill　came　the　thumps　of　the　French　guns；　a　sound　so　mon　that　men　hardly　noticed　it　any　more。　As　mon　as　the　endless　hissing　of　the　rain。
　
　Forrest　looked　over　his　shoulder；　at　the　parading　Light　pany。　This　is　sad；　Sharpe。　Very　sad。'
　
　Windham　paraded　them　and　the　Sergeant　Major　called　each　man　forward　in　turn　to　have　pouches；　haversack　and　pack　emptied　on　to　a　groundsheet。　Another　Sergeant　went　through　the　packets。　Sharpe　turned　away。　He　found　it　sad；　too；　and　unnecessary。　He　would　have　paraded　them　and　given　them　ten　minutes　to　e　up　with　the　thief　or　face　the　consequences；　if；　that　is；　he　really　believed　that　one　of　the　pany　was　the　thief。　Forrest　shook　his　head。　'He's　very　thorough；　Sharpe。'
　
　'Not　really；　sir。'
　
　'What　do　you　mean？'
　
　Sharpe　gave　a　tired　smile。　'When　I　was　in　the　ranks；　sir；　we　had　packs　with　false　bottoms。　He's　not　looking　inside　the　shakoes。　Anyway；　a　real　thief　won't　have　the　stuff　anymore。'
　
　'He's　hardly　had　time　to　get　rid　of　it。'
　
　'Sir。　One　of　the　women　could　have　it　by　now；　he　could　have　sold　it　all　to　the　Sutler　for　a　few　shillings　and　a　bottle　or　two。　It　could　be　hidden。　It　won't　be　found。　We're　just　wasting　our　time。'
　
　A　horseman　pulled　up　outside　the　sheepfold　and　saluted　Forrest。　'Sir？'
　
　Major　Forrest　peered　through　the　rain。　'Good　Lord！　Young　Knowles！　You've　got　a　new　horse！'
　
　'Yes；　sir。'　Robert　Knowles　slid　from　the　saddle　and　grinned　at　Sharpe。　'Now　I'm　not　in　your　pany；　I'm　allowed　to　ride　a　horse。　Do　you　like　it？'
　
　Sharpe　looked　morosely　at　the　beast。　'Very　nice；　sir。'
　
　Knowles　stiffened　on　the　'sir'。　He　looked　from　Sharpe　to　Forrest。　His　smile　went。　'Your　gazette？'　He　stammered　at　Sharpe。
　
　'It　was　refused；　sir。　'
　
　'Stop　it。'　Knowles　was　embarrassed。　He　had　learned　his　trade　from　Sharpe；　modeled　himself　on　his　old　Captain；　and　now　he　had　a　Light　pany　of　his　own　he　tried　to　think；　every　hour；　of　how　Sharpe　would　lead　them。　'It's　ridiculous！'
　
　Forrest　nodded。　'The　world's　gone　mad。'
　
　Knowles　frowned；　shook　his　head。　'I　don't　believe　it！'
　
　Sharpe　shrugged。　'It's　true。'　He　felt　sorry　for　having　embarrassed　Knowles。　'How's　the　pany？'
　
　'Wet。　They　want　to　get　on　with　the　fighting。'　He　shook　his　head　again。　'So　who's　got　your　pany？'
　
　Forrest　sighed。　'A　man　called　Rymer。'
　
　Knowles　shrugged。　'They're　mad。　'　He　looked　at　Sharpe。　'It　seems　crazy！　You　underneath　some　Captain？'
　
　Forrest　tut…tutted。　'Oh；　no。　Mr。　Sharpe　has　special　duties。'
　
　Sharpe　grinned。　'I'm　the　Lieutenant　in　charge　of　women；　pick…axes；　mules；　and　baggage　guard。'
　
　Knowles　laughed。　'I　don't　bloody　believe　it！'　He　suddenly　noticed　the　strange　parade　beyond　the　circular；　small　sheepfold。　'What's　happening？'
　
　'A　thief。'　Forrest　sounded　sad。　'The　Colonel　thinks　it　might　be　someone　in　the　Light　pany。'
　
　'He's　mad！'　Knowles　kept　a　fierce　loyalty　to　his　old　pany。　'They're　much　too　fly　to　be　caught！'
　
　'I　know。'　Sharpe　watched　the　search。　The　men　had　all　been　processed；　and　nothing　found；　and　now　the　Sergeants　came　forward。　Hakeswill　stood　ramrod　straight；　his　face　twitching；　as　his　pack　was　turned　upside　down。　Nothing　would　be　found；　of　course。　The　Sergeant　gave　Windham　a　snapping　salute。
　
　Harper　came　forward；　grinning　with　amusement　that　anyone　should　think　him　capable　of　such　an　act。　Hakeswill　first；　then　Harper；　and　Sharpe　began　running　up　the　hillside　because；　of　course；　Hakeswill　wanted　Harper　out　of　the　way。　Patrick　Harper　saw　Sharpe　ing　and　raised　his　eyebrows；　taking　the　insult　of　the　search　with　the　same　calm　tolerance　with　which　he　met　most　of　life's　indignities；　and　then　the　face　registered　shock。
　
　'Sir？'　The　Sergeant　Major　was　straightening　up。
　
　Sharpe　had　realized　what　was　happening；　but　too　late。　He　should　have　got　to　Harper　sooner。　Before　the　parade。
　
　'Officer　of　the　Day！'　Windham's　voice　was　harsh。　Put　the　Sergeant　under　arrest。　'
　
　They　only　found　one　thing；　but　it　was　enough。　On　top　of　the　pack；　not　even　hidden；　was　the　silver　frame　that　had　enclosed　the　picture　of　Windham's　wife。　The　glass　had　been　Smashed　and　the　portrait　was　missing；　razored　from　the　filigree　that　had　itself　been　bent。　Windham　held　the　frame；　seemed　to　quiver　with　rage；　and　looked　up　at　the　huge　Sergeant。　'Where's　the　picture？〃
　
　'I　know　nothing　about　it；　sir。　Nothing。　So　help　me；　sir；　I　did　not　take　it。'
　
　'I'll　flog　you！　By　God！　I　will　flog　you！1　He　turned　on　his　heel。
　
　The　Light　pany　stood　frozen；　the　rain　dripping　from　shako　peaks；　their　uniforms　soaked。　They　seemed　shocked。　The　rest　of　the　Battalion；　crouched　in　their　inadequate　shelters；　watched　as　the　Officer　of　the　Day　assembled　a　guard　and　Harper　was　taken　away。　Sharpe　did　not　move。
　
　The　pany　was　dismissed。　Fires　were　lit　under　the　shelters　in　a　vain　attempt　to　drive　out　the　dampness。　Bullocks　were　slaughtered　for　the　evening　meal；　the　musket　smoke　lingering　over　the　panicked　survivors　of　the　herd；　and　Sharpe　let　the　rain　chill　his　skin　as　he　felt　a　terrible　impotence。　Knowles　tried　to　move　him。　'e　and　eat　with　us。　Be　my　guest。　Please。'
　
　Sharpe　shook　his　head。　'No。　I　must　be　here　for　the　Court…Martial。'
　
　Knowles　looked　wo